British Virgin Islands will host 2009 ARC departure
The World Cruising Club will depart for the first time from the BVIs for its annual return rally to Europe at the end of winter season. Nanny Cay Marina in Tortola was selected as host port for the start of ARC Europe 2009. Participating yachts will gather in early May 2009 before departing the BVIs and crossing the Atlantic in company, finishing at Lagos, Portugal the end of June. The Rally previously departed from Antigua. www.worldcruising.com/arceurope, www.nannycay.com
25th Land ‘N’ Sea International Buyers Show Scheduled for February 13
Land N’ Sea Latin America and Caribbean will host the 25th annual International Buyers Show in Miami next month. The one day event brings together over 100 marine factory representatives to display new and improved products for 2009. This year, there will be over 80 dealers from the marine industry as well as representatives from different marinas and shipyards in attendance. Marine businesses seeking more information can contact Ralph Masso at 954-744-3500 or email [email protected].
Walker Bay Launches New Generation mid-sized RIB
Walker Bay® Boats Inc. has launched the Generation 390 and 430, a mid-sized RIB (rigid inflatable boat) that the manufacturer says has a “distinctive design, excellent performance and well thought-out luxurious features that make it a smart, comfortable ride. The excellent performer has superior performance and handling, space and comfort, and is equipped with high end features.” To locate a dealer near you, contact Land ‘N’ Sea International at 954-744-3506 or visit www.walkerbay.com.
Super-Maxi yachts sign on for RORC Caribbean 600
The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s inaugural RORC Caribbean 600 may stage the first battle between the two 100ft super-maxis, Leopard and Speedboat. Chris Sherlock, Captain of Mike Slade’s Leopard announced recently: “It is likely that we will be racing against each other for the first time in the RORC Caribbean 600 which starts in Antigua on 23rd February 2009.” RORC and Antigua Yacht Club say their 13-leg, 605 nautical mile event will be “the first ever offshore race to circumnavigate the Caribbean Islands.” Peter Harrison’s 115ft super yacht Sojana also intends to join the race, organizers say. www.caribbean600.rorc.org.
VI Raceweek Returns, Combining St. Thomas and BVI events
VI Raceweek, a combination of the St. Thomas International Rolex Regatta, BVI Sailing Festival, and BVI Spring Regatta, returns for 2009. Three events are back to back, March 27 – April 5, and happen within 12 miles of each other. The prize for winning the IRC division is a week’s St. Thomas holiday at Frenchman’s Cove Resort. The CSA division prize is an all-inclusive week’s stay at the Bitter End Yacht Club in the BVI. VI Raceweek kicks off with the 36th St. Thomas International Rolex Regatta March 27 to 29. Boats registered in the St. Thomas International Rolex Regatta and the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival are automatically entered.
Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship Moves to New York
Organizers of the IWKC have announced a change in venue and dates for the next running of this biennial regatta. Due to the impact of September’s Hurricane Ike on the area where the Houston Yacht Club is situated, the committee passed the helm to another club. The new host is Rochester Yacht Club; dates are October 7-10, 2009. Founded in 1985, the regatta is considered one of the world’s pinnacle events for women sailors, and uses the International J/22 class keelboat, for four-person teams. Previous competitors included a 2007 team from the British Virgin Islands. www.ussailing.org.
