A Brief History of the Bucket Regatta
BucketRegatta.Com – The first Bucket Regatta was organized in Nantucket, Massachusetts in August of 1986. At a birthday celebration organized by Nelson Doubleday, several yacht owners participated in a spirited discussion about optimal yacht design and individual sailing prowess. The following day, with only a night of preparation, seven sailing superyachts raced on a hastily prepared 15-mile course on Nantucket Sound. The stated prize of this impromptu competition was simply to attain undisputed superyacht sailing bragging rights for the year. They soon learned, however, that the pleasure and enjoyment of a camaraderie formed at sea between like-minded individuals was the greatest prize of all. As a result, a nearby spare bucket was deemed sufficient to commemorate the racing accomplishment and the Bucket Regatta was born.
For over 35 years since 1986, the world’s premier superyacht sailing vessels, owners, crew, and guests have reunited with the same intention.
Between 1986 and 2001, the Nantucket Bucket flourished. The summer event then shifted to Newport, Rhode Island where the event was well hosted at the Newport Shipyard from 2002 to 2014.
In 1995, the beautiful French island of St Barths hosted its first Bucket Regatta and it has done so in March every year since then. Although the size of the yachts and competing fleet has grown significantly, the spirit of the event has remained unchanged. In recent years, 40 or more superyachts have gathered to compete for the Bucket in glamorous St Barths.
Over the years, many of the world’s most notable and accomplished sailors have participated in the racing. Nonetheless, as the Bucket Regatta has evolved, the organizers have kept a tight focus on maintaining the original camaraderie and non-commercial spirit of the event. It was, and still is, an event conceived and hosted purely for the pleasure and enjoyment of the sailing superyacht owner. There is no other regatta of its magnitude on the superyacht racing circuit with the same goals, and the event organizers consider themselves the stewards of a most worthwhile tradition. Every year, invitations are extended to like-minded individuals.