KATS Presented Sportsmanship Award
For International Rolex Regatta

Having sailed very well against 19 of the best sailors in the highly competitive IC 24 class in the 2006 International Rolex Regatta at St. Thomas U.S.V.I the weekend of March 24 through the 26th, the team returned back to their home in the BVI's directly after the finish of the final race Sunday. The team had a deadline to meet on the return to the BVI's having to tow the race boat, support boat, with the  "mother ship" Yacht Tarawana back to the sailing base in Sopers Hole, Tortola before sundown to avoid the many reefs between St. Thomas and the British Virgin Islands.
 
Having reached home, the team, coach, and sailing director, all had a great feeling of accomplishment over the weekend. It wasn't until the following day that the coach and director learned that the team was applauded in their absence by all of the racers at the awards presentation at St. Thomas. Learning of the situation, the yacht club was contacted, and the founder of the KATS program Mr. Tom Gerker took it upon himself to fly to St.Thomas to collect the "perpetual" trophy, which in strict yachting tradition never leaves the holding club.
 
St. Thomas Yacht Club was gracious enough to part with the trophy so it could be presented to Team Tortola, at the BVI Spring Regatta opening ceremonies tonight. The BVI Spring Regatta is one of the premier regattas in the Caribbean, which draws sailors from all parts of the world, hosted by the Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club.
 
Team Tortola sailors had no idea that they were picked by the judges of the event over 93 other competing yachts in the Rolex until tonight when they were hailed to the stage and were presented the Sportsmanship Award by the original donor of the trophy, Mr. Richard Woolridge, who is also the builder of the IC 24 class yachts, and makes Tortola his home.
 
The KATS program would like to thank both yacht clubs for their support, and all of the other volunteers and donators to the program, to allow the opportunity for the young boys and girls of the BVI's to learn about the sea and ultimately race in world class regattas.

International Rolex Regatta
Sportsmanship Trophy

KATS compete in International Rolex Regatta
St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

The 2006 International Rolex Regatta, hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club in the U.S.V.I. had one of the clubs highest attendances in recent years. Racing conditions were ideal for all classes that ranged from 80' racing yachts to the ever-exciting beach cat fleet.

The IC 24 class had 19 entries, the largest number of boats that the class has ever had. Competitors from Europe, United States, Puerto Rico, St. Marteen, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands made up the highly competitive fleet.

Going into the final day of racing, the first place winning boat could have been any of the top four boats. Sailing in light winds tested the skills of the fleet, with Robbie Hirst and his crew dominating the final day and taking home to the BVI's, a Rolex Watch awarded to the winners of each class.

Entered in the International Rolex Regatta was Team Tortola, of the British Virgin Islands, sailed by seven of the KATS Sailing program kids, ranging from age 12 to 16, based at the West End of Tortola. The crew was up against some of the best sailors in the world and came in a very respectable 16th place, excellent, considering the level of talent that was on the course for the three days of intense racing.

As a volunteer and sailing instructor for the KATS Sailing program for many years in the BVI's, I was lucky enough to spend the four days with the kids during the regatta and watch them improve with every race. In the past 46 years of racing yachts, I have never seen a group of kids sail and conduct themselves both on and off the water, as true Yachtsmen, as they did.

Because of the timing to organize our return trip back to the BVI's, we could not attend the awards presentation, but this morning I was told by one of our fellow BVI competitors that the kids, sailing their IC 24, "CCT Boatphone KATS", had won the Sportsmanship award, which included all classes that had sailed in the Rolex Regatta.

In all my years of sailboat racing, I have found that the Sportsmanship Award is the most prestigious award in yachting, even above winning a regatta in the overall standings.

The Crew of CCT Boatphone KATS

Javan Cooper: 16 years old, is now into his 6th year in KATS Sailing. He is team Captain and has sailed in several Chief Ministers Cups, as well as local Regattas. He was at the helm during Rolex and had some good results in several races against some very serious competition in what is probably the toughest fleet, the IC 24s.

Jamie Bibby: 16 years old, has also been a KATS sail member for over 5 years. Jamie was Captain of the second Tortola entry at last year's Chief Ministers Cup. He will be helming at the BVI Spring Regatta this week as we train toward our big finale, the CM Cup. At Rolex Jamie was all over the boat handling the whisker pole on the downwind jibes and mainsheets on the windward legs. He also has competed in several Chief Ministers Cups as well as local races. Look for good results from him this weekend in the BVI Spring Regatta.

