PERFECT ST. THOMAS INTERNATIONAL REGATTA!

(St. Thomas, USVI)– With perfect conditions of 15 to 20 knots of breeze out of the east, keen competition and professionally set racecourses, the weather Gods delivered in spades for the 2021 St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR).

After six round-the-islands races over three days, Marco Teixidor's J/111 CACHONDO posted a pair of podium finishes to ultimately take fourth in class. While missing the podium by just four points, it was big smiles pasted across their faces at the conclusion of the racing on Sunday...what's not to love about Caribbean racing in classic tradewinds, sun, and perfect "shorts & shades" weather!


Following 15 sprint-style windward-leeward races also in a trio of days, St. Thomas, USVI’s Chris Rosenberg led the One-Design IC24 Class. Not surprisingly, it was experienced J/24 sailors that knew how to make these modded-J/24s go fast in the often-shifty conditions along the shoreline. Top USA team was a person familiar to most sailors in the J/70 and J/24 classes- David Franzel of Boston, MA; he skippered MAGIC BUS to earn the bronze on the podium. 

The 14-boat IC24 Class proved the most competitive with it being nearly anyone’s win going into the last day of racing. In the end, Rosenberg, who served as tactician, with St. Thomas’ two-time Olympic sailor Cy Thompson on the helm, and experienced St. Thomas sailor Addison Caproni on the bow, won the class on BILL T.


“The first day for us was a learning curve, then on day two and three we honed in on what was working,” says Rosenberg. “It takes two sails to win, and Addison trimmed the jib perfectly. Cy was spot on with every start within a half a boat length of the line. It takes three to win and that’s what we worked hard to accomplish.”


“Congratulations to the participants of this year’s St. Thomas International Regatta and kudos to the St. Thomas Yacht Club for executing a successful and safe event,” says Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte. “The St. Thomas International Regatta was the only major regatta in the Caribbean that wasn’t canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a testament to the insightful leadership and smart policies enacted by the Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands to ensure we can offer fun events and engaging experiences while keeping our residents and visitors safe. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the amazing marine schedule of events being rolled out throughout the remainder of the year.”  For more St Thomas International Regatta sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

ST. THOMAS INTERNATIONAL REGATTA PREVIEW

(St. Thomas, USVI)- The starting horn is set to sound on the 2021 St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR) March 26th to 28th, launching three days of keen competition in one of the world’s top yacht racing destinations. Board members of the host St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC) and STIR organizers have worked diligently and with strong support from the United States Virgin Islands Departments of Tourism and Health to plan a best of both worlds event. That is, highly competitive yacht racing with COVID-19 protocols in place on land and sea to protect the health and safety of sailors and island residents alike. The warm-up distance-style Round the Rocks Race on March 25th adds another great way for sailors to socially-distance at sea. Register for both at stthomasinternationalregatta.com

“It is our pleasure to welcome participants attending this year’s St. Thomas International Regatta. I commend the St. Thomas Yacht Club for ensuring that COVID-19 protocols are in place so competitors and spectators can safely enjoy the action both on and off our waters. We encourage everyone to comply with the Territory’s safety measures as they navigate our islands, experience our beautiful waters, rich history and culture, and the warmth of our people,” says Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner of Tourism, U.S. Virgin Islands.

COVID-Safety Top of Mind
Sound COVID-19 protocols implemented by the Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands have kept infection rates low. Key among these is that every traveler, age 5 and older, entering the territory by air or sea, is required to use the USVI Travel Screening Portal and submit a COVID-19 test result before travel. Upon arrival, social distancing is the rule and, in most businesses, ‘No Mask, No Service’ is in force.

At STIR, social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand sanitization stations are among COVID-19 protocols. On the water, crews in boats such as the one-design IC24 are limited to three this year, and bigger boat classes will remain in social bubbles throughout the regatta. 

Who’s Racing
The big boat CSA Racing Class entries include LIQUID, the perpetually podium-placing J/122 raced by Antigua’s Pamala Baldwin; and for their first time, Marco Teixidor's Puerto Rican team on the J/111 CACHONDO. 

The largest class in STIR 2021 will be the One-Design IC-24s (the modified Caribbean J/24) with 20 entries. Because of their familiarity with J/24s, a number of American teams are headed down to the Caribbean for fun and frolic! Those teams include Chicago, Illinois’ Joe Hummel; his wife and friends will charter the IC-24 ROUNDABOUT from the St. Thomas Sailing Center (STSC) to race.

“My wife and I are avid sailors on Lake Michigan. In the off-season, we try to get out sailing and typically visit St. Pete in February and the Caribbean in March. Four of us will be racing, and since the crew is limited to 3 this year, we’ll be rotating one off each day. Given the 2 feet of snow and freezing temperatures at home, you can imagine how much we’re looking forward to sailing and enjoying USVI and in particular STYC.”

Two other teams from the Chicago area will be joining them; including Jarrett Altmin on SOUL SHINE and Jay Butler's BLACK PEARL from Oak Park, IL. 

The STYC and STIR organizers thank the USVI Department of Tourism; Michelob Ultra, Stoli, Bacardi, and Milagro distributed by West Indies Company; and several other sponsors organizers look forward to announcing shortly. Sailing photo credits- Ingrid Abery/ STIR  For more St Thomas International Regatta sailing information

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Another Epic St Thomas International Regatta

(Cowpet Bay, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands)- For three days, the 50-plus boat fleet enjoyed near postcard-perfect sailing conditions in the Caribbean off the east end of St. Thomas.  Not surprisingly, the St. Thomas YC’s idyllic location on the beach of Cowpet Bay served as the base of operations for everyone, with plenty of shoreside après ‘sailing festivities. J/Crews garnered their fair share of silverware in the performance CSA racing fleets.  Here is how it all took place.

