Sailing Legends of Long Island

By Bianca Major Photographs courtesy of Philip ‘Doc’ Figdore and Bianca Major

The age-old art of sailing – the adventure and thrill of gliding across the open waters; breathing in the crispy, fresh, salty air; inhaling Mother Nature in all her magnificent wonder; appreciating the solitude; “unplugging” from the noise of the world. Bahamian handcrafted wooden sloops, masterpieces of art on water, brings to mind Van Gogh, evolving within its own universe.

In the more laid-back Family Islands of The Bahamas, sailing has long since been used as a sport form, and not just a means of transportation, fishing, defence or pure leisurely fun.

Long Island is home to the popular sport and pastime of sloop racing. The most anticipated sailing extravaganza of the summer, the annual Long Island Regatta, takes place on the shores of the settlement of Salt Pond, which is the second largest regatta held in The Bahamas, next to George Town, Exuma’s National Family Island Regatta (NFIR).

The essence of regatta was birthed out of the love of boat building and friendly boat racing. For the car racing enthusiasts out there, it’s comparable to the NASCAR Cup and the guys who build cars. You can also call it the “Super Bowl” of sailing. Either way, a sloop is going to tack around the buoy to cross the finish line and collect a whole load of prizes, and then some!

When speaking of regatta and Long Island, you cannot forget about Exuma— the one and only George Town.

The NFIR, which is held annually at Elizabeth Harbour, is where all the excitement happens.

Exuma birthed the first known regatta in The Bahamas, with a competitive sailing spirit resonating between the two neighbouring islands; the future anchored in the art of “boat building” and “sport sailing” over the decades and years to come.

Traditional handcrafted Bahamian sloops, built by the most talented boat artisans, converge on these islands’ harbours for a few days of fierce competitive sailing.

Catch da Cat (Cat Island) and King (Class C)

The bragging rights, cash prizes, trophies, including the love of sailing and boat building, combined with the spirit of camaraderie makes for good action on the seas.

There would be no sports sailing of sloops if there were not some legendary names involved.

Skippers bearing the “Knowles” name, brought forth by Long Island, are known across the islands of The Bahamas and are held in high esteem when it comes to sailing.

The “Mangrove Bush Boys” and the “Salt Pond Boys” are the crème de la crème. Honourable mention would include Earl Knowles, Rupert Knowles, Earlen Knowles, Laurin Knowles, Mack Knowles, Mark Knowles, Don Knowles, David Knowles, Stephan Knowles, Evvy Knowles, Colin Cartwright, Harry Harding, Roy Harding and Harry Harding—the legendary men, who brought to life the regattas held in the “bluetiful” harbours of Thompson Bay and Salt Pond and, not to mention, the unforgettable Elizabeth Harbour.

The skippers and boat builders were sometimes one in the same, these “seaworthy” men “beat the water bad”, then beat it some more.

This is the home of “The Legend” and that is literally and figuratively. Hailing from the quaint seaside village of Mangrove Bush came Rupert Knowles. A master boat builder and carpenter, he tested his craftsmanship fiercely against his peers during regattas or just for fun.

Some of his winning masterpiece sloops, which may ring a bell to the regatta fans, are: “TidaWave”, “Stormy Weather”, “Running Tide”, “Jiffy”, “Lady Natalie”, “Lady Muriel”, “Ocean Wave”, “East- em Wave”, “Angie M” and “Margaret L”, which was the fastest boat Rupert built and is now berthed in New York, USA. “Lady Muriel” is now owned by Capt. Kenneth Rolle of Staniel Cay, Exuma, and “Running Wave” is now owned by Cassius Moss.

Picture it: overlooking the crystal-clear Tiffany blue waters, these majestic sloops, line up in formation and await the sound of the canon, to head off into a breath-taking show of battle on the seas. The spirit of regatta time blows across the bow.

If you wanted to win a regatta, you had to beat the “ol boy” from Mangrove Bush!

Aspiring to outrun one of Rupert’s sloops meant you had to test your skills on the sea and on the boat builder’s block. Laurin Knowles and New Chase

Sloop Building in Long Island

Sacrifice (Class C)

As noted, from the NFIR, “Rupert Knowles always knew precisely where he stood because, each year, as he worked his craft on the sea, he watched every move, every turn with extreme care, making mental notes.

“Those who remember him reflect on how, more than his woodworking skills and his seafaring prowess, the success of Rupert Knowles consisted in his dedication to the particular task at hand, and his lifetime resolution that whatever he did, or whatever his legacy was to become, it would be an exhibition and demonstration of Long Island, and especially his beloved Mangrove Bush.

“That resolution has apparently been richly vindicated today, as Long Islanders from as far north as Seymour’s and as far south as Gordons, exult in the knowledge and bask in the evidence that he belonged to them, and that his legacy continues as a source of pride for Long Island.”

Rupert Knowles’ memory lives on today through boats christened in his honour, “The Legend”, “Rupert’s Legend”, and through his children and descendants, who still live the tradition.

The Legend was built by Rupert’s children; his sons and grandsons. Earlen Knowles, Rupert’s son, along with some family members, commissioned the building of “Rupert’s Legend” around 1987. Friends and spectators would pride fully flock to the boat building yard to observe this honourary tribute being handcrafted and chiselled to perfection, to embody the legacy of Rupert, who passed away in 1988.

Rupert’s sons, Earlen and Bert, decided to build a sail/smack boat, “Lady Muriel”, named after Rupert’s wife and their beloved mother. After, came “Made line M”, “Eastern Wave” and “Tida Wave”. Now, back then, with Earlen at the tiller of the A Class title boat, “Rupert’s Legend”, she was the boat to beat at all regattas across The Bahamas.

