Tuesday, March 28, 2017

BVI Spring Regatta Preview

J/111 sailing Caribbean (Roadtown, Tortola, British Virgin Islands)- The 2017 BVI Spring Regatta is shaping up to be nicely attended event, particularly with the enormous one-design fleets of charter boats from the various charter companies that operate in that part of the Virgin Islands archipelago.  The regatta also benefits from being the second event in the Virgin Islands after S.T.I.R. in St Thomas.

The event will be hosted by the Royal BVI Yacht Club with boats based in Nanny Cay Marina in Road Town, Tortola.  Racing takes place from March 28th to April 3rd in Virgin Gorda Sound.  If the “racer’s regatta” is STIR in St Thomas, then the BVI Spring is definitely the “cruiser’s regatta”.  BVI is decidedly more laid back and easy-going.  There are plenty of reaching races and not a lot of hard work beating upwind.

J/122 Liquid sailing CaribbeanThere is a nice turnout for the CSA Racing Class, twenty-one boats will be going at it hammer & tong to determine who knows how to “reach through life”!!  Many of the same players in STIR will also be participating in BVI along with a few more add-ons.  Again, you will see the J/88 TOUCH 2 PLAY RACING on the line, along with the J/122 EL OCASO (this time chartered by the UK family crew led by Chris Body).  Additional J/crews will include the J/122 LIQUID skippered/owned by Pamala Baldwin from Antigua; the J/111 SPIKE sailed by Sam Talbot from the local Royal BVI YC; the J/105 VUJA DE skippered by Remco Van Dortmondt from Kralendjik, Bonaire; and the J/120 SUNSET chartered by Andy Middleton from Cowes, United Kingdom.  Hopefully, the weather will have improved from the St Thomas event and the giant long wave trough from the weekend will have dissipated and moved on so the classic sunny, windy trade winds kick back in!!  One can only hope, otherwise the fashion show mid-week may become a wet t-shirt fiasco for everyone!  Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth/ PWPictures.com.  For more BVI Spring Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.