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Equator-Asia Yacht Rally

Frequently Asked Questions

Organisers:

The Equator-Asia Yacht Rally is a signature event of the BIMP-EAGA Tourism Council; the tourism arm of the BIMP-EAGA Business Council. The BIMP-EAGA Business Council is the private sector component of BIMP-EAGA, with fifth nation status and voting capacity in the BIMP-EAGA government meetings and working groups. 

This rally is presently unique as a tourism event in BIMP-EAGA because it links and includes territory from all four BIMP-EAGA nations: Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines.

The Northern Territory (of Australia) is a partner in BIMP-EAGA because of it's role as a link and jump-off point into BIMP-EAGA. Hence Darwin is the departure point for the Equator-Asia Yacht Rally.  

This rally combines the tourism based business capabilities and local knowledge of BIMP-EAGA regional members with the rally concept, design and co-ordination of INTREPIDYACHTING; a Brunei based licensed tour operator with extensive experience in recreational boating.

The rally is designed and managed from the INTREPIDYACHTING and IntrepidTours office in central Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei Darussalam - on the north-west coast of Borneo.

The rally organising team in the BSB office is lead by Allan Riches, an Australian, and resident of Bandar Seri Begawan since 1993, when he was invited to Brunei to establish their Outward Bound centre. A qualified educator (B.Ed., M.Ed.Admin) and Member of the Australian College of Education, Allan's educational career has focused on adventure based outdoor activities as the educational medium. As a Churchill Fellow, he studied Outward Bound and related educational institutions around the world to learn from their educational techniques, operational safety and organisational management. He developed and operated the largest Outward Bound centre in the world before coming to Brunei. A sailor since the age of 11, yacht owner since 1991, and a Yachting Australia certified Yachtmaster Instructor, his combination of skills and experience brings a journey-of-discovery theme to the design and operation of the Equator-Asia Yacht Rally.

Origin of the name:

Equator-Asia is the recently adopted brand name for tourism in BIMP-EAGA. This name will begin to feature noticeably in promotional materials for tour packages that integrate tour products from two or more BIMP-EAGA member nations.

As a signature event for BIMP-EAGA tourism, the Equator-Asia Yacht Rally  will incorporate attractions from all four member nations and highlight  emerging  Community-Based Sustainable Ecotourism (CBET) SMEs and venues. This is where the BIMP-EAGA Tourism Council and it's supporting organisations - the Asian Development Bank and GTZ - see the region's tourism industry future; in order to preserve the cultural and natural diversity.

How to register my interest?

Please use the inquiry form at the bottom of this page to add your name and yacht to those interested to join the 2010 rally. Please remember each rally fleet will be limited to a maximum of 15 yachts. There may be more than one rally fleet with multiple departures about two weeks apart.

Where do we meet in Darwin?

The Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association  has agreed to host the start of the Equator-Asia Yacht Rally and provide a base of support for crews as they make preparations to depart Australia. The adjacent anchorage in Fannie Bay is convenient, with tender access to the club premises. Or the nearby Duck Pond (walking distance), and other marinas in Darwin. 

The Association's relaxed atmosphere, support for cruising yachts and helpful membership is well known.  

What equipment & capabilities does my yacht need?

Well-found cruising yachts will find the demands of cruising through the warm and relatively placid waters of BIMP-EAGA to be easy-going, compared to higher latitude cruising. 

A list of required and recommended on-board equipment and facilities will be available to participants after registration.

Can Motor Yachts participate  too?

Yes, motor yachts can join the Equator-Asia Yacht Rally. 

How do we stay in contact before the rally?

The email address for all communication about the rally - before and during - is  equatorasia(at)bruneibay.net 

If you need to phone us, the number is +673 2 221685/6

If you need to fax us, the number is +673 2 221687

If you need to call using Skype, the Sype identity is imsallan

How do we stay in contact during the rally?

Communication from/to the organisers, local service providers and tour operators during the rally, will be provided via BRUNEI BAY RADIO.

Participating yachts will require a reliable HF/SSB radio equipped with the assigned marine radio channels/frequencies used by BRUNEI BAY RADIO (see this link), the Marine Emergency Frequencies, and preferably, the full range of international marine channels/frequencies.

HF/SSB voice communication will be used for participating yachts to stay in contact with each other, and our Brunei base, during the rally. Between key venues, we anticipate the rally fleet to separate into smaller groups of two to four yachts to follow personal preferences in terms of anchorages, activities and timing of longer passages. A HF/SSB voice sked will be established so yachts can maintain mutual support, stay in contact with each other, and with BRUNEI BAY RADIO.

