The tragic accident that claimed the life of a powerboat racer during Sunday’s Bermuda Powerboat Association Hamilton Harbour Race has sparked renewed concerns about safety on Bermuda’s waterways, with one seasoned competitor saying marine traffic has long posed a significant risk to racers. The Bermuda Powerboat Association has since postponed its Hamilton Harbor scheduled race following the fatal incident as investigations continue.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the experienced driver said he does not believe the decision to postpone racing in Hamilton Harbour is “too little, too late,” but instead hopes it draws attention to what he describes as years of inadequate respect for active race courses.
“I wouldn’t say it’s too little, too late,” he said. “The problem we face as racers is that marine traffic doesn’t respect the race.”
He recalled several close calls over the years, including one during Sunday’s event when a group of jet skis reportedly entered the race course from the Hamilton Princess area, forcing competitors travelling at high speeds to take evasive action.
“I saw a jet ski shoot out in the middle of the race, and we had to dodge them at the last second,” he said. “Boats don’t have brakes. We’re doing over 80 miles an hour. You can’t just stop like you’re driving a car.”
According to the racer, Hamilton Harbour presents unique challenges because of its confined space and the amount of recreational boat traffic that continues to move through the area during race events.
“The harbour is like being in a swimming pool,” he explained. “You’ve got boats coming from every direction—not just race boats, but pleasure boats too.”
While acknowledging that offshore race boats are designed to handle rough water and experienced drivers understand the risks involved, he believes increased marine traffic has made racing more dangerous than in previous years.
“It tests your driving, but years ago there weren’t as many people getting in the way. Now there are a lot more distractions on the water.”
The veteran racer also addressed questions surrounding fellow competitor “Pugi,” who had previously been disqualified after returning to the race course following a victory.
He explained that race rules prohibit competitors from re-entering the course while other boats are still racing.
“He didn’t do it in an unsafe manner, but rules are rules,” he said. “He understood why he was disqualified and admitted he should have paid more attention.”
Despite the earlier disqualification, the racer described Rickai Pugi Raynor as an accomplished and experienced competitor who had been racing for many years.
“This wasn’t somebody who didn’t know what he was doing,” he said. “He’d been racing since around 2015 or even earlier.”
As the conversation shifted from racing to loss, the interview became deeply personal.
The anonymous driver revealed that Pugi was not only a fellow racer but also his cousin and one of his closest friends.
“That’s not just a friend—that’s family,” he said. “That’s my little cousin.”
He said the entire Bermuda Powerboat Association community is struggling to process what has happened.
“We talked every day. We joked together. We competed together. Nobody expected this.”
The emotional toll, he admitted, has been overwhelming.
“I haven’t really been able to sleep because I keep replaying everything that happened.”
His thoughts remain with Pugi’s mother Karen, father Ricky,son and daughter, brothers, and extended family.
“I love them dearly, and I feel their loss. Pugi meant everything to his family, and he meant a lot to all of us.”
While he stopped short of placing blame on any individual or organization, the racer believes Sunday’s tragedy should renew focus on keeping race courses clear during sanctioned events.
“The Coast Guard does what it can, but they can’t be everywhere at once,” he said. “The clubs are doing what they’re supposed to do. What we need is respect from marine traffic. When races are happening, people need to stay clear of the course.”
For Bermuda’s close-knit powerboat racing community, he said, the loss is one that will not soon be forgotten.
“Nobody expected it to end this way,” he said. “Now we’re all just trying to come to terms with it.”
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