The Antigua to Bermuda Ocean Race offers close to 1,000 miles of tropical Atlantic sailing between two spectacular islands. Launching from the familiar waters of Antigua, we’ll be out of sight of land until reaching Bermuda, enjoying spectacular sailing, wide open horizons and star studded night skies along the way.

As an added bonus, we’ll be landing in Bermuda right before the adrenaline-fueled SailGP kicks off there, so racing enthusiasts can have their cake and eat it too!! Our crew can stay aboard during SailGP (first come first served for reserving bunks), and have the option to continue onwards with our Bermuda to Newport Passage, or fly home from Bermuda.

More about our race…

Typical weather patterns deliver fast reaching conditions for the majority of the way, an optimal angle for Panacea X and her big genoa! It’s not all fun and games, as the boats typically enter a band of light winds that are often found before landing in Bermuda.

While this is a race, scoring under the Caribbean Sailing Association rules permits motoring (which counts against your cumulative time), providing a nice option for a long passage with some light wind expected. The event is also scored under the more widely known and strict IRC rating rule, which doesn’t allow motoring, so we’ll find a suitable balance between sticking to our competitive goals without over-committing to aimless bobbing if we do encounter prolonged light winds!

The fleet is diverse and usually fairly small, making for a fun, close-knit social environment for the launch and welcoming parties in the islands. Some years include famous maxi yachts alongside us more standard-issue sailors. Racing in a fleet not only provides a great element of competition and focus for a longer passage like this, but also acts as an important safety net with other boats relatively close by in the otherwise wide open ocean.

Crew should expect to be fully involved in the preparations in Antigua, and helping Panacea get cleaned up and settled in once we land in Bermuda. Underway, everyone will take turns with food prep, standing watches, and keeping everything shipshape for a safe and successful passage.

For info about the onward bound trip from Bermuda to Newport, carry on here.

2026 Preliminary Schedule

April 25: Crew meet & greet, first day of training

April 26-27: Training & race preparation

April 28: Final prep & Racers’ Party, Falmouth, Antigua

April 29: Race Start, Antigua

May 7: Prize giving & closing party, Royal Bermuda Yacht Club

SailGP kicks off May 9-10

Bermuda to Newport Passage Schedule here

Pre-Requisites

• Considerable prior sailing experience including standing watches offshore and at night is required.

• Prior racing experience is strongly recommended, prior experience with spinnaker is required (although this is not typically a downwind race, we need to have the skills to manage it if conditions dictate).

• Additional training, such as Safety at Sea / Sea Survival / STCW and first aid to at least a Standard level is strongly recommended.

• Reasonable level of physical strength and fitness. We strongly recommend preparing for the race by hitting the weights and/or resistance training for good core and upper body strength, as well as working on endurance through cardio training. This preparation helps protect you from injury, will give you more energy and strength throughout the race, makes you a more valuable team member and dramatically increases your likelihood of enjoying the race!

Contact us to discuss eligibility and where you will fit into the team. Questions? Check out our Atlantic FAQs or just ask!

Cost
$6,250 CAD

OR packaged with the weekend liveaboard for SailGP ($150), and the Bermuda to Newport Passage ($2,250) for $7,225

Maximum 5 crew + skipper + first mate

Cost includes professional skipper, first mate, racing fees, all food on board during the race, snacks during training days in Antigua, fuel, moorage, yacht insurance and all other operating costs of the yacht, and two team shirts (long-sleeve for sailing across the start and finish lines, and short-sleeve for prize-giving).

Cost also includes accommodation on board from morning of Wednesday, April 29 to the morning of Friday, May 8. Crew are responsible for their own accommodation on shore during training days and after racing.

Participants are responsible for: food on shore and other discretionary spending, mandatory travel insurance, flights & on shore accommodation before/after racing.

SailGP Add-On

Accommodation can be extended from Friday, May 8 until the morning of Monday, May 11 in order to stay and watch SailGP, on a first come, first served basis and for an additional fee per night of $50 or $150 total. This fee helps defray the costs of the yacht and only includes a simple breakfast each morning and a shared bunk. Crew are responsible for their own lunch and dinner, and will need to be flexible vis a vis dinghy rides to/from the boat as we will be at anchor.