Wednesday, February 28, 2018

J/Newsletter- February 28th, 2018

J-Boats Newsletter
J/Boats News is a digest of worldwide events, regattas, and news for sailing enthusiasts and members of our J Community. Contributions regarding your racing, cruising or human interest stories on-board J's are welcome- please send to "editor@jboats.com".  For you globe-trotting J cruisers, please keep us up-to-date with your travels- for examples to chronicle your adventures please see our J/ Community Cruising section below. 
February 28th, 2018

J/121 sailingNew J/121 Cover Girl on SAILING- March 2018 issue!
(Port Washington, WI)- The J/121 has garnered tremendous attention since she first debuted at the Newport International Sailboat Show September 2017.  Since then she has won numerous awards, like SAIL’s Best Boats- Performance category and SAILING WORLD’s Boat of the Year- Offshore 40’+.

Here is the latest accolade coming from the most followed magazine in the Midwest- SAILING.  Interestingly, the popular large-format magazine has been family published since inception by the Schanen Family of Port Washington, WI.  They also happen to be great fans of J/Boats and currently sail their bright-red, race-winning J/145 MAIN STREET on Lake Michigan.  Read more about the SAILING overview here.  For more information on J/121 offshore speedster
 

J/122 sailing Heineken St Maarten RegattaHeineken St. Maarten Regatta Preview
(Simpson Bay, St. Maarten)- The four-day Heineken St. Maarten Regatta kicks off on Thursday, March 1, 2018 with the Gill Commodore’s Cup. On Friday, the fleet embarks on the event’s 26 nautical mile Around the Island Race before taking on a series of windward-leeward races on Saturday and a single coastal race on Sunday. Each day of racing is rounded out with serious shore-side entertainment, including concerts and parties.

In 1980, the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta started as the St. Maarten Regatta with a modest 12 sailboats participating. In 1983, Heineken became a major sponsor of the St. Maarten Regatta; as a bonus, the competitors received ice-cold Heineken beers from a passing powerboat while they were racing!  After the involvement of Heineken, the event grew fast. The Commodore’s Cup was added in 2005.

Set in the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean, powered by the cooling northeast trade winds and run by an experienced, innovative and friendly race team, the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is four days of world-class racing in idyllic conditions appealing to a broad range of tastes. The four race committees provide custom-tailored racing for the thousands of sailors from more than 35 countries that come to race.

J/111 sailing St Maarten Heineken RegattaStarting with the one-day Gill Commodore’s Cup and continuing with the three days of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, sailors are offered a mixture of races with a combination of windward-leeward and coastal races blended together into an irresistible cocktail of racing chosen to suit each class.

As the racers savor the prospect of eight races over four days with windward-leeward races on two days and two longer coastal races testing both boat handling and tactics, it’s easy to understand why the regatta attracts a large competitive group of classes.

Serious Fun Parties
With Heineken as a long-standing sponsor, you would expect the parties to be exceptional… no one leaves ever disappointed! With parties at varied locations around the island there are fantastic opportunities to experience the legendary nightlife for which the island is famous.  St. Maarten Heineken Regatta has a well-earned reputation for hosting amazing artists like the Black Eyed Peas, UB40 featuring Ali, Astro & Mickey, Akon, Wyclef Jean, Shaggy, The Commodores, and Red Foo and the Party Rock Crew, for the parties so that tired but happy sailors can party with an ice-cold Heineken in their hand and the sand between their toes as they watch the sun dip below the horizon.

J/105 sailing Heineken St Maarten RegattaGill Commodore’s Cup
The Gill Commodore’s Cup will take place on March 1, 2018 as pre-event of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. The Gill Commodore’s Cup will maintain individual results, allowing sailors to practice and perfect their racing without influencing their main event results. With 90 entries, the Gill Commodore’s Cup is ranked among the top five largest regattas in the Caribbean.

Winners of the Gill Commodore’s Cup will be awarded Gill gear during the prize ceremony, which will take place on Thursday evening, March 1st.

A number of strong J/crews are participating in this fun-loving, but quite competitive event.  In CSA 3 Class, is the new J/121 APOLLO sailed by Don Nicholson; she arrived just in time last week from her delivery from Palm Beach, FL to Simpson Bay, St Maarten.  Her inaugural regatta in the Caribbean will be up against a formidable duo of J/122s- a true test of the J/121’s offshore capabilities.  The best-known boat is EL OCASO (two-time past Heineken winner), returning with a winning family crew from the United Kingdom led by Chris Body.  They will be up against their nemesis, Pamala Baldwin’s LIQUID ANTIGUA, winner of last year’s Voiles de St Barth.  Then, given the wind and wave conditions, watch out for Sam Talbot’s J/111 SPIKE to provide a tough fight, especially in the lighter airs with reaching or running.  Then, there’s a hot offshore crew from Australia on the J/120 (custom) JAGUAR, led by skipper John Annet.

A similar scenario is playing out in CSA 4 Class.  Past winners of most all Caribbean regattas will be present with a trio of J/105s dueling for class honors with a J/30!  Those teams include Peter Lewis’ J/105 WHISTLER from Barbados, Jordan & Shannon Mindich’s J/105 SOLSTICE from New York, and Remco Van Dortmondt’s J/105 JENK from Curacao.  None other than Tanner & Shari’s J/30 BLUE PETER/ CARIBBEAN ALLIANCE INSURANCE from Antigua and Barbuda will be giving the 105s a good run-for-the-roses!  Should be fun for all despite the challenging weather forecast!  For more Heineken Regatta sailing information
 

J/24s sailing40th J/24 Midwinters Championship Preview
(Miami, FL)- Back in 1978, no one could have ever guessed that 40 years after the inaugural J/24 Midwinters in Key West, Florida that the J/24 class would be going as strong as ever in 2018!  Around the world, the class has demonstrated its appeal to a cross-section of sailors, young and old alike.  Now quite inexpensive, boats can be bought from $5,000 up to $15,000 (depending on your appetite for “fixer-uppers”) and you can be competitive against some of the worlds best sailors in the USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Chile, United Kingdom, Argentina, Uruguay, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Mexico, Japan, Greece and Ireland, to name a few locations where the class has strong local fleets.

This year’s Midwinters is being hosted by Coral Reef Yacht Club in Miami (Coconut Grove), FL.  It’s essentially “40 for 40” (boats & anniversary) and a number of North American, Midwinters and World Champions will be pointing their bows across the starting line on Thursday.  The four-day event goes until Sunday afternoon, sailing on the warm, inviting, choppy waters of Biscayne Bay.

The betting parlors would have a field day trying to handicap this fleet.  Teams are competing from across the USA, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.  Top Americans should be Robby Brown’s ANGEL OF HARLEM from St Petersburg, FL; Mark Laura’s BABA LOUIE from Seattle, WA; Tony Parker’s BANGOR PACKET from Washington, DC; Will Welles’ BOGUS from Newport, RI; Travis Odenbach’s HONEY BADGER from Pittsford, NY; Aidan Glackin’s MENTAL FLOSS from Huntington, NY; Ernesto Mendoza’s MUY MUY from Miami, FL; and Chris Stone’s VELOCIDAD from Middletown, NJ.

There are three women’s skippers in the event, including Erica Beck Spencer’s famous SEA BAGS WOMEN’S SAILING TEAM from Falmouth, ME; Natalie Harden’s GIGGLES from Austin, TX; and Elaine Haher’s A GOOD HAIR DAY from Atlantic Highlands, NJ.   The Mexican J/24 National Champion should be a contender- Kenneth Porter’s MONSTER FISH.  The Puerto Rican team is Gilberto Rivera’s URAYO from Guaynabo and the Canadian crew Nathan Bresett’s WOODJCHUCK from Belleville, Ontario.  For more 40th J/24 Midwinters sailing information
 

J/125 sailing Puerto Vallarta RacePuerto Vallarta Race Preview
(San Diego, CA)- Held bi-annually, anticipation has been building for the 2018 Puerto Vallarta Race as race day approaches this coming Friday at 12 pm Pacific time. Hosted by San Diego YC, the 1,000 nm race has been famous for two elements- the classic spinnaker-driven sleigh ride down the Mexican coast to the end of the Baja Peninsula, then a left turn at Cabo San Lucas across the Sea of Cortez, to the finish line off Punta Mita, Nayarit, Mexico that is at the opening of Bahia de Banderas (Banderas Bay).

The race has always attracted J/sailors of various stripes and experience over the course of time.  This year, two veteran offshore racing teams will be going at it hard in a 1,000nm dog-fight for class supremacy in Division 6.  The two protagonists are well-known in SoCal racing circles; the two J/125s are Mark Surber’s DERIVATIVE from San Diego YC and Viggo Torbensen’s TIMESHAVER from Dana Point YC.

While the stripped-out racing machines like the 125s and TP52s will be flying along at breakneck speed, the J/65 GOOD CALL, sailed by Tom Barker from Omaha, NE, will be sailing in Division 4 and will have the benefit of air-conditioning, a wine/ beer cooler, hot & cold pressure water, fresh water maker, and a number of other creature comforts that would make any racing sailor envious of such power, speed, and comfort all rolled into one boat!  For more Puerto Vallarta Race sailing information
 

J/80 Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay Regatta sailingBanderas Bay J/80 Clinic and J/80 Regatta
(Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)- The annual J/World Banderas Bay Clinic and Regatta is filling up fast, and is not one to be missed! Every year, J/World hosts a three-day racing clinic aboard their J/80s in Puerto Vallarta, followed by (coached) participation in the Banderas Bay Regatta!  This year it will take place from March 19th to 24th.

If you want a way to combine advancing your sailing and racing skills with a fun vacation, look no farther.  Bring your crew, your family, or just yourself and get ready for a fantastic event!

The Banderas Bay Regatta is a special event held every March at our Puerto Vallarta Sailing Center.  Participants range from flat-out racers, to cruising vessels that have sailed the seas to enjoy the wonders of Banderas Bay.  The regatta represents the culmination of the month-long “Festival Nautico” in Puerto Vallarta, and has become a favorite of locals and visitors.

J/World, the Performance Sailing School, offers sailors the opportunity to come play (and learn) during this special event.  They host a three day racing clinic prior to the regatta, which will include boathandling, sail handling, strategy, tactics, rules, etc. etc…  all the elements which will contribute to a successful regatta.

Then it is test time…  and they have the ultimate test:  a real regatta!  The event is a perfect blend of positive attitudes, friendly competition, and ideal weather.  Participation in the event of course includes participation in all the land-based activities that the Vallarta Yacht Club has planned.

Each of the J/80s will have teams of three to four students plus one coach per boat.  Everyone aboard will rotate through all the positions while getting the positive insights of one of their renowned J/World instructors. The host facility, the Paradise Village Resort, also offers great room rates for regatta participants, so bring the friend and family along for a fun vacation.  For more J/World Banderas Bay Regatta sailing & course information
 

J/gear specialJ/Gear Winter-Spring Special- 20% Off!
(Newport, RI)- J/Boats’ sailing gear licensee V-Sport is pleased to offer all J/Boats owners and crew their 2018 Winter-Spring Special.

The Special Offer is good from now until April 4th, 2018 (please not 1/2 models, J/Photo Prints and J/Battleflags are excluded from the offer).

