Bahamian sloop racing on the rise

Published on December 10th, 2025

With more than 3,000 islands, cays and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, Jan Pehrson reports how traditional boating is alive and well in the Bahamas:

Unlike other wooden boat regattas in the world, the annual Best of the Best Regatta, sailed off Montague Beach in Nassau, The Bahamas, from December 3-9, continues to expand each year. This year, with 94 boats registered, it was the largest since the first Best of the Best in 2016.

There are four racing classes of Bahamian wooden sloops – A-Class (28 feet long), B-Class (21 feet long), C-Class (17 feet long), and E-Class (12 feet long). Crowds came for the onshore fun, watching the big screens and wagering on the results.

* All racing conducted under the ‘Best of the Best Regatta’ General Racing Instructions and Rules