J/111 SAIL Video(Boston, MA)- Adam Cort and crew go out on the J/111 for a complete test and evaluation of how she sails. Take a look at the four minute video sailing on Narragansett Bay detailing how the boat functions on deck as well as a tour of the interior. Included are some great perspectives from designer Alan Johnstone on what makes J/111 so appealing to the broad spectrum of people who've sailed her to date. Click photo to right to see the video.Be sure to visit the J/111 at the Annapolis Sailboat Show next weekend! Call J/Boats +1-401-846-8410, email- info@jboats.com or call your nearest J Dealer for an appointment!
J/80 Worlds Start In Newport(Newport, RI)- Be sure to follow what's happening with your favorite J/80 teams this coming week. Sixty-two teams are competing in Rhode Island Sound for what promises to be one of the most competitive J/80 Worlds to date. Teams from nine countries are currently registered including boats from Argentina, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and USA. Six past World Champions are participating; including 2001 Newport, RI- Kerry Klingler; 2003 Fort Worth, TX- Jay Lutz; 2006 Corpus Christi, TX- Glenn Darden; 2007 La Trinite, France- Jose Maria Torcida (ESP); 2008 Kiel, Germany- Ignacio Camino Rodrigues (ESP); and 2009 Santander, Spain- Rayco Tabares (ESP). The last event in Santander had one of the largest ISAF International keelboat class fleets ever assembled, 133 boats!
The reigning champion, Rayco Tabares from Islas Canarias (pictured here), will be racing HOTEL PRINCESA YAIZA- CANARY ISLANDS. Rayco's preparations for this year's Worlds included racing La Coruna Cup, the Spanish Championship. Rayco said. "We could not attend the J/80 Europeans and the reasons were economic, instead focusing all the resources we had to sure to be present at the Worlds in Newport." In the Spanish Championship in early July, Tabares had to fight some rivals that will be in the Worlds. As Rayco exclaims, "The level was very strong, three world champions in the class and prestigious sailors like Gonzalo Araujo and Chuni Bermudez. It was a pity that we could not do more races for lack of wind. With the best there, we would have loved more tests to measure ourselves against them." Rayco also wanted to speak to the current level of the Spanish fleet, not only of the representatives who will be in Newport, but also of his rivals at the international level. "The Spanish fleet is a world power and there are many boats that have chances of winning the World Cup. I believe that our fleet is the best in the world. Nevertheless, I have many friends in the American fleet, they are good, so we focus on our work and hopefully keep up with them! I have hope, and believe, that some Spanish team will again win the J/80 Worlds, however we have to prove again to the Americans who've spent many years practicing that the Spanish J/80 fleet has world-class sailors!" Follow all the action, photos and results for the J/80 Worlds.
J/122 East Coasts Preview
(Rye, NY)- American Yacht Club is hosting the J/122 East Coast Championship this weekend in Western Long Island Sound. With a forecast for sunny skies and solid breezes over the weekend following the passage of a large tropical depression Friday the racing promises to be tight and very exciting. So closely matched are the J/122s that a blown tack, slow spinnaker hoist, or bad mark rounding can gain or lose you boat lengths, enough to change you several positions in the race. Many of the top teams will be attending, including the winner of the J/122 North Americans recently held in Newport, RI, Mike Bruno, Jim Callahan and Tom Boyle's WINGS. The other podium finishers at the NA's will also be battling it out for line honors, including David Murphy's PUGWASH and Andrew Weiss' CHRISTOPHER DRAGON. Last weekend's 122 leader in the IRC 40 Class was David and Mary-Ellen Tortorello's PARTNERSHIP, showing good speed and sailing well enough to win three races in a row at one point! Sure to be contenders during the series will be Steve Furnary's PATRIOT (with Sandy Weill directing "traffic") and Georg Mark's GEORGETOWN III. For more J/122 East Coasts sailing information
J/24 Velas Pan-Americana(Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)- In 2011, Mexico will be the Host of the Pan-American Games - from the Arctic Circle in Canada down to the tip of South America near the Antarctic Circle and across the Central States to the Caribbean, athletes will arrive to compete with the best of the best. The beautiful Bahia de Banderas will be the location of the Sailing events.
