Big J Crew @ New York YC Regatta(Newport, RI)- This year's 157th Rolex New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta has attracted a large J fleet racing across the spectrum of classes in this year's event, including a J/105 One-Design class and a raft of J's sailing in both IRC and PHRF handicap classes- 28 boats in total (nearly 1/4 of all boats sailing).
In the J/105 class, a number of class contenders with enormous pedigree in J/105 class events includes past North American Champion Bruce Stone sailing JOUSTER from St Francis YC in San Francisco, CA; Nelson Weiderman from Wickford YC sailing US 300; and past Key West Champion Brian Keane from Beverly YC sailing SAVASANA.
Sailing in the IRC classes will be extremely competitive. The loaded J-fleet in IRC 4 includes two J/111s- ANDIAMO sailed by Jeff Johnstone from Ida Lewis YC and WICKED 2.0 sailed by Doug Curtiss from New Bedford YC; five J/122s- past North American Champions WINGS sailed by Mike Bruno/ Tom Boyle/ Jim Callahan from American YC, Andrew Weiss's winning family team aboard CHRISTOPHER DRAGON from New York YC, Bill Coates' OTRA VEZ from Galveston Bay Cruising Association, Steve Furnary's PATRIOT from American YC, and George Shaw's TUMBLEWEED from Boston YC; and three J/44s- Jim Bishop's veteran campaigners aboard GOLD DIGGER from American YC, Bill Ketcham's MAXINE from New York YC and GLORY sailed by Jack Neades from the US Coast Guard Sailing Club. Sailing IRC 5 will be the lone J/120 sailed by a Coast Guard Academy team aboard RICOCHET. In IRC 6 will be the J/105 HORNPIPE sailed by Andy Green from Newport, RI and the three incredibly competitive J/109s- past North American and East Coast Champions Bill Sweetser sailing RUSH from Annapolis YC and Rick Lyall's STORM from New York YC, plus local favorite Bob Salk and John Sahagian sailing PICANTE from Jamestown and New York YC.
The PHRF contingent includes John Lavin's J/29 called DIRTY HARRY from East Greenwich, RI, Dawson Hodgson's J/100 GRIMACE from New York YC, Mike Ryn and Richard Barker's J/24 NIGHTHAWK from Ida Lewis YC, Kevin Clarke's J/100 SAFINA from Portsmouth, RI, Mike Sullivan's J/33 SIRIUS from Fayerweather YC and Dan Stone's J/35 WHITE HEAT from Wickford YC. For more Rolex New York YC Annual Regatta sailing information
Tactick J/80 UK Nationals Preview(Dartmouth, England)- The Tactick J/80 UK National Championship 2011 in association with Baltic Wharf is being hosted by the Royal Dart Yacht Club this June 8th to 12th. Amongst the fleet of 26 runners and riders is an extremely impressive group of old and new faces in the fleet.
Frank Rowsell is one of the "new kids on the block". Frank is based in Exmouth and is a very skilled skiff and dinghy sailor. East Coast sailmaker Matthew Vincent also makes his J/80 debut in Dartmouth this week in his brand new boat FLIPPER. Mark Greenaway and his crew on the imaginatively named TBA have plenty of sportsboat experience and are a very skilled sailing team; Mark will be looking to put everything he’s learned over the years into practice in the West country this week.
Local boat BALTIC WHARF, skippered by one of the youngest competitors at the event, Henry Bomby has shown great form before and one would certainly expect this talented young crew to finish somewhere "up in the chocolates" (e.g. "the podium"). Nigel Banford (Dartmouth’s J/80 Class Captain) has worked tirelessly to put this event together and he will be racing JUST SO.
The famous SPITFIRE, raced by the Royal Air Force team, Tony Hanlon and Andy ‘Rodders’ Rodwell have been super quick on the Solent in recent months and with the legendary Ian Southworth on board to call the shots, they are clearly serious contenders. They will be missing their front-man though: Simon ‘Sling’ Ling is part way through a tour in Afghanistan but will be watching his crew-mates performance when he can.
Stewart Hawthorn comes back to the J/80 fleet after some time away and he is always fast in JUMPIN JENGA. For the Nationals, Stewart has tactician Duncan McDonald (past I-14 World Champion) joining his crew, fresh from his win at the J/109 Nationals which took place last week-- talk about "loading the deck"! Also back after some time away are Rob Larke and his co-owner Nic Barnes, sailing their new rocket-ship J2X. They’ve been quick before and expectations are high for a strong performance this week.
