User:Godwynbowen

Pond Boats (PB) of Barbados were small model yacht once use for local offshore racing. PB racing was a great pass time of fishermen, who race there crafts along the west cost of Barbados up to about 40 years ago from about a mile out to sea. Teams of men (old timers), in their moses, went about a mile offshore where they would lined up to start a PB races. Pond Boats were about 12" long usually carved from cedar and redwood by the men who made and race them. The models were well maintained and handled with great care by their owners. The little crafts sported a 12” bow to stern stream line wooden hulls, tall main sails and smaller jibs and long streamline keels. PBs long keels with terminated lead bases acted as a counter balance to the tall sails and the wind. The sails were made with expensive waterproof materials in the later days of the sport.

Back in the day, men would take to the sea in moses. The moses in more resent times were powered by gasoline engines. During the race, these mostly local fishermen use their intimate and keen observation to gauge wind direction and strength from the rippling patterns on the sea surface. The information along with the location of the finishing line determined how long to maintain an intended a course and when to tack their PBs. A team member always stayed poised to jump overboard from the moses bow to quickly handle and tack the PB when necessary. The tacker had to be a skilled swimmer to adjust the boat rigging and tack the small boat quickly, but not push the boat. Tacking included trimming the sails (tightening or loosening the main sail or the jib (smaller of the two sails).  Wrong wind predictions, too much or too little sail, could spell disaster for the team.  Heavy winds could cause the little crafts to lisp (keel-up) too much and or switch direction.  Sometimes the PB would end up facing directly into the wind causing it to flounder. Constant vigilance and close proximity to the PBs were essential. Every team had a strategy.

PB racing was popular offshore of Speightstown and Bandon Beach. As the old times pass, PB racing lost its luster.