BOATS worth millions of baht were stranded on a Phuket beach and in surf today by a savage storm that appeared to catch some of the best yachtsmen in Asia unprepared.

The mass beaching of 10 yachts and several smaller vessels brought a spectacular and unexpected early end to the 2010 Phuket King's Cup Regatta.

Crews braved pounding surf at Phuket's Kata beach, traditional home to what's regarded as Asia's premier regatta, as they attempted to right and refloat the larger vessels.

By mid-morning, owners and crews were pacing the Phuket beach, assessing the damage and working out strategies and timetables to put the vessels to rights again with the arrival of this afternoon's high tide.

Although many yachts found safety at Chalong, on the east coast, two more yachts were reported to have been beached at Nai Harn, south of Kata.

The sudden change in the weather swept in amid darkness after last night's celebratory post-racing regatta party, breaking the yachts free from their anchorages and driving them ashore.

About one in 10 of the large fleet that had been assembled for a week of exciting racing suffered the ignominy of being deposited on Kata beach.

Today's traditional King's Birthday Phuket sail past was cancelled, along with the innovative plan to stage a race pitting the mono-hulls against the multi-hulls for the first time.

Tonight's Phuket King's Cup awards ceremony at Kata Beach Resort is expected to proceed, with unanticipated yachting adventures the likely topic of conversation.