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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 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 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
On the Cover: Serendipity Photo courtesy of Tom Zydler.
letter from the editor Welcome to Yacht Guide's February issue. Welcome to BVI Yacht Guide and our first issue as we move forward into 2010. Happy New Year, and if you are sailing in the Sweethearts Regatta in Tortola’s West End, good luck and good racing to you. Since the beginning of Yacht Guide, we have diversified into many aspects of the yachting world we know. I am delighted that we can now place “Women on the Water” as a cover feature. We are also pleased that we can encompass most aspects of sailing from as many viewpoints as we can find. In this issue, you will read tips on hauling out, cooking afloat, the America's Cup and information about our reefs. Recently, those of us who are completely mobile competed in a Royal BVI Yacht Club race on our favored sailing crafts—an IC24 for Nick and Colin and a windsurfer for me. It was good to see the racing scene come to life again. I am pleased to introduce our IT column to give more scope to the modern day challenges of living and working aboard. Our editor David can vouch for constant problems whilst out there—on two occasions I feared assignments coming in via messages in a bottle, and as we prayed for wind and current to reach the deadline, his laptop suddenly righted itself. We are well into the season, and as Colin and I drove down from Road Town one afternoon to venture on a surf experiment in Virgin Gorda, we counted 60 charter boats in the view from Prospect Reef to Nanny Cay. That is a lot of round-the-island fun and also business, which spells good news for our yachting industry and economy. Whether you are visiting, returning or heading out on the water for the day, enjoy each moment, and we hope you enjoy our magazine whether you are at sea or want to be. A big thank you to our sponsors and our readers. This month, I am pleased to tell you our Guide is also available over the internet globally in an electronic-view format with ever-increasing hits. In the next couple months, we are looking forward to the regatta season and the jazzed mix-up of kite jam, windsurfing and sailing in the BVI Spring Regatta and more information about our two oceans above and below and various adventures in between. See you on the water.
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.
Owen Waters
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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FEBRUARY 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
Owen Waters
Managing Editor Owen Waters :: owen@alookingglass.com
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9 Provisioning: Table for Two Under the Stars
11
12 women on the water: Trish Baily
reef Check indicator Species: Moray Eel
14 Shoreside review: Brisani's at the Reef
W H AT ' S I N S I D E ? Skipper’s Tips: Don't Lose the Plot 8 The value of using the chart plotter is elucidated by our skipper who also offers readers a clever way to earn a free meal.
Shoreside Review: Brisani’s at the reef 14 Tucked away in Prospect Reef, Brisani’s serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and fresh-juice cocktails in innovative combinations using local ingredients.
Provisioning: Table for Two Under the Stars Chef Susie recommends al freso dining for a Valentine’s Day meal on the water. Her recipe for Molten Chocolate Cakes with Caribbean Crème Liqueur could easily woo the saltiest skipper.
EDGE: america’s Cup inspires young racers 15 Coach Chris uses the excitement of the America's Cup to inspire his young sailors to improve their on-the-water skills.
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Yard Talk: Slings and arrows—avoiding a Nuclear Haul-out 10 To avoid possible damage or costs, a responsible boat owner might want to be present when a haul-out takes place instead of letting the boatyard tend to the process.
IT at Sea: windows Small Business Server 16 A charter yacht is a floating small business. Our IT expert suggests using Windows Small Business Server as a management tool for running the business aspects of the yacht. We'll leave the sailing to you.
Reef Check Indicator Species: Moray Eel 11 This wide-eyed, jagged-toothed creature has some interesting habits that often make it easy to overlook during underwater surveys.
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.
Women on the Water:Trish Ba ily 12 Serendipity captain Trish Baily is a knowledgeable, eco-conscious skipper with a passion for the sea that goes below the surface.
