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RORC
Records were broken in many ways for the 10th RORC Caribbean 600. Record entries (84 starters), record crew numbers (816 sailors from 54 countries), course records broken in maxi monohull (Rambler 88) and Class40 (Eärendil) – and also a record number of retirements (44 boats – 50 per cent of the fleet). Strong trade winds covered the racecourse for the whole event,
the like of which we have not seen for several years. What people forget about the trades is that they blow at a consistent speed both day and night and this year the mean strength was in the mid-20s with gusts under the clouds in the 30s and some into the 40s. The sea state was difficult and confused. This is no open ocean
racing with long and steady swells; the proximity of islands, while providing shelter on the leeward side, also causes refraction on the weather side making the sea state very confused and choppy. ‘Going down below to rest was positively dangerous and trying to change clothes – well, just forget it,’ said Varuna crew Hartwell Jordan. The record fleet set off in squally conditions with sun and rain
intermixed with a NE trade wind between 18 and 22kt, the majority carrying reefs as they set off upwind from English Harbour. It was not long before the first retirement – sadly the 39-footer Taz of local dentist Bernie Evan Wong (the only skipper to have entered all 10 editions of this race) pulling out with an injured crewmember. During the first night many boats recognised that this wouldn’t
be the idyllic walk in the park that they had heard so much about and many were caught out by the severity of the squalls and the lack of a moon to see them approaching. The Bieker 53 catamaran Fujin capsized in just such a squall which rolled down the lee side of Saba and caught them off-guard. All eight crewmembers were unhurt and were quickly picked up by local French rescue services.
The double The wind strength and sea state made this a big boat race and with a direction north of east the canting-keel boats enjoyed the fast reaching conditions to fill the top five places on elapsed time. Peter Aschenbrenner’s 63ft trimaran Paradoxwas the first to finish, only a short way ahead of Rambler 88, but well behind the multihull record set by the MOD 70 Phaedo in 2016. Meanwhile, George David’s Rambler had the perfect wind strength and direction to beat the record David set in Rambler 100 in 2013, shaving nearly three hours off his earlier time – while also taking the overall win under IRC. ‘We sailed a good race and didn’t leave much out there,’ said
David at the finish. ‘I think it might come down to evolution in design. Six years ago the conditions were similar, yet we are two and a half hours ahead of a 100ft boat. We’ve made some more modifications over the winter: we draw 7m now (sic) and we took 3,000kg of displacement out of the boat. It’s lighter and livelier and gets up and goes quicker; boats just go faster.’ Five hours behind Ramblerwas the immaculate Volvo 70 Warrior,
chartered by Stephen Murray from the Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy. Stephen set up the Warrior Programme to provide maritime education and outreach for wounded, ill and injured service members and combat veterans. This was no ordinary training and rehabilitation programme as the boat was pushed very hard, to the extent that they led the professionally crewed previous winner, the Maxi72 Proteus, before she too retired at Saba. Warrior finished a well-deserved equal third overall under IRC; next to finish, Jens Kellinghusen’s very fast Ker 56 Varuna had stood by the capsized Fujin and the redress she received tied her with the VO70 overall. Second overall was Ron O’Hanley’s Cookson 50 Privateer – the
small boat to break the big boat hegemony. This 14-year-old design was one of the first canting-keel inshore/offshore racers and has arguably been Farr Yachts’ most successful design, winning many of the 600-mile classics and remaining competitive against today’s more powerful twin-rudder designs – which I suppose is a pat on the back for the IRC rating system. Privateer had Charlie Enright onboard – taking part while his Volvo entry Vestas was repaired following the collision approaching Hong Kong.
‘This was a war of attrition and you saw many good crews dropping
out,’ said Enright at the dock. ‘We broke our headfoil very early on and were forced to use the heavy-weather jib with soft hanks so to persevere and notch up a good result was very pleasing.’ The first non-canting keelboat, in sixth, was Eric de Turckheim’s
French Nivelt-Muratet 54 Teasing Machine who, by also winning the RORC Transatlantic Race in November, took the RORC Caribbean Series Trophy for the most points in both races. The French brought 10 boats this year, winning two divisions. Philippe Frantz’s similarly new NM43 Albator won IRC 1 and Catherine Pourre beat the eight- strong Class40 fleet in her Sam Manuard-designed Mach 40.3. Catherine is confident that 2019 will see big numbers of Class40s because of the strong entry in November’s Route du Rhum. A record 11 multihulls were the last to start with two Gunboat
60s flying hulls as they powered away in close company with Shannon Falcone’s foiling Formula 40. Only four boats finished, with Paradox winning on handicap from the Gunboat 62 Elvis in second, followed by Gilles Lamiré’s Multi 50 French Tech Caraîbos. The smallest boat in the fleet, the very light Seacart 30 trimaran
Morticia, sailed by four intrepid Australians, received a hero’s welcome when they returned to the Antigua marina. ‘We were
Just what the brochure promised, depending on which brochure you were relying on. The 10th Caribbean 600 delivered the most perfect sailing conditions with strong breezes to blast around the busy course; but for some conditions were a bit too perfect and rather more serious than that ‘brochure’ led them to expect. Nigel Passmore’s Dazcat Apollo (above) was one of those who thrived in the big conditions… until she did not. Apollo retired on day two
determined to get around. There were a few times when we sailed under bare poles but our goal was to finish. It was impossible to sleep and we lived off chocolate bars, but what a great race and brilliant racecourse,’ said owner Shaun Carroll. In IRC 2 Ossie Stewart’s Dufour 45 Scarlet Island Girl crossed
the finish line after over three days and nights of hard racing to win the class and finish 11th overall. Ossie had his son Cameron onboard and a group of old dinghy sailing mates, all clearly delighted to put the relentless wind and sea behind them! In IRC 3 Conor Fogerty’s Irish Sun Fast 3600 Bam! returned to
the RORC Caribbean 600 having won the class in 2016. Conor’s team from Howth Yacht Club, Dublin were victorious once again, winning the class after a tough race and finishing 13th overall. Second in class was newly elected RORC Commodore Steven Anderson in his 15m wooden sloop. Third in Class 3 was the last boat to finish the race: Andrew Eddy
on his Oyster 48 Gaia, competing with his daughter, son and young friends. Gaia finished more than three days behind Rambler. ‘The crew never gave up, never mentioned the nightclub as we passed St Barths… or grumbled about missing the prizegiving last night,’ said Eddy. ‘OK, maybe just a little, it would have been nice to have at least seen the prizegiving...’ Eddie Warden-Owen, CEO
q SEAHORSE 69
TIM WRIGHT
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