The silhouettes of 50-metre-long flybridge sailboats disappear into wave troughs, spray flies around wildly, darkening teak decks and blurring the photographers' telephoto lenses. After three days with winds of over 25 knots, the 29th edition of the St. Barths Bucket raised the question: Is there actually a wind limit for the iconic Caribbean regatta? In any case, it must be above 30 knots. And one thing is clear: anyone who registers for the Bucket knows what people and equipment can expect. This year, 25 supersailors between 28 and 62 metres came to the port of Gustavia. The crews had trained in light winds the previous week and had to round the waymark Île Fourchue, known as "The Rock", in trade winds of between 20 and 26 knots on the first day of the race. Tom Whidden, helmsman on the smallest competitor "Bequia" at 28 metres, said: "It was really rough, but we were pleased with the work of the crew and the boat management." Dennis Conner's long-time tactician and current CEO of the North Technology Group, which includes North Sails, added with a grin: "The captains tell you that they'll kill you if you break anything, so you always have to be careful."
A thoroughly elastic formulation, as proven by the 44-metre schooner "Columbia", which pushed its way across the 26 nautical miles with an almost full wardrobe. The steel replica from 2014, which is being advertised for sale for eleven million euros, remained intact and immortalised itself in the logbook with a record heel of 43.5 degrees. With a clean series, "Columbia" won the L'Esprit 2 group, which included the largest formats such as the 63.40 metre long "Athos". In the L'Esprit 1 starting group, the second Corinthian Spirit Class, "Red Dragon", a 52-metre alloy slip, only failed in the last race, which she finished in second place out of seven yachts. At the helm was owner Christian Gnotke, who has already taken part in the Bucket three times with his predecessor "Bella Ragazza" (Vitters, 43 metres) and who was awarded the prize for best owner driver this year. The "Corinthian Spirit" class is sailed according to a simplified handicap procedure and not according to ORCsy compensation. There is less professional crew on board and no gennaker is used.
A complex process determines the overall winner
It was also an owner driver who won Les Mademoiselles with his "Nakupenda" (Danish Yachts, 33 metres) and also the coveted silver bucket that gives the event its name. Only yachts with a length of more than 30.50 metres that sail in a class of three or more starters will be the overall winners. The highest performance density is also important. The most competitive class is the one in which the points and time difference between first and third place is the smallest. "Nakupendas" tactician Stu Ballantyne identified one manoeuvre as a winning one: "We sailed leeward of the 50-metre perini 'Almyra II' and very close to the rocks. Our navigator said it would work, so we did it."
It was also close in the top class Les Gazelles, where the regatta ambitions were kept high. After the second day, the 33-metre Baltic "WinWin" was one win ahead of Hasso Plattner's "Visione", which won the opening race. However, the 45-metre Baltic-Bau from 2002 was beaten in the final race and had to settle for second place. "Winwin" owner Kim Schindelhauer, who was at the helm himself, said: "As it was our first regatta since Covid, we only had four days of training, but we were able to make great progress quickly."
Probably the windiest races in the history of the Bucket
For the 40 metre long Baltic "Perseverance" the Bucket was the first regatta since it was delivered two years ago. Captain Ryan Taylor was satisfied with third place in L'Esprit 1, the largest group with seven starters: "We took it easy and put in a reef. 28 knots was a lot for us and everyone else! We want to take part again." The J Class was only represented by "Ranger", but according to the organisers this will change again next year. Helmsman Ed Baird summarised: "It was very rocky. Our J-rig is 100 years old, you have to constantly turn the wheel to keep on course. And you have to remember that 'Ranger' was built for America's Cup races to windward and leeward, not for reaching."
In the end, "Ranger" finished in third place behind "Meraki" (Vitters, 50 metres) and the perfectly sailed "Wisp" (Royal Huisman, 48 metres). "Wisp" tactician and bucket veteran Peter Holmberg summarised: "Our team mastered strong winds and high waves over three days. It was one of the best Buckets, with one of the best award ceremonies I've ever been to." Let's hope that Gustavia's harbour announces full occupancy for the 30th edition of the St. Barths Bucket and that the entries return to the level of the pre-Covid era, when over 35 yachts sailed for the bucket.
Here to see the results of the 29th St. Barths Bucket.