To place your order and enter the 20% discount code- “JB2018SP”- please visit the J/Gear website.
 

J/Sailing News

The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide

There was an amazing diversity of sailing taking place last week.  For starters, there was the 5th annual J/70 Midwinter Championship that was hosted by Coral Reef YC in Miami (Coconut Grove), FL with sailing taking place on Biscayne Bay.  Sixty-one boats enjoyed amazing sailing over the three-day regatta with near postcard-perfect racing conditions.  Then, a J/109 and J/120 had a fun time sailing the Miami to Havana Race hosted by Coral Reef YC and the Southern Ocean Racing Conference- a race to the famous fort off Marina Hemingway in Havana, Cuba.

Over in India, sailing in the Indian Ocean was a fleet of J/80s enjoying the first J/80 Afton Cup hosted by the Royal Madras YC in Chennai, India.

Then, in Europe the J/70 Vigo Winter Series, hosted by Real Club Nautico de Vigo, completed their five-month long series in Vigo, Spain.  For offshore sailors, a J/11S sailed the TransQuadra Race as a doublehanded team from Lorient, France to Madeira Island, then down to Martinique in the Caribbean.

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:

Mar 1-4- Heineken St Maarten Regatta- Simpson Bay, St Maarten
Mar 2-4- J/24 Midwinters- Coconut Grove, FL
Mar 7-11- Bacardi Cup J/70 Invitational- Coconut Grove, FL
Mar 16-18- San Diego NOOD Regatta- San Diego, CA
Mar 22-25- St Thomas International Regatta- Red Hook Bay, St Thomas, USVI
Mar 29- Apr 1- Easter Regatta- Columbia, SC
Apr 12-15- Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC
Apr 8-14- Voiles de Saint Barth Regatta- Gustavia, St Barth
Apr 26-29- J/70 Corinthian Nationals- Ft Worth, TX
Apr 28- May 4- Antigua Sailing Week- English Harbour, Antigua

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

J/70s sailing MidwintersJack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick, Jack Jumped Over the 70 Stick!
Franco Crowned 5th J/70 Midwinter Champion!
(Miami, FL)- The first Midwinter Championship for the J/70 class to take place outside of Key West was hosted by the enormously capable Coral Reef Yacht Club in Miami (Coconut Grove), FL.  As was anticipated, the CRYC members, PRO, and volunteers rolled out the red carpet for the J/70 sailors and welcomed them with warmth and graciousness.  In addition, the weather Godz were in cahoots, offering up a steady diet of easterly breezes in the 8-18 kts range over the three days that would satisfy any sailor.  Postcard perfect conditions?  Yes.  Great race committee work to get in nine races?  Yes.  It would be hard to script it much better.

In the end, winning the regatta was a veteran of the college sailing and team racing wars from the 1980s- Jack Franco and his incredibly talented crew on FLOJITO 3 BALL JT.  Growing up in Newport Beach, California, this talented sailor ended up in Texas because of business and family commitments.  He got into the J/70 class due to friends like Chris Raab (from Newport Beach) and others.  After getting his feet wet, Jack jumped in with both feet and pulled together a winning crew- Bill Hardesty (main trimmer), Rob Lindley (bow) and Allan Terhune (headsail trimmer).  Yes, on the surface that might be perceived as an “odd-coupling” of people and talent, but it proved to work on the final day when it counted most.  Here is how it all went down.

J70s sailing Miami MidwintersDay 1- Postcard Perfect Start
Among the 61 teams at the J/70 Midwinter Championship were multiple J/70 World Champions and those from other classes. One of those Champions was Joel Ronning on CATAPULT, who leapt to the first day’s advantage.

It was a gorgeous day on Biscayne Bay, with breeze in the mid to upper teens, sunshine and temperatures in the 80s. 2016 J/70 World Champion Ronning, sailing with John Kostecki, Christopher Stocke, and Patrick Wilson, opened with a bullet and added a pair of thirds for 7 points in three races. Bruce Golison’s MIDLIFE CRISIS started with a 4-5, then won the last contest to hold second overall with 10 points. Jack Franco’s 3 Ball JT was third with 13.

Jim Cunningham’s LIFTED team of Dave Hochart, Tyler Sinks, and Jon Ziskind led the 24-boat Corinthian division.

Ronning’s Catapult earned the initial victory of the event, with Franco and James Prendergast comprising the top trio. Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE got the race two win, shadowed by Prendergast and Ronning. Golison ended Friday on a positive note, along with Pasquinelli and Ronning, as 1,2,3.

J/70s sailing Midwinters off MiamiDay 2- More Picture-perfect Conditions
It was yet another amazing day on Biscayne Bay.  However, it was clouded for several of the teams who bore Black Flag penalties. Golison’s MIDLIFE CRISIS survived to take over the top spot after six races.

By way of a 3-1-5, the California-based skipper and his team of Steve Hunt, Jeff Reynolds, and Erik Shampain tallied all top-five finishes and therefore able to drop a 5 for just 14 net points.  Ronning’s CATAPULT, the day one leader, dropped to second overall after adding a 15-9-2. Tossing the 15 leaves CATAPULT with 18 net points.

Also in the mix heading into the final race day tomorrow was US Sailing’s 2017 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year- Peter Duncan- and his RELATIVE OBSCURITY team that moved up to third with 22 net points. Andrew & Melissa Fisher’s BUTTON FLY led the 23-boat Corinthian division.

With sunny skies and warm temperatures, the winds were again in the mid-teens for the Championship hosted by Coral Reef Yacht Club. Black Flag penalties were scattered through the fleet in each of today’s races.

The BFDs didn’t hamper Duncan who kicked off his solid day with a victory in the opening battle, trailed by John & Molly Baxter’s TEAM VINEYARD VINES. It was Golison earning his second bullet of the event in the next race, ahead of Brian Keane’s SAVASANA and Duncan. Jud Smith’s AFRICA took a turn in the lead position in race 6, as Ronning and Jack Franco’s FLOJITO 3 BALL JT completed the top three.

J/70 Midwinters winnersDay 3- Cliff-hanger Finale
The regatta saw a different leader on each day. But, Jack Franco’s FLOJITO 3 BALL JT was on top when it counted. Going into the day in fourth place, they secured a 5-2-4 to leap over a couple of J/70 World Champions for the victory.

Although Ronning’s CATAPULT won race 8, an 11th in the final contest left him in the silver position overall with 41 points. Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY also had a bullet, but followed with a 29-7 to land in third overall with 42 points.

“We just tried to be consistent with solid starts and minimal mistakes,” summarized Franco. “We won the regatta without winning a race. At the last weather rounding of the last race, we were fourth and wanted to be defensive. We are not speedy off the wind since we’re a little heavy.” FLOJITO 3 BALL JT held their fourth position, which was enough to secure the Championship. Franco credited Hardesty, who he has known since Hardesty was eight years old. “He is the king of tacticians!”

Jenn & Ray Wulff’s JOINT CUSTODY (with crew of Nikki Medley, Fletcher Sims, and Brady Stagg) bested the 23-boat Corinthian division, with Jim Cunningham’s LIFTED and Nancy Glover’s WINTERWIND rounding out the top three.  Sailing photo credits- Marco Oquendo/ imagesbymarco.com and Chris Howell   For more J/70 Midwinters V sailing information

Facebook J/70 sailing videos
https://www.facebook.com/J70Class/videos/961718807313139/
https://www.facebook.com/J70Class/videos/962858523865834/
https://www.facebook.com/J70Class/videos/961882200630133/
 

J/80 sailing off Chennai, IndiaIndian J/80s Love Afton Cup
(Chennai, India)- The Royal Madras Yacht Club (established 1911) is located inside the Chennai harbour and has been producing international and national Medallists for years.  It is a great source of pride for Royal Madras YC to produce many of India’s best sailors.

The Club is the first one in South India to be recognized as an Accredited Training Centre for India’s sailing governing body- Yachting Association of India. The Club has many classes of sailing boats and regularly hosts sailing regattas. The RMYC is the only Club in India having a fleet of four J/80s and they hosted the first AFTON CUP J/80 Regatta on 10th and 11th February 2018.

AFTON is a well-known brand in the health and fitness equipment industry in India. Today’s generation is very health conscious and sailing is an eco-friendly and exciting sport promoting fitness. AFTON was excited to sponsor the first J/80 sailing regatta, sending a strong message that fitness and sailing have a common goal in promoting good health and endurance.

Sailors practiced the whole of the preceding week under Chinna Reddy (International gold Medallist and YAI Instructor).  Ayesha Lobo (International gold Medallist and RYA Senior Instructor and YAI Senior Instructor) arrived a few days before the event and supervised the tuning of boats. Both of them decided on the course and the race formats.

Four teams signed up for the regatta and each team was comprised of eight sailors. Any given race each team had 4 to 5 sailors on the waters. Boats were allotted by draw. The plan was to sail 4 races from noon onwards. The course was a triangle followed by a loop. The finish line was after the leeward mark so that the boats finished on a beat (e.g. the classic Olympic course).

J/80s sailing off Chennai, IndiaDay 1- Gorgeous Blue Day
The weather was blue skies with blue waters and winds just under 10 knots. LOBO SAILING Team won the first 2 races pretty easily with some superb helming by Aahan and Maulin with Ayesha on the gennaker. There was some fierce competition between AVIATORS Team and the AFTON Team for the second place. The competition heated up for the next 2 races and at different points in time a different boat was in the lead. The 3rd race was a gun for LOBO SAILING and the 4th race was won by AFTON. At the end of 4 races, LOBO SAILING was firmly in the lead followed by AFTON and AVIATORS.

Day 2- More Gorgeous Sailing
The course remained same and four races were held with one discard out of a total of eight races.

Again, the weather was gorgeous- sunny skies with medium waves and winds around 10 knots with gusts of 15 knots.

The teams had developed enough experience that all boats were bunched at the start line and also at the windward mark and the leeward mark roundings.

There was lot of action at the windward mark with teams screaming for water, starboard etc. The kites were hoisted quickly and there was no snagging of the kites. It was a majestic sight with the gennakers hoisted on all four J/80s. With 4 boats gybing it was a wonderful scene as they jostled for water at the leeward mark, dropped the kites, rounded the mark and immediately hardened up on to a beat. Each team had a gun.

A protest was made by LOBOS SAILING against AFTON for double fouls at the start line.  The jury heard the protest and AFTON paid a heavy price. This outcome changed the standings quite dramatically in such a close contest.  The final results saw LOBO SAILING win, followed by the AVIATORS in second place and AFTON holding on to the bronze.

The J/80 Regatta Night and awards presentation was held at the Navy Beach. With a live band playing, the gentle waves flowing ashore in harmony, the stars lighting the skies, it was a truly a sailors night with unlimited dark rum on the house and a sumptuous dinner spread. The music and dancing continued past midnight until the now tired and happy crews polished off the last drops of rum.
 

