J/Newsletter- July 28th, 2010

111 Triple Threat

(Newport, RI)- The J/111 is ready to blast out of the starting blocks on three continents (Americas, Europe and Asia).  The J/111 speedster can count on dozens of passionate J aficionados around the world to tear up the track leaving nothing but steaming bubbles in its flat wake.  The J/111 launches this weekend and will undergo its commissioning and sailing trials next week.  Congratulations to the CCF Composites team (pictured here) for producing a beautiful, fair hull; a functional, well-laid out deck and cockpit; and a gorgeous, well-fitted, interior.  The schedule for demo sails is rapidly filling up.  Please make sure to contact your J/Dealer now to jump aboard for a thrilling ride on Narragansett Bay during August and September.   For more J/111 sailing information

Cowes Week Preview

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- Since 1826 Cowes Week has played a key part in the British sporting summer calendar and is one of the UK’s longest running and most successful sporting events. It now stages up to 40 daily races for over 1,000 boats and is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world.

Cowes Week is a fusion of many exciting elements, with its great mix of competitive sailing and social activities. The 8,500 competitors range from Olympic and world class professionals to weekend sailors.  In excess of 100,000 spectators come to watch the sailing, enjoy the parties and live entertainment, and to experience the unique atmosphere. It is genuinely a one-of-a-kind event!

This Saturday the largest sailing regatta of its kind, Cowes Week, kicks off for its 184th year. Again, J's will have a strong showing, led this year by a competitive contingent in IRC 1 Class with the J/125 STRAIT DEALER sailed by David Franks and a fleet of J/133s, including Julian James' JERONIMO, Ian Dewhirst' JUMP, Yves Grosjean's JIVARO from France, Herman Bergshaven's SOLNESS III and Fiona and Malcom Thorpes' KING LOUIE.

IRC 2 Class has a lone J/133, Angus Bates' ASSARAIN IV, who will have to contend with a very tenacious group of J/122s, including David Hunt's JACOB'S LADDER, David Richards' JOLLY, Robin Myerscough's MINT JULEP, Ian Matthews' champion JINJA and Rodolphe Marchais' JOLLY JOKER from France.

IRC 5 Class will have the new J/97s racing, including Mike & Jamie Holme's JIKA JIKA, Grant Gordon's FEVER and Jim Dick's JACKAROO.

In the one-design world, there will be large, competitive classes of J/109s, J/105s and J/80s.  With 35 boats entered, the J/109s will have all the usual suspects and cast of characters showing up including some new teams to stir the pot.  The British Police will be racing against the RAF Red Arrows! Who wins that protest, the military or the "bobbies"?  Many previous winners of J/109 Europeans and UK Championships are in attendance as well as a host of teams practicing for the Rolex Commodore's Cup.  The J/109s are the largest offshore one-design keelboat class at Cowes Week, proving yet again, like their "cross-pond" friends sailing in the American Great Lakes and East Coast, that the J/109 is not only fun to race, but a very popular and enjoyable family boat, too.

The J/80s will have a 19 boat class led by some of the class leaders, such as Thor Askeland's ELLE S'APPELLE, Jon Cooper's OI! and Simon Ling skippering Team Spitfire's SPITFIRE.

For the J/92s, eight boats have entered in what promises to be close-quarters racing amongst the leaders.  Based on Warsash Spring Series results, it will be interesting to see who gets the best of who on the capricious Solent waters between JAMMIN, J'RONIMO, NEILSON REDEYE and JUST IN TIME.  For more Cowes Week sailing information.

J's @ Southampton Boatshow

(Southampton, England)-  From September 10th to 19th, Key Yachting/ J-UK will be exhibiting at Southampton Boat Show on marina berths 343 to 347. Most importantly, for those who wish to have a high-performance boat that can sail in just 3.5 feet of water, the J/95 will be on the "Try A Boat" docks.  J/UK will also be exhibiting the J/97, the J/80 and the J/122. Please contact Becci Eplett for a personal tour- becci@keyyachting.com  For more J/UK boatshow information.

