{"id":40325,"date":"2018-08-23T19:12:54","date_gmt":"2018-08-23T23:12:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=40325"},"modified":"2023-05-06T17:01:56","modified_gmt":"2023-05-06T21:01:56","slug":"bareboat-racing-basics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/bareboat-racing-basics\/","title":{"rendered":"Bareboat Racing Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\" <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Bareboat Racing Basics<\/span>\n Courtesy of Sunsail<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

An atmosphere of Caribbean-inspired euphoria, unbridled enthusiasm and \u2014 in retrospect \u2014 a pinch of overconfidence blew across the cockpit of Aigue Marine<\/em>, our Sunsail-chartered<\/a> Beneteau 50, as we sailed from English Harbour to nearby Green Island, just off of Antigua’s eastern flank. The plan was to toss the hook and clean the boat’s ample undercarriage in preparation for the next day’s start of the 2008 edition of Antigua Sailing Week. Given that our crew all had racing experience, and given that we were competing in the regatta’s chubby-hubby bareboat fleet, we naively assumed that our competition would be soft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Three days and numerous mid-fleet finishes later, we were quickly learning that it takes more than a scrub brush and some late-winter cabin fever to win a Caribbean bareboat \u00adregatta, especially with other accomplished racers gunning for the same prize. Fortunately, as we happily discovered, competition can be as stiff or relaxed as each crew chooses to make it, giving sailors of all sailcloths the opportunity to engage in fun-spirited racing on some of the world\u2019s best racecourses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

For sailors who want to do well, however, bareboat racing ace Neil Harvey shares secrets gleaned over 20-plus years of racing \u2014 and winning \u2014 these storied events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

“Bareboats<\/a> are a \u00adwonderful concept of racing,” says Harvey, a longtime marine-\u00adindustry veteran and world-\u00adfamous Australian ocean racer, a few days after winning the 2018 Heineken Regatta’s 10-boat-strong Bareboat 2 division aboard KHS&S Contractors, the Dufour 44 that he and Michael Cannon chartered from Dream Yacht Charters. “You can bring your family and friends \u2014 your crew doesn’t have to be rock stars, and the boats are quite comfortable to stay aboard.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

As with all sailboat racing, assembling the right crew is one of the most important pieces of any winning formula, and the key, says Harvey, is to build a core group who are complemented by other sailors of varying experience levels. \u201cWe don\u2019t practice together at home beforehand, but we like to practice before the first day of the regatta,\u201d says Harvey, adding that the KHS&S Contractors crew used the regatta-within-a-regatta Gill Commodore\u2019s Cup at this year\u2019s Heineken regatta as their warm-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Sunsail\" <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Even on charter boats, close-quarters maneuvering is always exciting.<\/span>\n Courtesy of Sunsail<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