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SKIPPER’STIPS
Don't Lose the Plot by David Blacklock
The chart plotter is one of the most underutilised tools the skipper has at his/her disposal. Not only will it show you where you are, if properly calibrated, but it can show where you have been, where you are going to, and most important, where you are relative to a known position.This last aspect is very useful when you are attempting to carry your plotter data onto a paper chart (which every decent navigator does as a matter of course, right?). First, set up a position at a point on the chart— many sailors use the centre of a compass rose on the chart. Transfer this position to the plotter by calculating the latitude/longitude data on the chart. Then set up a GPS waypoint on the electronic chart to correspond with the centre of the compass rose. This way, when underway, you can take a quick read off the electronic chart, which might indicate that you are, say, 3.5 miles away from your waypoint, at a bearing of 180 degrees (true or magnetic, you get to choose). It's not hard to draw this off on your paper chart and thereby record an electronic fix every hour or so.
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It's essential when taking a charter yacht to purge the electronic chart plotter of all waypoints, routes and go-tos that might be entered by other sailors. This way you won't be confused later. Many sailors don't bother to name their waypoints, so they are entered as WP1, WP2, etc.—which is no use unless you fully know what they mean. Equally, an entry such as “Anegada” tells you nothing unless you know where in Anegada the waypoint was set. You don't want to follow a heading to such a waypoint thinking it'll take you to the Channel entrance outside of Setting Point when it really denotes the second mooring ball in the first row off the Anegada Reef Hotel. Another useful attribute of the electronic chart plotter is its ability to help settle issues of International Law. See the accompanying photo showing the screen for Guantanamo Bay. The chart clearly reads “Cuban Territory Illegally Occupied by the USA.” This information has helped me settle a few arguments and, once, won me a free dinner. It should be worth a drink or two on your boat if you can properly foment the discussion. YG
FEBRUARY 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
Provisioning
by Susie Younkle
Table for Two Under the Stars
Chocolate desserts sweeten Valentine's Day.
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Love is in the air as Valentine’s Day approaches on February 14.This month’s Yacht Guide provisioning column is mainly for the gentleman, especially if your significant other tends to do most of the cooking in your household or on your boat. Many men feel pressure to pull out all the stops to create a memorable evening on Valentine’s Day, and dining out at a special restaurant is usually the plan.You can attempt to reserve a prime table at an expensive restaurant crowded with other couples, or you can surprise your sweetie by giving the gift of your time (and perhaps even your cooking talent) and treating her to a stellar homemade dinner. If you’re lucky enough to be on a yacht in a secluded BVI anchorage with someone special, you will surely have one of the world’s most romantic and intimate settings for staying “in” on Valentine’s Day. The thought of organizing a Valentine’s dinner may be overwhelming if the kitchen is largely uncharted territory for you. The secret is to have a dinner that looks impressive but is easy to execute based on your cooking ability and time constraints. Focus on topquality ingredients, and forget the fancy preparations. Always err on the side of simplicity as assembling a meal usually takes longer than anticipated. Lastly, focus your showmanship on one element of the meal—in this case, a chocolate dessert. Uncork a festive bottle of champagne and start your meal with assorted olives, gourmet cheeses, crackers and pâté. Prepare a light salad with the freshest lettuce, fruity olive oil and high quality balsamic vinegar. Follow with grilled tenderloin or fish and roasted potatoes with herb butter. Save room for decadent chocolate cake. Few foods elicit as many emotions as chocolate: celebration, romance and indulgence. Women, in particular, tend to have a love affair with chocolate.Though science doesn’t support the widespread perception of chocolate as an aphrodisiac, there’s no denying the pleasure derived from eating chocolate, so what better way to end your Valentine’s Day dinner?