Sailing Photo Credit- Tim Wright/ Photoaction.com For more J/80 UK Nationals sailing information
J/Sailing News
The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide
First week of June. Northern hemisphere. Guess that means Summer is here! Yes, emphatically so for sailors who've been starving for something other than tornados, thunderstorms, hail and gales! For once Mother Earth apparently cooperated and gave the "green" part of the human populace (sailors, of course) a reprieve and offered up some remarkably good sailing conditions. While all was not perfect, it was a dramatic improvement over the extraordinary events this past spring. Starting with friends in the European theater, there was no lack of frustration from certain quarters why there was yet another "beating" that took place for the poor sods that participated in one of the "coldest" RORC North Sea Races on record. However, just ESE of them were the French basking in the sun sailing their Grand Prix Ecole Navale in J/22s and J/80s and even further ESE were the Spanish having even more fun on the Med racing J/80s in Barcelona (have we seen/heard about this movie before?). In the land of "Norte Americanos" (aka "gringos"), the Canadians were busy as ever hosting the spectacular Vancouver Isle 360 race with a gaggle of J/109s, while other Canadians were practicing long-distance racing for the famed Lake Ontario 300 using the Susan Hood Trophy in Port Credit, Ontario; and Canadian women were getting geared up for the Rolex Women's Worlds sailing J/22s near Montreal, Quebec for their Canadian Women's Nationals. Just south of the border, their erstwhile American friends were busy on ALL coasts- left, right, middle. Out East was the famously fun and seductive Cedar Point Regatta hosting J/30s, J/80s, J/105s and J/109s. A dozen+ J's sailed the 473 nm Annapolis to Newport Race to prove themselves worthy of sailing in the upcoming New York YC Annual Regatta. Just south of the turning mark for the Annapolis-Newport was the Southern Bay Race Week held in Hampton Roads, Virginia with fleets of J/24s, J/35s and J/105s. Heading over to the American Midwest, the Detroit Mafia and rap stars near 8 Mile Road in Motown hosted the Detroit NOOD for J/105s and J/120s. A touch further west (just 5 hours drive-time) was the first ever J/111 One-Design regatta held in conjunction with Columbia YC's Colors Regatta in Chicago, J/105s and J/109s sailed OD, too. Even further West (just 2,000 nm), the SoCal J Sailors had a ball sailing the Cal Race Week at Cal YC's remarkable facilities in Marina Del Rey, the J/24s, J/80s, J/105s and J/109s were the toasts of the party Saturday night. Finally, while everyone else thought they may have been having a great time sailing somewhere on the "blue planet", it appears that our friends in Asia have re-defined yet again what it means to have FUN SAILING-- a classic J/41 One-Tonner and a J/130 simply had the most fun anyone can legally have sailing. 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:
Jun 10-12- J/111, J/122, J/105 NYYC Annual Regatta- Newport, RI- http://www.nyyc.orgJun 12-19- Rolex Giraglia Cup- Genoa, Italy- http://www.yachtclubitaliano.it
Jun 18-22- Kieler Woche Regatta- Kiel, Germany- http://www.kyc.de/
Jun 19-24- J/111 Block Island Race Week- Block Is, RI- http://www.blockislandraceweek.com
Jun 19-24- J/122 North Americans- Block Is, RI- http://www.blockislandraceweek.com
Jun 19-24- J/109 East Coasts- Block Is, RI- http://www.blockislandraceweek.com
Jun 23-26- Bacardi Newport Sailing Week- Newport, RI- http://www.newportsailingweek.com
Jun 24-26- Long Beach Race Week- Long Beach, CA- http://www.lbrw.org
Jun 25-26- San Francisco STS NOOD Regatta- San Francisco, CA- http://www.sailingworld.com
Jun 29-Jul 2- J/80 Pre-Worlds- Malmo, Sweden- http://bit.ly/mRZVdv
For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
J/111 OD Debut- Colors Regatta 2011J/105s & J/109 Close Racing
(Chicago, IL)- The first ever J/111 One-Design regatta was held on the beautiful, azure blue waters of Lake Michigan just off the spectacular city-skyline of Chicago. The fleet was blessed with variable conditions both Saturday and Sunday morning but by midday the wind had settled into a N/NE direction with 5-12 knot breezes, gusting to 15-17 knots at times.
Sailing the J/111s for the first time as a fleet meant that many teams were searching for the "magic dust", that secret combination of factors that get the boat going faster and faster both upwind and downwind. The fleet wisely took the approach to make it a "training weekend", with coaching coming from seasoned one-design sailors on each boat. Enormous leaps of performance were being made as each boat learned how to "dial-in" better speeds around the race track. What was abundantly clear was the fact that J/111 can tack upwards of 80 degrees or less upwind, depending on wind and wave conditions. And downwind, the Farr 40 fleet was pretty impressed at how quickly a J/111 can slide downhill VMG'ing towards the mark in just 5-8 knots TWS.
Leading the charge amongst the J/111s was the team aboard KASHMIR- Karl Brummel, Steve Henderson, Mike Mayer. They sailed nicely to get a 1-2-3-1-1 for 8 pts. Their margin of victory was far, far closer than the scores suggest as two wins were overlapped scenarios where the victory could've gone either way depending on the last puff or wave. Second was NIGHT HAWK sailed by Tom Edman & Steve Dabrowski, getting a 2-3-1-3-3 for 12 pts. Third was a newcomer to sailing, the gang on MENTAL sailed by Paul Stahlberg to a 4-1-2-4-2 for 13 pts, narrowly missing second place due to their last race third. Finally, in fourth was MISTY sailed by Tom & Carol McIntosh- 3-4-4-2-4 for 17 pts- they had the benefit of "local" Randy Draftz on-board (Chairman of the Charleston Race Week regatta and also creator of the Colors Regatta with Columbia YC).Amongst the J/109s, it was the team of KIII sailed by Irving Kerbel to a 1-3-2-1-4 for 11 pts to barely hang in there for the win. Nipping at their heels all regatta long was MOMENTUS skippered by Kevin Saedi, starting slowly with a sixth place, but rattling off a steady 2-1-2-1 for 12 pts to nearly grab the win on the last race. Third was Jack Toliver's VANDA III with a 5-1-4-4-2 for 16 pts.
Local J/105 hotshot, Tom Petkus sailing VYTIS, won the first three races in a row and added a 5-3 on the last day to hang on for the win with 11 pts. Hopefully, the inmates were not running the asylum on Tony Bowker's THE ASYLUM. Nevertheless, whether or not they were, they managed to pull off a 2-4-4-3-2 for 15 pts to narrowly secure second by one point over the SEALARK sailed by Clark Pellett (they had 6-3-2-1-4 for 16 pts).