J/11S sailing TransQuadra RacdJ/11S Loves TransQuadra Race
(Martinique)- The race is billed as “the 40th anniversary offshore race for amateur” sailors. The event links Atlantic and Mediterranean short-handed sailing teams with Doublehanded and Singlehanded categories.  The first legs are short “sprints” from Lorient, France to Quinta do Lorde, Madeira and from Barcelona, Spain to the same finish line- a spectacular, mountainous island several hundred miles west off Morocco off African coastline.  From there, the race goes from Madeira west-southwest across the eastern Atlantic across the Atlantic to Le Marin, Martinique.  The fleet experiences sailing in well-known “trade wind route” breezes that flow off the Bermuda High, starting from the northerly quadrants at the start and swinging to the easterlies commonly found in the Caribbean at the finish line.

The J/11S JATAKA took 3rd overall (boat-for-boat) in the Duo Lorient Class of 54 boats.  She was sailed by the doublehanded team of Phillipe Girardin and Gwenael Thomas from France- sailing the course in 13 days 12 hrs 41 min 20 sec. The team triumphed over many famous offshore teams and boats that are renowned in RORC offshore events- like JPK 1010s, JPK 1080s, SunFast 3200s, SunFast 3600s, and others.
YellowBrick Tracking here   For more TransQuadra Race sailing information
 

J70 sailing off Vigo, SpainNOTICIA LEADS Vigo J/70 Winter Series
(Vigo, Spain)- For the past four months, J/70s have been sailing off northwestern Spain hosted by Real Club Nautico de Vigo. It has been a hotly contested series for the teams entered because it provides a basis for training and speed improvements leading into the European J/70 Championship hosted in the same venue later this summer!

After five events from December to February, the Spanish NOTICIA team, representing the Real Club Nautico de Santander, skippered by “Pichu” Torcida and owned by Luís Martín Cabiedes, is leading the series overall on a tie-breaker.

Although tied with NOTICIA, the runner-up crew on the MARINA RUBICON TEAM (consisting of Jáuregui, Almandoz, Alfredo González) from the RCR of Alicante and the Nautical Club of Hondarribia lost the tie-breaker on 21 pts each.

The RC Nautico de Vigo team on MARNATURA (Jose Luís Freire and Luis Bugallo) took third place, just 4 pts back.

Fourth and fifth, respectively, were ABRIL VERDE (Luis Perez Canal) and SOGACASA (Pablo Iglesias), both from RCN Vigo.

The individual winners of the three races played on Sunday were: First place for Marnatura, second place for Sogacasa, and third place for the Fermax Sailing Team, of Martínez Doreste and Panei, from the Nautical Club of Jávea.

With this result, the Noticia is consolidated at the front of the general classification, followed by the Marnatura and the Fermax Sailing Team.

The day dawned cold, with little wind in the estuary. It was necessary to wait until noon, when the north wind woke up, that with 12 knots of intensity and fixed in the 20 degrees of axis of direction, they were able to validate up to three races.

The sixth and final event for the Linde Sogacsa Trophy J/70 Winter Series will be held at the end of February, on the 24th and 25th.  For more Vigo J/70 Winter Series sailing information
 

J/120 sailing Miami Havana Cuba RaceJ/Sailors Enjoy Miami to Havana Race
(Havana, Cuba)- Coral Reef Yacht Club and the Southern Ocean Racing Conference, proudly hosted the third annual Miami to Havana Race for a determined group of sailors from across America and the Caribbean.  The sailors were greeted by record-breaking, near-perfect sailing conditions from their start off Miami, FL, across the notoriously tough and lumpy Gulf Stream to Marina Hemingway in Havana, Cuba.

The raced started on Valentine’s Day- February 14, 2018, just south of the Miami harbor entrance. It was a gorgeous day, breeze on; everyone headed fast SSW to Havana.  A long-time J/sailor (J/24s, J/35s, J/J/109 sailing Miami Havana Cuba Race105s, J/70s recently), Steve Benjamin and his wife Heidi sailed their TP52 SPOOKIE to an elapsed time record.

Meanwhile, in PHRF B Class the J/109 AFTERTHOUGHT sailed by Craig Wright took the bronze on the podium.  They were followed by the J/120 TAMPA GIRL skippered by William Terry, his crew included Andrew Kranz, Oscar Rivas, Michael Gold and Wesley Shaw.  For more Miami to Havana Race sailing information
 

J/Community
What friends, alumni, and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
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J/122 sailing RORC 600 Challenge in Caribbean* Pamala Baldwin, owner of the J/122 LIQUID based in Antigua, gave us a report on her epic experience sailing the RORC Caribbean 600 Race two weeks ago.  Baldwin is a 60-year-old recruiter from New Jersey specializing in executive recruitment for remote five star resorts and private island estates worldwide.  Needless to say, she is living her dream sailing on her J/122.

“Last night at Antigua Yacht Club my team and I were honored at the 10th anniversary of the RORC CARIBBEAN 600 to win RORC IRC’s ‘Caribbean’s Highest Performing Yacht’ in IRC Class 2 Racing following the 600 and 3rd in Class.

Conditions were grueling over the 600nm course, presenting the competitors with unexpected and dangerous conditions...constant winds of 25-30 knots with gusts to 41 knots and 4 meter sea states and endless squalls with record low temperatures.

Of the 85 competitors, 40 retired.  There was a man overboard, a sinking and helicopter rescue, about a dozen medical emergencies and endless squalls.

Commenting during this perilous yet high adrenaline ordeal, ‘my team is relentlessly teasing me about offering up cappuccino during a perilous squall with little visibility’.

J/122 sailing CaribbeanWe were wet 24 hours a day and cold; we were all physically punished so hard it felt as if we were in a train wreck, pushing our limits with shear grit.  And, to think pre-race we opted to fly our cruising sails and not our 3Di’s…thank goodness, that was a blessing.

My team was skippered by 33-year-old Nico Dillingh from The Hague, Holland- his first race as skipper. Last season Nico was on the crew and showed solid potential.  When the Caribbean regatta season wrapped up, Nico  sailed Europe’s racing season, including the Fastnet.

Lymington UK based Julian White is our co-navigator, foredeck, and is an up and coming star on our team.

As our winter season unfolds, Team LIQUID is sailing the famed Heineken Regatta in St Maarten, St Thomas International Regatta, British Virgin Islands Race Week, Voiles de St Barth, and wraps up with Antigua Sailing Week. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

J/Newletter- February 21st, 2018

J70 sailing off FloridaJ/70 Midwinter Championship V Preview
(Miami, FL)- Since its inception, the extraordinarily popular J/70 class had hosted its Midwinter Championship concurrent with Key West Race Week off Key West, FL- the first event taking place in January 2013.  For the first time, the class will be holding its fifth edition of the Midwinters on Biscayne Bay, hosted by Coral Reef Yacht Club in Coconut Grove, FL.  A very competitive 64-boat fleet has registered with sailors attending from across the world, including Brazil, Turkey, Canada, and Monaco.

Headlining the event will be the two protagonists that have won the past two J/70 World Championships, Peter Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY from Rye, NY and Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT from Wayzata, MN.  Both men are in their mid-60s and are living proof that you can be competitive at any age in the world’s toughest one-design class. They will be having to contend with a number of crews that have maintained a high-level of consistency, like Brian Keane’s SAVASANA that was not only 2nd in the 2017 J/70 Worlds in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy, but recently won the Quantum J/70 Winter Series held on Tampa Bay, Florida.  In fact, Keane was second to another contender, the winner of the recent Helly Hansen St Petersburg NOOD Regatta in the J/70 Class, Pamela Rose’s ROSEBUD from Chicago with Morgan Reeser aboard for sail trim and tactics.  Throw in two more past winners of the J/70 Winter Series- Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE from Fort Worth Boat Club in Ft Worth, TX and John & Molly Baxter’s TEAM VINEYARD VINES and it looks like you may have a hard time handicapping this horse race. Plus, one cannot forget other world champion-level contenders like Jud Smith’s AFRICA from Marblehead, MA; Bruce Golison’s MIDLIFE CRISIS from Long Beach, CA; and Jack Franco’s 3 BALL JT (another 2018 winter series winner).

As usual, the foreign contingent has a few solid teams in the mix.  YC Monaco’s 2017 Sailor of the Year, Vincenzo Onorato, will be racing his famously-named MASCALZONE LATINO (e.g. “latin rascal”); Ahmet Eker from Istanbul, Turkey is sailing EKER KAYMAK; and from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is Flavio Andrade’s CARURU.

In the Corinthians Division, look for Jenn & Ray Wulff’s JOINT CUSTODY team from Annapolis, MD to be at the top of the leaderboard. Plus, other crews like Andrew & Melissa Fisher’s BUTTON FLY from Greenwich, CT; Frank McNamara’s CHINOOK from Boston, MA; Jim Cunningham’s LIFTED team from San Francisco, CA (he was Etchells 22 Midwinter Champion); Ed Keller/ Billy Lynn on USA 28 from Marblehead, MA; Henry Filter’s WILD CHILD from Annapolis, MD; and Nancy Glover/ Mark Foster on WINTERWIND from Marblehead, MA.  For more J/70 Midwinters V sailing information

J/88 sailing off St PeteJ/88 North Americans & Great Lakes Announcement
(Chicago, IL)- The J/88 class continues to enjoy excellent one-design racing in various regional venues around the USA.  The recent events in St Petersburg, FL for the J/Fest Midwinters and the St Pete NOOD Regatta underscore how close the racing can be.  Notably, five of the six boats all posted top three finishes during the seven race series and, were it not for a crazy last chute set at the last windward mark in race 7, all six boats would have had top three finishes.  That is the sign of a healthy class when all boats get a shot at the podium.

Continuing on that momentum, several boats are planning to sail Charleston Race Week, the New York YC Annual Regatta, then head to the Midwest for the Great Lakes J/88 Championship in Youngstown, NY.  That event is held in conjunction with the CanAm Regatta at Youngstown YC, with sailing taking place just up river from the famous Niagara Falls on Lake Ontario.  The event will serve as a fantastic “tune-up” event for the J/88 North Americans later in August in Chicago.

The J/88 Great Lakes will take place from July 27th to 29th.  Expect three good days of racing with expert YYC PRO Wayne Bretsch.  There will be race debriefs and parties every night.

For logistics, there will be free mast step and unstep, free launch and haul, free docking or mooring and FREE storage until the J/88 North Americans in Chicago!  Yes, you read that right.  FREE storage, leave your boat at RCR Yachts between the two events!  For more information, please contact Tim Finkle for questions, timfinkle@rcryachts.com or 860-917-5416.  Register now for the J/88 Great Lakes Championship.

J/88 North Americans
From the 9th to 12th of August, the Chicago Yacht Club is proud to host the J/88 North American Championship on the lovely waters of Lake Michigan.  Racing will take place off the spectacular Chicago waterfront and the J/88 sailors will benefit from having CYC’s best RC crew running their event.  Concurrently, the Verve Cup Offshore Regatta will be taking place, so there will not be a lack of fun and entertainment ashore, in addition to enjoying the many sights and sounds and restaurants offered by the Windy City.  For more J/88 North American Championship sailing information

J/80s sailing college regattaFrance Hosting World University Sailing Championship
(Cherbourg, France)- The northwestern French city of Cherbourg will host the world’s finest university sailors for the 2018 FISU World University Sailing Championship from September 1st to 5th, 2018. A maximum of 40 teams will compete in the fleet of twenty matched J/80 one-design sailboats.

