Traditional Caribbean "Bum Boats" are part Caribbean regatta scene.

There is heightened excitement among the islands of the Caribbean as the Southern Caribbean Circuit draws near. Regatta Promoters Ltd. is challenging teams to take on the local Tobago Bum Boats (traditional work boats) at the finals of the Tobago Carnival Regatta Bum Boat race, on Pigeon Point from February 10th to 14th 2009. Each island's pride is at stake as Bum Boats, Heritage Boats and Work Boats, as they are called in different islands, vie for bragging rights as the best in the Southern Caribbean.

Competition will start 14th- 18th January at the Carriacou Regatta where teams from Carriacou, Mustique, Bequia, St Vincent, Canouan will compete in the first leg of the circuit. The winners of that leg will take on the teams from Grenada on the second leg of the circuit on the Port Louis Grenada Sailing Festival, 30th January to the 3rd February. The grand finale of the Bum Boat circuit will take place as part of the Tobago Carnival Regatta with the top team from Grenada winning a trip to theTobago competition.

These wooden boats have a long history in the islands as workboats used to transport goods off of the larger boats that came to the island and take them through the shallower waters to the smaller villages around the island. Competition between the villages grew over the years and has spread to the inter-island revelry that exists today.
The Bum Boat competitions draw thousands of locals to the shore to see the multicolored fleet start from the beach. Teams represent villages and thus, entire communities come out to support their “home team”.

Prince and Anderson, members of the Tobago teams are not daunted and are feverishly working on their seven boats to get them in shape to compete.

The Tobago House of Assembly and the Tourism Company of Trinidad and Tobago have a keen interest in seeing sailing develop further among the local population and are supporting Regatta Promoters Ltd in this effort.

As one local proudly pointed out, the fever is building among the sailors an the Bum Boats finals promises to be one of the biggest draws of the regatta, "We go show dem how we does do it down here. Is Carnival time yuh know? So ah hope dem island boys ready for dat! Is real tempo!"

The world renowned Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is Monday 23rd - 24th February 2009. The season begins on Boxing Day, 26th December.

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