From October 20th to 24th, Bahia de Banderas off the Mexican Riviera City of Puerto Vallarta is again going to be awash with flotillas of dinghies and keelboats plying the seas alongside whales and dolphins as sailors aim to become qualifiers for next years 2011 Pan-American Sailing Games being hosted by Vallarta YC. Yet again, the Mexican Sailing Federation will be rolling out the red carpet for sailors around the Americas. You gotta see it to believe it! The Copa Mexico was a sailing extravaganza beyond belief. Even if you don't sail, you'd want to represent any nation in the Americas to go!
From October 20th to 24th, Bahia de Banderas off the Mexican Riviera City of Puerto Vallarta is again going to be awash with flotillas of dinghies and keelboats plying the seas alongside whales and dolphins as sailors aim to become qualifiers for next years 2011 Pan-American Sailing Games being hosted by Vallarta YC. Yet again, the Mexican Sailing Federation will be rolling out the red carpet for sailors around the Americas. You gotta see it to believe it! The Copa Mexico was a sailing extravaganza beyond belief. Even if you don't sail, you'd want to represent any nation in the Americas to go!
This regatta will allow competitors to become familiar with the waters of Banderas Bay, where winds typically range from 12 - 20 knots during the afternoon to provide near perfect sailing conditions. This provides an opportunity for competitors to race in the same racing grounds, understand the tides and winds, and be prepared for the "big" games in 2011; an unparalleled venue for competitive sailing on the Pacific coast of Mexico.
The Vallarta Yacht Club is the Host for this sailing Event, and headquarters are at the Paradise Village Resort and Marina. The facilities for berthing and staging provide the perfect venue for this large scale event. Situated in Nuevo Vallarta directly at the channel entrance, this modern marina features 200 slips from 20 to 240 ft. This luxury marina plays host to small daysailors as well as ginormous mega yachts.The Vallarta YC is an experienced host to many international competitions, including the J/24 World Championships, Copa Mexico, the biannual MEXORC Series, Banderas Bay Regatta, and other world class championships. For more Pan-Am Sailing Games Qualifier info.
J/Regatta News
The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide
Who could predict the peak of the autumnal equinox would be such a busy one for J sailors worldwide. Over in Europe, the J/80 teams from Spain, France, Germany, Sweden, Italy are all preparing to show up for the J/80 Worlds in Newport, RI that start up this weekend. Additionally, the All Ireland Sailing Championship had a go of it in Cork, Ireland racing a matched fleet of J/80s. On the American side of the big pond, Newport is a bit frenetic with three regattas taking place on the Bay in the coming week. Out West, Balboa YC had yet another gorgeous J/Fest event off Newport Beach, CA and a pair of J/125s had a blast sailing the SA Sportboat Festival in San Diego, CA. Out East, MR BILL was giving AUNT JEAN a wild ride in the J/35 North Americans on the Chesapeake Bay and yet another J/35 took a trophy (again?) at Boston's Mayor's Cup Regatta. 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. Don't forget to visit the J/Cruising Community section below.
Regatta & Show Schedules:
Oct 2-3- J/122 East Coasts- Rye, NY- http://www.americanyc.org
Oct 2-3- American YC Fall Series- Rye, NY- http://www.americanyc.org>
Oct 3-5- Australia J/24 NSW/ Legends- http://j24australia.com.au/
Oct 4-9- J/80 Worlds- Newport, RI- http:/www.j80worlds2010.org
Oct 7-11- Annapolis Sailboat Show- Annapolis, MD- http://www.usboat.com/us-sailboat-show/home
Oct 16-17- J/Fest Southwest- Houston, TX- http://www.lakewoodyachtclub.com
Oct 20-24- Vela Panamericana- Puerto Vallarta, Mexico-http://www.velapanamericana.com
Jan 10-14- J/24 Australian Nationals- Sydney, OZ- http://j24australia.com.au/
Jan 17-21- J/80 Midwinters- Key West, FL- http://www.j80.org
Jan 17-21- J/105 Midwinters- Key West, FL- http://www.j105.org
Jan 17-21- J/95 Midwinters- Key West, FL- http://www.jboats.com/j95
Jan 17-21- Key West Race Week- Key West, FL- http://www. premiere-racing.com
For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
J Sailors Lovin AYC Fall Series
HUSTLER, CHALLENGE IV, KINCSEM, SIREN SONG Winning
(Rye, NY)- With fall weather quickly gathering steam in the northeast, J sailors on western Long Island Sound are enjoying the changes in the weather patterns that often generate powerful fronts with strong, shifty West/ Northwesters or wet and wild North Easterlies on the back side of large offshore Lows. No glassy summer calms for the troops this past weekend! Saturday dawned beautifully, with partly cloudy skies and a strong westerly that kept shifting between 250 to 280 degrees all day with large, well-defined streaks of breeze in the 10-20 knot range. By Sunday, the fronts moved on, greeting the fleet with a cooler, wet, grey day typical of a lingering northeaster with winds vacillating in the 45 to 80 degree range at 10-15 knots. No one was complaining about the conditions, that's for sure.
