Back to All Events

Race | RORC Caribbean 600


Race Details

Passage Stats

SYNOPSIS

Join us in Antigua for the Caribbean 600, including a week of performance sail training prior to the race itself! This is one of the world's most iconic 600-mile ocean race challenges, along with epic races such as the Fastnet and the Sydney-Hobart. This exciting 600-mile route takes competitors on a spectacular figure-eight course, weaving around 11 of the most beautiful Caribbean Islands. The tropical setting offers the unique challenges of working with ocean currents, beating into trade winds, navigating past lee shores of volcanic islands and surfing downwind on sweeping ocean swells. It truly is one of the most interesting offshore courses to be found anywhere in the world, and so provides an unrivaled race training opportunity.

Click here to watch the RORC Caribbean 600 wrap-up film for the 2023 race.

Typical Weather Pattern

The quintessential Caribbean weather awaits you. E/NE trade winds will offer the full suite of sail angles, along with big ocean swells and squalls. The sun is as fierce as the conditions are consistent at this time of year, so it will be a hot, sweaty, windy and wet ride! Think swimsuits, sun-hats, and full foulies.

The Route

Starting in Antigua, the first leg of the Caribbean 600 takes you on an upwind beat north to leave Barbuda to port. A long downwind spinnaker run takes you south to leave Nevis, St Kitts and Saba to starboard. Another beat upwind takes you past St Barths and around St Maarten, the most northerly island on the route. A fast close reach follows all the way back south to Guadeloupe, where one of the major tactical decisions lies: stay inshore for thermal breezes or keep offshore to avoid the infamous wind hole to the lee of the island? Once you pass the southerly tip of Guadeloupe, a tough beat into the wind, swell and current awaits you as you zig-zag your way around the most easterly island of Desirade. Now the home stretch awaits: a beam reach north to Barbuda, a hop downwind around Redonda and then a final upwind leg to the finish, in time for the closing party and prize-giving on the Friday evening.typical Weather Pattern

The quintessential Caribbean weather awaits you. E/NE trade winds will offer the full suite of sail angles, along with big ocean swells and squalls. The sun is as fierce as the conditions are consistent at this time of year, so it will be a hot, sweaty, windy and wet ride! Think swimsuits, sun-hats, and full foulies.

RECOMMENDED EXPERIENCE

We have designed this passage to be accessible for anyone even if you come with no prior racing experience. This is why we include such substantial race training beforehand. Saying that, we recommend that anyone signing up does have some prior offshore sailing experience. This could include a trip with 59° North or equivalent offshore passage. Please note, age is not a limiting factor — a reasonable level of agility and fitness is much more important.

THE YACHT

We will be chartering 'race-focused' offshore sailing yachts with full sail wardrobes and all necessary performance equipment to be competitive in offshore races, rather than use the 59° North fleet. The current contender for the Caribbean 600 is a Bruce Farr-Designed Beneteau First 47.7. The First 47.7 has a good balance between performance, comfort and design. She can be competitive within the IRC rating system [handicap] whilst remaining manageable for a crew of mixed experience.

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation will be offered onboard, however, we recommend that you budget to stay onshore while the boat isn't actually at sea as the interiors won't be quite as comfortable as FALKEN and ISBJORN.

HOW TO JOIN

  • To register, click the 'Sign Up' button anywhere on the site. Complete and submit the form indicating ‘2024 Race | RORC Caribbean 600 as your preferred passage.

  • We’ll get back to you within 24-48 hours to confirm bunk availability, send you the long-form crew application & invoice you the 50% deposit to hold your spot. Balance will be due 60 days prior to the trip start date.

  • Payments are non-refundable. You'll be asked to agree to our terms & conditions on your application before submitting the deposit. Please read them carefully.

Photo by Tim Wright

    • Join the boat at 13:00 on the passage start date. Crew must depart the boat by 12:00 Noon on the passage end date.

    • Make sure you eat lunch before joining! We’ll get straight into bunk assignments & briefings once all crew have arrived.

    • Travel logistics & specific itinerary will be sent in the Passage Newsletter #2 emailed to all crew 2-4 months before passage departure.

  • All 59º North passages are led by qualified RYA / MCA Yachtmaster Ocean-certified skippers & mates. All miles sailed onboard both boats will count towards your own license mileage requirements. We are happy to provide certificates to this effect for your RYA Day Skipper, Yachtmaster or other countries’ sea-time requirements.

  • We now reserve two spots for women on all of our passages! You will not be ‘alone’ when you sail with 59º North. Learn more here.

Next
11 October

Race | Rolex Middle Sea Race (2024)