Ian Craddock, captain of Kaori, was also the superyacht’s captain 25 years ago when it was known as Mandalay and its owner, publisher Nelson Doubleday, suggested a Bucket regatta for St. Barths. As it happens, it fell on the shoulders of Craddock and some of his captain friends to make it a reality; it became a labor of love for them until 2015 when the Stewards of the Bucket took over the responsibility. “Back in the early days, hardly anyone was here, and at the end of racing I would stand on an old, empty milk crate and give out boxes of cigars and bottles of rum for prizes,” said Craddock. “Finally, the officials at the Capitainerie said we should make it a proper regatta, with permits and all, so that’s what we did; it grew from there.” Interestingly, Gustavia’s Port Director Ernest Brin also was there for the Bucket’s beginnings and remembers Craddock fondly. “He was just a dock hand,” said Craddock, “and now he’s the boss!”
If you haven’t noticed the monstrous silver yacht moored near the mouth of Gustavia harbor, you just might need glasses. Looking, as one sailor commented, rather like a large cheese wedge with toothpicks in it, it’s called A, and at 142.81m (468.5 ft.) long and 12, 558 tons, it’s the largest private sail-assisted motor yacht in the world. Gear heads might also like to know that its propulsion system consists of a variable-speed hybrid power plant with two line-shaft controllable pitch propellers. The “toothpicks” are three freestanding carbon fiber rotating masts. Not sure she qualifies as a Bucket superyacht, but she sure can turn heads like the best of them.
Last night’s Yacht Hop, one of the most colorful social events on the schedule here this week, showed in no uncertain terms the readiness of Bucketeers to party and the willingness of crews to get creative with party themes, signature cocktails and entertainment. While hundreds of visitors and locals communed around the Bucket Bar, those with Bucket bracelets had a choice of boarding some or all of the dozen superyachts docked Mediterranean-style at the Capitainerie. Drawing huge crowds aboard Q was a seriously good saxophone player on the aft deck who inspired wild dancing on the upper deck. If that wasn’t enough, guests could stylize their own personal photo shoot at a backdrop set up on the foredeck. Aquarius went for a shark theme, with stewardesses and deck hands outfitted in Great White outfits. They also went the extra mile, crafting a plastic shark out of cellophane and stuffing it with garbage to make a point that we need to keep our trash to ourselves. Kaori’s three-piece band on the bow played the music of Sting and similar artists, while Perseus 3 chose a Masquerade theme and Seahawk went “Under the Sea.”