Cap your meal off with the pièce de résistance: individual homemade molten chocolate cakes with Caribbean crème liqueur.This dessert is popular in restaurants, but it’s surprisingly easy to make at home, even if your home is a boat. After dinner, turn out the lights to enjoy some stargazing together, and thank your lucky stars for a wonderful evening with the one you love. Molten Chocolate Cakes with Caribbean Crème Liqueur • Butter and cocoa powder for preparing baking dishes • 1/4 C butter • 2 oz best quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped • 1 egg • 3 Tbsp crème liqueur (such as Cruzan Rum Cream or Ponche Kuba) • 2 Tbsp sugar • Pinch of salt • 3 Tbsp flour • Powdered sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Generously butter two small (approximately 6 oz) custard cups or ovenproof bowls. Sprinkle with cocoa powder then shake out excess cocoa. Combine butter and chocolate in a small saucepan and heat slowly over low heat or microwave on low until melted. Cool slightly. To the chocolate mixture, add the egg, liqueur, sugar and salt, mixing well. Add flour and stir just until combined. Divide batter between prepared custard cups. [At this point, cakes can be refrigerated for up to one day. Bring to room temperature before baking.] Bake for about 10 minutes or until cakes are just set and a crust begins to form on the top. Let stand for 2 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen. Carefully invert cakes onto plates. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Serves two. Note: The molten center of the cakes will be slightly undercooked. If undercooked egg is a concern, a pasteurized egg product such as EggBeaters can be substituted for the egg. YG
www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE FEBRUARY 2010
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SLiNgS aND arrowS Avoiding a Nuclear Haul-out by David Blacklock
Of all the inevitabilities of life, Death and Taxes get the most attention. A close third must be Haul-outs. Essential to the life of just about every boat, the haul-out is the time for repairs and refurbishment to the underwater bits; painting and checking through-hulls and gear. Most boatyards are well equipped to handle most boats, and it is often tempting to leave all the planning and execution to the yard staff. Some temptations are best resisted—this is one of them.The prudent sailor will prepare his boat and make a plan for blocking it when on the hard. boat lifted. If the slings are not placed correctly, or if Failure to get involved in the details of the there is some peculiarity about the way your boat haul-out can have serious consequences—i is constructed, there may be issues such as crushed once had my 30-foot C + C hauled out in rubrails, stanchions or similar overhanging fixtures. New Jersey. i was present for the lifting out— Make sure the lift operator knows about any possible the yacht was placed in slings and raised up problems of that nature. If your boat doesn't have in the Travelift, pressure-washed and then marks indicating where slings should be applied— to be placed on jackstands and blocks.The these are usually in way of the interior bulkheads— lifting took longer than expected, and i had then you must provide some guidance. to leave the yard guys to block the boat and A second problem area is when the vessel is adjust jackstands. placed on blocks and stands. If it's a short haul-out, I later learned from another boat owner that the then the boat may be supported just by jackstands. Travelift operator had made a small error, and my This is not ideal as the stands create pressure boat had slipped a few feet and landed hard onto points on the hull or can one of the stands. I saw that force a breach in the something was up when I I was unable to prove seals around hull fixtures, next came to my boat as negligence since I hadn't been as happened with my there seemed to be some present when the damage was boat. Or, as is increasingly deformation to the hull done...an expensive lesson. common, glassed windows around one of the throughin the hull may have seals hulls. The full extent of the compromised by the stresses caused by jackstands. damage wasn't clear until a few weeks later when we Remember, the hull is designed to be evenly splashed the boat—the seal around the through-hull supporter by water not by a half-dozen jacks. had been broken, and water poured in, requiring me Remember, too, that these same issues repeat to have the boat pulled out of the water again and re-blocked so I could repair the problem. Needless to when the boat is again picked up off the stands and transported back to the water. If you can arrange it, say, there was a lot of blowback and loud discussion over who was responsible, but ultimately I was unable try to be present when the boat is being lifted—this to prove negligence since I hadn't been present when way, if you can't prevent unfortunate things from happening, you can at least be on the spot when the damage was done. That was an expensive lesson. they do happen and not rely upon the reports of a The problem areas when hauling out are, first, friendly witness. YG when the slings are placed around the hull and the
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FEBRUARY 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
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Reef Check Indicator Species Moray EEL
Photos courtesy of BVI Reef Check volunteer Nick Seth-Smith.
