Each month we pick our favourite events for the upcoming 3 months from www.yachting-calendars.com powered by Hamilton Connections.
February
RORC Caribbean 600 Race -Antigua 14-17 February
This annual 600nm offshore race takes a serious racing fleet from Antigua around Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, then after passing St Barths and St Maarten, over Anguilla. The course continues as far south as Guadeloupe with its nearby islands. Then after blowing a final kiss to Barbuda, it’s back home -with a slight detour to a point near Montserrat- to Antigua. This is perhaps the only regatta in the Caribbean where bringing your foulies is a serious consideration.
Superyacht Miami 15-19 February
The Miami International Boat Show and the Miami Yacht Show have joined forces to create the ‘Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show’ – the largest boat and yacht event in the world. Discover everything from kayaks to superyachts! However, the Superyacht Miami exhibition showcases the largest vessels visiting the Miami International Boat Show. Dedicated exclusively to the largest and most luxurious yachts at this event, Superyacht Miami provides an exclusive experience suitable for visiting some of the most luxurious world-class superyachts. On their homepage, they make a clear point that this part of the show is for the In-Crowd only: “Entry onto Superyacht Miami Vessels is at the discretion of the manufacturers, dealers, or brokers exclusively and does not come with purchase.”
MARCH
St. Maarten Heineken Regatta 2-5 March
This will be the 43rd St. Maarten Heineken Regatta! In 1980, it started as the St. Maarten Regatta with a modest 12 sailboats participating. Three years later, in 1983, Heineken became a major sponsor of the St. Maarten Regatta and ‘Heineken’ was added to the name of the event. Heineken participated with a fee of 3,750 guilders (approximately $2,100). As a bonus, the competitors received ice-cold Heineken beer from a passing powerboat while they were racing. After the involvement of Heineken, the event grew fast. With the addition of a third day in 1990, the event grew to 187 boats in 1995, and 251 boats in 1999. Another racing day, the Commodore’s Cup, was added in 2005. The record amount of boats participating in the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta was in 2008 with 284 boats.
St. Barths Bucket Regatta 16-19 March
The first Bucket Regatta was organized in Nantucket, Massachusetts in August of 1986. At a birthday celebration organized by Nelson Doubleday, several yacht owners participated in a spirited discussion about optimal yacht design and individual sailing prowess. The following day, with only a night of preparation, seven sailing superyachts raced on a hastily prepared 15-mile course on Nantucket Sound. The stated prize of this impromptu competition was simply to attain undisputed superyacht-sailing bragging rights for the year. They soon learned, however, that the pleasure and enjoyment of a camaraderie formed at sea between like-minded individuals was the greatest prize of all. As a result, a nearby spare bucket was deemed sufficient to commemorate the racing accomplishment, and the Bucket Regatta was born. In 1995, the beautiful French island of St Barths hosted its first Bucket Regatta and it has done so in March every year since then.
APRIL
PIBS + Palma Superyacht Village 27-30 April
The Islander Magazine is the proud Media Partner of the Palma Superyacht Village and will be visibly present at our home-port event. The Superyacht Village, formerly called the Palma Superyacht Show, features some of the finest 24m+ superyachts currently on the international brokerage and charter market. Another huge attraction is the Village’s wide array of shore-side exhibitors, showcasing anything from the latest advancements in sail design to next-level marine electronics. The Superyacht Village also includes a dedicated Refit & Repair area that targets the yachting industry’s experts and professionals.
Watch this space for more upcoming events in the March Issue.
