J/105 NA's Preview(Marblehead, MA)- This year's J/105 North Americans has forty-two boats participating in the picturesque, but often challenging, waters offshore of Marblehead, MA just northeast of Boston. The regatta is shaping up to be one of the strongest contingent of J/105 sailors assembled in many years.
Amongst the fleet contenders are several J/105 North American Champions, including Joerg Esdorn on KINCSEM, Bruce Stone on JOUSTER and Damian Emery on ECLIPSE. Sprinkled amongst them are a number of champions in both the J/105 class and others, including Ken Colburn on GHOST (NYYC Swan 42 National Champion 2011), Brian Keane on SAVASANA (Key West Champion three-times), Stewart Neff and Henry Brauer on SCIMITAR (PHRF New England J/105 Champions), Kevin Grainger on GUMPTION 3 (AYC Fall Series Champion) and Bernie Girod on ROCK & ROLL (West Coast J/105 Champion).
Given the forecast for the four days of sailing, anything goes amongst this fleet. It's sure to be very close, competitive sailing with very experienced teams in the top ten. The forecast is for sunny days Thursday to Saturday with S to WSW winds and perhaps a frontal passage on Sunday. Keep yourselves up-to-date on J/105 North America sailing results here
British Forces Racing Fastnet
(Cowes, IOW, England)- The RAF bring leadership and team spirit to the water racing their J/109 RED ARROW and flying the flag for the Royal Air Force Sailing Association. Skipper, Flight Lieutenant Ryan Harris is a Royal Air Force helicopter pilot and Search & Rescue instructor based at RAF Valley, Anglesey, North Wales. RED ARROW is crewed by serving and ex-serving members of the RAF, from a mixture of ranks, trades and different air bases.
"Sailing is positively encouraged in the RAF. It is seen as a vehicle to take Service Personnel out of their normal environment and stretch them. Teamwork, communication, leadership and physical fitness are all elements that can be brought out in sailing. The RAF team wants to test itself against top sailors and this year we have gained experience to complete the mileage required to enter the Fastnet Race. Project management as well as sailing ability have all been improved from taking part in this campaign", says Flight Lieutenant Ryan Harris.
Said a fellow UK Armed Forces colleague, "Ocean racing is firmly part of our ethos - the requirement for an adventurous spirit combined with the need for individuals to work as a team, in difficult and potentially dangerous conditions, when cold, wet and tired, far from the easy option of outside assistance." For more Rolex Fastnet Race sailing information
J/111s Lovin EPIC, Best-ever Cowes Week!(Cowes, IOW, England)- The IRC 2 Class in the Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Race Week is shaping up to be a showcase event for the both the J/111s and the J/122s. Tough as nails racing. Brutal, bashing, crashing beats to windward followed by outrageous, screaming planes back and forth across the Solent at extreme speeds in the high teens, lows 20s for miles at a time. Not your "father's Cadillac" as they say in America. The J/111s are simply putting on a show in the extraordinary conditions facing Cowes Week sailors this week, with winds in the 15-30 knot category, needless to say you simply can't wipe the grin off the J/111 sailors-- having waaaayy too much of a good time. Read more below in the J/Community section of the J/111 JENGA's account of what it's like to sail in epic, nuking wind conditions on the Solent.
