Oyster Regatta BVI 2012 - Preview

Oyster Regatta BVI at Nanny Cay Marina © Todd vanSickle

Oysters in Paradise

A fleet of 25 stunning examples of the Oyster range of yachts has gathered in the idyllic Caribbean setting of the British Virgin Islands for the 28th event in the Oyster Regatta series. The dockside at Nanny Cay Marina was a hive of activity today, as crews meticulously prepared their yachts for the Concours d’Elegance. The magnificent Oyster fleet has been given a very warm welcome by the team at Nanny Cay Marina, a glorious safe haven on the south western coast of Tortola, where the Oyster Customer Service team has been in attendance to assist the fleet for several days prior to the start of the regatta.

Proving that Oyster regattas are as popular as ever with owners, this event showcases 12 different examples of the distinctive Oyster range, from the Oyster 46 to the Oyster 82. At the Skippers’ Briefing, Oyster Chief Executive, David Tydeman, welcomed all the competitors. “It is great to have you all here and we are all looking forward to an immensely enjoyable event, it is nice to see some regular attendees but it is especially nice to welcome nine Oysters and their owners who are joining us at an Oyster regatta for the first time. We will be visiting some of the Virgin Islands most prestigious locations, including the new YCCS clubhouse on Virgin Gorda, which is the Caribbean home of the famous Sardinian club, which hosted our Jubilee Regatta in 2010.”

For the welcome party, Oyster owners and their guests gathered at the renowned Peg Legs restaurant at Nanny Cay Marina for a complimentary cocktail party sponsored by Nanny Cay Marina, followed by an excellent Caribbean buffet. Conversation centered on the week ahead, especially the fantastic experience of meandering through the gorgeous islands and the fabulous parties at spectacular venues. The British Virgin Islands consists of over 60 tropical islands of breathtaking beauty, which are considered to be some of the best cruising grounds anywhere in the world.

Chris and Susan Shea, proud owners of Oyster 72, Magrathea are regular visitors to Oyster Regattas. The Magrathea crew is all Shea family members and their yacht has been in the Caribbean since crossing the Atlantic last November. “ The name Magrathea is an imaginary planet from the radio series ‘A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’.” Laughed Chris. “It’s really poking fun at life and we have a lot of enjoyment with our Oyster so it seemed very apt, we even have the number 42 on our spinnaker. In the radio series, the number 42 is the answer to the ultimate question of life and sailing our Oyster is ultimately what we love to do! We really like the BVI, it has some fabulous scenery and there are so many places and islands to visit, all very close by.”

The Oyster BVI Regatta programme includes four races in the spectacular islands. Oyster regattas are organised exclusively for owners and their guests and besides well-managed racing, the fleet benefits from world-class customer service and technical support, provided by experienced Oyster staff and their regatta partners; Dolphin Sails, Formula Marine, Lewmar, Pantaenius, Pelagos Yachts, Raymarine, Reckmann and Yachting World.

The on the water action starts, Tuesday 3rd April with a race from Nanny Cay and finishing at Cane Garden Bay, where Oyster owners and their guests will enjoy cocktails on the beach followed by a barbeque supper at Myetts Garden Inn. The beach at Cane Garden Bay is considered to be one of the finest in the Caribbean. Especially famed for snorkeling, protected by a live reef the crystal clear warm waters are teaming with sea life. Myetts Garden Inn is a tremendous location, set amongst coconut palms and almond trees overlooking the white sandy beach and the Oyster fleet at anchor.