RORC Caribbean 600

After our Transatlantic race, the next on my calendar was the RORC Caribbean 600. This is an iconic race with starts in Antigua and races around the Caribbean passing by 12 Caribbean islands.

Historically this race has been a very quick, breezy race. This year however was not one of the classics! With a minor logistical issue with our container not arriving on time from Malta we were hampered in our race prep as we had no Fractional 0 and no J1.5. The two sails it would transpire we needed most.

We started well and on the outer end of the line away from most of our fleet in order to keep clear air and not get into any tussles too early on into a 600-mile race.

After getting around the end of Antigua and easing off onto a close reach to Barbuda we elected to stay higher above the fleet and not hoist a Code 0 immediately which paid off massively when there was a small wind-shift and all the boats to leeward who had hoisted a 0 were suddenly not able to point at the mark.

After rounding the mark, we went conservative and hoisted our heavy airs A-4 and settled in for an 80-mile downwind leg. This was opportunity #1 for me to sleep. We soon decided to peel from our A-4 to our lighter A-2 as the wind had started to drop to a consistent 13-15 knots. It was not long after this that our A-2 failed, and we were now down to only heavy air sails to get us around a racecourse that was looking lighter and lighter.

A great race is not short of a few tussles, and around the entire course we had a great battle with Sunrise, Dawn Treader, Pata Negra and Lee Overleigh Partners. Unfortunately falling behind Sunrise and Dawn Treader when we got stuck in a big wind hole approaching Redonda.

Yet another race that I will just have to come back again and try do better! Very unfortunate that it is in the sunny warm Caribbean!
After our Transatlantic race, the next on my calendar was the RORC Caribbean 600. This is an iconic race with starts in Antigua and races around the Caribbean passing by 12 Caribbean islands.

Historically this race has been a very quick, breezy race. This year however was not one of the classics! With a minor logistical issue with our container not arriving on time from Malta we were hampered in our race prep as we had no Fractional 0 and no J1.5. The two sails it would transpire we needed most.

We started well and on the outer end of the line away from most of our fleet in order to keep clear air and not get into any tussles too early on into a 600-mile race.

After getting around the end of Antigua and easing off onto a close reach to Barbuda we elected to stay higher above the fleet and not hoist a Code 0 immediately which paid off massively when there was a small wind-shift and all the boats to leeward who had hoisted a 0 were suddenly not able to point at the mark.

After rounding the mark, we went conservative and hoisted our heavy airs A-4 and settled in for an 80-mile downwind leg. This was opportunity #1 for me to sleep. We soon decided to peel from our A-4 to our lighter A-2 as the wind had started to drop to a consistent 13-15 knots. It was not long after this that our A-2 failed, and we were now down to only heavy air sails to get us around a racecourse that was looking lighter and lighter.

A great race is not short of a few tussles, and around the entire course we had a great battle with Sunrise, Dawn Treader, Pata Negra and Lee Overleigh Partners. Unfortunately falling behind Sunrise and Dawn Treader when we got stuck in a big wind hole approaching Redonda.

Yet another race that I will just have to come back again and try do better! Very unfortunate that it is in the sunny warm Caribbean!