Day 1- Picture Perfect
The conditions could not have been better for the first day of the 46th St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR). Warm trade winds blew an average of 12 to 15 knots with occasional gusts to 20 knots, seas were relatively calm at 2 to 4 feet, and the bright sun made for a balmy 80’s Fahrenheit. What really stood out as a signature feature of STIR was the race committees carefully planned round-the-island-, rocks- and cays-style courses that offered highly competitive racing in an extraordinarily scenic setting. Definitely the best of both worlds.

“The courses were awesome,” says St. John’s Mike Feierabend, who with his all St. John crew helmed his J/24 BRAVISSIMO to first after two races in the CSA Spinnaker 2 class. “We really love going around the islands. The wind angles on the courses set by the race committee were especially nice.”

The four-boat CSA Spinnaker 2’s races were each nearly 10-nautical miles and wove around Dog Rock, Little St. James and Packet Rock off St. Thomas’ east end.

Meanwhile, the eight boats in CSA Spinnaker 1 raced in the same vicinity, but these larger vessels were able to stretch their legs to a greater extent on a duo of longer courses that extended to Buck and Capella island’s off St. Thomas southern Caribbean Sea shore.

“We sailed well today,” said Antigua’s Pamala Baldwin, who raced aboard her J/122 LIQUID. Crewed by several aspiring professional race boat crew, LIQUID was second in class, yet tied at 5 points with class leader. “We had a one-hour debrief yesterday after the Round the Rocks race and worked out the tweaks. Four of our sailors are new to the boat and we really came together as a team today.”

Round-the-island courses are something that USA-based PRO (Principal Race Officer) Dave Brennan has been setting for the past several years at STIR.  “Sailing here is special and even more so when racing around the islands rather than marker buoys. These types of courses make it more fun for the average sailor, who wants to sail with friends, especially those who don’t have a lot of expertise with windward-leeward courses. We really work hard to set different types of courses each day. It’s more fun this way and truly something special,” says Brennan.

Day 2- More Perfect Weather?
Some of the 50-plus boats racing on the second day stretched their class leads. Others overtook fellow class competitors to jump into the lead. Either way, blue skies, warm seas and winds blowing steadily at 12 to 15 knots over the round-the-island and round-the-buoy courses proved fun for everyone in this St. Thomas Yacht Club-hosted event.

In the CSA Spinnaker Racing 2 class, it was a case of overtaking rather than lead stretching for the St. Croix-based team aboard the J/100 BAD GIR. With Mackenzie Bryan at the helm, BAD GIRL had a tough time on the regatta’s first race on Friday and needed to retire. The young Crucians, almost all 20-somethings that grew up sailing together in dinghies, came back strong with nothing less than all first place finishes. As a result, BAD GIRL pushed St. John’s Mike Felerabend’s J/24 BRAVISSIMO to second. Both boats were tied at 8-points each.

Day 3- Windy, squally, sunny finale
Clouds and a couple of squalls sent windy curve balls across the courses set for the fleet. The big story of the final day of racing was all about the wind.

“We had light air and heavier air, a little big of everything,” said one sailor. “Today, when the squall blew through in the second race of the day, winds hit over 30 knots. We broached and briefly had a man overboard situation. But, there was no damage, no one was hurt and the team recovered quickly. Overall, it was a really amazing regatta.”

Tied on points for the lead in CSA Spinnaker Racing 1 Class was Antigua’s Pamala Baldwin’s J/122 LIQUID. However, she lost the count back in the tie-breaker based on number of firsts, settling for the silver.

In the CSA Spinnaker Racing 2 class, St. Croix’s Mackenzie Bryan drove the J/100 BAD GIRIL to a first place finish. “That squall today was as windy as I’d seen it the entire regatta. So much so that we decided not to hoist the spinnaker on the first run and we were still flying,” says Bryan, who served as a junior crew several years ago when Bad Girl also won her class. “Our strategy was to have good boat handling, minimize mistakes and stay out of the current. The effect of the current was huge.”  St. John’s Mike Felerabend’s J/24 BRAVISSIMO ended second, just four points back. Thanks for contribution- Carol Bareuther.  Sailing photo credits- Ingrid Abery/ Dean Barnes  For more St Thomas International Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

St Thomas International Regatta Preview

 
(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

J/122 EL OCASO Charter- Caribbean Regatta Circuit!

(English Harbour, Antigua)- Interested in taking your team to race a Caribbean Regatta in 2019?  Caribbean Yacht Racing can help you make it happen...just arrive and race!

CYR has the J/122 EL OCASO available for the following 2019 Caribbean Regattas:

• Feb 18- RORC Caribbean 600- English Harbour, Antigua
• Feb 28- Mar 3- Heineken St. Maarten Regatta- Simpson Bay, St. Maarten
• Mar 22-24- St. Thomas International Regatta- Cowpet Bay, St Thomas, USVI
• Mar 25-31- BVI Spring Regatta- Road Harbour, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
• Apr 14-20- Les Voiles de St Barths Regatta- Gustavia Harbour, St Barthelemy
• Apr 27-May 3- Antigua Sailing Week- English Harbour, Antigua

Caribbean Yacht Racing offers a complete charter package, simply arrive to the location with your team and the highly competitive J/122 “El Ocaso” will be ready to race.  CYR can also assistant with team logistics, including lodging.

If you are interested, please contact Bob Hillier- bob@caribbeanyachtracing.com- for complete charter details or visit http://www.caribbeanyachtracing.com Add to Flipboard Magazine.