For the one-design classes, the weekend was especially challenging as tight fleet racing often brought about large changes in positions at each mark rounding. Nevertheless, in the twenty boat J/105 class, the class leaders emerged with a only two points separating Joerg Esdorn's KINCSEM in first from Damian Emery's ECLIPSE. Lying third is Paul Strauch's ANDIAMO. The J/44s have a great turnout of eight boats all sailing with class sails. While the ubiquitous turquoise-green boat, Jim Bishop's GOLD DIGGER, was having difficulties divining what the wind Gods had in store for them, it was Jeff Willis' CHALLENGE IV that threw down the gauntlet and established a very slim lead in this fun, but very competitive, class. Sailing a great series so far is Bill Ketcham's MAXINE in second, one of their best regattas in awhile. And, Don and Dick Rave are in third with RESOLUTE. Only four points separate the top three boats after seven races! Gotta hand it to Jim, his vision for one-design class sailing in big boats continues to be a formula for long-term success-- still the largest one-design class to sail to Bermuda for over 15 years!
Over in the IRC/ PHRF handicap world, Rick Lyall's very successful J/109 STORM is in fourth in IRC 35 Class after six races, just eight points behind the leaders. In the IRC 40 Class, David and Mary Ellen Tortorello's J/122 PARTNERSHIP is in second and Tom Boyle and Jim Callahan's WINGS is in fourth in a very tightly contested series. This weekend was essentially a warm-up for next weekends' J/122 East Coast Championship that will have at least six boats vying for one-design/ handicap honors. In the IRC 45 Class, Ron Richman's J/133 ANTIDOTE is winning on a tie-breaker over Tom Carroll's J/133 SIREN SONG. Finally, the irrepressible HUSTLER, John and Tony Esposito's masthead J/29, continues to dominate their PHRF division, rattling off five 1sts in six races to simply vaporize (or atomize?) their competition. For more American YC Fall Series Regatta sailing information
For the one-design classes, the weekend was especially challenging as tight fleet racing often brought about large changes in positions at each mark rounding. Nevertheless, in the twenty boat J/105 class, the class leaders emerged with a only two points separating Joerg Esdorn's KINCSEM in first from Damian Emery's ECLIPSE. Lying third is Paul Strauch's ANDIAMO. The J/44s have a great turnout of eight boats all sailing with class sails. While the ubiquitous turquoise-green boat, Jim Bishop's GOLD DIGGER, was having difficulties divining what the wind Gods had in store for them, it was Jeff Willis' CHALLENGE IV that threw down the gauntlet and established a very slim lead in this fun, but very competitive, class. Sailing a great series so far is Bill Ketcham's MAXINE in second, one of their best regattas in awhile. And, Don and Dick Rave are in third with RESOLUTE. Only four points separate the top three boats after seven races! Gotta hand it to Jim, his vision for one-design class sailing in big boats continues to be a formula for long-term success-- still the largest one-design class to sail to Bermuda for over 15 years!Over in the IRC/ PHRF handicap world, Rick Lyall's very successful J/109 STORM is in fourth in IRC 35 Class after six races, just eight points behind the leaders. In the IRC 40 Class, David and Mary Ellen Tortorello's J/122 PARTNERSHIP is in second and Tom Boyle and Jim Callahan's WINGS is in fourth in a very tightly contested series. This weekend was essentially a warm-up for next weekends' J/122 East Coast Championship that will have at least six boats vying for one-design/ handicap honors. In the IRC 45 Class, Ron Richman's J/133 ANTIDOTE is winning on a tie-breaker over Tom Carroll's J/133 SIREN SONG. Finally, the irrepressible HUSTLER, John and Tony Esposito's masthead J/29, continues to dominate their PHRF division, rattling off five 1sts in six races to simply vaporize (or atomize?) their competition. For more American YC Fall Series Regatta sailing information
J/Fest Newport Beach JIM Wins 120 Class
(Newport Beach, CA)- Balboa Yacht Club in Newport Beach played host to this year's J/Fest Newport Beach. And, what a fantastic time was had by all in truly classic Southern California sailing conditions. Sun. Wind. Beautiful days in the 70s. Can't beat it. Just wear SPF 1,000...scares away melanoma, even if you have it.