J/Regatta News

The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide

What a week for J/122s sailing around the world, winning or placing in major events in both America and Europe, including the RORC Channel Race, the Rolex New York YC US IRC Nationals and the Chicago-Mackinac Island Race (both Doublehanded and fully crewed divisions).  One J owner was overhead remarking on the Mackinac docks, "I'm buying one for next year, it's been impossible to beat the J/122!"  No wallflower itself, the J/109s proved yet again they can crush anything in their size range,  establishing their pre-eminence in the Rolex NYYC US IRC Nationals and sailing as a large, competitive one-design class in the Chicago-Mackinac Race.  J/109s nearly swept the Southampton YC's Island Double Race that is the two-handed version of the famous Around Island Race (Isle of Wight).  Finally, J/105s and J/30s had some great one-design racing the past week with participants enjoying the mano-a-mano combat in the Chicago-Mac Race and SW NOOD's Marblehead Regatta.  Plus, the West Coast J/105s had fun at Santa Barbara YC's Fiesta Cup.  Finally, don't forget to read the J/Cruising Community section below.  Read on! 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 1-7- Cowes Week- Isle of Wight, England- http://www.cowesweek.co.uk
Aug 6-8- J/30 North Americans- Boston, MA- http://j30.us/na2010/
Aug 6-8- J/80 USA Tour/ Buzzards Bay- Marion, MA- http://www.j80.org
Aug 13-20- J/24 Worlds- Malmo, Sweden- http://www.j24class.org
Aug 17-22- J/22 North Americans- Buffalo, NY- http://www.j22.com
Aug 20-22- Verve Cup- Chicago, IL- http://www.chicagoyachtclub.org
Sep 9-12- J/80 North Americans- Marion, MA- http://www.j80.org
Sep 10-19- Southampton Boatshow- Southampton, England- http://www.southamptonboatshow.com
Sep 11-12- Larchmont NOOD Regatta- Larchmont, NY- http://www.sailingworld.com
Sep 11-12- J/109 East Coast Championships- Larchmont, NY- http://www.sailingworld.com
Sep 14-19- J/24 UK Nationals- Cornwall, England- http://www.royalcornwallyachtclub.org
Sep 15-18- J/105 North Americans- Chicago, IL- http://www.j105.org
Sep 16-19- Rolex Big Boat Series- San Francisco, CA- http://www.big-boat-series.com/
Sep 18-19- J/Fest Newport Beach- Newport Beach, CA- http://www.balboayachtclub.com

For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.

J/122s Dominate Chicago-Mackinac Race

Three-Peat For SKYE, FLYING JENNY VI Romps Again

(Chicago, IL)- The Chicago Yacht Club's Race to Mackinac (aka 'The Mac') is unquestionably the world's pre-eminent freshwater distance race. Boats travel from near and far (this year's globe-trotting award goes to BEAU GESTE, a well-campaigned Farr 80 hailing from Hong Kong) for this storied race, which just completed its 102nd running.  With a dramatic starting line off of downtown Chicago, its Gothic-inspired architecture and soaring skyline providing the backdrop, to the race's decidedly bucolic finish at lovely Mackinac Island, a place where cars are banned, horses and bikes rule the roost and fudge is the local currency. The Mac is full-on sailing for its 333 miles.

"This was a fantastic race with our second largest fleet, and every kind of sailing imaginable -- calms with flies to 25 knots on the nose," summed up Greg Freeman, Mackinac Committee Chair. "These conditions rewarded well rounded boats that were well sailed," said Ron White, Chief Measurer. "The physical conditions were also spectacular. We saw a full moonrise with a simultaneous sunset in the Manitous."

In a demanding, challenging race, it took well-sailed boats that could sail easily in a wide variety of wind and wave conditions to win- indeed, weather that was well-suited to J's of all sizes in all classes.  There was an impressive line-up of J's sailing the race, 69 of 355 boats, nearly 20% of the fleet and certainly the largest single brand participating as a whole.  The range of J's included the new J/97 HIT GIRL to the offshore speedsters like the J/145s MAIN STREET and VORTICES. In between were highly competitive fleets of J/105s, J/109s and J/120s pushing one another hard for every last boat-length.  Tossed into the mix fighting for every inch against their stablemates were J/30s, J/35s, J/122s, J/130s, a J/124, J/125, J/44 and J/92.

