J/Gear Holiday Special!A Holiday Special for all J/Boat owners, crews, and sailing friends! Lots of great gift ideas & clothing for everyone!
Please go shopping EARLY for your custom J/GEAR to ensure delivery in time for the holidays! You can get a 20% discount if you enter this code- JBH2017xm- when you are ready to check out and pay for your items. This offer is good until November 19th, 2017 (note- half-models and JBoats custom prints are not included in this offer). Visit the J/Gear store now- http://jgear.vsport.biz
J/105 North Americans Preview(Seabrook, TX)- Lakewood Yacht Club, in co-operation with the J/105 International Class Association, is hosting the 2017 J/105 North American Championship regatta at Seabrook, Texas from October 25-29, 2017. Twenty-two teams have entered, nineteen of which hail from Texas, while the other three teams come from California (2) and Bermuda.
The weather forecast promises a warm, sunny day on Thursday with seabreeze conditions from the SSE up to 10 kts, a dark & stormy Friday with showers and thunderstorms with the wind clocking fast into the NNW as the frontal system passes, then a rapid cool-down overnight with northerly winds Saturday and Sunday with dramatically colder weather- e.g. 40s F in the morning warming to low 60s F by midday! In the fall, such weather patterns are pretty normal as low-pressure systems roll across the Great Plains of America, completely unobstructed to any geographical resistance, and the hot waters (85 F) of the Gulf of Mexico feed cold fronts- producing nasty things like tornados! The conditions will make for tough, challenging racing as the fleet will be presented with a wide variety of wind and sea states- particularly on Saturday/ Sunday when the winds will be very shifty and streaky.
Amongst the local “homeboys” hoping to make their mark on this year’s J/105 NA’s will be hot teams like J.B. Bednar’s STINGER, Bill Lackenmacher’s RADIANCE, Uzi Ozeri’s INFINITY, Bill Zartler’s DEJA VOODOO, Mark Smith’s EAU LA LA, Rick Schaffer’s DOUBLE DARE, Mark Masur’s TWO FEATHERS, and Josh Richline’s VELOCE. Teamwork, consistent starts, and boat speed will be the most critical issues for these boats as they face a formidable array of “outsiders” coming in from afar.
The three boats visiting and racing in Texas for their first times are no spring chickens, that is for sure! For starters, Bruce Stone’s GOOD TRADE from San Francisco, CA will be racing with a hyper-active, smart crew; as past Storm Trysail Block Island Race Week Champions, Rolex Big Boat Series Champions, and J/105 North American Champions, they are likely the odds-on favorite to be at the top of the leaderboard. Next up is Rick Goebel’s SANITY crew from San Diego, California, yet another crew of rock stars that have won the San Diego NOOD, silver at Rolex Big Boat Series, and top five at past J/105 North Americans, plus they won last weekend’s J/Fest Southwest Regatta. Finally, the Bermuda J/105 Champion from the Royal Bermuda YC, James McDonald on DISTANT PASSION, have a lot of J/105 mileage under their belts, having been a top five contender in events on the Chesapeake Bay, Block Island, and Marblehead. To get current J/105 North American results, click here. For more J/105 North American Championship sailing information
J/105 Lipton Cup Preview(San Diego, CA)- Racing for one of the most coveted trophies on the West Coast, the 103rd Challenge for the Sir Thomas Lipton Cup will be sailed on October 27-29, 2017 on a fleet of matched J/105 one-design class sailboats.
Named after Sir Thomas Lipton, the famous yachtsman and tea baron, The Lipton Cup is San Diego Yacht Club’s signature fall regatta. This year twelve teams representing yacht clubs from across the country will race for the chance to win the prestigious trophy and determine which club's team is the “best of the best” of the invited teams (note- it’s an invitation-only event, not based on national qualifiers).
Racers will compete in San Diego Bay, allowing plenty of viewing opportunities for friends and family along the downtown waterfront. To ensure fairness, the regatta will be held in a round-robin format using equalized J/105s, provided by owners of local Southern California boats.
The twelve teams competing this year are: Balboa Yacht Club, California Yacht Club, Chicago Yacht Club, Coronado Yacht Club, Larchmont Yacht Club, Long Beach Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club, Newport Harbor Yacht Club, San Diego Yacht Club, San Francisco Yacht Club, Southwestern Yacht Club, and St. Francis Yacht Club.
Newport Harbor Yacht Club won the 2016 Lipton Cup under the leadership of skipper Jon Pinckney. Previously, Newport Harbor Yacht Club had not won the event since 1980. Winners in the past five years have been San Diego Yacht Club (2015, 2013, 2011), St. Francis Yacht Club (2014), and California Yacht Club (2012). Chicago Yacht Club, Larchmont Yacht Club and New York Yacht Club will be vying for their first win of the trophy, while San Francisco Yacht Club’s last win was back in 1916.
Jon Pinckney will return to the San Diego waters to defend the trophy on behalf of Newport Harbor Yacht Club. Jon commented on this year’s event, “There can be a lot of pressure to win this regatta and you only get so many chances before your club replaces you, so it was a huge relief to win on our third attempt, and an incredible achievement at the same time. By equalizing the fleet of J/105’s, and implementing a round-robin format, SDYC has truly created a level playing field where everyone's speed is the same. Success is determined by execution of fundamentals like starting, decision-making, and consistency. Three years ago we surprisingly found no correlation between our practices and overall results, so we conveniently no longer practice ahead of the event."
Pinckney also shares the challenges behind implementing a winning strategy, “As long as you can get the sails up and down on a J/105, your only focus is to be the most fundamentally sound team for three days. It’s the most basic life-long strategy, and at the same time, the most difficult to execute. Because, eleven other outstanding teams all share the same game plan! Any team can win, and everyone experiences pain and adversity. No throw-outs and it always comes down to the last race. We would love to win again, but you just never know. Welcome to the Lipton Cup!"
The 2017 Lipton Cup will feature three days of competitive sailing with a dockside social on Friday, and a Saturday night banquet for competitors and guests- often a fun-loving “roast” of friendly competitors from decades of sailing in many classes around America. The awards party will take place on Sunday after racing.
Event Co-Chair Tim Fuller shares that view, "Things are shaping up nicely for a great Lipton Cup Regatta. Many thanks to all of our volunteers and SDYC staff for helping organize the event. We encourage you to come on down to the bay to check-out the action."
The 2017 San Diego Yacht Club Commodore, John Reiter, summarizes the reputation of the event; “since a forward thinking group helped us reinvigorate this regatta back during 2011, SDYC has run six incredible competitive and fully subscribed events. With equalized J/105 class sailboats all using the same suits of sails designed and used specifically for the regatta, it has become one of the few 'must sail' events among the most competitive clubs in the U.S.A. We are proud to host the sailors from competing clubs across the country. In addition, we would like to thank our event sponsors: Helly Hansen and Cutwater Spirits.”
