My name is Gary Savage. My brief for this column is write about anything interesting on and off the water: party-chat, regatta gossip and hopefully some amusing comment. So, if you have any stories that you think should be told, please let me know.

'NO WIND ON THE REBAK RUN...? ..EXCEPT WHEN YOURE IN THE EYE OF THE STORM!' (recollections from the 2003 Rebak Run)

The Rebak Champagne Run was first instigated in 2003 by The Royal Langkawi Yacht Club as a feeder race, and it also presents a good opportunity to prepare and practice for the following main event, the BMW Royal Langkawi Yacht Club International Regatta.

On my first assignment to research the origins, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had actually completed the inaugural run back in February '03 on board a catamaran. I stress 'completed' as, after an exciting start leading the fleet through the night and flying through a storm like 'The Enterprise' from 'Star Trek' (more of that in a moment), the wind dropped to . knot in the baking late-morning sun and half of the fleet decided to retire.

Having read the 'Eagles' from 2004, a similar pattern seems to have appeared last year. This year, my hope for '3rd time lucky' with the wind has been fulfilled, and fellow writer Inka will be reporting on having completed the run on 'Pythias Aura' in record time!

Similar to the contrast between the weather at the beginning and end of the run is the difference between the start and finish venues. A Champagne Run 'Rock'n'Roll' start if you like with a 'Classical' finish! I was appalled and deeply shocked to hear that some have complained about the lack of facilities at Ao Chalong Yacht Club. (Don't worry, I won't name you here... just don't forget those numbered bank account details I gave you earlier!)

I have licence to comment here as I know the club and many of its members. I'm not sure if you can order champagne there, and even if you order a gin and tonic some members might frown (although you won't be asked to leave). My experience is that you can always get excellent valuable advice and support from 'Yachty all-sorts' on every aspect of boating from racing to cruising. So it's simply worth doing the Rebak Run for both the great camaraderie you'll experience from the ACYC and the superb reception you'll receive at Rebak. I'd like to say a hearty 'well done' to the ACYC and agree with Brian, a past commodore who commented last night in his inimitable Aussie style...

'...WEE pra-vyde ya supeerya yotties...an THEES places pra-vyde ya supeerya ven-yues!'

I remember that the Rebak welcome in 2003 was first class. A champagne reception overlooking the marina included a superb dinner. The backdrop was a large raised opened-sided lounge area with a square pitbar sunk into the floor amid classical Asian architecture and furniture. There were all the usual pampering facilities that you expect from any top class resort. I'm also told that the 2004 Rebak Run reception was no exception.

Mr Kong Tet Foh, resident manager at Rebak, radiates immutable confidence. Chatting with him last night it became clear that providing this years' reception has been no mean-feat, particularly when you consider the complete destruction to the marina wreaked by the recent Tsunami. He hopes to have the RM 13M marina reconstruction project finished in time for next years regatta. He tells me that it had been mooted to cancel the event this year but he over-rode such suggestions saying "...by hook or by crook we were going to provide this event." Like the island itself, he is rock-solid in his commitment to the Champagne Run.

Finally, I offer my evidence regarding the weather (and that I DID previously complete the run). In February '03 I sailed from Langkawi to Phuket on 'Chakra' and, after collecting the designer, the Mr Jeff Shonning no less, we raced for 'line honours' at Rebak.

We had a near perfect start, crossing the line virtually on the gun, which I think contributed to our success (not the fact that we were also the only boat in our class!) We led the fleet through the night and therefore arrived at the storm before everyone else, including those who motored!

When the wind began to whip-up and the rain began to pour, my previous concern about never getting the chance to use my new Musto sailing jacket, simply washed away. Our skipper Frank had just warned from the radar that a down-pour was imminent - I'd never seen anything like it. I looked up in the dark toward the mast down-lighters and the rain looked just like large sheets of glass dropping onto the deck and exploding, with pieces flying everywhere. So many 'sheets' of water fell that, within a minute, we were ankle deep in the cockpit.

I will never forget the picture of us all in sailing jackets, hunched forward with peaked hoods as we charged across a near flat sea made calm by so much pounding rain. If catamarans can 'plane' then I'm sure we did, at least it felt like it. We clocked 14-17 knots through the storm in 37 knots of wind and were also treated to a spectacular 'light show' when three bursts of lightening struck off our port side at about one kilometre at the same time, lighting up the sky as if with three 'full moons'.

I don't remember how long this excitement lasted, but we did not retire from the Run even after the storm when the wind had dropped to . knot. We finally crossed the line early afternoon......ready for the Rebak reception.

This years racing report? ...see Inka's story from 'Pytheus Aura'