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September 8, 1998 "The Rage" Forgotten in the unconscious memory of the sea, sequestered off the banks of some lonely abandoned inlet, a tattered fleet of small crafts gather to rest, replenish their energies and enjoy the camaraderie of other Bahamian fishermen. Lonely for family and a home-cooked meal, stories would be told, pranks would be pulled and amid the twilight of an inspiring sunset, some serious talk would begin to move among the men. With the assurance that it could never be matched, one would recall the immensity of a day's catch, another would lay claim to the superior depths to which he dared to dive. And before long, a crew would rally to boast about the sleekness and superior speed of their sloop. Huddled around an open fire and peering off into the evening air, others, stirred by affection (for their own boats) would respond out of a kinship to which they owed a great debt. Wagering perhaps the cost of some "refreshment" when they returned to port, the salty lot would stake out a course, and flying the banner of their own pride, raise their sails and look to the wind to prove one of them true. Regatta- from the Spanish "Regata ",, meaning boat race, is as indigenous to the Bahamas as the passion and spirit of fun which it ignites the Bahamian people. history reminds us that seafaring goes back to the original Lucayans and Arawaks who depended on their ability to "skim the seas " in dugout canoes for their survival. The Europeans who came in the wake of Columbus and those who followed the Eleutheran Adventurers also looked to the sea to make a "go of it" in the Islands. As a respite to the trials and toil of the long hours at sea, what else to do but sport a little race. It's only fitting then, that should one know the unrecorded histories of the first seafaring crews, one would still be hard- pressed to say when the first regatta actually occurred. But as it is the way with most communities, to organize things worthwhile and important, so it is that the thrill of the race and the accompanying parties have now become a permanent feature on the National calendar. The movement to organize a distinctly Bahamian racing event began in the early 50's when it was recognized that the "working sail" was being replaced by more sophisticated motor powered craft, With the good intentions, (and money), of avid American and Bahamian boating enthusiasts, the first Regatta was organized in 1954. The event offered Bahamian sailors the opportunity to gather in one place, have some fun and a chance to win some prize money. It also provided an excellent showcase for cruising yachtsmen to witness the stately tacks of the legendary sailing crafts and at the same time, introduce them to the superior cruising grounds of the Bahamas. With nearly 70 Bahamian sloops, schooners and dinghies vying for the Victory Cup, the first race at Elizabeth Harbour, George Town, Exuma was a great success. To build on this initiative, the "Out Island Squadron " was formed. This was to be a Committee which would be responsible for the organization and the soliciting of funds to sponsor the event. With the support of American and Bahamian sponsors to promote the festivities, a whole new era of sailing was ushered in. Such financial assistance, which assured them the lure of prize money, encouraged the sailors to invest in the speed and sea-worthiness of their own boats. As the number of enthusiastic competitors increased, the competing boats had to be classified according to size, and eventually the event had to be spread out over a couple of days. Spectators naturally came to watch and cheer on family members, friends or their own local heroes. As the crowds grew, so did their reasons for being there. A party atmosphere united the crowd in a sense of celebration; and to keep the party going, food and drink were supplied to keep spirits sailing and to fortify the faithful band through the long hours. As this practice soon became pan of a tradition, there were naturally some whose reason for attending obscured the sailors and their racing into a distant memory. Nevertheless, as its popularity spread, this gathering became a statement of the people which rang out loud and clear, "the annual Regatta was here to stay." The sounds of success were an the convincing that others needed. Soon, the other Family Islands were organizing, signing up sponsors and promoting their own local Regattas. Committees from each of the Islands would work hard to generate conditions to ensure the very best of circumstances for competitors and spectators alike. They attracted not only competitive crews from other Islands, but also their supportive and party-going fans. There are always those among us who, at the sound of a party, would be willing to travel anywhere. The ripple effect swelled out quickly and nowadays there is a regatta taking place somewhere in the Bahamas every month of the year. So, you can be sure that local pride would compel some to argue as to which Island put on the best Regatta - of course, the criteria would not always be objective. But with such a positive and successful tradition of Regattas, it seems somewhat puzzling that such a happening place as Abaco - the boat-building capital of the nation - has had, until recently a rather reluctant response to an all-island regatta. One has only to glance at Abaco's many marinas any time of year to witness the numerous sailing boats that are attracted to our waters. The protected seas and the deep waters of the Sea of Abaco are no doubt an enviable treat to which such boaters are lured. Further evidence of the Island's suitability for sailing races is recorded in the not-so-distant reaches of our own history. For the past 23 years or so, sponsors have been successfully promoting Green Turtle Cay's "Regatta Time In Abaco" during the month of July. Perhaps on a different scale, we can proudly say that since the early 70's, the annual Sunfish Competition has also been attracting interest among local competitors. In fact, the interest has been so substantial and the conditions were so well-suited to sailing, that an international committee chose Marsh Harbour to be the site of the 1995 Sunfish World Championship. It must also be remembered that Abaco did have an all-island-regatta in 1976. Thanks to the hard work and community spirit of people like Lindsay 'Scott Jr., Hugh Cottis, Marcell Albury, Scott Weatherford, Gordon Hudson, Percy and Garnet Archer, Cynthia Smith, Carlin Malone and others, it was a great success. Six "A Class vessels participated, but