The J's had an impressive showing.  Winning 3 of 5 major trophies for the race! A feat unequaled by any major sailboat brand in the history of the Chicago-Mac Race.  As they say, "veni, vedi, vici"- they came, they saw, they conquered.  The only two J/122s sailing in this year's "Mac" trounced all comers, from the maxi 80 BEAU GESTE to last year's IRC National Champion, the 52 foot VINCITORE.  In fact, J/122s have won their division in "the Mac Races" five-for-five times!  Fresh off winning not just the IRC C Class in the Bayview Mackinac Race, but first in class in the IRC Great Lakes Championship was David Askew's J/122 FLYING JENNY VI (Annapolis, MD), winning both their section as well as the Mackinac Cup trophy (overall winner) over 152 Boats.  In fact, J’s took 15 of the top 33 slots (45%) overall!

Coming back for a very rare "three-peat" was the J/122 SKYE, duplicating their Mac Double-handed Race win last year, it extended their streak to a third win in a row (having won class/fleet the previous year with a full crew).  Richie Stearns and Bill Zeiler (Wilmette, IL) sailed fast, made few mistakes and won by hours over their tough double-handed competition. Interestingly, of 13 Boats racing in the Double-handed division, J’s took 5 of top 10 (50%) overall!  In fact, SKYE sailing doublehanded would have finished 10th on corrected time behind her J/122 sistership among the 152 boats in the fully crewed Mackinac Cup.

The third major trophy winner was Mike Stewart's (Muskegon, MI) J/110 LADY K, winning the Chicago-Mackinac Trophy over 137 Boats overall and winning Section 7 class. In fact, in this division as well, J’s took 12 of the top 30 slots (40%) overall!  Quite a remarkable demonstration of the importance of designing easy-to-sail, easy-to-handle sailboats that can excel in all conditions on all points of sail.

In the other handicap divisions, the two J/145s reveled in the conditions and sailed well to get 4th and 5th in Section 1/ Mac Cup with Chris Saxton's VORTICES (Plymouth, MI) beating past Mac Race winner Bill Schanen's MAIN STREET (Port Washington, WI).  Tom and Beth Ann Papoutsis (Winnetka, IL) sailed their J/133 RENEGADE to Section 2/ Mac Cup class win, beating a slew of custom racers and the hard-charging  group of Farr 40s and also getting 6th overall!  Mitch Padnos' J/124 SUFFICIENT REASON (Holland, MI), finished second in class to Askew's J/122 FLYING JENNY VI and was 4th overall!  In the Section 6/ Chicago-Mac "J/35" division, Bruce Metcalf's BOZOS CIRCUS (Burr Ridge, IL) led all J/35s, getting 2nd in class.  Following them in 3rd was Bill Newman's AFTERSHOCK (Muskegon, MI) and 5th was Tim Kent and Dana Felton's NEMESIS (Elm Grove, WI).  In Section 8/ Chicago-Mac division, the new J/97 HIT GIRL sailed by first-time Mac racer Paul Stahlberg and Dana Underwood finished second and was 14th overall!  Good show for a "virgin" Mac sailor!  In Section 9/ Chicago-Mac division, the J/30 FALCON sailed by Greg and Stephanie Moll finished third.

Rounding out the top ten in the Doublehanded Division, Brendon Docherty's J/105 OCH! was fourth, George and Kimberly Petirtz's J/29 TFWB RELENTLESS was fifth, John Hoskin's J/30 MADCAP was seventh, and Anton Devcic's J/105 ADRIA was tenth.

The J/105s had a very competitive fleet, with only 3 minutes separating the leaders.  Winning the J/105s was Mark Nichols (Lake City, MN) on CERTARE.  Second was Clark Pellett (Chicago, IL) sailing SEALARK.  And, third was Tomas Petkus' (Chicago, IL) VYTIS.  

With nearly a similar sized fleet, the J/109s with fourteen boats had an incredibly competitive race once the third "parking lot" compressed the top seven boats abeam of Beaver Island in the middle of the Manitous late Sunday night, early Monday morning.  After ghosting by early race leader VALOR (sailed by previous year's Overall Mac Winners George Miz, Peter Dreher and Mark Hatfield), Len Siegal and Don Cameron sailed LUCKY DUBIE 2 to a well-deserved, hard-fought win.  After a gybing duel in Grey's Reef Passage slowed down both VALOR and MERENGUE, Jim Murray's CALLISTO slipped by to finish second.  Third and fourth, respectively, were Jack Dau's and David Southwell's MERENGUE followed by VALOR. 