Associated with the Colors Regatta was an Offshore Distance race. It is about a 25 nm race around various government marks and "cribs" (water intake stations for the City of Chicago). It was nearly a clean sweep by J-owners. In first was the J/133 RENEGADE sailed by Larry Kwait. Second was the J/130 SALSA sailed by Pete Stott, 4th the J/120 JAHAZI sailed by Frank and Lori Giampoli and 5th was the J/105 TRINITY sailed by Tom O'Grady. For more Colors Regatta sailing results
J/133 & J/109s Win RORC North Sea Race
Tough Beat to Scheveningen Decimates Fleet
(The Hague, The Netherlands)- The 2011 North Sea Race had more wind than had been forecast and turned into a tough cold beat to Scheveningen, The Netherlands. Race veteran Radboud Crul said "I have done this race 24 times and I think this one was the hardest. It was a beat for most of the way and cold as well as wet with 25-30 knots of wind". The race committee had difficulty in anchoring the principal committee boat at the start which led to a ten minute postponement. RORC Racing Manager Ian Loffhagen explained: "having dragged the anchor twice the skipper of the Haven Hornbill, the oil spill platform kindly loaned by Harwich Haven Authority, assured me that he could hold the vessel within 10m of the required position. We decided to avoid further delay and go with this, so the postponement was only ten minutes". Despite the challenging conditions, fifty-three yachts crossed the starting line hoping to finish on the far side of "La Manche" in one piece. Only after rounding the MSP buoy off the Ijmuiden coast, could any boat hoist their spinnakers for the last miles to the finish.
In IRC 2 Angus Bates' J/133 ASSARIAN IV triumphed over a fleet of fifteen competitors to win class and finish 6th overall. Niall Dowling's J/111 hung tough to finish 4th in class. What is interesting is that for the RORC Season Championship IRC Overall, Niall's J/111 is second, but not having sailed the RORC 600, would be in a position to be within 4.6 points of the lead, a mathematical "dead heat" for the RORC Season Offshore Championship with the Piet Vroon's custom Ker 46-- not bad for the J/111 speedster that never had the IRC rule in mind when it was designed! For IRC Two Overall- J/111 ARABELLA is still in first with the Rolex Fastnet Race and a few others left to go.
In IRC 3 the J/109 JETI, owned by Paul van der Pol, beat sister ship CAPTAIN JACK in second, sailed by Bert Visser. Both J/109s finished 11th and 13th overall, respectively . Finishing fourth was Stan Fenton's J/105 FAY J, a great performance considering the less than ideal conditions for this veteran offshore campaigner. Sailing both IRC 3 and Double-handed was the J/105 DIABLO-J sailed by Rear Commodore of RORC Neil Martin, finishing 6th in IRC 3 and first overall in IRC Double-handed! For the RORC Season Offshore Championship, Neil'S J/105 DIABLO-J is winning both IRC 3 and Double-handed Divisions overall!
In the ORC Division, the J/33 QUANTUM RACING sailed by Jerooen van der Velden finished third in ORC 2 and fourth overall. Fourth in ORC 3 was Jaap Broek van Den sailing his J/92 JUMP OF JOY. For more RORC North Sea sailing information
The DRAGON Devours Annapolis-Newport RacePALADIN Dominates Double-handers
(Annapolis, MD)- With one of the biggest turnouts in 28 years, the J Team contingent were certain to factor in amongst the leaders of the PHRF and IRC classes racing this year. The race course runs south on the Chesapeake Bay for 120 miles to the Bay Bridge Tunnel, then 20 miles out into the Atlantic to the Chesapeake Light Tower and finally up the coast to Newport for a total of 473 miles.
In the PHRF Division I, it was pretty clear the J/120s were going to be the class to beat. In the end, the Annapolis J/120s took 4 of the top 5! Leading the pack was Greg Alden's IRIE, finishing second in class. Third was Richard Born's WINDBORN, fourth Greg Leonard's HERON and fifth to round out the top five was Jim Praley's SHINNECOCK. This was quite a showing for this group of long-distance offshore sailors from the Chesapeake. Bill Fields' J/160 CONDOR from Galesville, MD lead the J/fleet home in PHRF and was second J across the line on elapsed just behind the Weiss' J/122 CHRISTOPHER DRAGON. Finally, in PHRF II, perennial offshore competitor Bob Fox's J/42 SCHEMATIC from Annapolis, MD finished fourth.
The IRC Division III saw Andrew Weiss's J/122 CHRISTOPHER DRAGON from Larchmont, NY and American YC finish first, winning by five hours corrected over the famous Bermuda Race winning 48 footer, CARINA sailed by NYYC Rear Commodore Rives Potts, in second. Third was Paul Milo's determined crew aboard their J/109 VENTO SOLARE from Leesburg, VA just off the pace enough to, in fact, miss winning overall. Just 24 hours out from the finish, it was a nearly a boat-for-boat dead heat between VENTO SOLARE and CARINA as to who would get to the finish first.