it was not continued because of "insurmountable financial barriers". In the past two decades Abaco has grown considerably and has been enjoying economical prosperity. This, along with a few historical and geographical reminders, in the minds of the right people, has been the very thing needed to get the ball rolling and to do all that was required to bring an all-island regatta back home to Abaco. With the burning bright success of last year's All-Abaco gathering still aglow in everyone's mind, this year's celebration is expected to be even greater, (if that's possible). Apart from all the hard work and vision of Island Administrator, Mr. Everette Hart and all of the organizing committees, there are a few other reasons why last year set such a triumphant precedent. This is the first, in such a long time that Central, South and North Abaco have been united in this kind of island-wide competition. The result is that it has been a catalyst, bringing people together to enjoy the social and economic benefits that are a natural spin-off when so many come together to enjoy a good time. The Planning Committee chose the present site to assist the economy of the North by attracting the large consuming, fun-loving population which floods the Regatta Village during the three-day event. The racing course was set between the two shores of Green Turtle Cay and Treasure Cay, each of which provides an excellent beach-front from which to view the races. However, two differences this year will bring are first, the substantial increase in the number of vessels competing. Up from 1997, when there were ten (IO) in the Class "A" series and 14 in the Class "B" 7 1998 will show a total of 14 in the former and 14 in the latter. A mark of the event's success and popularity is the addition of another category - Class "C"- with 14 boats. Classes have to do with the actual size of the vessel: "A " boats are 28', "B " class boats are 2 I' and "C " class are 17' in length. The second difference is that along with the many more onshore activities planned for children and young people, the Committee is seriously considering adding a juvenile segment to the Regatta. So, Abaco, join in the "Rage" and come share in this, one of your greatest community events. September 8, 1998 ----------------- The heat is on once again for the Abaco Rage! Plans were being made months in advance for the Exuma Regatta in the end of April, and the Long Island Regatta in May. The proud crew of the once championship boat accepted the invitation to enter in the Georgetown Exuma race, the biggest and most popular regatta in the Bahamas, often referred to as the "America's Cup of the Bahamas. The boat was purchased from Scott Weatherford in Man-O-War, in October 1997. "The deck and the inside structure were rotten and in need of replacement, but we had a vision to fix her up and prove she wasn't dead yet!" said one of the crew members who worked on the boat. It took 2-1/2 weeks of solid team effort to repair and polish the boat to make her look and run like new. A great deal of practice is the norm before any regatta, but the Rage is an exception to the rule! During the last regatta, they practiced for the first time one hour before the race in which they placed 7th out of 10 competitors. Newly renovated with 17yr. old sails, she finished right behind Running Tide, one of the fastest boats in the regatta! Known for making decisions that are out of the ordinary, The Rage is taking on a female crew member, a first for Bahamian regattas! Rhiannon Thomas is an avid sailor who jumps at any opportunity to go sailing. She has just completed her second trip from Abaco to the Virgin Islands. The Rage has drawn crowds in Hope Town for their fund raising events. Local residents and tourists come out of the woodwork to support her by eating and drinking and having a great time - not much to ask! When she was first lowered into the harbour after being on dry dock for weeks, people lined the shoreline to cheer her on. Community spirit and support is essential to her restoration and operation, because it is very costly to transport her and the crew to Exuma and Long Island, their next destination Regattas. The Rage holds a crew of 9 minimum and 15 maximum. Drawing 4.5ft. and carrying a mast of 60 ft. and boom of 34ft. long, she cruises along at high speeds with up to 1000lbs of extra weight. "Anything can happen while you're sailing, so you have to know how to improvise. You could be screwing in a bolt and all of a sudden, 'bloop' there it goes into the water, and it's simply gone!", said Captain Ron of Nalu Charters, who stripped and glassed The Rage. Even though he couldn't attend this regatta, he is a valuable member of the team. A knowledgeable and competent captain, he has great faith that the crew is a winning team. "I've been to regattas where the guys were yelling at each other in complete chaos like a Chinese fire drill. We're a good team, cool and organized. It takes organization, teamwork, and of course skill to make a good team. We've got that and more!" Crew Member Stafford Patterson said, "Everybody has to pull their weight. If just one person doesn't help out, we don't stand a chance. We might as well sink." Every member of the team is just as important as the other, and we can't forget chefs Patrick and Benji Malone. They keep the hungry sailors fueled up and ready to race with their delicious meals. They feed the team like kings with steak, lobster, fettuccini, sandwiches and a hearty Bahamian breakfast like chicken souse or fire engine. The chefs' work also begins long before the actual race. It's not easy to plan to feed a bunch of hungry sailors! Patrick and Benji also help out with the fund raising cookouts and cook all day during the event. When asked what they would do with the money if they won, Patrick said, "If we win any money this year it will go to the next regatta. The more money we get, the more food we can eat!" The amount of work that goes into preparing for a regatta is tremendous, and even more so with the Rage because it was basically rebuilt. Chris Lightbourn, an enthusiastic team member who holds meetings to organize the trip, said "from the time we started this project it has come together far better than I could ever imagine. Thanks to the excellent community support and a great team, we found a goal and built up towards it. The goal became reality when the rage was finished, and without the team effort and community support it would not have happened. We've already won by making it to the starting line, and whatever else happens is icing on the cake!"