Following two very successful events in Ledro, Italy and Perth, Australia, this will be the first ever WUC Sailing event to be held with the fleet racing format. Competitors will race up to six windward-leeward courses a day in the world’s largest artificial harbour.

This racing area will located inside the Rade de Cherbourg (Inside the breakwater in Cherbourg Harbour). This location has successfully staged many national and international yachting championships.

For regatta entries, there will be two classifications: Open and Women.  Crew requirements are the same for both categories- a minimum of 4 persons with a maximum total crew weight of 350kg.

There is a maximum of 2 entries per category for each nation; i.e. each country may enter a maximum of four teams.

J/80s sailing off FranceOleg Matytsin, FISU President, had this to say about the event:
“Welcome to Cherbourg, where you will join some of the best student athletes in the world in celebrating the FISU World University Sailing Championship.

The International University Sports Federation (FISU) recognizes that just to be here has required many victories, some big and some small. Many of these victories will have brought results that are easy to recognize, like a winning score in a race or in a game. Others are less tangible, like finding the right balance between training and studying. All are equally important.

Our work at FISU is focused on providing opportunities for students– the leaders of tomorrow– to be positively influenced by their experiences of international university sport. Whether a student emerges as a champion, is helping to organize the competitions, or attending in support of a team, we know that they can all learn essential life lessons that cannot be taught in a lecture hall or classroom.

The best athletes are those who bring single-minded determination to what they do. But before, throughout and after the competitions, FISU urges you all to take full advantage of this opportunity– to go home with memories that will last a lifetime, and perhaps even some new friends from faraway places.

By taking part in the FISU World University Sailing Championship, you will be contributing to a record-equalling programme of events across 34 different sports, some of them new to FISU.

None of these events would be possible without the gracious generosity of the hosts, and I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the National University Sports Federation of France and the organisers for their excellent efforts.

FISU is also grateful for the ongoing support of the International Sports Federations. Together, we aim to provide the highest level of technical excellence, both on and off the field of play. We remain convinced that the best student athletes deserve nothing less.

I am confident that the World University Championship in Cherbourg will provide you every opportunity to shine, and I wish you a fair and exciting competition!”

FISU events are where “sports meet art, education and culture.” The 2018 WUC Sailing event is certainly prepared to continue this tradition, the 28th edition of the World University Championship series that first got its start in 1963.  For more World University Sailing Championship information.
 

J/gear special 
J/Gear Winter-Spring Special- 20% Off!
(Newport, RI)- J/Boats’ sailing gear licensee V-Sport is pleased to offer all J/Boats owners and crew their 2018 Winter-Spring Special.

The Special Offer is good from now until April 4th, 2018 (please not 1/2 models, J/Photo Prints and J/Battleflags are excluded from the offer).

To place your order and enter the 20% discount code- “JB2018SP”- please visit the J/Gear website.
 

J/Sailing News

The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide

There was an enormous diversity of sailing experiences, both offshore and one-design, in the third week of February.  For starters, there was the Helly Hansen St Petersburg NOOD Regatta hosted by the St Petersburg Yacht Club in St Petersburg, FL.  One-design fleets of J/70s, J/88s, J/111s and PHRF divisions for J/22, J/29, J/35 and J/42 all enjoyed a sunny weekend with great sailing for the first two days of the event.

Out west in the USA, the Islands Race took place; an epic 130nm race from Los Angeles Harbor out around Catalina and San Clemente Islands to finish off Point Loma in San Diego. The event was hosted by Newport Beach YC and San Diego YC. It was a generally light air affair for J/111s, J/105s, and a J/124.

Over in the Caribbean, the Royal Ocean Racing Club hosted their increasingly popular RORC Caribbean 600 Race.  It’s an enormously challenging 600nm event, based out of Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, that sends teams around a few dozen rocks and spectacular mountainous islands in beautiful easterly tradewinds.  J/122s and a J/44 enjoyed the demanding 15-25 kts wind conditions to collect some silverware.

In Europe, the Barcelona Winter Series for J/70s and J/80s held their fifth event off Barcelona, Spain.  It was hosted by Real Club Nautico de Barcelona.

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:

Feb 23-25- J/70 Midwinters- Coconut Grove, FL
Mar 1-4- Heineken St Maarten Regatta- Simpson Bay, St Maarten
Mar 2-4- J/24 Midwinters- Coconut Grove, FL
Mar 7-11- Bacardi Cup J/70 Invitational- Coconut Grove, FL
Mar 16-18- San Diego NOOD Regatta- San Diego, CA
Mar 22-25- St Thomas International Regatta- Red Hook Bay, St Thomas, USVI
Mar 29- Apr 1- Easter Regatta- Columbia, SC
Apr 12-15- Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC
Apr 8-14- Voiles de Saint Barth Regatta- Gustavia, St Barth
Apr 26-29- J/70 Corinthian Nationals- Ft Worth, TX
Apr 28- May 4- Antigua Sailing Week- English Harbour, Antigua

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

J/111 sailing St Pete NOOD regattaGorgeous St Pete NOOD Regatta
J/Sailors Enjoy Sunny Seabreezes on Tampa Bay
(St Petersburg, FL)- The 2018 edition of the Helly Hansen St. Petersburg NOOD saw “classic” Tampa Bay weather conditions in late winter along the Gulf of Mexico.  As winter weather slides into spring-time weather, the near record warmth produced beautiful sea-breezes on Friday and Saturday for most race courses to sail seven races.  Sunday produced similar conditions, but the familiar easterly gradient dying into a westerly sea-breeze materialized too late for all race courses, forcing an AP over A to end the day and the regatta.  However, no one appeared disappointed after getting in fantastic racing over the first two days, with everyone enjoying the amazing hospitality always on offer at St Petersburg Yacht and the support of major sponsors like Mount Gay Rum.

The J/tribe saw great racing for three one-design classes- J/70s, J/88s, and J/111s.  In addition, there were excellent outcomes for J/crews in PHRF handicap racing.

J/70 sailing St Pete NOOD regattaWhile many of Pamela Rose’s thirty-eight competitors have raced sailboats most of their lives, the J/70 class winner onboard her ROSEBUD took home her first major regatta win this weekend— and qualified for the J/70 World Championship— only two years after taking up the sport. A self-proclaimed “serious boater,” Rose said she didn’t expect to enjoy sailing so much when she bought ROSEBUD, looking for a new challenge three years ago.

After taking sixth place last year at the St Pete NOOD, Rose gathered a crew of top-notch talent– Morgan Reeser, Charlie Smythe, and Willem Van Waay– to help accelerate her success this year.

“The goal for me was to win a qualifying seat [for Worlds],” Rose said. “I’ve been working really hard. I was thrilled to have this amazing team— they are very experienced, very calm. I call them the dream team.”

Rose said she will plan her summer schedule around training, including an entry into the Helly Hansen Marblehead NOOD in July, to get a test run in the same venue that the 2018 J/70 World Championships will be held in September.

J/70s sailing St Pete NOOD regattaWinning after the first day was Brian Keane’s SAVASANA crew from Marblehead, MA.  However, they could not hold off the veteran crew on Rose’s ROSEBUD to take second overall with 28 pts.  Winning the last race, Bennet Greenwald’s crew on PERSEVERANCE from San Diego, CA managed to just make the podium with 34 pts total.  Rounding out the top five were Josh Goldman’s BUILDING A with 35 pts and Travis Odenbach’s USA 40 with 36 pts, 4th & 5th, respectively.

In the J/70 Corinthians, it was Mark Hillmans’ crew from Annapolis, MD winning with 80 pts total. They were followed by Nancy Glover/ Mark Foster’s WINTERWIND from Marblehead, MA in second; Peter Bowe’s TEA DANCE SNAKE in third; David Mendelblatt’s USA 39 in fourth; and Lily Flack’s MUSTO YOUTH TEAM in fifth place.

J/111s sailing St Pete NOOD regattaThe half-dozen J/88s enjoyed spirited racing over the first two days of sailing.  Leading after the first day was J/88 Midwinter Champion Mike Bruno’s WINGS from New York. However, on the second day of racing, it was Al Minella’s ALBONDIGAS from Milwaukee, WI that ran the table with straight bullets to win the regatta with just 11 pts total.  Second was Bruno’s WINGS crew with 18 pts.  Then, taking the bronze on the podium was Andy Graff’s EXILE from Chicago with 24 pts.

The J/111s also had a half-dozen boats sailing. The outcome for the first two boats was a near repeat of the 2017 J/111 World Championship, with Peter Wagner’s SKELETON KEY taking the class win with 8 pts, followed by Jim Connelly’s SLUSH FUND in second with 11 pts.  Rounding out the top three was Rob/ Ryan Ruhlman’s SPACEMAN SPIFF with 14 pts.

J/88 sailing St Pete NOOD regattaFor J/Sailors in the PHRF world, it was, essentially, a sweep of division wins across the board.  In PHRF 2 class, George Cussins’ J/105 FIRE & ICE won.  David Arata’s J/105 J-HAWK was third. And, the J/42 SHAZAAM, skippered by Roger Gatewood, was fourth.

PHRF 3 Class was crushed by the masthead J/29 called SEMPER FI sailed by Ray Manix from St Petersburg Sailing Association— straight bullets over five races!  At the other end of the spectrum the little J/22 MOJO skippered by Bob Touton from Davis Island YC took fourth place.

For the one-day North Sails Rally- Cruiser Division, Jose Suarez-Hoyos from Davis Island YC won the class sailing his J/35 NO WAY JOSE!  For more Helly Hansen St Petersburg NOOD Regatta sailing information
 

J/122 Liquid sailing RORC 600 raceTough, Challenging RORC Caribbean 600 Race
(Falmouth Harbour, Antigua)- Eighty-seven yachts started the 10th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 it was a record fleet that saw new elapsed time records broken, too. With strong 20-25 kts tradewinds that endured for the entire race, it also saw a record number of teams drop out due to the grueling conditions going upwind against 8-12 foot breaking rollers for hours on end.  Most boats spent a vast majority of the race under #4 jibs and reefed mains.

The 600nm race around the central Caribbean includes three French islands as marks of the course; Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint-Barthélemy.  The weather forecast was surprisingly accurate, most northeast winds ranging from 15 to 25 kts, making for a very fast, “reachy” race track for the top boats. As a result, RAMBLER 88 set a new course record with a mostly all New England/ Newport team.

J/44 Spice sailing RORC 600 raceIn CSA 2 and IRC Two were two J/122s that were ready for this challenging race course.  In fact, it was a perfect challenge for them, including a grueling 70nm beat against big winds and big seas along the south coast of Guadeloupe from the rocks of La Grande Anse northeast to the next turn off La Desirade. This leg was tailor-made for the strong all-around offshore design that is the J/122.

Going into that leg, Pamala Baldwin's LIQUID from Antigua and the classic offshore J/44 cruiser/racer, Kevin McLaughlin’s SPICE with a largely New England team, were dueling for a podium finish in their respective classes.

