JEK
Senior Insider
Voiles de Saint Barth Makes Debut April 6 to 11 2010
More Editorial by Press Release
March 2010 Issue
The local council in Saint Barthelemy, the tourist board and the Saint Barth Yacht Club are establishing a new sailing event from Tuesday to Sunday, April 6 to 11, open to classic and modern yachts, superyachts, racing-cruisers, as well as racing multihulls.
Three new partners joined the Voiles de St Barth early this year. Richard Mille Watches has become the headline partner, with the Banque des Antilles Francaises and the St. Barts Hoteliers Association as official partners. Poet and well known seascape artist, Titouan Lamazou (the first winner of the Vendee Globe), has designed the official event poster.
Saint Barthelemy has always included sailing races among its traditions and has made great use of its know-how. The desire to create a special event unique to Saint Barth, with the backing of Francois Tolede, member of the Saint Barth tourist board and in charge of special events at the Saint Barth Yacht Club, is the latest example in a long history of glorious yachting events on the island, ever since the Loulou's regatta, which in the seventies brought together up to 200 sail boats.
Using all the knowledge and expertise it has acquired in welcoming large yachts and racing boats, with a know-how that is recognised with such varied races as the Transat AG2R, the Route du Rose and the St-Barth Bucket Regatta, Saint Barth is organising a week of racing in the best spirit of the sport with the finest yachts that can be found in this part of the world.
"We're looking forward to welcoming the big American yachts, which sail in the Caribbean in the winter months," explained Luc Poupon, the race director. "We are inviting the finest yachts in the world, including the maxi yachts, and racing-cruisers, and we hope that for this maiden event that no fewer than a hundred of the greatest classic and modern yachts will be appearing here."
We can therefore expect the jewels in the crown of the international racing world to be heading for Gustavia at the start of the spring of 2010. "Eighty percent of the sailors will be from a British or American background," added "Lucky" Poupon. "But the boats will be coming from all over the world, from the USA of course, but also from Mexico, South America, and we've even had requests from Poland and Hong Kong. It will really be an opportunity to discover yachts, many of which do not sail in European waters."
So we can be sure that the whole of the Caribbean sailing world will be celebrating at the start of next April. There will be a friendly and festive atmosphere ashore outside of the races and a special village will be set up for the racers and their sponsors. "We are planning a lot of special events ashore, in order for the hundreds of sailors from around the world to have fun together," continued Francois Tolede. "The fact that we are an island means we attract motivated people, who come to Saint Barth for the charms of the island and the beauty of the racing yachts throughout this week."
Specific start areas will be set up according to the size of boat in order to make this a fair contest. "On the leeward side of the island, where the races will start, there are a number of possible courses off Gustavia or around the islands, which means that each class can enjoy a fair competition in the best spirit of the sport," explained Luc Poupon. "The trade winds tend to ease off in April, and we can legitimately hope for a steady easterly of around fifteen knots." Which means we can look forward to some great racing in the sunshine.
The world's finest yachts, from Classic yachts to Maxis, often with top names from ocean racing and regattas at the helm (Peter Holmberg, Russell Coutts), windy races, offering a spectacular show, an atmosphere ashore based around the simple pleasures of life ... under the auspices of the photographer, Patrick Demarchelier, the Voiles de Saint Barth will also be bringing together the traditional values of classic yachts and the spectacular modern approach of the newest Racing-Cruisers, to ensure that all those, who love beautiful boats will enjoy this event that the Saint Barthelemy council would like to see become a regular date on the calendar of the international sailing world.
26 February 2010 - New rules imposed for Bucket Regattas
By Kenny Wooton
Organisers of the Bucket superyacht regattas have announced racing rules changes aimed at making racing among their fleets safer.
The group, which runs the Bucket Regattas in St Barths, and collaborates on several other big-boat events, has put the new rules in place for the 2010 season, which begins with the St Barths Bucket 25-28 March. Managing Director Hank Halsted says the changes to the Superyacht Racing Protocol, which continues to evolve as fleets grow and racing becomes more competitive, are intended to recognise and reconcile the differences between the avid racers with high-performance yachts and the large, less manoeuverable cruising yachts that comprise the growing fleets at the regattas. He sent the revised sailing instructions and an advisory letter highlighting the changes to regular Bucket participants.
