As it turns out, a mere look at the Sands Beer logo at the 2010 National Family Island Regatta in George Town, Exuma, is the catalyst behind the re-introduction of one of the country’s oldest pastimes. After about a 20-year absence, the art of sculling has been reborn and will take center stage next weekend at the 25th Annual St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. The two-day event, set for February 18 and 19 at Montagu Bay, will encompass ‘The Man in the Boat’ Sculling Race on the Saturday of the regatta, followed by Optimist and C-Class races that same Saturday, and the big showdown, the ‘Catch Me If You Can’ Race on the Sunday of the regatta. The Sands Beer logo is a man in a boat sculling, so it was only fitting that Bahamian Brewery Beverage Company, which produces Sands Beer, play an integral role in the re-introduction of sculling. Brewery owner James ‘Jimmy’ Sands approached boat owner Sheldon Gibson about the idea two years ago, and now what started out as a dream is brought to reality. Four sculling boats – Sands, Sands Light, Strong Back and High Rock – were designed and built by Gibson, and all will be in action in races next Saturday at the Montagu foreshore. “My objective is to get as many Bahamian built boats in the water as possible, so when the idea was brought to me, I jumped on it because not only was it an opportunity to get Bahamians back into sculling, but it was an opportunity to teach it to young people,” said Gibson. “This is a golden opportunity. I’m looking forward to a good time with these boats and the opportunity to teach a lot of kids how to sail and how to scull. It is something that was on the way out, but there is no way that we could have settled this archipelago without sea transportation, and the sail boat and the sculling boat is what caused us to be able to settle these beautiful islands. Here we are re-doing it and re-living history. I’m looking forward to some very good performances,” he added. Boat builder Gibson said that a lot of his students from his sailing club took part in the actual construction of the boats, and it is their wish to stage a builder’s race at some time this year. As for the sculling races next Saturday, they will be held in three series of races and will be open to those wishing to test their skills in sculling. There will be 16 teams of two people per boat. Competitors are required to be 18 years or older, and teams must register at least one hour prior to the start of the first series. Registration closes 15 minutes before race time. The sculling portion of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, which will be held in honor of sailing icon Sir Durward Knowles this year, will get underway at 1 p.m. on Saturday February 18. “This is a very unique situation – a Bahamian tradition of sculling boats coinciding with the one and only Bahamian Brewery,” said Sands, creator of the seven-year-old Sands Beer. “The boats are built by a Bahamian and their primary focus is to restore a Bahamian culture that was dying. Hopefully, they will be able to rejuvenate the fine culture of sculling. Bahamian Brewery is the proud producer of Sands Beer, Strong Back, High Rock, Sands Light, and most recently Bush Crack Beer. We congratulate the builder Sheldon Gibson and we are happy to be a part of this unique situation, in the best interest of sailing in this country.” The first series of sculling races will feature four heats of four, with the top two advancing. The second series will feature two heats of four teams with the top two advancing. The third and final series will feature one heat of four teams which will determine the first through fourth place finishers. If a team advances to the second series, the other team member must scull the second series, and if it advances to the third series, the team can pick which member to scull the final series. Wherever possible, competitors will rotate the boats. The races actually start onshore between two buoys. The boat is then pushed out to sea, and competitors go around the Sands Beer buoy leaving the marker to the port side of the boat, and finish back onshore between the buoys. One team member will be in the boat and the other will push off and start sculling. Both team members must complete the heat. If a team causes his or her boat to advance other than using the sculling technique, that boat will be disqualified. In the event that there are not sufficient teams registered, the rules will be modified and this will be explained by the race co-ordinator, prior to the start of the regatta. All decisions by the race co-ordinator are final. Regatta organizer Eleazor ‘Barber J’ Johnson said that as far back as he can remember sculling has always been an integral part of sailing here in The Bahamas. As a young boy growing up in Acklins, he said that he remembers partaking in many sculling races, and is ecstatic to see that it has returned and will be re-introduced at the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. “I’m very grateful for the support. One of the things about this event is that it is all Bahamians – Bahamian born, Bahamian idea and Bahamian builder, so I support it 100 percent. They (sculling boats) will definitely help the regatta. There will be a lot of activities going on this St. Valentine’s Day Regatta. I just want to thank everyone for all the support that I have received,” he added. The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture is also throwing its full support behind the event. “On behalf of the ministry, we are very excited for this particular competition because it encompasses every aspect of what we do at the ministry – sports, culture and a specific element for youth. Anything to do with these three elements, we fully support,” said ministry representative Angelique McKay. She herself vowed to sign up and partake in the sculling competition. The art of sculling won’t start and stop at the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. According to Sands, they are going to take it to the Family Islands as well. There are plans to stage sculling races at all of the major regattas this year, and at the end of the year in Grand Bahama, an overall sculling champion will be crowned. Lyndon Johnson, sales and marketing manager at Bahamian Brewery, said that they are extremely proud to be apart of the historic event, and they are encouraging all Bahamian scullers to come out and take part in the races. Berkley Williamson, general manager of the brewery for New Providence and the Family Islands, extended congratulations to Sands for what he said was a wonderful dream that was brought to reality. “These boats will help to solidify what is happening here in The Bahamas – that we must promote Bahamians. We just hope that all Bahamians would come out and support this event. In order for our culture to grow and remain with us, we must continue to improve so that the generations after us will have something to follow on,” he said. As for the two-day regatta, ‘Barber J’ Johnson said that plans are going smoothly and they expect a grand showing in less than two weeks. “It started in 1987 as a small regatta and now it has grown tremendously,” said Johnson. “In 24 years, only two boats have caught me three times – that’s the New Courageous and the Red Stripe. I don’t know who will catch me this time because the course is 12 miles and I have a 15-minute headstart. They don’t want give me that because they say I’m fast, but the name of the game is ‘Catch Me If You Can’. They will have trouble with me. We’re doing this in honor of Sir Durward Knowles because he was there for me for 16 years. He helped run the race and everything else I asked for, he helped me. Also, thanks to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. They were there for me from 1993 and for that I’m grateful. I must also thank Campari, and I must thank Mr. Sands for his assistance,” he added. Johnson said that so far, five A-Class boats have signed up to take part in the highly anticipated ‘Catch Me If You Can’ Race on the Sunday of the regatta. In that race, the A-Class boats will try to chase down Johnson’s prized B-Class possession, the Campari Lady Nathalie, on a 12-mile course.
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