St Thomas International Regatta Preview

(Cowpet Bay, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands)- If your bucket list includes having a drink at the 2017 Favorite Yachting Bar in the Caribbean, then tick that box with for March 23 to 25 at the St. Thomas International Regatta. Announced on January 3, 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 to recognize bars that were hard hit by the hurricanes last fall.

“It’s an honor to have received this recognition, especially as the Club is still recovering from the after effects of hurricanes Irma and Maria,” says regatta director, Bill Canfield. “As a result, this will not be our biggest STIR, but we can guarantee everyone a special time. For those who have never visited, Cowpet Bay is a beautiful place to finish a race and the Club and its bar are located beachfront here. Plus, for those that are long timers, think back to your first Caribbean regatta and what a great experience it was. We are offering this same vibe this year with an emphasis on ‘simple fun and great sailing’. That’s why we love it here!”

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 23-25, 2018, is the place to be!

A dozen boats are registered for the third 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 this 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.

The twelve-boat race fleet is split into two groups: CSA (Caribbean Sailing Association) Spinnaker and CSA Non-Spinnaker classes.  Sailing in CSA Spinnaker is Don Nicholson’s J/121 APOLLO.  Nicholson commented;

“This is the third ‘big boat’ in our program; Apollo replaced my custom 42 footer. We have been racing as a core crew for about 15 years; the core crew being myself, Denise Bienvenu, Paul White and David Malkin, including two Newport-Bermuda races, a Chicago-Mackinac race, and numerous other regattas on both coasts of the USA. But, we have never raced as a team in the Caribbean. So, we are extremely excited to be honing our skills with this exciting new boat in such a wonderful venue. We also have Jeff Johnstone from J/Boats on board for the RTR and STIR.”

Amongst the fleet of forty-five boats for STIR are two very quick J/crews racing the preeminent class in the event- CSA 1.  Continuing their battle offshore and around the buoys during the Heineken St Maarten Regatta will be Nicholson’s J/121 APOLLO and the famous J/122 EL OCASO.  Interestingly, both boats will have mostly new crews!  Robin Team’s crew from North Carolina (winners of multiple Key West Race Weeks and Ft Lauderdale-Key West Races on board their own J/122 TEAMWORK) have chartered EL OCASO and will be vying for class honors in their very tough eight-boat division.  For more S.T.I.R. sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Charter The World’s Coolest J/122?

Why Not! WIN Silverware for the Trophy Room!
(English Harbour, Antigua)- Caribbean Yacht Racing was founded on the idea to make racing in the Caribbean on a truly race-ready yacht a reality and a really, really fun time.

The goal is to make your experience not only fun, but to offer you a proven yacht to truly compete in some of the best yacht racing venues in the world!

Caribbean Yacht Racing offers the world-famous, race-ready, J/122 EL OCASO for J/Boats’ aficionados.

EL OCASO is one of the most consistent podium-finishing racing yachts on the Caribbean Sailing circuit and is a past winner of the Caribbean 600, Antigua Sailing Week, St. Thomas, BVI Regatta, and Heineken-St Maarten Regattas.

Why? Because Caribbean racing has random-leg courses that requires a boat that can race successfully on every point of sail- upwind, downwind, reaching from light to medium to heavy airs.  No wonder smart sailors in the Caribbean have chosen versatile boats like the J/122 to excel, have fun, and get their fair share of silverware!

CYR is a boutique charter business and caters to teams that want to experience a Caribbean regatta, but also want to race in a very competitive class and have a yacht that is truly race-ready.  The KEY-> have FUN and WIN some SILVER ‘mon!

EL OCASO is setup to race and offers charter customers the absolute best chance to be successful from the moment they leave the dock. Charters are available for 2018 and the CYR team can assist with everything from travel logistics to lodging & food.  Visit the website: http://www.caribbeanyachtracing.com or email Bob Hillier- bob@caribbeanyachtracing.com Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Caribbean Winter Regattas- Go For It & Help!!

(Gustavia, St Barths)- Sadly, the islands in the Caribbean were recently devastated by the full force of one of the strongest series of hurricanes in history. The islanders and wider communities have rallied together and incredibly many businesses, marinas, bars and restaurants are already open!  Such is the power of perseverance, love, and passion amongst sailors around the world.

The message is loud and clear; the Caribbean will be open and ready to welcome sailors for the 2018 racing and cruising season.

The 2018 season is going to be a very special year in the Caribbean, as we all come together to rebuild the livelihoods of the resilient locals who will open their hearts and share their wonderful islands with all those who visit and enjoy the love for the sea.

ST MAARTEN HEINEKEN REGATTA
The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta will celebrate its 38th anniversary and takes place from March 1 – 4, 2018. This Regatta is the largest warm water Regatta in the world and offers a great combination of challenging races and fantastic parties, keeping with the event’s motto “Serious Fun”!

The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is open to all levels of sailors from professional teams to novice and first time on the water sailors.

The event kicks off with the GILL Commodores Cup on Thursday 1st March, with windward-leeward races starting and finishing between Philipsburg and Simpson Bay.

Friday 2nd March is a race around the Island of St. Maarten clockwise from Simpson Bay, passing Tintamarre in the north and finishing back in Philipsburg.

Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th, will see the racing fleet enjoying some windward leeward racing in the Anguilla Channel followed by a coastal race back to a grand finish in Simpson Bay.  For more St Maarten Heineken Regatta sailing information
   
ST THOMAS INTERNATIONAL REGATTA
Organizers of the St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR) are pleased to announce that 2018 event, set for March 23 to 25, will take place as scheduled despite damage to the island from Hurricane’s Irma and Maria. Never in the 48-year history of STIR has a fall storm, even a major one, interrupted the running of the ‘Crown Jewel of Caribbean Yacht Racing’, and it will not in 2018. The host St. Thomas Yacht Club suffered some damage and the fleet took more than a few dents, but the venue for fantastic round the island races is still very much here. The resilience of regatta organizers, sponsors, volunteers, and club members as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands’ business community, hotel and tourism sectors is strong. Show your support and be part of our island’s recovery and future.

