INDEPENDENCE DAY ROUND ST LUCIA RALLY

Sir Garnet Gordon Trophy

Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st February 2010

organized by St Lucia Yacht Club

Open for all classes.

SKIPPERS BRIEIFNG:

Friday 19^th February 2010 @ 5.30 pm at the Yacht Club.

RALLY:

Saturday 20^th February 2010 @ 9.30am: START RODNEY BAY – FINISH VIEUX FORT

Creole Buffet at the Old Plantation Yard >  5 minutes walk from the docks. (RSVP)

Sunday 21^st February 2010 @ 9.30am: START VIEUX FORT – FINISH RODNEY BAY

*** FREE BERTHING AT THE RODNEY BAY MARINA

*** Get together by arrival in the marina at the BOARDWALK (Cafe Ole)

PRIZE GIVING:

Monday 22^nd February 2010 Independence Day at the Yacht Club @ 5.30pm

BBQ available subject to bookings (RSVP)

Registration Fee (dinners not included) EC$100.00

Entry details and more info contact:

Sean: 722.0077 or kaiso.sailing@gmail.com

Danielle: 718.5010 or slycsocialsecretary@gmail.com

Sailing Calendar 2010

* PORT LOUIS REGATTA - January 29 to February 2.

* Sunday, January 31 - Winter Series continues for J24’s & Yachts.

* FEBRUARY 2010:-

* SCHOELCHER Regatta Martinique 12th- 17th February 2010 (Junior sailing)

* Sunday, February 14 - Winter Series continues for J24’s & Yachts.

* Junior Sailing & Training Program – every Thursday (pm) & Saturday (All Day).

* Sunday, February 21 & Monday, February 22 - INDEPENDENCE DAY ROUND THE ISLAND RACE / CRUISE.  – With stopover somewhere in the South of the island

* AND /  OR:

*  Sunday, February 21 & Monday, February 22  -  SLYC J24 ‘CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP’  – with 3 races on Sunday & 3 races on Monday.

* MARCH 2010:-

* Sunday, March 7 - Final Day of the Winter Series for J24’s & Yachts.

* Junior Sailing & Training – every Thursday (pm) & Saturday (All Day).

* Sunday, March 21 - Spring Series begins for J24’s & Yachts.

* APRIL 2010:-

* BEQUIA REGATTA – Good Friday, April 2 to Monday, April 5.

* Junior Sailing & Training Program – every Thursday (pm) & Saturday (All Day).

* Sunday, April 18 - Spring Series continues for J24’s & Yachts.

* MAY 2010:-

* Saturday, May 1 to Monday, May 3 - St LUCIA J24 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP – 4 races Saturday – 4 races Sunday – 2 races Monday.

* MOUNT GAY REGATTA, BARBADOS -   Thursday, May 13 to Sunday, May 16.

* Junior Sailing & Training – every Thursday (pm) & Saturday (All Day).

* Sunday, May 30 -  Spring Series continues for J24’s & Yachts.

* JUNE 2010:-

* Saturday June 12 - SLYC OPTIMIST & LASER CHAMPIONSHIP.

* Sunday, June 13 - Summer Series continues for J24’s & Yachts.

* Sunday, June 27  -  Summer Series continues for J24’s 7 Yachts.

* JULY / AUGUST  -  JUNIOR SUMMER CAMP TBC

* JULY 2010:-

* July 9, 10 & 11 - IC24 PREMIER’S CUP, TORTOLA (Junior Sailors)

* Sunday, July 11 - Summer Series continues for J24’s & Yachts.

* Sunday, July 25 - Summer Series FINAL for J24’s & Yachts.

* 25 July – 2 August Carriacou Regatta Festival

* AUGUST 2010:-

* Sunday August 1 - EMANCIPATION DAY REGATTA - To Marigot Bay & Return – (2 races).