For more J/105 Lipton Cup sailing information
J/24 East Coasts & J/22 Mid-Atlantics Preview(Annapolis, MD)- This coming weekend, the Severn Sailing Association is holding its annual pre-Halloween bash for the J/22 and J/24 classes on Chesapeake Bay. Always a popular event for the past few decades, the event marks the end of the fall season in the northeast (along with the famous Lake George Regatta) and provides teams an opportunity to catch up before heading south for Midwinter regattas in Florida.
The J/24s will be enjoying their 39th J/24 East Coast Championship, celebrating 40 years of J/Boats, too! The magic number seems to be twenty-four! For, that many boats have registered to race in this year’s event! Teams are coming from as far away as Bermuda, Nova Scotia, Florida, Maine, New York and the usual suspects from the local Chesapeake Bay fleet.
For starters, famous Portland, Maine transplant, Tony Parker, will be sailing his BANGOR PACKET as a member of Annapolis YC. Recently, they just finished 1 pt out of first place at the recent J/24 World Championship in Toronto, Ontario; Tony’s crew will be hoping to close the season with a solid performance. Another long-time class veteran, Al Constants from Seawanhaka Corinthian YC in Oyster Bay, NY will be sailing with a fast crew. Then, long-time Bermuda class champion, Trevor Boyce will be sailing NO SKIRT REQUIRED for the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club. Another “Maine-iac”, top woman J/24 skipper Erica Beck-Spencer will be guiding the SEA BAGS WOMENS SAILING TEAM around the track with an all-women’s crew. Another veteran crew is Travis Odenbach’s HONEY BADGER team from Rochester YC in Rochester, NY. Finally, the fun-loving crew on Evan Petley-Jones’ LIFTED from Royal Halifax Yacht Squadron will be looking forward to a good racing before winter closes in on them up in Halifax! For all the J/24 crews, what is also on the line are qualifying slots for the 2018 J/24 World Championship.
The J/22s will be sailing their Mid-Atlantic Championship on the same race track as the J/24s. The twenty-one boat fleet is quite talented with World and North American Champions in the mix. Locally, the hot teams are hoping to be a factor on the leaderboard; such as Chris Wilson’s LIL PUFFY, Brad Julian’s USA 677, Jeff Todd’s HOT TODDY, Kevin Doyle’s ZOEY, Sandy Adzick’s HOT TICKET, and Chris Junge’s CORNER OF SANITY & HELL. Top visiting crews include Mike Marshall’s BAD NEWS from Newport, RI and Cory Sertl’s LUCY from Jamestown, RI and Rochester YC.
For more regatta information, please contact Pat FitzGerald at pfitzgerald@comcast.net or Kelly Brice FitzGerald at 443-600-1182. For more J/24 East Coast and J/22 Mid-Atlantic Coast Championship sailing information
J/24 Frostbite Racing Announcement(Boston Harbor, MA)- The Boston Sailing Center is kicking off their 26th year of Frostbite Racing J/24s in Boston Harbor! With an anticipated seventeen J/24’s on the line again this season, there is space for a new team in this often sold out program. BSC supplies the J/24’s, so all racers have to do is supply the crew!
Fleet racing begins on Saturday, November 4th and runs until March 24th, and includes two days of match racing at the end of the season. The post-race gathering back at the Riverboat features video highlights and a debrief of the day's racing, along with hot, spicy chili to warm you up after a long day of racing. A great way to keep your sailing skills sharp over the winter!
There are always opportunities to crew, so let BSC know if you’re looking to get a spot on a team, or just sail for a Saturday or two. BSC maintains an extensive crew list to help fill in spots for this long sailing season. For more information, call the office at 617-227-4198 or email info@bostonsailingcenter.com.
More details on the Frostbite Program including pricing, please click here
51st Round Key Biscayne Race Announcement(Key Biscayne, FL)- Started in 1966, the race has been held in memory of Past Commodore Ed Willman of the Key Biscayne Yacht Club. The Round the Island Race is a fun, competitive event that engages sailboats of all sizes in a race from the waters of Biscayne Bay in front of the Key Biscayne Yacht Club, south through the Stiltsville featherbeds and past Cape Florida, north along the Atlantic coast of Key Biscayne, around a mark at the opening of Bear Cut at the north of the island, and back around to the Key Biscayne Yacht Club.
Key Biscayne YC wants to invite sailors from all over the world to participate in this regatta. If you don’t have a boat, let us know, we’ll find you one! For registration and sailing information for the Round Island Race
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Join Fleet #28 in Miami!
(Coconut Grove, Florida)- Local J/70 racing is coming to Biscayne Bay! Seven owners have formed J/70 Fleet #28, and Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association (BBYRA) has committed to having a separate start for the J/70 class beginning with races this fall.
To find out more about this exciting new class, you can talk to one of the new owners: Phil Haegler, Brian Kamilar, Val Schestopalov, Joe Kolisch, Tiani Hausen or John Logue.
The new fleet captain and J/70 owner, Pamala Rose, will also be happy to answer any questions. To contact Pamela call her cell at (312) 835-2111 or email- prose1818@me.com.
PC Performance Boats has a brand new J/70 on a trailer in Miami ready for anyone who wants to join the fleet! Please contact Mark Pincus by calling (305) 915-1438 or email- mark@pincuscarlson.com
J/Sailing News
The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide
The penultimate week of October is seeing fall weather kicking in with a rather dramatic flair depending on which part of the northern hemisphere you are. In Europe, a strange pattern of near hurricane force depressions have been rolling off the North Atlantic and slamming into the U.K. and islands to the west, but then rolling over continental Europe and producing mistrals on the Mediterranean. As a result, virtually every event was affected in the European region. The Rolex Middle Sea Race had three J/133s and six J/122s sailing, but only two boats finished! The new J/122E and a Russian doublehanded J/122 both collected silverware for their hard-won efforts. Then, the Solent in England also had a similar issue; the Hamble Winter Series- for IRC classes 1-3 and J/88s- was a dark and stormy affair with Saturday getting blown out but Sunday OK. Similarly, the first act of the YC Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series for J/70s, held off Monte Carlo, Monaco, was a windy series. Then, the Dutch J/70 Nationals took place in The Netherlands for a big fleet of twenty-one boats! Further south in Italy, the Italian J/24 circuit completed two more regattas in their series at Cervia, Sardinia and also Genoa/ Portofino.Over in the Americas, some wild storm fronts rolled through Texas. These had a direct affect on the J/Fest Southwest regatta at Seabrook, TX and hosted by Lakewood YC; they provided one-design racing for J/22s, J/24s, J/70s, J/105s, J/109s, and two classes of J/PHRF boats ranging from J/27s up to a J/122. Just across the Gulf of Mexico, the New Orleans YC in New Orleans, LA, hosted the J/30 North Americans sponsored by Sugar Bowl Committee. The J/30s enjoyed tight racing on the choppy waters of Lake Ponchartrain. Out west, the San Diego YC hosted the International Masters Regatta with a completely new slate of masters sailors (skippers over 60+) using the help of their amazing local J/105 fleet. Finally, out east, the Manhasset YC completed their Manhasset Fall Series for a one-design J/105 class and PHRF classes that saw J/92, J/111, & J/88 winners.