EL OCASO, Caribbean Yacht Racing’s swift-sailing J/122 is signed up and ready for a team who wants to charter her to a podium finish like last year.

If you are concerned about helping out, please help in the Virgin Islands’ recovery efforts by donating to the non-profit VI Marine Build Fund (tinyurl.com/savethevi). All funds will be used for the cleanup of the current cruising grounds, growth of marine industry offerings and development of marine vocational programs.  Register Now for Round the Rocks Race and STIR 2018

LES VOILE DE SAINT BARTHS Regatta
There is no question the Les Voiles de St. Barth Regatta will carry on in 2018!

Considered a high point of the tourist season on the island of Saint-Barthélemy, Les Voiles de St. Barth will take place as planned over April 8-14, 2018.

A little over two weeks ago, the Caribbean Islands were ravaged by one of the deadliest hurricanes of the century. While it took a hard hit, Saint-Barthélemy is already well on the road to recovery, revealing its courage and energy to rise up, much like the organizers of Les Voiles de St. Barth who have decided to maintain the regatta in 2018.

“We are working hard so that our island can welcome all of our guests, crews and spectators with the same level of hospitality and professionalism as usual,” announced François Tolède, who organizes Les Voiles along with Luc Poupon and a large group of volunteers. “We will produce this ninth edition of Les Voiles as a symbol of our reconstruction, with the same quality of service and the same degree of competition. We are going to concentrate our energy in organizing a regatta every bit as exceptional as in past years, with five days of competition, a day off, concerts every evening…the fundamentals will be there!”

Looking Toward the Future
There is one very clear common goal: to get the island ready for a limited 2018 tourist season. “We must remain confident,” said Bruno Magras, president of the Collectivity of Saint-Barthélemy. “We are capable of getting the island back in shape and putting its best foot forward!”

French President Emmanuel Macron noted with great optimism when he visited the island just one week after the storm, “Saint Barth is an island that is still standing, that retains its strength and values, and is in the process of getting back on its feet.”

Every Boat Matters!
With boats ranging in size from 24 feet to 100+, Les Voiles de St. Barth is defined by the diversity of its fleet, and every boat, be it large or small, professional or amateur, is invited to participate to show its support for the regatta and for the island of Saint-Barthélemy.

There are already some boats that have registered for this ninth edition of Les Voiles. The organizers of Les Voiles are sending this message to crews around the world: ”Come next April, participate and discover our paradise re-found. Hurricane Irma tried to destroy us, but we have nerves of steel, and by rebuilding together, our island will be even more beautiful.”  Here is a highlights reel from the last edition  To register for Les Voiles de St. Barth Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Stormy, Windy, Sunny St Thomas International Regatta!

(St Thomas, US Virgin Islands)- This year’s St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR), sailed from March 24th to 26th, offered a full range of exhilarating sailing challenges from frequent tacks along offshore cays to cross currents and wind shifts around the east end and slalom-like conditions in the downwind. The island’s Virgin Islands National Park served as the picture-perfect backdrop for this incredible and highly competitive event.  Most importantly, the weather prognosticators were again wrong for at least half the regatta.  While Thursday and Friday on the dark and stormy side, by the weekend, the front blew away and the fleet was treated to sunny, breezy, classic Caribbean weather conditions.

The event started off with the Round The Rocks Race, a popular one-day warm-up that takes the boats 21.0nm clockwise around the beautiful, very mountainous island of St John.  Twenty-three boats took off from the start and headed across Pillsbury Sound, they fought the current and then the winds changed direction and it was tough. The sail up the south side of the island was nice, but then the wind died by the time the fleet got to Coral Bay. After that, they shot around to Francis Bay, enjoying smooth seas although the winds changed direction often. Then, the ride down the north shore was great straight to the finish.

The J/122 EL OCASO, which race charters under Caribbean Yacht Racing based in the British Virgin Islands, finished second class.

Day 1- The Wind (or the Bird) was the Word
Nearly cat’s paw calm in the morning combined with typical Caribbean tradewinds gusting to 20-plus knots in the afternoon provided something for everyone during the first day’s racing to the Charlotte Amalie harbor and back. These polar-opposite conditions plus the challenge of round the islands rather than strictly buoy racing proved the talk of why some of the best sailors in the Caribbean, U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand put STIR on their list of must-do’ regattas each year.

“It was almost like two separate races today with the wind conditions,” said crew Jeff Johnstone, on the J/88 TOUCH2PLAY. “Rig settings are really important in light wind. Trim and drive is everything in big breeze. A squall went through mid-day and didn’t progress, but the breeze kept building. That was fine for us. It wasn’t overpowering.”

In the insanely competitive CSA 2 Racing division, Rob Butler’s J/88 TOUCH2PLAY sailed a very steady 2-3 to hold a narrow one-point lead of Jordan Mindich’s J/105 SOLSTICE that posted a 5-1.

Day 2- Rock & Roll Time
STIR proved its reputation as the ‘Crown Jewel of Caribbean Yacht Racing’ by superbly delivering on its signature mix of round the rocks and round the buoy courses on the event’s second day of competition. What’s more, 6 to 8 foot seas off the island’s east end, gusts blowing to 20 to 25 knots and a mix of rain and sun all added to the fun. Yup, it was a dark & stormy day for all!

It was the three W’s – windy, wavy and warm – that appealed most to the crews in attendance. Some of the hottest competition today was in CSA Spinnaker 1.  Bob Hillier, who hails from Lake Geneva, WI, and his J/122 EL OCASO alumni were trying to nip at the lead all day.

