Barbados Sailing Week 2026

Barbados Sailing Week 2026 opens the Caribbean racing season with seven sun‑filled days of coastal contests, junior dinghies and foiling action, and the legendary Mount Gay Round Barbados Race, all wrapped in beach‑club socials and red‑cap rum lore. The official regatta site confirms dates from Thursday January 15 to Thursday January 22, 2026, with a three‑day Coastal Racing Series, junior and board‑sports side events, the headline circumnavigation on Wednesday January 21, and the Rum to Spice offshore sprint to Carriacou, Grenada on Thursday January 22 to connect with Grenada Sailing Week. Schedules, registration links, and class information are published by the organizers, led by Barbados Cruising Club with Mount Gay Rum and Barbados Tourism, placing Carlisle Bay, the Barbados Yacht Club, and the South Coast Boardwalk at the heart of a week that blends racing and island culture.

Dates, venues, and headline races

• Dates: January 15–22, 2026, with key racing days January 17–19 for the Coastal Racing Series, January 21 for the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race, and January 22 for the Barbados‑to‑Carriacou “Rum to Spice” offshore leg. The official schedule page lays out sailing and social events day by day.
• Hubs: Barbados Cruising Club and Barbados Yacht Club anchor briefings, daily prizegivings, and shore hospitality around Carlisle Bay and the South Coast Boardwalk, with spectator vantage points highlighted for each race day.
• Organizers: Barbados Cruising Club, with Barbados Tourism and Mount Gay Rum, sustain the modern revival of a regatta tradition that dates back more than a century on the island.

Racing program and classes

• Coastal Racing Series: Three race days (Sat–Mon, Jan 17–19) staged off the South and West Coasts, designed to showcase consistent trade winds and scenic legs between Carlisle Bay and west‑side marks. Classes offered include CSA Racing, CSA Cruising, J/24, Multihull, and Non‑CSA rated cruising/live‑aboard divisions; a valid CSA certificate is required for CSA classes.
• Mount Gay Round Barbados Race: On Wednesday Jan 21, yachts start in Carlisle Bay and race clockwise around the island, a roughly 90 NM effort under typical easterly trades that turns flat‑water reaching on the West Coast into full Atlantic swells off the East before a fast downwind back along the South. Historic “skipper’s weight in rum” prizes remain for record breakers across 20 class records, underscoring the race’s lore.
• Rum to Spice Offshore: Thursday Jan 22 features the Barbados‑to‑Carriacou dash, linking fleets to Grenada Sailing Week and extending the winter regatta arc south through the Grenadines.

Junior, kite, and wingfoil side events

• Junior dinghies: Briefing Friday Jan 9 followed by racing Jan 10–11 at Barbados Yacht Club and Barbados Cruising Club, bringing U16 sailors into the week’s narrative with their own prizegiving at the Opening Ceremony.
• Board sports: Kitesurfing at Long Beach on Saturday Jan 17 and wingfoiling at Welches Beach on Sunday Jan 18 tap the island’s steady trades and offer shoreline‑close action for spectators.

Daily schedule highlights

• Registration and briefing: Online registration closes Tuesday Jan 13; in‑person rating check and payment are Friday Jan 16 at Barbados Cruising Club, followed by a skippers’ briefing at Barbados Yacht Club.
• Coastal race days: Racing windows 10:00–16:00 on Jan 17–19, with vantage points at the South Coast Boardwalk (Sat), Carlisle Bay (Sun), and a Monday course TBA. Daily prizegivings rotate between the yacht and cruising clubs, backed by live music and DJs.
• Lay day and red caps: Tuesday Jan 20 is a Mount Gay Lay Day; Wednesday Jan 21 brings the Round Barbados start at 08:00, a full‑island viewing guide, then the Mount Gay Red Cap Party from 17:00 to midnight, along with 19:30–20:30 prizegiving.

