SPORT
L’il T’Pot’s Big Adventure by Franchero Ellis
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the assortment of sailboats for the 2022 Round Barbados Sailing Week last January was a bit low. There were some new activities that boosted interest and participation, including a kite surfing festival at Long Beach, a dinghy regatta in Carlisle Bay, and a radiocontrolled model boat regatta at Golden Pond.
T
he UWI Sailing Club embarked on a familiar journey through the 2022 edition of Barbados Sailing Week, but with improved results owing to switching to their new yacht, L’il T’Pot. Painted in the trademark yellow with a white bottom, this 26-feet Contessa was built in the early 1970s and was being sailed with 1997 vintage sails by an intrepid crew of UWI alumni, skippered by Franchero Ellis. The coastal racing series comprised
long races that put the boats through a variety of sailing conditions, including a journey a few miles offshore to traverse Shoal Bank. After two race days, L’il T’Pot placed fourth in her fleet, besting one of the four faster J/24 boats. The race around Barbados is always the club’s highpoint; but sailing an unfamiliar boat can be dicey, especially in unforgiving east coast sea conditions. On a bright and sunny Errol Barrow Day, there were few spectators for the early starters. There was the usual photo opportunity in Carlisle Bay with the venerable Peter Marshall, and later in the morning, with veteran entrepreneur Ralph “Bizzy” Williams as he motored pass near Gibbs in St. Peter. An ominous mishap while hoisting the sails caused such a delay, that L’il T’Pot crossed the start line more than 15 minutes after its scheduled 7.30am departure. Along the west coast the crew passed waypoints where, had they been sailing their traditional vessel Oiseau-noir, they would have been overtaken by other nowtrailing boats. They were steadily gaining on Orla, the other early starter, and were
