Wednesday, July 29, 2020

J/Newsletter- July 29th, 2020


sunset in ChileJ/Sailing News

It's going to be an exciting weekend for sailors in both Europe and the USA. The J/70 sailing leagues in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, and Netherlands are resuming in the next two to three weekends.  And, in the USA the famous Edgartown YC Round Island race will be taking place- a 56.0nm adventure that starts on Saturday and circumnavigates Martha's Vineyard Island. In many respects, it is every bit a challenging race as the famous Round Island Race in the United Kingdom- the original "America's Cup" course for 60.0nm going around the Isle of Wight. Crazy currents, more sandbars, more vortices (wind and water), and often big breeze later in the afternoon as the breeze gets sucked down Vineyard Sound due to a giant sandbar called "Cape Cod".
 

J/111 sailing Edgartown Round Island
Edgartown Round Island Race Preview
(Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, MA)- The Edgartown Yacht Club is hosting the 82nd running of its signature ‘Round-the-Island (’RTI) race on Saturday, August 1st, 2020. The Round Island, which began in 1938 and counts as one of America’s oldest distance races, it tracks 56.0 nautical miles around Martha’s Vineyard.

“To ensure the health and safety of sailors and the entire Martha’s Vineyard community, we have been working diligently to comply with the State of Massachusetts guidelines regarding COVID-19,” said Race Co-Chair Alex Nugent.

“Because of the early-August scheduling of our event, we’ve had time to adapt our plans and prepare the competitors for what to expect. Despite necessary changes, registration numbers are robust, drawing teams from all over the East Coast who see Edgartown Race Weekend as the kick-off to the 2020 racing season.”

Happily adapting to the pandemic guidelines are many J/Sailors. Answering the Siren's Song are sixteen J/Crews, ranging from J/29s to J/46! All divisions have J's participating, such as IRC, ORRez, PHRF, and PHRF Doublehanded!

J/105's Edgartown
In the ginormous 31-boat PHRF Spinnaker division, a mini-armada of J/Crews from across New England are looking forward tackle the course. Perhaps their most formidable foe may be Senator (MA) John F. Kerry's Alden 44 LARK sailing for Nantucket Yacht Club...never know how those political guys manipulate the PHRF system! Leading the charge for J/teams will likely be Dick Egan's J/46 WINGS (a multiple Round Island Race winner), along with skipper Ken Luczynski's J/44 VAMP sailing for the US Merchant Marine Academy. Giving them a serious run for the money on both line honors and handicap honors is multiple Round Island Race winner- Doug Curtiss' J/111 WICKED 2.0. With that kind of formidable competition, the three J/109s hope the winds/ tides work in their favor (Ted Herlihy's GUT FEELING, Eliot Shanabrook's HAFA ADAI, & Ed Dailey's RAPTOR). The two very experienced J/105s have also won their fair share of silver in Cape Cod racing circles- the trio on the J/105 DARK'N'STORMY (Joyce, Reservitz, & Wagner) and Ed Lobo's WATERWOLF. Then, another famous team on the J/29 SEEFEST, skippered by Ira Perry means everyone in front of them should be nervous...as they have won their class in the past multiple times. To say the least, a very talented, competitive fleet.

J/122 sailing Edgartown
In the PHRF Doublehanded fleet of fourteen-boats, there will certainly be a great battle brewing amongst experienced duos on the trio of J/Doublehanders. Leading the charge around the course should be David Southwell's J/121 ALCHEMY, with Stephen Besse's J/120 APRES, and Mike Hersey's J/35 RESILIENCE giving them a good run-for-the-money.   For more information Edgartown YC Round Island Race sailing information
 

J/111 sailing Round Island
Round Isle of Wight Race Preview

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The Royal Ocean Racing Club has over 100 entries for "Race the Wight", scheduled to start on Saturday, 1st August. All entry fees will be donated to the NHS Trust and the Scaramouche Sailing Trust. Race the Wight will be the first of a four-race RORC mini-series during August and September.

