Part One: the BVI Squib Fleet

Ah, Jim lad! T’was a dark and stormy night … and I was reading the Squib site message boards. There, out of the blue, was a post from one Alison Knights making an appeal for spare Squib kit. She spoke of a fleet mysteriously lost in the mists of time:

Just a few very old boats left from original fleet brought into territory about 30 years ago … The BVI Watersports Centre has acquired 3 in various states of decay … We want to use the boats within the RYA Training Centre but specifically for the Sailability BVI programme that we run.

BVI – the British Virgin Islands

Take your mind back to school geography classes. Think of Florida which sticks out like a somewhat rude tongue south and a tad east from the USA. From the tip of Florida, a series of islands large and small, some volcanic and some coral, form a sort of squashed S down to the east coast of Venezuela. The large islands of Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic form the northern part while a gaggle of smaller islands lead south. The first and biggest is Puerto Rico (C’mon – West Side Story?) and just to the east of that are the Virgin Islands – US and British – the latter centred upon Tortola.

Map courtesy of Michigan State University

The tourist bureau has this to say:

The brilliant Tortola weather offers relief to sun-deprived visitors year-round: constant warm sun, pleasant breezes, and unceasingly blue skies. There are no discernable winter or summer seasons, just continuous pleasant conditions from January to December. Summer temperatures reach into the high 80s and low 90s, while 'winter' averages in the low 80s. Gentle trade winds fan the island.

So OK, it sounds better than Brid in a rainy force 7 - even if those trade winds are not always that ‘gentle’ – but do they still have Squibs? What was that “original fleet brought into the territory about 30 years ago”?

From the archives – a report in the NSOA Newsletter of 1977

The active fleet at BVIYC Road Town, Tortola has affiliated to the Association and we hope that they will be able to send us some reports in the future. Their season obviously takes on a different climatic pattern to ours since we note that their championship is to be held in November.

And so it was …

Report of the 1977 BVI Squib Championship

The seven races were hotly contested by a small yet very serious fleet of eight Squibs. Overall winners were Keith Barker and David Blake sailing in Squib 531 who accumulated 11¾ points over six races. Second place went to El and Alie Richardson sailing Superdocious 162 – their total points were 16¾. One point separated the 3^rd and 4^th placed boats.

The fleet in 1974 moored alongside a houseboat then used as a clubhouse.

The 1977 championships were contested by eight Squibs but there were 10 altogether - 162, 163, 236, 259, 404, 405, 439, 502, 509, 531. (Was it Rasco or Emmet who was talking of a project to discover the whereabouts of ‘lost’ Squib numbers?)

The 1977 BVI Champion Keith Barker and his twin brother Peter went on to represent BVI at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics but the fleet cruised as well as raced. The same Newsletter carries a two page account of a ‘Circumnavigation of St John, US Virgin Islands’ by Peter and Barbara Bailey in their Squib, the Bryde of Hilbre 509. Here is a short extract:

The Bryde of Hilbre lies on a mooring at the Yacht Club about 85ft from the shore and I usually swim out, set the jib and sail it in to the jetty. On this occasion, however, we made use of the club launch so that I could remain dry – a pious hope – for within half an hour we were battling with mountainous seas off Maria Bluff on St John’s SW corner … Not much of the water actually came inside the cockpit. Most of it simply hit crew and helmsman with total impartiality.

Beating along this South Coast towards Ram Head was reminiscent of the many beats I have had down the Welsh coast to the Orme’s Head except that the water is warm and, when it hits you, evaporates quickly under the hot sun leaving you sprinkled with salt like a potato crisp.

We made use of every bit of protection from the many headlands. The bays are rocky and coral encrusted but we sailed on the principle of tacking where we could see the bottom … Water visibility is generally about 25 to 30 feet … and coral heads rarely rise more than 10 feet above the bottom.

1500 hours saw us round Ram Head and an exciting 20 minute reach brought us into the peace and quiet of Coral Harbour anchored in four feet of water alongside the mangrove swamps.

Tough, eh? Look, someone’s got to do it. Their journey on the first day was 13 miles and took 4 hours. On the second day they sailed 17 miles in 3.5 hours. They slept overnight in the Squib.

Bill Bailey, the son of Peter and Barbara Bailey, who runs Caribbean Marine Surveyors Ltd, wrote:

I had one very memorable sail in the Bryde about 18 years ago when I sailed single handed from Camano to Anegada - about 18 miles of open water. The highest points on Anegada are the trees!

It was very wet so I took my clothes off and put them in a plastic bag to keep them dry. The warm water kept the sun from feeling hot so I did not notice parts of my body getting burned. The first cold beer was really good when I hitched a ride ashore. As a result of the sunburn I spent several uncomfortable nights trying to sleep. I spent a week on board before returning to Camano.

