BVI Spring Regatta 2024 - Day 1
by BVI Spring Regatta 6 Apr 2024 15:34 BST
April 1-7, 2024
Charlie Enright is part of the team on Gunboat 68 Convexity2 owned by Don Wilson (USA) - 2024 BVI Spring Regatta © Ingrid Abery /
www.ingridabery.com
It's the penultimate day of the BVI Spring Regatta and after a day of tricky, light wind conditions out on the Sir Francis Drake race course, class winners are starting to emerge throughout the fleet.
Light breezes also graced the race course on Mount Gay Rum Race Day on Friday, yet the atmosphere buzzed with excitement back in the Regatta Village at Nanny Cay. The evening was filled with an irresistible blend of fun, rum, and lively dancing.
Dad and Daughter rock the Melges 24
Frits Bus and his crew, including his daughter Berit, are racing the Melges 24 Team Island Water World, sitting in second place in class after day one of racing BVI Spring Regatta. Bus has been competing at the regatta since 1982 and for many years he would sail the 24-foot boat the 100 miles, give or take, from St Maarten to the BVI. The journey would take at least a day, depending on the conditions. This week they towed the Melges behind a live-aboard catamaran, making life a lot more comfortable.
"We love to race, and we like to come here," Bus said. "I used to sail the Melges even to Puerto Rico when we had the CORT (Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle) series which was back-to-back racing in Puerto Rico, St Thomas, and BVI. We loved those parties, regattas, and the fun."....
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A Caribbean change of pace for enright
Charlie Enright finished up with his third consecutive challenge for The Ocean Race last July and has since been winding down that project while taking some time to find the next thing. The 'next thing' this week just happens to be in the British Virgin Islands on the Gunboat 68 Convexity2 owned by Don Wilson, and he's enjoying the change of pace.
The Convexity2 programme got in touch with Enright after The Race and asked him to do the Maxi Worlds with them, that went well, and the relationship is continuing with BVI Spring Regatta.
"It's obviously very different from what I have been doing for the past few years but it's enjoyable, it's a great group. We're still working out the kinks with the boat, it's still in the commissioning phase in terms of getting it to race level; like any racing boat it takes a while to iron out the kinks. But, it's an awesome platform, a great group of guys and gals on board and just lot of fun - the BVI is a great place to go sailing."
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