News

41st BVI Spring Regatta Approaching

Nanny Cay Team — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:38:49 +0000

Antelope enjoying fantastic racing conditions went on to win Racing A in the 2011 BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. Credit: Todd VanSickle/BVI Spring Regatta& Sailing FestivalWith gorgeous sailing conditions and amazing scenery, the British Virgin Islands offer sailing enthusiasts an idyllic place to soak up the sun. The BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival presented and hosted by Nanny Cay, is the highlight of the season in one of the world's best sailing locations.

"With seven days of fun and five events to chose from, the regatta has a lot to offer, which is probably why it attracts so many different nationalities. It's not all about hard-core racing, but we have that too. The regatta is a celebration of all that the BVIs have to offer." commented Regatta Chairman, Bob Phillips.

Providing hot racing, great parties and a celebrated festival, the event includes a four-day Sailing Festival followed by a three day Regatta, punctuated with some fabulous shore side parties and events. For over 40 years, the BVI Spring Regatta has attracted some of the world's most famous yachts and sailors and this year is no exception.

Tortola Sloop Shootout at Nanny Cay

Nanny Cay Team — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:39:15 +0000

Tortola Sloops at Nanny CayFor years, Tortola was a major boat-building island, gaining a reputation for wooden boats known as Tortola Sloops. They were used extensively throughout the greater Virgin Islands, in particular when it came to shipping cattle from Anegada to St. Thomas.

“These boats are a major part of maritime heritage here,” said Geoffrey Brooks, who curates the Maritime Museum at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College’s Centre for Applied Marine Studies.

An update from General Manager, Miles Sutherland-Pilch

Editorial team — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:28:35 +0000

The Nanny Cay Marina team proudly showing their "Best Marina of the BVI" award from the BVI Property & Yacht GuideThe beginning of December provides a good opportunity to update our many friends on the variety of events and activities that have been happening at Nanny Cay. Fortunately we had a quiet Hurricane Season giving the staff time to get ready for the start of the season. With visitors starting to arrive and the slips starting to fill up there is a real buzz about the place.

Recently, the marina was busy hosting the 53 boats who sailed from Hampton VA to Tortola in the annual Caribbean 1500. This year marked a couple of firsts: the first time the rally had been run by the World Cruising Club which also run the ARC Europe rally departing from Nanny Cay in May 2012; and the first time the arriving boats have been able to clear BVI Customs in Nanny Cay where previously they had to make an additional stop at Soper’s Hole. After 7-10 days at sea the crews are pretty exhausted and the skippers were appreciative of this initiative – they also liked the rum punch on arrival!

Med Spirit Takes Line Honours in ARC 2011

Editorial team — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:21:51 +0000

Med Spirit's crew celebrates arrival in Saint LuciaAfter battling it out for 11½ days at sea only one hour separated the two leading boats in a spectacular finish to this year’s ARC 2011. In the end it was Med Spirit, the 28.7m super-maxi skippered by Vladimir Kulinichenko, who took line honours in 11 days, 14 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds finishing at 02:54:37 on Friday 2 December. The second place boat was Alain Delhumeau's 15.2m Lerouge Pulsar trimaran, Rayon Vert, who had lead the fleet since the start only to be overtaken by Med Spirit in a gybing battle off Barbados.

Although both boats clocked impressive speeds of 25 knots and covered over 300 miles per day, they were unable to beat the ARC crossing record set by Rinaldo del Bono in Capricorno in 2006 with a crossing time of 11 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes and 30 seconds. Lighter winds on the final approaches combined with a blown spinnaker on Rayon Vert and problems onboard Med Spirit put paid to their record hopes.

Vaquita on course to smash ARC 2011 record

Editorial team — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:22:07 +0000

Vaquita leads out the Racing Division start in Las PalmasIf the wind holds the 40-foot Vaquita, skippered by Christof Petter from Austria, will break the record for the fastest ARC crossing ever for a monohull under 60-feet. Vaquita has made extraordinary progress since leaving Gran Canaria, and is only 50 miles behind the leading boats and over 250 miles ahead of her closest rival in the Racing Division.

The ARC 2011, now in its 25^th year, departed from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on 20 November and set sail for Rodney Bay Marina in Saint Lucia, a distance of some 2,700 nautical miles. Many of the yachts will return in the ARC Europe, which will leave Nanny Cay on 5 May next year.

