The 10th annual Wight Vodka Best Sailor’s Bar Competition is underway, and the 2018 contest changes things up a bit. This year, it’s not just votes that will put a bar on the podium, but expert opinion too (and there’s plenty of that).

As some bars and clubs have a huge customer base, while others are far smaller due to geographical location, seasonal operation and other factors (several popular bars can only be reached by boat!), that old adage about size… it doesn’t matter this year!

For the 10th anniversary, there are three factors that will be taken into consideration:

1. Best story. Explain why a particular bar is the best in the world. Stories like “I met both my husbands here,” “I never knew that there were that many different burgees in the world, let alone at a single establishment,” and “A place lost in time, when you walk in it could be 1930 or 2017” will weigh heavily in the decision.

2. Drink recipe. Share what drink was created at, or at the very least, SERIOUSLY promoted at, said establishment. Full instructions and ingredients please, so that serious research can be conducted on the subject as the days (in the northern hemisphere) grow shorter and darker.

3. The voting. The top ten establishments based on #1 and #2 determined by personnel at Scuttlebutt Europe, Wight Vodka, and Seahorse will be announced on December 4. Voting based on that list will start that day and continue until midnight December 28 with the winner to be announced on New Year’s Eve.

Contributions on stories and drinks will be welcomed, and factored into the selection, until midnight December 28. All previous winners are eligible for the tenth anniversary award.

The winning establishment will be presented with a bottle of Wight Vodka and a framed certificate of victory. But that’s not all as from Latitude Kinsale the winner will have a custom, handmade 3D chart of the winner’s harbour/location in either a modern or a classic B&W chart. The chart will be framed in one of their exclusive frames incorporating Surround Lighting™ and mounted on carbon fibre. Value €2000.

Latitude Kinsale owner Bobby Nash is the original 3D chart artist with 20 years’ experience. His work is known for its originality, its intricate attention to detail, and is always beautifully presented. Used as prizes for events such as the J Class, VOR, Superyacht Regattas, and commissioned for many yachts, offices, and homes.

So… pour yourself a Wight Vodka cocktail, sit by a fireplace, and think about your favorite bar and the drinks they serve. Share the details here: scuttlebutteurope.com/sailors-bars

Previous Winners:
2009 – Peter Cafe Sport in the Azores
2010 – Soggy Dollar; Jost Van Dyke, BVI
2011 – IYAC; Newport, USA
2012 – Sint Maarten Yacht Club
2013 – One Bar Playa Blanca; Lanzarote, Spain
2014 – King & Queen Pub; Hamble, UK
2015 – Plas Heli; Wales, UK and Pier View; Cowes, UK
2016 – Pewaukee Yacht Club; Pewaukee, USA
2017 – Pensacola Yacht Club; Pensacola, USA and St. Thomas Yacht Club; USVI