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THE NEW RESIDENTS GUIDE
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THE CREW Copy Production Owen Waters, David Blacklock & Traci O'Dea Advertising Production Colin Rathbun, Nick Cunha & Richard George Advertising Sales Owen Waters :: owen@alookingglass.com
letter from the editor Welcome to Yacht Guide's March issue. April, BVI Spring Regatta—Incredible!
aLookingGlass #7 Road Reef Plaza, P.O. Box 3895 Sea Cows Bay, Tortola, British Virgin Islands t 284.494.7788 f 284.494.8777 www.alookingglass.com | info@alookingglass.com
No doubt you are reading this while you are at the regatta or competing in it. It is always an awesome time for us at BVI Yacht Guide. Most of us compete or volunteer, and those that man the office behind us, we do thank them wholeheartedly. Transitions are nothing new to the BVI, this being a political year and the year that we all hope to see a global economic recovery. Strikingly, the BVI continues to build and develop in areas of yachting and, proudly, the environment. This month for us marks a special occasion as we celebrate our green issue with facts and efforts rather than wishful thinking. That for us is the core of Yacht Guide and our counterpart Property Guide. Enjoy our efforts. The best part of Yacht Guide is that whatever we have experienced or write about, we do know that everyone living here or visiting shares the same mentality of a substantial appetite for life, a little less ordinary. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all at the Regatta the best of luck, and hope for at least moderate winds, and we would also like to thank all involved in our publication that make it happen.
On the Cover: BVI Spring Regatta 2010
Sail fast, like you mean it.
Graphic Design Richard George & Nick Cunha Executive Producer Colin Rathbun, aLookingGlass Publishing colin@alookingglass.com For additional information contact Nick Cunha or Colin Rathbun at aLookingGlass or visit www.bviyg.com
Cover photo courtesy of BVI Spring Regatta.
Owen Waters
aLookingGlass Ltd., publisher of BVI Yacht Guide, assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the content placed in its publications. For the avoidance of doubt, aLookingGlass gives no warranty or guarantee in regards to any information placed in its publications. BVI Yacht Guide and its contents are the intellectual property of aLookingGlass Ltd. Neither this magazine nor any part of it may be reproduced without written permission from aLookingGlass Ltd.
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APRIL 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
Owen Waters
Managing Editor Owen Waters :: owen@alookingglass.com
BVI YACHT CHARTERS...
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8 Provisioning: A Greener Galley
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12 BVI Spring Regatta
Catching Up with Finian Maynard
16 Reef Check: Working Together...
W H AT ' S I N S I D E ? Skipper’s Tips: Green is the New Black Environmentally conscious boat operation is the only way to go if you want to continue enjoying the blue waters of the Caribbean.
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Provisioning: A Greener Galley Chef Susie suggests tips for running a galley that is low waste and low impact.
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When Glass Is Not Trash 9 Charlotte McDevitt and Green VI are attempting to eliminate glass from the waste stream in the BVI. Ms. McDevitt sees glass as a resource that we can reuse in creative and practical ways.
BVI Spring Regatta 12 This year, BVI Spring Regatta promises the same great racing, food, comaraderie and parties, as well as some new events, namely the International Yacht Club Challenge and the BVI Windsurfing Championship. EDGE: The Mechanics of Quantum 14 Kevin Wrigley describes what it takes to stay competitive in the cut-throat industry of sailmaking and sail maintenance.
Yard Talk: Black Market Dinghy theft persists because people continue to buy stolen goods in the boating world's black market.
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Reef Check: Working Together for Reef Recovery 16 Reef Check founder Dr. Gregor Hodgson visits the BVI in April to raise awareness for the plight of our reefs and to help the BVI implement a plan for reef monitoring and maintenance.
Catching Up with Finian Maynard BVI windsurfing champion Finian Maynard compares himself to a major league slugger in baseball, and he's got the accolades to back it up.
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BVI Yachting D irectory Look here for the most up-to-date yacht charter and broker listings. It's a great place to start if you're looking to buy or charter a yacht in the BVI.
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SKIPPER’STIPS
Green is the New Black by David Blacklock
Environmentally responsible boat operation and marina management have become the latest fashion trend and obsession of the maritime industry. Whilst the critical gaze is often on large, motor-propelled vessels, sailing yachts are also being scrutinized as sources of pollution. Cleaning products, lubricants, fuels and other substances are all now looked at as potential toxins.
Pollution reduction is an important consideration when your boat is in and out of the water.
That gleaming hull set off by eye-blinding stainless fittings and glistening varnish generally got that way via the application of third-degree nasty stuff—the kind of product whose container is emblazoned with warnings and cautions. As a rule of thumb, if a cleaning product's container has the number of the Poison Control Centre somewhere on its label, it's not a green product. Charter yachts have the greatest challenge in trying to meet the seemingly incompatible standards of environmental purity on the one hand and starched-and-polished externals on the other. Sometimes being kind to the planet can result in a lowering of standards in the aesthetics department. So what can a responsible skipper do to keep his or her vessel in tip-top shape without terrorising the turtles?