J/Sailing News
The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide
The first week of August can be the highlight of the summer, or simply another incredibly hot week of sailing in "the north". For many, it was both. And so far that "old Mother Gun" called "Nature" is serving up an amazing cocktail of conditions that has everyone scratching their heads. For starters, Cowes Week has started on the infamous Solent. In past years, it was a scorcher, a journey into the "inner soul" to divine "why" you sail as you sat on anchors against a 4 knot ebb with no wind in sight. Then, you answer for yourself "why" this year-- because it can be an extremely exhilarating, fun, eye-opening experience that's hard to describe to even your nearest and dearest friends (landlubbers, that is). Cowes has yet to see less than 15 knots to date and most races have sailed in up to 30 knots of breeze-- unbelievable! BTW, the J/111s, J/122s and other J's are loving the conditions. Just south of them the J/80s had a fabulous time in Palma de Majorca, Spain-- "classic Palma" winds settled in and after a long weekend of sailing, it was clear Spain's Olympics Medallists and World Champions had a fabulous time sailing against one another in postcard-perfect sailing conditions. Over in the Americas, New Bedford YC hosted the extraordinary Buzzards Bay Regatta for J/24s, J/80s and PHRF fleets. The J/24s sailed their San Francisco Bay championships, the J/22s had fun racing their Mid-Atlantics in Chesapeake Bay and the J/105s are gearing up for their J/105 North Americans in Marblehead, MA. Finally, out West the J/105s concluded their Southern California Championships.Read on! The J/Community and Cruising section below continue to enjoy the Caribbean and the South Pacific, staying warm while others are trying to stay warm up north. Check them out! More importantly, if you have more J/Regatta News, please email it or upload onto our J/Boats Facebook page! Below are the summaries.
Regatta & Show Schedules:
Aug 6-13- Cowes Race Week- Isle of Wight, England- http://www.aamcowesweek.co.ukAug 10-13- Chester Race Week- Halifax, Nova Scotia- http://www.chesterraceweek.com/
Aug 10-14- J/105 Northamericans- Marblehead, MA- http://www.j105northamericans.com/
Aug 14- Rolex Fastnet Race- Cowes, England- http://www.rorc.org/fastnet/index.php
Aug 29- Sep 1- Rolex Women's Keelboat Championship- Rochester, NY- http://riwkc.ussailing.org/
Sep 16-25- Southampton Boatshow (J/97, J/108, J/111)- Southampton, England
For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
Texans Win J/80s Buzzards Bay!(New Bedford, MA)- It all started at lunch in New Bedford at Ray and Joe’s Restaurant in 1972. Bill Saltonstall of the Beverly Yacht Club and Bob Saltmarsh of the New Bedford Yacht Club commiserated that the numbers of boats entering their clubs’ regattas were dwindling each year. They decided that it would be a good idea if all of the yacht clubs around Buzzards Bay would get together each year to sponsor one large regatta. That way, they could attract the best boats in each class to race against each other. That first regatta in 1972 was a huge success, attracting a fleet of 199 competitors. Thus began a great tradition that has gained momentum and developed a well-earned reputation among sailors across the country. The intersection of great sailing conditions and highly-competent race management is the promise offered by the BBR. Today the BBR is the largest multi-class regatta in the United States with over 450 boats and 1,200 sailors across fifteen different classes.
There were solid turnouts for the J one-design classes, the J/24s and the J/80s. In addition, there were some good showings from J's in the PHRF handicap classes.
For the J/24s, it was anything but a "sketchy" outcome to the regatta for the thirteen J/24s participating. Basically, it was a blowout by the SKETCHY AT BEST team led by the ringmaster himself, Ryan Walsh. Seven 1sts and three 2nds, tossing a 2nd?? Hmmm. Talk about a "schooling" of the local BBR J/24 fleet, they only won by seven points. Second overall, and putting up a good fight for the most part, was Harlem YC's (yes, from New York City!), Phil Swanton sailing TRINITY to 19 points. Third was Craig Correia's QUEEQUUEG from Angelica YC with 40 pts.
