Sunday, September 19, 2010

Barbados - Sailing Boats



Throughout the history of Barbados, sail-powered vessels have always been integral to regional trade and local livelihoods. With the advent of engine powered boats for trade, the sailing boats evolved from workboats to play boats, and boat designs changed where speed was a key factor. For over 30 years now, Barbados has been a global haven for great coastal and offshore racing, mostly due to consistent trade winds, crystal clear warm waters, and the welcoming smiles from local enthusiasts.

Barbados has been hosts to many types of sailing regattas, for boats of all sizes, ranging from the ‘model boats’ about one metre in length, to the ‘big boats’ up to 25 metres long. The local Barbados Mount Gay Regatta, held every year, is the longest running. We are also now hosting J24 Invitational Regional Regattas annually, and have been proud hosts to the International One Metres (IOM) Worlds 2009.

This year, the friendly shores of Carlisle Bay will be the venue for the Fireball International World Championships starting April 24th through to May 7th 2010, under the auspices of the Barbados Sailing Association, the governing body for sailing in Barbados. This Fireball Worlds 2010 Regatta is a good way to promote Barbados as the great sailing and racing venue we know it to be, a place where sailors can enjoy our islands’ natural resources of sun, sea and wind. The main sponsor for this event is the Barbados Tourism Authority.

The Fireball, one of the most competitive racing dinghies in the world is a high performance, two-person sailing dinghy offering exciting sailing, intense competition and a great social life off the water. Hull and sail plans are of strictly one design, yet class rules allow for the adaption of the position of the gear to suit your weight and sailing style. The key distinguishing aspect of the Fireball is its ability to sail in a wide spectrum of wind conditions. The thrill of trapeze and spinnakers are hard to match in any type of sailboat or board. If capsized, the boats are easily righted, and can be sailed without bailing. The performance of the boat is very dependent on tuning as the Fireball's rig can be adjusted in numerous ways. The weight and strength of the crew is not as important as the tuning of the boat, winning races comes down to mastering the art of tuning, and sailing better than your competition, as the trapeze and sail handling requires skill rather than strength; some countries’ leading Fireball sailors are women.

This competition which is held annually in different countries will be featuring seventy-six Fireball dinghies with one hundred and sixty sailors from Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Namibia, Shetland Islands, Slovenia, South Africa, St. Lucia, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States. A large number of family and friends will also journey to Barbados for this prestigious event.

Source: Barbados Post

TECHNICAL DETAILS
CountryBarbados
TitleSailing Boats
Release Date23rd April, 2010
Design & LayoutCASCO Studio
PrinterBDT International Security Printing Ltd.
Stamp size28.45mm x 42.58mm
Sheet format50 (2 x 25)
PaperCASCO Crown Watermark
Perforation14 per 2 cms
Value & Designs10c
$0.50
$0.90
$1.75
$2.00

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