Borneo International Yachting Challenge 2010

The Borneo International Yachting Challenge Website has just been updated for the 2010 race which starts in Miri Sarawak on 24th July, finishing in Kota Kinabalu Sabah on 31st July.

This year it is hoped to include Brunei as a port of call but this has still to be confirmed. New innovations this year include online race entry, together with a forum which provides crew finding information, accommodation information and questions and answers about the forthcoming race.

Borneo International Yachting Challenge

An early morning start was required on the morning of the passage race to Labuan in the Borneo International Yachting Challenge, due to the depth of water in the channel to Miri Marina.

We motored out into the dawn and once clear of the channel hoisted the sails for the first time to findout how Sarawak Seahorse perfomed. Our scratch crew cosisted of two experienced sailors plus three others with little or no experience, so it was going to be short but sharp learning curve. We did a few tacks and gybes so that everyone had an idea as to what to do.

The wind was fairly light and I misjudged the time to reach the start line, so that we missed the class start and narrowly avoided being classified as DNS as we dipped back acroos the line with seconds to spare, just ahead of the next class.

The wind gods did not favour the race and a few miles from the start the fleet was becalmed. One by one the cruising boats started their engines leaving us in their wake. Gradually the wind filled in and we reached down the coast heasing for the oil fields, where we decided to take the inshore route. we had some good sailing catching and passing a few of the cruising boats. we divided into two watches putting the novice sailors on the helm as the night wore on.

Dawn saw us of the coast of Brunei with a fair breeze and sails on the horizon infront of us, we slowwly closed the gap and then approaching Labaun fell into a wind hole and began to be pushed backwards by the current. We crept close to some rocky outcrops to avoid the current until the wind filled in allowing us to romp home to Labuan.

Unfortuantly we were classified as DNF due to time limit and were too late to protest ene, althuogh in previuos years are position would have counted.

David Ogden
Pirates Of Borneo

Borneo International Yachting Challenge

As the days drew closer to the race, there was some confusion as to which which yacht we would be sailing for the race, and it was only on the day before we traveled to Miri that we learnt we were to sail Sarawak Seahorse.

Sarawak Seahorse is a First 32.5, however the boat had been lying ashore for a year awaiting a keel replacement, so when we arrived it still had to be painted and was missing a propeller. We set about making it seaworthy, checking sails and equipment and fitting an outboard motor to the transom in case the propeller did not arrive in time.

We befriended a local taxi driver who became our drive for a couple of days as we searched for bits and pieces and supplies for the race.

24 hours before the start of the Borneo International Yacht Race and Sarawak Seahorse was still high and dry although a crane had been ordered. Then just as a wind squall approached the yacht was launched. We had a few nervous moments as the outboard fought the wind and we turned into the marina to find a berth and prepare for the start the following day.

David Ogden
Pirates Of Borneo