SIMPSON BAY--Sailors do not need to own a race boat or arrive with a full crew to take part in the 2027 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, with a range of charter options available for both individuals and groups.
The 47th edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta will take place March 4-7, 2027, and organizers are highlighting several ways for visiting sailors to get onto the water, from single berths aboard competitive race boats to full bareboat charters.
For individual sailors, Rubicon 3 will return with two Clipper 60s,BluejayandHummingbird, with individual places still available. The boats are expected to compete in the Island Time class, which features one race per day and is designed to offer a more relaxed pace for cruisers, newer teams and sailors looking to combine competition with the island atmosphere.
Ollie Bowden, Head of Operations at Rubicon 3, said one of the main attractions of the event is the balance between competitive sailing and the social atmosphere surrounding the Regatta.
A Canadian team from Quebec will also return for its third consecutive St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. The crew, which includes father-and-son team Francois Sylvestre and Nicolas Sylvestre, will once again compete with Ocean Racers, this time aboard the FC53 carbon racer-cruiserBuckaroo, skippered by Canadian Morgen Watson.
The group previously competed aboard Ocean Racers'Hermes Pogo 12.50in 2025, finishing second in CSA 3. Their move to a larger boat adds another dimension to their return for the 2027 event.
Groups who prefer to compete together can also enter through Sunsail's bareboat charter programme. The bareboat fleet has become an established part of the Regatta and continues to attract teams from around the world. In 2026, participating teams included sailors from the United States, the Netherlands, Denmark and Estonia.
Bareboat crews have also become a visible part of the event's shoreside entertainment, particularly through the annual "Serious Fun!" prize and the Bridge Show at Simpson Bay Bridge.
In 2026, the all-female team aboardGlad to be Here, known as The Magnificent 10, took home the "Serious Fun!" prize. The team consisted of ten sorority sisters from the Netherlands between the ages of 27 and 67, competing in the Regatta for the first time. Their coordinated beer-dress Bridge Show and participation throughout the event earned them the award.
Organizers are also emphasizing that the Regatta experience extends beyond sailing. Each evening, the Regatta Village features free live entertainment, while the food court highlights local and regional cuisine.
The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta has been held for more than four decades and continues to attract professional sailors, amateur crews, charter teams and cruising families from around the world. The 2026 edition attracted 113 boats representing 38 nations.
Registration for the 2027 event is already open, with sailors interested in chartering a boat or securing an individual berth being encouraged to make arrangements early.