In the Doublehanded IRC Division Jason Richter's famous J/35 PALADIN from Port Jefferson, NY pulled it off again, winning the Double-handed class by over two hours corrected time and eclipsing the recent Class 40 champion called DRAGON. Never count this highly successful double-handed team out of the running, it's like the American TV ad, the "Energizer bunny", the battery that just keeps on ticking! Finally, the J/Family wishes Jim Muldoon and friends on his maxi-sled DONNYBROOK a speedy recovery from bumps and bruises sustained while pulverizing an uncharted rock-pile just off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. For more Annapolis-Newport sailing and tracking information
Great OD Sailing @ Cal Race WeekJ/105s, J/109s, J/80s, J/24s Love SoCal Sunshine
(Marina Del Rey, CA)- In their usual fashion, the amazing facility that Cal YC offers to its members and visiting sailors is second to none in terms of fun, hospitality and excellent race management. Rolling out the red carpet for eight one-design classes, including four J-classes, the J/24s, J/80s, J/105s and J/109s, the J sailors responded with good turnouts in all four fleets.
In fact, the number of J/24s attending equalled those sailing that famous "old" Olympic class- the Stars! Imagine that, kudos to the 24 fleet for continuing to have so much fun with their buddies. Susan Taylor on TAKE FIVE again showed the boys her tail feathers and managed to nearly "run the table" with four firsts and one second to win with a total of 6 pts. The battle for second came down to the last two races between Tom Tunberg's BULLET and Jim Bauerley's CRITTER. Ultimately, it was Tom's 3-3-2-3-1 for 12 pts beat out Jim's team with a 2-4-5-2-3 for 16 pts, for second and third respectively.
Also showing strength and having fun were the five J/80s. This year it was a repeat win for Curt Johnson on AVET sailing to a 1-1-2-2-1 for 7 pts. An up-and-comer showing great promise for the future, winning two races in a row, was Dan Gribble's DUI sailing to a 3-3-1-1-4 for 12 pts to secure second place. Third was Bob Hayward's BLUE JAY with a 2-2-3-4-3 for 14 pts.
The J/105 always shows up with a good number of very competitive teams from the SoCal neighborhood. Sure enough, past winners of San Diego and Los Angeles area J/105 SoCal series were on the starting line going for all the gold. However, showing a remarkable turn of speed and consistent sailing was Gary Mozer's team on CURRENT OBSESSION 2 dialing it up a notch to nearly "run the table" as well like Susan in the J/24s, getting four firsts and a third for 7 pts to win by 8 pts! That's a spanking! The contest for second was a donnybrook going into the final two races for four teams, all the action was taking place here as Gary's CO2 team took off over the horizon. Rick Goebel's SANITY, John Howell's BLINK!, Don Poppe's ROCK & ROLL and Ed Sanford's CREATIVE had a great series racing one another. In the end, Rick's SANITY team squeaked ahead to finish with a 3-3-6-2-1, coming on strong at the end to finish with 15 pts and get second overall. Third was determined by a tie-breaker, with the nod going to John's BLINK! crew due to a 4-2-2-4-6 record for 18 pts and Don's ROCK & ROLL crew got the short-end of that stick with a 2-4-3-5-4 record also for 18 pts. While starting out slowly, Ed's CREATIVE team nearly pulled off a third, ending up fourth with a 6-5-4-3-2 tally for 20 pts. All in all great sailing amongst the J/105 teams.
While the J/105s and J/24s both had runaway winners and battles for podium honors for silver and bronze, the J/109s had a tough battle for the entire series between two well-sailed boats, Alice Leahey's GRACE O'MALLEY and Tom Brott's ELECTRA. Both teams sailed fast and smart and didn't give an inch. However, there was no holding back Alice's first attempt at winning silverware in the J/109 class at Cal Race Week. Both teams sailed to a tie-breaker, Alice getting a 3-1-2-1-1 for 8 pts to win over Tom's 1-2-1-2-2 also for 8 pts. Watching the fireworks at the front of the fleet was Bryce Benjamin's PERSISTENCE, counting a consistent 2-3-3-3-3 record for 14 pts.PHRF Class was won by Fred Cottrell's J/133 TIGGER, literally "running the table" with five straight firsts for 5 pts, the only boat in the regatta to do so and completely dominate their class. Way to go Fred! For more Cal Race Week sailing information
GREAT SAILING Wins J/80 Trofeo Conde de Godo(Barcelona, Spain)- Real Club Nautico de Barcelona hosted the 28th edition of this regatta in the beautiful azure waters off Barcelona. It was a very competitive event that saw world class Olympic sailors like Jose Maria van der Ploeg being pushed hard by their noteworthy Spanish compatriots.
On the last day, the weather conditions were good enough to hold three races for the fleet of J/80s, blowing 6-8 knots offshore. However, amongst the J/80 contenders, no one seemed to be able to throw Van der Ploeg's team on GREAT SAILING off the number one spot on the podium. As the end, the results were first- GREAT SAILING (CN Balís) skippered by Jose Maria van der Ploeg, second- CROCS (RCNB) sailed by Javier Aguado and in third MIKAKU (RCNB) with Rosa Artigas Natalia Via Dufresne at the helm.
Jose Maria commented on his sailing during the course of the event- "I'm from Barcelona and I feel comfortable sailing here. The crew has been the same as in the Grand Prix Iberdrola, except David More Jr sailed in place of Hugo Ramón. We have a strong team. We are very pleased to have won. There has been a major overhaul and our crew shows great concentration, bringing good results! The next trophy in which we compete are the J/80 Spanish Championships in three weeks, the J/80 World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark in five weeks and, finally, the J/80 Copa del Rey in Palma during July." For more J/80 Spanish sailing information
Cedar Point One-Design RegattaFour J Classes Enjoy Casual Competition
(Cedar Point, CT)- Each year the Cedar Point YC proves yet again they're clearly one of the most fun and laid back sailing clubs to host a major event every summer. This year, RC Chair Lincoln Schoenberger and crew demonstrated why CPYC events are so popular, good RC work, making quick work of setting lines and race courses with little waste of time.
