Discover the Caribbean Regatta
Two November weekends, the keelboat regatta first and the dinghy regatta after
Approximate window. The organisers publish the exact days a few months ahead.
What it is
The Discover the Caribbean Series was born in 1989, after Hurricane Hugo tore up the Fajardo area, and it has been the big regatta of southern Puerto Rico ever since. It is run by the Club Náutico de Ponce and consists of a feeder passage from Fajardo plus two weekends of buoy racing off Ponce. More than forty boats compete in classes such as Racing, IC 24, J/24 and Chalanas.
What to expect
You can watch for free from the Club Náutico boardwalk and from the Ponce shoreline, with the fleets heading out in the morning and returning by mid afternoon. The second weekend belongs to the small boats, with Optimist, ILCA, 420 and Sunfish, and it is the most family friendly. Ashore there is a yacht club atmosphere with food and music throughout the series.
Getting there
The Club Náutico de Ponce sits in the La Guancha area, ten minutes from the historic center and an hour and a half from San Juan on the PR-52. There is parking at the La Guancha boardwalk, which also has food kiosks and makes a good afternoon plan. You do not need to be a member to watch the starts from the boardwalk.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Discover the Caribbean Regatta?
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Sources: sailingpur.com, sailingpur.com, allatsea.net, facebook.com
