For the fourth year in a row, Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products is proudly hosting The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup. This year’s tournament, which will focus on E-Class sloops, promises to be filled with fierce competition and skillful performances.
In 2023, CBC launched the inaugural Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup, which measures the performance of various sailing sloops across the Best of the Best, National Family Island and the Long Island Regattas.
Upon completion of the Long Island Regatta, the team with the most points across the three events is crowned the winner. Each year, over the six-month course of competition, The Bahamas Goombay Punch highlights the participating sloops by changing their can design to feature them for a limited time.
While the cans shine beautifully in the stores, at your desks at work or on your dinner table, CBC wants to give the consumers a deeper look into each boat and its team.
The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup was created to amplify the sport of sailing through monetary and social support. In upholding that, Luther Ferguson of ‘2 Brothers’ and Colin Cartwright of ‘Lady Annmarie’ shed intimate details about their sloops.
How did your sloop’s name come to be?
Both men shared how the name for their sloops is rooted in family. This is to no surprise, as family is a crucial pilar to sailing and regattas; all members young and old, men and women can be seen participating.
Ferguson: “The name is simple. My last two sons Bonzi and Hoshea Ferguson asked me to build them a Bahamian sloop. Then ‘2 Brothers’ was born.”
Cartwright: “The name of my sloop is my mother’s middle name (Annmarie), and the number 12 represents both my parents’ birthdays and it was also one of my favorite numbers.”
Who are the members of your sloop?
Sailors of Two Brothers: Clay Moxey and Devin Moxey
Sailors of Lady Annmarie: Crysto Cartwright – Skipper and Colin Cartwright Jr - Crew/Bowman
What’s the history of your sloop?
Cartwright: “My sloop, which has been in operation since 2024, was built by my uncle, my brother, and myself in just 1 week during the Christmas holidays. It was originally supposed to be built a year prior, but it kept getting pushed back. So far it has been one of the most winningest boats in the major regattas, but while attending various regattas throughout the Bahamas, in just two years she has already won 29 races.”
What are some structural features that make your boat special?
Ferguson: “The boat is built strictly out of wood, glue, stainless bolts and screws. We aimed to design a boat with less drag on her bottom.”
What inspired you to participate in The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup?
Cartwright: “What inspired me the most is seeing the A, B, and C class boats printed on the Goombay cans for the entire year, which aids in exposure for not only the boat but the sport as well. I wanted to be a part of that.”
Ferguson: “I was inspired by seeing the Long Island sloops on the can, I said, “Wow that looks good. Maybe one day a boat that I built would also be on the can.” We needed a boat to represent Grand Bahama; to bring the excitement back to Taino Beach and to teach the young children to sail the boat so we entered in the competition.”
