AT LEAST 10 Phuket King's Cup Regatta yachts were swept onto Kata beach today when a large storm dumped savage winds and rain across Phuket.

Organisers of the annual regatta were forced to cancel the traditional sail past, a regular mark of respect to HRH King Bhumibol Adulyadej for his birthday.

Having hoped for real winds during some zephyr days of the racing events, yacht owners and crew got more than they bargained for with today's ripping storm.

Also cancelled was a new concept that was to be tried for the first time today, with mono-hulls and multi-hulls racing together for the first time.

Detailed assessments of the damage caused off Phuket's Kata beach were still to be made today because at 8.30am, the wind and the waves remained perilously high.

Some yachts attempted to head out to sea, and were blown back.

The storm appeared to catch many in the fleet of more than 100 boats at anchor by surprise. Some of the yachts were not secure enough and unprotected.

King's Cup spokesman Duncan Worthington said: ''I left last night's party around midnight and there was no sign of the bad weather. By 5am today, though, yachts had been washed onto the beach.''

Owners will have to wait until high tide this afternoon to try to refloat their vessels.

Today's savaging was in contrast to a great day of sailing yesterday, with the stars of the series being Evolution Racing, Ichi Ban Team Sea Bees, Baby Tonga, Sarawadee, Dondang Sayang, Aida, Souay 1, Voodoo and Miss Saigon.

Crews were also mourning a sailor who died on a yacht earlier in the week. Canadian Joseph James Patrick, 42, was found on board the 14-metre racing cutter Pytheas Aura, anchored off Kata, on Wednesday morning.

The Phuket King's Cup Regatta awards presentation ceremony, to be presided over by HM The King's Personal Representative ML Usni Pramoj, will start at 5:45pm in the Grand Ballroom at Phuket's Kata Beach Resort. There will be plenty to talk about.

Last night the sailors enjoyed the regular after-sail gathering, this time at the new Centara Grand Beach Resort at Karon, hosting a Phuket King's Cup party for the first time.