How to enter and what to expect on the water

• Registration: The regatta site routes entries to YachtScoring for the Coastal Racing Series, Mount Gay Round Barbados Race, and the Rum to Spice offshore leg, with dedicated links and owner/crew portals.
• Conditions: Expect 12–20‑knot easterly trades in January, moderate seas, and excellent visibility; coastal courses blend windward‑leeward and coastal triangles. Around‑the‑island racers face flat water to Speightstown, Atlantic swell from North Point to East Point, and a surfing run past Oistins back to Carlisle Bay.
• Records and rum: Class records remain a central draw; crews targeting a run at long‑standing times chase pressure bands and tide gates on the East Coast, with the skipper’s weight in Mount Gay as an enduring, and entertaining, incentive.

Spectators and shore‑side experiences

• Best viewpoints:
• Coastal Series Day 1: South Coast Boardwalk and Blakey’s for close passes and finish views.
• Coastal Series Day 2: Carlisle Bay promenade for starts, marks, and finishes.
• Round Barbados: The West Coast (Holetown, Speightstown) 09:00–11:00, North Point around noon, Bathsheba/East Coast around 13:00, and the South Coast (Oistins, Rockley, Worthing) 14:00–16:00 before the finish in Carlisle Bay.
• Socials: Opening Ceremony with Junior prizegiving (Jan 16), nightly prizegivings with live music (Jan 17–18), and the iconic Mount Gay Red Cap Party after the Round (Jan 21) headline a relaxed social slate designed for sailors and island friends.

Travel logistics and where to stay

• Getting there: Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) connects Barbados to North America and Europe with plentiful winter flights; the yacht and cruising clubs on Carlisle Bay are 20–30 minutes by road from the airport.
• Lodging: South Coast stays near the Boardwalk, Rockley, and Hastings give easy access to daily race vantage points and evening prizegivings; West Coast options suit fans following the Round Barbados along Holetown and Speightstown. Villa providers and resort partners publish Sailing Week‑dated stays.
• Getting around: Taxis and hire cars are common; allow extra time on Round Barbados day to move between viewpoints. The event schedule notes times for key pass‑bys to plan a land‑based “chase.”

Practical race prep

• Documentation: Ensure a current CSA certificate for CSA classes; the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions on YachtScoring define safety gear, communications, and protest procedures.
• Crew and charter: Charter outfits and academies offer race berths and full‑boat charters for the week, with training days built in before the Coastal Series; Mount Gay Round Barbados is often available as a standalone charter day for experienced teams.
• Spares and comms: Carry light‑air and heavy‑weather headsails for East Coast range; confirm tracker or AIS requirements for Round Barbados and Offshore legs per the SIs.

Why Barbados Sailing Week stands out

• Season opener: Positioned mid‑January, the regatta sets up crews for the southern Caribbean circuit and connects directly to Grenada Sailing Week via the Rum to Spice sprint.
• Iconic circumnavigation: Few regattas offer a one‑day island lap with trade‑wind variety, Atlantic drama, and a rum‑soaked records tradition at the finish.
• Island culture: From junior dinghies to red‑cap parties, the week pairs serious racing with Bajan hospitality, rum heritage, and easy spectator access along beaches and boardwalks.

Verified essentials at a glance

• Dates: January 15–22, 2026.
• Coastal Racing Series: Jan 17–19 (CSA Racing/Crushing, J/24, Multihull, Non‑CSA).
• Mount Gay Round Barbados Race: Wednesday, Jan 21; clockwise lap with West/North/East/South Coast pass‑by times and Carlisle Bay finish; skipper’s weight in rum for record breakers.
• Rum to Spice (Barbados to Carriacou): Thursday, Jan 22.
• Registration: Via YachtScoring for Coastal Series, Round Barbados, and Offshore; junior and board‑sports entries via event links.
• Hubs and socials: Barbados Cruising Club, Barbados Yacht Club, South Coast Boardwalk; Opening Ceremony Jan 16; Red Cap Party Jan 21.

Hoist the main in Carlisle Bay, chase trades up the West, lean into the Atlantic off Bathsheba, and surf the South Coast home. Whether campaigning for silverware, gunning for a record, or planning a beach‑to‑boardwalk spectating week, Barbados Sailing Week 2026 delivers classic Caribbean breeze, blue horizons, and the warmest Bajan welcome. Lock in entries, book a base on the South Coast, and set a course for the first great regatta of the season.