Forty yachts, everything from a Melges 32 to one-design Hunter 216 and IC-24 classes plus Hobie cats and native-built chalanas, competed in the Discover the Caribbean. This longest running regatta in Puerto Rico, hosted by the Ponce Yacht & Fishing Club, changed format and name this year. Instead of a series held over two weekends,…
Grenada has its workboats, Martinique its yoles, and Tobago its bum-boats. Similarly, Puerto Rico’s native wooden sailboat is the Chalana. Chalanas evolved from fishing boats and coastal traders. They were once used to supply larger vessels anchored in a bay or offshore as well as to transport sugarcane to Central America. Today, there’s a strong…
They are a highly competitive one-design. At 75-plus strong, they are one of the largest classes in Puerto Rico with a history that stretches back more than half a century. And, local crowds follow weekend regattas, and the winners, like groupies chasing rock concerts. What are these boats? Chalanas. The history of Chalanas starts in…