In the PHRF Handicap division, it turned out that the littlest J, Mark Hunter's J/80 IN APPROPRIATE, took all the marbles, sailing to a 2-1-3-2-2 score to win by 14 points. However, not without a bit of controversy, Seth Hall's gorgeous J/124 MARISOL scored a 9 (RAF)-2-1-1-1 to finish with 14 points. Without the RAF, Seth's crew would've taken the top of the podium. Just behind was Charlie Underwood's J/92 STING only one point back. In one-design world, Mark Wyland's LUCKY STAR was top J/105 with a strong score of 1-1-4-2-1 for nine points. Chuck Spear's TWELVE BAR BLUES strummed up a 2-2-3-1-3 for eleven points. The AQUABELLA crew skippered by Dan McGanty managed a healthy 3-5-5-3-2 for eighteen points to just beat rivals OFF THE PORCH for the bronze.
The J/109s had a good, competitive fleet as well, with the results in doubt until the last two races. Bryce Benjamin's PERSISTENCE sailed off with the silverware with a 2-2-1-4-1 score. Heinz Butner's RAPTOR took second just 3 points back and Chris Mewes SHADOWFAX simply sailed to straight 3rds to get 3rd!! How unusual is that for a tally?
The J/120s strong showing of ten boats meant that top three was going to be tough going for anyone wishing for any kind of silverware. Nevertheless, despite the not so easy conditions, John Snook's team on JIM simply walked off with the 120 fleet trophy, getting a 2-1-1-2-4 to win by an incredible ten points over some very strong teams. The fight for 2 thru 5 placings were very close, indeed. Second was past champion Chuck Nichols on CC RIDER with 20 points. Just behind him was a nearly 4-way tie for third. Third on a tie-breaker was Gary Winton's SHENANIGANS, just beating Shew/Durant's VIVA LA VIDA in fourth. Fifth was Mike Hatch on J ALMIGHTY only two points further back! For more J/Fest sailing information
The J/109s had a good, competitive fleet as well, with the results in doubt until the last two races. Bryce Benjamin's PERSISTENCE sailed off with the silverware with a 2-2-1-4-1 score. Heinz Butner's RAPTOR took second just 3 points back and Chris Mewes SHADOWFAX simply sailed to straight 3rds to get 3rd!! How unusual is that for a tally?
MR. BILL Gives AUNT JEAN A Wild Ride!No Worries, Just The J/35 North American Championship
(Gibson Island, MD)- What is there not to like about the remarkable J/35? At the time of its inception, it became one of the most popular offshore/racing/one-designs in the 80s. Today, it's still hard to find any boat anywhere near its performance in a wide variety of conditions. Old school? Perhaps. Large genoas. Big chutes. Still very manageable under just main and jib. Hard to beat, period. Witness recent successes in the Bermuda Doublehanded division-- a full on match race between two well sailed J/35s over 635 miles in one of the world's toughest ocean races. Flash to the past? Yes, it's happened before! J/35s finish 1-2 to Bermuda, won the Chicago-Mac Double, won the Stamforf-Vineyard Double, too. Not too mention a few hundred other races around the world like OSTAR's, Round Britain's, Round Island's, Cowes, notwithstanding.What makes the boat so attractive today is that it's fun, affordable, easy to sail and given an equal chance to go rockin' around the buoys, you simply cannot beat it (although it's J/36 brethren may have an argument against us here). In that spirit, the J/35 Class continues to have a great time.
Recently, the J/35 North American Championship was held at Gibson Island Yacht Club in the Chesapeake Bay. Twelve boats participated to have a great time bashing and crashing around the buoys and enjoy what many know to be a fun boat to sail. After the smoke cleared, a famous J/35 called AUNT JEAN (what hasn't it won?) simply pulled it off again to win by just two points over an equally famous J/35 called MR BILL'S WILD RIDE! Jim Sagerholm's crew on AUNT JEAN had a great time, sailing to a 2-1-3-1-2-2 record. Bill Wildner's team on MR BILL took awhile to get rolling, but once they did, rattled off a 3-3-1-2-3-1 score to nearly take the big silver from Jimmie-boy. Third was Peter Scheidt's gang racing MAGGIE (no relation to Ken Read's multiple J/24 World Champion boat).