Jamar Cooper: Age 14. Javan's younger brother has been with us for 3 years. He is fast becoming an accomplished sailor and closing in on his brother. Jamar was busy at Rolex handling the jib sheet duties. He has also been on the team in our last 3 CM Cups.

Amal Maduro: Age 14. We were pleased to see Amal come back into the program after a time away. He is settling in and becoming a good all-round sailor. We look for big things from him down the road.

Jamal Wintz: Age 14. Jamal is now into his 4th year in KATS Sailing. He did a great job on foredeck duty this past weekend. He also has been on previous Team Tortolas at CN Cup.

Theo Stoddard: Age 15. Theo is also one of our long termers, now in his 4th year of KATS Sailors. We’re pleased to have Theo on the team and know he'll be a valuable addition.

Dontae Hodge-Dickenson: Age 12. Dontae may be smaller in stature than some of the older teammates, but what he lacks in size, he more than makes up for in enthusiasm and spirit. He did a great job of keeping the boom out on the downwind legs. We should see a lot of this lad in the future.

Hats off to the KATS kids for their performance last weekend and watch out for them in the upcoming BVI Spring regatta, hosted this week at Nanny Cay Marina.

Sweethearts of the Caribbean Regatta
Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Feburary 11th & 12th on Tortola, British Virgin Islands, was another great sailing day for the twenty-eighth annual Sweethearts of the Caribbean Yacht race. The event was co-sponsored by the "Loyal" West Yacht Club and the Jolly Roger Restaurant and Inn, at the West End of Tortola, and was attended by hundreds of yacht racers and " yacht racer chasers".

Over 35 Yachts from thirteen feet to eighty three feet from the surrounding Caribbean islands and local British Virgin Islands, competed in several types of classes, with everyone going away a winner as the Yacht Club, in its long standing tradition and motto lived on as usual, "no one goes home empty handed when it comes to awards!" Another great sailing event, including late night parties and live bands, at the "heart beat" of Tortola, the West End.

Read the full article at:
28th Annual Sweethearts of the Caribbean Regatta
For more photos go to:
Escape BVI Photo Gallery

Duane Smith

By - Nancy Terrell

Duane Smith, President of the Virgin Islands Power Boat Association carries the Queen's Baton for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia on Youth Instructor, with her new mast, in the Queen's Water Parade

Jason Holmes, below with the tree for the new mast, is from Bosham, UK, where he apprenticed with Combes Boatyard for 5 years in wooden boatbuilding. He has been a Shipwright for 13 years and specializes with wooden masts. He was the Foreman for the 80' mast on White Wings, a famous Alden classic sloop featured on the cover of Classic Yachts. "Youth Instructor is a well built boat and now has a mast to suit the boat. They shouldn’t have any trouble with the rigging. I enjoyed doing it and lost 2 stone in the making. It was nice to do - something that I haven't done in a long time - the "Zen" of woodworking - very therapeutic."

Jason Holmes

Tortola Sloops are a large part of the culture of the British Virgin Islands. Youth Instructor, a Tortola Sloop built in the 1990's by Osmond Davies of East End, has for various reasons gone through three masts since her original launching. After the third mast broke, the day before Foxy's Wooden Boat Regatta this year, Gov. Macan met with Dave Cooper, Commodore of the WEYC - organizers of the races under which the Island Sloops sail, and expressed a desire to have a proper mast made for Youth Instructor. The governor wanted to make sure that the boat was ready for the Island Sloop Shoot-Out during the BVI Festival. Jason (below) looks at the job before him. Cooper went to Mike Andrews, General Manager of Yacht Restoration at Nanny Cay, and asked him for a quote on the job. The results were viewed as Youth Instructor raced against Moonbeam two months later.