The early Squib sailors

On the early racing, Peter Bailey writes:

For about five years, there was a special class for Squibs in the Spring Regattas ... Initially there were two at Biras Creek; two at Peter Island Hotel and two at Prospect Reef Hotel - all for the use of guests. Then there was one owned by the Barker Twins, one by El Richardson, one by Peter Clark and our own. Prospect Reef lies close to the HQ of the BVI Yacht Club, (now the Royal BVIYC) and their Hotel Manager often turned out for races. We also managed to run some team races, borrowing the Squibs from Prospect.

It turns out that El Richardson, actually owned two - 162 Superdocious and 439 David - named after the hurricane that tried to destroy her.

509 Bryde of Hilbre was brought out to BVI by Peter and Barbara Bailey when brand new. The others arrived through Oluf Nissen, a German enthusiast who was living on the Islands. Oluf acted as agent in the purchase and negotiated directly with Oliver Lee. The ship that carried them to BVI was locally referred to as the 'Booker Boat' which was one of the ships owned by Booker Brothers who owned large sugar estates in Guyana and took over from Tate & Lyle.

Oluf has now passed on but his son, Gordon, still lives on Tortola. Among other things, he runs Soper's Hole Wharf & Marina.

Roosevelt Smith, a builder who now also owns a hotel and marina, was one of the earliest Squib owners. His was 163. Famously, he was part of the group of Tortolans who resisted a land grab. A park, created to commemorate this event, was opened by the then Chief Minister, Dr. the Hon. D. Orlando Smith who praised those involved saying:

Four decades ago an agreement was signed giving the entire area of Wickham’s Cay to a foreign developer … without the consent of the people of the BVI. At that moment, our community had to make a definitive choice, either to accept our status as subjects in our own land or stand up … and demand our fundamental rights.

In case you think this was a minor affair, a naval vessel was brought in as a threat.

Roosevelt Smith on left - white shirt. The then Chief Minister on right.

The genesis of The Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club

There is a theory that the Squib Fleet initiated the BVIYC and was later at least partially responsible (if in a roundabout way) for its later ‘Royal’ designation. The BVI Yacht Club was officially formed on July 25, 1973 and received its royal warrant on January 1st 1999.

In 2003 RBVIYC member Tim Clifford wrote an account of the formation of the BVIYC in which he includes what he calls the ‘musings’ of Oluf Nissen.

Back in the early 1970's there was a group of otherwise seemingly normal expats that were actually a small but energetic clan of subversives - trying to promote the sailing of Squibs! They decided to organize races for their Squibs on Saturday afternoons. Nanny Cay seemed to be the ideal spot and the races were to start at the shore where Peg Leg's Landing is now. Out into Drake's Channel, around a few marks, and back again for riotous revelling at getting their Squibs back to shore!

As usual, the ladies of this august group came forward to make it a success. Phyl Allison appeared from nowhere, tiptoeing down the path to the waters' edge with a red flag on a stick and a large "hailer" to call the boats and the start/finish line was established. As the enthusiasm increased, each Saturday seemed to get better. After the races, Joyce Turpin invited everyone for "tea" to her caravan on the reclaimed land where she lived.

Obviously, this group was ripe for organization. At Oluf and Patsy's house one of these Saturdays, Patsy was hit by the brilliant idea of: "Darling, why don't we start a yacht club?!" The acclamation was vocal and apparently unanimous. Mrs. Kinross offered the empty house next to hers to start things off, and the enthusiastic new club members went off to examine the new club. It came with a balcony, harbor, docks, kitchen for a bar (essential as air) - what more could anyone want? The foundation had been laid.

The report on the very first of the now world famous BVI Spring Regatta particularly mentions the class:

Over 20 boats, including Squibs, competed in the first regatta which was won by the yacht Nutmeg skippered by Alex Forbes of the United Kingdom.

Superdocious 162 seems to have been the most successful Squib. Not only did El Richardson win regularly in it but his wife, Liz, three times won the Virgin's Cup - traditionally the first race on the calendar after hurricane season. The stipulation is simply that the helm must be a lady. It was, and still is, a big boat race but they couldn't stop Liz in her Squib!

So what happened?

The Bryde of Hilbre was lost. As Peter writes:

Sadly the Bryde dragged her mooring ashore onto the coral reef fringing Low Bay on Great Camanoe during Hurricane Hugo in 1989. There were heavy ground seas and there was nothing we could do except watch her break up. Her keel still lies in five feet of water just off the reef and makes an interesting snorkel. Lobsters can often be found under it.