A moray eel peeking out from its hole near a Reef Check transect line.
Twelve years ago in Hanauma Bay, Hawaii, on my first snorkelling excursion, i encountered, five feet below me, the pointy face of a toothy, lidless creature that resembled a child’s drawing of a nightmare. as soon as i saw it, i swam very quickly in the other direction, not stopping until i reached the shore. after i caught my breath, i consulted a fish species chart and learned that i’d seen a moray eel (Muraenidae). Since then, i’ve seen these intimidating mouth-breathers on other snorkelling trips, and even though i now know they are fairly shy creatures, i still tend to give them a wide berth.This may be in part due to the moray eel scene in Jaws:The Revenge which was probably the only scary part of that movie, most likely because the moray eel was real as opposed to the very fake looking shark. The more I read about moray eels, the more impressed I become with their anatomy. Wikipedia informs me that moray eels have a second set of inner jaws, called pharyngeal jaws, located in their
by Traci O'Dea
For the next few months leading up to BVI Reef Check 2010, each issue of Yacht Guide will highlight an organism from the Reef Check Indicator Species Checklist. The Global Coral Reef Crisis: Trends and Solutions, a Reef Check publication, states, “The goal of Reef Check monitoring is to detect ecologically and statistically significant changes on coral reefs that are caused by human activities.” The BVI chapter has surveyed since Reef Check’s inception in 1997. We at Yacht Guide aim to raise awareness for this worthy cause.
Moray eels have backward-facing teeth.
informs me that novice reef surveyors may overlook throat. First they bite their prey with their pincermoray eels on their dives. A statistic from the Reef like outer jaws, then the second set of jaws come forward and grip the prey, retracting it into their gullet. Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) reports that novice surveyors found eels on 27% of their Their teeth are backward facing and often contain bacteria which can cause infection in humans, but moray eels do not ...the eels are an easy target for spear fishing typically attack humans. They are because of their large size, territorial behaviour... nocturnal hunters, and bites to humans usually result as a matter dives while expert divers found them on 35%. Since of self-defence. While I respect moray eels' complex moray eels are nocturnal and tend to remain tucked biology and aversion to humans, I’m not about to in their holes, they are not as apparent as other fish. adopt one as a pet. Both experienced and inexperienced Reef According to The Global Coral Reef Crisis, “Moray Checkers should pay close attention to alcoves eels were added to the Reef Check protocol in 2001 where moray eels may live in the hopes of catching a as another global indicator for fishing impacts.” The glimpse of this frightening but fascinating species. report asserts the eels are an easy target for spear Each year, volunteers from the BVI and fishing because of their large size, territorial behaviour abroad participate in Reef Check, a global effort and the fact that they live in a defined hole. In their that monitors the Earth’s reef ecosystems. A first year as an indicator species, moray eels were not non-profit organization, Reef Check covers its detected in 81% of the 302 reefs surveyed worldwide, operating costs with much-appreciated donations. the publication reports. To inquire about donating or participating, email Randall Keil, who operates Paradise Watersports reefcheckbvi@gmail.com. YG on Peter Island and also volunteers for Reef Check, www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE FEBRUARY 2010
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Women on the Water Trish Baily
Serendipity at play. Photo by Tom Zydler. by Traci O'Dea
Serendipity at rest. Photo by Tom Zydler.
