Perseus In Perini Navi Cup 2009 (Photo by Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi)
What’s better than champagne sailing? Well if you’re one of the select few sailing in the Perini Navi Cup off the Costa Smeralda, it was certainly more like Bellini sailing – 30+ knots from the west which provided spectacular conditions for the 18-boat fleet.
Racing started pursuit style with the smallest yacht in the fleet, Elettra starting first at 1205; thereafter the yachts started every two minutes, with the last yacht off the line, the 184-foot sloop-rigged Salute.
The YCCS race committee sent the fleet on a 25 nautical mile course that featured mostly reaching: from the start off Porto Cervo, it was a beat up to Monaci island, once around a reach down to the rocky islet of Mortoriotto, then back on the wind again, though almost a fetch to the finish off the entrance to Porto Cervo.
While the pursuit start sent the boats on a bit of a parade up to Monaci, once around the reach to the leeward mark saw the fleet compress, making for an exciting leeward mark rounding at Motoriotto.
On board Perseus, Bill Lynn, a guest helmsmen, reveled in the conditions, saying “We saw 40 knots a little while before the start, but it was great — these boats handle just fine in that much wind, you just make the sails a little smaller and tell people to hang on a little tighter, and off you go. It’s a totally different beast to sail, everything happens that much slower, but then you get down to that leeward turning mark and there’s eight boats in a pretty small patch of water with rocks to the right, and rocks to the left, and you start getting a little nervous.”
Electra In The First Day Of Perini Navi Cup (Photo by Rolex / Carlo Borlingi)
The fresh conditions took their toll with some breakages. On Perseus, the port mainsheet winch failed, preventing the crew from trimming the main on most of the last beat, but they managed with a jury-rig and will work to rebuild the winch for tomorrows race.
While Perinis are massive yachts, under cruising conditions they don’t require a large number of crew to sail. But in racing mode, the crew numbers easily grow to 25 or so. Lynn explained, “We have the regular crew, the race crew which is about six or seven of us, guys that are here to race the boat, the owner and five or six of his friends, and a few other guests — I’m not sure if they snuck on.I never saw them before!”
Even a sailmaker can venture a huge smile after a spirited day of racing in big breeze on big yachts, such as the 174-foot Atmosphere. Robbie Doyle, had first sailed Perinis years ago onboard the newly-launched Andromedea La Dea, and in the 2006 Perini Navi Cup on Maltese Falcon — but he had never sailed the yachts in the strong conditions of today. Doyle said, “It was a testament to Perini that the boats all held together as well as they did. To sail in 30-35 knots and have as little damage done, well it’s big change from five to ten years ago. In general, super yachts when they go racing, you sheet everything in that much harder, and that’s when you break things. They’ve really resolved these systems very well.”
Doyle had high praise for the crew, “The owners son drove, he’s a tremendous sailor — a Melges 24 champion, so it’s a little different sailing this boat, but he did an excellent job. But we were grateful we didn’t have to put a spinnaker up today, since we haven’t practiced it.
The 164-foot ketch Baracuda stood out with their dark carbon hull and lavender-colored sails a striking sight against the emerald water. Former America’s Cup skipper Mauro Pelaschier helmsman onboard, said, “We sailed three days before the race, but in very light winds, so it was very exciting today, but difficult too as it’s not easy to trim the sails in the strong breeze.”
Baracuda was one of the last to start, and was several minutes late at that when another yacht crossed their anchor delaying their arrival on the race course. But they gained around the course and had a strong last beat, Pelaschier said, “We’re training the crew, they’re doing a great job. We know the boat a little better in strong breeze, so we do something better tomorrow.
Top five finishers today were: Maltese Falcon, Felicita West, Antara, Andromeda La Dea, Perseus.
Heritage In First Day Of Perini Navi Cup (Photo by Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi)
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Challenge and Adventure Image Galleries of Newport Bucket Regatta by George Bekris
(click on image to view gallery) 
http://www.challengeandadventure.com/Newport_Bucket2009/ 
http://www.challengeandadventure.com/Newport_Bucket2008/ 
http://www.challengeandadventure.com/Newport_Bucket2006/ 
http://www.challengeandadventure.com/Newport_Bucket2005/ .
WHISPER at Bucket Race (Photo By George Bekris)
Gustavia, St Barths, FWI (March 31, 2009) The 14th Annual St Barths Bucket was once again blessed with perfect sailing weather which provided some of the most spectacular sailing on the most spectacular yachts in the most spectacular Caribbean sailing neighborhood. With a consistent 15-22 knot trade wind, the fleet was fully powered up and the racing was startlingly close. Once again this Bucket was declared the “best ever”.
