Didier urges insurance review
St Lucia – Rodney Bay Marina General Manager Cuthbert Didier says more regionally based insurance companies need to actively solicit business from visiting yachtsmen.
Didier, who has formulated a major yachting consultancy for ECLAC and more recently for the Yachting Association of Trinidad and Tobago, said that for a long time, insurance companies, specifically Admiral and Pantaenius, had established a hurricane free zone in the Caribbean, at 12 degrees 40′ north refusing to insure any vessel operating above that line.
Noting that in 2004, Hurricane Ivan ravaged Grenada, which was below the line, he questioned the relevance of the free zone since, as he put it, “everyone knew the entire Caribbean was vulnerable during the hurricane season”.
“We in St. Lucia are hoping that insurance agents and brokers here and in other parts of the region will help rally and work with the yachting industry to sensitize international insurance companies so that they may be more practical in fixing rates for the region which are reasonable for visiting yachtsmen,” he said.
As a result of the hurricane free zone, a lot of yachtsmen wanting to use St. Lucia as a base during the hurricane season are finding difficulty getting insurance for their yachts and have to go further south to Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada.
Didier noted that Marigot, on the west coast, was the home of Hurricane Hole while the Rodney Bay Marina had done a risk assessment and was insured by Lloyds of London. The same was the case for Ganter’s marina.
He made the point that every year hurricanes hit the east coast of the United States, yet insurance companies had never put out advisories on that region. The reason these companies were treating the Caribbean differently, Didier surmised, was that there was not enough pressure from insurance companies operating in the
Caribbean.
“The thing is, the whole Caribbean is at risk during the hurricane season”, Didier said. “But if with the help of insurance companies we can put out the right information; if we can assess our risk properly and educate
people we can have practical rates, dismiss the paranoia and keep the yachting traffic in safe havens.”
Law change for Antigua imports
The Government of Antigua & Barbuda has enacted new legislation which will have a profound effect on the shipment of vessels into Antigua. The legislation reads: “Provided that yachts of a foreign registry are entering Antigua and Barbuda for the expressed purpose of pleasure, they may be permitted to enter as cargo without payment of duties. Cabinet further decided that in all such cases, vessels must comply with the customary Cruising Permit requirement.” This is good news for anyone wishing to ship a yacht to our waters and will have a positive effect in the years to come.
Barbados aiming for 2008 Olympics
Two local Bajan sailors have launched their campaign to make the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Their aim? To bring back the island’s first ever Gold Medal. Russell Streeter (Laser) and Christopher Kent (Finn) have joined forces to create Team Sail Barbados 2008.
25-year-old Streeter has represented Barbados at many Caribbean dinghy events and is the reigning National Dinghy Champion. Kent, also 25, has twice placed 11th in the Finn North American Championships and is currently completing a PhD in Naval Architecture.
Helping ‘TSB’ will be Peter Burke, Commodore of the Barbados Yacht Club, vice president of the Barbados Olympic
Association Ralph Johnson, Renata Goodridge, president of the Barbados Sailing Association, and Rodney Reader, who represented Barbados in the 1996 Atlanta Games in the Laser class.
The estimated cost of the campaign over the next 3.5 years is US$400,000 and the team are actively seeking sponsorship to meet this goal. Interested persons should email streeter@sunbeach.net or call 823-7633.
Peters & May
Antigua Yacht Services, run by George Clarke, has been appointed the exclusive agent for Peters & May in Antigua. Over 900 yachts worldwide are shipped by Peters & May every year. AYS already offers support services to racing and cruising yachts and megayachts up to 450′ around the Caribbean.
Sunfish Worlds
Following the superb 2003 Sunfish World Championships in St Maarten, fans of the class have welcomed the news that the 2005 event will be taking place in Martinique, May 20 to 29. Some 96 boats are expected to enter, in association with the International Sunfish Class Association, and the event will take place at the Cercle Nautique de Schoelcher.
Antigua RIB
Antigua and Barbuda Search and Rescue (ABSAR) have finished the refurbishment of their RIB, which will be based at the Yacht Club Marina. This essential new service will be available 24/7, and is the result of efforts by ABSAR Director Jonathan Cornelius. Emergency calls should be made on VHF channel 16 (NOT 68) or by telephoning 562 1234.
Oyster Rally
Coming back in 2005, after its absence last year, the Oyster Rally will be held in Antigua from April 11 to 15, organized by the AMTA
office. Some 175 Oyster owners took part in the inaugural 2001 event which combines offshore fleet racing and Antigua’s unique onshore parties. Contact info@antiguamarinetrades.org or call (268) 562 5085
New for Antigua Sailing Week
This year’s Antigua Sailing Week (April 24 to 30) will include the event’s first ever Around the Island Race, to be sailed 44 miles
anticlockwise on Tuesday 26th from Curtain Bluff. Open to yachts in Big Boat 1, 2 and Racing 3, the new race is expected to take four to six hours. For more information on Antigua Sailing Week visit: www.sailingweek.com
Sea Hawk unveils antifouling protection for transducers
New Nautical Coatings, the innovators behind Sea Hawk antifouling paints, has introduced a new product to prevent barnacles and other marine growth from affecting the performance of underwater transducers.
‘TranShield’ paint is a durable, water-based formula that is safe on plastic surfaces and will not interfere with sonar. For more information, contact Jason Revie at 800-528-0997 or visit www.seahawkpaints.com
BVI Buoys
A Marine Protected Area has been set out with a series of buoys on the eastern side of Frenchman’s Key. Anchoring will only be allowed
in special circumstances (ie natural disaster or accident) and fishing and diving will not be permitted.
Marigot Bay
Work is set to start on the Marigot Bay Marina Village, on the site of the old Moorings offices, to complement the 40 new, fully serviced berths completed by Doubloon International last year. The facility will include opportunities for provisioning, banking, mail and
shopping.
Allan King
The Trinidad and Tobago yachting community lost another icon in February, with the passing away of TTSA dinghy sailor Allan
King. Barbados-born King moved to Trinidad ages 22 and was an enthusiastic Mirror Dinghy sailor who dedicated a lifetime to the growth of local sailing. Through his teaching efforts, innumerable local novice sailors – both children and adults – were given the chance to learn the sport that was his passion. Local Dinghy Sailors will be naming a race in honour of his memory.
