Regattas Asia return to the water today, staging what few people in this region have done: their third major regatta during the Covid-19 pandemic. Working in conjunction with local authorities and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The 11 boat Bay Regatta, set sail this morning for its 25th Anniversary event from The Royal Phuket Marina.

The early morning tide saw eleven sailboats leave from The Royal Phuket Marina, through the newly dredged marina channel, Heading out to Ko Rang Yai, to join the event’s largest yacht, Hans Rahmann's 76ft Yasooda and start their adventure, on a four-day nautical journey.

Traditional held just before the Chinese Lunar New Year. The Bay Regatta is a series of passage races and stop-over social events – an event format that catches the attention of the region's best sailors as they compete in two groups, Multihulls and Monohulls.

With a wide range of boat designs and sailing experience, each group has two opportunities to achieve the coveted daily awards. Prizes are awarded on a racing handicap and a performance-based system. All boats, including those in "cruising mode" have an equal chance of winning a prize.

This four-day circumnavigation of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi, focuses on fun. Attracting the serious, the not-so-serious and the not-at-all-serious "racing" sailors, the regatta appeals to those who enjoy the stunning sailing grounds of the area and a different destination each evening.

Each evening, the regatta anchors at a different venue and the sailors go ashore. Those staying ashore –the majority of the fleet – book accommodation and either eat in the local restaurants or enjoy the official event functions which engage with the local community. Most of the expenditure of the regatta goes directly into the local economies of the areas the regatta visits — this has been the case since the regatta was launched and it will remain so for the future — an excellent example of how sports tourism works to the benefit of communities and local economies.

Starting in Sapam Bay on Phuket's east coast, after registration and an opening party yesterday evening at The Royal Phuket Marina, the yachts headed south to comply with the current COVID-19 regulations for the Phang Nga National Park.

The Really Good Deli sponsored 25-mile course, set off from Ko Rang Yai, passing Koh Lipi to starboard and rounding Ko Yao Yai to the south, before heading north, passing Hin Mu Sang Mu Nua and finishing near the Ko Yao Noi Channel.

The Racing commenced at 09:00 with two starts. First off were the monohull (4 Boats) followed by the multihulls (7 boats). The leading boats at the first turning point (Ko Lipi) were Yasooda for the Monohulls and Bonza 69 slam in the Multihulls closely followed by the fleet of locally built stealth designs.

Warwick Downes’ Bonza 69 slam, took line honours and the Multihull Racing handicap prize finishing 1st in 3 hours 10 mins in dying breeze followed by Zero, Saffron and Twister. In the performance division, results were taken back to the gate when Lady Mia was unable to make the absolute time limit. The revised results saw Bonza 69 Slam in first place, followed by Dan Fiddock’s Saffron in second and Zero in third. In the battle of the "Ricks" (Fielding and Delaney) first blood went to Mojo coming in 5th with Lady Mia hard on their heels. Handicps will now be recalculated for tomorrows Performance race.

While Charter entries were decimated by the suspension of the Test & Go arrival scheme, results for the remaining four boat monohull Class – saw line honours going to Yasooda with the racing division results after handicap of Phoenix finishing on top, 4 mins in-front of Megazip on corrected time followed Jessandra II, with Yasooda coming in to win the Performance division beating Phoenix and Megazip by 10 and 14 mins on corrected time.

The Bay Regatta (Originally known as the Phang Nga Bay Regatta) was originally described thus: "The regatta allows participants to experience the best of southern Thai hospitality and the unrivalled sailing grounds in the area. Boats sail amongst 200-metre high karsts and past hidden bays on their way to nights under-the-stars in idyllic anchorages."

That description still rings true today.

Tomorrow the fleet starts off Ko Yao, through the Hong Group of islands and heads for Krabi.