SANDEQ RACE 2010
The Sandeq Race … yes, we made that for many years, starting in 1995. And it really is the year’s one big show for the Mandar sailors, and since long without question the Longest, Fastest, Hardest Race for Traditional Sailing Vessels all around.
Since 2006 the race course goes from Mamuju, the capital of the new province of West-Sulawesi, to Makassar in South-Sulawesi. All-in-all the race runs for 10days, stopping each evening at towns along the route for the participants to rest, and including three days of triangular/harbour races at suitable places.
RACE DATES 2010
Wednesday, July 28: participants gather at Mamuju harbour
Thursday, 29: Mamuju – Deking, Malunda
Friday, 30: Deking – Somba
Saturday, 31: Somba – (through big spectacular round course along Rangas – Labuang Gonda – Pambusuang – Karama – Rangas -) Majene
Sunday, August 1: Triangular, off Majene
Monday, 2: Majene – Polewali
Tuesday, 3: Triangular, Polewali
Wednesday, 4: Polewali – Ujung Lero
Thursday, 5: Harbour Race, Bay of Pare-Pare
Friday, 6: Pare-Pare – Barru
Saturday, 7: Barru – Makassar
Yachts joining? A great idea. We once had a race for yachts against sandeqs in Makassar, where they all had to exchange some of their crews … the Mandar fishermen loved steering yachts as long as they were beating into the wind and could keep up with the sandeqs, but were much embarrassed (and ultimately very proud) when on the downwind leg the sandeqs left the yachts standing where they were … . That kind of fun’n‘friendship race sure could be one thing to organise, and I could imagine that we think about some way to have (a) special price(s) for winning legs/overall if everybody starts together! (We though will face some problems here: The sandeqs are started in Le Mans style off the beach, are divided into up to three groups for some of the legs, and are allowed to paddle with a very precise kind of paddles … .)
Another idea we always had was to have two-four non-racing sandeqs (i.e., with side-decks and a ‘normal’ sail: Sandeq readied for racing are not at all comfy, and even dangerous when not handled by experts) ready for interested people to charter during the race days, following all the way down to Makassar, and perhaps eventually racing amongst themselves. This would need a pronounced interest by those people!