Read on! The J/Community and Cruising section below has many entertaining stories and news about J/Sailors as well as cruising blogs about those who 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 pag Below are the summaries.
Regatta & Show Schedules:
Oct 26-29- J/105 North American Championship- Seabrook, TXOct 27-29- J/24 East Coast Championship- Annapolis, MD
Oct 27-29- J/105 Lipton Cup Regatta- San Diego, CA
Oct 28- Nov 1- French J/80 National Championship- Quiberon, France
Oct 28-29- Great Pumpkin Regatta- Point Richmond, CA
Oct 28- Nov 1- J/70 South American Championship- Algarrobo, Chile
Nov 4- Hot Rum Series I- San Diego, CA
Nov 18- Hot Rum Series II- San Diego, CA
Dec 2- Hot Rum Series III- San Diego, CA
Dec 9-10- Jammin Jamaica J/22 Regatta- Montego Bay, Jamaica
For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
ARTTUBE Dominates Monaco J/70 Winter Series- Act I(Monte Carlo, Monaco)- The first Act of the 2017/2018 Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series got off to a cracking start, with winds up to 20-knots for the first two days, allowing the Race Committee to whet the appetites of the 80+ sailors on the water with six races.
Consistency paid off for the Russians on ARTTUBE who handled the conditions to perfection, winning five of the six races in the J/70 class. Winners last season, the team led by Russia’s top woman keelboat skipper- Valeria Kovalenko- set the pace from the start, taking the opportunity to widen their lead with each race. The team for this event consisted of Denis Rozhkov, Alex Bozhkov, Egor Ignatenko, & Alex Emsov. They finished a clear 12 points ahead of newcomers to this Series, OMAN SAIL 1.
Despite their best efforts, and having at the helm Stevie Morrison, 5th in the 49er class at the London Olympics, the Omanis were not able to overtake ARTTUBE on the race track- finishing in 2nd with 17 pts. Rounding out the podium was Italian skipper Germano Scarpa, leading his crew on SPORT CUBE to a total of 19 pts. Among the Monegasques, Cesare Gabasio’s TINN J/70 came 4th. Congratulations also to a fine 10th place and first prize in the amateur category for Remi Piazza (Levante), a youngster from the YCM’s Sports Section.
“It is important to encourage amateurs to sail and thereby attract more enthusiasts,” believes Michel Boussard, President of the Monaco J/70 Class Association. Boussard also express his delight to see that 20-plus J/70 teams are already signed up for the next meeting in November of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series 2017-2018.
Come racing all winter!Organized once a month from October to March by the Yacht Club de Monaco, in collaboration with technical clothing supplier, SLAM, the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series has proved a huge success since it launched in 2013. As evidenced by the presence of two Omani teams, these regattas for the J/70 and one-design classes continue to attract newcomers keen to prepare for the season ahead. The regatta schedule of five Acts include:
- Act 2: 10-12 November 2017
- Act 3: 8-10 December 2017
- Act 4: 19-21 January 2018
- Act 5: 9-11 March 2018
TEAM PLAJ Eclipses Dutch J/70 Nationals(The Hague, The Netherlands)- Eighteen J/70 teams from The Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium participated in the 2017 Dutch Open J/70 Nationals.
In the end, it was past J/22 World Champion Wouter Kollman and his crew on TEAM PLAJ from WSV Almere Haven that took class honors after the ten race series with three 1sts and three 2nds in their tally to easily win the championship.
It was a very talented fleet, all things considered. Taking second was a top German J/70 team, Team GIESBEEK GER 775 that was sailed by Bocholt-Peter Wanders. Then, third was TEAM HENRI LLOYD- John Den Engelsman- also from the same home club as Kollmann’s- WSV Almere Centraal. Rounding out the top five were Team Giesbeek 2 from WSV Giesbeek and in 5th place was Team KWS from KWS Sneek. Sailing Photo Credits: Michael Hilliges — at Sociëteit der KNZ&RV. For more Dutch J/70 Open Nationals sailing information
Awesome, Stormy J/Fest Southwest Regatta(Seabrook, TX)- This past weekend, the 8th annual J/Fest Southwest Regatta took place on Clear Lake and Galveston Bay, hosted by the always gracious Lakewood YC members. The event featured the “Legends Regatta” on Friday afternoon, much to the delight of the spectators onshore and those at Barge 295. Thereafter, it was full-on for trying to get in as many races as possible despite the somewhat crazy weather pattern that had setup over the Gulf of Mexico and the southern plains just to the west of Galveston Bay.
The event featured one-design racing for J/22s, J/24s, J/70s, J/105s, J/109s, and two classes of J/PHRF boats ranging from J/27s up to a J/122! In the end, the seventy boat fleet managed to get in four races and also enjoy the amazing LYC shoreside entertainment.
The fifteen-boat J/22 fleet saw a tight battle for the top four crews. Kevin Hayes’ HAYES RIGGING won with a 5-1-4-2 for 12 pts. The results did come down to the last race, and Vincent Ruder’s USA 365 won that last race, but Hayes crew hung tough to preserve their lead. Consequently, Ruder’s crew took 2nd with 13 pts. Similarly, Stu Lindow’s SOUTHERN BELLE was in a battle with Kalyn Lundemo’s YER MUM for the final position on the podium. By taking 4th to Kalyn’s 6th, Stu’s crew on the BELLE took the bronze, 16 pts to Kalyn’s 17 pts.