Much like our \u00adbottom-scrubbing sojourn to Green Island aboard Aigue Marine, Harvey and company arrive a day or two before the regatta and carefully comb through the boat. Their checklist includes a thorough bottom scrub (taking particular care to clean the leading edges of all appendages and the keel bulb\u2019s underside), tuning the mast and inspecting the running rigging. Here, Harvey suggests dividing the crew into \u201cbow,\u201d \u201cmast\u201d and \u201cmid-deck\/cockpit\u201d teams that are responsible for inspecting every individual piece of equipment, ferreting out broken sheaves and chaffed halyards and sheets, taping off lifeline fittings and gates, and taping over mast-mounted cleats that could otherwise snag jib sheets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Most charter boats are equipped with a midboom traveler, and Harvey recommends carefully rinsing out the traveler car and its bearings, track and bearing races with fresh water and dish soap, then slacking all control lines and running the car back and forth on the track to remove all salt crystals before a final freshwater rinse. \u201cThen, I put a little bit of McLube or WD-40 in the traveler car to condition the ball bearings,\u201d says Harvey, who also advises polishing the compass prisms on both helms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Next, Harvey suggests pasting white electrical tape next to each of the jib tracks \u2014 port and starboard \u2014 and numbering each pin-stop hole for easy visual reference. Also, if your boat\u2019s jib-furling line leads aft to a primary winch, Harvey suggests re-leading it from the bow through an empty slot in a cabin-top organizer to a rope clutch and then to a cabin-top winch, which allows you to shorten sail if the primary winch is otherwise occupied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Following the rules is an important part of mastering any game, and it\u2019s critical that multiple crewmembers have read the regatta\u2019s notice of race and are familiar with its sailing instructions. While most Caribbean regattas are governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing and handicap each boat using the Caribbean Sailing Association\u2019s handicap formula, some events, including the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, employ their own bareboat rules. In all cases, it\u2019s critical to understand the rules and penalties (such as 360- or 720-degree penalty turns), and while no one wants to be penalized and go into \u201cthe room,\u201d Harvey suggests taping a protest flag to the backstay for fast deployment, just in case. \u201cIt\u2019s a fabulous set of rules, and they made it even for everyone,\u201d says Harvey about the even playing fields found in the bareboat fleets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Once under sail and in full upwind trim, Harvey recommends marking your outhaul and halyard positions with a magic marker and then adding additional marks a few inches behind the clutch to serve as rough-trim reference points when quickly switching gears from upwind mode to \u00adreaching or running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Point-to-point <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n One of the reasons many sailors love Caribbean racing is the point-to-point distance contests that take the fleet on a challenging course around the islands.<\/span>\n Courtesy of Sunsail<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

\u201cI joke with the charter companies that I\u2019ll be \u00addisappointed if the boat doesn\u2019t come back in better condition than when we took it,\u201d Harvey says of his pre-race setup work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Next, the task becomes one of employing the fastest boathandling tactics. This starts, says Harvey, by backing down the boat minutes before your starting gun to remove any errant seaweed or kelp, while also ensuring that the engine\u2019s gear shifter is in its neutral position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Sails come next, and the first commandment of bareboat racing is never to reef the mainsail in less than 28 knots, says Harvey. \u201cFull-batten sails with internal slugs make it almost impossible to pull the sail down without heading into the wind,\u201d Harvey says, adding that swept-back spreaders make it extremely hard to re-hoist the main after rounding the windward mark. \u201cInstead, it\u2019s better to go with a full main and a [partially] rolled-up jib because this opens the slot, letting you lower the traveler in puffs.\u201d Similarly, when pounding into bathtub-warm seas and preparing to tack, Harvey often puts four or five reefing rolls into the headsail and then unwinds this cloth on the next board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

While roller-reefing the headsail \u2014 rather than the mainsail \u2014 is fast, don\u2019t \u00adforget to adjust your jib cars to achieve the correct sail shapes. Here, Harvey says, a smart move involves using the end of your jib halyard as a temporary jib sheet (running from the clew to a rail cleat) while adjusting a jib car, and to adjust the port and starboard jib cars at the same time \u2014 using the numbered tape as a fast reference \u2014 so the helmsman can tack as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Carrying a full mainsail in a fresh Caribbean breeze requires active trimmers, and Harvey stations crew on the port and starboard \u00adtraveler-control lines, which are never cleated off. This allows the crew to instantly crack the traveler off in puffs \u2014 keeping the boat on its feet and reducing weather helm \u2014 and quickly trim it to weather during lulls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

As with all sailboat \u00adracing, it\u2019s important to watch the breeze and to react by \u201cchanging gears\u201d as necessary, using controls such as sheets, outhaul and halyard tension, and movable ballast. \u201cWe have two rules when going to weather,\u201d Harvey says. \u201cWe prefer you sit on the windward rail, but it\u2019s OK to lean against the cabin side, and if you go below, you\u2019d better come up with a few beers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Downwind tactics are eased considerably by the fact that bareboat fleets don\u2019t use spinnakers, and Rule 49.2 of the Racing Rules of Sailing limits how far outside the lifelines crews can reach while holding sheets, but fast crews will pay close attention to the boat\u2019s heel angle and attitude. \u201cWe\u2019ll move two bodies to leeward [when sailing downwind],\u201d Harvey says. \u201cAnd we move \nall weight forward of the shrouds to get the stern out of the water.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