The US Environmental Protection Agency identifies several changes a boat operator can make in an attempt to reduce pollution in the waterways.Top of the list? Throttle back from the higher speeds, followed by cutting down on unnecessary engine idling, culminating in a suggestion to buy newer and cleaner engines. All well and good, but there is still the toxic bottom paint to worry about. Sometimes it seems that a yacht is nothing but a vat of poison bobbing the happy seas—and if you've been on a difficult charter, you'll know what that means. In the end though, it's all about paying attention to the details—replace the heavy duty cleaners with white vinegar or its equivalent. Contain your leaks and spills on board the vessel. Keep your holding tanks closed when required. It's all small details, but these details count.
Sometimes, though, it can all seem futile; it's hard to see what impact changes you make will have on the larger universe. Particularly when the changes are going to mean more expense and greater effort on your part. Is it worth adding solar panels or other alternative energy sources when you've just spent thousands on a generator? How long will it take to amortise your savings? Does reducing your fossil fuel footprint mean anything when the world's population is going to add the equivalent of two more Chinas by 2050? Does it all matter? The next time you see an oil slick in Seasick Bay or plastic bottles washed up on the beach or you wonder where the dolphins all went to, you'll know the answer. YG
www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE APRIL 2010
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Provisioning
A Greener Galley
by Susie Younkle
In many ways, sailing is the ultimate green activity. How many other ways can you travel thousands of miles with almost no energy consumption related to your mode of transportation? In reality, most of us operate our diesel engines at least occasionally, use strong chemicals during boat maintenance and generate more trash than we’d prefer. In honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day this month, I’d like to share some ways I’ve found to be more eco-friendly in the galley: Reduce, reuse and recycle. There are few formal recycling programs in the Caribbean, so focus on the reduce and reuse part of the mantra Reduce food waste. Studies show that an astounding percentage of usable food is wasted. Though waste occurs in production facilities and supermarkets, households generate much of the food waste. Make a list before heading to the supermarket in order to buy an appropriate amount of food. Then be sure to monitor the contents of your refrigerator – boat fridges are notorious for food that disappears into nooks and crannies – to ensure that you use food in a timely manner. Buy locally. Fresh fruits and vegetables commonly come to mind when one thinks about buying local foods, but the BVI also produces eggs, pork, roti skins, hot sauces, breads and other bakery items. Though not as local as BVI-produced products, perishable and non-perishable foodstuffs from throughout the Caribbean are found on BVI supermarket shelves. Buying locally helps support the Caribbean economy and means less shipping distance – in essence, fewer “food miles.” Reuse those tote bags. When I first moved to the BVI, I would bring empty tote bags with me to the supermarket, just like I had done in the States. I was often met with confused expressions from the checkout staff, who were never quite sure what to do with the bags. (Would I pack them or should they pack them?) These days, RiteWay staff cheerfully pack my bags and even give me a few cents off my bill for each bag I reuse. 8
food with less packaging likely means you’re also Rethink water. Among grocery items, bottled buying healthier food. water ranks high in terms of a carbon footprint, especially considering that some of the BVI’s most Follow food disposal regulations. Lastly, observe rules popular brands of water come from Europe. If you for proper disposal of food waste. Most importantly, choose to purchase bottled water, buy gallon jugs be sure that no plastic whatsoever ends up in the from Caribbean water sources and have everyone ocean. Also be mindful of etiquette when disposing of pour water into his or her own bottle or cup. If you want to drink tap water – generally a very safe option food waste. Nothing kills the moment like having an apple core float by your goggles while snorkeling at in the BVI – you may consider having your boat’s The Indians. water tanks professionally cleaned or using filtration systems such as Britta or PUR that attach to a faucet. Once you’ve tackled your projects in the galley, go Aboard my sailboat, we had excellent success with a up on deck and enjoy the most eco-friendly and fun small camping-style water pump, though it took some activity of all – sailing! YG muscle to filter our water. We cruised for months throughout the Caribbean and only purchased bottled water once, when one of the down-island marinas had rather dubious-coloured water Sponsored by flowing from its dock hose. If you can afford it, a reverse osmosis water maker is an outstanding investment and will reduce trips to marinas to replenish fresh water supplies. Riteway Food Markets provisioning service offers a number Consider packaging. Eschew single serving packaging in favour of larger sizes (assuming the food won’t be wasted, of course) and keep readymade foods to a minimum, as they tend to use more packaging. Since there’s often an inverse relationship between quantity of packaging and healthiness of food, buying
APRIL 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
of services to help your visit to the British Virgin Islands be a fuss-free, enjoyable experience. Time is of the essence for you and our 20 plus years' experience in provisioning has enabled us to tailor our services to suit the needs of all concerned by providing a wide selection of choice foods, beverages, liquor and dry products. So, whether it is your private getaway schooner, or a Super Mega yacht, each order, no matter how large or small, is given the same amount of detailed attention and delivered directly to you. After all, it's the Riteway way of doing business!
is not
when
Trash
by Traci O'Dea
Of course maybe this is wrong, But don’t believe it: a happiness exists, All right, I have seen it for myself, Touched it, touched the woman Who with her daughter together keep Ammonia in Mason jars by the side window. Charlotte McDevitt proposes ways to reuse glass.
