Using the new Australian SMS system for the first time in Thailand, the Pornstar comfortably won all 7 races against the Phuket 8 Lee Vino in Pattaya’s 200 boat (but only 2 of them sporties) regatta Top Of The Gulf. It is a shame that the numbers of sporties is only 2, as a number of boats sit in the marina unused.
The SMS system is specifically created for sportboats, and unlike IRC and SBR does not punish square tops/big roached mains and light displacement. As a result, it seems that the Shaw has a strong future under the SMS system not just relative to the P8 but other larger wide/bigger bulbed/big rig sporties.
P8
SMS 0.877
IRC 1.125
SBR 0.999
Shaw 650
SMS 0.788 (10.15%)
IRC 1.083 (3.73%)
SBR 0.966 (3.30%)
In particular, the highlight was sailing downwind on the 30NM race 5 which was mostly upwind and 2 sail leading with one big downwind run at the end – Pornstar made up some major ground downwind, earning what would have been a 2nd place out of the entire IRC fleet, with Ray Roberts on the TP52 Evolution Sails doing the same course a little quicker on corrected time.
Having Al Chase coming up from Australia to join on the boat also was educational; Al is a well respected Aussie sportsboat and dinghy sailor with many tricks and skills. It seems after 4 days, that the key to making Pornstar fast, being that she is a little heavier than some of the other Shaws, is keeping total crew weight at slightly less; 300kg or less seems the magic spot; for the class boats this is likely to push a little higher as the hull weights are lighter.
With SMS confirmed as the rating system for Hong Kong later in 2010, the Shaws look poised to rate well; class boat ratings will be issued pending measurement.
Regatta start in Thailand