Koh Samui Regatta

Koh Samui Regatta is the ultimate sailing experience, and you can sample the island’s finest features; think of the sun, sea, and sailing for the perfect getaway.

Hosted by Centara Grand Beach Resort in Samui, the event is the biggest regatta of its kind in Asia and, as expected, attracts visitors from Thailand and beyond.

The organisers of Koh Samui Regatta, Regattas Asia, work with the Samui Yacht Club Regatta to bring one of the most spectacular events to the island. The schedule for this regatta is prepared in advance to allow participants and visitors to get ready.

Registration for the regatta is followed by the opening party, the practice race, the actual race, and daily prize-giving sessions over the next few days. The one week of fantastic sailing skills makes for an exciting adventure on the turquoise waters, while the evening parties offer visitors the chance to connect with other sailing enthusiasts.

Koh Samui has no marinas, so yachts are anchored off Chaweng Beach. In exceptional weather conditions, some boats may seek additional shelter at Bo Phut Beach north of the Island. Complementary “longtail” transfers are available before and after racing from the beach in front of “Tradewinds by Lawana” beach resort. Please arrive early as the number of longtails available in Koh Samui is limited, and it can take some time to deliver crew to all the yachts.

Regatta information

Registrations must be completed before racing at the start of the week. Registration will be held at the Regatta Headquarters, which acts as the central hub of information for all registration-related queries during the opening weekend. Once registration is completed, the regatta office will relocate to the “Regatta Tavern,” situated on the beachfront.

Protest information will be posted on the notice board at the “Regatta Tavern.” After racing each day, protests will be heard in the Jury room, which is located at the front of the main hotel building. You can check the notice board for details of when your protest will be heard or if you have been protested.

All boats have to comply with the specific Samui Regatta safety equipment regulations for inshore races – found on the World Sailing website at http://www.sailing.org. However, if your boat cannot fully comply, you can apply in writing for dispensation. Common examples include boats that do not have guardrails or boats that cannot comply with the required size of cockpit drains.

The Sailing Instructions and Course Diagrams for the Samui Regatta will be available for download before the event. Printed versions will be available at registration.

They are generally similar to other regattas in Asia. However, the first and most important piece of advice is to read the Sailing Instructions (SI’s) thoroughly, reread them, and then get someone else on the boat to read them too! There will often be amendments as changes are made or errors are picked up after the SIs have been printed. It is vital that these are read and ideally integrated into the body of the SIs.

Don’t get caught out! Every year, boats are penalised unnecessarily. Read the SI’s. It’s just as important for regular Koh Samui Regatta competitors as it is for newcomers to read the SI’s thoroughly as changes are made each year.

Start lines

All starts happen from a committee boat line off Chaweng Beach offshore, so please allow plenty of time to get to your start. Depending on where the line is positioned, it may take considerable time to get there.

When starting from the committee boat line, make sure you listen to the VHF from 9am to ascertain where the line is likely to be. The start sequence is normally every 5 minutes, so make sure you understand how the sequence is signalled by reading the SIs.

Courses

Course Diagrams for the Samui Regatta will be available for download before the event.

A laminated set of course diagrams will be issued at registration.

Courses are designed each day taking into account the weather forecast, tidal streams, and speed of each class of boat.

Courses are broadcast before the warning signal via VHF and displayed on course boards during your sequence.

If you have registered your mobile phone details with us, your course details may also be sent via text to mobile phones. Registration of your mobile phone must be done in advance via the entry form or let us know by the Thursday prior to the start of the week. If you lose your phone or need to change numbers for any reason then you will need to let us know the evening before a new number is to be used

Regatta location

The regatta HQ is based at Nora Beach Resort & Spa, situated on the northern end of Chaweng Beach, on the east coast of Koh Samui. Registration will be held at the Resort, with presentations held at a beachfront stage.

Final presentations will be held at a Gala Dinner at Nora Beach Resort & Spa in Northern Chaweng.

There are no marina facilities on Koh Samui, although several developments are planned for the near future. Most yachts anchor in the bay in front of the main beach. During regatta week, there is a maximum tidal range of approximately 2m, so most yachts anchor in between 5 and 10m of water. The approximate location of the Nora Beach Resort Headquarters is N 9° 32.93 E100° 04.835.

Crews arriving at Chaweng Beach will find over 100 sailor-friendly resorts, restaurants and bars situated along the beachfront. Behind the resorts is the main beach road, which contains all the usual tourist facilities such as money exchange, ATM, Car and Motorbike hire for those who want to explore the island, and the obligatory internet cafes for those who need to stay in touch with the rest of the world.