−Alberto Ríos, from “Mason Jars by the Window”
When I was growing up, my mom never threw away glass jars. Our pantry had a shelf full of empty, clean jars of every size and shape—jars that had once contained spaghetti sauce, artichokes or jam—that we reused to hold everything from leftover soup, homemade trail mix and loose tea to powdered laundry detergent, extra buttons, and cotton balls. In the BVI, reusing glass jars is practical because it keeps the otherwise ubiquitous humidity and insects out of perishables. Another advantage to using glass instead of plastic containers for food storage is that no chemicals leach into food from glass, whereas chemicals from plastic containers can end up in our bodies. Glass jars can also be used as bedside water decanters—cups without any covering are potential mosquito breeding sites. Gross. Nobody wants to drink mosquito larvae. But reusing jars isn’t going to solve the problem of the tonnes of glass waste received at the Pockwood Pond incinerator each year. According to the waste hierarchy, consumers should consider reusing a product before recycling it, and Charlotte McDevitt, director of Green VI, seeks methods to reuse and recycle glass waste in the BVI. Her goal is to have glass entirely removed from the BVI’s waste stream. According to McDevitt’s “Glass Project Implementation: Marina Strategy,” the problem with incinerating glass is that tiny bits of glass melt and stick to the sides of the incinerator, and then the incinerator must be shut down for twenty days each year when the Solid Waste Department’s staff manually chips glass from the walls, exposing them to dangerous toxins and causing a waste backup at the dump. The first phase in Green VI’s plan to remove glass from the waste stream involves targeting the marinas. Using the marinas as a starting point for the glass recycling project makes sense because most charter visitors come from countries where recycling programmes or container deposit laws have been in place for years. Denmark, for example, produces 98% refillable bottles with 98% of the population taking their bottles back to be reused, according to Heather Rogers, director of the film Gone Tomorrow: The Hidden Life of Garbage. When visitors from abroad come to the BVI, they are often disappointed that the territory does not offer the recycling option. With the introduction of the bins at the marinas, the BVI will start to build a greener reputation. While Ms. McDevitt’s immediate priority seems to be keeping glass out of the incinerator, she is concerned about what to do with
the glass once it’s collected from the marinas. “I want to show that glass waste is a resource,” Ms. McDevitt said at a meeting about the marina pilot project. She’d ultimately like to see a glass furnace built in the territory and hire a glassblower to train apprentices here how to use it. This project could spark a new industry for the BVI and a unique, local art. The glassblowers could produce “functional as well as artsy things—tiles, fittings for lights,” she added. She also mentioned other uses for the glass: “glass and concrete applications around piping, base road, roads and sidewalks, and special concrete finishes, but that’s more of an engineering project.” She continued, “We’re exploring on-island applications and partnering with neighbouring islands to reduce shipping costs for recyclables.” According to The Small Islands Voice, the Bequia Tourism Association in St Vincent and the Grenadines asked the Bequia Community High School’s Sandwatch chapter to “develop the idea of using garbage to collect garbage.” Combining crushed glass and cement, the group created a prototype garbage bin. The BVI could do the same thing. Instead of buying recycling bins, bins that will eventually become garbage themselves, attractive bins could be constructed using the crushed glass that’s already collected. The June 2009 issue of Property Guide featured another way to use cullet. A company in California fabricates eye-catching, durable countertops from crushed, post-consumer glass. Each 9’x5’ countertop reuses approximately 550 pounds of glass (about 1,000 glass bottles). That same idea can be employed for terrazzo flooring. These environmentally sustainable floors can now be composed from glass aggregate and cement or epoxy. Once pressed and polished, terrazzo surfaces sparkle and gleam. My hometown, Baltimore, Maryland, has a few roads paved with glassphalt—a hot-mix asphalt where a percentage of the rock or sand aggregate is replaced by crushed glass. A former mayor wanted all the city streets paved with the substance, which twinkles as if sprinkled with gemstones, as part of the city’s renaissance in the 1970s, but he came up against problems with glass supply. A March 2000 City Paper article titled “All That Glitters is Not Road,” quotes Brian Dolan, president of the Maryland Asphalt Association: “’Supply of fresh glass, that's the largest problem...There used to be a lot of milk bottles and soda bottles. The sources aren't readily available today as they once were.’ ” The BVI, it seems, has plenty of glass to pave the roads. And all the sparkling, glass-infused surfaces—from garbage bins to countertops to roads would complement the glittering sea. YG
www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE APRIL 2010
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by Owen Waters
I was recently sailing with friends on a jolly up to North Sound. The guys bought the boat off a couple who had decided to take time away from the rat race to cruise for a year around the Caribbean and ended up in the BVI. After their year, they sold the boat— lock, stock and dinghy and about as ready to go as you can imagine. It’s a cruiser’s dream, and they passed it on. The couple then went back into the rat race with a sum of money, having avoided the storm of the recession. The boat itself needs very little work, it’s a “maybe, when we’re ready we’ll upgrade” type of boat.The yacht is owned by my buddies, Dan and Andrew— it’s their getaway from the rat race.They sail it with their buddies, and it is great fun. Unfortunately, someone stole their brand new dinghy which is worth around $6000. It is unlikely to be found or resold for the amount it is worth.The theft is part of a whole crime ring that revolves around a black market for stolen goods in yachting. Those that buy the goods make it profitable for the thieves. Whilst we were out sailing and having fun, the guys talked about redoing the deck and upgrading sails and a haul out to redo the bottom. It’s going to be a while, though, because a Lock your boat new dinghy is pretty much a necessity. So, it will be done help the police later when it seems to be last minute or absolutely necessary. I hear talk amongst the charter industry and yards that things are not as good as they were in yesteryear, it’s a recession in recovery, and charters are booked last minute. My buddies can’t give the yard work because someone stole their dinghy. 10
