ST BARTH BUCKET surf," he explained. While they shape is near-flawless, and overdon't surf, they sustain very fast all the crew work is stellar. The high speeds and quickly gobbled crews, of course, were flown in up the 20- to 27-mile courses. from all over the world. We wonder Handicaps were taken at the if there was a rigger from Cowes starts to keep the boats safely to Sydney who hadn't been flown spaced, so whichever boat in the in for the four-day series. The boats, divided into four Left to right: Patrick and Reed Adams of 'Varsovie'. Janet and Shag four divisions crossed the line first was the winner. In several cases it divisions based on their general Morton, he being the helmsman on 'Adela'. Ken and Kerry Keefe. shrouds and displaces 550 tons — went was by just a matter of seconds, validattype, were not sent out in candy-fanny onto the rocks just off the Beef Barrel ing the rating rule. conditions. It often blew in the mid-20s, rounding mark. "I saw one of her lights Since some of the boats cost $50 milmaking for huge loads. Just 30 seconds flung right off the masthead," says Ken lion or more, a collision could prove to into the start of the first race, the stem Keefe of Adele. Fortunately, the boat got be a tad expensive and time-consuming. fitting on the all-carbon 216-ft Hetairos off before too long and without too much So all were given range-finders to help failed explosively. It took the crew half damage. them stay the minimum of 120 feet an hour to get the sail down. Somehow apart. In addition, each boat had a Safety the boat was repaired to race again the Officer who had the ultimate authority next day. over steering decisions. Although there Most of the boats, gear and crews held eefe and Adams weren't the only were several times when many boats together to put on a spectacular show. Northern California sailors racing in converged, there were no collisions. There are few things as breathtaking in the Bucket. Scott Easom was back for St. Barth being St. Barth, Jimmy sailing as a perfectly trimmed 190-footer another year on the 188-ft Twizzle, and Buffet was part of the official entertaincharging to weather in the low teens, or Paul Cayard was calling tactics aboard ment and, as many had hoped, put on a a 180-ft schooner on a spinnaker reach Hetairos. There were surely others. surprise performance at little Baz Bar. seconds before her chute explodes. While it appeared that Hetairos was The St. Barth Bucket. Trust us, it Humans being humans, a few misdoing about 50 on a close reach, Cayard belongs on your sailing Bucket List. takes were made. The spanking new Seatold Latitude that her top speed was ac— latitude/richard hawk — which sported distinctive red tually about 21 knots. "These boats don't

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