More than 30 boats, a record number for the regatta, started in almost perfect sailing conditions with the wind gusting to 20 knots and averaging about 14 knots.

Seven classes of boats are racing this year, from big keelboats in the IRC1 class to the 100-year-old Seraph in the classic class.

The hotly contested sportsboat class was still in dispute last night over handicap ratings, which should be sorted out today after some consultation with international sailing authorities.

Thailand-based skipper David Lindahl showed local knowledge counts when he helmed his boat la Sammudra into first place in the first race in the IRC1 class.

Lindahl finished just in front of John Vause's Ruby Tuesday in the first race, but Vause turned the tables and finished in front of Lindahl in the second race in the afternoon.

Last year's winner Minx, sailed by Mick Kealy, finished first in the first race in the IRC2 class and second in the final race. Stuart Crow skippered Cinders into first place in the second race.

The talk of the regatta is the new Firefly catamaran, which is designed and built in Phuket. Two Firefly yachts are taking part this year and very little separated the two after the first two races in the multi-hull performance cruising class yesterday.

Chi Machine, which was only launched a few days before the regatta started, won both races by very small margins, beating the other Firefely, Moto Inzi, into second place. John Stall's catamaran Charro was relegated to third place in both races.

Sailing continues today.

Alan Parkhouse

The Nation

Phuket