Foxy’s Wooden Boat Regatta, led by Race Captain Robin Pinfold, the only all wooden boat regatta left in the Caribbean provided a chance to meet, once again, the many sailors that make up the international family of wooden boat lovers.
The regatta is one of the “Mt Gay Red Hat” events and was filmed by several television crews and reporters in helicopters that hovered so close to boats in the single handed race that wind patterns were disturbed!
With winds from 1- to 12 knots on both days, the racing required lots of sail – literally. Each of the single-handed entries on Saturday showed their skills. The Island Sloop Class was outstanding. Winning in their classes were Jaguar, with their enthusiastic Puerto Rican crew, Seanonda Rose, a gorgeous French West Indian sloop built by Bobby Danet and his family from Frenchtown, St. Thomas and a newcomer, Buenadaga from Culebra, PR, with their young crew led by Tom – the son of famed sailor/author, Peter Tangveld.
Tortola Island Sloops were well represented in the Island Sloop Class by Moonbeam and Youth Instructor, owned and operated by the H. Lavity Stoutt College. Aragorn Dick-Reid of Gli-Gli and Geoff Brooks of the Marine Center, HLSCC, helmed Youth Instructor. KATS Meow, an Island Sloop built and owned by Luis Wells was raced by BVI KATS students Javan & Jamar Cooper with Instructor Jim Linskey. Dr. Robin Tattersall, who has raced in this regatta for years, won his class on his 30 sq. meter sloop, DIVA. Crewing for him was America’s Cup Sailor Peter Holmberg of St. Thomas and his wife, Denise.
One of the most moving moments of the awards ceremony was when Dwanye Smith, Vice President of the BVI Power Boat Association presented a check for $1,000 to go towards the restoration of the oldest Island Sloop in the Caribbean – Vigilant – built
in the East End of Tortola in 1882 by the Penn family.
Over 50 local merchants supported the regatta with prizes and award certificates. It will be an event that participants will be talking about for years to come. Most importantly, Foxy assured everyone that it would continue as long as there were two boats to compete!
RESULTS
SINGLE HANDED WINNERS
0 – 30′ – Modern: Pepper – St. John – also won the VI Shipwright Whale Award
30 – 40 – Modern: Lily – St. John
30 – 40 – Fin Keel: Diva – BVI –
50 – 60 – Modern: LuLuDu – USVI – also won the Bill Hirst Rudder Award
Traditional Island
Sloops under 30 feet: Seanonda Rose, St Thomas
Modern Island Sloops
under 30 feet: Buenadaga, Culebra
Island Sloops 30 to
40 feet: Jaguar, Puerto Rico
Traditional, Gaff
Rigged, less than 30 feet: Kats Meow, Tortola
Modern, Marconi
rigged, less than 30 feet: Pepper, St John
Traditional Gaff
rigged, 30 to 40 feet: Summer Cloud, Antigua
Modern, Marconi
rigged, 30 to 40 feet: Tiger Maru, St John
Modern Fin Keel 30 to
40 feet: Diva, Tortola
Traditional, Gaffed
Rigged, 40 to 50 feet: Windolee, USVI
Modern, Marconi
rigged, 40 to 50 feet: Hirondelle, St John
Modern, Marconi
rigged, 50 to 60 feet: LuLudu, USVI