The very competitive fourteen boat J/80 fleet was won by a Texan! Holy smokes. Even more improbably, from a yacht club that has a "longhorn cow" in its burgee?? Oh dear, can't blame them for moving north, wouldn't you? Dallas, TX only had it's 46th 100+ degree Fahrenheit day in a row!! Blistering hot, too hot, too hot. Nevertheless, Bruno Pasquinelli and crew on TIAMO finally got the job done and won perhaps one of the more coveted J/80 trophies on the Eastern seaboard- J/80 Buzzards Bay Campeonato! Bruno's team hung on to their lead by the slimmest of margins, snagging a rip-snorting 4-4 in the last two races to secure their win by one point over Chris Chadwick from Eastport YC in Annapolis, MD. Third was local hero Chip Johns on CAVITICA from Bedford YC with 31 potions, fourth was J/105 Champion Brian Keane sailing his J/80 SAVASANA to 33 points and fifth was Gary Kamins and his friend Jay Lutz handing tough to secure a first in the last race for a total of 37 points.In PHRF 1, Doug Curtiss' J/111 WICKED 2.0 from the host New Bedford YC managed to sail a solid and consistent series to finish second overall. In PHRF 2, Ted Herlihy's J/109 GUT FEELING (a former J/109 Northamerican Champion) from the host New Bedford YC sailed a very strong series to finish just 0.5 points from first. Third was Steve Thurston's J/29 MIGHTY PUFFIN from Barrington YC. For more Buzzards Bay Regatta Sailing results
Cowes Week Update(Cowes, IOW, England)- Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week is a key part of the British sporting calendar taking place in early August each year. These dates result from early traditions when the great and the good came to Cowes between Goodwood and the Glorious Twelfth – day one of the grouse shooting season. The event is a great mix of competitive sailing and a vibrant social scene and has evolved enormously since the early days; it now attracts up to 1,000 competing boats, around 8,500 competitors and at least 100,000 visitors. The Solent is busy, busy, busy! So are the commercial ships who could not give a "boot" about any "blow boaters" in their midst. And, to ensure there's complete chaos from a security standpoint, toss in a few of England's famous "royals" down at the infamous Royal Yacht Squadron Ball and you have a recipe for frenetic fun, lots of carousing, far too many fish & chips with greasy, drippy "palm frittes" and lots of brown salt water mixed into the recipe with, one hopes, a gale or two of Force 5-7 from the UK MET Office and at least one or two instances of anchoring on the Bramble Bank in 4-6 knots of current with "yachties" hoping to retain their position after having eaten a "patsie" or two. Well, you get the picture. A bit of a frolic on the Solent is always worth a few sea-stories, and then some.
This year, the RAF RED ARROWS Aerobatic Team (not the boats, the jets!), put on an exhibition equal to their friends in America- the US Navy's BLUE ANGELS. In a break in tradition from the more usual last Friday of the week, the Red Arrows carried out a sensational display over the waterfront at Cowes to mark the opening of this historic regatta.
So far, the racing has been "almost epic" for the Solent. You can expect anything from dead calm to a spectacular sunny day with an epic 15-25 kt breeze blowing in from the West. Toss in the powerful Solent tides against the wind and you can get monstrous (ginormous?) breaking waves that can break boats and egos.
Day One: On the first day of racing, the J/109 VELVET ELVIS won the J/109s. The fleet was dealt perfect sailing conditions, with the morning’s light breezes gradually building to give a steady 15 knots by the end of the day. The husband and wife team of Adam and Helen Wright were determined to complete some unfinished business from last year when they won the last race in the J/109 fleet at Cowes Week. They also finished second overall, so the aim this year is to improve their result.Sailing with their all-star crew who have sailed together for many years, the Wrights were on top form today. They had a fantastic start and, according to Adam, it just got better and better. “It was a tricky day on The Solent with plenty of shifts and holes but we sailed a good first beat and that is where we gained the most.”
Having cleared the fleet after their start, they continued to keep in clear air and just pulled away from the rest of the fleet. “We actually caught up with the 40.7 class ahead but our tactician Tim Collins did a fantastic job and we managed to pick our way through that fleet as well. The key today was to keep out the tidal stream, take advantage of the puffs of wind, and stay in clear air.”
As well as finishing second at this regatta last year, team VELVET ELVIS won the Warsash Spring Championships, West Solent Championships, Vice Admirals Cup, and J/109 National Championship. “We lost out at the 2011 national championship earlier this year, so our aim is to clinch this one.”
In the 26-strong J/80 class, after the first three short tacks, Ian Atkins’ boats.com was well ahead on the water, but she was the only one of the three competitors over the line at the start not to return. This left Mike Turner’s NEMO to take an early lead, just ahead of William Goldsmith’s EXESS. With yet more boats piling onto Grantham Rocks, two boats that had started prematurely – Jon Powell’s La Bete and Stewart Hawthorn’s Jumpin Jenga – were able to work their way back through the fleet, but neither was able to catch the top four boats. RAF Benevolent Fund Team Spitfire was first to finish, Turner second, Doug Neville-Jones’s Jasmine third and Goldsmith fourth.