The J/120s again had a strong class showing with nine boats from both the Chicago and Detroit fleets.  This time, the Detroit boys showed their colleagues how to get it done.  Class leader Frank Kern from Detroit sailed hard and fast in the difficult conditions to win aboard his highly traveled J/120 CARINTHIA (pictured above).  Bill Bresser's green FLYIN IRISH was second and David Sandin's JAY HAWKER was third.  For more Chicago-Mackinac Race Sailing information.

J/122s and J/109s Sweep Rolex NYYC IRC Nationals

(Newport, RI)- After four days of racing in a variety of conditions across a mix of around-the-buoys and distance, New York Yacht Club’s seventh biennial Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex came to an end Saturday afternoon. Light winds threatened to cancel the last day of racing for the 35 competing boats, but by 2pm Newport’s classic southerly sea breeze filled in against a stubborn northerly and offered suitable conditions for racing.  All classes raced on a four-leg windward/leeward course.

Leading the J/109 sweep of the IRC Class 5 was STORM, winning on a tie-breaker with arch-rival RUSH.  Rick Lyall’s (Wilton, Conn.) J/109 STORM moved up to win the overall class by placing third in Saturday's race. "We only started racing in IRC, and this is our fourth or fifth IRC event. It’s a very good measurement and rating system. We seem to have a competitive boat. We worked really hard at making sure we had a good configuration in the sail plan, and we sailed really well. To have beat CARINA, the winner of Newport Bermuda Race, in the Annual Regatta and now here. Well, that’s top-notch competition. You know, the J/109 RUSH beat us earlier this year, and it’s been back and forth with them. They put in a really good effort."  Bill Sweetser’s (Annapolis, Md.) J/109 RUSH finished in second while Robert Schwartz’s (Port Washington, N.Y.) J/109 NORDLY'S finished in third by winning the last race.

Lyall went on to give credit to the split-format of Race Week. "The first half of the week was our J/109 North American championship," he said. "And that was very tough and competitive racing. Coming into it I was the defending champion. I was disappointed we didn’t defend, but Ted Herlihy's GUT FEELING is a bunch of great sailors and we take no shame in losing to them. In the IRC event, we had a really terrific distance race. You can’t ever beat a race like that with 25 knots of wind. We were going 14 knots; it was fantastic racing!"

The J/122 CHRISTOPHER DRAGON held onto its IRC Class 4 lead going into Saturday's final race, finished second and held on to win overall. "To tell you the truth, we were hoping for no race," joked owner and skipper Andrew Weiss (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) "It turned out pretty well. The breeze filled in, and the wind wound up being steadier than yesterday."  The J/122 won by one point. "All we did for today was cover Avalanche and the other J/122 PARTNERSHIP," said Weiss. "We sailed more conservatively, after being over the line early yesterday. To win the series was our goal."  David and Mary Ellen Tortorello  (Fairfield, CT) sailed their J/122 PARTNERSHIP to a consistent series to finish third in IRC Class 4.    For more Rolex NYYC Race Week sailing information.  Photo Credits- Rolex/ Dan Nerney.

Coors Light Island Double

J/133 JAMMY DODGER Leads Fleet Home

(Southampton, England)- It's 30 years since Neil Cox of Solent Rigging organised the first Double Handed racing at the Royal Southampton Yacht Club. Since then the series has continued without a break and grown in popularity.  And, it has to be one of the most challenging of the famous "around island" races anywhere in the world, especially shorthanded.

The tides for this year's Coors light Island Double were more suited to the east-about circumnavigation of the Island instead of the more usual west-about course - If only the boats had enough wind to get over the line. The forecast, and the actual conditions were very light but the Race Committee made the right call by getting the boats away, some of whom were swept OCS by the tide. The fleet of over 100 boats flying spinnakers of all descriptions made a great sight as they ran, slowly, down towards the forts in the bright morning sunshine.

All tactics were used to get down to Bembridge with some boats following the mainland shore and taking a long, wide sweep east and others hugging the Island shore and sometimes getting caught in wind holes from where they watched others further north overtake them.

Once at Bembbridge the very light wind slowly picked up but immediately became so flukey that it was hard to know which sail to hoist or which tack to take. Eventually the conditions settled down with the earlier boats taking full advantage of the favourable tide to make the Needles in two tacks. The later boats were robbed of that option and had to take the inshore route but at least then found the tide in their favour in the Needles Channel.

The western Solent delivered winds that hadn't appeared on any of Friday's forecasts and strengthened the nearer the boats got to the finish where the Race Committee were on station to the south-east of Williams Shipping buoy, setting a line that was a near straight run from Sconce. From there the main question then became, if we raise the kite will we get it down again? The hardy souls that took that risk had an exhilarating, surfing run to line.

