Of all the racing skiffs in the Caribbean that are descended from former working boats, these are surely the most bizarre. A fishing village around Martinique maintains each one, and they are taken around the island for meets of competitive one-design racing.

Getting their own boat in tip-top shape for the event to be staged in Le Marin, where we were staying in November 2006, seemed to be a full-time occupation for the men in the village.

The narrow, unstable hulls are about 30’ long and crewed by 12 men. The rig is most unusual, either one or two spritsail rigged masts. There is no rigging or halyards, so once the sails are up, they stay up. And the only way to get them up seems to be to capsize the boat. The rough-hewn knotted timber of the spars is in stark contrast to the high-tech cut Dacron of the odd square sails.

The boats use a steering oar, heavy enough to need the full time attention of three of the crew. A further two assist for the rapid sculling required during tacking, or to give that extra spurt of speed to pass a rival. The chief task of the remainder of the crew is to keep the yacht balanced. For this they are equipped with long and thick bamboo poles, one end of which is wedged under the leeward scupper while its owner scrambles over the windward side of the boat up to the other end.

And when the racing is over, the beach-party starts.