“Speeding and singing, I shall seek the place Where all the shining threads of water race” −Aldous Huxley, “The Reef” while reporting on reef Check last spring, i met skipper Trish Baily. i was aboard Dive Tortola’s Virgin Sun, and i’d just had a meditative morning boat ride from Prospect reef, Tortola to Soldier Bay, Norman island. But my relaxation ended when we pulled alongside the ecosailing charter boat Serendipity, and the dynamic Tasmanian captain boarded in a whirlwind of curly blonde hair, wetsuits, masks, fins and data collection equipment. She corralled the other divers and prepared them for the day’s work. This morning, though,Trish exudes a more calming presence while seated on a couch in the aLookingGlass offices. She’s exchanged her wetsuit and pirate-themed rash vest for a white linen top and brick-red capris, and instead of delegating tasks to a team of volunteer tourists (voluntourists?), she’s happily
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FEBRUARY 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
recounting her adventures in and on the water. Her face lights up when she talks about the wildlife encounters she’s had in the sea. One experience involved a day of swimming with spinner dolphins in Fernando de Noronha’s Baya Golfinhos. “The first time we went into this bay,” she says, “we walked across the island and clamoured down the cliff face, and there were hundreds of dolphins. Six dolphins came up to the rocks, leaping around, asking us to come in, so we put on our snorkel gear and went in, and they swam with us for hours. My dog was with me, and they were swimming through her legs.”Trish was fortunate to have had this experience at the time because swimming is now prohibited at Baya Golfinhos. In addition to swimming with dolphins in Brazil,Trish has snorkelled all the way around Beef Island and visited almost every reef in the BVI, so she knows the best spots to take her charter guests. “In terms of anchorages and good snorkelling, I really love Norman
Photo by Tom Zydler.
Island, the Indians and that whole area.There are a lot of pelagic fish running along that shoreline which is fun, and the walk up to the old Spyglass Hill is beautiful.” Trish mentions the northern beaches of Anegada as another must-visit locale. “When it’s sunny and blue skies, just typical weather for here, that sense of infinity clears your soul.” But she states that the snorkelling has diminished in Anegada’s northern beaches after the 2005 bleaching event when Caribbean reefs lost approximately Photo by David Hildred. 40% of their corals. “It’s a disaster up there,” she says but then alludes to several thriving snorkelling sites in the BVI where she takes her guests. She wants to ensure that the reefs of the BVI not only remain intact but flourish for the sake of her charter business and for the sake of the many species of underwater plants and animals that call the reefs home. I tell Trish that she sounds more passionate about snorkelling than sailing, but she disagrees. “I love sailing. I love getting the boat kicking up her heels and going. Here, it’s the perfect place—you do a couple hours sailing then you get off and you come to a beautiful bay and you go snorkelling or you walk ashore to explore or you go off photographing or bird-watching. Everything comes together.” When she speaks about sharing her passion with others,Trish glows. “I had a French family—just a father and his two sons—on board a couple of years ago. When you see these two boys, by the end of the week, they’re putting up the sails and trimming them and steering the boat, and they’ve taken it all on. And they’re taking underwater videos of their diving and snorkelling, and basically, they’re sailing the boat. It’s really wonderful,” she says. “I also like doing all-female charters.That’s really nice to have a bunch of professional, go-getter women on the boat. It inspires me. It’s empowering.” Trish herself is inspiring. She’s trademarked the term “eco-sailing,” but it’s more than just a catchy slogan. She can be found at public meetings speaking out against irresponsible development, she coordinates Reef Check in the BVI and she passes on her love of sailing and marine life to her guests.Trish ensures not only a fun and educational experience but also an ecologically responsible vacation. YG
www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE FEBRUARY 2010
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FroM BrEakFaST To BEDTiME by Traci O'Dea
Breakfast at the reef.
After hobbling on my crutches across Prospect Reef Resort's gravel parking lot, I entered the dining room of Brisani’s at the Reef, and a smile lit upon my lips. I felt lighter, like the way Wendy must’ve felt when she stepped off the nursery window ledge in Peter Pan. I hadn’t been close to the sea since I'd left the BVI for the holidays two weeks before, but that changed when I sat down at a table beside the blue waters of Prospect Reef. I was happy to be lunching outside, away from PG's chilly, air-conditioned office that conjured the winter weather I’d left behind. Even though I'd never been to Brisani's, my arrival felt like a homecoming. It's for those moments that I moved to the BVI.
