As the Bonaire International Sailing Regatta grew during its first years of existence (1968-1970), participants from Curaçao became involved, not only in the races, but in the organization as well. Teams were coordinated and a team coordinator was also found for Aruba. Club Asiento on Curaçao, the sports club of the Shell Oil Company, had a number of members involved in watersports. Shell served as a sponsor for the people who wished to participate in the Bonaire Regatta. The yacht races had become an important part of the regatta and that required special expertise from the racing committee members. It was therefore no surprise that a member of Asiento became race supervisor of the Bonaire Regatta. This was in 1971, when Mr. Niki Tromp became Regatta Coordinator.

Race supervisor was Henk Dreijer and he maintained this position until 1978; his successor was Cees Siebesma. Mr. Siebesma was a member of the Curaçao sailing club Jan Sofat.
The 10th Bonaire International Sailing Regatta 1977 had the following organizing committee: Chairman Mr. N. Tromp, Vice-chairman Mr. A. Michel, representative for Aruba Mr. E. Kervel, representative of Bonaire Mr. S. Domacassé (in particular for the fishing boat races), race supervisor Mr. H. Dreijer, a boat measurement committee committee of J. Ackerman, transportation N. Tromp and J. Dicke and general services by Mr. Schlaepfer and Mr. Michel.

Governor of Bonaire in 1977 was Mr. A. Sint Jago and Commissioner of Tourism was Mr. C. Winklaar. They welcomed all regatta participants and visiotros to the island. The types of boats that entered the races were yachts, sunfishes, lasers, scorpions, sterns and fishing boats. Fishing boats from Curaçao entered the races too, most of them came from Boca San Michiel.

A race around the entire island of Bonaire has been scheduled in the program of the regatta since 1970. Mainly the larger yachts have participated in this long race, that is supposed to be completed during daylight. For the results of the races of the period 1987 to 1992 we refer to the excellent professional accounts of Manon Services of Roy Bottse. From the early years there is regrettable little information to be found about the races and winners.

The daily newspaper `Extra’ has extensively covered the Bonaire Regatta for many years. We found various details of the 1981 edition of the regatta in an old copy. The 1981 Bonaire Regatta took place from Wednesday, October 14 to Saturday, October 17. It was held at the Public Beach at Playa Lechi. The results were the following: the big winner was Chamba II of Jan Ackermans, a veteran participant of the Bonaire Regatta and member of the measuring comiittee. Other winners were: Rob Lesage - Sterns; Bruins - Sunfish; Surfboards Class A: Kamerling, Class B: Nagel and C: De Vries. Round Bonaire Race: Marva. Fishing Boat Races: small boats: Elvia of Perul Soliano, large boats: Ethiene of Ismael Soliano. Second came Dorothy of Juan Margarita, third was Papa Hutu of Piet Somer and fourth came Eagle of John Hilgers. A total of 5 large fishing boats and 13 small ones participated in the races and 17 yachts from Venezuela; there were boats from Puerto Rico, Europe and the ABC islands. The awards evening was held on the pool deck of Hotel Bonaire. Sponsors included Amstel, C. Winkel & Zonen and Flamingo Paradise, the project developers of The Point, which became Plaza Resort Bonaire in 1995.

In 1981 illegal Regatta tee-shirts were on sale. A photo contest was held and photos of the Regatta were exhibited; the winner received 150 guilders. A contest for a Bonaire flag was held as well, with 6 prizes of 250 guilders to be won. Most hotels were fully booked in 1981; the ferry Almirante Luis Brion carried 5000 passengers and 110 cars at the time. Six policemen from Curaçao were added to the force. Tuesday evening was the official opening ceremony of the 14th Regatta. Island Commissioner Wout represented the island government on that occasion.

Tele Curaçao covered the 1981 with mobile equipment and Bos di Bonaire radio station produced countless programs about the regatta as it had done for a number of years already. The Kiwanis of Bonaire organized the festivities on the Public Beach at Playa Lechi with Joe Woodley Disco playing during the daytime and at night a few music groups. Bar and restaurants stayed open till 3 a.m.

The fifth lustrum of the Bonaire Regatta took place in 1992, from October 12 through 17, a period of an entire week. Niki Tromp, Mr. Bonaire Regatta for so many years, had suddenly died a few weeks before the event while underway to Venezuela to make arrangements there and to stimulate the participation of Venezuelan sailing enthusiasts. Some winners of that year: Patun Saragoza (Windsurf Overall), Cabez Soliano (Sunfish), and in the yacht division the Windhush of Ivo van Dooren (Yachts 3) and Chamba II of Jan Ackermans (Copa Niki Tromp).

The Bonairean government decided in 1992 to grant the Bonaire Regatta its own office. This office was officially inaugurated a few weeks before the start of the 25th Regatta and it is located on the Kralendijk waterfront. There was a definite rise in the number of participants to be seen in the past years and when Roy Bottse suggested to add Elvis Martinus, a skilled windsurfer, to the board, everyone agreed. Mr. Errol St. Jago, head of Indibon, was also added to the board and Indibon proceeded to organize shore-based sporting events for the crew members of the Venezuelan and Dutch navy ships. Local clubs were interested to participate as well.