13-year-old Kai Marks Dasent sails alone from St Vincent to Bequia in 1 hour

A 13-year-old national of St Vincent and the Grenadines has sailed 10 miles from Blue Lagoon Marina, St Vincent, to Devil's Table marker, Bequia.  Kai Marks Dasent completed his journey in just 1 hour and 12 minutes on Sunday, making the whole country proud. The teenager undertook this solo journey in an attempt to raise funds for him and his teammates to partake in international sailing competitions. He aims to reach the Olympics in 2028.

Initially, Kai will be participating in the upcoming 2024 O'pen Skiff North American "Un-Regatta" with five other sailors. The event will be held at Augusta Sailing Club, April 19-21.

This challenging course encompasses the gnarly Bequia Channel, adding an extra layer of excitement and skill to the event. In preparation for this maritime challenge, Kai collaborated with local charter company skipper Bry Mascoll from Horizon Yachts, ensuring the safety and success of his endeavour.

The boat through which Kai sailed was donated by the Queen Mary Sailing Club in the UK and was shipped by Kestrel Liners.

As he set sail from St Vincent, he was cheered on by a supportive crowd of family and loved ones who gathered to wish him good luck. In Bequia, he was welcomed by Kerry from Bar One as he reached the Devil's Table.

Following the completion of his journey, Kai Marks Dasent outlined, "I loved it; the surfing was my favourite part, and I am so excited to be attending the international regattas with my teammates".

Fresh from his placement in the top three of the Optimist Class in the December 17, 2023, Sailing Competition at Calliaqua Bay, young Kai Marks Dasent took this much bigger challenge this weekend.

In order to attend an international regatta, the sailor's parents and guardian will contribute more than half of the total finances. This sail attracted substantial support from many sponsors in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

[caption id="attachment_66454" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Kai Marks-Dasent’s family seeing him off on on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2023. (Photo: Sebastian Cyrus)[/caption] Additionally, before the journey, Kai said, "I have been sailing for 6 years; it is my passion. I am inspired by Scarlett Hadley's achievements last year. I want to compete on the international stage, and I want to help the other sailors, too."

"I know funding is critical, so I asked my mum if I could sail from St Vincent to Bequia to raise money, and she said yes! I'm so excited and have been training hard on the water and at Island Wide Fitness, I'm ready for this exciting journey," he added.

In an official statement, the SVG Sailing Association said that this sail has put Kai well on his way to achieving the Vincy Sailing Team's fundraising target, and Kai's aspirations extend beyond this success with hopes of luring larger sponsors in future to fulfil his Olympic dream.

The sailor's mother, Sabrina, has also expressed pride in her son's determination and the collective effort of the family to make this dream a reality.

It is also to be noted that Kai has raised enough money to contribute to 2 international events this year for his team - the Vincy Sailing.

The events in which he will be participating include the Open Skiff North American Championships in Augusta, Georgia, where Vincy Sailing has a team of three, including Kai attending, and the Antigua National Championships, a team to be decided, where Kai aims to surpass his silver medal from last year.