neptune motor yacht rally instructions
DESCRIPTION
2013 guide for Motor Yachts taking part in the Neptune RegattaTRANSCRIPT
INTRODUCTION This document is intended for use by and lays out the plans for the Neptune Regatta Motor Yacht Rally and cuts to the chase of what can be expected by and what is expected of participating motor yachts. Please also read the Neptune “Participants Handbook” which you should have had emailed to you, but if not, is available off the regatta website: http://www.neptune-‐regatta.com/myiinstruction.aspx (we also suggest you read the ‘Sailing Instructions’ the directives under which the sailing yachts race. This will give you a full picture of what they are up to: http://www.neptune-‐regatta.com/instruction.aspx ) The Neptune Regatta and Rally seeks to bring together both motor and sailing yachts that will together explore seldom-‐visited Indonesian waters. These areas are sparsely populated, stunningly beautiful and all within not much more than an easy day’s sail from the Singapore Straits. If that then is the ‘why’, let’s have a look through who, when and where, together with some dos and don’ts. Itinerary The Neptune Regatta and Rally springs into action on Sunday 10th February at Nongsa Point Marina and Resort (NPMR) and continues through to the final farewell, also back at Nongsa on Saturday 16th February. Here’s a breakdown of the daily activities: Date Time Location Description Coordinates (WGS84)
Sunday 10th Feb
12 noon -‐6pm Nongsa
Point Marina
and Resort
Registration of yachts & crew plus safety inspections (more on these below). It is expected that all yachts will arrive in sufficient time to clear customs and immigration as well as regatta registration before 6pm.
If you haven’t been into Nongsa before BEWARE of the rock directly in front of their entrance channel, often (but not always) marked by a small black isolated danger buoy.
Isolated danger
N01˚12.470’ E104˚05.925’ (+50m
radius)
Nongsa Entrance
N01˚12.1’ E104˚05.8’
7pm
Skippers’ Briefing –, this pre-‐race briefing is an opportunity for skippers and navigators to be briefed on any last minute changes to the routing, anchorage and other navigational details, together with a talk through expected tide and weather predictions.
n/a
Date Time Location Description Coordinates (WGS84)
Monday 11th Feb 0905
Leg 1 Nongsa to Karas Besar
The IRC Racing yachts will be flagged off first at 8am and the motor yachts will be flagged off at 9am from a start boat about 0.5nm east of the entrance to NPMR. Look for the Committee boat that is anchored and displaying an orange flag. The Motor yacht fleet will then proceed first east and then south through Selat Riau between Batam and Bintan to the overnight anchorage on the southern side of Pulau Karas Besar. As yachts pass by Pulau Lobam (east of the rhumbline) they will be checked through a ‘gate’ the lies between a committee boat anchored close SW of Pulau Lobam and Pencaras Island. When boats are 2nm out form the gate they are to call “Lobam Gate” on Ch72 so that their identity can be established. From there, yachts will proceed to the finish line off Pulau Karas Kechil.
Nongsa Start
N01˚ 12.2’ E104˚ 06.5’
Lobam Gate (E. End)
N00˚ 58.6’ E104˚ 14.2’
Karas Besar Finish
N00˚ 44.3’ E104˚22.3’
Karas Besar Anchorage
N00˚ 44.4’ E104˚ 20.2’
Tuesday 12th Feb 0805
Leg 2 Karas
Besar to Buaya
Motor yachts will be given the first start and will be flagged off at 8am from a start line S.E. of the anchorage. A gate will be in place in Selat Pengelap. A boat may be stationed at the coordinates given with Selanaga Island to the East. This is to check sailing yachts through and it is helpful if motor yachts also pass through this. From here to Pulau Pompong to the SW, waters can be quite choppy as SW bound currents through Selat Pengelap meet NW bound currents through Selat Temiang as discussed in the Recce Report.
Off Pulau Pompong is a charted rock. Skippers are reminded that Admiralty and Indonesian Charts disagree on the precise location of this. See Recce Report for details.
From here’s it’s a straight run to the Leg finish off Neptune Island.
Karas Besar Start
N00˚ 42.7’ E104˚ 21.4’
S. Pengelap Gate
(W. End)
N00˚ 29.9’ E104˚ 19.6’
Pompong potential WPT
N00˚ 22.6’ E104˚ 14.8’
Neptune Island Finish
N00˚ 07.7’ E104˚ 14.0’
Date Time Location Description Coordinates
Tuesday 12th Feb Arrival Neptune
Island
For yachts without their own tender wishing to put personnel ashore, there are fast RIBs on hand, please call sign “Neptune Island” on CH72 for tender assistance. There will also be other small local fishing vessels on hand carrying a Neptune ensign. Should you be concerned about an approaching unmarked and vessel, please call on Ch72 for assistance. Please note that the beach has coral heads exposed at low tide. A safe foot route through these will be staked out and it is advised to check with “Neptune Island” the safest approach. Folk wishing to stay onshore in tents may do so, please speak to Bob, the ‘Beach Boss’ who will assign you accommodation (we’re aware that you’re MY is far more comfortable but it really is a worthwhile experience for one night at least)
Neptune Anchorage
N00˚ 07.7’ E104˚ 14.0’
Neptune Pier N00˚ 07.91’ E104˚ 13.94’
Wednesday 13th Feb
1005 Leg 3
The Race to Zero
Today’s the day that your crew (and you?) get to pop their Pollywog cherries and (Neptune willing) become Trusty Shellbacks. Motor yachts will be given the first start and will be flagged off at 10am from a start line south of the Buaya Anchorage. From there they will head south to a Committee boat that will be anchored (as near as damn it) on the Equator. Boats are to pass between the Committee Boat on your port side and a buoy on your starboard side (the Southbound gate). Having crossed the line, you are a liberty to stay in the Southern Hemisphere for as long as you wish, with the proviso that all yachts must return to and pass through the start/finish line before 1700hrs Yachts wishing to head north are to pass between the Committee Boat on your port side and a buoy on your starboard side (the Northbound gate).