However, after rounding La Desirade, the J/44 took off on a powerful fast reach, as did the J/122.  In the end, the J/44 SPICE took 16th overall IRC, third IRC 1 Class.  Baldwin’s J/122 LIQUID took 18th overall IRC, fourth IRC 2 and then in CSA took 9th Overall and 4th in CSA 2 Class.  A good showing in a very, very tough race.  Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth/ PWPictures.com For more RORC Caribbean 600 Race sailing information
 

J/111 sailing offshoreJ/111 PICOSA Wins Islands Race Class
J/124 MARISOL Dominates Cruisers
(San Diego, CA)- The 130 nm Islands Race drew 26 teams for the ninth edition of this Southern Californian offshore contest on February 16-17, 2018. Starting in Long Beach Harbor, the course headed west of the Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands before finishing in San Diego.

Many of the teams were competing to prepare for the 1000nm Puerto Vallarta Race in March.

While the history of the race has seen some gear-busters, this year’s race fell on the lighter side, with the wind speed never exceeding 10 knots. In addition, with just a sliver moon, sailors were missing one of their favorite features- moonlight!

“This year was a little bit light and slow, but not bad. Surprisingly, there was a little bit of glass off to the west end of Catalina at 4pm on Friday which should be the windiest part of the day, so that was frustrating. Coming in it was light from San Clemente Island to San Diego and then the wind filled in and the big boats finished on a nice breeze out of an unusual direction, a northeast wind (050-070), which is not a direction we see very often,” said Ben Mitchell, navigator on one of the 70 footers.

A number of J/Crews started Friday evening.  In the end, it was Doug & Jack Jorgensens’s J/111 PICOSA that dominated their ORR 4 Division fleet of super high-performance modified custom boats that consisted of “jacked-up” 1D35s and an Andrews 40.

In the ORR 6 Division, it was Seth Hall’s gorgeous flag-blue J/124 MARISOL that took their division by several hours.  For more Islands Race sailing information
 

J/70s sailing off BarcelonaBarcelona J/70 Winter Series Report
(Barcelona, Spain)- The Real Club Nautico de Barcelona (RCNB) just completed the 5th weekend of their 2017- 2018 Barcelona Winter Series for J/70s and J/80s off their beautiful city waterfront of Barcelona.  The Mediterranean offered picturesque blue seas, plenty of sunshine, and good southeast breezes to permit the RCNB PRO to run two more races on Sunday, bringing the series totals up to 24 races, permitting teams to discard their four worst races.

With five weekends of racing under their belts, the J/70 PATAKIN sailed by Luis Albert from Club de Mar Palma Mallorca is leading the series with 44 pts net, counting all his scores in the top four!  Amazing!  Sitting in second for the series is Massimo Rama’s Italian crew on JENIALE EUROSYSTEM from RCN Barcelona with 52 pts net.  Rounding out the top three on the provisional podium is David Marco’s REBUFF from RCN Barcelona with 75 pts net.

J/80 sailing off BarcelonaIn the J/80 fleet, it is past World Champion Marc de Antonio from RCN Barcelona leading the series on his famous BRIBON MOVISTAR with 28 pts net.  Holding on for second place is Silvia Ravetllat’s AKEWELE from Club Nautico El Balis with 46 pts net.  Then, sitting in the provisional third position is Rosa Artigas’ MIKAKU with 56 pts net.

The sixth and last regatta of the Barcelona Winter Series takes place next month!  For more Barcelona Winter Series sailing information
 

J/Community
What friends, alumni, and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
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J/70 Savasana sailing off Florida* Interview with Brian Keane- winner of the J/70 Winter Series at Davis Island YC.

The North Sails team caught up with Brian after his race series win in Davis Island, FL where he sailed his way to success through a high level of competition in the J/70 class.

His team totaled 7 points in the three-event series, and given one throw out he was left with only 4 points.

Here’s what Brian had to say about his team, how they prepared for the winter series, and how they maintained consistency through three regattas, giving his team the overall series win.

NS: The entire series had all types of conditions. It was windy at the first event, shifty in the second, light air in the third. How did your team adjust to keep such great consistent results?

BK: “We were pretty happy that we had a variety of conditions because it gave us a chance to test our tuning and boat handling across a wide spectrum. I think we felt pretty fast in all conditions, whether it was windy or whether it was light. I think the key thing is being smart and avoiding the costly errors. At the end of the day, we felt as fast as anybody, but the real key is not shooting yourself in the foot by making any major mistakes.”

NS: What are some things of most importance that you focus on going into each event given that you might have maybe a different crew every time?

BK: “Yeah, we had slightly different teams, even in each of the three events. When you do that, it just reinforces the importance of being able to communicate effectively within the team, so if somebody’s out and somebody new is in, they can get up to speed very quickly.”

“Because we had a different trimmer in each of the three events, we made sure that we got there early to practice. We spent about a day and a half practicing. And, part of that practice is working on boat-handling and our settings for different conditions, so everybody knows who’s doing what. The other part of that practice is then to make sure, from a speed standpoint, we are where we need to be.

As far as the actual racing is concerned, our goal was to get off the line in a clear lane. We had enough confidence in our speed that if we could get off the line sometime in the lower-density area and be able to hold for a few minutes.  Given that scenario, we’ll quickly be near the top of the fleet and we can just grind down from there.

Starts and minimizing risk I think are some of the key themes across all three events.”

NS: Out of all three events, was there a race highlight, or a moment that stuck out that you remember?

BK: “In event two on the windiest downwind leg- it was blowing like stink. We just killed it and extended dramatically on the entire fleet. That’s always fun. We won the race and won it by a lot. It was exhilarating. You know, I think back on it … I haven’t looked at all of our finishes, but, I think one of the things I feel good about and was how consistent we were going into each event. I am not sure if we ever had a race out of the top ten, and that’s a sign that you’ve got speed and you’re not shooting yourself in the foot. You’re just always there and relentless. That’s the kind of stuff that wins regattas, and wins a race series- it’s being consistent.”

NS: What advice would you give a new J/70 team?

BK: “We sometimes call it “sail by the numbers.” We have a lot of data and we know exactly how we wanna set up for every condition. We’re not wasting time wondering what the right setup for the rig or for sail trim is as the conditions change. As the conditions change, we can look at our grid and we know what to do.

That takes a lot of the complexity out of it. So a new team should ask some of the other teams what they should be focusing on. “How do you think about rig setups, sail trim in different conditions?” Try and create your own map, your own grid, so you can sail by the numbers, so you can think about sailing and what you’re doing during the race, as opposed to trying to figure out how to make your boat go fast.”

NS: What were the biggest contributions to your team’s success this weekend?

BK: “Smart decisions, tactics, strategy, where to start, and where to go.”
Thanks for contribution from North Sails One-Design team.

J/70 sailing fast* Speed guide for the J/70s- Want to get involved in one of the largest and most competitive one design classes in the world?

Check out North Sails’ J/70 Speed Guide. For any J/70, it is a guide where your questions about defining speed, tuning your rig, sail trim, flying the kite, and putting together the best crew, are answered.  This is the basis that top sailors like Brian Keane, Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT, and others use to create their own “speed grid” of “sailing by the numbers”.
https://northsails.com/sailing/en/resources/j70-speed-guide

J/88 sailing fast* Inside the J/88 class winners- Al Minella’s ALBONDINGAS
Look for the spinnaker with a gigantic meatball with a fork and noodles hanging off of it. That’s Al Minella’s J/88 ALBONDIGAS. More on those meatballs later.

Justin Scagnelli, from New York, is Minella’s boat manager and it was he who built and now manages the crew for the Long Island-based program. The skipper, from Milwaukee, is a busy fella and prefers to show up to regattas with a race-ready crew and race boat, and that’s all on Scagnelli, who was the one who suggested Minella buy a J/88 in the first place.

“When Iris [Vogel, skipper of the J/88 Deviation] got her boat, I thought it was really cool,” says Scagnelli. “I got a chance to drive her boat in one regatta, won a few races and fell in love with the boat. When Al was looking for a new boat, I said we’ve got to get a J/88.”

It’s the perfect boat, he says, because “it can be trailered everywhere, the crew is small and the sails are small so it’s more affordable. It’s a great boat that sails well in light air and very well in heavy air.”

In 17 knots of breeze the J/88 will plane, he says, and in most breeze it “gets up and going pretty quick.”

The J/88 class is a gregarious group because setup from trailer to water is straight forward – no more than two hours, says Scagnelli.  And, the upfront investment required to get into the class is reasonable for a boat its size. The sail plan is smaller than that of the J/111, so sail costs are less.

And, in terms of crew, he says, a solid trimmer and driver are a must: “The bow team needs to know what they’re doing because the racing is always close and mistakes are costly.”

The J/88’s deck-stepped rig is straightforward, but requires strict attention when racing in changeable conditions.

For Scagnelli, the past few years have been an exercise in learning, experimenting, and changing sail designs and rig tune. “It’s been a lot of trial and error over the last year,” he says. “We were very slow for a while, but now we know what we have to do with the rig. A lot of these races are won or lost on rig tune."

Given the competitiveness of the class on the water, one might expect more guarded notebooks and tuning guides when it comes to boatspeed and rig setup.  But, that’s not the case at all with the J/88, says Scagnelli. “Everyone is super friendly and helps each other out. It’s a great class that has a lot of fun.”

The class has pockets of boats on Long Island Sound, the West Coast, Chicago, and Milwaukee, and while they’re spread out, they do travel plenty.

And here’s Scagnelli’s own tips: “Upwind, you have to get it going in the groove and carry that speed, you really have to scallop the boat by feathering it up. The boat responds and holds speed well. The same thing with downwind; you can soak as much as you can, but once you feel the boat slowing down you have to get it back up to speed.”

Weight placement is huge, too, he adds. “We are the heaviest boat– because we eat a lot of meatballs, so where you put your weight makes a huge difference.”  Thanks for contribution from Dave Reed at Sailing World. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

J/Newsletter- February 14th, 2018

J/70 youth sailors in Michigan
Lease a J/70 Today. Build Your Fleet!
(Newport, RI)- J/Boats and Docklines Leasing are pleased to announce the first-of-its-kind lease program for J/70s. Lease a J/70 today, starting at $799/month* for 36 months! Boat, trailer and sails are included.

Leasing, as an alternative to purchasing, has been popular in other industries for years and is booming in the automobile and RV markets, thanks to a whole new generation coming of age with purchasing power. It’s this generation that’s leading the charge in the new shared economy, and this generation that’s actively seeking alternatives to buying big-ticket items.

Leasing is the perfect fit. There’s no large upfront expense, no long-term commitment, and at the end of 36 months, you turn in the keys with no resale headaches.

To learn more about the J/70 Leasing program, please contact your local J/Boats dealer. *Please note the price of $799/month excludes tax, title and delivery.
 

J/70 YouthsUSA J/70 Youth Championship Update
(St Petersburg, FL)- The second annual U.S. J/70 Youth Championship will take place in St Petersburg, Florida on Tampa Bay from November 16-18, 2018.  The event will be hosted by the St Petersburg Yacht Club in its fleet of club-owned matched one-design J/70’s.

