When he was just 14, local Antiguan Carrack Jones set a world record in November 2023 by sailing an Optimist dinghy 31 hours / 100 nautical miles solo from Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, to Simpson Bay, St. Maarten through open ocean, an experience that infinitely honed his helming skills and confidence. He’s moved on from small boats to become an active youth sailor on the Antigua racing scene, sailing on the family boat Blue Peter, a J/30, and with other locals, like Bernie Evan-Wong, on their boats.
Carrack Jones on helm
Jones has competed in Antigua Sailing Week three times with his crew of young sailors; they recently won the local Jolly Harbour Yacht Club Valentine’s Regatta in the racer cruiser division. He also raced the RORC Caribbean 600 this year with Evan-Wong on High Tension. He’s looking forward to the new Antigua Sailing Week format.
High Tension
“We’re really looking forward to the new format which will be both racing and cruising,” the 17-year-old Jones notes with his characteristic enthusiasm. “We’ve got really good sponsorship from Absolute Properties, and the whole crew is just really excited to be trying something new. We get to sleep on the boat and we’ll be going to different places around the island each day. I’ve gone around the island 100s of times so I feel completely confident,” Jones notes with a big smile. “I don’t have any navigational concerns but we’ll be watching the wind and currents, mostly up the side of the Cade’s Bay area, around Green Island and Half Moon Bay. We’ll also be watching Jumby Bay.”
Carrack and crew members of Blue Peter
Jones, who will be team captain/helmsman, will sail with 8-10 crew all under age 18 and a mix of girls and boys including his 15-year-old brother Tyson. They’ll all be taking time off school to sail the event which is not unusual for Jones; he says he misses about 2 months of school each year due to sailing commitments.
Evan-Wong has been friends with the Jones family since Carrack was about six months old and enjoys having him on board his boats.
“Carrack is a talented young sailor and he was a great help on the helm in the C600 as High Tension is a big dinghy, especially upwind you need your best helm on the job!” Evan-Wong notes. “I take pleasure in helping youth sailors; as a sport we are struggling to survive and need more youth sailors to take our places! On the racecourse we are fierce rivals but in the clubhouse great friends – that’s the nature of our sport although it doesn’t mean we won’t let them pass in front on a port and starboard situation; after all we are still gentlemen!”
A victorious Bernie Evan-Wong
Sailboat racing has been Evan-Wong’s passion his entire life. He competed in his first Antigua Sailing Week in 1982 and has missed just five of those events in all these years – he’s a true veteran of racing Antigua! For over 30 years he has been active on the Caribbean Circuit, racing from as far south as Tobago and north to Puerto Rico. This year he’s sailed an enviable racing schedule participating in Martinique, Valentine’s in Jolly Harbour, Nelson’s Cup, the Antigua 360, the RORC Caribbean 600, and recently the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. Next up is the Antigua Racing Cup, the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta then Antigua Sailing Week, all on board High Tension, his 30-year-old Mumm 36.
High Tension was damaged by a hurricane in 2014 and she sat derelict for years until Evan-Wong was able to dedicate a straight six months rebuilding her. New sails went on the boat the day after he re-launched her and he immediately competed in this year’s Valentines Regatta where he placed 3rd in class; he then also placed 3rd in class in the Nelson’s Cup, the Antigua 360, and the Heineken.
“Without testing High Tension, we have sailed over 1000 miles since launching her and we are very happy with the results!” Evan-Wong smiled.
While High Tension is the boat he’s currently having fun with, Evan-Wong’s on the fence about which of his boats he will compete with for Antigua Sailing Week.
“I think it’s going to be an interesting race!” he said. “We may not sail High Tension but rather one of my other more comfortable boats as I believe we have to live aboard! Maybe we’ll sail my 1967 Cal 40 Huey, or maybe even our mothership which is a Fontaine Pajot 43.”
Evan-Wong knows the waters around Antigua well so he’ll be able to capitalize on his local knowledge during Antigua Sailing Week.
“I know the racecourse area for Antigua Sailing Week very well but we’ll still rely on navigational help as it can be tricky on the North Coast and around Green Island,” Antigua does a great job of on the water management compared to the other regattas and this means a lot to the more discerning racers and they also are very good at shoreside organization. The new format should be interesting!”
Bernie and Crew love to have fun!
Evan-Wong will sail Antigua Sailing Week with a group of friends and having fun is the top of the agenda.
“My crew are a great bunch of friends – we’re no rockstars but we love having fun!”
The young Jones agrees, “Sailing with Bernie is always a good time – it’s not so much a learning experience for me because I’ve already sailed some 2600 miles with him, but his crew are always fun to be around.”