The 65 foot Schooner Heron whose home port is Rockport, Maine will take part in the annual AntiguaClassic Yacht Regatta which sets sail April 16th through April 22nd, 2014. Race starts in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua. This is a 20 mile long course in the beautiful Caribbean.
Race with the finest classic yachts of all time. Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta brings yachts from all around the world together to compete in 4 days of racing and fun. This is truly one of the top classic yacht regattas in the world.
Sail aboard Heron as race crew for this spectacular event. The regatta typically has 60-80 boats of all kinds racing, from traditional island sloops, classic schooners, ketches and yawls from all the famous yacht designers of the world, sail-training tall ships and the classic America’s Cup J-Class sloops.
You will join Heron as crew for 2 practice race days before the first race to get an idea of what the racing sails are, tacking procedure, and basic familiarization with the boat and rig. Then the races begin. Antigua Classics is known for its “friendly” racing competition. Appreciation of the sheer beauty of these classics is a large part of the event, and that makes it fun. There is always time to get some good photos while we are racing.
Only five bunks available for this amazing event. 2 practice days, 4 days of racing, all inclusive food and drinks. $1,950/person.
About Schooner Heron
The Schooner HERON Grenadines sailing charters are offered in the winter months and day sailing excursions in Maine in the summer months.
HERON is a famous, proven 65′ John Alden design that’s fast and comfortable with round the world capabilities. It is one of the most famous classic yachts of all time.
HERON is family built, owned and operated by the Bower family of Camden, Maine. Both Nigel (Twig) and Bonnie are 100 ton USCG licensed captains, having sailed extensively in the Gulf of Maine, trans-Atlantic and the Caribbean, sailing skiffs, schooners and square riggers. They have been doing tours from Rockport Harbor for more than 20 years and doing charters in the Caribbean the last 10 years. Daughters Elissa and Rachel have been sailing on HERON since they were born. The family has sailed HERON over 60,000 sea miles since her launching in 2003.
The Schooner HERON is featured as “Sanderson’s yacht” in the Johnny Depp film “The Rum Diary” based on the book by Hunter S. Thompson.
The winter season finds Schooner HERON in the warm turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Sail with us on a week long adventure vacation among the islands of the Grenadines.
White sandy beaches, colorful coral reefs, trade-wind sailing and delicious Caribbean food are only a few of the treasures you will find on a cruise on the HERON.
Let them share their sailing adventures with you. Contact them at schoonerheron@gmail.com for more information on any of our trips in Maine and the Caribbean.
You can learn more about the Schooner Heron by clicking here and like them on Facebook here.
About Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta
Back in the 60s, classic yachts, which were gathered in English Harbour Antigua, had begun chartering and the captains and crews challenged each other to a race down to Guadeloupe and back to celebrate the end of the charter season. From this informal race, Antigua Race Week was formalised in 1967, and in those days all of the yachts were classics. As the years grew on, the classic yachts were slowly outnumbered but the faster sleeker modern racing yachts and 24 years later the Classic Class had diminished to a few boats and was abandoned in 1987. However this same year seven classic yachts turned out and were placed in Cruising Class 3 with the bare boats. The class was so unmatched that it was downright dangerous, so Captain Uli Pruesse hosted a meeting onboard Aschanti of Saba with several classic skippers and in 1988 the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta was born, with seven boats.
The Regatta has evolved into what it is today with the help of a faithful and long standing Committee, and some friends who have brought notoriety to the event. In 1991, Elizabeth Meyer brought her newly refitted Endeavour and Baron Edmond Rothschild brought his 6-meter Spirit of St Kitts and “CSR” became the first Sponsor and inaugurated the Concours d’Elégance. After a few years, Boat International Magazine and our good friend Christian Chalmin took over the Concours d’Elégance and with the publicity their magazine gave us we gained worldwide recognition. In 1996 we created the “Spirit of Tradition Class”, which has now been accepted all over the world, which gives the “new” classics, built along the lines of the old, a chance to sail alongside their sister ships. In 1999 we celebrated the first race between the J class yachts in 60 years. Mount Gay Rum has sponsored the Regatta for many years, and we have recently added Officine Panerai as our first ever Platinum Sponsor.
The Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta has maintained a steady growth, hosting between 50 and 60 yachts every year and enjoys a wonderful variety of competitors, including traditional craft from the islands, classic ketches, sloops, schooners and yawls making the bulk of the fleet, together with the stunningly beautiful Spirit of Tradition yachts, J Class yachts and Tall Ships. Together, these make a wonderful sailing spectacle in the ideal trade wind sailing conditions of the Caribbean. The sailing combined with Antiguan hospitality, plenty of rum, sunshine, and great camaraderie in a friendly relaxed atmosphere, places the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, in a class of its own.
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