Which would you prefer — crashing around the cans in
thermals and oilies during your local spring series —
or competing in shorts and tee shirt in the Caribbean's top
regattas?
We have a 2007 race prepared First 40.7 Distinction available in full race trim for the Grenada Sailing Festival, the Caribbean 600, the Heineken Regatta in St Maarten, the Rolex Cup in the USVI’s, the BVI Spring Regatta, Les Voiles de St Barths and the big one Antigua Sailing Week. Once you’ve had a taste of racing (and partying!) in a Caribbean Regatta, UK racing will never seem the same again!
There are many smaller Caribbean regattas, such as Tobago, St Croix and Barbados to name but a few. If details of the regatta you'd like to participate in aren't listed here, please contact us for availability and price.
All the Regattas are available as full skippered packages or with an Owners representative onboard whilst racing only.
Caribbean Racing 2011
Grenada Sailing Festival 26th January – 2nd February
Charter of Yacht with an Owners Representative onboard whilst racing - £5,150
Full skippered Package - £6,500
Grenada Sailing Festival is the first in the Caribbean's regatta season. It's a regatta full of top class racing, fun and of course, parties!! The Sailing Festival is getting more and more popular and is extremely well organised, yet still retains it's fun and friendly atmosphere. It is often described as the most fun regatta on the Caribbean circuit.
The racing takes place in the south western corner of this beautiful island, with a mix of passage races and windward leeward courses. Alongside the competitive cruiser racer and racer classes, there is also a popular working boat class, which adds to the character of this amazing regatta. The races are scheduled for Saturday – Tuesday which gives you Thursday and Friday for training.
RORC Caribbean 600 February. Dates still to be confirmed
Charter of Yacht with an Owners Representative onboard whilst racing - £5,450
Full skippered Package - £6,800
The inaugural RORC Caribbean 600 race was run in February 2009 and was such a success it is already a permanent fixture on the RORC calendar and you can be part of it! The race is run in conjunction with the Antigua Yacht Club and starts on the 22 February 2010 off Fort Charlotte outside English Harbour, Antigua.
The course takes the fleet to the north passing a mark off Barbuda, the islands of Nevis, Saba and St Barths, to circle St Maarten before heading down to Guadeloupe as the most southerly point, then back up to a mark off Barbuda before returning to finish in Antigua. A total of 605 nautical miles.
It is believed that this new race will become one of the worldwide classic offshore races, joining the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Sydney-Hobart and the Newport-Bermuda race as one of the ‘must-do’ races on the offshore circuit.
Heineken Regatta, St Maarten 28th February – 7th March
Charter of Yacht with an Owners Representative onboard whilst racing - £5,450
Full skippered Package - £6,800
The St Maarten / St Martin Heineken Regatta is about close racing and great partying, hence the motto 'serious fun'. Starting with the IGY Commodores Cup on the Thursday followed by the three day regatta racing in perfect conditions off an exciting multicultural Dutch / French Island. You have Tuesday and Wednesday to get to grips with the boat.
The Commodores Cup day, a new event added in 2007 for the spinnaker classes only, comprises of 2 - 3 windward leeward races that will be scored independently of the weekend racing so a perfect day to put your practice to the test. Fri, Sat & Sun are the Heineken Regatta races. The first race takes the fleet from Simpson Bay clockwise around the whole island which is about a 35nm round trip. The finish and the party is back in Simpson Bay.
The next day sees the fleet doing two to three races round the cans off St Maarten's South West coast. The finish and the party are in Marigot on the French side. The last day is a relatively short race starting off Marigot Bay and racing back round to the capital, Philipsburg before returning to Simpson Bay for the big last night party and prize giving.
click on the play button to launch a video clip of the 2009 Regatta:
Rolex Cup Regatta (USVI) 20th – 27th March
Charter of Yacht with an Owners Representative onboard whilst racing - £5,150
Full skippered Package - £6,500
The Rolex cup is a small friendly regatta run out of the St Thomas Yacht Club.
The racing is keen but good natured, with up to six races per day on tight windward leeward courses. The races are scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday which gives you plenty of time to get out there and do some practise before the welcome party on Thursday evening.