Thanks to PRO Terry May and crew from Gibson Island for hosting a fantastic event, running some great races and making sure the crews all had a great time...few went home without having left it all not only on the race course, but also at the party Saturday night! So, who has more fun? J/30s or J/35s? The debate may never end. You can be certain the J/24 gang still claim to be "kings of the hill" (hard to argue when you have to fight 1000s of them worldwide, though the J/22s and J/80s aren't far behind)! For more J/35 North Americans sailing information.
Recently, the J/35 North American Championship was held at Gibson Island Yacht Club in the Chesapeake Bay. Twelve boats participated to have a great time bashing and crashing around the buoys and enjoy what many know to be a fun boat to sail. After the smoke cleared, a famous J/35 called AUNT JEAN (what hasn't it won?) simply pulled it off again to win by just two points over an equally famous J/35 called MR BILL'S WILD RIDE! Jim Sagerholm's crew on AUNT JEAN had a great time, sailing to a 2-1-3-1-2-2 record. Bill Wildner's team on MR BILL took awhile to get rolling, but once they did, rattled off a 3-3-1-2-3-1 score to nearly take the big silver from Jimmie-boy. Third was Peter Scheidt's gang racing MAGGIE (no relation to Ken Read's multiple J/24 World Champion boat).
All Ireland Sailing Championship(Cork, Ireland)- This weekend, the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, Cork was host to the ISA All Ireland Sailing Championships, an event for the best of the Juniors and Seniors in the country sailing on their fleet of J/80s.
While the Juniors managed to get there racing schedule completed in difficult sailing conditions unfortunately the Seniors did not - PRO David O'Brien was forced to cancel the final flight and decider for the Senior All Ireland Championship due to lack of wind. The final 5 race flight is to be scheduled for a later date: those 8 helms and teams will be Anthony O’Leary, Neil Kenefick, Nicholas O’Leary, Garrett May, Niall Henry, James Espey, Nick Walsh, Ewen Barry. Philip Doran from Courtown SC was crowned ISA All Ireland Junior Champion 2010. Thanks to Irish Sailing Anarchist- Brian Carlin from Cube Images. See more of Brian's spectacular sailing photography here.
While the Juniors managed to get there racing schedule completed in difficult sailing conditions unfortunately the Seniors did not - PRO David O'Brien was forced to cancel the final flight and decider for the Senior All Ireland Championship due to lack of wind. The final 5 race flight is to be scheduled for a later date: those 8 helms and teams will be Anthony O’Leary, Neil Kenefick, Nicholas O’Leary, Garrett May, Niall Henry, James Espey, Nick Walsh, Ewen Barry. Philip Doran from Courtown SC was crowned ISA All Ireland Junior Champion 2010. Thanks to Irish Sailing Anarchist- Brian Carlin from Cube Images. See more of Brian's spectacular sailing photography here.
J/35 Wins MAYOR'S CUP In Boston(Boston, MA)- Jeff Kent sailed his Class D J/35 BLACK SEAL to an impressive 4:08 overall win over Ralph DiMattia’s NM 40 Shamrock Sensation in the non-spinnaker fleet of the Boston Harbor Islands Regatta to win the Mayor’s Cup for best performance. This is a popular 12 mile, figure-8 pursuit race around the islands that benefits the Harbor Islands National Park. 98 boats participated in what can be a model for cities around the country. The idea is to get everyone out! Half the boats don’t have current PHRF certificates and there was everything from a Cape Dory Typhoon rating PHRF 294 to the NM 70 Denali at -69.
The event was sailed in a 10-20 knot, warm, dry offshore southwesterly breeze. Chris Zibailo’s J/109 SUPERSTITION was the overall winner of the spinnaker fleet, nipping Barry Bessette’s well-sailed Class C S2 7.9 Club Car from Hyannis by only 2 feet at the finish. The S2 had started 20 minutes earlier. Other class winners were: (B) Bob Cunningham’s J/30 RUFFIAN (E) Richard Tubman’s O’Day 31 Charisma; (F) Ralph Vinciguerra’s Pearson Vanguard Blue Angel; (G) Ed Marcus in a Courageous Sailing Club J/22. Constitution YC won the Yacht Club Challenge. Top Female Trophies went to Elizabeth Lamb in her Aphrodite 101 and to Linda Hoskings in her C&C 40. Top Masters were Chet Osborne in a Melges 24 and Ralph DiMattia in his NM 40. The Jody Grauls won the all-family crew award in a Sabre 36. Top community sailing trophy when to the Boston Sailing Center. Full story and sailing results of Boston Mayor's Cup Regatta.