A round dozen boats took part in the J/24 class and no one expected a roundhouse punch from the MISS CONDUCT team skippered by Jim Freedman from Dallas Corinthian YC- an “outsider” for sure those Houstonians! Nevertheless, Freedman’s crew smoked the fleet with four straight bullets to take the class title. Behind them, it was tight racing for the next four spots. Top woman J/24 helm, Natalie Harden, and her crew on GIGGLES from Austin YC took the silver with a steady 3-3-2-4 for 12 pts. Third was Barry Bailey’s TRICK BAG with an 8-2-4-2 for 16 pts.The fifteen boats sailing the J/70 class saw duals taking place for both Open and Corinthians division leadership. In the Open class, two old J/24 class veterans used to dueling with one another over time dominated the top two spots. Winning was Glenn Darden’s HOSS from Fort Worth Boat Club over local rock star Jay Lutz driving ZOUNDS HEARING from Lakewood YC. Third was Forbes Durdin’s MOJITO from Lakewood YC and also the Corinthians division winner. Fourth overall was Al Poindexter’s USA 241, and also second by 2 pts to MOJITO in the Corinthians.
Utilizing the regatta as their “training session” prior to the upcoming J/105 NA’s, the eighteen-boat J/105 class had spirited competition amongst the top three boats. Winning was Rick Goebel’s SANITY team from San Diego YC with a 1-4-2-1 tally for 8 pts. Behind them, it was a battle until the final leg of the 4th race, where two boats ended in a tie for 2nd place with 11 pts each. Winning that tussle was Osmond Young’s NE*NE with a 2-5-1-3 over Ryan Glaze’s MOJO from Rush Creek YC with a 4-1-4-2.
The four-boat J/109 class had the “shoot-out at the OK Corral” that was forecast ahead of time. All boats were fast; it was going to come down to which had the crew to make it happen for the regatta. Trading places all four races were HAMBURG, AIRBORNE and LEADING EDGE. All three boats won a race, and all had a 2nd and 3rd in their final tallies! The winners by a whisker were Albrecht Goethe’s HAMBURG with a 1-2-1-3 for 7 pts. One point back was David Christensen’s AIRBORNE with a 3-1-2-2 for 8 pts. Taking the bronze was Tom Sutton’s LEADING EDGE with a 2-3-3-1 for 9 pts! Close, but not close enough.
PHRF World saw several interesting outcomes. Because of the weather and the courses, there was some degree of fleet stratification. In the J/PHRF Asym class, the long beats played well to JD Hill’s beautiful J/122 SECOND STAR, winning with straight bullets. Second in class was Scott Spurlin’s FIORNA-J with just about all seconds. And, third was Dan Sullivan’s J/92S LITTLE JOE.
In the PHRF “Classic” Class of Symmetric spinnakers (yes, those things you put out on mast-mounted spinnaker pole!), it was Glen Stromme’s insanely fast J/29 PRESS TO MECO that won with a 1-1-2-1 tally for 5 pts. Pressing them hard was Gary Trinklein’s almost as fast J/27 TOCCATA with a 2-2-1-2 for 7 pts. Rounding out the podium was Beverly Caldwell’s pretty J/40 SHAKEN NOT STIRRED. Follow J/Fest Southwest Facebook page here. For more J/Fest Southwest Regatta sailing information
Campbell Crushes J/105 Masters Regatta(San Diego, CA)- The 2017 edition of the J/105 International Masters Regatta produced nearly an entirely fresh new slate of masters skippers from around the USA and Caribbean. The twelve seasoned skippers had their hands full also sailing in an entirely new location- south of the Coronado Bridge in the wide-open South Bay. It was a refreshing change for those who had sailed in the past in the corner of San Diego Harbor- defined by the USS Midway on the city-front, one of the big 1,200 ft nuclear carriers docked at North Island, and the Sheraton Airport Hotels to the north; it was riddled with huge current issues and even worse boat traffic and wackier wind shifts.
Demonstrating that he had not lost his touch over time, native southern Californian Bill Campbell simply smoked the fleet of past offshore and dinghy champions; compiling five 1st, four 2nds in eleven races to take the crown of Chief Master with just 24 pts total, easily the lowest average score in Master racing history. Here is how it all unfolding over the course of three days.
Day One- FridayIt was a long day of sailing on the first day of the event. Four races were completed after an initial postponement. Competitors were eager to get going, however, racing was delayed due to a J/105 breakdown on the way out to the race course. Luckily, a replacement boat came quickly and Race Committee was able to start race one at 12:30pm. With some slight changes, Race Committee ran course 4 throughout the day in mostly 10 knots of wind and flat water.
According to PRO Susi Graff, "We had a great day today because there was a lot of wind, and at one point we saw 18 knots of breeze. The wind direction kept swinging from 250 to 280, but we were able to basically put the course where we wanted to. I think the racers had a good time. They were fast!"
Dr. Laura Schlessinger (Santa Barbara Yacht Club), the only female skipper in this year's Masters Regatta, said she experienced a bit of a learning curve on the first day of racing. "These guys are formidable and I better have a bigger breakfast tomorrow. I'm not used to the J/105s, they are a completely different animal to me, but I sure liked when the wind came up. When I heel, I'm happy!"
David Irish (Little Traverse Yacht Club) traveled to San Diego all the way from Michigan to compete in the Masters Regatta, and is keeping a positive attitude after day one. "Today had its moments. We had some good results, good performances, and some disappointments. We're doing a lot better than last year though and we enjoyed a good, long day of racing."
Though racing was tight, local Bill Campbell (SDYC) was undoubtedly the star of the day, winning three out of four races. Dave Perry (Pequot Yacht Club) was the only skipper able to beat Campbell, though Campbell remained close behind him and ultimately finished that race in second place.
Perry recounted the day and what happened in race three, his winning race. "Today was perfect racing conditions with a lot of close competition. For race three, we were in an orange boat and that boat was sailing really nicely. We had a good start, went out to the left, rounded the mark behind Doug Rastello's team, passed them right before the gate, and never looked back."
The provisional leaderboard after four races had Campbell on top, followed by John Andron (St. Francis Yacht Club) in second, and Doug Rastello (Newport Harbor Yacht Club) in third.
Day Two- Commodore Swimming DaySaturday’s racing started out with a lot less breeze. With the wind at a light 5 knots, the Race Committee PRO started the first race on time at 11:30am. By race two, the wind was up to about 10 knots, a speed that continued throughout the rest of the day for the most part, similar to Friday. Luckily, the weather worked out largely as forecasted this weekend; the breeze filled in from the left and SDYC RC got one race in at 250 deg. before the breeze moved to the right. Four races were run for the day, all windward-leeward, with the final race a course “3” so the windward finish was much closer to home. Competitors were back to the dock by 4:30pm to get ready for the anticipated Saturday night regatta banquet.
SDYC Waterfront Director Jeff Johnson commented that, “Race Committee has been thrilled to run these races in San Diego South Bay. Having a full race track is awesome. We think it keeps the boats from collisions that they have been plagued by in the past.”
Saturday was full of surprises, mainly during race 6 which featured an epic comeback from Bill Campbell (SDYC), and a start that landed the SDYC Commodore in the water. Yes, you read that correctly. The SDYC Commodore John Reiter, crewing for Dave Perry (Pequot Yacht Club), and the boat rep on board both visited the Masters "dunk tank" during race 6!!