The U.S. J/70 Youth Championship (USJYC) is open to thirteen Youth Teams representing US Sailing recognized Sailing Clubs or Organizations.  Sailing clubs may enter more than one youth team per event, but may only qualify one team for the USJYC championship in Newport, RI. The thirteen (13) Youth Teams will compete on ten J/70 Class sailboats with class sails (main, jib, spinnaker).  The 2018 qualifiers are:

Feb 15-18    Helly Hansen St Pete NOOD Regatta- St Petersburg, FL
Mar 7-11     Bacardi J/70 Invitational- Miami, FL
Mar 16-18    Helly Hansen San Diego NOOD- San Diego, CA
Apr 12-15    Sperry Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC
May 04-06   Helly Hansen Annapolis NOOD- Annapolis, MD
Jun 2-3       Cedar Point YC One-Design Regatta- Cedar Point, CT
Jun 08-10    Helly Hansen Chicago NOOD- Chicago, IL
Jun 15-17    Cleveland Race Week- Cleveland, OH
Jul 06-08    The Newport Regatta- Newport, RI
Jul 15-16    St. Francis Sportboat Regatta- San Francisco, CA
Jul 26-29    Ugotta Regatta- Harbor Springs, MI
Jul 26-29    Helly Hansen Marblehead NOOD- Marblehead, MA

Here is the USJYC Notice of Race (https://www.jboats.com/images/stories/pdf/J70_Youth_NOR_2018.pdf).

For more U.S. J/70 Youth Championship information, please contact J/Boats at “info@jboats.com” or refer to the USJCA website (http://www.jboats.com/j70-youth-championship).
 

J/111s sailing St PetersburgHELLY HANSEN St Pete NOOD Regatta Preview
(St Petersburg, FL)- The Helly Hansen National Offshore One Design (NOOD) Regatta Series— the largest national sailboat racing circuit in the United States— returns to St. Petersburg, FL, for the first stop of its 30th anniversary season from February 16th to 18th, 2018. The event is organized by Sailing World and hosted by St. Petersburg Yacht Club.

Every year, hundreds of sailors compete for top marks in one of more than 10 classes and a chance at the Overall Winner title, which earns the winning team a berth at the Helly Hansen Caribbean NOOD Championship Regatta, hosted by Sunsail in the British Virgin Islands Oct. 21st to 26th, 2018. The events have proven to be quite popular with J/Sailors across the country, often the majority of the NOOD competitors sailing in some J/One-design class.  For the St Pete NOOD event, there will be one-design starts for J/70s, J/88s, and J/111s.  And, there will be a number of J/teams in the PHRF handicap classes and the North Sails Rally.

As the largest division in the event, the thirty-eight boat J/70 class will see a significant number of crews moving their boats down from Davis Island (having just completed their Quantum J/70 Winter Series last weekend) to be launched at the St Petersburg YC Sailing Center.  Contenders for the top of the leaderboard may include crews like Travis Odenbach’s Rochester YC team (he usually sails the famous J/24 HoneyBadger); Jud Smith’s AFRICA from Marblehead, MA; Bennet Greenwald’s PERSEVERANCE from San Diego, CA; Pam Rose’s ROSEBUD crew from Chicago, IL; Will Welles’ SCAMP from Newport, RI; and Nancy Glover’s talented team from Marblehead, MA.

In the Corinthians J/70 division, there will be some hot hands on the tillers.  The famous Mendelblatt sailing family from St Petersburg will see young David trying his hand at J/70 sailing.  Mark Hillman’s crew from Annapolis, MD will be hopping from his fast J/24 program onto J/70s. And, two quite talented U.S. J/70 Youth Championship crews will be vying for the one qualifying slot for the Youth Champs later in November 2018.  Those crews are the HELLY HANSEN Junior Crew from St Petersburg YC, skippered by Heather Kerns, and the MUSTO YOUTH TEAM hailing from the MudRatz Sailing Team in Stonington, CT.

J/88s in St PetersburgA half-dozen J/88s will be ready to hit the starting in Tampa Bay, with PRO Todd Fedyszyn (the StPYC Sailing Director) promising that he will keep the offshore teams busy given the promising conditions for the weekend. Returning from their recent J/88 Midwinters held at StPYC earlier in January will be the top three boats- Mike Bruno’s WINGS from New York, Andy Graff’s EXILE from Chicago, and Iris Vogel’s DEVIATION from New York. Joining them will be Al Minella’s ALBONDIGAS from Milwaukee, WI; Tod Patton’s BLONDIE 2 from Northbrook, IL; and Scott & Jim Sorbie’s LEGACY from Grand Traverse YC in Michigan.

The J/111s also have a half-dozen boats sailing their second regatta of the year after competing at J/Fest St Pete for their Midwinter Championship.  However, this time, all the crews are desperately praying for more winds!  After racing in about 4.5 kts average wind speed for three days in late January, anything will be better!  Will Jeff Davis’ SHAMROCK crew continue their lucky streak?  Can Peter Wagner’s championship winning SKELETON KEY crew finish every race within the time limit?  Can Rob Ruhlman’s SPACEMAN SPIFF fire a moonshot and take it all?  Is Jim Connelly’s SLUSH FUND team up to the task of duplicating their light air feats on Chesapeake Bay?  Finally, no question Brad Faber’s UTAH and Doug Curtiss’ WICKED 2.0 teams are doubling down in anticipation of better outcomes this weekend!

In the world of handicap racing, the majority of teams in PHRF 2 are J’s.  Four J/105s are participating, including Jody Abrams’ ARIEL, George Cussins’ FIRE & ICE, David Arata’s J-HAWK, and Charles Clack’s RAPTOR.  Keeping them honest will be a crafty crew aboard the J/42 SHAZAAM, skippered by Roger Gatewood.

PHRF 3 Class has a classic light air flyer to contend with, the masthead J/29 called SEMPER FI sailed by Ray Manix from St Petersburg Sailing Association.  At the other end of the spectrum will be the little J/22 MOJO skippered by Bob Touton from Davis Island YC.

For the one-day North Sails Rally- Cruiser Division, Jose Suarez-Hoyos from Davis Island YC will be having fun with family and friends on the J/35 NO WAY JOSE!!  For more Helly Hansen St Petersburg NOOD Regatta sailing information
 

J/122 El Ocaso sailing Caribbean 
RORC Caribbean 600 Race Preview
(Falmouth Harbour, Antigua)- With 87 yachts registered, the 10th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 will have another record fleet. Teams from at least 22 nations have entered the Caribbean's most famous offshore race.

Since 2009, yachts from Great Britain and America have made up the majority of the fleet, and this year is no different with the two countries accounting for over 30 entries. For the 10th edition however, a significant number of entries from France will be on the start line on Monday 19th February in Antigua. The thrilling 600nm race around the central Caribbean includes three French islands as marks of the course; Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint-Barthélemy.

While last year saw very bizarre, very “un-Caribbean” like weather, with light westerlies, rain, northerlies, and the classic easterlies all affecting different parts of the course, the “locals” believe this year’s event will see more “classic” conditions.  The ideal scenario (and the reason why the course designed) is fresh easterlies with occasional overnight squally clouds punctuating the race track; that makes for a very fun, fast race.

For the most part, if the breezes remain in the ENE quadrants, it’s a very “reachy” race, with a few small beats interspersed (Saba to St Barth, around St Maarten, Les Saintes to Les Desirade, and Redonda to the Antigua finish).  If the breeze turns more ESE, instead it can produce one long 183nm windward beat into big seas from the most northern part of the course- Tintamarre- on a SSE 152 degree heading to Les Saintes Rock off the southwest corner of Guadeloupe. Even then, the fleet has often encountered a windward beat for 57nm between Les Saints and Les Desirade across the southeastern shoreline of Guadeloupe.  In short, good strategy, solid navigation, and a bit of luck is necessary to succeed on this race.
J/122 sailing Caribbean
Half of the fleet is under 50 feet.  And, in IRC Two, the three J/122s are all up to the task of taking on this challenging race course because it requires a strong all-around design like the 122.

Last year's winner and sixth overall, was the famous EL OCASO with captain Bob Hillier on board.  They will be up against Pamala Baldwin's LIQUID from Antigua and the fast French crew sailing Olivier Parchet & Bernard McGranaghan's NOISY OYSTER.

“It's exciting, exhilarating, exhausting and filled with the spirit of adventure. We are brave-hearts with a mission- to dig deep and give it our best. We learn to expect the unexpected. We bond and make lifelong friends and cherish priceless memories," says Ms Baldwin, owner of J/122 LIQUID.

Also, entered in the IRC 2 Class is the classic offshore J/44 cruiser/ racer- Kevin McLaughlin’s with a largely New England team. Sailing photo credits- Tim Wright/ Photoaction.com  For more RORC Caribbean 600 Race sailing information
 

J/125 TimeshaverIslands Race Preview
(San Diego, CA)- Back for its ninth year, San Diego Yacht Club will host the 130nm Islands Race on February 16-17, 2018. The Islands Race is one of SDYC’s signature offshore races, and the first of the 2018 racing calendar for most boats. Following the Islands Race will be the Puerto Vallarta Race in March, the SoCal 300 in May, and the Rum Runner Race in October.

The Islands Race brings San Diego Yacht Club and Newport Harbor Yacht Club together when the race starts in Long Beach Harbor. From there, competitors will head west off the Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands before finishing in Point Loma. This scenic course showcases Southern California’s gratifying sea breezes and profound ocean swells.

A number of J/Crews are ready to attack the course on their start Friday evening.  Every crew are veterans of the southern California offshore experience, including Viggo Torbensen’s J/125 TIMESHAVER from Dana Point YC; Tom Barker’s J/65 GOOD CALL from Cortez Racing Association; Ed Sanford’s J/105 CREATIVE from SDYC; Seth Hall’s J/124 MARISOL; and Paul Stemler’s J/44 PATRIOT from Newport Harbor YC.

San Diego YC Staff Commodore Wayne Terry, a co-chair of the event, commented, “the 9th annual Islands Race is co-sponsored by the San Diego and Newport Harbor Yacht Clubs. The race is often used as a tune-up for SDYC’s semi-annual running of the Puerto Vallarta Race, which is scheduled to commence on March 2nd. Over the years, the Islands Race has experienced weather conditions ranging from mild to extreme, while usually fun and always challenging. As always, refreshments will be on the front deck of SDYC awaiting the sailor’s arrival at the prize giving ceremony.”

SDYC will host the award ceremony on the clubhouse main deck on Saturday, February 17 with food and drinks for competitors beginning at 3pm, or later, depending on when the majority of boats complete the race. Sailing photo credits- Bronny Daniels/ JoySailing.com  Friends, family, and the sailing community can follow the race by tuning in to the YB Tracking website.
 

J/gear special 
J/Gear Winter-Spring Special- 20% Off!
(Newport, RI)- J/Boats’ sailing gear licensee V-Sport is pleased to offer all J/Boats owners and crew their 2018 Winter-Spring Special.

The Special Offer is good from now until April 4th, 2018 (please not 1/2 models, J/Photo Prints and J/Battleflags are excluded from the offer).

To place your order and enter the 20% discount code- “JB2018SP”- please visit the J/Gear website.
 

J/Sailing News

The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide

The 2018 sailing season is starting to heat up in Europe, marked by the traditional Primo Cup- Trophee Credit Suisse hosted by YC Monaco down on the Mediterranean.  A large fleet of J/70s enjoyed simply amazing sailing conditions all three days and great competition in eight races.  Over in Italy, the J/24 fleet also continued their traditional winters series championship held off Anzio-Nettuno on the southwestern coast of Rome on the Mediterranean coastline.