The event was sailed in a 10-20 knot, warm, dry offshore southwesterly breeze. Chris Zibailo’s J/109 SUPERSTITION was the overall winner of the spinnaker fleet, nipping Barry Bessette’s well-sailed Class C S2 7.9 Club Car from Hyannis by only 2 feet at the finish. The S2 had started 20 minutes earlier. Other class winners were: (B) Bob Cunningham’s J/30 RUFFIAN (E) Richard Tubman’s O’Day 31 Charisma; (F) Ralph Vinciguerra’s Pearson Vanguard Blue Angel; (G) Ed Marcus in a Courageous Sailing Club J/22. Constitution YC won the Yacht Club Challenge. Top Female Trophies went to Elizabeth Lamb in her Aphrodite 101 and to Linda Hoskings in her C&C 40. Top Masters were Chet Osborne in a Melges 24 and Ralph DiMattia in his NM 40. The Jody Grauls won the all-family crew award in a Sabre 36. Top community sailing trophy when to the Boston Sailing Center. Full story and sailing results of Boston Mayor's Cup Regatta.
J/125s Fly At Sportboat Anarchy Festival(San Diego, CA)- This past weekend the Sailing Anarchy team hosted their annual ISAF- International Sportboat Anarchy Festival, much to the delight and glee of "fast sailing boat" enthusiasts. As SA columnist Alan Block explains, "I didn't realize that working with Scot and the CYC would be such a big job this weekend, but we have to admit that every minute was worth it after an awesome three days of racing in near-perfect summer conditions out of Coronado Yacht Club in San Diego's South Bay.
70-odd boats from Weta trimarans through J/125s had an absolute blast, with 10 races from Friday to Sunday, racing like boats on short courses for constant action and adrenaline from start til finish."Alan goes on to say, "We had beautiful sailing conditions - 10-12 knots, 80 degrees temps for the races. The large fleet on two courses kept things busy in San Diego's South Bay today, but the low-key attitude and great weather made it all just fine at the Sailing Anarchy ISAF World Championship of the World regatta."
Leading the charge for the "big sportboats" were the J/125s. Tim Fuller's RESOLUTE from San Diego YC finished just out of the money to get second overall in Sportboat A Division (photo above of RESOLUTE Team getting awards from Scot and Trophy Girl). Just a bit off the pace, perhaps because Tim kept match-racing them back into the tank, was Mark Surber's DERIVATIVE from Coronado YC getting a 5th in the 20+ boat class...still a good showing racing against a bunch of pesky 26-33 foot over-canvassed sportboats. For more information on the SA ISAF World Worlds, please visit Sailing Anarchy.
More J/24 Australia Tidbits
The Bob Ross 1982 Bethwaite Interview
(Sydney, Australia)- Some really interesting tidbits of sailing information came from Bob Ross's interviews and discussions with Australian J/24 sailors at the time. In particular, certain Bethwaite family members..."In winning the J/24 worlds, Mark Bethwaite and his Soling crew Ian MacDiarmid and Glen Read brought a fresh approach to tuning and equipment detailing that cut across much of the conventional wisdom in the class.The Australian champion Soling crew, plus John Diacopolous who worked forward and owner Bunker Snyder, put together in BANDIT a successful campaign that was largely outside the mainstream of competition in the Sydney fleet.Bethwaite lives in Melbourne, has a demanding job, and used some of the weekends he commuted to Sydney earlier in the season to put in some time on the Soling. They were unable to sail regularly in J/24 races before the series.Much of the tuning load fell on MacDiarmid, who is a sailmaker – production manager at North’s Sydney loft. He sailed in the all important trimming spot on the boat, working mainsheet as well as tailing and trimming genoa sheets through tacks.At a time when extremely high shroud tensions were becoming fashionable in the class, BANDIT went the other way with caps just firm and lowers quite loose. MacDiarmid explained: “We sailed with not a lot of shroud tension but were using the vang to flatten the mainsail and not much backstay. Sailing to windward, the leeward cap was slack and the lower very slack.” Read more about Bethwaites'/ MacDiarmid's radical J/24 tuning in the J/24 Stone Ages.
