{"id":49338,"date":"2022-10-26T11:59:01","date_gmt":"2022-10-26T15:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=49338"},"modified":"2023-05-06T18:20:37","modified_gmt":"2023-05-06T22:20:37","slug":"2022-musket-cove-fiji-regatta-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/people\/2022-musket-cove-fiji-regatta-week\/","title":{"rendered":"2022 Musket Cove Fiji Regatta Week"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Musket <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Fenice<\/i>, a 62-foot Beneteau, was the first monohull over the line out of 24 participating sailboats during Musket Cove Fiji Regatta Week\u2019s main event, the Round Malolo Classic.<\/span>\n Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n\n

Musket Cove Fiji Regatta Week, held September 15-19 on Malolo Island in the Mamanuca archipelago, welcomed 96 boats and 400 people for three regattas. Some 64 teams raced in the Hobie Cat event, another 30 yachties paddled in the standup paddleboard challenge, 30 sailors competed in the Fun Run, and more than 40 eco-aware cruisers helped with a beach cleanup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Sandbar <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Beautiful lightwind sailing at the Sandbar Race during the 2022 Musket Cove Regatta.<\/span>\n Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

The five days and nights continued an event that has been going for 38 years. Yachties from around the world flock to this event in the turquoise lagoon west of Viti Levu. Some Kiwi yachts are regulars here on their Pacific Circuit, and a growing number of American and international yachts participate too, before heading westward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt started out as a warm-up for the Fiji-Vanuatu regatta, has grown every year, and by now it\u2019s one of the biggest events in the South Pacific,\u201d says Will Moffat, owner of Musket Cove Island Resort and Marina. \u201cIt\u2019s all about the fun, really, and everybody\u2019s welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Musket <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n All canvas up at the Musket Cove Regatta Sandbar Race. Colorful spinnakers, gennakers and other light-wind sails reflected on the sea under a deep-blue sky.<\/span>\n Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

When this year\u2019s first regatta started on day two at 10 a.m., only a light breeze rippled the sea. We watched flabbergasted as the participating boats simply revved up their engines and motored over the starting line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"paddleboard <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Thirty sailors joined in the standup paddleboard challenge, including a few competitive kiddos, during the Musket Cove Fiji Regatta Week.<\/span>\n Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

How was that possible? Well, it turned out that it was Beach Comber Pirate\u2019s Day, and the rules for this regatta state that \u201cthere are no rules for pirates.\u201d The skipper of the Stealth 14GT lightweight catamaran Wow<\/em> lowered his 50-hp outboards and managed to win the race, reaching 11 knots at times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, the weather gods played along on the third day and sent a stiff, southeasterly breeze for the main event: the Round Malolo Classic. With full sails up, the 24 participating boats bashed into 15 to 20 knots of southeasterly trade winds. At first, the biggest cats rushed ahead, chased by huge monohulls and a fleet of cruising yachts. But then, three little, local racing multihulls charged through the field, leaving the bigger yachts in their wake. Burt<\/em>, a 33-foot Reynolds cat, won the 15-nautical-mile race in one hour, 26 minutes, followed by Kaia<\/em>, a Seacart 26, and 8.5 metres box cat, Miss Minnie<\/em>. The first cruising catamaran over the finish line was 60-foot Marcato<\/em>, and the first monohull was Fenice<\/em>, a 62-foot Beneteau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Round <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Yachts of all designs and sizes compete during the Round Malolo Classic, the main event of the Musket Cove Fiji Regatta Week.<\/span>\n Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

On day five, the participants in the 6-nautical-mile Sandbar Race merely drifted over the starting line with flapping sails. All crews rushed on deck to hoist their light-wind sails as quickly as possible, and went chasing the cat\u2019s paws on the otherwise calm seas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Pirates <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Wow<\/i> won the no-rules Pirates Regatta, along with the Sandbar Regatta.<\/span>\n Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

As the race went on in slow motion, we had plenty of time to admire the aesthetics: The boats looked like pretty butterflies with all the canvas they could carry. Colorful spinnakers, gennakers and other light-wind sails reflected on the sea under a deep-blue sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big, heavy boats had no chance in these conditions, and for a while Burt<\/em>, the winner of the Round Malolo Race, and Wow<\/em>, the winner of the Pirate race, were neck and neck. Wow<\/em> won in one hour, 17 minutes, with Burt<\/em> in the second place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"paddleboarding\" <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Skilled young paddlers joined the races during the Musket Cove Fiji Regatta Week. The regatta week welcomed 96 boats and 400 people for three regattas.<\/span>\n Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

If you\u2019re heading toward the South Pacific in 2023, stopover in Musket Cove in September. The entry fee for regatta week includes an opening and closing dinner, and free drinks. Prizes range from free haul-outs at sponsoring marinas to gift baskets. https:\/\/www.musketcovefiji.com\/yacht-club-marina\/sailing-regatta<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Beach <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Pirates aboard! The Beach Comber Pirate\u2019s Day Regatta rules clearly state there are no rules for pirates!<\/span>\n Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

Birgit and Christian have been cruising on their Sparkman & Stephens design <\/em>Pitufa for 11 years. See their blog <\/em>www.pitufa.at<\/em><\/a> or follow <\/em>Pitufa on Facebook.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From pirate\u2019s rules to colorful sails, the 38th annual event was fun for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":49339,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Birgit Hackl","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"165","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"The 38th annual Musket Cove Fiji Regatta Week. Hobie Cat regatta, sailing regatta, Fiji cruising, and Fiji sailing.","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","custom_permalink":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"sponsored_image":false,"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":true,"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":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"ad_targeting":"","sponsored_url":"","social_share":true},"categories":[165],"tags":[434,1118,197,654],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49338"}],"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\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49338"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49338\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}