Did Hugo do for the others? Well, no. The rest are probably still in BVI but the only other mention on the RBVIYC website comes from 2005:

The rain cleared for the sailors in the Annual Virgin Queen Pizza Pursuit Race on Saturday 21 … First across the line was Andrew Thompson in the Melges 24 ‘Crew Clothing’, followed by Keith Keen in the IC24 ‘Black Pearl’ and Ron Gurney in Capri 25 ‘TISWAS’. Special mention goes to John and Nancy Welch who kindly took the RBVIYC staff as crew and Vic Hartlen who sailed a great race in his Squib.

Just one Squib racing? It seems so. So, why did the fleet decline? Was it, as Peter Bailey says, that people just lost interest and went into bigger boats? Was it, as El Richardson jovially says, that Roosevelt stopped racing because El kept beating him? Or was there a little less pleasant reason?

Nanny Cay marina today

The RBVIYC is really a big boat club. Indeed, one of the names first suggested for it – the Tortola Sports Club Yacht Squadron – gives an indication of its pretensions. Squibs became the butt of some very disparaging remarks:

“Now, today, everyone knows that one doesn't sail Squibs, but deep fries them!”

“There were even a few that owned their own Squibs - obviously, before the quarantine laws were enforced.”

“…this was one of the most fun events ever. Except, possibly for the people on the committee boat having to wait until dark for Roz and Jean Green to arrive in their Squib.”

Must be tough to feel unwelcome in the club you more or less initiated.

The Lowestoft connection and the ‘Royal’ BVIYC

Alison Knights lived in Lowestoft with her now husband Colin Bramble and sailed both on Oulton Broad and out of the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk YC. They know Peter & Judith Horton and Bryan & Jenny Riley well. (Indeed Peter has been out to BVI to take part in Interline Regattas where he skippered a Beneteau 50' for the British Airways team. They stayed with Colin and Alison a couple of times.)

Colin and Alison had a RYA sailing school on Oulton Broad at the end of Marsh Road and, although primarily a dinghy school, they had the Squib 'Perfection' in their fleet. Alison remembers this ‘Perfection’ as 364 (as distinct from Jill Fleming’s number 44 of the same name.)

Alison Knights

Eleven years ago Alison and Colin moved to BVI and for six years were employed by the then BVI Yacht Club for whom they built an RYA recognised training Centre, the only one outside of Europe at that time. Indeed, it has been said that this success played a major part in the BVIYC becoming the Royal BVIYC.

Since they concentrated on teaching dinghy and small keelboat sailing, they soon found out that there were Squibs around. They acquired one for the club and named her Pelican. (It is likely that Pelican is El Richardson’s 439 David.) She was sailed a lot within the school and indeed raced with two other Squibs that were found and dragged out of the bushes. This resurgence of the old Squib fleet used mostly white sails made for Hunter 19s.

Today

Unfortunately, this resurgence did not last. Alison and Colin left to set up the BVI Watersports Centre which thrives as a community RYA sailing school teaching local kids. Exactly a year to the day after its start, HRH the Princess Royal visited to officially open the BVIWC as an RYA Training Centre.

El Richardson no longer owns a sailboat and now has a motor boat. He fishes for wahoo and marlin from time to time but is still called upon to race in major events, for example the Island Sloop Shoot-out.

BVI Governor Thomas Macan’s crew was John Shirley, a 3-time BVI Olympic racer, and El Richardson, veteran sailor and owner of Richardson’s Rigging.

Tortola Sloops, often referred to as Tola Boats

Roosevelt Smith sold his Squib to his brother to go fishing, but the boat sat in mangroves for years and then Roosevelt’s brother died. When found, she was on the bottom. Alison and some of her Sailability teenagers pumped her out and towed her home. She is now one of Alison’s Sailability Squibs - now appropriately re-named Faith, Hope and Charity.

Sail Me, “found at anchor near a floating bar at Norman Island” March 2009 by Johnny Copsey of RYYC, may be the only other Squib still afloat. The Squib in which Vic Hartlen sailed such a great ‘pizza race’ is at least partially submerged. Pelican, still owned by the RBVIYC, is now in a boat yard – sadly neglected. The Bryde of Hilbre was lost in the hurricane as we have seen. At one time, Peter Island had two - with white mainsails and blue and white striped jibs for day charter (see earlier photo) - but these have disappeared.

It is a sad tale which may partly have been the result of Island politics … but there is a chance of a happy ending. As we all know, Squibs last almost forever and while these old Squibs may seem to be rotting away, some of them are probably dormant rather than dead. If Faith, Hope and Charity have survived their ill treatment, so might others.