April was a great month for Ilios and her crew. Not only did we have an incredible time on the water, but Ilios also took 1st and 2nd in class at the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week. Starting with a crew that had never met until just two days before training, we quickly became a real team enjoying great sailing while fine-tuning Ilios, who was flying over the waves. The Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta is a truly special event, bringing together around 50 beautiful classic yachts. Organized by and for classic yacht enthusiasts, it’s unique in the Caribbean. Each day offers challenging racing, followed by some of the most entertaining shoreside activities you’ll find anywhere, like gutter racing, shanty choirs, and gig racing. Antigua Sailing Week has a different feel, with a rally-style format that takes you to a new bay each day. And yes, a new bay means a new party ;). It’s all about exploring Antigua, racing hard, and connecting with other sailors in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Thinking about joining us for regatta sailing next year? Check out the possibilities: www.skylarkingilios.com/regatta-sailing Image credit: Imke Feddersen / PALSTEK Magazine Image credit: Imke Feddersen / PALSTEK Magazine

Over the past few weeks, we’ve renewed the standing rigging on Ilios. The standing rigging (the steel cables that keep the mast perfectly upright) is one of the most crucial parts of the ship. It’s always a special moment when you tackle such an important element. Everything is now extra strong and secure, ready to handle every wave and gust of wind. The work itself was a mix of precision, strength, and attention to detail. Since we use swageless Norseman terminals (the predecessor of Sta-Lok), we didn’t need a swageing machine and could do all the work ourselves. That’s a real advantage, it means we know exactly how everything is put together. Now that everything is back in place, it feels like Ilios has been reborn. Ready to glide smoothly over the waves again, whether we’re gently sailing from island to island or powering along full sail in a race. For us, it’s a reassuring feeling: we know everything is technically sound, so we and our guests can continue to enjoy uninterrupted sailing pleasure across the Caribbean.

While the hurricane season is threatening the northerly Caribbean islands, we are well hidden away in the beautiful island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. The friendly local people that visit the yacht club have become our good friends and our palets have become more than fond of the local dishes. Boat maintenance doesn't wait on us having a good time, so in between we spend plenty of time addressing the things on Ilios that ask for attention. We have given our Perkins H6.354 a good amount of TLC, rebuilt the autopilot motor steering unit, and scrub Ilios underwater hull about very 2 weeks, the growth out here is crazy! Next week we'll sail for Tobago and are looking forward to a nice sailing holiday trip with a friendly Dutch couple. So it is almost time to store the tools away, clean up the interior, go shopping for some nice and fresh local food, and get Ilios to do what she loves the most: Sailing!