This guy sailed his boat down for the start and one or two others did as well but most were left overnight on the beach.
It was interesting to see how the traditional materials and boat layouts were changing with high tech sailcloth, full batten mainsails aluminum masts and booms creeping in esp on the top class 7 boats which are 28 feet long. I saw a dagger board on Confusion and on some boats there were trapeze harness set ups.
Team uniforms were also creeping in and I liked the guys in the matching Mount Gay Rum T shirts and assorted shorts very spiffy!
As usual in the Caribbean the start time was a moveable feast but eventually boats were rigged hip flasks filled and the racing was underway.
They have changed things and instead of the mass chaos of the Le Mans style beach start, they now start like an English Steeplechase with the boats milling around until they are sort of lined up and pointing in the same direction at which point the starter should fire a cannon but is best Caribbean style they have no gunpowder, the batteries are flat in their bull horn they have no gas for their air horn so he just shouts loudly. Lots of fun to watch.
Last off were the small 12 footers and it was here that booms were bamboo sails rarely sported battens and I did not see anybody trapezing.
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