Every time someone steals a winch handle, a fender, a dinghy or strips electronics, it has a knock-on effect. It’s a recession, and not all boat owners are millionaires that can replace items immediately and keep a chandlery or yard in business. Buying boat equipment for less money on the black market hurts everyone in the boating business, except the thieves. Recently the police have been increasing measures to completely eliminate crime at sea by destroying the stolen goods market.The BVI has a good reputation for zero tolerance when enforced. It’s April; it’s Spring Regatta, and boats have been hauled out and had the makeovers they need to be on the water in pristine condition. Normally, we would talk about an interesting product in Yard Talk, but we are taking the opportunity to tell you to be careful and play your part. Don’t let the thieves take advantage. Lock your
and protect your assets, and drive out the black market. boat and protect your assets, and help the police drive out the black market. If you don’t, then it will never end, and we are happy to say that in the following months we will be giving you up-to-date information on the police and charter company efforts to end crime. For now, lock it up and lock it again. YG
APRIL 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
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The speed champion considers himself a "slugger." Photo courtesy of Finian Maynard.
by Owen Waters
Catching Up with Finian Maynard
BVI International Windsurfing Legend We are pretty happy to see windsurfing at the BVI Spring Regatta. Especially me, I am pretty stoked. It’s only natural that there are so many people that are windsurfers sailing on the boats because the two sports are so closely related. The last time I met up with then world record holder for the fastest sailing craft on the water Finian Maynard, we spoke about the core of a champion. I recently caught up with him again at Trellis on the water, and I mean I literally had to catch up with him. Finian is a giant guy, and he has got a huge drive. Meeting up for a session, I am feeling like Mad Max in the Thunderdome though I know this is a rare chance to sail with one of the world’s best. Finian was back with his own family to see his family and friends and take a break from the world tour. He has been doing well, pretty awesome, actually, and whilst we crank our own preferred craft through the boats at Trellis Bay onto a slalom drag into the Channel, the guy is smiling, and we are juicing up the wind to let it drive its power through body into the boards and translate into speed. The guy is fast and has an incredible style of bearing off for maximum speed and turning apparent wind back on his favor and knowing when to do it. I always considered it a massive risk, coming from wave sailing where the goal is never to give away downwind till on the wave, but it works, and the beauty is that there is no moment that things are not fast and planing. As Finian tells me , “The trick is in no way to let anyone ever get an edge on you or pressure you; it may take a couple of gybes or moves to assert dominance, but once it’s established that you are going for it, you are already gunning for your own race.” We are on giant sails, and it’s a giant day, again, I say the guy is a speed master. He is on fullcarbon production RRD boards and Gaastra rigs (and now involved in RRD development and production),
and I am on the lesser, but it is rabbit and hare the whole session, old school and grit and grin. His style is precise and casual. Sailing alongside is fun, Finian’s style is tuned, and at the end of the session, I am whipped, learned and fresh. Days later, we catch up in town to chat about the BVI representative on the world tour. He talks of how the BVI used to have 150 windsurfers and that there are less now. “Not many athletes in watersports here, Owen, and laid back doesn’t cut it competing against the best, but I am still very proud to have honed my skills in BVI waters throughout my childhood before tackling the world stage.” As I wrote before, the guy has major commitment. Last year was an incredible year for him, ending up second in the overall slalom ranking on the world tour. “Consider me a slugger. Baseball would be the best analogy as it is big guys in slalom keeping at it to hit the home run.” As to speed, the former record breaker and current speed world champion now dukes in speed competitions where guys battle it out together at the same time with the conditions at hand. Finian is going for the top spot on the tour for slalom in 2010, and as we talk, he tells me of his trip heading back to Tuscany where the boards he uses are designed and fabricated
in 3-D. “From there, I will do a triangle of training between Italy, Croatia and France and being on the road between gives me time to think and unwind.” Next, on April 16th is the Mondial du Vent event in Leucate, France, an invitational speed challenge of ten kite boarders and ten windsurfers on 250m speed courses and 10k long distances to battle it out. He is confident his sport will win and that he will be championing it as ever. As to kite boarding recently claiming a speed record, he smiles, “Well, that’s good but it was done in 10cm of water which bent all the rules, very little drag to deal with and is kiting sailing? It’s kiting.” Good for you slugger, keep it up from everyone at Yacht Guide and the BVI. YG
Keeping the edge on.
