Teams from the Dominican Republic are enjoying great success this week at the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival. Going into day 3 and the final day of racing, La Novia, the Leopard 50 catamaran owned and skippered by Georges Coutu is leading in Cruising Multihull class. Popombi, the Beneteau First 40 owned and skippered by Christian Cabral, is in second in CSA Performance Cruising, and Lady M, the Club Swan 42 owned by Joan Rodriquez sits in second in CSA Spinnaker.
Rodriquez purchased Lady M last August so his team have been sailing the boat for just a few months. Rodriguez formerly owned Popombi, the Beneteau First 40 under the name Lady M. He was looking to step up the pace when he started the search for a new boat, notes boat captain Alberto Abreu.
“Joan wanted a faster boat, something high performance,” Abreu explains. “Lady M is a more technical boat – it’s been a little bit challenging to figure it out, but I think I think we’re finally getting the results. We’re improving day by day which is the most important thing for us.”
Abreu added that they liked the Club Swan 42 as it’s a popular boat on the European race circuit and often a winner, plus it rates well. They found the current Lady M in Charleston, South Carolina which made for an easy 12-day delivery of the boat to the Dominican Republic. Sailing with friends and family on board is working just fine, Rodriguez smiles.
“We are all friends and family and we get on well; everybody’s focused on the job at hand, and I think it’s working right now,” he says. “We have 2 pros with us which helps me. We have improved a lot just this week.
Rodriguez has been a regular to the BVI Spring Regatta for a number of years because he loves the venue.
“Both on land and out in the ocean, the BVI is great. All the courses around the islands are very good; in the DR, or other Caribbean venues, we don’t have that. There are a lot of islands to choose from here; the race committee did a really good job on Saturday of sending us on some interesting courses even though it was light. It was tricky with all the shifts but it was good.”
Sunday will be the day of reckoning for Lady M – they need to score two bullets to take first; either way, a podium finish is in their grasp.
“It’s pretty tight,” Rodriguez smiles. “Apollo and we are half a point apart. Sunday will be interesting. We don’t have any secret weapons; we’ll just try to sail clean and I think we’ll do well. It’s going to be fun!”