SY METEOR, 51m Royal Huisman modern classic Schooner won first place overall in the regatta with the 30m modern classic ketch ,WINDCREST, in second place overall and the 54m classic schooner, ADELA, was 3rd place overall. The following are the additional trophies awarded:
Grande Dames des Mers: (Cruising Division)
1: METEOR, 51m Huisman
2: MALTESE FALCON – 88m Perini Navi
3: WINDCREST, 30m Hodgdon Yacht
Gazelle De Mer: (Racing Division)
1: GANESHA – 39m Dubois Performance Sloop
2. P2 – 38m Perini Navi/Briande Performance sloop
3. DESTINATION FOX HARB’R – 41m Dubois Performance Sloop by Alloy Yachts
For the first time ever, the Wolter Huisman Spirit of the Bucket was presented to a Huisman Yacht. METEOR was presented this award, which is earned by the yacht that best exemplifies the Spirit of the Bucket — having the most fun while displaying the best Corinthian values, sailing their yacht perfectly with a non-professional group of great sailors while sharing their joie de vivre and generosity with the fleet.
Vitter’s Shipyard Seamanship Trophy was awarded to VIRAGO. The award is presented to the yacht that demonstrates the best seamanship and sportsmanship in the interest of promoting safety on the race course. All participants in the Bucket acknowledge that superyachts have serious limitations operating safely in close quarters and therefore, the RC has always valued safety well above performance. This award recognizes the yacht that best demonstrates that understanding. It also goes to prove that nice guys don’t always finish last!! On several occasions, VIRAGO chose to give way to other yachts in order to decompress potentially dangerous situations. She was run and raced like a proper yacht in all respects while setting a safety example that we would all do well to follow. Well done!!
The All Star Crew Award, presented by Holland Jachtbouw and The Yacht Report went to MALTESE FALCON. The All Star Crew is selected by peer ballot, with each yacht in the Regatta putting forward their vote for the crew that has the best run yacht, with the tightest crew family – they get along and they get it done while enjoying themselves fully.
Best Performance by an Alloy Yacht — DESTINATION FOX HARB’R
Perini Navi Cup – Best Performance by a Perini Navi Yacht — MALTESE FALCON
The Skullduggery Cravat was presented to AXIA. The cravat is a perfectly tied Admiralty Noose, framed, with instructions in elegant calligraphy on how to tie a proper, 13 turn noose. This was originally awarded to the owner of SARIYAH in 2002, so his captain, Timothy Laughridge (Bucket Committee) could be hung at the pleasure of the Fleet. The award was renamed and put forward as an award by the Committee, to reinforce the Bucket premise that we are NOT here to promulgate adult behavior.
The 2009 Cravat was handily earned by the owners and crew of AXIA, who accosted our RC Chairman, Hank Halsted at the welcome party, while dressed in full antique Spartan battle dress, held him at spear point in front of the crowd, while beseeching him to exercise his good judgment in putting forward a more favorable rating handicap! In view of the fact that they had the wisdom to address Hank as “wise one”, the request received favorable consideration!! In sum, AXIA brought the house down with their well honed sense of fun.
The Bucket Regattas began in August 1986 in Nantucket, MA, as a casual race to prove bragging rights among the owners & skippers of seven of the largest yachts in town — an afternoon sail, there and back again, with a galvanized bucket as the trophy. The St Barths Bucket Regatta has grown to become one of the most prestigious sailing events in the world, attracting the largest yachts ever to compete on the race course.
St Barth's Bucket (Photo By Cory Silken)
The wind gods served up a magnificent 15 knot ENE sailing breeze for the first days race of the 14th Annual St Barths Bucket Regatta Yesterday. A record 34 yachts sailed the 25 mile course, counter-clockwise around the island. This was a spectacular day of sailing, enhanced by a “yellow alert” warning for heavy seas and swells that left the fleet sailing against the backdrop of huge breaking seas against the rock promotories that create the turning marks for the course. The photographers were really happy (and a little soaked) at the end of the day!
The big winner of the day was METEOR, the 51M Dykstra design Schooner by the Royal Huisman Shipyard. Finishing 23 seconds later in second place was SHAMOUN the 33M Classic sloop by Holland Jachtbouw, with GANESHA, the new Dubois design 39M performance sloop, finishing 40 seconds later in Third Place.
Among LES GAZELLES DES MERS (racing division), GANESHA finished first, KALIKOBASS II the 32M Trehard sloop was second and P2, the new Perini Navi high performance 38m sloop by design, was third. Among LES GRANDES DAMES DES MERS (Cruising Division), METEORr was first, SHAMOUN second and PERSEUS, the 50M Perini Navi was third.
The large surge and swell created some excitement alongside as well, and unfortunately made it impossible for most of the fleet to come alongside for the evening in the turbulent harbor seas. This put a serious damper on the scheduled “Fleet Open House” which is typically the high point of each Bucket Regatta. Fortunately, four of the largest (and most hospitable yachts) were able to tie up safely, and invite the other sailing crews aboard for a great night of celebration of the first day of racing!
Race #2 of the St. Barths Bucket Regatta was sailed today on the 20 mile “Wiggley Course” around and between the Islands north and east of St. Barths
- St Barths Bucket Regatta (Photo By Tim Wright)
March 26-29 The St. Barth’s Bucket is an invitational regatta set in the Corinthian spirit wil be held March 26-29. The regatta is open to yachts over 100’ (31 M) L.O.A., unless invited under the Grandfather Clause
Map of St. Barth's Bucket Race Route
St Barths Bucket – 2009 List of Entries
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