The J/109s saw some nice competition but the eventual class winner, David Rosow on LOKI was never challenged by his colleagues, winning with straight firsts for a total of five points in six races (one toss). The real story was the fight for second place, with the eventual outcome hanging on the outcome of a tie-breaker due to results in the last race. Winning the tie-break was Jeff and Daine Warren's ARIEL with a 3-3-2-2-4-2 record for 12 pts. Ending up on the short-end of the tie-break was Richard Imbruce's JOYRIDE with a 2-2-3-3-2-3 record also for 12 pts.
The J/105 class showed up in force with an excellent turnout of nine boats. Showing their recent Manhattan YC J/105 Regatta win was no fluke was Kevin Grainger's team on GUMPTION 3, narrowly beating arch-rival Damian Emery's championship team on ECLIPSE. Kevin took the top honors with a 2-1-2-4-1-5 record for 10 pts. Damian started out slowly, working off a few cobwebs one might imagine and finished with a flourish, but not enough to win it all, earning a 6-2-5-1-2-1 scoreline for 11 pts. Third was Paul Beaudin on LOULOU with a 3-3-1-3-3-3 for 13 pts, earning by far the most consistent sailing of the fleet.
The J/80s seemed to have a lot of fun and a real mix of races amongst one another with only six points separating the top four after six races. Leading everyone home with a four point lead was Al Minella's RELENTLESS, getting a 2-1-2-1-3-1 for 7 pts. Second was Ansgar Chorhummel on KIA ORA with a strong start of 1-2-1 but a slow finish of 4-4-3, for a total of 11 pts. Third was Mac Cooper on the appropriately named WORKBOAT, working hard to earn a third average (and on his scoreline) for the regatta, getting a 3-3-3-3-1-4 for 13 pts.
Not to be outdone by their younger siblings, the J/30 class remains strong at Cedar Point and a good turnout of six boats made for some nice racing. Seemingly having an early leg up on the fleet early in the summer season was John McArthur's SMILES, dashing off a 1-2-1-1-2-3 score for 7 pts. It was close racing for the silver and bronze on the podium with Steve Buzbee on the renown BLUE MEANIE taking second with a 2-1-6-2-3-1 for 9 pts. Hanging in for third was Harrison Gill III's HELIUM with a 3-3-4-5-1-2 for 13 pts. For more Cedar Point One-Design Regatta sailing information
Susan Hood Trophy Race
J/109 LIVELY Wins IRC2
(Port Credit, Ontario, Canada)- A popular race amongst the J-fleet on Lake Ontario is the Susan Hood Trophy Race, an offshore course around the lake that goes from Port Credit to Oakville, Ontario to Port Dalhousie, Ontario and back to Port Credit. It's often used as the "warm-up" regatta for that "other super-long" lake race- the Lake Ontario 300 (longer by 11 nm than the "other" Great Lakes long-distance classic- the Chicago-Mackinac). The J contingent usually does well in this race as it's often a mix of beating, reaching and running, playing to the strengths of "J-performance" as all-around designs.
Winning IRC 2 Class was the Gainer's J/109 LIVELY from ABYC. Second in the IRC 1 Class was the Eckersley's veteran campaigner, the J/109 BLUE STREAK from QCYC. Second in PHRF 1 Class was the Disney's J/105 THE USUAL SUSPECTS from Royal Canadian YC in Toronto, Ontario. Seventh in the same class was the Borgundvaag's J/105 VOODOO MAGIC. For more Susan Hood Trophy sailing information
J/80 and J/22 Grand Prix Ecole Navale(Presque Ile de Crozon, France)- The French Navy and The Naval Academy has always been intimately linked to the world of sailing in France. In fact, sailing is one of the pillars of the training offered by the School and the Navy is a partner in offshore racing for many years in charge of rescue operations. In 2002, The Naval Academy decided to host a premiere one-design keelboat regatta to further support offshore one-design sportboat sailing and showcase the sport to the public and Navy personnel. This year, the Academy welcomed over 1,000 sailors that were sailing over 200 boats. The event has now achieved enough notoriety that the President of the French Sailing Federation (FFV), Jean-Pierre Champion, has decided to entrust the organization of the Championship of France Monotype to the Ecole Navale for another two years.
This year, eight nationalities were represented, giving an international dimension to the Grand Prix with teams from: France, Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Slovenija, Oman and New Zealand. Alistair Moore, coach of the Sail Oman Team said, "This is the first time the Youth Racing School of Oman Sail were able to implement their learning in an international regatta. It was a great test of their skills!"
With forty-five boats attending, the largest and most prominent class of the regatta, the J/80 competition ended after 10 races were sailed in fantastic 10 to 20 knot winds to determine "Le Champion of France Monotype". The winning team aboard INTERFACE CONCEPT 2 sailed a strong series, Morgan Riou leading his team to a 4-13-1-7-1-2-3-3-3-1 series for 25 pts (including toss). Second with a much more inconsistent scoreline was Maxime Rousseaux sailing GRAND OUEST ETIQUETTES to a 3-8-27-2-3-1-20-5-2-6 record for 50 pts. Third was Sebastien Metivier skippering CCVS CHERBOURG to a 8-7-1-1-2-22-5-1-4-12 for 61 pts. Fourth was Christine Briand, second women helm at the regatta behind Maxime, skippering J'ILE DE RE to a 14-4-2-13-ocs-9-6-2-11-15 for 76 pts. Fifth was Lionel Conort sailing MARINE BREST 1, showing moments of brilliance, scoring 11-12-5-9-20-8-1-17-14-4 for 81 pts.