Day Two: The second day was blessed with bright sun and strong winds, giving competitors a fresh set of challenges after the opening day’s light airs. Mean wind speeds had built to more than 20 knots before racing started, while gusts topped 30 knots at 1430, before easing marginally later in the afternoon. It was a fast and furious day of close racing, in which many winners were decided by only a few seconds after hours of racing. Equally, the long lists of retirements included many early leaders who were forced to return to port prematurely.For the Black Group, it as a challenging day. Although the tidal streams weren’t right for a classic finish along the green lawns that line The Parade, spectators were still treated to numerous broaches, the result of a tight spinnaker reach into the finish, while the tide threatened to sweep unwary competitors beyond the outer end of the finish line. The combination of mistakes in positioning and rushed sail handling cost many competitors valuable places in the final 30 seconds of their race.
In IRC 5, Grant Gordon’s J/97 FEVER finished 2nd just 40 seconds from first, who in turn was almost two minutes ahead of sistership Mike & Jamie Holmes’ JIKA-JIKA.
Day Three: The thousands of competitors enjoyed another glorious sunny day, with a brisk west-north-westerly wind providing spectacular sailing. Winds in the morning were more moderate than yesterday, at 10-15 knots, but a short shower that passed over Cowes at lunchtime heralded a rapid strengthening of the breeze. The mean wind peaked just above 20 knots, but gusts again topped 30 for a couple of hours before the breeze moderated a little in the early afternoon.
The larger boats in the Black Group classes starting on the Royal Yacht Squadron line headed east, with wind and tide behind, so a cautious approach to the start was essential.
For the White Group, the smaller day boats headed towards the north shore after starting in a westerly direction from the Royal Yacht Squadron line. This made a start at the outer end of the line, followed by a quick tack onto port being the favoured strategy. After two hours of racing the bulk of the J/80s dropped spinnakers and turned upwind at their sixth mark, Hamble Yacht Services. The beat from here to Stormforce Coaching buoy, at the entrance to Southampton Water, was followed by a tight spinnaker reach to East Knoll, just as the wind was gusting to maximum strength. The J/80s bore away on the gusts for a super-fast downwind blast, before dropping kite and luffing up for a quick white-sail reach into the mark. At the J/80s finish, it was Henry Bomby’s TEAM BALTIC first, more than two minutes ahead of Ian Atkin’s Boats.com, while William Goldsmith’s TEAM EXESS was third.
So far, the J/122s and J/111s are leading the top of the leader-board in IRC Class 2. Still at the top mid-week is the J/122 JINJA sailed by Ian Matthews. Just behind are the two J/111s, SMHOKIN JOE sailed by Duncan McDonald & Phil Thomas and JENGA 7 sailed by Paul Heys in second and third, respectively. In IRC 3 Class, the J/39 SLEEPER sailed by Jonty Layfield is lying in a strong second position with their eye on first place.
In IRC 4 Class, the J/105 KING LOUIS sailed by Fiona & Malcolm Thorpe is hanging tough for 6th place overall.
Amongst the IRC 5 Class, the J/Teams are 6 of the top 10, with the J/97s dueling for the top of the fleet. So far, FEVER sailed by Grant Gordon is in second and in third is MCFLY skippered by Tony Mack. The J/92 J'RONIMO sailed by David Greenhalgh & John Taylor is in 6th. Ed Holton's J/110 SHADES OF BLUE is in 8th. Richard Sainbury's J/92s BOJANGLES is 9th and Andrew Dallas' J/92s HULLABALOO is in 10th!
For the J/109 class, the team of Adam & Helen Wright on VELVET ELVIS continue to lead the fleet with just 11 pts. Just behind is the Malta family team lead by the Ripard's and Calascione's sailing their family-based J/109 YEOMAN. Third is INSPARA sailed by Christopher Sharples & Richard Acland.