While spinnakers are out, sailing wing-on-wing is fast and class legal. In light to moderate airs, Harvey and his crew ease the mainsail all the way out and tie the boom to the cap shroud (using duct tape or a towel to protect it from damage), and move all crewmembers to the headsail side of the boat to help encourage the jib to fill. Also, steering 5 degrees to the lee is quick when sailing deep angles, Harvey says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

While fairly obvious, it\u2019s important to avoid competitors\u2019 dirty air and adverse currents, just like on any racecourse. However, Harvey points out that the equatorial current generally flows through the Caribbean in a westward direction (eventually becoming the Gulf Stream). Here, smart tacticians will monitor the difference between the vessel\u2019s speed over water and its speed over ground, and will leverage this information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Likewise, wave angles \u00adrelative to the breeze are \u00adanother important consideration, and Harvey suggests using the roller-reefing headsail to help deal with offset seas. For example, when negotiating the Anguilla Passage at the Heineken Regatta, where the seas are generally skewed a bit to the prevailing breeze, Harvey suggests putting in four or five headsail rolls when tacking into the waves, and then shaking out one or two rolls on the opposite board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Harvey\u2019s final pieces of \u00adadvice are ones that we fortunately heeded aboard Aigue Marine, namely that the Caribbean sun is hot and intensely bright, especially for anyone accustomed to northern climes, so proper hydration and sun protection are critical. Consider carrying large water jugs to refill individual bottles, and definitely use strong sunscreen and SPF-rated clothing, the latter of which can be ordered with team livery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

While chartering a boat and enjoying a fantastic week of sailing at a Caribbean regatta is relatively easy (see \u201cCharter Considerations,\u201d above), winning is another matter. Still, Harvey and his core group of \u201cnuclears\u201d have used this playbook to collect more than their fair share of racecourse hardware over the past \n20-plus years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the most enjoyable keelboat racing I\u2019ve ever done,\u201d Harvey says, adding that he often optimizes his experience by tagging on a few days of cruising before or after racing. \u201cAnd it\u2019s an affordable way to do a major Caribbean regatta.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

David Schmidt is CW\u2019s \u00adelectronics editor.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Charter Considerations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n

Given bareboat racing’s popularity, Harvey recommends booking your reservations as early as possible to secure your spot on the starting line. Josie Tucci, the vice president of sales and marketing at Travelopia Marine (owners of The Moorings<\/a> and Sunsail<\/a>), advises that prospective customers must provide a sailing resume detailing their qualifications, pay a nonrefundable race-supplement fee, put down a refundable damage deposit and obtain the charter company’s permission to go racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had fleets participating in the BVI Spring Regatta, St. Maarten Heineken Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week since their inception,\u201d Tucci says. \u201cWe have a big contingent of active customers who enjoy the racing circuit in the Caribbean and can\u2019t bring their own boats down but who still want to enjoy the awesome breezes, sunshine and turquoise waters. It\u2019s nonspinnaker racing, so it\u2019s accessible for all and a lot of fun.\u201d\u00a0Finally, Tucci says, \u201cIf you book your race package through us, we\u2019ll handle registration with the regatta organizers for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Round up your crew and charter a boat to compete in the bareboat class of one of the many Caribbean regattas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35327,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"David Schmidt","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"20180823","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"164","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Join in the fun by chartering a sailboat to compete in the bareboat class in an upcoming Caribbean regatta","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Bareboat Racing Basics %%sep%% %%sitename%%","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"KFL7H5YECORSO26IJJEVNZCV2I","arc_website_url":"bareboat-racing-basics\/","custom_permalink":"bareboat-racing-basics\/","arc_subtype":"right-sidebar-full-header","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"sponsored_image":0,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[164],"tags":[562,196,169,316,183,654,525,558],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40325"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40325\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}