With a planned brief diversion from the Oyster World Rally, the Oyster 885-01 sailing yacht Lush participated in the 2014 St Barths Bucket, before a final push on to Antigua for the World Rally conclusion and celebrations on April 5. Oyster 100 superyacht Sarafin also attended the St Barths regatta, following a heartening earlier performance at the Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta in the fabulous Caribbean yacht charter destination – Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.
Oyster 885-01 superyacht LUSH - Image credit to Oyster Yachts
The St Barths Bucket yearly draws a fabulous fleet of around 40 of the world’s biggest and best superyachts with astonishingly close racing given the diverse range of craft from J Class and carbon flyers to less nimble but fascinating giant flybridge ketches. And this year the handicapping for the four-class pursuit racing proved worthy as ever with many finishes just seconds apart during the three days’ racing blessed with spirited winds.
Both luxury yacht Sarafin and superyacht Lush raced in the Mademoiselles class, Sarafin claiming fourth overall after a particularly tight final race in 20 knots, and Lush a credible ninth against such race honed competition.
“The take-away is that I don’t know if there has ever been a better-weather Bucket than this,” said Event Director and Race Chairman Peter Craig. “It was 15-20 knots, moderate-to-upper-end for three days, which was challenging for sailors and fabulous for spectators. Sailing to the superyacht rule can be a burden to get used to, but the level to which everyone sailed… you’d think you were at a conventional regatta.”
