I provide boat captain services: worldwide yacht delivery or just local piloting in South Florida. And in addition to my friendly and professional services, I also provide you with an amazing array of vessels for your chartering needs. From small boats to large yachts, I will provide you with a great value to ensure your enjoyment and an amazing experience on the water! Call me at 305-962-8700 or email me at MiamiCaptain@gmail.com
So here it is, the finals to the Bacardi Cup and the Miami Sailing Week 2013. The week brought all kinds of wind conditions, from still wind to over 25 knots! As always is a lot of fun to watch the regattas and some of my friends compete.
It all started with a visit to the Bacardi Building in Coral Gables, Miami for the warm-off party and off course, the Bacardi was abundant! Here competitors and sponsors alike gather in a non-formal event and share some time together before competitive edges take a hold. I will up date this post with some pictures in the days to come from that party.
The Bacardi Cup started out as a three-day event with less than 10 boats in 1927, now attracts more than 200 sailors each year from some 23 countries and the attention of international media and it has developed into the “Miami Sailing Week“.
It was awesome to meet with sailing photographer Cory Silken again. Unfortunately I did not get to drive with Cory and instead switched boats with him all week, therefore at least I got some pics of him in action and this shoot below before parting out to the course on day three. Cory jet-sets around the world to capture in film the best regattas including America’s Cup and this year once again he was selected to exhibit his work during the Bacardi Cup & the Miami Sailing Week!
I had the opportunity to take the press for pictures at the regatta including the Miami Herald, the city of Miami, and Daniela Noguera from UM TV. Below is the video report Daniela worked on for the University of Miami. And below that one you can see them all in action on the weather mark of the course for the J70′s.
I also would like to personally thank some of the sponsors starting with my good friend Harry Horgan the co-founder of Shake a leg Miami and also Eddie Cutillas Bacardi from the Bacardi family. In addition great thanks for their immeasurable work during the week, to Marcus Pincus the BMSW Regatta Chairman and Sara Zanobini the event director for Studio Milano.
With Harry Horgan & Eddie Cutillas Bacardi
Miami Olympians Mark Mendelblatt and Brian Fatih overcame a terrible first race in the 86th Bacardi Cup to claw their way to the top spot in the fleet of 56 Stars by the conclusion of five days of racing Saturday on Biscayne Bay.
Bacardi Cup 2013 Winners Mark Mendelblatt and Brian Fatih, Star Class
The pair — who finished seventh in last summer’s Olympic Games — rebounded from last place for jumping the start Monday to within two points of Brazilian leaders Lars Grael and Marco Lagoa on Friday. On Saturday, the Miamians sealed the deal by winning the regatta’s final race, beating the Brazilians — who finished seventh — by four points for the overall championship.
Defending champ Xavier Rohart of France and crew Serge Pulter were third overall, followed by the Italian team of Diego Negri and Frithjof Kleen in fourth. Miami skipper Augie Diaz and crew Arnis Baltins took fifth place, followed by George Szabo of San Diego and crew Magnus Liljedahl of Miami — the 2000 Olympic gold medalist — in sixth.
Saturday marked the second time Mendelblatt got to drink rum from the heavy silver Trofeo Bacardi. The two-time Olympian also won the Bacardi in 2005.
“We got it together after the first two races,” Mendelblatt said. “From there, things improved. It’s not the Olympics, but the Bacardi Cup is one of the biggest events for the Stars aside from the worlds. It’s a really good one to win. We really enjoy it.”
The Cup was the marquee event of Bacardi Miami Sailing Week, which featured four other racing classes: Audi Melges 20; Melges 24; Viper 640; and J/70.
Michael Kiss of Holland, Mich., and his crew topped the 45-boat Audi Melges 20 fleet with a score of 22 after seven races. Italy’s Alessando Rombelli was runner-up (33), followed by James Wilson of Rye, N.Y., in third with 37.
Italy’s Riccardo Simoneschi got out in front of the 18-boat Melges 20 fleet on the final day, scoring 16 points after seven races. Don Wilson of Chicago and his crew were second, followed by Alan Field of Los Angeles in third.
In the 18-boat Viper 640 fleet, Canada’s Lee Shuckerow edged Fort Lauderdale’s Philip Lotz by four points for the overall victory. Jason Carroll of New York City took third.
In the 20-boat J/70 fleet — making its Sailing Week debut — Brian Keane of Weston, Mass., took the top spot, followed by Peter Duncan of Rye, N.Y., in second, and Will Welles of Portsmouth, R.I., in third.