Horizon Yacht Charters (Grenada) Partners with Laluna Resort
Horizon has launched a new 10 night Sail & Wellbeing package in partnership with the eco-chic yoga and spa retreat, Laluna Resort, located on one of the most spectacular beaches on the island of Grenada. Aimed at sailors who want to revitalize their sense of wellbeing, Laluna’s retreat embraces an overall holistic approach designed to incorporate the mind, body and spirit. A package combines five nights aboard a yacht followed by five nights in a private, open-style cottage with private plunge pool. [email protected]
Superyacht Cup Regattas adopt “Bucket Rating” system
Organizers of The Superyacht Cup regattas in Antigua and Palma have joined forces with organizers of the St. Barths and Newport Bucket Regattas to adopt the ‘Bucket Rating’ system. The system has been refined by Bucket Regattas over the last six years to create an accurate system for rating superyachts of all designs and sizes. The goal is to provide starting times for each yacht that result in the entire fleet converging on the finish line at the same time. At the 2008 St. Barths Bucket, the first 10 of 26 boats finished within 150 seconds in a two hour race. www.thesuperyachtcup.com
Highland Spring HIHO celebrates anniversary
For 25 years windsurfers have been heading to the BVI for the annual Highland Spring HIHO event which combines a week of inter-island racing with parties and a yacht flotilla. Typically there is a daily race that starts at one island and terminates on another. Race lengths vary between 5-35 miles. Moorings catamarans, each with a captain, are used for the week’s accommodations. Organizers say that the 2009 25th anniversary will see several groups of racers who participated in the 1980’s Johnnie Walker HIHO. The current title sponsor is Highland Spring Mineral Water. www.go-hiho.com
Dockwise Yacht Transport Partners with Global Boat Shipping to Expand Service
Dockwise Yacht Transport (DYT), headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., has announced a cooperative partnership with Global Boat Shipping (GBS) of Germany to enable increased shipping options for reaching the northwestern shores of Continental Europe as well as the popular cruising grounds off the southern coast of the UK and in the Baltic Sea. The strategic alliance allows DYT to continue offering its unique float-on/float-off yacht transport service with its own fleet of four semi-submersible ships while adding GBS’s well established routes. www.yacht-transport.com
IGY expands marina management services division
Owners, developers and managers of luxury marinas and yachting lifestyle destinations, Island Global Yachting has launched a new dedicated division to expand its role in marina management services. The company is now actively pursuing third-party contracts to manage marinas and/or provide select professional services and consultations to nautical property owners/land holders. IGY offers a complete portfolio of management services for any marina owner’s needs, from operations & service to branding & marketing to accounting, insurance, development, design and engineering, with in-house professionals available to assist clients.
With this initiative, IGY is also expanding its management role beyond its current brand structure and will now be available to offer its services to practically any marina. “With our IGY and Yacht Haven Grande brands, we have an exacting standard of quality, service and participation in which a marina must uphold and adhere to in order to be considered part of those collections,” said Jeff Boyd, executive vice president of marina operations for IGY.
“Although many marinas may not fall into those categories, they are still outstanding assets that would benefit greatly from our professional guidance and economies of scale. With our new marina management division, we are able to open the availability of IGY’s expertise and to assist any owner in realizing their marina’s potential.” For more information, contact Tom DeLotto, CMM, at (646) 465-2150, email [email protected], or click to www.igymarinamanagement.com.
Antigua’s Shannon Falcone joins Puma team for Volvo Ocean Race
The Puma Ocean Racing team, in second place after leg one, was hard at work in Cape Town in November, preparing for leg two of the Volvo Ocean Race. As planned, Jerry Kirby and Jonathan McKee stood down to rotate the crew. Shannon Falcone (ANT) and Robbie Naismith (NZL), a trimmer/pitman and trimmer respectively, joined the Puma team for leg two to India. After departing Cape Town, sailors encountered high waves in a 50 knot squall which caused a cracked bow for Puma and damage to several other boats. The Volvo Ocean Race has been called the ‘Everest of Sailing’ with the competing teams sailing across 37,000 nautical miles of treacherous seas. The event began in Alicante, Spain, in October 2008 and will visit 11 ports around the world before finishing in St. Petersburg, Russia this year.
Passages
All at Sea was informed in November of the sad passing of Norma Prudhon. Norma had an office in English Harbour with Archibald H. Reid & Co., Ltd. As she put it, she was simply a friendly face for the team in the UK.
Correction:
Due to a misprint in our October issue, the webpage for Sea-Lift was shown incorrectly in Caribbean News. The correct web address is: www.sea-lift.com (with a dash.)