Amongst the J/80s, TEAM BALTIC skippered by Henry Bomby is showing everybody how it's done. William Goldsmith on TEAM EXESS is in second and third is TEAM SPITFIRE sailed by Tony Hanlon. For more Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week sailing information
J/105 WINGS Captures SoCal Title
(San Diego, CA)- Congratulations to Dennis and Sharon Case and crew on WINGS who claimed the J/105 Southern California Championships last weekend in San Diego! WINGS secured the 2011 title with 15 total points in five races, including a first in the opening race. Hosted by Coronado Yacht Club, the 13-boat fleet was treated to awesome conditions - flat water and 10-15 knots in San Diego's South Bay. For more J/105 SoCal Championships sailing information
JMVP & Son Wins J/80 Copa Del Rey!(Palma de Mallorca, Spain)- The 30th Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre regatta started spectacularly. The racers were greeted with the fabulous (and famous) "Palma conditions" of 10-15 knots onshore, with the stunning backdrop of the famous hills, city and cathedral behind them. And, it was ultimately to the liking of Spanish Olympic Gold Medallist Jose Maria van der Ploeg and his son on FACTOR-Energia.
On the first day of sailing, the reigning J-80 World Champion Ignacio Camino sailed his renowned NEXTEL ENGINEERING perfectly, dominating the day with two bullets, continuing on his roll from winning the recent J/80 Worlds in Copenhagen, Denmark. Also on this day, the two-times Star Class World Champion Tono Gorostegui was second, after a sixth and a second place and Jose María Van der Ploeg's FACTOR-Energia was third.
By the second day of racing, it was clear the sailors were loving the "classic" Palma conditions. The sailors again saw perfect sailing conditions, and a sea breeze - known as "Embat" in the local lingua-franca - from 10 to 12 knots established soon after noon and reached 10 to 12 knots. Within the J-80 fleet Jose María van der Ploeg's FACTOR-Energia pulled up to first after finishing second in both races. The Olympic Spanish sailor is accompanied by his eleven year old son Jose María Van der Ploeg Jr aboard, the youngest sailor of the 30th edition of the Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre. World champion Nextel Engineering could only manage a third and a fifth on this day.With just two races to go, things looked tight in the J-80 fleet, for the three first boats where just three points apart. NEXTEL ENGINEERING was leader after ten races, tied in points with FACTOR-Energia and followed by Javier Aguado`s CROCS. In the first race the first two boats challenged each other in the center of the race area, but after the first tacks Camino went to the right hand side and her title was gone. In a low pressure, she saw herself sink in the pack, with FACTOR-Energia sitting on top and maintaining that position until the finish. Van der Ploeg came into the last race with a six point cushion, and didn`t take any risks in the second, finishing fourth, thus clinching his second Copa del Rey after his 2007 victory. CROCS got the prize for consistency with a third and a first place, whereas MAPFRE took the other win of the day. Sailing photo credits- Nico Martinez For more Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre sailing information
TMC RACING Crushes J/24 Bay Champs(San Francisco, CA)- This year's J/24 District 20 Championship were held on the waters of San Francisco Bay hosted by the Berkeley Yacht Club. The "Berkeley Circle" is considered the most popular sailing venue on the West Coast. Its proximity to San Francisco, generally strong winds and scenic surroundings make it an ideal venue for the events of the 2011 J/24 District 20 Championship.
Again, the Bay did not disappoint. The J/24 class as greeted by classic "Bay conditions" with breezes smoking out of the WSW for most of the regatta. Furthermore, Touchstone Management Consultants, the title sponsor, ensured the fleet and BYC put on a first-class event. Most importantly, Chef Lulu cooked her wildly popular, award-winning Paella feast for all participating J/24 sailors, and guests, on Saturday evening!
Did it blow like the dogs? Was it cold? You bet! Samuel Clemens said it all; "the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco!" Foulies were required clothing unless you were a seal with a layer of blubber.
