AMERICAN
SAILING
THE JOURNAL OF THE R ASSOCIA TION
AMERICAN
SAILING
CARIBBEAN 1500: THE EXCITEMENT OF OFFSHORE TRAINING
Adventures of a Cruising Rally by Doug McLean
At the end of the trials and tribulations of passage lies the
prize of inviting tropical waters in Tortola.
L
ast November, 51 boats with more than
as in all past rallies everyone arrived — after a
200 skippers and crew cast off from
few diversions — safe and sound.
docks at Hampton, Va., bound for the
British Virgin Islands in the 16
th
annual West
That has come to be expected in this, one of three
Marine Caribbean 1500 Rally.
cruising rallies managed by the Cruising Rally
Association, with the primary objective of
Sailing in tandem, various monohulls and cats
providing well-prepared and safe passage for
ranging from a 32-foot Freedom to a 62-foot
cruisers heading south for the Caribbean sailing
Hallberg-Rassy made the 1300-mile passage
season. Since 1990, more than 750 boats have
in seven to eleven days. There were plenty
completed safe passages in the Caribbean 1500,
of challenges and a few setbacks in the
many of them repeat participants.
fleet as conflicting weather systems
Boats heading back north at the end of the season
produced lumpy seas and 20 to 30 knot
winds halfway through the passage, but
continued on page 10
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
>> Book Review >> Featured Sailboat
Cruising Cuisine Mari-Cha IV
>> Sailing Destination >> Nautical Challenge
Scotland Distance off
>> Safety at Sea >> Instructor Tips
Starting young Optimizing Sail Power
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