www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE APRIL 2010
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BVI Spring Regatta by Owen Waters
Full hike and time to race. All photos courtesy of BVI Spring Regatta.
The BVI Spring Regatta has no doubt grown stronger each year.This year, the committee is more than happy to announce several new initiatives, notably the green initiative, the International Yacht Club Challenge, and the return or full force of windsurfing class, under the title BVI Windsurfing Championships. all involved, “It’s positive examples we are giving to Trash is a problem the world round, and it’s a everyone, and whatever anyone can do to be mindful problem in the BVI. Add thousands of thirsty sailors of the environment. It’s a win for everyone.” and partygoers, liquid and glass bottles, and you As for the sailing, the initiatives are growing have the scenario. This is an island where everything stronger to give more diversity and scope to the is shipped or flown in, and the problem is how to regatta. Windsurfing was brought in to give local get it off or recycled on island. In 2009, the Spring sailors more competition in their own backyard and Regatta achieved its first Clean Regatta award of with the help of local windsurfer Owen Waters, a the Silver Certificate, by Sailors for the Sea, the new idea was born for one of the toughest races first for any regatta worldwide on the basis of its under the umbrella of achievements in recycling the regatta, “We wanted trash and eliminating overuse the initiatives are growing something unique. Races of plastic—providing refill stronger to give more diversity in windsurfing are always bottles and refill water tough, and we were aiming stations for everyone. and scope to the regatta. for a complete diversity of Skippers bags are filled with racing to encourage any advice on where to find type of board or level. When I learned to windsurf, biodegradable cleaning products, and cleaning of the equipment was terrible, but the races themselves hulls within the marina has been banned. This year were scorching and long, and we still managed, often the goal is higher, and the Spring Regatta enlisted without a harness.” Races have been organized from the help of local company Green Technology (BVI) course racing in the North Sound, around islands Ltd. to provide biodegradable containers and cups. and a huge leg from North Sound to Nanny Cay. This Even when burned, the products give off no toxic year, it is the BVI Championship, next year we have chemicals into the air. Judy Petz, spokesperson for the applied for the Caribbean Championships under the BVI Spring Regatta sees the benefit of the efforts to 12
APRIL 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
Team LIME on their IC24.
same format. Anyone taking part in any of those races is a champion themselves, truly earned. New also is the International Yacht Club Challenge (IYCC), a new class where teams from worldwide yacht clubs compete for the prestige of a winning team. An invitation from the Commodore of the Royal BVI Yacht Club has been sent to yacht clubs around the world to bring their team to the BVI Spring Regatta to race against other yacht club teams from around the world. This has been endorsed by the BVI Tourist Board and Sunsail Yacht Charters who are donating a week charter to the winner of the prestigious title. Simon Woods, Commodore of the Royal BVI Yacht Club is particularly excited for this event. “I am rooting for the home team,” he says, “but keen to mix it up.” The concept of the Challenge is to offer yacht clubs around the world the opportunity to race against other yacht clubs in a one-design format. Entertainment is always a major factor. This year Quito Rymer is playing and local DJ party promoters Bounce are on hand to drive up the crowd. Known for their infamous dance parties, the tunes go nonstop and enlist exciting sounds alongside themed lighting. In addition to the countless food and drink Vvendors, Nanny Cay hosts an excellent beach venue by day and night where after dark the mood swings to partying and dancing on the sand. As the regatta celebrates its 39th year, the committee is still elated that each year is adding firsts for themselves, increasing the range of disciplines and striving towards a green racing week. We hope you have a blast! YG
Monday March 29 Registration (NC) Welcome Party at Peg Leg’s (NC)
noon - 6pm 6pm - until
Tuesday March 30 Bitter End Cup (NC to BE) Award Ceremony (BE)
10am 6pm
Wednesday April 31 Nations Cup Race/Layday (BR)
All Day
Thursday April 1 - Sunday April 4 Apparel & Bar Tickets for Sale Bar Opens Food & Souvenir Vendors
Nanny Cay 2pm - 11pm 2pm 3pm - 10:30pm
Thursday April 1 Nanny Cay Cup (BE to NC) Spring Regatta Registration Annual Mount Gay Welcome Party Nanny Cay Cup Awards Ceremony Music by MJ Blues
10am noon - 6pm 5:30pm - 7pm 6pm 8pm - until
Friday April 2 Racing Day 1 Music by CP-4
10am 8pm - until
Saturday April 3 Racing Day 2 HIHO Fashion Show Music by Quito & The Edge
10am 5:30pm - 6:30pm 8pm - until
Sunday April 4 Sunrise Service Final Racing Day Kids Easter Egg Hunt Adult Easter Egg Hunt Awards Ceremony Music by Bounce
6:30am 10am 11am 3:30pm 5:30pm 8pm - until
www.bvispringregatta.org | info@bvispringregatta.org 284-545-0388 or 284-541-6732
Laser racing in the North Sound. www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE APRIL 2010
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EDGE
by David Blacklock
The Mechanics of Quantum
A Peek Behind the Scenes at a Top Sail Loft
