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192--St. Maarten: Heineken Regatta Day 1 @ CherieSpotting     Mar 09 2004 - 16:30 PST cherie writes: “BVI Yacht Charters 1”, a Beneteau 45f5, took 1st place in Bareboat 3 of the 24th Annual Heineken Regatta. Lead by Co-captains Phil Otis and Mark Duranty, BVI YC1 team rotated our 17 member crew so that 14 of us sailed aboard each day. As a crucial member of the team (photographer and rail meat) I was fortunate to be on the boat for all three days of racing. Each of the crew wore our bright blue team shirts, except Arjan (who covered up his shirt with foul weather gear). “Arjan has to wear that jacket because he has no body fat,” claimed Elizabeast (one of the six female crew aboard.) Papa Otis responded jokingly to her remark: “All Arjan’s fat is in his head.” For the last three years the Heineken Regatta has been the largest sailing event in the Caribbean and this year it had more entries than ever. Crews from all over the world competed in the Bareboat racing including teams from USA, Netherlands, Germany, UK, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada and Japan. The first race was the longest—an around the island race that started and ended in Simpson Bay. Our corrected time was 3:55:13, a whole 31 seconds faster than the 2nd place winner Guadeloupe Sailing Team who came in at 3:55:42. Third place (with a time of 3:35:55) went to Team Goldendog, another team from the USA. The wind was crazy the first day of the regatta. It howled through the boat’s rigging like a cat in heat. Weather reports claimed it was 25 knots with gusts to 35. We saw one gust of 41. The weather dismasted a few unlucky yachts and ripped the battens out of our mainsail. The BVI YC1 crew was practicing for the start when the battens try to wiggle out of the mainsail. Mark B. brought the sail down and Gerard put the battens in properly only to have them slip out again. We took the mainsail up and down, up and down—trying to get it right. It was all to no avail. A few minutes after the start, we lost all the battens except one. Without the support of battens our main looked like a shirt that hasn’t been packed properly—wrinkles and creases in all the wrong places. But Phil and Mark D.’s expert driving made up for our lack mainsail shape. Other’s credit the “ju ju”, which was our official good luck charm. The “ju ju” was toy frog wrapped around an old chicken bone. Sailors always have their superstitions. I might be way off, but I think the crew should get some of the credit—especially the rail meat. *smile* A batten-less main wasn’t our only problem. We fouled another boat and they protested. It is a very complicated process the way you protest in a sailing race. You scream: PROTEST. Knowing we were in the wrong we had to do a 720—two full circles. Of course Profligate, the 63ft Catamaran, was there to photograph the embarrassing event. The first hour of racing our team was a mess of incoordination. Then Captain Phil politely screamed at everyone and we got our acts together. After all, the crew didn’t fly all the way from California to St. Maarten to sail like a bunch of idiots. BVI YCI got in the groove and started passing boat after boat for the next three hours until we reached the finish line in first place. Then of course, we cheered our success with what seemed most appropriate—a Heineken. Our crew must be drinkers with a sailing problem. Click on the logos. .. Click on each picture to see it full size. read comments (0) | write comment| views: 15903    | rated: 0.0    printer-friendly version   The rotating crew of "BVI Yacht Charters 1" (winner of the Columbus Cup) for the Heineken Regatta 2004. Lee holds our good luck charm, called "the ju ju". It's an old chicken bone and a silly toy frog. Sailors are just plain weird sometimes. Some think the "ju ju" helped us get first place in the regatta. I might be way off, but I think the crew should get some of the credit. A rainbow is a nice way to start the day, it must mean: Good luck! *Photo by Dale. The crew of BVI Yacht Charters 2 (a Beneteau 505) waves as they enter Simpson Bay. Mary and Merry wave as they prepare for the first day of racing. The crew of Chippewa, a Swan 68, waves hello. Our crew aboard BVI Yacht Charters 1, a Beneteau 45f5. With those bright blue shirts we are hard to miss. After Phil stores the dinghy, he has to swim to the boat. The things Captains do for their crew! Phil swims against 35 knot blasts of wind. The driver is onboard--we're ready to race! That's one way to wake up in the morning. I prefer coffee. There's only one Captain on board, so Mark B. had to make sure he kept quiet. Arjan and Gerard, the Dutch guys. Lean into the turn. Hold on Papa Otis. *Photo by Beth. A smile from Dale. *Photo by Beth. Joe! Arjan, the CEO of BVI Yacht Charters. (Hence the name of the boat.) A smile from Cherie. *Photo by Beth. Dale and Papa Otis. *Photo by Beth. Phil at the helm. *Photo by Beth. Beth and Elizabeast. Look at all those white sails behind us. Alacrity before dismasting. *Photo by Dick Johnson. Alacrity after dismasting. *Photo by Dick Johnson. Dr. Hasso Plattner's Z86 Maxi "Morning Glory." *Photo by Dick Johnson. "Morning Glory" drops their 'chute and charges toward the finish. *Photo by Dick Johnson. Disney's canting keel "Pyewacket". *Photo by Dick Johnson. "Synergy", a local St. Maarten yacht sailed by owner Carl Vaughan III. *Photo by Dick Johnson. Mark, Manolo and Elizabeast. The sun warms the crew on the downwind leg. Arjan and Beth have a beer. Of course, it's a Heineken. Mark and Dale check the jib's trim. Gargle Blaster. Sails in the breeze. Elizabeast and Manolo. Who is that crazy Dutch guy running all over the boat? Papa Otis sails with his son Phil for the 1st time in the Heineken Regatta. Did you get that on film? Duranty at the helm. Someone's having trouble. It's a wrap. The blue crew. Sail by the cruise ships. Heineken ball. Papa Otis and Carla. Mark B. at the helm; Joe on video. Phil eases the jib. Mark on the main & Phil on the helm helped team BYV Yacht Charters 1 take 1st place on Day 1. It's time for a Heineken. Papa Otis coils up a line. Checking out the damage in the anchorage. The ladies on board Day 1. Elizabeast and Cherie. Beth and Cherie celebrate the crews win! Julie and Cloyce from BVI Yacht Charters 2. Funny sign, oddly appropriate.