Start/Finish In the vicinity
of the anchorage.
Equator Gate N00˚ 00.0’ E104˚ 14.0’
1900 Neptune’s Party
All participants are requested to come to Neptune Island to celebrate Crossing the Line. The bars are open and participants are welcomed ashore for equatorial Mount Gay Rum sundowners. Folk returning to their yachts via there own dinghies are (of course) expected to do so before they have too much to drink. If a little too tipsy, we will arrange a Neptune island team member will drive you back
Neptune Pier N00˚ 07.91’ E104˚ 13.94’
Date Time Location Description Coordinates
Thursday 14th Feb All Day Pulau Blanding
Today is a ‘Lay Day’. In sailing regatta terms, this is a spare day during which earlier races that may have been abandoned can be re-‐run. This rarely happens to be honest, so please consider this a day off. The villagers of Pulau Blanding (1nm NW of Neptune Island) have ‘offered’, some say challenged, the fleet to a game of football on their sand pitch. Each sailing yacht has been requested to volunteer one crew to join ‘Team Neptune’. Any Motor yacht crew wishing to join in are more than welcome to do so. Kick-‐off is currently anticipated at 2pm. This is a wonderful opportunity for the fleet to meet with the locals and explore their exceptional village on their terms. The fleet is requested not to land alcohol on Pulau Blanding (the bar will be open on Neptune Island.) There is a lot to see at the village and we are guests of some very warm and welcoming people. It’s well advised to spend some time there. Alternatively, motor yachts may of course wish to take the opportunity to up anchor and go exploring. Any skipper intending to do so is respectfully asked to inform the Regatta Committee accordingly and to confirm their safe return to the anchorage.
Pulau Blanding Pier
N00˚ 09.06’ E104˚ 14.2’
Friday 15th Feb 0905
Leg 4 Buaya to Karas
Besar
The journey back north begins. The start line is in the same positions as Tuesday’s finish and start lines and motor yachts will be given the first start and will be flagged off at 10am. You will have already seen the route so there is not much more to say than that since you will be heading north for the next two Legs and therefore into the (expected) North East Monsoon, please be ready to expect more sea spray over your bows than you had coming down.
Neptune Island Start
N00˚ 07.7’ E104˚ 14.0’
Pompong Mark N00˚ 22.6’ E104˚ 14.8’
S. Pengelap Gate
(W. End)
N00˚ 30.0’ E104˚ 20.0’
Karas Besar Finish
N00˚ 42.7’ E104˚ 21.4’
Some Dos and Don’ts
Do enjoy yourselves… the primary objectives are that we all have a fun week and explore new cruising grounds. Do speak to the Organisers Tudor, Ferret and Beach Boss Bob if there are things you don’t understand. Do please go with the flow as whilst we’ve done our best, there may be a couple of points that will need amending for next year. Do maintain a listening watch on Channel 72 (the NPMR Channel) as this will be used for start sequences and other communications. Do feel free to explore on your passages South and North BUT, please bear in mind that these waters are not the best charted in the world and that
back up and rescue is limited. Do, if going “off piste”, please inform the nearest committee boat beforehand and again once back on track so we can account for everyone. We
don’t want to start a search and rescue operation only to find the missing yacht behind an island, out of VHF range, quietly enjoying starlight evening meal.
X Don’t cut across the bows of a sailing yacht, it may look like they’re waving and shouting hello, but I can guarantee it won’t be a five-‐fingered wave and it certainly won’t be ‘hello’ they’re shouting. The sailing yachts are racing and the wake of a powerboat will slow her down, significantly so in light winds.
X Don’t expect a five-‐star ‘Kenyan luxury safari’ camp on Neptune Island but It’ll have what you need and is stunning. There you go, more Dos than Don’ts, which can’t be a bad thing. Have a great time and let us know if there is anything we can help with, however please read the Participants Handbook first
Date Time Location Description Coordinates
Saturday 16th Feb
0805 Leg 5
Karas Besar to Nongsa
The journey north comes to an end today. Motor yachts will be given the first start and will be flagged off at 10am from a new start line N.E. of Pulau Karas Besar. Although it is most unlikely that motor yachts will be finishing after dark, please beware of an unlit pier a few hundred meters before the finish. The port end of the finish line is the Turi Beach Resort pier and the starboard end will be a laid yellow buoy directly off this. Whilst there is ~6m of water at the end of the pier, it is not advised to hug the coast too close.
Karas Besar Start
N00˚ 44.8’ E104˚ 21.9’
Lobam Gate N00˚ 58.6’ E104˚ 13.6
Unlit Pier N01˚ 11.84’ E104˚ 06.39’
Nongsa Finish N01˚ 12.00’ E104˚ 06.16’
7pm NPMR Prize Giving and Closing Reception n/a n/a