So that is it for the Bacardi Cup and the Miami Sailing week 2013. Until next year! Salud!
What’s up you lunatics of the world, sailing aficionados and all mere mortals wishing to go sailing?! It’s that time of year for Miami’s own sailing week. -The Bacardi Cup, is the most anticipated multi-class regatta in Miami. 150 boats with competitors from 16 countries and across the U.S.A. will meet again and line up under Miami’s sunny skies on Biscayne Bay to compete for the celebrated Bacardi Cup and the BMSW regatta trophy. Event Date: 3-9 March, 2013.
For the fourth year in a row Miami Sailing Week is offering competitors from a variety of different one-design classes the opportunity to compete during this fun and exciting event on the beautiful waters of Biscayne Bay. This will be the Star Class 86th consecutive year partnering with Bacardi, a tradition that begun in Cuba then in Miami since 1962 making it this year the 50th anniversary. After only four years, BACARDI Miami Sailing Week has become a world famous event attracting the best national and international sailors. Considered by many one of the top-ten sailing events in the world!
Returning for 2013 and ready to give the best they’ve got are the Viper 640, Melges 20,Melges 24 and J/80’s classes. This year theJ/70’s will be joining the group and we look forward to seeing them taking part in their first regatta in South Florida.
STUDIO MILANO will be the Organizing Authority and Coral Reef Yacht Club, Coconut Grove Sailing Club, Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, Shake A Leg and the US Sailing Center will act as co-hosts. Also any yacht chartering needs you may contact us here or Miami Yacht Charters
More importantly after the sailing, is the partying! Come on after all, this IS the Bacardi Cup! There will be a Bacardi happy hour every day at the hospitality village, see you there and Salud!
As I delivered a yacht to Miami going south on the Intracoastal Waterway just north of the Hillsborough Inlet in Pompano Beach, Florida, I remind myself of the fact that here, there are just over a couple of dozens or so homes which are completely unique in the United States.
You see there are many homes facing the Atlantic Ocean or for that matter facing the Pacific Ocean with direct access to the beach. And then, there are homes that have direct access to the Inter Coastal Waterways ICW but only these, here in the so called Hillsboro Mile, have both!
These private homes are the only ones in the Country where you have the Atlantic Ocean on your backyard and the Inter Coastal Waterway on your front yard!
Hey, let me plug some keywords here before going on. Yes, visitors in Miami and Miami yacht charters are extremely Miami Adventures, Miami rent a boat, boat rentals, boat rentals Miami we have it all covered. The best bachelorette parties in Miami, and indeed also Miami bachelorette party.
Sorry, so as I was saying, therefore these properties have A1A (US-1) “cut” through their real estate lot and in fact the only way these home owners get to their yachts on the ICW is by literally crossing the street (lol). So cool, I think, at least for boaters.
Anyways, just south of these homes is the waterway Hillsboro inlet itself that has a light house that was first lighted in 1907.
I took the above picture on my cell phone while driving out of the inlet heading south to Miami Beach Marina. Thanks for reading and if you liked it, feel free to “like us” and feel free to share the post if you may. TY.
Hey, the time is here the races start in Miami this Friday May 18t. with the Pro-Am races. This is the only day with three races for the Volvo Ocean Race. View the race course below.
We are providing private and open public boat charters for all the races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Open public charters are $200.00 per person. You may also gather your friends and get a private charter.If you are interested in watching the races right from the water give us a call at 305-962-8700. First come, first served!
The Volvo Ocean Race (formerly the Whitbread Round the World Race) is a yacht race around the world, held every three years.[1] It is named after its current owner,Volvo. At this moment the Netherlands holds the record of three wins with the Dutch skipper Conny van Rietschoten being the only skipper to win the race twice.
Though the route is changed to accommodate various ports of call, the race typically departs Europe in October, and in recent editions has had either 9 or 10 legs, with in-port races at many of the stopover cities. The last completed edition of the race started in Alicante, Spain, on October 11, 2008.[1] The route for the 2008-2009 race was altered from previous years to include stopovers in India and Asia for the first time.[2] The 2008-09 route covered nearly 39,000 nmi (72,000 km), took over nine months to complete, and reached a cumulative TV audience of 2 billion people worldwide.[3]
Each of the entries has a sailing team of 11 professional crew and the race requires their utmost skills, physical endurance and competitive spirit as they race day and night for more than 20 days at a time on some of the legs. They will each take on different jobs on board the boat, and on top of these sailing roles, there will be two sailors that have had medical training, as well as a sailmaker, an engineer and a dedicated media crew member.