The J/22s saw eight teams participating to determine the "monotype champion" also over the course of ten races like their J/80 counterparts. The winner was not clear even after seven races! In fact, it was a closely fought event for the top four contenders. Nevertheless, the cream does ultimately rise to the top, sailing a remarkably consistent series was Patrick Huet racing EUROPEAN HOMES to a solid score of 3-1-3-2-4-3-4-1-2-4 to finish with 23 pts (including toss). Second was Reinhold Gross from the strong German J/22 fleet, sailing JAMAICAS KRONJUWEL- 22 CARATS to a 1-2-5-1-6-5-1-6-4-1 for 26 pts, the only boat to score four firsts! Third was Clair Pouteau sailing SOFFE to a 5-3-1-3-2-6-7-3-1-5 record for 29 pts.Sailing Photo Credits: Pierrick Contin : pierrick.contin@wanadoo.fr Jacques Vapillon : photo@vapillon.com For more Grand Prix Ecole Navale sailing information
HOT TICKET & PTERODACTYL Win Detroit NOOD(Detroit, MI)- This year's Sperry Top Sider Detroit NOOD Regatta saw some spirited racing amongst Detroit area boats from the J/105 and J/120 fleets. The conditions were a bit challenging as the fleet was greeted with grey, overcast skies for much of the three days of sailing. Friday and Sunday offered reasonable breezes, but Saturday's racing was punctuated by an extended postponement as the PRO's wisely waited for the breeze to develop on the glassy shores of Lake St Clair.
Winning the J/105 fleet was Mark Symonds racing the tenacious PTERODACTYL to an impressive record that included five straight bullets before succumbing to a bit of brain fade from Saturday night's partying, finishing their last two races with a 3-4 for 12 pts, five points clear of their next competitor. Second was Dean Walsh sailing GOOD LOOKIN' to a 2-2-4-2-4-1-2 for 17 pts. Third was Brian Smith's SORCERY with a 3-3-3-5-3-2-1 tally for 20 pts.
The J/120s generally have very competitive racing with no one boat simply walking off with all the silverware and the dancing girls. This time around, despite winning two races, even Commodore Frank Kern's famous CARINTHIA could only manage a fourth overall. Winning this year was Robert Kirkman's HOT TICKET winning the first three races and scoring a 3-5-3-2 to finish with 16 pts. Second was Henry Mistele's NIGHT MOVES getting a 3-3-3-2-3-4-1 for 19 pts. Just four points back was Don Hudak's CAPER with a scoreline of 4-4-2-1-4-5-3 for 23 pts. Sailing photo credits- Tim Wilkes Photography. For more Sperry Top Sider Detroit NOOD sailing information
J/109s Lead Vancouver Isle Race(Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)- Forty-one boats enjoyed crystal-clear conditions and 15 knots out of the northwest this past Saturday for the start for the 580-mile Telus Van Isle 360. The race begins and ends just off the picturesque town of Nanaimo, situated on Vancouver Island's southeast shore. From here, the fleet will race in 10 different stage races, ranging from 22 to 138 nautical miles in length, working their way clockwise around the entire island. While some of the passages are a bit headier than others, bad weather can become a constant companion at any point. The race gets its reputation as a serious adventure race primarily due to the sporty offshore legs that negotiate Vancouver's wild western coastline, but the inside legs challenge sailors with impressive currents and tides while simultaneously rewarding with an abundance of sea life and some of the prettiest country anywhere on planet earth...when it's not raining.
Leg 1 started with a 12 knot westerly breeze making for a downwind start out of Nanaimo's beautiful harbour. Once rounding Gallows Point the wind picked up to 18 - 20 knots on the nose which gradually eased to 12 knots at the finish. A bright sunny day with perfect visibility and Mount Baker clearly visible to the south. At 22 nm this is the shortest leg of the race and is commonly referred to as the bunny hill, but the sailors are happy to be into it and are thinking ahead to the challenging legs to come.
On Leg 3 that started in Comox, the RC's PRO injected a little humor when they hoisted a blue Canucks jersey in place of the 'P' flag. It didn't help the Vancouver Canucks ice-hockey team, though (they're competing in the Stanley Cup ice hockey finals against the Boston Bruins)! A long start line made for a civilized but busy start with all boats getting away clear in 10-12 knots of westerly breeze. Once clear of Cape Lazo the fleet sailed into a solid 18 - 20 knots of wind on the nose. All but the last few boats got in before the tide turned in Discovery Passage taking advantage of the strong positive current. The top half of the fleet were sailing at times in 5 to 6 knots of positive current. Several boats mis-judged their closing speed and ended up reaching upwind to clear the mark. An interesting scenario developed with AMAZING GRACE overstanding the mark, reaching in and converging with ASTRAL PLANE and DIVA. ASTRAL PLANE beat DIVA (both J/109's) by one second, AMAZING GRACE ended up anchored by the pin. Protest to follow! This area has some of the strongest currents in the world at times getting up to 16 knots. Many thanks go out to the RipTide Pub for the excellent venue and the Discovery Harbour Marina for hosting the fleet at their fantastic facility. For Leg Four - Campbell River to Hardwicke Island - 24.50 nm- the race got underway in Deepwater Bay, 10 nm north of Campbell River with a 15 knot westerly. The fleet sailed into a typical Johnstone Strait westerly with winds in the high 20's and and ebb tide making a nasty chop. Some boats ate it up, others did not like it at all. In Division 2 a tight battle rages between the J/109's, with ASTRAL PLANE, DIVA and TANTIVY taking first, second and third place on this leg. ASTRAL PLANE currently leads in the overall standings with TANTIVY following in second. In Division 1 ANAM CARA was first and is now lying 3rd overall. The entire fleet was treated to a sit down salmon BBQ at the Marine Harvest Canada site in Chancellor Channel. The BC Salmon Farmers Association once again cooked a fabulous meal. It was clear that everyone in attendance appreciated what a special event this was and the scenery is spectacular. For more Van Isle 360 sailing information
J/41 SOUAY1 Loves Samui RegattaJust 5 Days Sailing, 7 Nights Partying
(Samui, Thailand)- The brochure is apparently quite accurate. 5 days, 7 nights of bacchanalian fun and merriment. "Come and enjoy the final regatta of the Asian Yachting Grand Prix in Koh Samui. Go out on a spectator boat, party with the sailors, enjoy the super car rally, play golf, watch the swimwear fashion show and enjoy the gorgeous island of Koh Samui. Bring your friends, bring your family, but just don't miss this fantastic event!" Yes, that's what the brochure says. Believe it, a "must sail" event on anyone's "bucket list".