Builder of the Sailing sloop Youth Instructor
Osmond Davies and his wife

The Tortola Sloops are fractional rigged boats - the foresail stops six feet from the 32.6’ masthead. The process of making this mast is quite interesting. Jason Holmes was in charge of the project and his excellence as a shipwright is seen in the finished product. The 40' long & 12" diameter log, from which the mast was made, was de-barked and treated before arriving in the BVI. Because the center growth ring is usually never in the center of the tree the first thing Jason had to do was center the trunk. "I set up a round disc that was to be the size of the finished mast and centered it on the rings. The more centered the trunk is the more stability it will have as a mast. I squared the log on the center growth ring to begin the project, which would make each of the four sides between 7" and 8". At this time I also put the taper in so that it is smaller at the masthead than at the heel. (Youth Instructor's masthead is 3.5" in diameter and her heel is 6.5".) I began "sizing", which is a geometric way of making something round out of a square. The process is complicated as I size and taper at the same time. During this process you can't walk away from it because you lose your eye, or your "feel", for it. That mast was in my dreams for two weeks."

Sailing sloop Youth Instructor

The mast was transferred to four chocks and planed, with the grain, from the heel to the masthead. This process took 8 hours a day for seven solid days. Once the chocks are level and straight you work one side at a time. Jason started with the worst side first, to get it centered, and then planed from there. It is then turned 180 degrees and the process is repeated with each rotation - planing, sizing, until it is round and of the size required. It is sanded, primed and painted - Jason used a hand planer at the end for a proper finish.

This is the first mast, out of the four that Youth Instructor has had, that was made out of a solid tree. The others were "glued up" with pressure treated pine of 2 x 6's. The first mast broke under sail due to too many knots in the wood. It was repaired quickly in order to sail in a regatta. It then broke again as some other knots were too flexible for the boat. Another mast was made, similar to the first and it too was too weak and delaminated at the glue joints. The third mast was donated by a wooden boat owner who's boat had been given to Neptune - a conversion was tried which failed when the mast was stepped, the day before Foxy's.

Sailing sloop Youth Instructor

Governor Macan races on the Tortola Sloops each year and has had a true concern for the fate of the Island Sloops since arriving in the BVI. He tells me, "Sloops were a cornerstone of the economy of the Virgin Islands, and it is vital that we keep examples afloat and in working order so that today's kids can understand their history. I am delighted that that, with this new mast, Youth Instructor's, continued success can be guaranteed".

As lovers of these classics we all thank him for coming to the rescue - and also to Jason for having the talent to sculpt a mast truly worthy of a Tortola Sloop.

A special fund raising event is being held at the Governor's on Feb. 28th 2006 - open to everyone with tickets at $20 each.

"All At Sea"

Has anybody picked up the latest issue of "All at Sea" magazine distributed  free all through the BVI's? Lots of coverage of the BVI's, Sailing reports, Racing, Cruising, Events etc. A great cover photo on the January issue - Mount Gay rum should get some mileage for advertising from the skipper helming the island sloop with one of their shirts on! Every cover shot is awesome.

I just went to the redesigned web site for "All at Sea" www.allatsea.net, very nicely done, easy to navigate, and very informative. The events calender is great, you can pick most water sports events at different island locations, and the links to the sponsors are right there.

I put an add in the classified section which came out this month and have had great response from it, and the add is free! Can't beat the quality of the magazine, coverage all over the Caribbean, and how well it is laid out. Looking forward to  next months issue.

"A Vuilliard Reference in the BVI"
By Susanne Yardley Mason

We at Escape-BVI.com are proud to announce the addition of our new "Artists and Arts of the British Virgin Islands" section to our web site! The BVI's are a melting pot of different artists, some born here, others bringing in their own style and culture from down island, many artists from all parts of the world, bringing their artistic talents to the British Virgin Islands. Probably one of the most beautiful places in the world to depict in their artwork, and the beauty of nature that surrounds the artists.

Many galleries and small art studios of local artwork are displayed, all through the British Virgin Islands. The islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, Beef Island, and Anegada all have artist’s renderings on display at different locations. Many restaurants, government offices, and markets, display the local artist's works on their walls depicting all the different artists and techniques of painting, pottery sculpting, palm frond weaving and much more. On Tortola David Thrasher's "Caribbean Landscapes Gallery" in West End, Lisa Muddiman Gray's "The Gallery" in Road Town and Aragons's Studio" on Beef Island just to name a few.

Every artist is so different from each other in their artwork, sometimes bringing out their own personalities in their work making them very unique. Some very stunning computer graphic artwork comes from Susanne Yardley Mason of West End, Tortola. Every year there are several art shows in the British Virgin Islands, and the BVI Tourist Board has a showing of local artwork from various artists in the BVI's on display at their London office, a gesture of pride in the people of the BVI's, keeping the heritage and culture of the British Virgin Islands alive around the world.