Movember Gala on the beach at Nanny Cay

Nanny Cay Team — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:26:09 +0000

Freeman Rogers, Man of Movember 2011Much tomfoolery, hijinks, a little bad taste, and a lot of dubious facial hair, was seen on the beach at Nanny Cay last night as we hosted the Movember Gala for the third time. Movember (the month formerly known as November) is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men's health. This year's event was elevated to stratospheric heights when Sir Richard Branson made a surprise appearance joining Governor Boyd McCleary, Tamara Archibald-Gill, Miles Sutherland-Pilch and the BVI Cancer Society on the judging panel.

Freeman Rogers of the BVI Beacon was crowned Man of Movember 2011 with a magnificent specimen - his second win - while Jason Smith, Freeman's colleague at the BVI Beacon won the Mo Lumberjack award.

Caribbean 1500 wraps up at Nanny Cay with Defiant safely on the dock

Editorial team — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:23:55 +0000

The crew of Defiant receive their awardsWith only an hour to go before the start of the Caribbean 1500 latecomers prizegiving, Defiant, sailing under emergency tiller, came in loud and clear on the Nanny Cay VHF. Kimberleigh and Lyndon Humer's Wauquiez 43 made its final approach to Nanny Cay under tow from new dockmaster Brendon Joyce, as her propeller had fouled at the same time as the steering failure, and was greeted by thunderous applause from the many rally participants who had been waiting anxiously for her arrival.

For Defiant, the rum punch on the dock, the last served by World Crusing Club staff this year, was hard earned and well deserved. For Lyndon, Kimberleigh and their 18-year-old son Dylan, the passage was their first offshore. It was certainly a baptism by fire. “We were sailing in 30 to 35 knots, with big waves astern,” said Dylan. “A wave reared up behind us, and with a sickening ‘POP!’ the steering went and we were out of control.”

Defiant battles on towards Nanny Cay with emergency tiller

Editorial team — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:16:38 +0000

Andy Schell of WCC welcomes the crew of PajaritoYachts continue to arrive at Nanny Cay, 13 days after leaving Hampton VA in the Caribbean 1500. World Cruising staff are remaining on Nanny Cay to greet the crews and have organised a second prizegiving on Thursday to honor those participants still currently at sea. That will take place at 4pm on the PegLegs beach bar, with drinks and pizza, and a few more special prizes. Unofficial results will be calculated and announced for those boats who did not make the official finish line by the time limit.

Arrivals last night were Kalista and Southern Cross. They were followed this morning by Pajarito, Gypsy, Mahalo, Wind Dancer and Swift. Meanwhile the crew of Defiant, are slowly making their way south under emergency tiller. All three on board are safe and sound, if not a little tired, and expect to arrive on Tortola tomorrow afternoon, hopefully in time for the late arrivals happy hour and prizegiving on the beach.

Caribbean 1500 prizegiving last night but boats still rolling in to Nanny Cay

Editorial team — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:47:29 +0000

The crew of Blackbird lift the Steve Black TrophyLast night PegLegs hosted the official prizegiving ceremony for the competitive side of the Caribbean 1500. Blackbird took the overall victory on corrected time in the Cruising Division, earning them the Steve Black Trophy, named in honor of the events founder.

Blackbird also took top honors in Cruising Class A. In Class B, the Catalina 470 Lady narrowly edged Dancing Lizard by a scant 52 minutes on corrected time to take the top spot in that division. Fat Cat took home the multihull prize, and earned applause for being the first boat over the finish line in Tortola, completing the course in just under six days.

The prizegiving event also honored each participant who completed the rally. Crews were called to the stage and given a commemorative plaque to acknowledge the accomplishment. For several of the crews, the event marked the completion of their first-ever ocean passage, so the occasion was a notable one.

Twenty-five Caribbean 1500 yachts safely docked in Nanny Cay

Editorial team — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:38:17 +0000

Steve Black and crew of Madrugada25 of the 53 yachts taking part in the BVI class of the 2011 World Cruising Club Caribbean 1500 are now safely docked in Nanny Cay with their crews enjoying the number of different activities that have been laid on for them. Sunday night was the second night in a row of happy hour on the beach, with a beach BBQ on offer from the chef at PegLegs. Tonight is the official prizegiving, followed by a buffet dinner at PegLegs, but with many yachts still making their passage the festivities will continue until Thursday when it is anticipated that the majority of boats will have arrived.