* Saturday, August 7 - MARIGOT BAY RACE DAY - From Marigot Bay to Rodney Bay & Return – (2 races).

click on picture for pictures

Saturday 12^th, Sunday 13^th & Monday 14^th December 2009

Hosted by St. Lucia Yacht Club in cooperation with the Yacht Club de la Martinique

Diamond Dash sponsored by Diamonds International

On Saturday 12^th December at 09.00 a reduced entry of seven boats turned up in squally conditions for the start of the St Lucia to Martinique race series known as the Sir John Compton Memorial Race. The annual event is held in honour of the late Prime Minister of St Lucia, a keen yachtsman who served the island for over 30 years. The start was off the St Lucia Yacht Club in Rodney Bay and within the fleet included two ARC entries Akanara and Boundless and also two Martiniquan boats. The smallest entry was a J24 skippered by Edgar Roe.

As the yachts headed off round Pigeon Point, they were soon into the teeth of a strong north easterly blowing at between 25 and 30 knots. Akarana, a Swan 46 which had only recently finished the ARC Atlantic race, took the lead as the boats headed off to Fort de France , a distance of some 25 miles. The fleet soon encountered big rollers accompanied by some heavy rain squalls with gusts up to 35 knots. Some boats had two reefs in their mainsails as they headed on a close fetch.

This was the first occurrence of the race for two years. Last year’s race was cancelled due to the general strike in Martinique. The race was being hosted by the Yacht Club de la Martinique for the first time as previous races ran to Le Marin on the south west coat.  The first boat to cross was Akarana followed by Vaguely Noble, a Martiniquan boat which won on handicap. The winds were gusty and testing right to the finish off Fort de France.  Some boats encountered damage along the way. Kaiso suffered a torn genoa leech more than 10 feet long but the crew managed to stitch a repair overnight.

The boats berthed at the docks provided courtesy of the Yacht Club de Martinique. Later in the evening, the Club hosted a dinner for all the participants which was attended by the St Lucian Consul General Keats Compton. There was entertainment in the form of a traditional costume and dance troupe which was enhanced further by an impromptu performance by one of the male crew from Kaiso dressed in drag.

The following day entailed a leisurely sail down to Grand Anse D’Arlet, a bay on the south east side of Martinique. All participants met up for a classic gallic lunch with plenty of wine. As there was no public holiday in France on Monday, it was left for the fleet to arrange an ad hoc start. The time and the start using a rusty boat as ODM and a mark on one side was arranged by Edgar Roe on Loose Cannon living up to the name by firing the starting gun. Needless to say he wasn’t over the line.

The return leg from Anse d’Arlet includes a provision to round Diamond Rock to starboard. All boats record their time when they reach Diamond Rock on a bearing of 270 degrees. The weather for the start of the return leg started off squally with winds up to 22 knots. Akarana was first to Diamond Rock after putting in two tacks. They were followed by Loose Cannon. The weather cleared by mid morning to leave clear skies  as the boats again head on a close fetch back to Rodney Bay on account of the strong west flowing current. Akarana, the Swan 46 was the first to cross the line after approximately 4 hours sailing. Kaiso , A Sovereign 400 manage to squeeze in front of Loose Cannon and came in a few minutes ahead.  Loose Cannon was followed by HyTime which was limping along slowly after suffering sail damage during a tack.

Later in the afternoon, prize giving was held at the St Lucia Yacht Club with prizes awarded by Lady Janice Compton. Akarana won first overall and Diamonds International awarded first prize to Loose Cannon for ‘The Diamond Dash’, sponsored by Diamonds International, being the fastest time between Grande Anse D’Arlet and Diamond Rock. Prizes were also awarded with the Skipper and crews each averaging several bottles of Bounty Rum and Chilean wine to take home thanks to St Lucia Distillers & Peter & Co.   Heineken beer was provided courtesy of Windward and Leeward Brewery.

Lady Janice Compton donated a picture to the Yacht Club featuring Sir John Compton at the helm.

