St. Barths (March 18, 2022) – The wind, weather and sea state could not have been more cooperative today at the Bucket where 30 yachts in seven classes – five for Superyachts and one each for 90 footers and J-Class yachts – sailed a single counter-clockwise race around the island of St. Barths. Compared to more complicated courses that will be used over the next two days, today’s course was rather straightforward, so the name of the game was execution: keeping the boat going fast with clean maneuvers and excellent crew work in an 18-23 knot easterly.
The Grandes Dames were given the shortest route around the island at 20.5 nm, and every metre of it was Rosehearty’s to master. On the northeast side, the 55.8 metre Perini Navi had its chute up and drawing before other boats hoisted, giving it an advantage in distancing itself from the rest of its class. “We were able to set it (the A2) and carry it that whole first reaching leg,” said tactician Mike Toppa. “There were not a lot of boats around us, so we had some freedom of movement in being able to put the bow down and execute the hoist without having to worry about boats taking our wind.”
For the douse, there was a malfunction with the bucket, so the crew executed a manual takedown. “If you’re not ready to do that or anticipate doing that, it could be the end of the race,” said Toppa. “The crew did a fantastic job without hesitation and got the spinnaker down almost as quickly as with the snuffer.”
The last tactical advantage for Rosehearty was when it took the high lane from the last mark to the finish, cutting through an anchorage with wind obstructions, while the 58.7 metre Perini Navi sloop Perseus^3 (which finished second) went low. “The strategy was to stay left and take advantage of the left-hand shift,” said Toppa.
Rosehearty’s new owner, Lord Bamford, who has owned a motoryacht for 26 years, couldn’t believe he had won his first-ever sailboat race on his first-ever sailboat. “I’m flabbergasted and thrilled,” he said, “but it had nothing to do with me; it’s the crew.”
In Les Mademoiselles, which sailed a slightly longer course (21.6 nm), the 34 metre S&S sloop Kawil began her winning performance with a well-timed start. Tactician Tom Whidden said it also helped that the boat only tacked twice the whole day. “Up until the last leg from Île Fourchue to the X mark, Nakupenda (the 33.3 Fontaine sloop) was ahead of us. They tacked to starboard when we stayed on port; they looked good for a while but there was a shift and we got lucky.”
Other winners were defending overall and class champion Hetairos, the 59.9 metre Dykstra NA ketch, in Les Gazelles; defending class champion Aquarius, a Dykstra NA 56.2 ketch, in Les Elegantes; Columbia, the 43.5 metre Sterling Burgess schooner in L’Esprit; Freya, the 27.7 metre Nautor’s Swan sloop in Les Petites Dames; and Ranger, the 41.63 metre Burgess sloop, in J-Class.
This was day one of the regatta for all but the J-Class yachts, which got an early start yesterday, sailing two windward-leeward races that put Hanuman in the lead over Velsheda and Ranger going into today. With Ranger’s win today, she is now in second overall behind Velsheda, which finished second today, and ahead of Hanuman, which is now in third overall.
Photographs © 2022 Cory Silken.
