The Venezuelan island of Margarita was discovered by the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus on August 15, 1498. About one year later, in the second half of 1499, Amerigo Vespucci, also an Italian navigator and maritime scientist discovered the island of Bonaire. Together with his Spanish companions, Vespucci crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to the West Indies by caravel. A caravel was originally a sailing vessel used for trading in the Mediterranean Sea. The Portuguese and Spanish developed this type of vessel for ocean navigation to unknown destinations. With its combination of lateen and square rigged sails the caravel, usually not much longer than 20 meters, was the first type of ocean going vessel that arrived at the island of Bonaire from Europe in 1499, the beginning of the Spanish era in this part of the world. Many other sailing vessels visited Bonaire in the following period of almost 500 years

These types included the carrack ("kraak" in Dutch) and the galleon. The galleon was originally developed as a warship but later also used as a trading vessel. The arrival at Bonaire of the first sailing vessels from the Netherlands took place in the early 17th century, about the time that the West Indian Company was established in Holland and Zeeland. Salt and wood was carried from Bonaire to Europe by these vessels for many years. The export of salt from Bonaire by sailing vessel even continued in the 20th century and this took place by schooner. Schooners from Bonaire delivered salt to the Eastern Caribbean and Suriname in the first half of this century. On the return voyage they used to carry products from Suriname to this part of the Caribbean. The schooner has a long history as a sailing vessel, particularly for trading in the Caribbean region, but also for the carriage of passengers. For a long time this kind of sailing vessel served as the only mode of transportation between Bonaire and Curaçao, vice versa, but also between Bonaire and the Venezuelan mainland, and to other islands. The carriage also of passengers and mail by sailing vessel from Bonaire to Curaçao and Aruba, vice versa, has continued far into the 20th century. Very important for the livelihood of people living on Bonaire was the use of sailing vessels for fishing purposes, particularly in those days that motorboats were not available or too expensive for deployment by local fishermen. Fishing in the coastal waters of Bonaire has continued to be an attraction, which started in the time that only sailing vessels were used for this purpose.

Fishing boats propelled by sail and wind were the first sailing vessels on Bonaire used for racing in a competition. This kind of sporting activities has developed into other sailing events that have made Bonaire famous as an excellent place for sailing like windsurfing for entertainment or for races by sail of any kind. From 1499 until present day Bonaire has depended on sails for transportation overseas, for fishing and for the entertainment of residents and visitors of the island.

Important for the future of sailing activities on the island of Bonaire were the initiatives taken some years ago to establish local associations with enthusiastic members to practice and to compete in windsurfing and races with sunfishes. The number of sailing fishing vessels has diminished considerably but the sports of windsurfing and sailing with small boats like sunfishes has become a great attraction all year round. Many young people from Bonaire have become real champions in these sports. Not only visitors of Bonaire practice windsurfing at Lac, genuine surf specialists from Bonaire itself also show their great skills in this excellent surf area on the windward side of the island.

People on Bonaire may be confident that sails will stay on this island for many more years to come, not only in regatta time but during every period of the year.