Starting at the end of May, for one week each year the normally tranquil waters around Koh Samui comes alive with top level yacht racing. Thirty yachts descended on the tropical resort island, deep in the South China Sea to contest the Sawadee.com Regatta and the season ending AYGP Championship. Better known as a high end tourist destination and neighboring Ko Pangan for its full moon parties, the regatta organizers are also engaged the local community by promoting a Supercar Rally, Fashion shows, Property Exhibition and transforming the event into a Luxury Lifestyle week. Sailors celebrated the 10th running of the regatta, a mixture of passage and buoy racing in conjunction with a variety of great parties held at some of the classiest resorts on the Island.Sailing in the event were two well-known J's that sail and race in the region. One is Jean Rheault's beautifully re-conditioned J/41 One-tonner SOUAY1 sailing IRC 2 and the other is Rick Poulson's snazzy J/130 JING-JING sailing IRC 1.
On the first day of racing, the fleet was greeted with 10 knots from the South. The fleet sailed briskly away on windward/leeward courses. Although as the overcast sky lifted the breeze started to fade as Race 1 was coming to a conclusion and the 12 o'clock WindGURU bewitching hour was fast approaching. As the wind became unstable and started to clock around there was a lengthy two hour wait before the race committee could get Race 2 underway. All skippers were keen to get going and the crowded starting line in Division 1 & 2 would determine the tactics on the upwind leg.In IRC 1, Rick Poulson's J/130 JING JING helmed by Steve McConaghy missed out eclipsing their top competitor by twenty seconds, so had to settle for second. For IRC 2/Cruising class, Jean Rheault's J/41 One Tonner SOUAY 1 traded second and third places to be tied on points for the top of the podium.
For the second day of racing, the heavy overcast sky prevented the morning breeze from pushing through, so PRO Ross Chisholm sent the mark boats in all directions in search of wind. Eventually a patch was found to the East of the Ko Samui and Ko Pangan passage and the 'Follow Me' instruction came crackling over the radio. Thirty minutes after the prescribed start time the starting sequence began with the Racing Class away in 7-8 knots of Westerly breeze. Several boats were caught off guard and desperately tried under spinnaker to get to the start line. Shortly after starting the breeze faded and the skippers had to contend with a strong Northerly flowing current after rounding the top mark. Another announcement that all courses will be shortened at the bottom mark, bought some relief but the minefield still had to be delicately crossed. Tactical decisions to gybe down current towards the wind line or stay in the light stuff and stem the tide. Initially it looked good down tide but as time wore on, their hopes washed away in the current.
The start line bungle and shifty conditions turned the IRC 1 result sheet up side down with JING JING having a "slow day". However, in the IRC 2/Cruising class Jean Rheault's J/41 One Tonner SOUAY 1 claimed the daily double in the light conditions. After further canvassing the wind situation and setting up the course in a new wind line, just as the starting sequence was about to get underway the wind died out and changed direction, so that PRO Ross Chisholm had no alternative other than cancel racing for the day. Despite the committee's persistence the wind did not want to play the game.Happy days greeted the fleet again for the third day of racing. It was time to rejoice, the South Westerly tradewind returned and PRO Ross Chisholm was game enough to run two windward/leeward races followed by a passage race to the South of Ko Samui. This may have been a result of last nights torrential downpour that turned the roads in Chaweng into rivers. As the yachts reached the southern turning mark the gathering gray clouds may have put an end to the bright sunshine and fair sailing conditions but added 30 knot breezes and blinding rain into the equation.
In IRC 1, Poulson's JING JING was just off the pace again. And, a repeat occurred in IRC 2, Jean's SOUAY 1 traded first and second places to run away with the top podium places from the rest of the competitors in the overall stakes.
For the fourth day of racing, post a massive party lay-day situation (fashion show pictured at right), it was going to take some time for crews to rehabilitate and remember how to sail their boats all over again! Consolidating the results was on the mind of all the skippers today. Getting clear air off the start line and quickly up the first windward beat has produced consistent podium places for the top boats in each class. Being mid fleet at the top mark means playing catch up for the rest of the race. Racing got away on time in fresh 12-14 knot SW trade wind which held in for the first race but faded and clocked around to seaward before racing could be resumed. Once again, PRO Ross Chisholm patiently waited for the wind to settle before firing off two more races for the Racing and IRC 1 classes.In the IRC 2/Cruising class Jean SOUAY 1 claimed line honours but not far enough in front to make a difference and settled on second place and second overall.