“We have a real interesting class,” says Hillier, charter manager for Caribbean Yacht Racing Ltd. “Two boats, the Melges 32 and RP 37, plane, we and the King don’t and the Andrews 70 is out so far in front we don’t see them. What each of us needs to do is sail our boats to their potentials.”  In the end, EL OCASO posted a 3-2 to hold on to 2nd place for the day.

At the end of the day, the J/122 EL OCASO posted 3-3 to hang on to second place in their CSA 1 Racing division.

In CSA 2 Racing, the J/88 TOUCH2PLAY added a 3-4 to drop into second place by one point.  Just following them 2 pts back was the J/105 SOLSTICE.

Day 3- Perfect Cocktail Racing
On the last day, the fleet enjoyed a mix of signature round-the-island courses combined with conditions that ranged from near breathless calm to blustery gusts over three days of racing. Warm weather, turquoise seas and quality competition delivered STIR sailors the perfect cocktail.

In the end, Hillier’s crew on the J/122 EL OCASO closed with a strong 2-2 to take the silver in their CSA 1 Racing division.  Yet again, the J/122 has shown her consistent ability to get on the podium in virtually every Caribbean regatta it has sailed in her lifetime- truly an astounding record!

The CSA 2 Racing fleet saw a fight to the finish.  One tack, one gybe, one takedown, that was the difference between the J/88 TOUCH2PLAY winning outright versus losing on a tiebreaker! With a 1-4 on the last day, Canadian Rob Butler’s crew knew where they had lost the regatta, literally by 17 seconds!  In any event, taking the silver was a great outcome for their crew’s first time racing in St Thomas!  Taking the bronze was Jordan Mindich’s J/105 SOLSTICE, sailing to a steady average score of 3.5!  Sailing photo credits- STIR/Dean Barnes and STIR/Ingrid Abery.com.  For more St Thomas International Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

St Thomas International Regatta Preview

(St Thomas, US Virgin Islands)- For years, the grand-daddy of all Caribbean regattas was “the Rolex” in St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, proudly hosted by St Thomas YC in Cowpet Bay on the northeastern shoreline of USVI.  It was not unusual to have fleets of well over 100 keelboats packed into the Bay and competing for that rarest of commodities, a dinghy tie-up at the club.  Since that time, the regatta continues to maintain its strong heritage of hosting world-class sailing on the magnificent aquamarine waters off the eastern end of USVI.  The trade-winds are almost always turned-on and the sailors look forward to a magnificent four days of sailing.  What is fun and challenging about this event is that the StYC provides a range of courses for the fleet, from windward-leewards offshore to random-leg courses around the fabulously beautiful islands and rocks that grace the eastern part of the island chain.

This weekend, the fleet of forty-seven boats will be competing in one-design as well as IRC and CSA handicap rating rules.  Other than the thirteen teams sailing the IC24s (the modded J/24), the biggest field of J/Crews will be in the CSA Spinnaker class of eleven boats.  Leading charge around the track each day should be the famous J/122 EL OCASO, chartered by Bob Hiller from Lake Geneva YC.  Chasing them hard on handicap will be the J/88 TOUCH 2 PLAY RACING, skippered by Canadian Rob Butler from Collingwood, Ontario; Jordan Mindich’s J/105 SOLSTICE from Huntington, NY; and Angle Ayala’s J/80 SUNBUM II from Carolina, Puerto Rico.  In the CSA Non-Spinnaker division, Ben Jelic’s J/120 JAGUAR from St Maarten will be vying for class honors with six other teams.

The weather forecast for this year’s regatta remains a bit mixed.  While the sailors remain hopeful, it looks to be overcast to partly cloudy skies with occasional rain and light winds from the southeast from 5-12 kts. This is due to what NOAA describes as the following scenario:

Wednesday to Friday- an upper level ridge southeast of the area will continue to weaken as a trough pattern aloft builds from the west through the end of the week. At low levels, a prefrontal trough is forecast to move over the islands on Friday. As this trough pattern unfolds, moisture will continue to pool across the area and the intensity and coverage of showers and isolated thunderstorms will increase each day.  From Friday to end of racing on Sunday- the Long wave trough across the western Atlantic is still forecast to deepen and extend southwards into the west and central Caribbean through the end of the week. As a result, a moist south to southeasterly flow should persist through Friday and into the weekend. All model guidance supports a very moist and unstable pattern across the region for the next several days with good tropical moisture advection.  Bummer. In short, light winds and wet at times.  For more St Thomas International Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/122 Wins St Thomas Regatta

J/105 Tops CSA 3 Class
(St Thomas, US Virgin Islands)- The real story of the 43rd St Thomas International Regatta (STIR) was wind. Lots of it. Gusts blustered over 30 knots all three days with 6 to 8 foot seas. Yet, combine these conditions with 80-degree weather, bright sun and bathwater warm turquoise seas and it’s a recipe relished by all the racers on the sixty-seven boats in the event.

Chief among these happy sailors was the Southern California team aboard Doug Baker’s J/122 TEAM MAGNITUDE- EL OCASO that won the CSA Spinnaker Racing 2. They quite literally “ran the table”, posting all bullets in the six race series to win class and overall.  In addition, they took second in the “warm-up” Round the Rocks Race in the CSA Spinnaker division.

Having an equally successful performance in CSA Spinnaker Racing 3 class was Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Lipuscek on his J/105 DARK STAR, successfully defending their title with a blistering scoreline of 1-2-1-3-2-1 for 10 pts.  Sailing a very consistent series was Jordan Mindich’s J/105 SOLSTICE, taking fourth place with scores of 3-3-3-5-3-2 for 19 pts, just one point off the podium!