Reiter told the soon-to-be-classic tale back at the dock after sailing. “After the start we tacked immediately on to port. We got going and we were cruising along and the next thing you know there was a puff and Dave yelled at us to hike hard. I leaned out over the lifeline, it snapped, and the boat rep and I just went straight in the water! I was holding on to the cushion that goes over the wire so I just started using it as a pool noodle until we were able to get back on the boat!”Once back on board, both sailors dried off in the wind while continuing to sail. Perry ended up finishing 11th that race, and went on to win race 8 later in the day.
Meanwhile, defending Champion Bill Menninger (Newport Harbor Yacht Club) noticed a pattern in the results between the 2016 and 2017 running of the regatta.
"We had a better day than yesterday, but it has been very similar to last year. We were seventh on Friday last year, then fourth on Saturday, and we finished today in fourth. All Bill Campbell has to do tomorrow is get three 10th places and then we will be right there!"
Joking aside, Menninger learned a lot yesterday, which he was able to apply to today to help him move up a few spots. "We did a little better today and went a little faster. We learned from what other boats were doing yesterday, basically pulling the jib in tighter and that helps an awful lot. So, our boat speed was much better and we got off the line faster.”
Bill Campbell proved that his performance on Friday was not a fluke, and he won races 5 and 7 on Saturday. In race 6 he rounded the first weather mark at the back of the fleet and worked his way up to second by the last leg, ultimately finishing second. Campbell is still in the lead by 20 points after day 2, with Jon Andron (St. Francis Yacht Club) in second, and David Irish (Little Traverse Yacht Club) in third.
Day Three- Campbell Dominates FinaleThe final day could not have been a more picturesque day out on the water. Under the bright sun in South San Diego Bay, the twelve sailors (some not so bright & bushy-tailed after Saturday night’s bacchanalian dinner) completed the last three races.
The one weather complaint today was lack of wind at the scheduled start time. The SDYC RC postponed racing for an hour until the breeze came up to 5 knots and they were able to start the first race. There was a huge wind shift to the right at the end of the first race, so Race Committee re-set everything for the second and third races. Due to timing, Race Committee made the call to only run 11 races total, and they sent competitors on a long three-legged race for race 11 in order to get back to SDYC for the awards ceremony.
By day three of racing, Bill Campbell (SDYC) and Jon Andron (St. Francis Yacht Club) were pretty much locked in for first and second places. However, it was incredibly tight between third through fifth places going into the last race. Tad Lacey (San Francisco Yacht Club) placed fourth in race 11 which solidified his third place podium finish, just one point over defending champion Bill Menninger (Newport Harbor Yacht Club).
This is Lacey's first time racing the International Masters Regatta as a skipper, though he has crewed it several times before. "We had great races today. We went from 7th place last night to 3rd place overall by the end of today and I owe it all to my crew. They did a fabulous job on the course, calling the wind, trim, tactics, everything. It was a great day."
Andron placed second overall and was the winner of race 10 today. "We had a fun weekend, but we were all racing for second place. Bill Campbell is a well-deserved champion and he sailed beautifully. My favorite race was the race we won. It was puffy and streaky and we were able to be in the right place at the right time."
With five bullets over three days, Bill Campbell was a powerhouse this weekend, earning his first place finish by 23 points. In addition to Lacey, this was also Bill's first time skippering the Masters Regatta, though he crewed for Richard du Moulin last year and for Malin Burnham a few years back.
Campbell has been sailing J/105s for a while now, but attributes his success in this regatta to his crew. "We were fortunate and lucky in many respects. I had a great crew: Al Pleskus on the bow, Chuck Sinks and Andy La Dow trimming, Dwight Allgood in the pit, and Vince Brun as tactician and helping in the back of the boat steering. It's easy when you have a bunch of great guys working for you. We had a wonderful time and we were fortunate to have a couple of great starts and races. We were able not to lose boats, but always to gain boats if we had to."Interestingly enough, Bill was not the only talented Campbell out on the San Diego Bay this weekend. Bill's son Andrew, the 2008 Olympian and Team Oracle USA America’s Cup sailor, was racing the Extreme Sailing Series for Team Extreme San Diego. Luckily, the Extreme Sailing Series was just up the bay off Harbor Island and Bill's wife Sherri was able to split time on a spectator boat between events to be able to watch her husband and son!
Event organizers would like to thank everyone involved in this year's International Masters Regatta for all of their hard work on and off the water. The International Masters Regatta would like to thank its event sponsors: Helly Hansen, SD Boatworks, and Cutwater Spirits. Follow the J/105 Masters Regatta on Facebook For more J/105 International Masters Regatta sailing information
Gale-force Mistral Decimates Middle Sea RaceJ/122 Wins IRC Doublehanded, J/122E 3rd IRC 5 Class!
(Gzira, Malta)- As can be the case in the infamous Rolex Middle Sea Race, forecasts can be either “spot-on” or simply way off the mark. The 2017 edition had one of the simplest forecasts ever, light airs 3-8 kts from the east-southeast at the start, dying off by midnight, then a building mistral from the WNW increasing to 30-45 kts by midday Sunday. The only boat to make it through the Straits of Messina between the island of Sicily and Messina on the mainland was the 88 ft super-maxi RAMBLER 88. The rest of the fleet was kicked, literally, straight in the teeth by a fierce mistral sweeping across the long fetch of the Mediterranean, kicking up 15-20 ft seas in the form of a vicious “chop”- the breaking seas were making life miserable for the crews. Over 70% of the fleet of eighty-five boats retired at some port or harbor along the spectacular shoreline of Sicily- many boats did not even make it to the Straits, simply stopping before they got there.
The Rolex Middle Sea Race, organized by the Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC), certainly bore all of the hallmarks and qualities of a Rolex-partnered offshore race- tough, challenging, pushing the levels of human endurance to the absolute limits of sanity. The 608nm course, principally a counter-clockwise circumnavigation of Sicily, proved to be too much for the vast majority of the fleet.In the ultimate test of seamanship and living up to the challenge of the sea, just two of the six J/122s completed the course and the other three J/133s all retired. As a result, winning the IRC Doublehanded Class was the J/122 STELLAR RACING TEAM, sailed by the incredible tough Russian duo of Dmitry Kondratyev & Alexander Grudnin. They proved to be fast learners and up to the challenge, taking class honors as the ultimate survivors of the race!