Here is Neil Martin's and Deb Fish's report from the J/133 JAMMY DODGER:  "With just over an hour of flood tide left, the race committee sent the fleet East down the Solent for a clockwise circumnavigation. Neil got us a good start at the Squadron end of the line, where we could stem the lighter tide until it was time to turn for the line. Seconds before the start we hoisted the light runner and set off in the forecast light NWly winds. We gybed all down the Solent, generally staying away from the lighter winds on the Island shore and gybing between mid channel and the mainland. The patchy wind became a bit steadier and we found ourselves leading the fleet by some margin by the time we reached the forts. We crept inside No Mans Land fort, deep inshore to get out of the foul tide, and the wind died before shifting dramatically. Fortunately the fleet of Redwings racing off Bembridge allowed Neil to anticipate the new wind, and we soon had the kite down and were beating to Bembridge Ledge.

The wind soon shifted to the SW and built to 17 knots, and we tacked along the middle of the course to Dunnose, trying to keep out of the bays and in the stronger tide, but stay right in anticipation of the wind veering. (At least, we think it was stronger tide - having tossed Winning Tides overboard in the spinnaker drop at Bembridge, we were relying on the tide atlases in the Almanac...) By St Cats the wind had veered and we could just lay the Needles on port tack. Visibility was amazing - halfway between St Cats and the Needles, both looked just a couple of miles away, and we could see Anvil Point and Portland Bill really clearly. The sea had built with wind over tide, so I was in for a soaking on the bow to clip the spinnaker on. I managed to cut my finger, covering the deck with blood - unbelievable how such a tiny cut can cause so much mess. We passed the wreck, bore away and hoisted the kite in 20 knots of breeze. Gybing the light runner on the J133 down the Needles Channel then the Solent double-handed was hard work, with the boat on the edge, but we managed to avoid wraps and stay in control somehow. We still led the fleet around the Needles, but the two multihulls that had been drawing ever closer finally overtook us in the Needles channel.

Conscious of stemming the strong tide in the middle of the Solent, we gybed in to the mainland shore, but I had failed to notice the shallow waters further along our gybe out on the small screen on the hand-held chart plotter and we held our breath as the depth decreased to 0.0m and we touched the bottom with full main and spinnaker up doing 10 knots. Mercifully we got through the shallow patch and out of the other side.

The final drama was finding the finish buoy just upwind of the Bramble bank and getting the kite down quickly (listening at the race committee's urgent calls to one of the following boats to beware the Bramble bank!)."

Besides winning elapsed time overall, JAMMY DODGER also managed to finish fourth in Class 1 on corrected time behind the two well-sailed J/109s.  Finishing second was the J/109 JAGERBOMB sailed by the team of Paul and Mark Griffiths, just missing first place by 52 seconds on corrected time!  Ouch, now how many places were there on the race you could make up 52 seconds?  Just off their pace was the J/109 JANGADA TOO, well-sailed by the team of Richard Palmer and Jeremy Waitt to get third in class.  Finishing ninth was the OSTAR class winner (and nearly overall), the J/122 JBELLINO, ably sailed by experienced offshore sailing veteran Rob Craigie with Charles Allen as part of his team.  For more Island Double sailing information.  Sailing Photo Credit- Paul Wyeth

J/122 2nd In RORC Channel Race

(Cowes, England)- This year's Channel Race was blessed with good breeze around the 130 mile course with sunshine during the day and warm air temperature at night.  Missing the overall win and IRC One class win by just under three minutes on corrected time was Neil Kipling's J/122 JOOPSTER. Next on their agenda will be a mixture of inshore and offshore races for the Rolex Commodores' Cup.  For more RORC Channel Race sailing information

Marblehead SW NOOD Regatta

STEELAWAY Wins J/105s

(Marblehead, MA)- The three clubs in Marblehead Harbor (Boston, Corinthian and Eastern) combined to put on yet another good event on their notoriously fickle summer sailing conditions.  While two good days of racing provided great competition, the last day proved to be a burn-out-- too much sun and no wind.  Nevertheless, the Sperry Topsider Marblehead NOOD event was lots of fun, especially because the local clubs roll-out the red carpet and ensure that all competitors in all fleets enjoy their social festivities after the racing.