Each day follows a similar pattern, of racing and then back to the Rolex regatta village at St Thomas Yacht Club for daily prize giving and partying. If you are staying on for the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival we'll take a leisurely sail over to Nanny Cay Marina on Tortola, on Monday morning
BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival 28th March – 4th April
Charter of Yacht with an Owners Representative onboard whilst racing - £5,150
Full skippered Package - £6,500
The BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival represents two great events in one and has become one of the Caribbean's premier yachting events. It has developed a reputation for serious competition on the water and serious partying off it!
The Sailing Festival comprises of three days of passage racing leading up to the main three day regatta. If you haven't just done the Rolex cup, you will arrive on the boat at Nanny Cay Marina, Tortola, on Monday Morning and get out for a training sail. On Tuesday the race is to the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda and party on the beach in the evening. Wednesday is a lay day where you can either race Lasers and Hobies or laze around on the beach. On Thursday we race back to Nanny Cay for the Spring Regatta welcome party that evening.
It's then three days of full on regatta racing and partying before departing on either Sunday evening or Monday morning. We always do well at the BVI Spring Regatta finishing 3rd in 2008 and 2nd in 2009. That only leaves one position left for 2010 - No pressure!!
Two week package for the Rolex Cup Regatta and the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival 20th March - 4th April
Charter of Yacht with an Owners Representative onboard whilst racing - £9,300
Full skippered Package - £11,900
Antigua Sailing Week 20th - 30th April
Charter of Yacht with an Owners Representative onboard whilst racing - £7,350
Full skippered Package - £9,000
Antigua Sailing Week is now accepted as the biggest international regatta in the Caribbean and is also one of the top five regattas in the world. The atmosphere both on the water and off is like no other event. The secret is to find the balance between serious racing and serious partying. Easier said than done! In 2009 we finished on the podium in 3rd place so we almost got the balance right!
The races are scheduled from Saturday to Friday with a layday on Wednesday and the prize giving is in Nelson's Dockyard on Saturday. This gives you time for a day or two of training before the regatta starts and the last Saturday to relax and catch your breath before the prize giving that evening.
The schedule tends to change slightly each year but in 2010 the performance cruiser class went like this:
Day 1 Saturday 24th April starts with the skippers briefing followed by one race along the south coast of the Island, starting and finishing off Falmouth Harbour.
Day 2 is a long race round the windward side of the Island finishing off Dickinson Bay on the NW corner of the Island. Followed by a big party on the beach that evening.
Day 3 race off the West Coast of Antigua to finish outside Jolly Harbour. The evening party is in the Jolly Harbour complex.
Day 4 the Jolly Harbour to Falmouth Harbour Race – Starting off Five Islands, finishing off Falmouth Harbour.
Day 5 layday. A day of relaxing, partying or catching up on sleep!
Day 6 Willoughby Bay Race off the South East Coast
Day 7 inshore race along the South Coast. Followed by a big party!
For owner rep charters a security / damage deposit of £2500 cleared funds is required to cover breakages and losses. The deposit will be repaid within ten days of the end of the charter assuming there are no deductions.
January
— May
Grenada Sailing Festival is the first in the Caribbean's regatta season. It's a regatta full of top class racing, fun and of course, parties!! The Sailing Festival is getting more and more popular and is extremely well organised, yet still retains it's fun and friendly atmosphere. It is often described as the most fun regatta on the Caribbean circuit.
The inaugural RORC Caribbean 600 race was run in February 2009 and was such a success it is already a permanent fixture on the RORC calendar and you can be part of it! The race is run in conjunction with the Antigua Yacht Club and starts on the 22 February 2010 off Fort Charlotte outside English Harbour, Antigua.
Heineken Regatta, St Maarten 28th February – 7th March
The Rolex cup is a small friendly regatta run out of the St Thomas Yacht Club.
The BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival represents two great events in one and has become one of the Caribbean's premier yachting events. It has developed a reputation for serious competition on the water and serious partying off it! 
Antigua Sailing Week is now accepted as the biggest international regatta in the Caribbean and is also one of the top five regattas in the world. The atmosphere both on the water and off is like no other event. The secret is to find the balance between serious racing and serious partying. Easier said than done! In 2009 we finished on the podium in 3rd place so we almost got the balance right!
Security
Deposit: