This year’s Caribbean NOOD Championship competitors were:
Following is daily commentary submitted by Andy Forrest about the regatta ...
First day,bouy races: 15 knots in Sir Francis Drake channel. Our boat named Whiskey Chaser had upwind speed over the whole fleet of nine. We overcame early boat learning mistakes and came from last to second on the second lap in the first race.
The second race we lead until two hundred yards from the finish and were overtaken by San Fran, where is the unholy whisker pole when I need it! (No whisker poles are allowed in this race)
Third race we lead start to finish even with a mark touch and the 360. We were happy and suprised by our sucess against these big city sailors.
Long upwind sail to the Bitter End Yacht club. We lead for the first 2 hours but were passed due to two poor tacks and a jib sheet caught on a deck cleat. Still tied for first going into the Laser race. Sorry to say I was not in the same league as the 150 pound 25 year olds and took a solid 7th, which is last. Pride hurt but rum is dulling the pain.
We are still in a tight race going into the two Laser distance races. No one can sail with us upwind and Fisk is making good calls all around.
That is as many words as my thumbs can do after 10 hours of sailing and 4 hours of rum. More to come.
We are still within 2 points of first despite the dingy debacle. Today we have the longest race across the entire length of the BVIs on the north side. The wind was to be E or NE and held at 12 to 15 for most of the day. We started well and were near the lead until a jib sheet found it's way under the hull as we were approaching a reef leaving Virgin Gourda Sound. We spent a few tense moments but cleared the mess and got into the outside course in 4th place. Fisk went to work and within 5 miles we had scratched out a small lead. The overall leader, Seattle, was on our hip for the next 7 miles as we pulled ourselves well ahead of the others. By the time we could see the RC boat it was a match race. We were 5 lengths windward and 7 lengths ahead on a beam reach making 8 kn, where else would you choose to be with 2 miles to go? Seattle had been trying to sail through our lee for hours with no luck. We then sailed into a hole, sat still for 20 minutes and watched as boats leeward and windward sailed nicely ahead. Seattle took first and Annapolis nosed us out for second. That was tough to take but we wouldn't have done anything different, just bad luck.
We are now tied for second with San Fran and Seattle only reachable with a meltdown. A port reach start, a parade around the west end of Tortola and the notoriously difficult Thatch cut lay ahead. Instead of causing a 6 boat pile up at the start as we had the opporunity to do, Fisk took the high road but let 5 boats get ahead from the line. Our difficult job ahead was clear. We sailed the parade through the shifty wind and water currents of Thatch Cut but still were back in 5th. Once through the cut the race changed to a beat in 18 to 20 and 8 foot rollers. Fisk was working hard, but on a beat he will allways do well. We choose to go left as the others stayed right. We steadily made up ground untill we picked off 4th and had a real shot at San Fran in third. Closing in on the finish we caught a deck cleat with the jib sheet and our moment was lost, so close. We ended up losing 4th at the line by a nose. We thought that we had held third overall but later found that the dingy race had bitten again and we had moved to 4th by a fraction of a point. We are all proud of Fisk and our crew, we could have gotten it all.
The following was copied from the instructions given to the competitors ...
The first day is bouy-racing near the base: ace PRO Peter Reggio will keep the courses short and tight so you can mix it up and test your short tacking skills (tack wisely, my friends). After a few laps we'll reach over to Cooper Island and grab moorings. I highly recommend a dinghy trip to the reef for snorkeling (I'll be leading the charge!) The restaurant at Cooper is typical island fare, should you not want to get involved with cooking.
For the following morning, I recommend a rise-and-shine departure. Put your most hungover on the helm while everyone sleeps for the short motor to The Baths. It's the BVI's most popular destination, for good reason, so give yourself plenty of time to check it out. From there we'll send you off on my favorite distance race up to the Bitter End. The outcome surprises me every time.
At the Bitter End YC, you'll tie up to the docks, plug in, restock your ice, and send your most willing (or unwilling) crew to the Laser racing for some good ol' fashioned short course battling. Dinghy heckling is strongly encouraged, and if we're in early enough, go ahead and take out some of the BEYC's other toys (Hobie Waves, etc.). At the conclusion of the Laser racing your humble race committee will be parched from a long day working on the mothership and computing scores, and we therefore require each team to present a round of their boat's signature Mount Gay Rum cocktail for tasting. A winner will be announced at the evening's feast.
Onward the next day, we'll go the long way 'round the backside of Tortola to either Cane Garden Bay or Jost Van Dyke, swell dependent. Take a spin out to Sandy Cay or over to Jost for a dip in the hot springs (check your guide on how to get there), or park and relax. If it's a sandy dance floor you seek, head over to Great Harbor to hit Foxy's (usually quiet this time of year, though).
The final leg takes us on a grueling passage through Great Thatch current, and onto Norman Island. A mandatory snorkel stop at the Indians will be in order, followed by a trip to the Caves at Norman. We'll leave plenty of time in the schedule for it all. The final party will be held on shore at Norman, and then, should history repeat itself, it's to the Willy T for more than you can possibly handle.
If you've extended your charter, wise move. . . carry on. If you're returning to base on Wednesday, an early rise will get you back with plenty of time.
A few personal recommendations for first-time charterers:
See you in the BVIs, and safe travels.
Dave Reed
Editor, Sailing World