During the race the crews will experience life at the extreme: no fresh food is taken on board, so they live off freeze-dried fare; they will experience temperature variations from -5 to +40 degrees Celsius and will only take one change of clothes. They will trust their lives to the boat and the skipper and experience hunger and sleep deprivation.
For your Volvo Ocean boat charter reservation call 305-962-8700
The in-port racing during this edition of the Volvo Ocean Race is sure to be among the highlights of the entire event. This is the closest that spectators can get to the action without actually being on board one of the race boats.
The in-port race is a critical component of the Volvo Ocean Race, an integral part of the spectacle of the race. This is when the public can see man and machine engage in battle in very close quarters. The race course for the in-port race is always close to shore, so even if you can’t get out on a spectator boat, the nearest beach or breakwater may offer just as good a view.
The race course is very short, ensuring close-quarters, intense action. The course layout will enhance the closeness of the racing, and allow the spectators to get a better look.
The start
Winning the start is essential in an in-port race. As these races are 45-60 minutes long, you have very little time to recover from a poor start. The sailors will do their best to be the first off the starting line, as the gun fires. Being at the tactically favoured end of the line is crucial too. But there is only one ‘best’ place to start, so look for aggressive jockeying for position ahead of the start. In fact, this fight for position in the final minutes before the start can be one of the most fascinating moments of these races. The rules apply from the 5-minute gun, and from then on, you are free to use them to your advantage. Teams will attempt to ‘squeeze’ out their competition forcing them into a poor start, or even pushing them onto the wrong side of the starting line. A boat starting early will have to return to the other side of the line, or if many of the boats in the fleet are early, the Race Committee will make a General Recall to re-start the entire fleet. A team starting early in the subsequent start may be disqualified from the race.
Scoring
Points equal to the number of entries at the start of the race (i.e. the start in Alicante) less the number of boats placed above her in that in-port race. As an example, if 10 boats were entered and started the in-port race in Alicante and a boat finishes 3rd in Itajaí she would score eight points.
In total, the in-port races account for 20% of the total points you can score in the race.
In-port race crew
With the exception of the in-port race in Alicante, the crew for the in-port race will consist of 10 crew members plus the media crew member and all will have sailed the previous leg or will start in the next leg. The in-port races require more and faster manoeuvres and therefore it’s helpful to have an extra pair of strong hands. The tactician’s role is to position the boat on the race course and instruct the helmsman where to steer and when to make a manoeuvre.
The most anticipated multi-class regatta in Miami will take place from March 4th to March 10th, 2012. Teams representing countries from all over the world will meet again and line up under Miami’s sunny skies on Biscayne Bay to compete for the celebrated Bacardi Cup and the BMSW regatta trophy.
The Bacardi Cup is a cherished tradition that in 2011 will celebrate its 85th birthday, and for 50 straight years has called the beautiful waters of Biscayne Bay home. The racing begins on Monday, March 6th with events scheduled daily through Saturday, March 10th. The event is dedicated to Tito Bacardi and his memory will be honored in several ways by the participants, the sailing community and the Bacardi family.
The Bacardi Cup is now part of an expanded event called BACARDI Miami Sailing Week Presented by EFG Bank. This new Miami tradition will offer sailors from a variety of different classes the chance to compete in various regattas, all of which will be sponsored by BACARDI, Miami Sailing Week’s title sponsor. The Bacardi Cup traditions and format will not change and the regatta will be the crown jewel of the new format. The following classes gladly accepted BACARDI Miami Sailing Week’s invitation and will participate at the 2011 event: Melges 20, Melges 24, Viper 640 and J/80.
The prestigious Coral Reef Yacht Club will continue to manage RC activities for the Bacardi Cup. CRYC member and past Race Committee Chair Mark Pincus will also serve as BMSW Regatta Chairman for the second year in a row. He will skillfully manage the race organization, judging and other logistical solutions with the support of Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, US Sailing Center, Shake a Leg Miami and Coconut Grove Sailing Club. Regattas will be held on three different courses on Biscayne Bay with course #1 reserved exclusively for the Star Class.
Thanks to a larger number of participants we will have a dedicated Village area for sailors to socialize and enjoy their time off the water. There will also be an expanded Mid-week party and Awards ceremony Bacardi style! Salud!