BREAKFAST now being served
Breakfast Platters Delivered serves 4 persons for $25 Delivered Lunch Delivery also available
R E S TA U R A N T, B A R & L O U N G E
Call us 284.494.2593 or Email info@brisanis.com
View the menu www.brisanis.com 14
after ordering our drinks, my colleague owen and i sat at the glass-topped, wrought iron table, and i observed all the Caribbean and contemporary components that had synthesized to make my first impression so dramatic—terra cotta tile floors, stone trim, synthetic rattan barstools, a mirror-tiled bar with a hardwood countertop, carved accent pieces, potted plants and fresh-cut flowers, orange and yellow painted beams, high ceilings and the open-air atmosphere. all that before i had even tried the food. Brisani’s menu is extensive.The choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner are almost overwhelming. Breakfast options include omelettes, waffles, pancakes, English breakfast, Eggs Benedict and more. I daydreamed about suggesting a breakfast meeting for one of my next assignments but then concentrated on the lunch menu. Lunch selections range from pizzas, paninis, rotis, salads and burgers to full-on entrees such as fresh fish, ribs, chicken and pasta. Since we'd both overindulged a bit during the holidays, Owen and I each ordered a salad. While waiting for our food, I perused the dinner menu where I was pleased to discover inventive combinations I have not seen on any other menu in the BVI—salmon with leek and fennel fondue, grilled swordfish atop parsnip and cassava mash, panroasted duck breast with saffron truffle polenta and beef tenderloin with coquillette pasta. I learned that Brisani’s chefs, Jerome Vanterpool and Jamaicie Myers, learned their craft while heading some of the finest
FEBRUARY 2010 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
kitchens in the Caribbean, including resorts in the BVI, Anguilla, St Kitts, St John and Jamaica. When our salads arrived, Owen and I were certain we’d made the right choice. His warm fisherman’s salad consisted of fresh fish, lobster, scallops, shrimp and cherry tomatoes tossed with spinach and red chili peppers and a garlic white wine dressing.The spiciness pleased Owen who noted that not many places mix red peppers and seafood. Hmmm…maybe not where he’s from, but I can’t imagine shrimp, crabs or crayfish without cayenne. My house salad consisted of lettuce, roasted beets, bell peppers, red onions, cucumbers and tomatoes accompanied by encrusted goat cheese and tossed in a sweet vinaigrette. In his book Freakin’ Fabulous, Clinton Kelly of What Not to Wear opines that salads should never require a knife, and I agree. I prefer a chopped salad with bite-sized morsels. Both of the salads that we ordered at Brisani’s would have passed Clinton's test. Owen and I enjoyed the fresh flavours in every bite. I will return to Brisani’s, not just to sample the vast breakfast and dinner menus but also to try some of their homemade juices—pineapple ginger, pumpkin punch and fresh lemonade, which we were told can also be made into refreshing cocktails. Considering that the restaurant is only a short walk from our offices in Road Reef Plaza, and the fact that the bar area, with stools overlooking the water, can accommodate a comfortable crowd, I’m sure we’ll be trying many of Brisani’s fresh libations. YG
EDGE america’s Cup inspires young racers
BOR 90 shows off its sailing wing. Photo by Gilles Martin-Raget.
