SPECIAL REPORT

WILL BRUTON ON CARIBBEAN RACE CHARTER

Caribbean regatta organisers are reporting a boom in charter entries, and, with more yachts available than ever before, the opportunities to pay and play for some racing in the sun have never been better.

The main Caribbean race season runs from February through to the end of April each year. For some the season begins with the RORC Transatlantic race in January, or the ARC rally in November or January, delivering the boat from Europe to the Caribbean. The first big event is the RORC Caribbean 600 offshore, while the first major inshore event of the year is the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. The season progresses with a series of superyacht events, but also mixed fleets at St Thomas International Regatta, the BVI Spring Regatta, Les Voiles de St Barths, finishing up with Antigua Sailing Week in April.

Plenty of local competitors move from island to island for multiple events, as well as US entries who can benefit from short flight times for their crews. For sailors in Europe though, getting a yacht across the Atlantic and back is the main obstacle to taking part, particularly if not planning a full Caribbean season campaign.

Chartering, particularly chartering a yacht that is equipped ready to race, presents a much easier way to compete for those short on time. While headline costs for race charter appear high at initial glance, gathering friends together means it can become much more reasonable. Compared to delivery or shipping fees and the wear and tear of taking your own yacht across, it can also be more cost effective.

A GROWING MARKET

While still a niche segment of the charter industry, recently there has been an increase in the number of yachts available to hire for racing, and are 'race equipped'. It's a shift that hints at how sailors increasingly want to jump onto a boat and enjoy racing without the worry of ownership.