The CSA Non-Spinnaker saw Aaron Gardner’s Puerto Rican J/24 team on BRAVISSIMO sailed fast in the large ten-boat CSA Non-spinnaker class to take fifth overall.  Sailing photo credits- Dean Barnes & Ingrid Abery (ingridabery.com)   For more St Thomas International Regatta sailing information

BVI Spring Regatta Preview

(Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI)- “This is a fantastic event, with lots of variety in the racing, great race management and wonderful shore-side activities – get involved and enjoy!” – is the sage advice from Rick Wesslund, veteran BVI Spring Regatta competitor. Wesslund, owner/skipper of the J/122 EL OCASO should know as 2016 marks his 9th entry in the competition.

EL OCASO is just one of 108 boats participating in the 45th edition of this iconic Caribbean racing event that takes place from March 30th to April 3rd at the Nanny Cay Marina in Tortola, BVI. Entries come from all corners of the Seven Seas: the US, Great Britain, Australia, the Netherlands, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Antigua, Canada, Ireland, Argentina, Germany and, of course, local sailors from right here in the British Virgin Islands.

Sam Talbot, from New York and owner/skipper of the J/111 SPIKE, also likes to start the party early at BVI Spring Regatta;  “We are always sailing with different crew so we have become pretty efficient at crash courses for various areas of the boat. We plan to put a solid day of practice in before the Nanny Cay Cup race so everybody can get familiar with their position.”

This year Talbot’s upgraded his sail inventory from North 3DLs to 3DIs, and is looking forward to more control with the new sails across a bigger wind range. Nonetheless, equipment aside, he advises newcomers to the event not to take anything too seriously at Spring Regatta, “The banter out on the water is what makes it so much fun!”

With a different race course every day and guaranteed no-two-days-of-racing-the-same sets BVI Spring Regatta apart from other yacht racing events. Fabulous beach parties every evening are the only way to end a perfect day of warm-water Caribbean racing. With a long-time “home” base at Nanny Cay where families can also enjoy all that Tortola and the surrounding islands offer, the event offers something for everyone.

Bob Phillips, Regatta Chairman, has chaired the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival for 19 years so has a pretty good idea how conditions may shape up for the regatta, “We’re looking at 15-20, pretty usual trade winds, maybe a little higher than normal.”

Joining the fun in the CSA Racing 2 class are both Wesslund’s J/122 EL OCASO and Talbot’s J/111 SPIKE.  In addition, Pamala Baldwin’s J/122 LIQUID from Antigua will be pressing their classmate EL OCASO hard; as will another Antigua boat, Bernard Evan-Wong’s J/120 TEAM TAZ- SUNSET.

While the CSA Racing 2 class looks relatively good from a relative competitiveness standpoint (mostly 36 to 43 footers), the CSA Racing 3 class has to be the most eclectic of them all!  It ranges from a J/24 to fully race-equipped First 40s- a bit of a free-for-all for everyone!  Speaking of which, hoping for lots of reaching against the bigger boats will be Aaron Gardner’s J/24 BRAVISSIMO from the Royal BVI YC.  Joining him is Cynthia Ross & Eduardo Lucas’ J/30 J-DOE and two J/105s- Jon Lipuscek’s DARK STAR from Puerto Rico and Bryan Coon’s SOLSTICE team from New York.

The CSA Performance Cruiser I Class is just “white-sails” only.  It’s about the most perfect class for BVI Regatta, as you “can have your cake and eat it too”!  Sailing double-handed or with an entire family, it’s fun, laid-back and just as challenging as it is for the racing classes.  In this class is a past multiple BVI winner, Stanford Joines’ crew of high-school kids from St Croix- the J/36 PALADIN.  Hoping to work some of that magic, too, will be David Ballantyne’s J/133 JINGS! from Cowes, Isle of Wight, England.

The J/24-mod crews racing on the IC-24s will have fun sailing one-design just off the front of the marina; eleven boats are participating with some amazingly “hot” crews from across the sailing landscape.  For example, Jens Hookanson (Sunfish World Champion and J/24 Champions) from St Croix YC is racing STINGER while Jaime Torres from Puerto Rico (multiple class champion in the Caribbean Circuit) will be racing the familiar SMILE AND WAVE.  For more BVI Spring Regatta sailing information

J/160 AVATAR Cruising to Caribbean!

(Belfast, Maine)- The J-160 AVATAR is now going back into the water on Halloween weekend after and extensive four-month refit performed by Front Street Shipyard (www.frontstreetshipyard.com), in Belfast, Maine.

According to her proud owner, Alan Fougere and family, “we are back sailing our J/160 AVATAR.  She will be in the Caribbean for winter 2015/ 2016.

For four months, the refit work included new galley counters, new rudder bearings, carbon fiber wheel, navigation station upgrades, including new Raymarine Networked Electronics, Broadband Satellite Communication, navigation computers with integrated AIS systems with proximity alarms.  Work was concluded on time and on budget by Front Street Shipyard supervised by JB Turner.  The high quality and detail of the work performed by Front Street Shipyard was terrific!  Their knowledge about the construction and the hull and frame enhancements made by the yard will help to keep AVATAR sailing her 4000 Nm/year for another 20 years or more.

Next stop?  AVATAR will transit back to her winter home at Proper Yachts, St. John US Virgin Islands in mid November!”

TAG Heuer St Thomas Regatta Preview

(Cowpet Bay, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands)- The TAG Heuer St. Thomas International Regatta is etched into every racer’s mind as the “Crown Jewel” of Caribbean racing– where sailors can experience their reliable breezes, warm azure waters and world-renowned Island hospitality. This year a fleet of 80+ boats will be competing in the three-day series starting March 26th and ending March 29th.  J/Teams are well represented in this year’s regatta in the various CSA Racing and Non-spinnaker divisions.