Over in the USA, the fourth annual Quantum J/70 Winter Series took place at Davis Island YC, concluding with a nice warm, sunny series on Tampa Bay.  Out west, California YC in Marina del Rey, CA hosted the SCYA Midwinters for J/70s.

Then, way, way down under in South America, the J/24 fleet in Chile and Argentina sailed their famous Chilean Navy Frutillar Regatta hosted by Cofradía Nautica de Frutillar on the gorgeous Llanquihue Lake at the base of the equally spectacular Osorno volcano.  After that event, the J/24s and J/80s eclipsed the fleet in the annual “Vuelta al Lago”, the round Llanquihue Lake regatta that covers three days of racing, socializing, and partying at three towns across the 21nm lake.

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:

Feb 15-18- St Pete NOOD Regatta- St Petersburg, FL
Feb 17-18- SCYA Midwinter Regatta- Long Beach, CA
Feb 19- RORC Caribbean 600 Race- English Harbour, Antigua
Feb 23-25- J/70 Midwinters- Coconut Grove, FL
Mar 1-4- Heineken St Maarten Regatta- Simpson Bay, St Maarten
Mar 2-4- J/24 Midwinters- Coconut Grove, FL
Mar 7-11- Bacardi Cup J/70 Invitational- Coconut Grove, FL
Mar 16-18- San Diego NOOD Regatta- San Diego, CA
Mar 22-25- St Thomas International Regatta- Red Hook Bay, St Thomas, USVI
Mar 29- Apr 1- Easter Regatta- Columbia, SC
Apr 12-15- Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC
Apr 8-14- Voiles de Saint Barth Regatta- Gustavia, St Barth
Apr 26-29- J/70 Corinthian Nationals- Ft Worth, TX
Apr 28- May 4- Antigua Sailing Week- English Harbour, Antigua

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

J/70 Monaco Youth team at Primo Cup




















Swiss Triumph @ Primo Cup- Trophee Credit Suisse
(Monte Carlo, Monaco)- Over the weekend of February 9th to 11th, some 300 hundred sailors descended upon the famous Principality of Monaco for the Primo Cup- Trophée Credit Suisse, organized in collaboration with SLAM.

With 12 nations represented on 80 boats, there was no downtime for the sailors on Hercules Bay off Monaco. In fact, the fleets were blessed with some of the best sailing conditions the regatta has seen in years, with enough sun, wind, and warm weather to complete eight races for the J/70 class!

For Yacht Club de Monaco General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandro, there was great satisfaction, “it’s amazing to see how this regatta has not aged; that it continues to attract a new generation of sailors, as evidenced by the five Corinthian teams among the top 10 in the J/70 class fleet of 41 entrants!”

This 34th edition delighted competitors, including the 2008 Laser Olympic champion Paul Goodison.  He commented, “it’s great to be able to come here in the middle of winter and enjoy back-to-back races in ideal conditions against a high-level field in the J/70 fleet.”
J/70 sailing off Monaco
In this flagship class of the Yacht Club de Monaco, which boasts the biggest concentration of J/70s in the Mediterranean with 20 boats, the competition doubled its efforts to overtake last year’s Primo Cup winner- the Brazilians on MANDACHUVA.

After the penultimate day of racing, it was evident the champion was going to be determined between a hot trio of boats; Guillaume Girod’s CDE.CH from Societe Nautique de Geneve in Switzerland, Vincenzo Onorato’s MASCALZONE LATINO from YC Monaco/ Italy; and Mario Soerensen-Garcia’s MANDACHUVA from Brazil- about as international a group of sailors you could possibly find!  The Swiss CDE.CH had been performing like clockwork; compiling all top five finishes and were leading the regatta.  However, there was still a window of opportunity for the “Latin Rascals” and the Brazilians.
J/70 Loro Piana
As it turns out, the last day and the last two races proved the undoing of many teams in the regatta, with many posting high double-digit finishes that had to be used as their “toss races”.  The Swiss maintained their composure and closed with a 7-9 to win the regatta with 24 pts net.  The balance of the podium and, indeed, the top five were playing a wild game of “snakes & ladders”.  Surviving with a BFD-3 to take the silver was Onorato’s MASCALZONE LATINO’s very talented team with a total of 38 pts net.  Six points back were the Brazilians on MANDACHUVA sitting on 42 pts net.  Then, the balance of the top five saw the YC Monaco Youth Team on PONANTE, skippered by Nicholas Bouchet, take a surprising 4th place and in 5th was yet another Swiss crew- Emanuel Muller’s ATTAQUE.  Of note, by far the best scores in those last two races happened to be Giacomo Loro Piana’s Italian crew on CUJ from YC Costa Smeralda- a 3-6!
J/70 Primo Cup winners
In the Corinthians Division, the winner happened to be the YC Monaco Youth Team sailing on PONANTE with young Nicolas Bouchet on the helm.  The crew has been very well coached by the YC Monaco Sports Group (note- ready story below about their European college regatta).  Rounding out the podium for the Corinthians were Emanuel Muller’s Swiss crew on ATTAQUE with 47 pts and Amaury Berger’s YC Monaco team on SCIROCO with 52 pts.

The next regatta in Monaco is the final Act of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, 9-11 March.  Sailing highlights video on YouTube.  For more Primo Cup- Trophee Credit Suisse sailing information
 

J/70 Savasana- brian keaneSAVASANA Wins Quantum J/70 Winter Series
FLOJITO 3JT Wins Finale
(Tampa, FL)- Fifty-nine J/70 teams qualified to win the 2017-2018 Quantum J/70 Winter Series at Davis Island Yacht Club in Tampa, Florida by competing in at least two of the three weekends with the same boat and skipper. The popular Quantum J/70 Winter Series spans three weekends of racing between early December and February, allowing participants to store their boats onsite for a reasonable fee. Additionally, on each Friday of the Series, SAIL22 and North U combined forces for the so-called “Porch Series” to offer practice races and coaching immediately off the beach in front of the club.

Following the first two breezy, cold regattas, conditions this past Saturday and Sunday were characterized by sunshine, record high temperatures and light winds on Tampa Bay. In fact, conditions were such that only one race was held on Saturday morning before it turned into a “glass out”. The racing was then postponed ashore, with crews sitting on the beach or on the huge porch on the second floor, awaiting for breeze. Sadly, it never happened, leading to an “AP over A” cancellation of racing for the day.  Wisely, the DIYC PRO moved the start time an hour earlier on Sunday to take advantage of the wind forecasts; a good move since the sailors enjoyed three solid races for the day.
Jack Franco's J/70 crew
After four races were completed, Jack Franco’s considerably talented crew on FLOJITO 3JT won the final segment of the Series with a blistering scoreline of 7-1-1-5 for 14 pts.  This was Franco’s first major regatta win with Bill Hardesty (main/tactics) and Al Terhune (jib/spin) on the crew (note to self- both guys are World Champions).  Taking second for the regatta was San Diego’s Bennet Greenwald, steering PERSEVERANCE to their best performance in recent months, posting a steady 3-3-9-4 for 19 pts.  Just one point back in third place with another steady tally of 5-6-6-3 for 20 pts was Brian Keane’s SAVASANA.

As a result of the finishes in the finale, Keane’s SAVASANA earned the overall Quantum J/70 Winter Series victory by virtue of a tie-breaker at 4 pts each with Greenwald’s PERSEVERANCE.  The countback saw SAVASANA’s best 2-of-3 counters of 1-3 beat PERSEVERANCE’s 2-2. Similarly, there was a 3-way tie-break at 9 pts each for the final spot on the podium between Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE, Peter Cunningham’s POWERPLAY RACING, and Jack Franco’s FLOJITO #JT.  STAMPEDE took that count-back with a 3-6 over POWERPLAY’s 4-5 and Franco’s 8-1.
Sarah Renz's Berteau Group crew from Chicago
For the Corinthians Division, it was clear the refugees from the frozen tundras of Chicago could not wait to head south and set a blistering pace in the hot waters of Tampa Bay (well, hotter than Lake Michigan, for sure!).  Handily winning the final event was Sarah Renz’s team on BERTEAU GROUP, posting a 10-22-10-8 to close out with 50 pts, and, as a result, winning the coveted Quantum J/70 Winter Series Corinthians Division.  Second in the division was Bob Willis’ RIP RULLAH with 62 pts and rounding out the podium in third was Nancy Glover’s WINTERWIND with Mark Foster on the helm.  Ironically, the finish positions in the final regatta also reflected the overall winter series results.  For more Quantum J/70 Winter Series sailing information
 

J/24 ChileGURU-SIRTECOM Tops Chilean Navy J/24 Regatta
(Puerto Montt, Chile)- This past weekend the twentieth edition of the Chilean Navy Regatta Frutillar was held on the spectacular waters of Lake Llanquihue and organized jointly by the Chilean Navy and the Cofradía Náutica de Frutillar Yacht Club.

“Lago Llanquihue” is the largest lake in Chile, just north of Puerto Montt along the Pacific coastline. It is located at the start of the “Patagonia Verde” and is the most beautiful landscape in the country, with enormous fjords, dozens of glaciers, spring waters, and immense rainforests.  Plus, the wildlife is off the charts with seals, dolphins, whales, albatross, salmon, hawks, you name it.

The lake is in southern Chile's Lake District. It's known for its vast waters and black-sand shores. It is 860 sq. km. (330 sq. mi.), 21.75 miles long, with waters that exceed 1,000 ft (rumored to be as much as 6,000 ft in places).
Puerto Varas, Chile
To the east, the 12,000 ft high snow-capped Osorno Volcano that borders the lake has enormous ice caves. Nearby are Petrohué Falls, flowing down chutes etched by lava. On the lake's southwest edge, is the old town of Puerto Varas- famous for its German-style buildings and a red & white, 3-towered church. North of Puerto Varas, is the peninsula of Frutillar, famous for its glass-fronted “Teatro del Lago” that hosts concerts all year long in a most spectacular waterfront setting. In the northeast part of the lake is Puerto Oscuro, known locally as the “Riviera” of Chile for its benign, quiet, gorgeous surroundings along the lakeshore.

In the 1850s, Vicente Perez Rosales made a huge contribution to the region and organized the colonization by Germans and Chileans of the Llanquihue area.  He made an agreement with the German government to bring German families, giving them 1 hectare (100 acres or 10 sq. km.) of land to settle and develop a zone that at that time was full of rainforest, lakes and beauty, but no infrastructure at all. The sole inhabitants at the time were just brave Araucanian Indians.

That initiative was a great success, and many Germans settled in the region in the second half of 19th century, developing its incredibly rich resources for agriculture, sheep/wool production, liquor distilleries, wine vineyards, granaries, and also commercial ferry services for many lakes, especially Lago Llanquihue.

The Chilean Navy’s Cofradía Náutica Regatta remembers those brave colonizers; many lost their lives (entire families, in fact) in the challenging weather, but their efforts enabled the few small communities to survive.
J24s on Llanquihue Lake
A strong fleet of a dozen J/24s and a handicap fleet that included J/80s participated in the multi-fleet event that took place over three days. The fleet experienced eight races with very shifty winds, with the velocity ranging at least 8-15 kts over the course of each day.

