$10,000 For Best Catboat Contest
A little under two months from now the firstin a series of four Catboat races will be part of a contest thatwill see at least eleven Cayman Catboats competing to claim theprize for being the Best Cayman Catboat functioning in these isles.And the prize aside from much criticism and adulation will beCI$10,000.
The Contest, which does not at present have a sponsor, will bejudged in an unusual manner in that the boats will not simplywin a racing regatta to be declared the best Catboat. The Catboatand crew will have to compete for merit points. The merit pointscover areas of traditional uses of Catboats in the days beforethe Caymans had a system of roads and all were dependent uponthese graceful workboats. You might complain about commuting todaybut not even fifty years ago there was no road to connect Northsideor East End with George Town; you would have had to go there orcome here by foot , horse or Catboat.
Fishing and the transport of cargo and people were mainly accomplishedby Catboat. The Catboat was truly the pick-up truck of the CaymanIslands, and most people knew how to sail them. Actually, mostpeople did not even think about the knowledge of sailing them,much the same way that we do not think about the knowledge ofdriving a car. Children took them fishing, adults did everythingfrom local courting to far away turtle fishing in them. HavelahJackson, of the Brac, would just lay out and look up at the skyand daydream in her's.
Carly Ebanks, as a Turtle Ranger, found out just how good a designthey are while riding out a heavy Nor'wester off the SerrerasCays in the 1950's. Two Catboats saved Vernel Ebanks and the onlysurvivors of the Majestic in a hurricane in the 1940's, both beingwedged in the mangrove roots and branches in a frothing sea thatsettled the boat six feet above the ground. Two of Will Jackson'sfather's pigs were killed by a flying Catboat in a hurricane inthe 1930's. The uniquely Caymanian design was a development ofCayman Bracker, the late Dan Jervis, in 1904.
Though the Best Cayman Catboat will not feature flying Catboatsthe point is that the Catboat was in intergral part of the Caymanway of life, and it affected everybody in many ways. SO, the CaymanCatboat Club's idea is to make the merit points reflect catergoriesthat were a working part of the Catboat's existence. These catergoriesrange form the construction quality of the vessel to its manoeuvrability,fish pot pulling capability and rowing ability. Speed will bejudged through the four weekend races scheduled from October 15ththrough November 5th. Tow of the races will be part of the Pirates'Week festivities.
The one new enhancement to the contest is that fact that it isnow open to any type of construction material and it is stressedthat the competing vessels do not have to be newly constructed,merely finished by the first race. Only paid up members of theCayman Catboat Club can participate in the races of the contest.The judges are to be Catboat experienced volunteers from the CaymanIslands Seafarers' Association.
Anybody wishing further information or to join the Cayman CatboatClub please call Phil Bush or Paul Lawrence at 949 8469, H.E.Ross at 949 0944. Those wishing to sponsor, please call Lynneat 946 6000.