(Cowpet Bay, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands)- If your bucket list includes having a drink at one of the Favorite Yachting Bars in the Caribbean, then tick that box for the St. Thomas International Regatta. Announced in 2017, 50° North (creators of Wight Vodka) and Scuttlebutt Europe announced that the STIR-host (St. Thomas Yacht Club) won its annual contest in a special Caribbean category.
For those who have never visited, Cowpet Bay is a beautiful place to finish a race and the Club and its bar are located on the beachfront, literally. Plus, for those that are long timers, think back to your first Caribbean regatta and what a great experience it was. The club offers the same vibe year after year, with an emphasis on ‘simple fun and great sailing’. That’s why sailors love it!
There is no question many sailors are answering that siren call! For those that enjoyed Caribbean racing in the 1970s and 1980s – or heard the stories and wished you were there– this year’s St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR), set for March 21st to 24th, is the place to be!
A dozen boats are registered for the fourth annual Round the Rocks (RTR) race on Thursday. This one-day event, whose course is a 19 mile circumnavigation of the neighboring island of St. John, is a great way for teams to tune up for the main event starting on Friday. Boats sailing in the Round the Rocks race will start off St. Thomas’ east end off Cowpet Bay, sail counterclockwise around St. John, and finish off St. Thomas.
“By popular demand, we brought back the Round the Rocks race last year. This sprint around St John is both scenic and tactical. It’s a great way to kick-off STIR, especially with Rock City Brewing Company sponsoring the race and after-racing Happy Hour,” says regatta director, Bill Canfield.
CSA Spinnaker Racing class has four J/crews. Topping that pack is Pamala Baldwin’s J/122 LIQUID from Antigua. Joining them will be Peter Lewis’ J/105 WHISTLER, the recent winner of their CSA 4 class at Heineken St Maarten Regatta; Mackenzie Bryan’s J/100 BAD GIRL from St. Croix YC; and Mike Felerabend’s J/24 BRAVISSIMO from St John YC. For more St Thomas International Regatta sailing information