It was pretty clear that the "class act" of the event was the title sponsored boat, TMC Racing sailed by Whitfield and crew, garnering six 1st places and one 3rd to win with nine points. A distant second was Taylor's crew on the boat ON BELAY that finished with 21 points. Third was Cumming's and crew on DOWNTOWN UPROAR with 29 points. Fourth was Susan Taylor on TAKE FIVE from SoCal getting 30 points and just missing out on her podium finish. Fifth was Lulvevich on SHUT UP AND DRIVE (really?) with 34 points. Watch the J/24 YouTube Video here. For more J/24 San Francisco Bay sailing information
Gaffney Eclipses J/22 Mid-Atlantics
(Annapolis, MD)- Severn Sailing Association on the tip of Easton's Point in Annapolis, MD consistently puts on a great show for local Chesapeake sailors. In particular, they're support of the J/22 class is wonderful, playing host to this year's J/22 Mid-Atlantic Coast Championship.
After six races sailed, Chris Gaffney's team sailed to a 3-2-1-1-1-7 for 15 total points. They ensured that second place finisher, Jeff Todd, did not beat them in the last race. Jeff's team sailed well and finished with a 2-1-3-2-6-8 for 22 points. Third was John Loe's team with a 1-13-2-3-7-2 for 28 points. Fourth was Alon Finkelstein with a 6-6-5-4-8-1 for 30 points. Fifth just two points back was Art Silcox with a 9-4-7-5-2-5 for 32 points. For more J/22 Mid-Atlantic Championship sailing results.
J/Community
What friends, alumni and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
* Paul Heys sailing aboard the J/111 JENGA had this to report- "Day 5 of Aberdeen Asset management Cowes week, dawned with a forecast of a South Westerly 20 gusting to 30.After the first 4 days J122 Jinja, very well sailed by Ian Mathews and team was the class 2 leader, in second was the J111 Shmokin Joe of Phil Thomas and Duncan Macdonald and in third the J 111 Jenga 7 helmed by Mike Henning.
For 4 days the races had been long beats against the tide, followed by dead runs back downwind, conditions that suited the bigger heavier boats in the fleet pretty well, so we on Jenga 7 were very pleased that the J’s were batting above their weight.
On day 5 the tide was finally reversed, today we would beat with the tide and run back against it.
Starting from the squadron line at Cowes we headed out on an 8 mile beat to the Western end of the Solent , Shmokin Joe made a nice start, we were a little cautious and ended up second row, the whole fleet was short-tacking up the Green (next to the Royal Yacht Squadron and The Parade) to take advantage of the very strong tide that runs there. Initially we traded places with our Dutch sistership J111 JXcentric and Inga a Corby 36, Shmokin Joe was trading places with Grand Slam a Grand Soleil 40 at the front of the fleet.
Twice we were bounced left by starboard tackers and each time we made a further loss, halfway up the beat, boats to both the left and right made gains against us and we were suddenly in the mix with boats that we had not seen before, a Swan 51, First 40’s and Elan 40’s. Meanwhile Shmokin Joe helmed by Kevin Sproul was sailing a text book beat, tacking on the shifts utilising the tide and outpacing the J 122, Salona 45, Grand Soleil 43, Elan 410 and the Corby 36, who made up the chasing pack.
The further down the Solent we went the more the wind increased, we were now seeing 25 knots. Shmokin Joe was first around setting their code 3 chute and blasted off in a ball of spray, Jinja and many others gybe set to head inshore for tidal relief. On Jenga 7 we rounded 12th and knew we had a lot on, gybe setting to the code 4 the chase was on: after 2 miles we were up to 3rd we were blasting along at 12-15 knots at 155TWA passing the heavier slower boats very quickly, J111 JXcentric had gone to the island shore which was a tidal disadvantage, so we were soon ahead of them. As we charged into the entrance of the Lymington River at 14.5 knots we were confronted by the car ferry, thankfully as he built his speed we were able to get around his stern comfortably.
With the depth down to 3 metres we executed a tidy gybe and set off on Starboard, now the waves were with us and this allowed us to surf up to 16.5 at times, inshore we saw Jinja spin out and broach followed by some minutes without spinnaker, this left just Shmokin Joe to chase, they were a long distance ahead having beaten us to the windward mark by 7-8 minutes. As we blasted down, we now saw Shmokin Joe in trouble, broaching followed by a spinnaker drop, so great gains to us, shortly they reset and were once again launched.
