Images courtesy of Billy Black.

A new association designed to improve superyacht racing safety and handicapping was due to be formed this afternoon in St Barths when a group of owners, designers, builders and equipment manufacturers met on the eve of the St Barths Bucket.


The Superyacht Racing Association was established following a meeting in London last November when concerns over safety and handicapping were discussed and a working party was formed to take the idea further.


Accidents on the race course and some discontent over the difficult subject of settling on a fair handicapping system for superyachts led to the formation of the SYRA membership, which is available to owners of yachts that have taken part in at least one regatta, designers, builders, sail makers, winch makers and event organisers.


The meeting in St Barths is likely to appoint respected race officer Peter Craig as director of the association and there will be an elected executive committee that will comprise two owners, two designers, two builders and a highly experienced captain. A mission statement outlining the scope of the association’s work has been drawn up and we hope to be able to report further on this later this week.

The St Barths Bucket starts tomorrow – click here for more.

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