“As a charity, we rely on donations and grants. Every pound we receive goes towards getting more students from different backgrounds sailing,” commented Jon Holt, Scaramouche Sailing Trust. “Our next big goal is to be on the start line of the Rolex Fastnet Race 2021. We are grateful for the ongoing support from RORC and proud to be named as one of the charities for the race.” The Greig City Academy will have upwards of a dozen students on different boats for the race.

IRC Classes for the 60.0 nm race around the Isle of Wight are still to be confirmed. However, early entries indicate a fleet full of champions with any number of potential victors.

J/122E sailing off England
Thirty-two J/Crews are entered in the race, looking forward to their picturesque circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight. Sailing in the thirteen-boat IRC 1 Class is Mike O’Donnell’s J/121 DARKWOOD; they won last year’s RORC Channel Race and will be competing with a crew of five.

“With water ballast and a sail configuration designed for short-handed sailing, we are actually sailing with our optimum crew, even with the restrictions,” commented Michael O’Donnell.  “The race around the Isle of Wight, starting at the Royal Yacht Squadron, is possibly the most iconic in the world - we just can’t wait to get out there.”

In the twenty-three boat IRC 2 Class are a duo of J/122s and quartet of J/111s. The J/111 teams include Chris Jones' JOURNEYMAKER II, Simon Banford's KESTREL, Tim Tolcher's RAGING BULL, and Simon Grier-Jones' SNOW LEOPARD. The 122's sailing are Clive Miles' JANGLE and Andy Theobald's R&W.

The enormous forty-three boat IRC 3 Class includes some of the top J/Crews that race on the Solent. Two J/112E's are racing- Jim Chalmers' HAPPY DAIZE and Bruce Huber's XANABOO. Joining them are two J/88s- Alistair Ray's JUMUNU 5 and Gavin Howe & Sam Cooper's TIGRIS. Joining them is Jim Owen's J/99 JET. Then, eight J/109s are racing, that include notables like Simon Perry's JIRAFFE, Rob Cotterill's MOJO RISIN, Mike Yates JAGO, and Chris Burleigh's JYBE TALKIN. As the lowest rated boat, Tom Hayhoe and Natalie Jobling will be racing J/105 MOSTLY HARMLESS Two-Handed and both work for the NHS Trust.

J/105 sailing offshore
Another enormous forty-three boat IRC 4 Class has Dave McGough's J/109 JUST SO, four J/105s (Mark Stevens JACANA, Bill Newton's JELLY BABY, Steve Roberts' JIN TONIC, and Jerry Freeman's JULIETTE). Joining them are Rachel Woods and Robert Hunt's J/97 JUMBLESAIL 2, Jack Banks' J/92 NIGHTJAR, Robert Salter's J/92 JACKDAW and two J/80s (Keith Willis' DARK & STORMY 2 and Ross Bowder's JUSTIFY).

Notably, the largest class is the IRC Doublehanded Class with forty-four boats!  Those teams include Jones' J/111 JOURNEYMAKER II, Miles' J/122 JANGLE, Frans van Cappelle's J/122E MOANA, Howes' J/88 TIGRIS, Joppe Scheppers & Jasper Heikens' J/109 JOMALIJA, Yates' J/109 JAGO, Hayhoe & Jobling's J/105 MOSTLY HARMLESS, Roberts' J/105 JIN TONIC, Freeman's J/105 JULIETTE, and Woods & Hunt's J/97 JUMBLESAIL 2.

In summary: permitted crew can be up to a maximum of 6 people from any household or two-thirds of a boat’s IRC crew number, whichever is the least. Competitors are also reminded of the government guidance on social distancing and other Covid-19 pandemic measures.  For more RORC sailing information, including online entry.
 