“We needed rules that function to the lowest common denominator with racing compatibility,” Halsted says. “This will become the core of the debate between the few avid racers in the Bucket fleet and the big boats.”
The Bucket Regattas traditionally have involved competitors ranging from classics and dowdy cruising yachts to steroidal racing machines. Tailoring racing rules that safely accommodate all constituencies never has been as simple as adhering to standard racing regulations and handicap schemes. Creating rules that address the basic differences in yacht types in a fair way while averting disastrous — and wildly expensive — collisions has always been a challenge for regatta organisers.
“ISAF makes a basic assumption in the rules that a boat can turn and stop,” says Halsted. “Many of these big boats can’t. It takes them ten minutes to conceive and execute a tack.”
To address this issue, Bucket organisers two years ago came up with a set of changes based on COLREGS that they refined last year. The new rules were sea-trialed at the Informa Yacht Group’s Superyacht Cup Antigua in January. They make their official debut at St Barths.
Most notable among the changes is the creation of a “safety zone” of a quarter mile around each turning mark or obstruction. Within this zone a yacht must be on her final layline to leave the mark on its proper side. To honor COLREGS, tacking or jibing within the circle is not prohibited but will result in a substantial penalty. Motivating this rule is a scenario where a yacht or group of yachts is approaching a windward mark on port tack for a starboard rounding and a starboard tacker heads in. Standard rules, of course, give right of way to the starboard-tack boat. Chaos — or worse — could result when the cumbersome port tack boats attempt to give room.
Further, a typical weather mark rounding is often followed by a jibe, often into the path of oncoming boats. The new rule gives mark rounders a quarter mile to sort themselves out and clear traffic before they jibe.
In addition, yachts overtaking at marks are required to pass outside slower boats unless they can maintain 40 metres of separation (40 metres is the average length of yachts it the Buckets). And, there will be a safety zone imposed within a quarter mile of the finish. Competitors must be on their final layline to cross or face a penalty. Exceptions may be made if yachts cross outside the line for safety reasons.
With collision avoidance being of paramount concern, organisers will enforce a rule that all yachts must run AIS. And, says Halsted, for the first time in the history of the Bucket Regattas, the race committee will hear protests.
“This year, we are going to be hard as nails with any reports of overly aggressive, unsafe or unsportsmanlike sailing,” he says.
More Editorial by Press Release
March 2010 Issue
The local council in Saint Barthelemy, the tourist board and the Saint Barth Yacht Club are establishing a new sailing event from Tuesday to Sunday, April 6 to 11, open to classic and modern yachts, superyachts, racing-cruisers, as well as racing multihulls.
Three new partners joined the Voiles de St Barth early this year. Richard Mille Watches has become the headline partner, with the Banque des Antilles Francaises and the St. Barts Hoteliers Association as official partners. Poet and well known seascape artist, Titouan Lamazou (the first winner of the Vendee Globe), has designed the official event poster.
Saint Barthelemy has always included sailing races among its traditions and has made great use of its know-how. The desire to create a special event unique to Saint Barth, with the backing of Francois Tolede, member of the Saint Barth tourist board and in charge of special events at the Saint Barth Yacht Club, is the latest example in a long history of glorious yachting events on the island, ever since the Loulou's regatta, which in the seventies brought together up to 200 sail boats.
Using all the knowledge and expertise it has acquired in welcoming large yachts and racing boats, with a know-how that is recognised with such varied races as the Transat AG2R, the Route du Rose and the St-Barth Bucket Regatta, Saint Barth is organising a week of racing in the best spirit of the sport with the finest yachts that can be found in this part of the world.
"We're looking forward to welcoming the big American yachts, which sail in the Caribbean in the winter months," explained Luc Poupon, the race director. "We are inviting the finest yachts in the world, including the maxi yachts, and racing-cruisers, and we hope that for this maiden event that no fewer than a hundred of the greatest classic and modern yachts will be appearing here."
We can therefore expect the jewels in the crown of the international racing world to be heading for Gustavia at the start of the spring of 2010. "Eighty percent of the sailors will be from a British or American background," added "Lucky" Poupon. "But the boats will be coming from all over the world, from the USA of course, but also from Mexico, South America, and we've even had requests from Poland and Hong Kong. It will really be an opportunity to discover yachts, many of which do not sail in European waters."