J/Community
What friends, alumni and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
* Tami Burton and her dog Annabelle spent part of the July 4th weekend sailing the J/80 GROMIT with her husband Andy on Narragansett Bay. It was their first sail on their new (to them) boat and they all loved it. Look for Tami, Andy and crew racing on the US east coast this year. Annabelle prefers to crew on non-race days. Andy makes J/boat half models at his company, Trident Studio (www.tridentstudio.com). Look for GROMIT to be one of the top boats in next weeks J/80 Worlds-- she's being sailed by an ex-J/80 World Champion from Spain- Rayco Tabares! 
* Ken Read & Jerry Kirby Join OLIVER HAZARD PERRY Tall Ship Team- representing a vote of confidence from the sailing world, Ken Read and Jerry Kirby (both of Newport, R.I.) have joined the Board of Advisors for Rhode Island’s education at sea tall ship SSV Oliver Hazard Perry. Read and Kirby, considered two of the world’s most accomplished American sailors, believe in the significant impact the school ship will have on generations of young people as it continues to build over the next few years and then sails as a 207-foot three-masted, square rigger--the largest, privately owned, active tall ship in America.“The Oliver Hazard Perry project is quite simply something that Rhode Island desperately needs,” said Read, who has sailed in two Volvo Ocean Races (steering Team Puma to second in the 2008/2009 event) and is a veteran of three America’s Cups, twice a Rolex Yachtsman of the Year (1985, 1995) and has over 40 World, North American and National Championships to his credit in a variety of classes, including the J/24 and Etchells 22. “It is a living, breathing education program focused on the oceans of the world. I will work to bring some experience to the project based on my years of sailing and working in the marine industry.”Kirby (pictured right sailing offshore), who crewed for Read aboard Team PUMA and has sailed in six America’s Cups, three around-the-world races, at least a dozen Bermuda Races, and more than a half-dozen Transpac races, added, “It speaks volumes to the maritime heritage here in Rhode Island and gives us a platform to develop unique educational experiences for school kids.”Bart Dunbar, Chair of Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island (OHPRI), re-iterated that it is only with the help of OHPRI supporters and a multitude of marine trades businesses that the hull of the ship, which is currently at Promet Marine Services in Providence, R.I., will be modified and a deck, masts, rigging, sails and electronics added. “The success of the education at sea tall ship SSV Oliver Hazard Perry relies on the generosity and enthusiasm of hundreds of individuals and businesses. Having Ken and Jerry aboard gives us a link to the world of sailors who know what the programs on the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry can do for Rhode Island schools and their students.”The ship is named for Newport's War of 1812 naval hero Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. Once completed in 2012, the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry will be owned and operated for the people of Rhode Island by OHPRI. She will be based in Newport, serve America and sail the world as an ambassador of Rhode Island.For more information or to contribute to the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry project, please visit http://www.ohpri.org or contact Vice-Chair Perry Lewis at OHPRI headquarters in Newport, RI, phone- 401-841-0080.
* Kenny Read also reflects on how life has changed being part of the PUMA Volvo 70 Race project. Check out the latest Sailing World, October issue. Kenny's article on the Volvo 70 PUMA campaign is particularly enlightening. He describes how different the world is sailing offshore for days and weeks at a time versus his earlier experiences racing around the cans in J/24s and other boats. No fresh water shower and an ice cold beer after the end of each day for these guys! Photo at right shows how wet it can be--- for days at a time you, too, could be taking an ice cold salt water shower (a.k.a. "the fire hose"). More information at Sailing World- http://www.sailingworld.com* Susan and Paul Herer sailing on their J/100 in Chicago have some sail-handling tips for you a-sail jockeys! "We have noticed this technique to be useful on our J/100 and wanted to share this with other J Boat owners." Sincerely, Susan & Paul Herer. Please read more about it here and download the PDF. 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.
* 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." 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/.
Featured BoatsJ/95 #1 Available in Florida!
J/95s are on a roll in the southeast with five boats sailing in the area by this fall (at least four planning to participate in the January Key West Race Week). Sarasota Yacht and Ship is the brokerage side of the J/Southeast dealer CrossCurrent Marine, and they are thrilled to have landed the first brokerage listing for this wonderful shoal draft performance daysailer. Boat is fully optioned with carbon sails, mast, V boom and sports an extension electronics suite. Please contact Craig Crossley at 401-330-6135 craig@crosscurrentmarine for more information.
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!