In a quest to find out what makes the loft tick, YG sat down with Quantum's BVI chief, Kevin Wrigley, who gave us a look at the philosophy and practices of sailmaking, Quantum-style. The technology of sailmaking is a neverending, evolving process. We have a research partner at the University of Maryland, in the Department of Aerospace Engineering. It's one of the few facilities where they have a wind tunnel for testing, computer modeling and so forth. We have patents on our own product lines. Now there are a lot of customers, but it's not as big as, say, the auto industry, so you're constantly fighting to make money because it's not one of the most profitable businesses to be in. It's more of a lifestyle career than a get-rich-quick career. But competition is pretty tough, which is why a lot of us sort of banded together. Quantum sails originally grew out of Sobstad Sails. There are a lot of smaller sailmakers out there that stay locally active, too, as well as the internet guys in Hong Kong or wherever. But they're not using the high-end fabrics—they don't have the research and development teams that we do. If it's a bad cut, you're stuck with it. The service side of it, if the sail comes and it doesn't fit—too long, too short—the design shape is all wrong, you're kind of at a loose end as to where to get it waranteed or fixed. Whereas with the bigger lofts, like ourselves, everything we sell, of course, we guarantee and warrantee. And because we're larger and have
easy to repair no matter where you are in the world; facilities around the world, you can always get it fixed. you don't need any special materials to do it. Some If your sails are poorly cut, too much draft say, then of the membrane-type sails need special machinery you're just heeling and making lots of leeway. Every to fix them. We have a fabric which we've made half a knot is half a knot, and it can be another day totally in-house with double side adhesive under high you're at sea or it's more difficult to run away from pressure—these fabrics are working out really well. a storm or get back to the harbour before dusk, it all We're having really good success on the cruising side, plays a part. Plus the cheaper fabrics will stretch and the megayacht side and, of course, the racing side. As won't last as long as the higher-end fabrics. to durability, we haven't had any sails come back to We don't manufacture here, but we do service here. Pretty much all our construction is in South Africa, us, which is good. We guarantee against de-lamination. With the new adhesives that are available to us now, where there are advantages in terms of labour cost. and using tremendous pressure, we're finding that Plus, it's a really good location to distribute from. KLM, the sails are staying which is the airline we together and lasting. use, flies from Cape While Quantum Group tends towards Great for roller-furling Town to Holland, which systems for Genoas is our distribution point the racing sailboat side, our cruising side and for in-mast or infor Europe. Also, we've is becoming more and more strong. boom furling systems got a big superyacht on mainsails. We're loft in Holland where not having any problems with them standing up. we do sails for the big boats. And there are direct One of the drawbacks of any laminate sail is mildew flights to the US which we use as well. We've shipped from when they get put away wet. Spores start to sails from South Africa to Fiji and other locations which grow, and they get some mildew in the sail and it's are all easily reached from there. A lot of our performance cruising products and our very difficult to get out. It's cosmetic—it doesn't damage the sail at all. But if you take care of your sails racing products are made in South Africa or Malaysia. and put them away dry at the end of your sailing Those are one-piece membrane load-cut type sails. Charter boats and people who are cruising, of course, season or your cruise you shouldn't have a problem. The laminating process has evolved along with the mostly prefer Dacron because it lasts forever, and it's
This is racing! All photos courtesy of Quantum
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UPCOMING RACES BVI Sailing Festival 29 Mar - 1 Apr BVI Spring Regatta 2 - 4 Apr Virgin Queen Pizza Pursuit Race 25 Apr BVI Dinghy Championships 1 - 2 May Quantum Sails IC24 International Regatta 12 - 13 Jun Lowell Wheatley Anegada Pursuit Race 26 Jun Firecracker (WEYC race) 3 Jul Premier’s Cup 10 - 11 Jul Manhattan Yacht Club Trophy Race 18 Jul Back to Schools Regatta 4 - 5 Sep Open Sail to Norman Island 25 Sep Pete Sheals Match Racing 2 - 3 Oct Willy-T Virgins Cup Race 9 Oct BVI Schools Regatta 30 - 31 Oct Drakes Channel Treasure Hunt 6 Nov Round Tortola Race 20 Nov O'Neal & Mundy Commodores Cup & Prizes 18 Dec
research we are doing in the US and Malaysia and SA. The stuff's working together really well. In terms of trends, all the big sailmakers are trying to go in-house with their product to try to save money. A lot of the polyester and woven fabrics are becoming much better than they were 5-10 years ago which is great—it's not stretching and losing its shape as quick as it used to. It's not as expensive as it was either, so it's more affordable for the offshore cruiser, and you’re getting some good performance out of the fabric. We guarantee our Fusion products against de-lamination. We guarantee our Dacron for four years. Every year we like to see the sail and service it. On a busy charter boat, like the Moorings' boats, they're getting say five or six years out of a sail. Each year being the equivalent of five years of your average cruiser. We build all the sails for all of the catamarans that are built in South Africa that come over to the Moorings. That's great for the company—it gets our name out and that really helps. It's a good market to test in as well because your average charterer doesn't have a lot of experience on big boats so the sails take quite a beating—flogging, chafing up against the rig and so on. While Quantum Group tends towards the racing sailboat side, our cruising side is becoming more and more strong. Here in the BVI, our niche is mainly in the charter boats and the cruising boats. Through February, March and April, we see a lot of racing boats passing through—with Antigua, the Heineken and BVI Spring Regattas, so we do get quite a few repairs,