A tidy rounding of West Lepe and back up wind with the deficit reduced to 3 minutes. The next leg was to be the leg of the regatta a 145 TWA reach across the Solent from Quod Possimus to Salt Mead. Shmokin Joe was round first and set off like a rocket we followed suit, the wind was now gusting to 30 and boat speeds were in the high teens with a peak of 20, we flat out planed the whole leg with the crew stacked aft. Below us was the TP 52 Pace sailing slightly hotter but at the same speed, the two J 111’s and the TP 52 blasted across the Solent at virtually the same speed in clouds of spray. The data recorder aboard Shmokin Joe would later show that the average speed for the leg was 16.8Knots!! Not bad for a 36 footer.
At Salt Mead we gybed for a run down to NE Gurnard, we once again blasted the width of the Solent gybing off Beaulieu exactly in the wake of our sistership who were still a few minutes ahead, the gap behind us to the next boat was pretty large. On their final gybe to the bottom mark Shmokin Joe suffered a spinnaker wrap, followed by a broach and then a trawl, we were blasting in at 15 knots as they recovered their spinnaker and dignity, calculating that we were now winning on handicap, we made a safe gybe drop and followed them in to the penultimate mark, following them into the finish to take the bullet.
JXcentric made it a J/111 podium with J/122 JINJA in 4th. One of the most exciting days racing at Cowes for years !!"
The J Cruising Community
J Cruisers continue their adventures around the world, below are a selection of most excellent "blogs" written by their prolific publishers. Some terribly amusing anecdotes and pearls of wisdom are contained in their blogs. Read some! You'll love it.* The J/42 JARANA continues their epic voyage around the Pacific. Continue to read about Bill and Kathy Cuffel's big adventure cruising the South Pacific headed for New Zealand. Their blog is here: http://www.svjarana.blogspot.com/
* Prolific writers, Bill and Judy Stellin, sailed their J/42 JAYWALKER around the Mediterranean and Europe and back across the Atlantic for nearly three years. Their blogs/journals can be found at- http://blog.mailasail.com/jaywalker. The earlier journals have been compiled into two self published books which can be found at: http://www.blurb.com. Search for "SEATREK: A Passion for Sailing" by Bill Stellin or William Stellin." UPDATE- Just a short note to update from Bill- "Our cruise began in May of 2000 and ended in May of 2008, some 8 years later. I have just finished and published my third and final book covering the last three or so years including our double handed crossing in 16 days and one winter in the Caribbean. Like the others, "Sea Trek- A Passion for sailing- Book III," can be found at www.blurb.com. Thanks, Bill and Judy"
* John and Mary Driver are sailing their J/130 SHAZAM for extended cruising in the Atlantic basin. At this time, John and Mary finished their double-handed crossing of the Atlantic, landing in Portugal on their J/130 Shazam after completion of their ARC Rally. Read the latest news at http://www.sailblogs.com/member/shazam/.* Several J/160 owners are island hopping across the world's oceans, fulfilling life long dreams to cruise the Pacific islands, the Caribbean islands, the Indian Ocean and all points in between. Anyone for Cape Horn and penguins?? Read more about their adventures and escapades (like our J/109 GAIA, J/42s PAX and JAYWALKER and J/130 SHAZAM friends above).
- SALACIA, the J/160 owned by Stephen and Cyndy Everett has an on-going blog describing some of their more amusing experiences (http://www.salacia1.blogspot.com).
- Bill and Susan Grun on the J/160 AVANTE are also sailing in the Pacific archipelago, read more about their great adventures on their blog (http://web.me.com/susangrun). Check out there recent travels- now past Fiji!
