A Guide to the 2020 St. Barths Bucket Regatta
Every March, the island of St. Barths hosts one of the most prestigious yacht racing events on the winter racing calendar: The Bucket Regatta. Traditionally, the invitational regatta features the latest in super yacht designs as well as true classics. Originally held in Nantucket, Massachusetts, The Bucket Regatta has now found a home in St. Barths. With panoramic ocean views, an energetic night life, and the perfect wind for sailing, St. Barths has proved itself to be a legendary host of this equally legendary regatta.
The 2020 regatta, March 19th to March 22nd, features five classes within three racing days: The Maxi and Mini Maxi Class, Spinnaker Class, Racing Multihull Class, Offshore Multihull Class, and The Melges 24 Class. Each class, or racing group, has specific size, speed, and structural requirements for the participating boats. For example, The Spinnaker Class is designed for lightweight, single-hull boats, whereas The Offshore Multihull Class requires all boats to be over 40 feet long and heavier than most boats. Each race has a variety of yachts, from giant catamarans to lightweight, high-performance sailboats. This coming year, the regatta will also include a Corinthian Spirit ‘Les Voiles Blanche’ Class, in order to increase sportsmanship and camaraderie during the regatta. This class has been added as a strong initiative to get newer sailors involved in the regatta.
The crews for each yacht are assembled from the top sailors around the world, in order to sail some of the largest boats such as: Perseus³ (60 meters), Seahawk (59 meters), and Hetairos (67 meters). Being one of the highest grossing events on St. Barths, second only to New Year’s Eve, The Bucket Regatta brings in a swell of nearly 1200 sailors, and over 200 volunteers to the normally 9,000 person island. Although this year’s regatta entries and schedule have yet to be released, spectators are expecting the yachts to showcase the latest technological developments in superyacht design and performance.
Hetairos, designed by Baltic Yachts, is proving herself to be an innovative superyacht with the addition of custom retractable thrusters that are connected to a diesel-electric installation. Tim Tomas, writer for Boat International, raved about Heraitos’ “highly custom drive system that enables the yacht to reach high speeds under power, while minimizing drag under sail.” Heraitos’ technological designs are so unique “it is unlikely that such thruster-based drive systems will ever become mainstream.” The combination of custom mechanisms has allowed Hetairos to stand at the top of the leaderboard. Her Bucket win in 2019 has created an audience that reveres her for her power and sleek carbon design, thus potentially inspiring other boats.
As The Bucket Regatta increases in size and technological advancement, it is important for spectators and participants to stay focused on maintaining the local environment in order for the event to continue. With nearly fifteen small islands, like Île Coco and Les Petits Saints, surrounding the main island, St. Barths is the perfect versatile destination for regattas, and the Bucket staff is adamant on maintaining this precious environment, “Our desire also for this 10th edition is to mark a new turning point in our way of doing events, acting in an eco-responsible way and trying to remove plastic as much as possible from the race village,” said Race Director Luc Poupon during their preparation for the 10th annual Bucket Regatta in March. “We want to communicate and raise awareness as much as possible on the preservation of the seabed and oceans…There is much work to be done, but we are committed to becoming a zero-plastic regatta” (New York Times). The event staff understands and advertises the importance of protecting St. Barths from visitors that swarm the Island’s waters each March. Their sustainable approach is important in maintaining the magnificence behind this historic regatta and island.
Whether visitors are watching from a boat or from land, everyone is invited to congregate in Gustavia Harbor after racing to get a closer look at the superyachts. Many celebrations happen throughout the week including daily viewing parties from Shell Beach and Fort Karl, and nightly parties at private villas or the Bucket Bar in Gustavia, which opens at 4:30pm. Spectators and sailors celebrate the end of racing week together at an awards ceremony and final party at the racing village in Gustavia. With so much intensity, spirit, and excitement throughout this entire week, the final celebration should not be missed. So, whether guests are going to watch, sail, or sunbathe, The St. Barths Bucket Regatta will continue to be a legendary event for years to come.
Take a look back at the J Class yachts at the 2019 St. Barths Bucket Regatta:
WIMCO villas provides a one-stop shop for accommodations, flights, rental cars, provisions, and of course hard to get last minute restaurant reservations for both guest and crew parties during the 2020 St. Barths Bucket.
Learn more about WIMCO’s concierge services on St. Barths.