and we sell a few sails for the race boats and the local BVI-based boats as well. But our big seller is Dacron and woven products in to the charter industry and the cruising fleet. The BVI draws a group of people that haven't been hurt so much by the recession in the economy. It's an expensive destination to get to. People need to get their sails fixed, they need to get their canvas redone. The sun is such an element to the boats that canvas is always a big seller as well. Lots of awnings, lots of winch covers, hatch covers. We haven't had to lay anybody off over the past year, and this season since November it's been very, very busy. Sometimes it's better to have that extra person rather than too few because then you can pick up bigger projects, and that really helps. Plus, because we take out the middleman, the manufacturer of the fabric, and do it all in-house, it's cheaper to the customer. It's an ever-changing industry. From week to week, day to day, year to year, everything changes—new materials, new technology— everything's getting lighter and stronger. Over the last year, we saw a lot more people repair their sails and their canvas than there were replacing them—trying to get through another year. It's all work and service at the end of the day—and service is a big part of making money. On the new sails side there's not as much profit. But once you have a new customer for your sails, you typically have that customer for as long as they're in the region for their sails, their repairs, their canvas. Once you're in the door, it's a good thing. YG
And if that's not enough, check out the forum on www.IC24.org for more weekly beercan racing action right off the southern end of Nanny Cay. IC24s are the new fad in racing and spreading fast to the rest of the Caribbean and North America.
SAIL DESIGN GROUP
Clean, renewable fuel FREE with every sail! Largest loft in the BVI Full sales and service loft Convenient location New canvas and canvas repair Pick up and drop off
www.quantumsails.com Located near the entrance of Nanny Cay t. 284 494 1124
l
e. kwrigley@quantumsails.com
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Reef Check
Working Together for Reef Recovery
This month, marine ecologist Dr. Gregor Hodgson, founder of the Reef Check Foundation, will visit the territory to assist Reef Check BVI, the Tourist Board, Conservation and Fisheries Department and the National Parks Trust in their efforts to raise awareness about surveying and maintaining the health of our reefs. During his stay in the BVI, Dr. Hodgson will lead a workshop, speak with government officials, host an assembly at Elmore Stoutt High School, establish EcoDiver training and examine our reefs from above and below the sea. Reef Check conducted the first-ever global surveys of coral reefs in 1997. According to the Reef Check website, the information culled on that first survey confirmed the organization’s suspicions that the earth’s coral reefs “were in crisis due to overfishing, illegal fishing and pollution.” The results from those first surveys “shocked many marine biologists who had not realized the extent of the human impacts on reefs.” The BVI has been involved in Reef Check since those first surveys, and the team of volunteers here provided valuable data about our reef systems. Using data collected from the BVI and over 80 other countries around the world, Reef Check published its five-year report, The Global Reef Crisis:Trends and Solutions. Based on the report’s conclusions, “no reef in the world...remained untouched by human impacts,” but research in the report also shows that “with proper monitoring, management and protection, coral reefs can recover.” When I spoke with Dr. Hodgson, he said that Reef Check’s aim for every island country and territory is for them to have their own coral reef management and monitoring program in place. “NGOs, government and the private sector need to work together every year to check on the health of the coral reefs and the potential problems and present them to a person in charge to try to address whatever problems may
come up,” he said. While in the BVI, Dr. Hodgson wants to determine where the BVI is in the process of building to “this ideal goal of monitoring and management and how the Reef Check program in the BVI can be enhanced to reach that goal.” To meet that goal, Dr. Hodgson asserted that it’s important for the BVI to increase the number of Reef Check survey sites. “Four sites on each island,” he said. “That’s a starting point.” But first the BVI needs to determine what our concerns are and design a monitoring plan for the territory. He cites Hong Kong as being an excellent example of how the community has joined together for this cause. Different organizations have teams that monitor each survey site. “Hong Kong has 30 teams,” Dr. Hodgson said. “The police department has a team. The fire department has a team. Universities. Dive Shops.” The BVI could implement a similar program. I can imagine teams with diving enthusiasts from VISAR, Charter Yacht Society, Necker Island, Caribbean Realty, HLSCC, BVI Tourist Board, the rotary clubs, and others being responsible for their own Reef Check survey site. With this kind of focus, each team would be familiar with the specific site that they would visit every year, so they would be aware of changes, irregularities, concerns or improvements to their spot. With Dr. Hodgson’s help, Reef Check BVI and its partners should be able to initialize a viable system to monitor and manage the reefs of the BVI. For more information on Reef Check BVI, email reefcheckbvi@gmail.com. YG
by Traci O'Dea
Dr. Gregor Hodgson leading a training workshop in Phuket, Thailand.