In CSA 2 Racing, there are four amazingly competent teams assembled in their class that includes a J/111, two J/122s and a J/120.  This is the first year that Holland, Michigan’s Mitch Padnos and his crew from the Macatawa Bay Yacht Club will charter the J/122 EL OCASO. The boat, under a different skipper and crew, has participated in the STIR on several occasions and won its class in 2014. “We were attracted to this year’s event as the boat was available which allowed the Michigan crew an early spring tune up. In addition, the idea of racing in St. Thomas was too much to resist,” says Padnos. His Michigan crew sail their J/122 SUFFICIENT REASON (winning their class and the 2013 Chicago-Mackinac Race Overall) and have been active in buoy racing on the local Lake Michigan scene.

SUNSET CHILD, a J/120 in Performance Yacht Racing USA’s charter fleet, most recently competed in the Pineapple Cup to Montego Bay Race in February with a Jamaican team onboard. “This is the first time we will sail with her in St. Thomas,” says skipper Marcus Cholerton-Brown. “We have a whole family racing onboard, plus some PYR-USA crew and myself. We can’t wait to get stuck into the racing against a really strong field of boats in CSA 2 class.”

In addition to these two boats, it marks the first appearance of a J/111 in the STIR event. Sam Talbot’s crew from Road Town, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands will be racing SPIKE.  In addition, the J/122 DUNDER will be sailed by Robert & Jan Thouron from Middlesex, Vermont.

In CSA 3 Class, there will again be the renewed friendly rivalry between three knowledgeable local teams that include two J/105s and a J/27.  Jonathan Lipuscek from San Juan, Puerto Rico and the Club Nautico Puerto Rico will be sailing his well-traveled J/105 DARK STAR and he will be up against the New York-based crew aboard SOLSTICE led by skipper Bryan Coon from Lloyd Harbor YC in Hicksville, New York.  Chasing them around the course and hoping to get them on handicap honors will be Paul Davis’ J/27 MAGNIFICENT 7, the “local knowledge” in the group from St Thomas, USVI.

The CSA Non-Spinnaker Class will have the privilege of racing against “the kids” that sail the J/36 PALADIN with adult supervision led by Stanford Joines of St Croix YC in St Croix, USVI. Watch out!  This crew really knows how to sail their boat hard and they have the silverware to prove it, too!

Meanwhile, the homegrown IC-24 class (the J/24 modified) is expected to be the largest of the regatta with 18 entries. “The best part about racing in the IC-24 class is the level of competition and how close the racing is,” says St. Thomas’ Mike Finley, who will sail his Ocean Potion. “Plus, we have fun racing and fun afterwards at the parties.”  Mike should know, World Champion Match Racer Taylor Canfield got “schooled” by the big boys in the IC24s when he was growing up as a kid on St Thomas!

Great Parties Too?!
Unquestionably, all the Caribbean regatta venues are renowned for “fun in the sun, great sailing and great parties”.  St Thomas is no different and has certainly been the “gold standard” by which all other regattas have been judged since the STIR event started so long before all others.  Beach barbeques, nightly parties featuring Presidente beer and the Virgin Islands’ own Cruzan Rum, and live bands will take place at St. Thomas Yacht Club Thursday March 26, Friday March 27 and Sunday March 29. The Awards Ceremony takes place Sunday March 29 starting at 7 p.m. on the beach in front of the St. Thomas Yacht Club. On Saturday March 28, there’s the newest STIR tradition: the Yacht Haven Grande Party with Spectrum Band on stage. Have dinner and enjoy the best of St. Thomas restaurants and bars nearby Yacht Haven Grande while detuning after a day of racing.

“St. Thomas International Regatta organizers are excited about our new partnership with TAG Heuer and their world famous timepieces. TAG Heuer has a long history of sports marketing and we feel honored to have them involved in our sailing event. Their involvement places the STIR back at the top of Caribbean events and offers 8 more reasons to attend our regatta in Cowpet Bay home of the St. Thomas Yacht Club,” says Regatta Director, Bill Canfield.

Class winning skippers in the 2015 STIR will be presented with an Aquaracer Caribbean Limited Edition watch. These models are equipped with key features such as stainless steel craftsmanship, water-resistance to 10,000-feet, screw-in crown and unidirectional turning bezel. The beautiful deep sea-blue dial is imprinted with a map of the Caribbean Islands in a gold tone. These limited editions are exclusively available in the Caribbean; they are individually numbered.  The eight classes eligible to receive an Aquaracer Caribbean Limited Edition watch as prize include all divisions of CSA, Portsmouth, and Beach Cats.  Sailing photo credits- Christine Thompson   For more St Thomas Regatta sailing information

J/36 PALADIN Sailing Caribbean Youth Team

(St Croix, USVI)- The J/36 PALADIN, owned by Stan Joines from St Croix, US Virgin Islands, has been on a mission to introduce young sailors to offshore sailing.  Stan comments, “The crew of PALADIN is a mix of kids.  Five of the crew are from the St. Croix Yacht club; they are in Junior high school at Good Hope Country Day private school, ages 10-13. They are also very active in Optimist racing at the club.  Another of the crew is my son, age 8.  Another four of the crew are from Central High, a public school here on St. Croix, where I teach.  We practice Saturday mornings.  The boat is sponsored by St. Croix Marine on St. Croix.

The J/36 is a good fit because it is still competitive, but can sleep the whole crew aboard when we are at away regattas on the different islands!  The fractional rig is great; with a masthead rig, the kids would have to be handling bigger jibs and downwind sails that could overpower them.