by Chris Watters
If you haven’t heard by now, the 33rd running of the America’s Cup will be decided between two boats; BMW Oracle Racing’s 90-foot trimaran called BOR 90, and Alinghi’s 90-foot catamaran called Alinghi 5. This represents the very pinnacle of skill, talent, experience and money that sailing has to offer. surface wing spans 6700 square feet. The boat will do with ex-olympians at the helm, world 2 to 2.5 times the speed of the wind, which means in champions as tacticians and, in some cases, 10 knots, it could be moving as fast as 25 knots. This is rugby-sized strong men turning the winches, where the young sailors realize it may be around 10 these boats and sailors represent the peak of times as fast as they have ever gone in a sailboat of all sailing. But where do these sailors come their own and start to wonder what it would be like. from? The simple answer is right in front I then go on about the current cup holder, Alinghi, of you. Every time you see a small boat out with their 90-foot catamaran Alingi 5. Its mast sailing, perhaps as small as an optimist (7 stands approximately 180 feet, or the height of an feet) or a 40-foot cruiser with a family on 18-storey apartment building. With three sails up, the board, many of these sailors got their starts square footage equals 21,800 square feet, enough to in sailing from a very young age in similar cover just under half a football field. It only has two situations as you see around the BVi. hulls in comparison to BMW Oracle’s three. I show I can’t help but give my junior sailors history my sailors video, photos, bios lessons in sailboat and all the fun, interesting racing from time ...more time is spent going through stuff the internet has to offer to time, and in what makes these two AC boats so on these boats. Being able this case with the to break out multi-media for America’s Cup just fast than going over points of sail... young sailors is necessary in around the corner, today’s electronic world and helps keep their focus I feel like more time is spent going through what after or before of a long day of practice. makes these two AC boats so fast than going over So as you read this, the AC cup may have already our points of sail. Both factors are very important started. I suggest you go online, get a good cable at different levels to the sport of sailing. For my connection, find a bar or friend that has a good TV, or young racers, understanding why we do things even make the trip to Valencia, Spain were the two is often more important than how we do them. boats will race. If you have kids, bring them, even if A quick lesson in America’s Cup history often they don’t sail. If your kids sail, make sure they know inspires good practices, usually with lots of match what’s going on; they will remember these boats for racing to finish off a day. a long time coming, and may be inspired to one day First, I tell them about the three-hulled BMW race in the very pinnacle of all sailboat races, the Oracle boat that can hit speeds upwards of 35 knots. America’s Cup. YG Its mast height sits at 180-feet high, and its hard-
Upcoming Races 3 Peaks (Round BVI) Race 6 - 7 Feb 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 19 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 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.
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IT at Sea
with Gregory Lemmon
adapting small business practices to running charter yachts with windows Small Business Server 2008 with several applications built in. The single purchase Many charter yachts are essentially small of any one of these applications would cost more businesses wanting to do more and respond than purchasing SBS itself, so that is great value right better to their clients and business partners but away. The benefit of having business emails alone is are scared of the investment both in time and worth the investment in SBS many times over, just ask money that they believe it will take to have the any small business owner who has had a successful benefits that larger companies already enjoy. implementation of SBS. The cost factor has practically been removed Think about having the benefit of a centralised for small businesses to implement technologies calendar for your crew and agents, so that everyone that make them appear and operate at the same knows when someone will be on shift or not, along levels as enterprise-class businesses. Windows Small with booking schedules, Business Server (SBS) offers when a provisioning delivery numerous benefits to the ...give your boat business a boost is coming up or when other small business owner such through improved productivity important company and as centralising information, and responsiveness... industry events are going a business email application, to happen. Smartphones a centralised calendar, a (BlackBerry and Windows-based mobile devices) that company intranet and one of the greatest benefits, a provide the benefit of synchronising with your Outlook remote connection which allows business owners and for your emails, calendar and contacts are considered employees to work from anywhere. standard tools for many business owners. SBS provides Implementing the infrastructure to support working the platform to implement these technologies either remotely is already a necessity for many businesses. using the native push email feature already built in or Think about the times you cannot be at your boat by implementing the BlackBerry solution. for whatever the reason, and you have to run back Already many small businesses are benefiting from a to check an email. Small businesses are providing this proper implementation of SBS, even those companies flexibility to their staff keeping them productive and with as few as two users. connected while away from their office. It isn’t unusual Using Windows Small Business Server to give your these days to equip your yacht to do the same, as it is boat business a boost through improved productivity essentially a small business in port or at sea, the only and responsiveness whether you are in the office, out problem being that sometimes you are never away of the office, at home or at sea can make the hectic from your office. lifestyle of running a boat and crew just a little bit easier. Windows Small Business Server was designed YG with the small business audience in mind. SBS comes 16
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