Laurin Knowles, the eldest of ten children born to Corabell and Earl Knowles of Mangrove Bush, Long Island, and Rupert’s sons, are carrying the torch of boatbuilding and sailing today. Passing some time under the Cork Tree in Mangrove Bush, Long Island, with a congregation of boat builders, skippers, sailors, neighbours, family and friends, exchanging the latest island news, and weather, and, most of all, sharing in the excitement of sailing, is where you would find all the legends, like Laurin,—the boat lovers.

These days, he has long since retired from his boat building days and occasionally sits under the tree with his wife Sue (Lilith Sue Knowles), enjoying the cool island breeze.

Laurin showed off his trophy collection from all his winning sails over the decades and spoke of his days sailing between the islands and throughout the Caribbean.

New Legend in Action (Class A)

When asked about his love of sailing, Sue chimed in with, “He loved building boats.” Sue, a die-hard sloop racing fan, showed off her red commemorative “LADY NATALIE” regatta T-shirt.

Under the apprenticeship of his father, Earl, Laurin sailed his first race at the 1955 NFIR in Exuma and those thereafter. “He was introduced to sloop building when he helped his father with the construction of the “Susan Chase I”, according to Laurin.

Since its introduction to regattas in 1963, “Susan Chase I” has won nine championships in the Class B division up until 1992, then, thereafter, replaced in 1993 by “New Susan Chase”, which was awarded best overall captain in the Class B division during the 47th NFIR in 2000.

Since the building of “Susan Chase I”, Laurin has constructed many other boats including “Susan Chase III”, now known as “Sea Star”, “New Susan Chase”, “Humming Bird”, which is arguably the best handcrafted sloop of its time, and “Baby Chase”, which is the latest that he has built, as told by his son, Stefan J. Knowles.

The Knowles, by this time, have since become the fabric of the intricate art of sailing regattas and boat craftsmanship.

Laurin made sure the culture of traditional sloop sailing and design was kept alive by introducing his six sons to the craft and sport. Mark (the eldest), Ian, David, Don, Neil and Stefan Knowles (the youngest). They have all mastered the craft of traditional sloop building and the thrill of sloop racing. All becoming a force to reckon with at regattas across the nation of The Bahamas.

The earliest record of a “regatta”, sailing for fun, or how Long Islanders say it, “regatterin”, was held back in 1898. This would have been the first “organized” race, at the time, as sailing was surely a way to a pleasant pastime for locals.

Captain Colin Cartwright, owner of the sloop, “Sacrifice”, carries on the tradition of sailing and boat building with his family as well. Husband to Crystal Cartwright and father of four children, Colin has been sailing from the age of about 10 years old. He came up under the tutelage of his father and uncles.

In speaking with Colin, he reminisced on his younger days of sailing, in a little boat they had built, made from the Gum elemi tree, which locals pronounce as “Kamalame”.

Colin crafted “Sacrifice” in the year 2000, with the help of family and friends, namely, Mack, Ryan Edsel and Kendrick Knowles.

Building a sloop takes time and patience, usually about three to six months. “Sacrifice” was built in a matter of weeks, with the urgency to have her competition-ready for an upcoming regatta at the time.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on the regatta festivities, but sailing enthusiasts are hoping to be back on the waters competing in 2023.

Colin spoke about the positive financial injection regatta makes to the local economy.

The “regatta fever” bug has hit the sailing communities hard, across the entire Bahamas, leaving fans, spectators and skippers all longing for the quick return of their favourite island pastime.

The combination of participants and organizers of regattas across The Bahamas led to the formation of organizations such as The Long Islanders’ Association, Long Island Sailing Club, NFIR Committee, The Mack Knowles Junior Sailing Club, The Exuma Sailing Club, The Bahamas Sailing Association and the Best of The Best Regatta.

This adventurous sport of sailing couldn’t happen without the skippers and crew, who make it all look so effortless. Just to name a few: Adrian Cartwright, Colin Cartwright, Roger Cartwright, Roger Fox, Scott Harding, Emile Knowles, Garret Knowles, Ian Knowles, Jason Knowles, Kendrick Knowles, Ronald Knowles, Stefan Knowles, Tremaine Knowles, Wade Knowles, Pat Smith, Ceasar Turnquest, Darrel Weir and Christopher Wells.

We can’t forget some of the legendary skippers out of Exuma, Leslie “Buzzy” Rolle and Lundy Robinson, and so many more across the island nation, that deserve recognition.

Popular sloops such as, Running Tide, Whitty K, Lady Dian, Sweet Island Gal, Ruff Justice, It Ain’t Right (Abaco), Lady Sonia (Exuma), Lonesome Dove (Abaco), Bul Reg (Exuma) and many more have all left an impression on the races.

The annual Long Island Regatta has been around for more than 50 years, and Long Islanders are sure to keep their beloved boat building and sailing tradition alive.

Regattas take place throughout the many islands of The Bahamas, with each island’s regatta occurring consecutively.

Spectators, locals and visitors gear up all year long for these unique sailing competition festivals.

Travelers from all over the globe book their accommodations, practically a year in advance, not to miss their favourite regatta.

“Long Island Regatta” next year! If you are a boater, yourself, then, cruise on in and drop anchor. You can have your own seat on the bow and witness a show of sailing like none other on this side of the hemisphere. UA

Susan Chase (Sources: The Long Islanders’ Association; The Long Island Runner News; The National Family Island Regatta: https://nationalfamilyislandregatta.com)