This boat is J/36 #53 and she’s still going strong after much T.L.C.!  We won nine out of nine in our local regatta (St. Croix International, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.) back in November.  It was just non-spin; the kids are too small to manage a gybe with a spinnaker in less than 46 seconds.  Plus, we raced with eight year old dacron.  We look forward soon to the St. Thomas International and BVI Spring regattas!”  Fair winds, Stan

EL OCASO & BAD GIRL Sail To St Thomas Gold!

(Cowpet Bay, St Thomas, USVI)- “Veni, vidi, vici”.  It’s the famous Latin phrase delivered by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. to his Roman Senate after a swift, conclusive victory over the city of Zela.  At that point, Caesar had control of the known Roman World.

Perhaps this should be the operative phrase for the enormously talented crew sailing with Rick Wesslund on their impressive new steed, the J/122 EL OCASO.  While St Thomas is not Zela, it is part of the Caribbean empire of awesome sailing regattas everyone should include on their bucket list.

Rick’s team are well on their way to another terrific season of sailing in the Caribbean, they were crowned CSA Racing 2 Champions after posting three 1sts and four 2nds for a total of 11 pts, 9 pts clear of second place.  This also reminds one of a famous comment made to the Queen of England when she asked who won the first America’s Cup Race (the 100 Guinea Cup off Cowes), the reply- “Your Highness, there was no second.”  On a fleet performance basis, they easily earned the “Most Worthy Overall Performance” for the St Thomas Regatta as well, having won the largest class by the largest margin.

Having an equally impressive performance in CSA Racing 3 was Robert Armstrong’s BAD GIRL, compiling five 1sts a 2nd and 3rd for 10 pts to narrowly beat out a pair of uber-competitive J/105s.  Taking second was Jonathan Lipuscek’s J/105 DARK STAR with 12 pts and in third was Jordan Mindich’s J/105 SOLSTICE with 25 pts.  One might say the CSA 3 Racing division was a “J” class with 7 of 9 boats seeking a podium finish.  Francisco Figueroa’s J/24 COLIBRI from Puerto Rico took fifth in class.

For many who’ve observed the CSA Non-spinnaker class over the past five years, they’re often struck by the performance of a pretty J/95 called SHAMROCK VII sailing with a bunch of friends from the USA (some from New Hampshire).  As the Chief Ringleader of the gang, owner Tom Mullen first and foremost ensures his friends are having a great time “down island”. It’s not a coincidence that their fun-loving approach to sailing on a shoal-draft, lifting centerboard “day-sailor” (meant for the shoals of Florida, Chesapeake and the Bahamas) has seen success over the years.  Like some US Navy friends always seem to say, Team SHAMROCK “works hard & plays harder”.  Works for them!  They again secured a podium finish this year, taking a third in CSA Non-Spin class.  Not far off their pace was Stanford Joines sailing the beautifully re-furbished J/36 PALADIN, rounding out the top five in 5th place just two points back from SHAMROCK!

The St Thomas YC is again to be commended for hosting another fun event with great racing.  Indeed, it lived up to its billing as the "Crown Jewel of the Caribbean”.  How did it all go down for the StTYC RC team and the sailors?  Here’s a brief recap for each day below:

Day 1- A big breeze welcomed the sailors on the first day.  “Boom or bust” was the big story for the 69-boat fleet, confronted with gusts up to 30 kts at times, testing the mettle of equipment and crews as the fleet sailed along the island’s south shore into scenic Charlotte Amalie harbor and back again amidst a mix of sun and squalls.

The team aboard EL OCASO reveled in the conditions, enjoying the brisk breeze as well as finishing at the top of the 10-boat CSA Racing 2 Class. “It went well. We had a good day,” explains Kyle Jones, primary trimmer. “The course was fun and the squalls make it extra difficult. All and all it was good, especially since this was only the third time we sailed the boat in competition. The first was Key West Race Week and the second the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.” Meanwhile, Puerto Rican sailor, Francisco Figueroa, aboard his J/24 COLIBRI, led the CSA Racing 3 Class, as did Lipuscek’s J/105 DARk STAR in CSA Racing 3.

Day 2- This was another “fast & furious” day for the sailors. While the courses changed, the winds remained very blustery. Shorter round-the-buoy and round-the-island races off the island’s east end combined with 20-plus knots of breeze enabled the StTYC RC to fire off as many as five races in some classes.

As some sailors described the conditions, “It was just rough and windy at the top mark in Pillsbury Sound where the currents met and there were huge faces on the waves.” JP Montegut, Commodore of host St. Thomas Yacht Club.Others explained, “It was challenging with strong and shifty winds. Yet, the races were very tight and that is what’s fun.”

Wesslund’s J/122 EL OCASO remained first in CSA Racing 2 class and in CSA Racing 3, Armstrong’s J/100 BAD GIRL overtook Lipuscek’s J/105 DARK STAR for the top spot.

Day 3- the third and final day of sailing brought beautiful sailing conditions to the fleet.  Wesslund’s EL OCASO team soundly defended his last year’s class win by once again winning CSA Racing 2 Class. Last year it was on their J/120 by the same name, this year the J/122. “We didn’t know how big a shift in gears it would be to sail the new boat, but we did it somehow and we are most grateful, terrific sailing against our friends in this class,” Wesslund explains.

BAD GIRL, Armstrong’s J/100, had a good day sailing against Lipuscek’s J/105 DARK STAR. “We knocked heads with them all weekend, we fought them tooth and nail and ultimately beat them,” explains Carlos Skov, BAD GIRL’s trimmer. He then explained, “I have to say, the DARK STAR team is a class act. Great sailing, that’s what it’s all about!”  For more St Thomas Regatta sailing information.  Or, Facebook St Thomas Regatta Page.