Caribbean Racing

Key West Set to Begin

by Adam Cort, Posted January 15, 2010

Some of the hottest sailboats and crews in the world have begun arriving in Southern Florida for next week’s Key West Race Week, scheduled for January 18-22.Although the island has been experiencing record cold temperatures as a result of the recent cold snap, the forecast is for more seasonable balmy conditions by the time of the first start on Monday. Numbers are down, with just

Heineken Regatta Turns 30

by Adam Cort, Posted March 12, 2010

Although many regattas have struggled of late as a result of the current economic climate, the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta marked three decades of serious racing and partying this past week with some 240 yachts taking part.As in years past, the three-day event, organized by the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, attracted some of the world’s most talented sailors, including America’s Cup veterans

Bareboating it all at the BVI Spring Regatta

by Peter Nielsen, Posted May 4, 2010

The 2010 BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival, as it’s more properly called, falls in the height of the Caribbean racing season, a couple of weeks after the Heineken regatta in St Maarten and a couple of weeks before Antigua Sailing Week. Plenty of serious racers do all three regattas, and probably also the Rolex regatta in St Thomas and the Heineken regatta in Puerto Rico, which are also

Friendly Competition

by David Schmidt, Posted August 7, 2008

CREEEEEEEEEEK.Five heads snap toward the boom as an eerie sound emanates from the gooseneck on our Freedom 30. There were once four bolts binding the boom to the fitting, but now only two remain, and, judging from the groans of the metal-on-metal joint, this is one marriage that will likely be separated by death. And soon. “Traveler up, main out two inches,” barks Rod

Safe Passage to St. Maarten

by Adam Cort, Posted May 20, 2010

For many of the crew—myself included—it was the stuff of dreams. Thundering past the committee boat was the Wally 82 Highland Fling. Off in the distance, the Reichel/Pugh 90 Rambler threw in a quick gybe as the R/P 75 Titan 15 suddenly appeared from under our genoa, her razor-sharp bow slicing the cobalt waves. It was day two of the 30th annual St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. Skies were blue, it

Racing Charters in the Caribbean

by Amy Ullrich, Posted August 11, 2008

David Schmidt had an exciting time at the Culebra Heineken International Regatta ("El Dragón," page 54), but Caribbean regattas aren't the sole province of locals and sailing journalists. Three big ones—the St. Martin Heineken Regatta (early March), BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival (early April), and Antigua Sailing Week (late April)—have charter (no-spinnaker)

Long Distance Lasering

by Kimball Livingston, Posted June 8, 2010

Tania Elias Calles is one tough Laser sailor. In March she went to great lengths—about 300 miles—draw attention to the sailing in her native waters, and invite racers from abroad to train with her in Mexico on Bahia de Banderas in the run-up to the Pan Am Games, which will be held there in 2011.Although Calles had a support vessel escorting her, she was otherwise entirely on her own,

Dream Week

by Sail Staff, Posted October 22, 2008

“You gotta be kidding me!” exclaims a muscle-bound member of the crew of Leopard, a brand-new Farr-designed, British-owned 100-foot Super-Maxi, from our observation post aboard her tender. “The RC’s set the finishing line just off that reef. Leopard’s doing 15 knots, easy. There’s not much time to gybe, get that kite down, and head up.” Seated around me are other

Repeat Business at Antigua Sailing Week

by David Schmidt, Posted June 24, 2010

Like many international sailing events, this spring’s Antigua Sailing Week found itself having to cope with the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajkull volcano, the bareboat fleet in particular taking a serious hit.“The Icelandic volcano probably lost us 15 to 20 boats,” said regatta director Neil Forrester. “Flights out of Europe were closed just at a time when a lot of charter guests were

North of Twenty

by David Schmidt, Posted October 22, 2008

“This thing is like a Volvo Open 70 except it doesn’t have a canting keel and its systems are more refined,” says veteran bowman Jerry Kirby as Numbers, Dan Meyers’s newly splashed Judel/Vrolijk 66, hits a big wave and jostles the crew, most of whom are stationed near the stern to keep the bow up. All around us are choppy seas; the true-wind instrument reads 18 to 21 knots, and our