A summary of the 29th Bay Regatta. By Scott Murray, Editor of SEA Yaching Magazine.

Ray Roberts’ TP52 Team Hollywood won its second straight Bay Regatta yesterday as the team from Downunder dominated the Performance Monohull class, winning all three races in the event, as the final day of racing was abandoned as the wind dropped out during the final passage Race.

Every regatta has its own unique selling point, and for the Bay Regatta, it’s the stunning karst topography competitors sail through: indeed, it is one of the world’s most beautiful regattas.

You have to excuse first-time competitors if they appear gobsmacked as they first head out through the regatta’s cruising grounds on their four-day nautical journey. Rarely have they seen such stunning and picturesque scenery.

Held this year, from February 18-22, the Bay Regatta was a series of passage races – an event format that catches the attention of the region’s best sailors. This four-day sailing trek throughout Phang Nga Bay 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.

In past years, the highlight of the Bay Regatta was sailing in the flat waters off the east coast of Phuket, towards Koh Phanak, the first island in Phang Nga Bay.

The 2026 regatta returned to that traditional start with a northeasterly beat into Phang Nga Bay. After that, the course turned south to follow a slalom route around a series of islands. The finish was at The Blue Bay Beach Resort on the sheltered west coast of Koh Yao Yai for the second year.

This year, 34 sailboats registered and were spread out over five classes (Performance Monohulls, IRC Racing, Monohull Cruising, OMR Multihulls, & Cruising Multihulls). They started the regatta just off of Ao Po Grand Marina on Phuket's east coast, after registration and an opening party at the lovely Supalai Scenic Bay resort, the yachts sailed south.

On the first day, everyone sailed the same 25-mile course. It all started at 10am as PRO and regatta organiser Simon James had three starts for the competitors, as he did every day: first off were the performance monohulls, followed by the multihulls (combined OMR & Cruising) and then the combined monohull classes.

The fleet set off from Koh Naka Yai, then rounded mark one to port (approx. four miles to windward). Then the fleet rounded Koh Thanan to port, and then Koh Sup to starboard, and Koh Lipe to port before finishing off Ao Lo Paret with the committee boat to starboard.

After a buffet and awards presentation at the Blue Bay Beach Resort on Koh Yao, the fleet was eager to let loose for day two of the 2025 Bay Regatta on Friday, February 20. Beginning at 10am, PRO and race organiser Simon James again had two starts for the competitors: first off were the multihulls, followed by all the monohulls.

Competitors set sail on a 25-mile course starting off of Blue Bay Resort, which started off Koh Yao Yai with gusts of up to 27 knots as the yachts headed to Krabi, passing Koh Chong Lat Nai to port, through some strong “wind against tide” conditions and then passing Leam Hua Lan to port before passing through a gate keeping Hin Mu Sang Neua to starboard, before passing between Koh Samet and Koh Daeng, finishing off of Koh Ya Mann.

After 25 miles of strong winds, crews retired to Ao Nang and the night's social event, hosted by Port Takola Boatyard & Marina, which was launching their new Capitainerie facility.

The third day of the regatta saw participants sail the 28-mile Krabi Islands course. The route saw sailors round Koh Ya Man, Koh Dam Khwan, Koh Khom (South), and Koh Ya Wa Sam all to starboard before rounding Koh Man to port and following a 10-mile windward/leeward and finishing back at the committee boat.

The evening party was held at Vacation Village, Pra Nang Inn, where prizes were given out for day two’s racing by Khun Sam of Haadthip. Asia Catamarans’ Zam Bevan then handed out the prizes for day three.

Competitors did start the fourth and final race, the sail from Ao Nang back to Ao Chalong, but a lack of wind forced PRO James to abandon the race for all classes after 3 hours, so the final results were based on the first three days of racing.

As noted, the elite four-boat Performance Monohull was won by Ray Roberts’ Team Hollywood. Peter Cremers’ Shatoosh edged out Hans Rahmann’s Yasooda by one point for second spot in the class with Steve McConaghy’s Aftershock.Yasooda, a Judel/Vrolijk 70 and Shatoosh, a Warwick 75, are both beautifully sleek boats and hold a friendly rivalry in many of the region’s regattas.

The eight-boat IRC Racing Class was dominated by three yachts that took first, second or third in every race and finished tied for points at the end of the regatta. But the gold medal went to Matti Sep’sGern Kard, who won the final race in the class with Maksim Lisun’s Dynamite placing second and Craig Nichols’ Alright coming in third. Venture’s crew did not let out enough anchor chain on the first night of competition, and the yacht then decided to sail itself through Phang Nga Bay.

The ten-boat Monohull Cruising Class was also very close, with James Duke’s Kimikimi squeaking out a one-point victory when all was said and done. Next, Sergei Musikhin’s Wind of Change and Nikiforov Evgenii’s Ganett 2 finished tied on points, but Wind of Change was awarded second overall as a result of a better finish in the final race.

Dan Fidock’s Extreme 40 Parabellum took line honours in every race and won every race to capture the title in the six-boat OMR Multihull class. David Liddell’s Stealth Wow was second in every race, winning that spot, and John Newnham’s Twin Sharks placed third. There was a great battle within a battle going on in this division between the two competing Fireflies: Twin Sharks and Blue Noze, both designed by Mark Pescott and built by Mark Horwood in Phuket, with Twin Sharks winning out in the end.

The six-boat Cruising Multihull class was also very close as Lt Col Brigadier James Baxter (OBE)’s Zephyrus outpointed Michael Hähnel’s Liberty V by two points with Jeff Harris’ Serendipity just a point behind Liberty V. The other three vessels in this class (Twister 2, Saalt and Vancouver) were struck by a variety of equipment failures and missed some of the races.

The final awards party was once again held at Kan Eang 2 restaurant, overlooking Chalong Bay, and a great time was had by all. Described as the “party that sails around”, this regatta just keeps entertaining all those who participate, and it certainly didn’t disappoint this year, with many promising to be back again next year. Tentative dates for the 2026 Bay Regatta are Mid /Late February.

Regattas Asia has done what no one else in this region was able to do: stage a regatta every year throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s right, the Bay Regatta didn’t miss a beat – this year’s version being the 29th straight.

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.