Taken from the Taipan 4.9 forum.
I believe this race took place in South East Asia and in Thailand to be precise.
Credits for the report go to by Bob Garner :
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I have got to get into this one, I am just BURSTING to tell someone, anyone, every one!
This last weekend was the Royal Varuna Yacht Club "Varuna Cup", 30 Cats on the water mixed fleet.
Two "fastest boats" tipped to win - Warren Guinea on a NACRA 5.8. Mick Guinea on another NACRA 5.8 - both boats with spinnakers.
A flock of 9 NACRA 16 squares some brand new and all with spinnakers.
- and my little tiny T4.9 "BLADERUNNER" - however note sailed alas not by me but By Scott McCook and Alice Lim. I enticed them into the regatta by lending them my boat.
By the way, for those that might not know it, Warren and Mick are current Australian National NACRA top sailors and they build the NACRA boats at their factory in Brisbane.
Wind 6-12 Knots, seas slight some chop.
Results - Race 1 First T4.9, Race 2 First T4.9, Race 3 First T4.9, Race 4 First T4.9, Race 5 YAWN BORING First T4.9. I guess you can see the picture!
Oh yeah, also the T4.9 had no spinnaker! Course WAS windward leeward favoring boats with Kites but it did not save them, The T4.9 was first around the top mark in 3 of 5 races and was never lower than third across the line. In one race T4.9 was called over the line and went back, did a 360 and restarted and still caught them.
Yes the boat is light, - but that is exactly what it is supposed to be! Light does not always mean weak!
I sail at skipper weight 80 KGs crew weight 42 Kg's (when wet!), crew can pull all "red strings and blue strings" on command, little string things like downhaul and mast rotation, little strings like raising a centreboards, all absolutely out of the question for her on a NACRA 5.8, and even on my old Inter 17 these things could only be done with "skipper assist".
In all fairness to NACRA though they really do get behind their product, good support for spare parts, sailing clinics, friendly guys - and the New NACRA F18 looks way cool (if your name is Goliath anyway!). We also have at our club a new Inter 17 with self tacking Jib (stolen off the F18 I suspect) and spinnaker kit - looks good, Jib system looks like a good idea for the T4.9 to me, esp for spinnaker boats, one less thing for the crew to worry about on Gybes. I have not raced against this boat yet, it came out on the weekend but turned turtle and was not seen again out sailing.
They DO NOT HAVE the "Taipan Forum" and this is BIG PLUS for the T4.9 - the sheer enthusiasm of the owners and sailors!
... and that's says it all from Thailand for now, Good luck with the new boat, Brgds Bob
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Hope someone informs the guy he cant put a self tacker on a T4.9 and still call it a T 4.9..
Sounds though like it was an enjoyable regatta..