The J/24 fleet included eight boats from Talcahuano; Raul del Castillo from Algarrobo; and Tomas Detri from Villa La Angostura, Argentina. The regatta PRO was setting marks in about 300 to 600 ft of water!  Imagine that, as bad as Hawaii or Lago Panguipulli!  A rock, some string, chuck it over the side, time it (literally), and the mark is set!

J/24 at Frutillar, ChileThe ultimate winner was GURU-SIRTECOM, with Nicolas Cubria from Argentina on helm.  They finally won the title after sailing in a more protected area of the bay that produced 10-30 degree windshifts. In the end, the podium was rounded out by Raúl del Castillo’s LA BANCA in second place and the duo of Andrés Menta/ Carlos Lucero on VIKING in third position.

In the Handicap class, the J/80 DOMINGO SIETE sailed by Alejandro Caroca lead in a one-on-one battle against the other J/80 PUERTO VIEJOR, sailed by the Surazo Sailing Club member from Puerto Varas- Rodrigo Carrasco.

Surazo SC is a group of 10-15 boats that sail the whole year on Llanquihue Lake from their homeport of Puerto Varas.  The town is an important residential town for most of the professionals of the salmon fishing industry that work in Puerto Montt.
 

J/70s southern CaliforniaMINOR THREAT Wins J/70s @ SCYA Midwinters
(Marina del Rey, CA)- California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey hosted the 2018 Southern California Yachting Association (SCYA) annual “Midwinters” regatta for J/70s.  Fourteen boats turned out on the starting line to enjoy the first regatta of the season.  The CYC PRO managed to run five races offshore in the big rolling swells of the Pacific Ocean, running double windward-leewards.

After the first three races on Saturday, Pat Toole’s 3 BIG DOGS from Santa Barbara YC was leading with a 3-2-4 for 9 pts and enjoyed some celebratory “brew-skies” on the dock after racing.  Riding the big roller coaster of pain were Jeff Janov’s MINOR THREAT from Cal YC with a 7-3-1 score sheet for 11 pts, good enough for second place, and Tony Collins’ FLY from Kings Harbor YC with a 2—9-2 for 13 pts.

As Sunday dawned, the big question was whether any of the top three teams could maintain any degree of consistency to stay at the top of the leaderboard.  Such was the tightness and competitiveness of the fleet that, despite being just fourteen boats on the course, not one team could post all top five finishes.  However, the standings did experience a bit of a juggling of positions.  The “Big Doggers” may have had too much fun celebrating their good luck on the huge Saturday dinner and band at the club; their final two races of 5-6 dropped them to third in the final standings.  By closing with a 2-3, Janov’s MINOR THREAT won the regatta with 16 pts total and taking second was Collins’ FLY with 18 pts.  Rounding out the top five were Chris Snow’s San Diego YC crew on COOL STORY BRO in fourth place and in fifth was Jim Murrell’s HUCKLEBERRY from Kings Harbor YC.  For more SCYA Midwinters J/70 sailing information
 

J/80 sailing ChileJ/80s Dominate Vuelta al Lago Regatta
(Frutillar, Lago Llanquihue, Chile)- The Vuelta al Lago Regatta is raced every year on Llanquihue Lake in southern Chile; it is the premiere fall regatta for local sailors. The regatta is comprised of three or four legs that vary from 15 to 25nm, criss-crossing the enormous 21nm long lake.  The regatta is open to all sailboats that wish to enjoy a “port-to-port” event to the many fun, cool, towns and villages that dot the verdant green, spectacular shorelines of a lake ringed by numerous famous volcanic peaks- like Osorno.

This year, the 2018 15th edition of the “Vuelta al Lago” (round-the-lake race) consisted of three legs:
  • Frutillar-Puerto Varas
  • Puerto Varas- Puerto Oscuro
  • Puerto Oscuro- Frutillar
This year’s racing was marked by plenty of breeze, sunny days, cloudy days, storms sometimes, and often big, enormous chop (e.g. waves) in the middle of the lake that would grow so fast your head would spin!  Such is the nature of sailing on a mountain lake next to 12,000 ft peaks that can create their own localized storm/ squall systems!

After three days of long-distance racing, the J/teams dominated overall.  The J/80 CANDIDO with Mario Moure on the helm won with 9pts total.  Taking second place was the J/24 PELICANO with 10 pts.  Then, settling into third place was the J/80 BUCEFALO with 14 pts.

The most exciting development is that Llanquihue Lake will have four J/80s by March 2018. One boat is coming from Spain and two boats are coming from Canada, according to local J/Boats Chile distributor- Juan Eduardo Reid.
 

J/24 sailing off ItalyItaly J/24 Winter Series Championship Report
PELLE NERA Leading Series, NUVOLA Atop Trofeo Lozzi Regatta
(Anzio-Nettuno, Italy)- The 43rd Winter Championship of Anzio-Nettuno is off to a great start for the Roman J/24 fleet in Italy.  After two full weekends of sailing, the weather has cooperated beyond anyone’s expectations, producing eleven races for the Winter Series and seven races for the Trofeo Lozzi Memorial Trophy series.

Winter Series
In the winter series, it is Paolo Cecamore’s crew on PELLE NERA that is benefitting from having the Hungarian Farkas Litkey at the helm; Litkey is a former Soling World Champion- a bit like throwing a wolf amongst the innocent little lambs! The team is sailing fast and smart and has posted nine top three finishes, including five bullets for a total of 15 pts net!

Climbing the standings quickly in the series has been none other than perhaps the most famous Italian J/24 sailor in recent history.  Ignazio Bonanno’s LA SUPERBA is now renamed NUVOLA and instead of sailing for the Italian Navy College, he is racing for the Centro Sportivo Agonistic.  While having bad luck in the first three races (a DNC-20-DNC), they can now throw out two bad scores.  The NUVOLA team now has eight scores in the top three, with four bullets and are sitting on 34 pts net.  Things could get interesting very fast if their consistency over the next two weekends begins to force PELLE NERA’s hand. NUVOLA has the best record in the last five races by far with a 1-1-1-2-2.

Sitting in third for the series is Gianni Riccobono’s PELLE ROSSA from the host Nettuno YC.  They, too, had a rough start in the first weekend.  However, since then, they have managed to pop scores like a 1-2-3-3 in the last seven races to swiftly race up the standings.  They now sit just two pts back from NUVOLA, with just 36 pts net.

Trofeo Lozzi
This event is in commemoration of a long-time J/24 aficionado in Italy- Sr Lozzi- that passed away at far too early an age.  Currently, the team leading this series is also a past winning skipper- Ignazio Bonanno.  He is now skippering NUVOLA and, after not sailing the first two races, they have posted five straight bullets to be winning by 1.5 pts after a throw-out.  Sitting in second place is Luca Silvestri’s ENJOY 2 for 24 pts net; third is Marco D’Alosio’s DON J with 25 pts net; fourth is Paolo Cecamore’s PELLE NERA with 33 pts net; and rounding out the top five is Fabrizio Sabatini’s DAIQUIRI with 43 pts net.  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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J80 student sailors 
Défi Voile Etudiant– Pornichet, France- report from YC Monaco.

A steady 10-15 knots all weekend blessed the 25th Défi Voile Etudiant (sailing regatta for students) in Pornichet, Brittany. A total of eighteen teams on J/80s made the trip, including one from the engineering college at the University of Nantes, led by Nicolas Bouchet from the Yacht Club de Monaco.

Throughout the races, he maintained his leading position before finally conceding victory to the Western Brittany University team in the sixth and final race of the event.
J/80s students sailing off France, Pornichet
It was a promising result for the YC Monaco helmsman.  Bouchet commented, “I felt like I really improved my racing techniques over these two days and loved being at the helm especially on the downwind legs.”

Nicolas Bouchet sailed aboard the J/70 PONANT at this past weekend’s Primo Cup – Trophée Credit Suisse, finishing a remarkable 4th place and winning the Corinthians division with the YC Monaco Youth Team.
https://www.yacht-club-monaco.mc/en/sailing-meeting-for-students/
 
J/111 owners enjoy sailing and skiing
* “This past week, Greg Slamowitz (J/111 MANITOU) and I (J/111 WILD CHILD) were in Montana at the Yellowstone Club at Big Sky skiing and discussing the upcoming Block Island Race Week strategy. We met in Block Island when Greg was thinking of buying a J/111. He called me for input and we became great friends. We have family homes on Block Island, sail together and now ski together. Greg was gracious enough to invite me to ski at his new home at the Yellowstone Club. All started because of you guys! Thanks,” says happy J/111 sailor and skier Kenn Fischburg.  Linked here is a short video of Kenn and Greg skiing down “Prim’s Place” on the backside of Pioneer Mountain in the Yellowstone Club.
Watch their skiing video clip here on Facebook.

 

J/Cruisers
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 J/42 Heron Reachin their blogs. Read some! You'll love it.

* The J/40 HERON REACH sailed by Virginia and Jerry participated in the Blue Planet Odyssey project from 2014 to 2015 over a seventeen month period.

Read their very well-done blog documenting their experience.  In the Pacific basin, they traveled almost 15,000 miles from Bellingham to Tahiti and all points between. Check out what the cannibals great grandchildren thought of their ancestors, what it was like to trade for black pearls,  the problem with the Great Garbage Patch, and how many days did it take to get through it, and much more!   Learn more about their adventures and experiences on HERON REACH here.
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J/42 cruiser- sailing across Atlantic Ocean* Jim & Heather Wilson completed a circumnavigation of our "blue planet Earth" in June 2013 on their J/42 CEOL MOR.  Said Jim, "The odyssey of CEOL MOR is over, for now.  We completed our circumnavigation on our J/42 when we crossed our outbound track in Britannia Bay, Mustique. We were, however, still 2,000 nautical miles from home. So, we continued on through the Windwards, the Leewards, and then through the British Virgin Islands. After a farewell 'Painkiller' at the Soggy Dollar, and a last meal at Foxy’s, we made the 1,275 nautical mile passage to the Chesapeake and completed our port-to-port circumnavigation when we arrived in Annapolis on June 28, 2013. We had been away 1,334 days, completed 259 days of ocean passages, and sailed 30,349 nautical miles (34,925 statute miles).  Read more about the Wilson's and their CEOL MOR adventures in their well-documented blog here.
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J/42 sailing off France* The J/42 JARANA has sailed an epic voyage around the Pacific, the Atlantic, and now the Mediterranean.  The crew consists of Bill and Kathy Cuffel, of Seattle, Washington. So far, their travels go way beyond Homer’s Odyssey!  Their itinerary has included:
  • 2009 - departed Seattle on a 3 year cruise of the South Pacific, sailing back from Hobart, Tasmania (Australia) in September 2012.
  • The summer of 2014 they traveled north to Prince Rupert Island, crossed Hecate Strait to Haida Gwaii and had a glorious cruise down the west coast of Vancouver Island.
  • 2015, after trucking the boat to Lake Ontario they traveled out the St Lawrence Seaway to the Canadian Maritime provinces and down the east coast of the USA, then out to the Bahamas.
  • 2016 Winter they spent in the Bahamas, then crossing the Atlantic via Bermuda and the Azores to England and Europe.
  • 2017 Winter they are in Lagos, Portugal,  and in spring 2018 will be working their  way into the western Med.   Follow the Cuffel's and JARANA's adventures on their very well-documented blog here Add to Flipboard Magazine.