Then, in the fully-crewed IRC handicap divisions the IRC 5 Division saw the only other J/team to complete the race. Not soon after taking delivery of their brand-new J/122E called ANITA, the Chilean team of owner/ skipper Nicolás Ibáñez Scott and crew of Juan Pablo Dominguez, Jordi Rabasa, Jorge Mendez, Didac Costa, and Rueben Castells, had to take her on a “shakedown cruise” and sail the qualifier race to be permitted to participate. In the end, the Chileans were up to the challenge, guiding their newly-tuned J/122E to a bronze on the podium in their first ever attempt at the Rolex Middle Sea Race. Interestingly, the J/122 STELLAR RACING TEAM placed just behind them in 4th place in the fully-crewed division! Congratulations to both teams for their formidable performance under incredibly tough sailing conditions.For more Rolex Middle Sea Race sailing information
ZEPHYR Zooms Thru J/30 North American’s(New Orleans, LA)- The 2017 J/30 North American Championship was hosted by New Orleans Yacht Club and J/30 Gulf Coast District fleet from October 19th through 22nd. It was a great experience for all competitors and the eight boats that made it to the starting line were given the red-carpet “southern” treatment by their gracious hosts at NOYC.
Lake Pontchartrain always provides challenging race conditions and for those that couldn’t figure it out, they could rely on evening visits to the historic New Orleans’ French Quarter and the infamous Bourbon Street to drown their sorrows and, hopefully, live to tell their tales another day.
Sponsored by The Sugar Bowl Committee, the event certainly had their cheerleaders and supporters from not just the club, but from their local Chamber of Commerce. After three days of sailing on the lake, Team ZEPHYR won the 2017 J/30 North American Championship; it was their 7th National Championship since winning the first, circa 2001 in Chicago! The crew included Scott Tonguis, Dan Mather, Whitney Kent, Dani McNeil, RJ Trejo and Jessica Oswalt. This team of “ringers” zoomed to six straight 1sts in seven races for a total of 12 pts.
However, behind the Zephyrites, it was quite another story altogether. It took all seven races to figure out the rest of the podium and the top five, that’s how close it was amongst the next three boats. By finishing with a flourish in the last two races with a 2-1 tally, Ken Buhler’s hot crew on JALAPENO closed the deal to grab the silver with 20 pts total. Just three points back, fighting hard the entire way, was Russ Atkinson’s WILDCAT from North Cape YC with 23 pts total. Rounding out the top five were Dan Mather’s CRUSADER team from Oswego YC in New York in 4th and Carl Sherter’s FAT CITY gangster from Cedar Point YC in Connecticut in 5th place. For more Sugar Bowl J/30 North American Championship sailing information
Hamble Winter Series- Week 5- Dark'n'Stormy!(Hamble, England)- The fifth weekend of sailing had nearly a full-blown gale all weekend long. The remnants of a Caribbean hurricane decided to take a right turn into the North Atlantic Ocean and headed right for Scotland, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The storm thrashed the western coasts of the islands with 60-80 kts winds- basically a hurricane by any other definition. But, in the U.K. Met offices jargon, a “major depression”. Sure. Just like “Fastnet Force 10” many blue moons ago. As a result, Saturday’s racing was canceled on the Solent due to sustained winds of 25-30 kts gusting to 45+ kts, as some wags put it in The Bugle in the Hamble, a “bit of a dust-up” on the Solent. Then, on Sunday the winds moderated enough for the IRC classes and the J/88s to go racing in something less than 25 kts of wind.
In the Hamble Winter Series IRC 1 Class, Paul & Marie-Claude Heys’ J/112E GP DAVANTI TYRES continued their blistering pace, adding another 1st to their series tally to be leading the fleet with 8 pts net and a clear 7 pt lead on the fleet.
The HWS IRC 2 Class is full of J/109s, the top boat is still Simon Perry’s JIRAFFE in third place. Then, Tom Chatterton’s RED ARROW crew got a 3rd on the weekend and leaped into 4th on the series leaderboard.
Continuing their strangle-hold on the top two spots in HWS IRC 3 are Annie & Andy Howe’s J/97 BLACKJACK II with just 9 pts net in seven races and in 2nd place is Robin Stevenson’s J/92S UPSTART with just 13 pts net.
Finally, in the HWS J/88 Class, Avia Willment’s crew on GBR 2688R piled on yet another bullet to their tally, further strengthening their firm grip at the top of the class with just 6 pts net. Sitting 7 pts back is Gavin Howe’s TIGRIS with 13 pts net, followed by Richard Cooper’s JONGLEUR with 16 pts net, then David & Kirsty Apthorp’s J-DREAM with 18 pts. The eight-boat class is tough, no one is giving one centimeter (or, is it a double pfennig) to each other as they fight tooth and nail around the race track. Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth. Hamble Winter Series follow on Facebook page For more Spinlock Hamble Winter Series sailing information.
J’s Cruise Manhasset Fall Series(Manhasset, New York)- The 39th annual Manhasset Fall Series took place over October 14th, 15th and 21st, a classic fall series event. The event was blessed with an incredible variety of conditions over the two weekends, from near gales one day, to sunny and not much winds another day- true shorts & shades conditions. Such is sailing on the western end of Long Island Sound in the fall- it can be literally any weather condition you can imagine- some year’s it’s even snowed!
Thankfully, the Manhasset YC Race Committee crew and volunteers did a wonderful job to knock-out a six-race series for most of the classes. The fleets included three PHRF classes and a J/105 one-design fleet.
The eight-boat J/105 fleet saw one of the regatta’s perennial winners yet again establish hegemony over the fleet; Damian Emery’s ECLIPSE collected four 1sts enroute to a dominating win with just 6 pts in seven races. Frank Latawiec’s ATARAXIS was actually winning the regatta after the first three races with a 2-1-3. However, that staying power did not last long; dropping a 3-6-3 to close out the series with 12 pts net. Taking third in class was Max Kalehoff’s LAURA BEA with 18 pts net.
In PHRF 1 class, Sam Talbot’s J/111 SPIKE crew won two races of the seven and was winning class after six races. However, in race 7 they took a DNC/8 points as their throw-out race, dropping to 3rd overall. Finishing 4th was Paul Strauch’s J/111 crew and 5th place went to Bob Schwartz’s J/109 NORDLYS.One of the fastest woman skippers in the J/88 class, Iris Vogel, guided her DEVIATION crew to a win in the PHRF 2 class, taking three bullets and three deuces to win class. Third place went to another J/88, Peter Chirlian’s ONE TOO MANY.
