Action onboard the 2024 Carib600. Photo by John Guillote.
Race Details
Join us in Antigua for the RORC 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 2024 race. You see us on the start at 3 minutes 25 seconds!
We now reserve two spots for women on all of our passages, including races! Learn more here.
Why Race?
"To me, racing is a magnifier for sailing and all it entails: teamwork, leadership, adventure, freedom, exploration, challenge. The sense of spaciousness of any of the passages on FALKEN and ISBJØRN that allow room for the crew to discover the depth and adventure that offshore sailing offers can never be replaced. But it can be complimented. Fall in love with the ocean on a 59° North passage, and then fine tune your skills on a race. That to me, is the perfect package and one I have always wanted to be able to offer people!"
Passage Stats
Waitlist
(7-8 total crew, plus Skipper & Mate)Price: $12,660
Note: 5% discount on all passages paid by wire transfer.
Distance: 1,000 Nautical Miles
Total Days: 13
Start Port: Falmouth, Antigua
End Port: Falmouth, Antigua
Skipper & Mate — Team leaders
Nikki Henderson will be skippering and Alex Laline will be first mate for both the Caribbean 600 and the Middle Sea Race in 2025, as they did in 2024. This will add consistency for any returning race crew, or for anyone who wants to sign up for both races.
Feedback from a crew member on the Caribbean 600 2024:
“Don't think that you could find two more optimistic and encouraging skippers who worked well together. Both were excellent teachers whose enthusiasm was infectious. Can not be overstated how these two made the trip through their leadership.”
Nikki has been skippering offshore races with crews of mixed ability for over 12 years now. On top of spending three racing seasons in the Caribbean, this will be Nikki’s fourth Caribbean 600 Race, so this is familiar territory for her!
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 either some prior offshore sailing experience, or some racing experience (dinghies or yachts). Please note, age is not a limiting factor — a reasonable level of agility and fitness is much more important.
TENTATIVE ITINERARY
Feb 17: Join Nikki & Alex onboard the race yacht in Falmouth, Antigua at 17:00. Dinner with the group ashore.
Feb 18-21: Race training and safety briefing, including at least one overnight passage
Feb 22: Race prep & official Caribbean 600 welcome party
Feb 23: Passage briefing and final safety briefing
Feb 24: Race start! Warning signal 10:50
Feb 28: Official prize-giving
Mar 1: Depart the boat by 10:00
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 POGO 44. The Pogo 44 is a unique boat. She is exceptionally light and powerful, but her hull shape and low slung lead ballast make her so stable that rather than feeling flighty, she feels like a much heavier and larger yacht to sail. Her sailability combined with her ergonomic interior makes for an accessible yacht for a crew of mixed ability.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation will be offered onboard during the race itself, of course. However, along with almost the whole race fleet, you will need to budget to stay onshore while the boat isn't actually at sea.
This is because the interior of racing boats are sparse, and the crew required to sail them are much higher in number than bunk space (when racing half the crew is always on deck). So the boat becomes more of an extra crew member, or a fast sailing toy to play with, rather than a home!
HOW TO JOIN
To register, click the 'Sign Up' button anywhere on the site. Complete and submit the form indicating ‘2025 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.
Action onboard the 2024 Carib600. Photo by John Guillote.
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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.
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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.
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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.