Are looking for a yacht charter in Miami to enjoy it’s scenery?
Why not charter with a local captain that also can be your tour guide. And of course, I know that you are looking to get a real great value and, we provide you with that as well.
Hi, I am boat captain Hery Aloma and I have been boating and sailing in Miami since 1985. The truth is that Miami has to offer one of the best cities in the world for boating and, I wont even mention the weather. In fact once I saw a book while at Barnes and Noble with a title that certainly caught my attention: Fifty Places to Sail Before You Die, by Chriss Santella. So, I immediately wonder if Miami was listed.
Can you believe it, I was wondering IF in fact it was just listed. So I opened the book and wouldn’t you know it, Biscayne Bay the 16th. best place in the world to sail according to the book.
After seeing this, it made me realize what I have taken for granted for so long, Miami is an amazing city for sailing or for that matter boating.
And at the epicenter to go boating here is Venetian Causeway, an artificial link of islands connecting Miami to Miami Beach, you know those little islands you see from the plane when landing in Miami from the east. And south of it, the world renown Star Island, along with Palm and Hibiscus Islands. All this while enjoying the west views of South Beach.
In addition, we cruise to South Beach, Fisher Island, Virginia Key and Key Biscayne, those last two in fact, the first of the Florida Keys starting from the north.
So, what are you waiting for? Are you ready to see it and live it like a native??
I really enjoy taking people on boat from Miami to John Pennekamp Park. I always enjoy the way there on Biscayne Bay and so do my customers. It is just over 40 miles away from Miami and it takes about two hours cruising at about 20 -22 knots. Most people do not realize that the Florida Keys hosts the world’s third largest living coral reef in the world.
While the mangrove swamps and tropical hammocks in the park’s upland areas offer visitors a unique experience, it is the coral reefs and their associated marine life that bring most visitors to the park. Moreover, the great thing about some of the reefs in the park for the novice diver is that they are quite shallow and perfect for skin diving. You can literally dive in just several feet of water depth by going to the right location.
I really enjoy watching people’s reaction to the experience of diving in the park after all, it is “another world” down there.
To visit the park by boat you can contact me, boat captain Hery at (305) 962-8700. John Pennekamp Park is located at Mile Marker 102.5 Overseas Highway inKey Largo, Fl.
Heavy weather can generally be defined as seas, swell, and wind conditions combining to exceed 8 feet and/or winds exceeding 30 knots. If heavy weather is forecasted, it should be considered when planning a day out on the water. Reliable and up to the minute information is critical for planning and having a safe trip. There are many sources of information available to the boat operators, ensuring that the information is found and used is the responsibility of every one involved. This definition of heavy weather is not intended to define a heavy weather situation for a specific boat type.
The weather is the primary deciding factor that makes operating in heavy weather dangerous or impossible. Knowing what conditions your boat and crew will be challenged is extremely important to identify. Some sources of information are:
Message traffic from the National Weather Service.
First-hand observations from shore prior to getting underway.
The Internet – There are many websites available with information ranging from weather buoy and ship observations to satellite photos.
Other mariners that can be trusted to give accurate weather conditions. While most mariners are as accurate as they can be, comparing observations from the mariner with other information available is always prudent. The stress of being in heavy weather can often make large waves appear to be giants.
In heavy weather, the safety of the boat depends on the Skipper as much as the boat’s design. The boat operator has a job, which requires a high degree of concentration if it is to be done well. Their job is to assess the many factors affecting the boat and take appropriate action on the wheel, throttle, and other controls to ensure its safe transit. A larger than normal wave or one with a breaking crest can arrive with little warning and a critical situation can develop rapidly. At night, the situation is worse due to the very restricted visibility.
Heavy weather is demanding on both the Captain and the crew and they must do all in their power to remain mentally and physically alert. Also, do not forget to always have the proper gear for your local conditions
It is important to remember that operating in these conditions increases the level of risk, the possibility of causing injury to personnel, and damage to property. Prior to leaving the dock ensure all precautions have been taken to be aware of any Heavy weather conditions that may be in your area.
I really enjoy taking people on boat from Miami to John Pennekamp Park. I always enjoy the way there on Biscayne Bay and so do my customers. It is just over 40 miles away from Miami and it takes about two hours cruising at about 20 -22 knots. Most people do not realize that the Florida Keys hosts the world’s third largest living coral reef in the world.