All yachts will require an on-board email service with attachment capability. This will be used to send rally information updates, plus details of events, facilities, services, tours etc for the upcoming key port or venue.  On-board email will also ensure all participants can request/obtain updated weather information (eg: GRIB charts or METAREA forecasts and warnings) to schedule longer passages, to order spare-parts in advance for the next key venue, organise crew changes, book upcoming local tours and reliably communicate direct with rally organisers for any questions or special requirements.

Yachts equipped with SailMail will receive a complimentary subscription to BRUNEI BAY RADIO's  extended HF/SSB radio email service for the duration of the rally.  The BIMP-EAGA Tourism Council wants participants  to have email with attachment capability so blogs and websites can be regularly updated with pictures and information about the places visited during the rally. And so participants can send articles and photos to yachting newsletters, magazines and websites.

We also want to make this rally accessible to those cruisers with children doing correspondence education and also those cruisers who still need to maintain contact with the business or investments that fund your cruising. There is so much more to see, try, learn and enjoy in BIMP-EAGA than only what can be experienced if constrained by the need to cruise from one Wi-Fi equipped marina, anchorage or yacht club, to the next.  

All yachts will email an evening position report to our office, so we know where people are at overnight anchorages, and to plan arrival arrangements for the next key venue.  The BBRemail service will be used for this.

The BBRemail service uses identical hardware/software as SailMail, and runs from within the same copy of the on-board email software - AirMail - that manages message creation and send/receive functions for SailMail. The  BBRemail service allows transfer of attachments (such as jpg, word, excel files), and additional daily connection time.

If participants need to arrange a SailMail or Winlink (licensed HAM operators only) or BBRemail subscription, or fit a new HF/SSB radio, or buy a Pactor modem before the rally starts, please contact the regional Pactor modem distributor - Marc Robinson:  www.pca.cc   - marc@pca.cc , in Sydney. Marc is expert at making new HF/SSB radio email systems work with the minimum of fuss, and also with troubleshooting existing systems.
 

How much does this rally cost?

The cost will be based on three levels:

1. A fee for participation to cover the cost of organising and managing the event. This is expected to be in the vicinity of Bn/Sg$2000 per yacht, including two crew, for the 4 to 5 month event. An additional fee will apply for each additional crew member. The actual fee will be determined early 2010 based upon the outcome of discussions with sponsors, government regulators etc.

2. Optional local events, activities, tours, shore excursions/accommodation etc at places the rally stops. We will be arranging anchorages, yacht security, support/information about local resources etc using the established capabilities of local tour operators, venues etc so owners feel comfortable about leaving yachts at anchor - for a day and perhaps a night or two in some locations - to venture inland to experience what the region has to offer in terms of cultural and natural heritage experiences.

For example, climb a mountain, stay in a home-stay with a Moslem family, watch wildlife from a hide, take a dawn walk to see birds, share a family meal cooked by your host on their kitchen's open-fire, ride an open truck at night to see owls, cobras and other predators, sleep in a jungle hammock to look for Orangutans at dawn, or sleep on the beach to watch turtles at night. 

The list of activity and tour options, with prices, will be emailed to participants prior to arrival at each key stop. Payment can be using credit card to our Brunei based tour operation,  or direct to providers in local currency.

3. Free dinners, events, tours etc arranged by the local tourism industry and government supporters along the way.

What about an Indonesian Cruising Permit?

The BIMP-EAGA Task Forces responsible for this - and other immigration and customs related matters - have already been advised and are working to manage or eliminate this requirement for rally participants.

What about the Indonesian Customs Bond?

The most recent information from the Indonesian Marine Tourism Association is that they have already arranged for the Customs Bond for private cruising yachts and super-yachts to be eliminated from 2010.

Nevertheless, this item - along with the CAIT - have been raised at BIMP-EAGA co-ordination meetings in Labuan in April 09, and Brunei in August 09. The  relevant BIMP-EAGA Task Forces are looking into this item to ensure it is not an issue for participating yachts.

Sailing the morning offshore breeze along the west coast of Borneo in January, during the NE/NW Monsoon season.  Clear skies after the overnight rain, and flat seas created by the rain and nearby weather shore.

Please return here to get further details
as the rally schedule develops.

If you would like to add your contact details to our database to be updated with details, please click on the For inquiries ....  link below.