# BVI - Around Tortola Race



## murph535 (Jan 28, 2008)

Hi
I'll be doing the BVI sailing festival in the Spring of 2016. I understand in past years the sailing festival portion included a race around Tortola (although 2016 details have not yet been published). We do a fair amount of club and regatta racing on the east coast of the US but have never raced in that area (Sir Francis Drake Channel). I have bear boated the BVIs several times.

If anyone has raced in that area or in that race specifically and would like to share knowledge or experience (on racing not bear boating please) i'd be interested and appreciative of anything you'd care to share.

thanks


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## fallard (Nov 30, 2009)

murph535 said:


> Hi
> I'll be doing the BVI sailing festival in the Spring of 2016. I understand in past years the sailing festival portion included a race around Tortola (although 2016 details have not yet been published). We do a fair amount of club and regatta racing on the east coast of the US but have never raced in that area (Sir Francis Drake Channel). I have bear boated the BVIs several times.
> 
> If anyone has raced in that area or in that race specifically and would like to share knowledge or experience (on racing not bear boating please) i'd be interested and appreciative of anything you'd care to share.
> ...


Heading east on either side of Tortola is going to be a slog to windward. You are also sailing against a consistent east-to-west current.

If you are intending to race a charter boat, better check on whether the boat is appropriate and prepped for the regatta. The worst of it will be beating and you want sails that can be sheeted close and aren't stretched or otherwise "detuned" for the charter operation.

I haven't raced there, but I was disappointed by my first charter there (somewhere about 1998) when the main on our Sabre 362 didn't have battens and was blown out--on a 2 yr old boat! (Even the sail on my 9' Dyer Dhow has battens!) We couldn't beat effectively to weather and never would have been competitive in a race in a boat that should have been.

Presumably you will verify that your boat and its sails are proper for a regatta, but better check it out to be sure.


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## FSMike (Jan 15, 2010)

murph535 said:


> -----
> I have bear boated the BVIs several times.
> -----


Did the bear get seasick lol?


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## Shockwave (Feb 4, 2014)

It's a very short chop going east and may be on top of a swell. It can be rough going.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I just received the email on the round tortola race yesterday. It's on. Check the website.

BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival Over 40 boats already entered the 2016 Nanny Cay Cup race Round Tortola and the Nanny Cay Challenge. » BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival

I've not been in the race, but I've sailed both clockwise and counter-clockwise around Tortola (just not all at one time  )

The one place I'm imaging will require good tactics is through Thatch Cut and past Sopers. It has never seemed that the wind will allow a single tack through there, not to mention a ton of conflicting traffic. I've chosen to sail west of little thatch island, but I'm not sure that's a good race move.


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## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

I've raced in the BVI Spring Regatta for the past 8 years in a variety of divisions and on a variety of vessels from 25'-70'. The past few years I've been racing on friend's 50' mono in the bareboat class and enjoyed it. Other than last year it was more or less nearly a one design fleet. Because of the dwindling interest in racing bareboats the fleet had fewer classes bunching a wider variety of lengths together in a class making it a ratings game. With lighter winds and pretty flat conditions the 44i's were pretty much impossible to beat. 

Do you have specific questions? For even more competitive racing you might look at booking the boat beginning the week before so that you can race in the STIR (St Thomas International Regatta). I can't think of a better tuneup.


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## murph535 (Jan 28, 2008)

thanks
mostly i'm interested in local conditions (April). prevailing currents and winds and any specific geographic areas/features that tend to influence those.

appreciate the feedback. i've been promised a "race ready" boat but i've chartered enough boats to temper my expectations. that's partly the reason we're not doing the entire regatta but it will still be fun to do a little racing before focusing on sun and rum.


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## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

Generally the wind will be some version of east. I've done that regatta in winds over 30kts with higher gusts and had races cancelled after the start because the wind stopped. I've had flat seas and 12-15' seas too. Tides and currents are moonphase dependent. 

I could write pages and pages based on tactics and strategies just about a race around Tortola. I race on larger boats now and wind determines where I want to be. When I used to race in small boats over there it was all about finding smoother water. Getting a sub30' race boat to hull speed doesn't require the wind it takes to push a 4 cabin 50' mono with ensuit heads, generator and AC plus all the other assorted crap!!! Unless the course is very specific, there are lots of potential pitfalls around Sopers Hole/Thatch. 

I suggest rather than worrying about a race strategy, you should start training your liver NOW! The post race activities are pretty hard on the untrained...

If you race quite a bit then you shouldn't do just fine. If you're renting a Moorings/Sunsail boat they are usually pretty well prepped. The bottoms are very clean and sails are usually good to very good. No you won't likely have crispy sails but they won't be blown out either. 

Pay attention to the rules!! There are things you can do to the boats to help them go but there is pretty much nothing attached to it that you can leave on the dock. Some keen eyed sailors that have experience won't hesitate to take a photo and file a protest if a corner is cut. 

Like any regatta, get a good start, stay in clean air, know where you are going, make sure there is enough water to sail the course you want and have fun.


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## murph535 (Jan 28, 2008)

Thank you FarCry. I'm not too fussed about it either way. It will be a good time regardless of finish. I'll take your advice though and open a bottle of Rum tonight!


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## neilsty (Oct 15, 2009)

I did it last year. It was a counter clockwise course around the island. Areas to avoid are getting into the bay just west of towing point. There were also some low wind areas in the lee of the hills just east of cane garden - seemed better to be half way over to JVD. From what I recall the course was to the west of great thatch, they didn't want a fleet of boats trying to tack thru thatch cut with the ferry traffic.

The pursuit race to foxys the following day was great fun, along with the party at foxys after the race.


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## murph535 (Jan 28, 2008)

good stuff! thanks


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