Finally, it was a sweep of the top two spots in PHRF 4 class. Todd Aven’s J/92 THIN MAN took class honors with an amazing four 1sts and two 2nds to close the regatta with 6 pts net. Second was Jason Viseltear’s J/80 UPSETTER with a perfect mirror of THIN MAN’s record- two 1sts and four 2nds for 8 pts net. For Manhasset YC Fall series results For more Manhasset YC Fall Series sailing information
J/24 Italy National Circuit- October Report(Genoa, Italy)- The Italian J/24 class continues to complete a combination of their summer series and upcoming fall events. Here are the latest reports from the Cervia Fleet in Sardinia and from the Genovese fleet sailing their annual “Lantern Regatta”.
CERVIA
For the fifth leg of the Italian J/24 National Circuit, the Race Committee and PRO at Circolo Nautico de Cervia managed to provide the twenty-three J/24 teams with six races over the two-day weekend.
Thanks to a very steady series scoreline of 5-3-2-2-3-3, J-OC sailed by Fabio Apollonio ended up winning the Cervia stage of the National J/24 Circuit with 13 pts total. Just off the pace behind them and taking 2nd place was Italian J/24 Class President, Pietro Diamanti, racing his famous ITA 212 JAMAICA to a record of 4-1-5-3-1-2 for 15 pts. Rounding out the podium was ITA 424 KISMET owned by Francesca Focardi and skippered by Dario Luciani, with a record of 10-2-1-6-4-9 for 22 pts.
For the balance of the top five, it was ITA 505 JORE owned by Alessandro Errani and helmed by Marco Pantano that took 4th place. Then, unceremoniously finishing in 5th place was past Italian J/24 Champion Ignacio Bonanno and his Italian Navy crew on the famous ITA 416 LA SUPERBA; they got DSQ’d in two races and had to count them!
The Cervia event also qualified another boat for the 2018 World Championship that will take place in Riva del Garda at the end of August 2018- this time it was ITA 424 KISMET that won that slot.
"We were very pleased with the fact that we had envisaged the participation of more than twenty boats," explained Guido Guadagni, Cervia’s Fleet Captain and co-owner of CAPTAIN NEMO. “We were pleased to see that many of our top local boats ended up on the podium. Everyone is looking forward to the next stage in the Italian J/24 National circuit in two weeks at Interlaghi, the sixth and final stage of the 2017 series, hosted by Canottieri Lecco.”As a result of this regatta, the National Circuit series continues to be led by Diamanti’s JAMAICA, followed by ITA 473 MAGIC FAIRY sailed by Massimo Frigerio in 2nd and ITA 304 FIVE FOR FIGHTING J sits in 3rd, sailed by the young Eugenia De Giacomo.
GENOA/ PORTOFINO- Campionato Della Lanterna
Over the past weekend, the Marina Genova Airport Nautical Club (http://www.circolonauticomga.it), completed the second and third events of the Campionato Della Lanterna for the fleet of eight J/24s.
The fleet had to contend with uncertain weather on Saturday, almost a “glass-out” in the morning, but followed up with a southwest breeze of 5-7 kts in the afternoon, enough to get in two races. Then, Sunday’s racing was defined by a “sirocco” (e.g. a mistral) of 15-18 kts with a short, steep chop. It was close racing for everyone over the weekend.
In the end, it was JAWS that won the regatta, followed by JUST A JOKE in second, FINALLY in third, FOR FIVE (A. Criscuolo - P. Ghibaudi) in fourth, and LANDFALL (Simone and Andrea Moretti) in fifth.
"I am very happy with the way this championship is going," Sr Buffa explained. “Above all, it is the rebirth and the fervor of our Fleet of Portofino/ Genoa, constantly searching for new J/24 owners who wish to join us."
The Marina Genova Airport Nautical Club was born in 2012 with the aim of organizing and promoting sailing activities and events and spreading the values of “sailing & the sea”, with a sporting footprint and aimed at creating opportunities for encounters among all enthusiasts. President of the club is Ernesto Moresino; an ocean navigator with 30 years of racing offshore and more than ten years as an instructor and skipper; of particular historical significance is that he was also founder in 1994 and president for 4 years of the Mini 6.50 class! For more Italian J/24 Class sailing information
J/Community
What friends, alumni and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
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* John Guy has been sailing one of the rare J/90’s produced by J/Boats many moons ago. He passed along his recent experience having a great time with this early J/Boats speedster:“I just wanted to share with you our recent win in J/90 #6 at the West Florida Ocean Racing Conference in Pensacola, FL. The regatta consisted of five windward/leeward races and one ocean race over three days ending October 15th. We won Class A with scores of 1-2-1-2 (ocean race)-1-1.
In addition, Class A was declared to be the most competitive class, so we won the overall regatta and the Riddle Cup (so named after a prominent sailboat racing family in Pensacola).
The picture shows a large silver tray for winning Class A, a wooden ship's wheel for winning Class A, a glass keeper Riddle Cup trophy vase held by John, the perpetual silver Riddle Cup trophy, and small silver trays for the winning crew!” Thanks John for this heart-warming report!
* Building Your Sailing Tribe- by Deborah Bennett Elfers"I’ve written before about fleet building, and what I’ve found to be the most important strategies in being able to be successful in that work. But it wasn’t until I read Seth Godin’s book, Tribes: We Need You To Lead Us, that I could envision a compelling and simple way to communicate to others what has helped my fleet grow and thrive. And so, because of Seth’s book, I’m hereafter choosing to refer to the work we do as “Building Your Sailing Tribe.” You’ll soon see why.
To begin, Seth believes that here are just two simple things one needs in order to create a tribe:
1. A shared interest, and
2. A way to communicate.
If you have both of these, you’re well on your way to launching your sailing tribe. Obviously, the shared interest in this case is sailing, so that’s a given. Half of your work is done for you before you even start! But what is often missing is the second requirement: an effective way for the sailing tribe to communicate — and without the connections that this communication affords, your tribe won’t be able to flourish.
But you can’t stop there, because there’s another important ingredient you need, as well: a leader. Here’s what Seth thinks about tribe leadership, and why a good leader is essential:
• A leader can transform the tribe’s shared interest into a passionate goal,
• Provide effective communications tools for its members, and
• Leverage the success of the tribe to help it grow and attract new members.
Let’s look further at these recommendations, and at how they might be applied to doing the work of building a fleet. What are the things we can do to plant the seeds, and nurture them, so that our sailing tribe can succeed and grow? Here are some strategies I’ve found to be effective:• A regular newsletter during the sailing season, and others sprinkled throughout the year with tips and tricks for getting ready for the season ahead.
• Gathering the tribe after racing, for kudos on a job well done, a debrief for “on-the-water” happenings and rules learning, and just plain getting to know one another.
• Building a shared passion around things like getting ready together to participate in a National Championship or area regatta – everyone helps each other to be as successful as they can be, because it benefits the tribe (not to mention making the fleet’s racing that much more satisfying).