On the “Outside Line”, the race committee attempted a J/105 start on Sunday in the early stages of the sea breeze but had to abandon mid-way through, leaving the standings as they were on Saturday. The no-race day left Peter and Doug Morgan’s J/105 STEELAWAY as the class winner over twenty-two other J/105s, a finish they were perfectly happy to take after having won four straight NOOD regattas before failing to do so last year.  “It’s good to be back,” says Doug Morgan. “These were not typical conditions this week, and local knowledge really helped. We are very fortunate to win, but the truth is we’ve got a great crew with five great guys that have sailed together now for a long time.”  Finishing second was Fred DeNapoli's ALLEGRO SIMPLICITA, just edging out by one point Kevin Colcord's CERCES CUP team for third. 

In the J/30s, Luke Buxton's EVELYN won with four firsts and a second, dominating their class.  Ken Deyett's JEROBOAM was second with four seconds and a first.  Third was John McArthur's SMILES.  The J/30 class are warming up for their J/30 North American Championship coming up later this summer.

J/24s as usual had a very competitive class with fourteen boats dueling it out with some of the top sailors in the J/24 class.  In the end, Tim Healy's WATERLINE SYSTEMS managed to pull off just three firsts and undoubtedly would've had more had they not been OCS's in the first race, winning by three points.  Second winning on a tie-breaker was John Denman sailing AIRODOODLE, they started off strongly with a 1-2-3 record, but fell off the cliff later in the series.  In third losing the tie-breaker was John Surguy sailing VANISHING ACT.

There was some interesting video shot at the event, you can check some of them out at the YouTube links below.
- A J/24 and Sonar sail into each other?
- J/30s at a breezy gybe mark.
- The J/105 Dark Horse celebrates winning a race.

REPEAT OFFENDER Wins Fiesta Cup

(Santa Barbara, CA)- This past weekend, the Santa Barbara YC hosted yet another fun event for the J/105s as part of the city's local Spanish celebrations.  They host a great beach party with good band (The Spencer Gardner Band) and free beer, food and Mai Tai's after Saturday's racing.  What's wrong with that picture?  Can't imagine why they didn't get more J/105s this year!

Saturday had a slow start in light air but the breeze continued to build all day. Because of the fickle conditions off the yacht club, the whole course was moved up by the point were there was better wind.  Steve Howell's BLINK from San Diego DYC had a great day in the J/105 class with 8 points followed by 3 Santa Barbara boats with 10 points each. Not an ideal racing day but the RC did a great job of shifting marks with the shifts.

By Sunday, after the breeze settled in, the standings flip-flopped with Steve's BLINK taking a beating, getting a 7-8-6 to drop down to sixth overall.  The locals ran the table, with the Santa Barbarians taking the top three positions on the podium.  Last year's winner, Rasmussen's FREE ENTERPRISE nearly pulled off a repeat of last year's win.  However, two sixths mid-series hurt FREE ENTERPRISE's chances (with a 4-1-6-6-1-2 record), losing by a point to Larry Harteck's REPEAT OFFENDER which managed to get a more consistent tally of 5-4-1-2-4-3 for nineteen points.  Third was J/105 Class President, Bernie Girod, sailing his well-traveled ROCK & ROLL to a 1-2-7-4-7-1 record, winning both first and last races to happily finish off a well-sailed series.  For more Fiesta Cup sailing information.

J/Community

What friends, alumni and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide

* A report from John Holmberg, St. Thomas, VI regards the Central American & Caribbean Games (CAC)- "On day four of the CAC being sailed in Boqueron (Puerto Rico), a full moon over the Western point of this usually quiet town brings us to another day of sailing. J/24s have a strong contingent of sailors racing for "island honors". The beaches are quiet as we leave for the tow out and packed to the brim when we return. Christmas in July ends today (Tuesday) and the crowds of well wishing party families will be missed tomorrow on our lay day. Winds had been consistent as they build on the daily thermal on the SW tip of Puerto Rico and Monday they teased us out to the water and away from the beach goers with their portable "reggaeton" blasters the size of a cooler and mounted on wheels... only to disappoint us by either not showing up or swinging all over the place. Lay day scheduled Wednesday and final day of racing on Thursday July 29."  For Central American & Caribbean Games sailing results

* The Benj (a.k.a. Steve Benjamin)- friend of the Editor since 1977 when both sailed in college at Tufts and Yale, respectively, has undertaken a new mission after a bout with prostate cancer. To see Benj and his wife Heidi (another college sailor) continue to enjoy sailing today is both heart-warming and an inspiration for all generations of sailors; a wonderful example that demonstrates the human spirit is paramount in our life, that no matter what obstacles life throws in front of you, that sailing is a life-long sport to be shared with all (young and old alike).  Here is Benj's story:  "Surviving Cancer to Sail Again- Why an Olympic Medalist Dedicates Around Long Island Race to Live-Saving Doctor."