All in all a great event was enjoyed by participants and thanks go to the sponsors: Heineken, Diamonds International, Peter & Co, St Lucia Rum Distilleries, Delirious, Spinnakers , Rain Forrest Sky Rides and to the St Lucia Yacht Club and Yacht Club de Martinique for organizing the race!

Submitted by Skipper Sean (Kaiso)

SLYC “EMANCIPATION DAY RACE 1^st August 2009”

Appropriately on this day the two sailing areas of St Lucia, Rodney Bay and Marigot Bay celebrated the occasion with a friendly sailing event joining the two sailing resort bays in competition on the water. 2 races were held starting in Rodney Bay at 10am and finishing around one and a half hours later. This race was an unusual start sequence where yachts started at pre determined times according to their own handicaps as determined by their measurement ratings, thereby giving the slower boats an earlier start with the intention of getting the boats to the finish at Marigot Bay as a more collective group.

14 yachts turned out to compete on the almost perfect sailing day conditions, 15 knots of wind from the ENE, sunshine and a gorgeous blue Caribbean sea—MAGIC!

Perfect for some but as is the fate of others, a dismasting of the yacht Doubloon from Discovery at Marigot Bay put paid to their racing for the day. Luckily there were no injuries and the mast was recovered by the experienced crew without any assistance from the race committee and returned safely back into Rodney Bay marina.

After a short break in Marigot for lunch where all the yachts rafted up, the game was on for the return battle! This, albeit a beautiful sailing breeze which had whipped the fleet down to Marigot earlier now turned into a beat into the wind or at least a fine fetch to the Pigeon Island turning mark into Rodney Bay and then to the SLYC finishing line in front of the beach. Horn blowing to greet the finishers and to record their times kept the scene of fun and sport going on for the visitors and guests and for the anxious parents awaiting the return of their sailing youngsters.

Prize giving followed their trip ashore, wet and tired but ready for the club BBQ and refreshments kindly donated by Heineken.

Click on picture to go to web album

Our Sponsors, Heineken, Diamonds International, Rodney Bay Marina, Marigot Bay Marina, Discovery Marigot, Rain Forest Sky Rides and Digicel made this, now to be the annual Emancipation day event, possible. Representatives present were duly thanked by the committee for their participation.

The new Trophy, which was kindly donated for the event by Frank Capers Senior, was duly won by his son Frank Capers junior in the club J24 Grayling and the oldest participant in the event!  71 !

The two races were individually scored but amalgamated to give the final positions as follows:

Racing class:

1^st.    J24 “Grayling”  Frank Capers and the winner of the Overall Trophy

2^nd J24 “Loose Cannon” Edgar Roe

3^rd J24  “Banana Wind” Marcus Sweeney

Cruising class:

1^st “Beneteau 50 ” Spirit of the Wind” Christian Richings

1^st “Elvira D 49”  Sun Odyssey  Ulrich Meixner

3^rd “Sovereign 40 “Kaiso” Sean.Fuller

Bosun Ted Bull

Photography and filming by our professionals Danielle and Ian from the SLYC.

St. Lucia BMW J24 Invitational Championship 6th-7th-8th November 2009

Sunday 1st November 2009: J 24 sail off to pick the teams to represent St Lucia in the St. Lucia BMW J24 Invitational Championship 2009

Friday 6^th November 2009: Registration & Skippers Briefing

• Boats available to registered crews for practice from 1.00pm

• Registration from 5 pm. Welcome Gathering and Skippers Briefing at he Yacht Club from 6.00 pm.

Saturday 7^th & Sunday 8th November 2009: Championship
• Saturday 7th: Racing will start at 9.30am. No races will be started after 4 pm.
• Sunday 8th: Racing will start at 9.30 am. No races will be started after 1 pm.
• Sunday 8th: Prize-Giving ceremony as soon as possible after last race at the SLYC

Click on picture to go to web album