• Connect and inspire your tribe members – through one-on-one conversations, and leading by example. Tribe members will follow your lead and take on some of this work themselves. It takes a village, as they say.
• Create pride and enthusiasm among the fleet for contributing to the success of the sailing tribe – this is what leveraging the success of your tribe looks like. People want to be part of a successful team, and new members will want to join the tribe you’ve built.
• Create the culture you want and stick to the messaging – in a sailing tribe, this is especially important in a sport where self-policing and sportsmanship are expected. Understand what you can’t compromise on.
• Believe in your sailing tribe, and, as the leader, never fail to demonstrate your commitment to the tribe and its mission.
• Be ready when it comes time to let others lead and innovate – no one can stay at the helm too long; new ideas and outlooks are what keep things fresh and exciting.
Every single one of these strategies will positively influence your tribe, and, taken together they will have a huge impact on its growth and connectivity. None of them is especially difficult, though they do require a consistent dose of time and commitment. Start small and branch out – it’s a lot of these smaller actions, accomplished over time, that will provide your tribe with the big pay-off.
As I write this, I’ve recently handed off the leadership of our fleet to two wonderful new leaders, and I know that their ideas and excitement are going to benefit us all. It’s been my absolute joy to do this work, and to have helped people come together to build our amazing community of sailors. Our sailing tribe remains in good hands – and I, for one, can’t wait to see what great things will happen!"
Author: Deborah Bennett Elfers was practically born on a boat, though on a working lobster boat rather than a sailboat. But now she is all about sailing and shares her random musings about things like falling in love with a boat, building a fleet, learning to become a winner, and the beauty of sailing classic boats on legendary Buzzards Bay on her blog – Take the Tiller.
* J/24 Tiller & Kites Program @ Lake Pleasant, Arizona- a new sailing program as described by Juan Mari.“Based on our commitment to be your direct access to sailing solutions and with the goal of providing the highest level of customer support, MAURI PRO SAILING is pleased to announce that it has selected Tiller and Kites as it representative and On-The-Water technical support for Lake Pleasant and other areas in Arizona.
Tiller & Kites will be operating under the umbrella of Mauri Pro Sailing as ‘Mauri Pro Sailing– Arizona’ while remaining as an independent International Yacht Training accredited sailing school and a sailboat services, repair and reconditioning facility for the Phoenix area.
This new partnership will allow us to provide Arizona sailors with a more personalized service and technical support, as well as a physical location where to go and discuss about how to improve your deck layout, better tune your rig, or simply talk all about sailboats; in addition to picking up all your www.mauriprosailing.com purchases if needed.
Victor Felice, Juan Mauri and all the Mauri Pro Sailing team are excited to start this road together and to provide unique consumer experience, both online and directly at your boat.”
About Mauri Pro Sailing: it is an international group of companies dedicated to provide sailing technical support and to supply sailboat parts and sailing clothing to sailors around the world. With offices in 5 different countries and an infrastructure for global logistics, Mauri Pro Sailing drives on, becoming the global and sailor’s sailing store. For more Tiller & Kites Program sailing information
For more information, please contact Victor Felice/ Tiller and Kites at email-victor@tillerankites.com or website- http://www.tillerandkites.com. Also, you can contact Juan Mauri/ Mauri Pro Sailing at email- juan@mauriprosailing.com or website- http://www.mauriprosailing.com
* J/80s Sailing Strong In Hong Kong! A member of the Royal Hong Kong YC J/80 fleet, Jason Keg, sent us this note recently:“We thought you might like the attached picture of the J/80 fleet in Hong Kong. It's not very often that the entire J/80 fleet from Royal Hong Kong YC and neighboring clubs is moored in the water at the same time. This occurred due to the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club hosting the recent Optimist Asian and Oceanian Championships 2017 at the Middle Island Clubhouse, with the fleet vacating the hardstands to make space for the competitors ashore.”
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The Rolex Middle Sea Race course is 608 nautical miles long and is sailed counter-clockwise. Starting from the Grand Harbour, Valletta, beneath Fort St Angelo and the Saluting Battery in Valletta, the fleet head north along the eastern coasts of Sicily up towards the Straits of Messina. Mt Etna is usually visible on the fleets’ port side, billowing ashes and lava throughout the night. Once through the Straits, the course leads north to the Aeolian Islands and the active volcano of Stromboli where the yachts turn west to the Egadi Islands.
VIGO WINTER SERIES
Upon reaching the docks after racing by 1730 hrs, the tired and satisfied sailors were treated to fine sparkling wine given out with white glove treatment, thanks to main sponsors- Domaine Chandon. Domaine Chandon is from California's famed Napa Valley region and uses the same three noble grape varietals as used in French Champagne.
The Corinthian title was no easy achievement either. The lead swapped multiple times throughout the day. After race 6, Gregg’s MUSE crew was leading the division on a tiebreaker. After the 7th race, Renz’s BERTEAU GROUP was leading by one pt. But, with a 7th in the 8th and final race, Jenn Wulff’s JOINT CUSTODY managed to win in the end. BERTEAU GROUP and MUSE held their top three spots, finishing in that order. What is remarkable about that outcome was that it was the first time in J/70 class history that three women skippers swept the Corinthians Division! Notably, women crews were also present on the next two boats- Mallory Loe on DIME in 4th and Melissa Fisher on BUTTON FLY in 5th place!
Second place went to yet another woman skipper- Anna Basalkina from the ST PETERSBURG ACADEMY SAILING TEAM! There is no question that would a “first ever” scenario in the history of Russian sailing that two women skippers swept the top two spots in a major national sailing championship!
The overall series silver was awarded to NAVIGATOR Sailing Team and rounding out the podium with the bronze was LORD OF THE SAIL- EUROPE’s Vyacheslav Ermolenko and crew.
* Terry Hutchinson has accrued a track record of being a winner. He gets involved in big-time keelboat racing programs and makes them better. However, the basis for what he does today is deeply rooted in extremely tough one-design racing at a world-class level. After sailing FJ’s and 420’s in college and became a College Sailor of the Year, Terry competed in J/24s for a long time, ultimately winning the J/24 World Championship. Like other J/24 World Champions, such as his colleague Ken Read at North Sails (now its President), Terry also capitalized on his know-how on what it takes to win and proceeded to help Quantum Sails Racing program, first in one-designs, then later in big boats. 
CL: What do we know about the boat?
* Volvo Ocean Race: Meet Vestas 11th Hour Racing, a team that includes as its leader the J/24 World Champion Charlie Enright. Furthermore, he is joined by friend Mark Towill, both avid sailors and racers since they were little kids growing up on Narragansett Bay, sailing out of the Bristol YC on Sunfishes, J/24s, J/35s, J/105s and even the new J/121 recently.