At the starting line for this week's Around Long Island Regatta, many of the participating sailors will be thankful to take part in one of New York's favorite distance sailboat races. One sailor who may be the most grateful is Steve Benjamin (South Norwalk, Conn.), who underwent successful surgery for prostate cancer less than six months ago.  An Olympic Silver Medalist (1984 in 470s), and lead salesman with North Sails, Benjamin is known fondly throughout the sailing community as "Benj". This month he has re-dedicated his 41 foot sloop as ROBOTIC ONCOLOGY in tribute to the life-saving skills of Dr. David B. Samadi, Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Mount Sinai in New York, N.Y., and will compete in the 190-mile race with an eye on winning the title.

"I made Dr. Samadi a promise that if he could cure me, then I would take him sailing," said Benjamin about re-naming his boat which, until this point, was known as HIGH NOON.  "My wife Heidi and I have been campaigning HIGH NOON since 2005.  In addition to winning races, one of our missions is to help introduce juniors and new sailors to the sport.  We are always training new crew and getting people sailing as much as possible.  With the ROBOTIC ONCOLOGY campaign I saw the possibility to help raise awareness of prostate cancer, and to let everyone know that the disease can be overcome."

Anyone familiar with prostate surgery would say, "Surgery six months ago and he's out sailing!" And anyone familiar with Benjamin would say, "That guy has the most positive attitude!" The successful return to the helm of a racing boat is largely credited to positive thinking by the patient and to robotic rather than "open" surgery where the recovery time is lessened.

"No question that the personal spirit and the approach of positive thinking combined with a good surgeon is going to win," said Samadi. "To me prostate cancer is very personal, and I always want to win. I perform the surgery from beginning to end, and I've done over 3000 surgeries." He went on to explain that robotic prostate surgery is not just about the technology of robotics, but it is really the experience of the surgeon that counts just like a very experienced sailor.

When asked to compare the competitive nature of sailboat racing to performing life-saving surgery, Dr. Samadi said: "The trophies for the patients are their lives and their children. Just like in sailing, you can't do part of the race. You have to do the entire surgery. Thankfully, we have 3,000 friends and families doing well today."

According to the American Cancer Society, about one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, and more than 2 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today. More than 200,000 new cases and about 30,000 deaths are attributed to prostate cancer each year in the U.S.

J/Cruising Community

* The J/42 JARANA continues their epic voyage around the Pacific. Continue to read about Bill and Kathy Cuffel big adventure cruising the South Pacific headed for New Zealand.  Their blog is here: http://www.svjarana.blogspot.com/

* Prolific publisher, 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."  Fun reading when rocking back in a chair watching your storm-lashed windows take a beating in the gale roaring outside and listening to the crackle of a roaring fire.  It is winter "down under" you know.  The Argentineans are freezing.

* John and Mary Driver are sailing their J/130 SHAZAM for extended cruising in the Atlantic basin. At this time, John and Mary will have just finished their double-handed crossing of the Atlantic, landing in Portugal on their J/130 Shazam. 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).  Susan Grun and her husband 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).

Featured Boat

Gorgeous J/109 In Houston

One of the best examples of a J/109 sits in Houston, TX ready to roll for the summer season and Key West in 2010.  She's a 2006 J/109 Hull #261.  Every factory option along with heat and A/C are installed.  She's priced well below J//109's comparably equipped.  It has an excellent sail inventory of Quantum sails:  Spinnakers(5)- 06 07 08 108sqm class; 06 08 121sqm PHRF; Headsails(5)-06 07 08 class jibs, 06 08 PHRF (155); Mains(2)- 06 08-- All sails are kept in climate controlled storage.  For more information, please contact Scott Spurlin at J/Boats Southwest- cell +1-512-423-2179 or e-mail- Scott@JBoatsSouthwest.com or go to http://www.JBoatsSouthwest.com

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.