- Eric and Jenn on the J/160 MANDALAY also sailed the Pacific archipelago, read more on their blog at http://www.sailmandalay.com. Eric and Jenn are J/World alumni took MANDALAY up and down the West Coast (Mexico, CA)
, then to the South Pacific and New Zealand. MANDALAY is back in San Francisco now, and in the J/World fleet--she is available for skippered charters, private instruction, and corporate/executive groups.* The J/109 GAIA (seen right in the Java Sea) was sailed by Bob Riggle and Phyllis Macay around the world. In February 2011, their cruising adventures came to an abrupt, sad ending. As a tribute to them and their cruising friends worldwide, we hope their chronicles on their GAIA website remains a tribute to their warm-hearted spirits- read more about why many loved them dearly and will remain touched by their loving spirit forever- http://www.gaiaworldtour.net/
Featured Boats
Spectacular J/42 "Stars & Stripes" For SaleThis J/42 has a great layout with two double sleeping cabins, two heads with showers. Main cabin has very large working galley. Exceptionally well-organized and equipped Navigation station with new Icom SSB, and new Icom VHT, older Garmin GPS/Chartplotter, Stereo CD with Bose speakers both below decks and waterproof speakers in cockpit.
There are two deluxe settee berths in the main cabin plus a centerline dining table. Good storage in cubbies and bookshelves. Classic interior finish with white laminate bulkheads and solid varnished teak trim. Very bright and airy. New cushions including custom-made Temper-pedic memory foam mattresses in the two sleeping cabins.
New B&G Electronics, B&G Quadrant mounted Autopilot. New Raymarine C-80 big screen color GPS/Chartplotter/Radar mounted at steering pedestal, New Dodger w/ side bar handrails, New Furlex Roller furling system. New Engine driven Sea Frost refrigeration. All new electrical & battery power system, over 350 Amps of storage capacity. Engine start battery, plus 3 house batteries. Microwave oven can be run off inverter at sea. Force 10 Propane stove and oven.
This J/42 is equipped to sail offshore. She has a 1 year old Liferaft. The boat is loaded with all the electronic equipment needed and most all of it is not more than a year old. The North sail inventory (6 sails) is excellent for cruising, and includes storm sails and a Gennaker w/ snuffer. The mast is Carbon Fiber by Hall Spars and has a Tides Marine sail track for ease of raising the North mainsail.
There is a stainless steel bow roller and anchor mount and a Lewmar Electric windlass. The working anchor is a 45 lb plow.
The hull is white (good color for the tropics)(NOTE- red boat is picture of sistership!). The current owner sailed her to the BVI's from Massachusetts in November of 2008 where it spent the winter. It has just recently arrived home, averaging 160-200 miles per day on the delivery. This is a fast, solid cruiser, loaded to go off cruising. she has been well loved and cared for and has tons of upgraded, new (2007 to 2008) equipment.
For more information, please call George Lowden or Rich Hill at cell# +1-617-678-8164 or email-hilllowden@comcast.net
About J/Boats
Started in 1977, J/Boats continues to lead the world in designing fun-to-sail, easy-to-handle, performance sailboats that can be enjoyed by a broad spectrum of sailors. The International J/24 has become the most popular recreational offshore keelboat in the world with over 5,400 J/24s cruising the waves. Today, there are 13,000+ J/Boats, ranging from the International J/22 to the J/65 and ranging in style from one-designs to racers, cruisers to daysailers and, of course, the ubiquitous J sprit boats- J/Boats' innovation in 1992 for easy-to-use asymmetric spinnakers and retractable carbon bowsprits (J/80, J/92, J/95, J/105, J/109, J/110, J/120, J/122, J/130, J/133, J/125, J/145, J/160).J/Boats has the best track record in sailing for innovation and design as evidenced by: 15 Sailing World/ Cruising World Boat of the Year Awards in 14 years; 2 SAIL Awards for Industry Leadership; 2 American Sailboat Hall of Fame Designs (J/24 & J/35); and the three largest ISAF International One-Design keelboat classes (J/22, J/24, J/80).
Counting crew, every year there are over 100,000 friends to meet sailing J's, populating the most beautiful sailing harbors and sailing the waters of 35+ countries around the world. Sailing is all about friends. Come join us and expand your social network everywhere! For more information on J/Boats.
Read Kimball Livingston's SAIL update on the J/Boats story- A Band of Brothers
