Rating the regattas
We caught up with one of the owners of Twizzle at the St Barths Bucket to talk about his thoughts and frustrations behind the current superyacht regatta systems.…
In issue 13 of The Superyacht Owner, out now, the owners of S/Y Twizzle reveal the incredibly hands-on design and build process behind this 57.5m Dubois, and their decision to sell the yacht. We also spoke to one of her owners, let's call him Mr T, about his passion for racing and some of the frustrations behind the superyacht regatta system.
Mr T: Twizzle was unbelievable in St Barths as she kept up with the much lighter racing boats in her class. Overall, she should have had a better performance rating, but certain boats were upset with their ratings in the BVIs and they forced the Rating Committee to give them an unrealistically good rating, and us a bad one.
TSO: What is the biggest frustration for superyacht owners at regattas?
Mr T: The biggest reason for giving up racing these large yachts with hugely different characteristics is that a rating system to create a level playing field is just too hard to create and satisfy everyone. Rating is normally based on a 40-foot boat and does not translate well onto 190-foot superyachts. We think that bucket ratings should be based on historic performance at races, but all too often nowadays egos get in the way and ratings are set by whoever screams and shouts the loudest.
Mr T: We have thoroughly enjoyed the intellectual challenge of racing and going head-to-head in design lead competitions – it really draws one in. Racing 57m yachts is exhilarating but, as everyone tells us, if you really want to race, build an optimised race boat. And this probably means a one-design class so that there are no rows about the rating system.
To read more about Twizzle's owners and their vision behind her design and build, which fulfilled a lifelong ambition of cruising around the world, please read issue 13 of The Superyacht Owner.
Courtesy of Twizzle's owners.
TSO: How was racing Twizzle during the St Barths Bucket?Mr T: Twizzle was unbelievable in St Barths as she kept up with the much lighter racing boats in her class. Overall, she should have had a better performance rating, but certain boats were upset with their ratings in the BVIs and they forced the Rating Committee to give them an unrealistically good rating, and us a bad one.
"All too often nowadays egos get in the way and ratings are set by whoever screams and shouts the loudest."
TSO: What is the biggest frustration for superyacht owners at regattas?
Mr T: The biggest reason for giving up racing these large yachts with hugely different characteristics is that a rating system to create a level playing field is just too hard to create and satisfy everyone. Rating is normally based on a 40-foot boat and does not translate well onto 190-foot superyachts. We think that bucket ratings should be based on historic performance at races, but all too often nowadays egos get in the way and ratings are set by whoever screams and shouts the loudest.
Credit: Cory Silken. Courtesy of Twizzle's owners.
TSO: What are your plans for participating in the racing circuit in the future?Mr T: We have thoroughly enjoyed the intellectual challenge of racing and going head-to-head in design lead competitions – it really draws one in. Racing 57m yachts is exhilarating but, as everyone tells us, if you really want to race, build an optimised race boat. And this probably means a one-design class so that there are no rows about the rating system.
To read more about Twizzle's owners and their vision behind her design and build, which fulfilled a lifelong ambition of cruising around the world, please read issue 13 of The Superyacht Owner.
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