Bequia Easter Regatta 2008 - Caribbean Compass

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Record-Breaking
28th Edition
by Stéphane Legendre
oming to St. Maarten for the largest sailing event of the Caribbean is always
something a sailor looks forward to. The obvious questions every visitor has
in mind are: How many boats this year? Am I going to see some exciting new
sailing machines? Will there be talented crews from which we can learn by observing
maneuvering skills at buoy-roundings or starts?
Again this year I was not let down, as the organizers announced 280 boats registered
for the March 6th through 9th event. This was a new record number of entries,
of which 128 were rented bareboats. That means all participants, whatever their
sailing skills or financial means, are allowed to really compete. Boats ranged from
the smallest “beach cats“ to Peter Harrison’s superb 115-foot ketch Sojana, a Bruce
Farr design from the UK. More than ten Swans, half a dozen Beneteau 40.7s, as
many J/boats and five Gunboat catamarans, among others, turned up to compete.
Difficult to remember all the beautiful boats I saw!
“It’s great to have a record number: it shows we’re doing something right,” said
Robbie Ferron, the chairman of the regatta’s steering committee. “But our emphasis
has never been about getting bigger, only better. And I like to think we’re doing that
as well.”
Being familiar with sailing events, I always think of the organizational effort
involved, in terms of coordination both on land and on the water. From what I could
observe, there were very few complaints on the water this year, although organizing
around 20 class starts each day is not easy! Providing exciting evening festivities in
three different locations ashore, with good water-taxi service, was another challenge,
but a very efficient group of volunteers took care of everything with extreme availability
and smiling friendliness, right through the regatta’s duration. Renowned
musicians from the Caribbean entertained the crowds each evening: Intwine from
Sint Maarten, Alison Hinds from Barbados, El A Kru from Antigua and, to conclude
on the Sunday, the famous Shaggy from Jamaica (Mister Lover himself, they say…).
The St. Maarten Yacht Club was the strategic place to be for more than one reason.
First, this was the meeting place for everyone. Even if you were not expecting
anyone, you were sure to bump into a friend at some stage and enjoy a beer
(Heineken of course) and good food. Second, and more important, were the bridge
opening times and leaving/entering boats. Even if motor yachts are not your cup
of tea, watching those mega-yachts and observing their captains’ skill coming
through the bridge, where little space is left on each side, is quite something. Even
more interesting for us was to admire the racing machines coming through, their
relaxed crews saluting us warmly as they entered. That’s an example of the
Heineken Regatta conviviality.
Now a little about the races:
Weather conditions were excellent, with sunshine and wind. Breezes were strongest
on the Friday, reaching 25 knots and slowly diminishing through the event —
perfect for everyone.
On Thursday the 6th, the “Budget Marine Commodores Cup” was a prologue to the
regatta and did not count for the final results. [See this month’s “Regatta News” on
page 14 for a report.]
Friday’s Round the Island Race started at Simpson Bay and finished inside Great
Bay, a fast and rough course, very exciting, followed by a wonderful party on
Philipsburg’s waterfront promenade.
www.caribbeancompass.com
ST. MAARTEN HEINEKEN REGATTA 2008
Saturday’s race-course was from a Simpson Bay start to the Anguilla Channel
buoys and back to Marigot Bay on the French side of the island for a French-touch
fête on the main square of Marigot village.
On Sunday the 9th, boats started at Marigot Bay and sailed into the Anguilla
Channel. After the finish at Simpson Bay, the closing party and prizegiving ceremony
were held at Kim Sha beach.
The CBBS Cups, presented to the high scorers in the Caribbean Big Boat Series,
went to Sam Fleet’s Swan 601, Aquarius, in the Racing category and to Sojana in the
Racing/Cruising class. Phil Otis’s Cyclades 50, BVI Yacht Charters, was named the
Top Bareboat Charter Boat in the fleet. The Spirit and Style Award went to Richard
Woodridge and the crew of Triple Jack, who selflessly invited aboard fellow Multihull
1 class competitors from the trimaran Tryst, after their boat was dismasted early in
the regatta. The Heineken Fun prize went to the crew of the bareboat Something Hot,
a Beneteau 473. And the winner of the St. Maarten/Saint Martin Cup for Most
Worthy Performance Overall was awarded to Benny Kelly and the crew of the TP 52,
Panthera, which dominated the tough Spinnaker 1 class with a perfect series of five
consecutive wins.
Happy organizers, competitors and public from both sides of the island were the
conclusion to this 28th edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.
Even if you do not race, coming and enjoying the Heineken Regatta weekend is
something any yachtsman cruising the Caribbean should experience at least once.
Come and join in 2009!
For complete results visit www.heinekenregatta.com.
The big Farr ketch Sojana on her way to winning first overall in the
Caribbean Big Boat Series’ Racing/Cruising Class at St. Maarten Heineken 2008
APRIL 2008 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 11