The final day came down to one passage race shootout, down South to the Mat Sum mark and back for the Racing and IRC 1 classes. The IRC 2 class set off in 10 knots of breeze on a slightly shorter passage race to finish off the event. Only seconds separated the leaders as they went tack for tack, picking the wind shifts on the long windward beat. As the breeze faded the boats began to struggle into the current. Luckily the breeze returned in time for all classes to round the mark and set off downwind. As there was no sign of the sea breeze, PRO Ross Chisholm called it a day at the Hin Ang Wang gate for all classes. In the end, Jean Rheault's J/41 One Tonner SOUAY 1 won the last race but in the overall stakes took second! And, Rick Poulson's J/130 JING JING took fourth overall in their class. Needless to say, all the crews enjoyed the Fashion Show, the Super Car Show, the Awards and the extraordinary hospitality all around! How many of you are going to join them next year? For more Samui Regatta Sailing information Samui Regatta Sailing Facebook Group Sailing photo credits- Annie SophieAFTERTHOUGHT Wins Southern Bay Race Week
(Hampton Roads, Virginia)- Skippered by Craig Wright, the J/109 AFTERTHOUGHT from Raleigh, North Carolina, won THE BLACK SEAL CUP, for best overall performance at Southern Bay Race Week. In the largest of the handicap and one-design fleets, PHRF A2 (12 boats), AFTERTHOUGHT had to toss out a 2nd place to win with five firsts as counters! The regatta, which is sailed in Hampton Roads, drew 98 keel boats from the mid-Atlantic and as far away as Maine.
On Friday, the first day of racing, the fleet raced in the Harbor, after a long-range recon race committee launch reported rolling waves as high as skyscrapers in the Bay itself. Racing breezes and smooth surfaces made for three opening day races in the same waters where the Civil War Battle of the Ironclads took place in 1862. Saturday morning the seas in the Bay off Norfolk's Ocean View had abated and the fleet got in three races in conditions that rewarded, in addition to other skills, attention to wind shifts and Bay currents. On Sunday morning, Mother Nature threw a curve. While the racers eat breakfast, downpours as thick as their pancake syrup hit the area. Racing was postponed ashore and not much later warnings of expected severe thunderstorms kept officials from sending the fleet out. Rather the party tent was activated and by noon the Gosling's Black Seal Rum was offsetting the dampness.
The J/35s sailed as a one-design class. The winner was MAGGIE sailed by Peter Scheidt of Highland, MD. Second was T-BONE, sailed by Bruce Artman from Tracy's Landing, MD and third was BUMP IN THE NIGHT skippered by Maury Niebur from West River, MD.
The J/105 class was led by VELOCE, sailed by Marty Hublitz and Eddie Hornick from Roanoke, VA. Second was INVEVITABLE sailed by Mike Karn, of Richmond, VA and third was LOOSE CANNON sailed by Strother Scott from Maidens, VA.
The J/24s have continued to be a popular class sailing in this region. Winners were QUICKY sailed by Mike Veraldi from Virginia Beach, VA. Second was Neil Ford and Elisabeth Biondi from Hampton, VA and finally third was CHOP CHOP skippered by Rodney Paice of Portsmouth, VA. For more Southern Bay Race Week sailing information.
J/Community
What friends, alumni and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
* Nicole Bastet win's Canadian Women's Championship- perhaps following in the great family sailing tradition that includes renowned Canadian yachtsman, Evert Bastet, Nicole showed the girls in Canada how to sail J/22s fast and with fewer mistake than most to squeak out a win for Hudson Yacht Club despite lots of drama going on behind her for the next three spots. Hosted by Hudson Yacht Club (near Montreal, Quebec) and sailed in J/22 One-Designs, the top teams that sailed this year's Women's Keelboat National Championship in J/22s were also looking forward to attending this fall's Rolex Women's World Championship sailed in J/22s at Rochester, NY. In a rather dramatic turn-around, Nicole Bastet won despite having two bad races on the first day, starting off with a 1-9-8, then closing with three firsts to win by two points! Her drama was nowhere near what was experienced by the next three boats, fighting hard to beat one another going into the last day. When the dust and scores were settled, Marg Hurley from NSC sailed a consistent a 4-5-1-5-2-2 for 14 pts to win on a tie-breaker over Melodie Gummer with a 3-2-2-4-3-4. The top teams are already looking forward to their trip to Rochester to hopefully win the Rolex! For more Canadian Women's Keelboat sailing informationThe 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
Gorgeous J/100 Ready For A Gentleman, or Loving WomanThis particular J/100 has been lovingly, professionally maintained in Maine by her owner and during the winters kept in-doors in a heated storage facility by the John Williams Boat Company on Mt Desert. No expense has been spared to keep her in pristine, Bristol condition. Originally owned by J/Boats co-founder, Bob Johnstone, she's lived the life of serenity and beauty and is now seeking a new home. She has the Raynav C120 chart plotter and Tack Tick instrument package mounted on the mast. She has the full safety package, cockpit dodger, super-nice custom Triad tandem-axle trailer. Her bottom, keel and rudder have been completely faired and templated by Mark Lindsay Boatbuilders- renown for making fast boats go light-speed fast. She also has teak toe rails, updated running rigging, main cover and a custom jib sock by North Sails. In addition to new North sails she has an older North main/Quantum Jib and an Ullman Runner, North Reacher and cruising spinnaker. She's asking $115,000 and wishes to be sailing soon! Interested? Please contact Rich Hill at Hill-Lowden in Marblehead, MA. Email- hilllowden@aol.com or phone- +1-781-631-3313
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