So we can be sure that the whole of the Caribbean sailing world will be celebrating at the start of next April. There will be a friendly and festive atmosphere ashore outside of the races and a special village will be set up for the racers and their sponsors. "We are planning a lot of special events ashore, in order for the hundreds of sailors from around the world to have fun together," continued Francois Tolede. "The fact that we are an island means we attract motivated people, who come to Saint Barth for the charms of the island and the beauty of the racing yachts throughout this week."
Specific start areas will be set up according to the size of boat in order to make this a fair contest. "On the leeward side of the island, where the races will start, there are a number of possible courses off Gustavia or around the islands, which means that each class can enjoy a fair competition in the best spirit of the sport," explained Luc Poupon. "The trade winds tend to ease off in April, and we can legitimately hope for a steady easterly of around fifteen knots." Which means we can look forward to some great racing in the sunshine.
The world's finest yachts, from Classic yachts to Maxis, often with top names from ocean racing and regattas at the helm (Peter Holmberg, Russell Coutts), windy races, offering a spectacular show, an atmosphere ashore based around the simple pleasures of life ... under the auspices of the photographer, Patrick Demarchelier, the Voiles de Saint Barth will also be bringing together the traditional values of classic yachts and the spectacular modern approach of the newest Racing-Cruisers, to ensure that all those, who love beautiful boats will enjoy this event that the Saint Barthelemy council would like to see become a regular date on the calendar of the international sailing world.
26 February 2010 - New rules imposed for Bucket Regattas
By Kenny Wooton
Organisers of the Bucket superyacht regattas have announced racing rules changes aimed at making racing among their fleets safer.
The group, which runs the Bucket Regattas in St Barths, and collaborates on several other big-boat events, has put the new rules in place for the 2010 season, which begins with the St Barths Bucket 25-28 March. Managing Director Hank Halsted says the changes to the Superyacht Racing Protocol, which continues to evolve as fleets grow and racing becomes more competitive, are intended to recognise and reconcile the differences between the avid racers with high-performance yachts and the large, less manoeuverable cruising yachts that comprise the growing fleets at the regattas. He sent the revised sailing instructions and an advisory letter highlighting the changes to regular Bucket participants.
“We needed rules that function to the lowest common denominator with racing compatibility,” Halsted says. “This will become the core of the debate between the few avid racers in the Bucket fleet and the big boats.”
The Bucket Regattas traditionally have involved competitors ranging from classics and dowdy cruising yachts to steroidal racing machines. Tailoring racing rules that safely accommodate all constituencies never has been as simple as adhering to standard racing regulations and handicap schemes. Creating rules that address the basic differences in yacht types in a fair way while averting disastrous — and wildly expensive — collisions has always been a challenge for regatta organisers.
“ISAF makes a basic assumption in the rules that a boat can turn and stop,” says Halsted. “Many of these big boats can’t. It takes them ten minutes to conceive and execute a tack.”
To address this issue, Bucket organisers two years ago came up with a set of changes based on COLREGS that they refined last year. The new rules were sea-trialed at the Informa Yacht Group’s Superyacht Cup Antigua in January. They make their official debut at St Barths.
Most notable among the changes is the creation of a “safety zone” of a quarter mile around each turning mark or obstruction. Within this zone a yacht must be on her final layline to leave the mark on its proper side. To honor COLREGS, tacking or jibing within the circle is not prohibited but will result in a substantial penalty. Motivating this rule is a scenario where a yacht or group of yachts is approaching a windward mark on port tack for a starboard rounding and a starboard tacker heads in. Standard rules, of course, give right of way to the starboard-tack boat. Chaos — or worse — could result when the cumbersome port tack boats attempt to give room.
Further, a typical weather mark rounding is often followed by a jibe, often into the path of oncoming boats. The new rule gives mark rounders a quarter mile to sort themselves out and clear traffic before they jibe.
In addition, yachts overtaking at marks are required to pass outside slower boats unless they can maintain 40 metres of separation (40 metres is the average length of yachts it the Buckets). And, there will be a safety zone imposed within a quarter mile of the finish. Competitors must be on their final layline to cross or face a penalty. Exceptions may be made if yachts cross outside the line for safety reasons.
With collision avoidance being of paramount concern, organisers will enforce a rule that all yachts must run AIS. And, says Halsted, for the first time in the history of the Bucket Regattas, the race committee will hear protests.
“This year, we are going to be hard as nails with any reports of overly aggressive, unsafe or unsportsmanlike sailing,” he says.
