One owner chasing two quite different titles in Phuket King's Cup

12:23 AM Sun 15 Nov 2009 GMT

'Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2009. Madame Butterfly.' Guy Nowell &copy Click Here to view large photo

He has two boats entered in the 23rd Phuket King's Cup, can only helm one, but is chasing two quite different division titles in the one regatta.

Peter Dyer believes he has found the answer to his quandary, Firstly, he has entered his 33-foot former IOR monohull Madam Butterfly/Team Bentley in the IRC division. Then he has chartered his Firefly 850, SEA Property, to Australian skipper Damien Ford.

Why campaign both boats in the King's Cup ? Well, one reason is Madame Butterfly has twice previously been a division winner, in 2008 regatta she finished third in IRC Division 2 and has the potential in 2009 to win her division again. And the other reason ? Dyer raced the catamaran SEA Property to a comfortable win in the Firefly 850 division in 2008 and recognises the potential for this boat to achieve a podium finish again in 2009.

Dyer has for several years enjoyed campaigning both boats. But since 2008 Madame Butterfly has been stuck in the Andaman Sea. 'The cat can be towed so we go to the top of the Gulf and Koh Samui to race her, but the mono is stuck in the Andeman sea. So, if I don't get her out for the King's Cup and race week, she never sails.'

As Dyer has been unable to find an alternative helm for Madame Butterfly he has put himself back in the 'box seat' In preparation for the regatta Dyer has the Madame Butterfly Rob Humphreys three-quarter tonner again tricked up as a flat out racer. The previous Three-Quarter Ton World Champion was rebuilt in 2005/06 by Dyer. She is a flyer with a modern rig and sails. Raced by a team of eight, she is expected to be at her competitive best when the King's Cup begins on Monday 30 November.

He has then handed over SEA Property to Ford and his band of sailing warriors to fight out the series in the highly competitive Firefly 850 catamaran division.

The result of this strategy in 2009 ? 'Let's hope for two wins,' Dyer said.

by Tracey Johnstone