While Emmanuel was off reporting on the Race division, I was going to cover the participants in the Rally class. The objective for this 2025 edition was therefore to share with you the two aspects of the same event - I also suggest you (re)watch the Shorts (short vertical videos) that we posted daily.
I arrived in Saint-Martin two days ahead of the rally and was able to see all the preparations for it, attend the various pre-event meetings and see how everyone’s roles were allocated. At the end of the day, everyone made sure they all swapped phone numbers, and WhatsApp groups were created to ensure that important messages could be relayed to the participants. It is certainly not so simple to simultaneously lead two fleets of multihulls that are constantly “leaving each other behind…” As for me, I settled into my (very) comfortable quarters aboard a brand new Moorings 464PC.
Our Video:
Start Day – 1:
It was time for the press conference for this latest edition of the CMC and that made an opportunity to meet the Saint-Martin officials and to discover some exceptional multihulls that were joining the race, such as Adrien Lee’s HH66, Lee Overlay Partners III and Andrew Joos’ Gunboat 72 Layla. We also got to see some well-known skippers such as Marc Guillemot on the MG5 and Pierre Altier, leader of the Diam 24s. Finally, it was an opportunity to award the Environment Hero of the Year prize - this distinction is an initiative launched last year to highlight the key players in environmental protection in the territory of Saint Martin.
Multihulls World being the official press sponsor of the event, we had a small booth in the tent dedicated to multihull registration. So I set up with my magazines and business cards to share our passion with the skippers and their crews who were coming in to sign up.
The skippers’ briefing restored a sense of seriousness to the noisiness of the gathering itself. Petro Jonker, the race director, took the floor to confirm the program for the first day as well as the VHF frequencies to be used, the safety rules, the departure time, etc. Tomorrow, the adventure begins!
Day 1 – Bound for Phillipsburg
For the Rally division fleet, we didn’t do a traditional race start but began with a start time for each competitor which is calculated according to the rating (a coefficient that integrates the theoretical speed) of each multihull and the route to be followed. I discovered that the Lagoon 380 Bayla had a 100% female crew on board who never missed an opportunity to put on a show – it was party time from morning to night on board!
For all of us, it was a question of reaching Phillipsburg where beach games had been organized for the afternoon. The trade winds were a steady 15/20 knots almost straight down the line of the route, forcing the competitors to tack. But this was only a warm-up leg because the distance was relatively short. Later, all the crews, including those in the racing division, were invited to watch the sunset – which was magnificent over the bay - to discover the day’s rankings, share aperitifs and later admire a firework display.
Day 2 - Rendezvous at Anse-Marcel!
After a very calm night at anchor, the business of the day got under way again. Our powercat was acting as one end of the start line and I got caught up in the game of the zealous organizer, always with a VHF in one hand and camera or phone in the other. Our fleet first headed downwind - under spinnaker (for the multihulls that had one) towards Simpson Bay to reach the French part of the island; Marigot slipped past on our starboard side while we discovered the completely flat island of Anguilla opposite. The last part of the trip was upwind, but the sea didn’t get that choppy thanks to being in the lee of Saint Martin. Fortunately, Anse-Marcel wasn’t too busy, because it’s not a huge anchorage. There was a little bit of backwash, but aboard a multihull, whether sail or power, any rolling is always minimized. The organizers had planned a dinner and an evening ashore; this type of celebration allowed the various crews to meet, chat, and why not, make friends!
Day 3 - The Call of Saint-Barths
In the morning, we met up with Emmanuel and all the press and photo staff: with their yellow boat, they crossed the lagoon to save time and avoid a good part of the choppy sea. We quickly shared a coffee because the first starts were imminent. The weather provided us a brief shower complemented by a rainbow while the boats with the smallest ratings set out into an already well-established chop. Further offshore, the seas were even bigger but all the crews bravely pointed their bows towards Saint-Barths on a close reach. Isle Fourchue provided initial protection before the fleet approached Gustavia. The crews met up once ashore again - first to complete the clearance formalities and then to celebrate - again! Despite the showers, it was impossible not to succumb to the charm of this magical island...
Day 4 - Return to Simpson Bay
All good things must come to an end... I would have loved to have stayed a few more days in Saint-Barths! Once the departure procedure was complete, we weighed anchor and made good progress towards Simpson Bay. Some competitors under spinnaker were actually maintaining 10 knots and our objective was of course to be one of the marks of the finish line. We’d arranged for the competitors to cross it by 1:30 pm at the latest because the lifting bridge was open until 2 pm and then much later in the afternoon. Some multihulls preferred to stay outside - which is perfect for swimming, for example - but there was a bit of swell and disembarking by tender got a bit tedious. Anchoring in the lagoon offered total tranquility and easier access to shore.
At sunset, the atmosphere cranked up a notch in front of the Yacht Club, with all the crews and organizers gathering in the big tent for an awards ceremony followed by a memorable evening.
For its sixth edition, the CMC didn’t set any records for participation, with 23 multihulls registered. On the other hand, the atmosphere on the water and ashore has probably never been so good. The trade winds, really doing their thing, since they were between 20 and 25 knots, undoubtedly had something to do with it... If this dream program tempts you - personally or professionally, because manufacturers are welcome - the 2026 CMC is scheduled for January 29 to February 1.
www.caribbeanmultihullchallenge.com
From the Smallest to the Largest: The Competitors in the Rally Division
Lagoon 380 – Bayla
Balance 442 - Talidr
Bali 4.5 – TBD
Leopard 47 - Seaduction
Balance 482 – Rhythm
Leopard 50 – La Novia
Aura 51 - What’s Left
Perry Antrim 52 – Little Wing
On the Racing Side…
The 5 boats entered in CSA 1 enjoyed superb legs to Saba, Saint-Barth and Anguilla. The HH66 Lee Overlay Partners - formerly Nemo - provided a spectacle, impressively flying a hull and, above all, speeds of almost 30 knots. The Gunboat 72 Layla was not to be outdone, as its GPS recorded a top speed of 24.5 knots. The first flybridge catamaran from the La Grande-Motte-based manufacturer also won the overall race on corrected time. The Diam 24 fleet was obviously severely tested by the tough conditions, but there, too, was a spectacle for all to see. In a fury of spray and wild sailing, the crew of Anomaly won hands down, leaving their opponents no chance of a comeback.