Technology simplified
Reef Check volunteers surveying BVI reefs.
call for support
1.284.494.9667 16
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4sighttch.com
BVI Yachting Directory RT
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YACHT CHARTERS & BROKERS
DIVING & ANGLING Dive Tortola (RT)
284-494-9200
MARINAS & YACHT CLUBS Nanny Cay Marina & Hotel (NC) 284-494-2512 Royal BVI Yacht Club (RT)
284-494-3286
Manuel Reef (SCB)
284-495-2066
REPAIRS & SUPPLIES Doyle Sailmakers BVI (RT)
284-494-2569
Marine Depot (BVI) Inc (RT)
284-494-0098
Quantum Sails (BVI) Ltd. (NC)
284-494-1124
123hulls.com (RT) 284-499-0591 est. 2007 | Sells Boats: Yes Charters Boats: No Brand(s): Non-Specific Year Make: Non-Specific Type(s): Non-Specific Number of brokers: 3
bvicrewedyachts.com (RT) 284-494-6017 Representing the finest selection of luxury crewed charter yachts in the BVI.
RESTAURANTS & PUBS Pisces Restaurant (SH)
284-543-6724
Jolly Roger (WE)
284-495-4559
Want to see your business listed? Choose either a single line or 50-word description with logo, and send your request to info@alookingglass.com
barecats@surfbvi.com (EE) 284-495-1979 est. 1993 | Fleet size: 10 Sells boats: No Charters Boats: Yes Brand(s): Fontaine Pajot, Lagoon, Leopards, Island Spirit, Robertson & Caine, Privilege, Voyages Year Make: 1997-2005 Type(s): Catamarans
BVI Yacht Charters (NC)
284-494-4289
Charterport (RT)
284-494-7955
charteryachtsales.com (RT) 284-494-4868 est. 1986 | Fleet size: 46 Sells Boats: Yes Charters Boats: Yes Brand(s): Beneteau, Jeanneau, Lagoon, Leopard, Norseman, Island Spirit, Athena, Hunter Year Make: 1996-2004 Type(s): Sailboat Cats and Monohulls
Double D Charters (VG)
284-499-2479
Footloose (RT)
284-494-0528
horizonyachtcharters.com (NC) 284-494-8787 est. 1998 | Fleet size: 36 Sells Boats: Yes Charters Boats: Yes Brand(s): Bavaria, Jeanneu, Beneteau, Fontaine Pajot, Lagoon Year Make: 2002-2009 Type(s): Sailboat Cats and Monohulls
patouche.com (TB) 284-494-6300 est. 1991 | Fleet size: 6 Sells Boats: No Charters Boats: Yes Brand(s): Peter Spronk, Sea Ray, Privilege, Beneteau Year Make: 1976-2006 Type(s): Sail & Power Cats & Monohulls
pvc@provalorcharters.com (EE) 284-495-1931 est. 1993 | Fleet size: 16 Sells Boats: Yes Charters Boats: Yes Year Make: 1993 – 2006 Brand(s): Beneteau, Jeanneau, Fountaine Pajot power and sail, Lagoon Type(s): Sail & Power Cats and Monohulls
Racing in Paradise (NC)
284-494-6781
Sail Bravura (RT)
284-443-2586
Southern Trades (RT)
284-494-8003
Sunsail (EE)
888-416-8420
The Moorings (RT)
888-416-8420
TMM (RR)
800-633-0155
Tortola Yacht Sales (RT)
284-494-2124
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