Sailing offshore of England
Royal Torbay Regatta Announcement

(Torbay, England)- After an unexpected start to this year’s sailing season and many discussions on how best to proceed with Torbay Royal Regatta 2020, we are pleased to announce that the event will still be taking place over the weekend August 22nd – 23rd, albeit with a number of necessary changes brought about by COVID-19 restrictions and associated guidance.

The Torbay Royal Regatta will proceed on its intended dates of August 22nd & 23rd, hosting races for IRC, Cruisers and Sports boats only. Although the event will not incorporate the IRC South West Championship as originally planned, sailors can expect two days of top-class racing on the renowned sailing waters of Torbay. Entries are open and a revised Notice of Race has been published, both can be found on the event website detailed below.

The running of two separate events will enable the club to provide competitive sailing opportunities for all classes whilst keeping the competitors and volunteers health and safety as a top priority. All racing and race management will be conducted following HM Government and RYA Guidance relating to the COVID-19 pandemic that are applicable at the time of each event.  For more Royal Torbay regatta sailing information
 

New York Yacht Club- Harbour Court- Newport, Rhode Island
New York Yacht Club Reboots Summer Sailing

(Newport, RI)- The key to a comeback is to look forward. With Rhode Island now in Phase III of its re-opening plan, the New York Yacht Club has turned its focus toward making the most of this truncated sailing season. The Annual Regatta, which will be run for the 166th time in 2020, is now scheduled for August 28th to 30th. Unique to this edition is the inclusion of a number of one-design keelboats, including J/70s.

Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex will take place September 23rd to 26th, allowing sailors to enjoy one of Rhode Island’s best-kept secrets, the fabulous early autumn sailing conditions. True race weeks are a rarity in today's time-crunched world and the Club is proud to keep that traditional alive with five days of activities and racing. Different course configurations and sailing areas, such as buoy racing and mid-distance courses, will make the week lively for competitors, while the Stadium Sailing will allow spectators to watch the racing from Fort Adams.

It may not be the sailing season you envisioned, but it can be one you won’t soon forget. Registration for both events is open now.  For more NYYC Annual Regatta sailing information   For more NYYC Race Week sailing information
 

J/Gear J/Jacket
J/Gear August 20% OFF Special!

(Newport, RI)- The J/Foul Weather Jacket boasts a rugged construction and features taped seams for durability. The jackets are discounted 20% and the special price is active now until August 30th, 2020.

The very nice-looking jacket features the following
  • Zip-off multi-adjustable hood
  • Partial storm flap with metal snaps at top
  • Reflective printed shoulder panels
  • Center front reverse coil waterproof zipper
  • Chest and lower pockets with reverse coil waterproof zipper
  • Adjustable shockcord at hood and hem
  • Outer jacket works with style 9951 liner- offers warmth to 8.0 F!
The J/Class logo of your choice is embroidered on the front. We can also customize with your detail. Perfect for the whole crew!  For more J/Foul Weather Jacket information and to buy now.
 

Sailing Calendar

Aug 13-16- SAILING Champions League- St Petersburg, Russia
Aug 14-16- Swedish J/70 Sailing League- Ornskoldsvik, Sweden
Aug 15-16- Danish J/70 Sailing League- Aarhus, Denmark
Aug 15-16- J/Fest Newport- Newport, RI
Aug 28-30- J/70 Segel Bundesliga- Wannsee, Germany
Aug 28-30- Under 21 Italian J/70 Sailing League Championship- Rimini, Italy
Sep 5-6- Danish J/70 Sailing League- Skovshoved, Denmark
 

J/124 Marisol sailing offshore
Round Catalina Double-Race Produces J/Silver

(Newport Beach, CA)- Thirty-six boats sailed in South Shore Yacht Club's annual 90.0 nm Round Catalina Island Doublehanded Race. The annual event starts & finishes off the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach and only allows two sailors aboard. Club officials stated this was a record turnout! Yachts ranging in size from 24 ft to 72 ft LOA entered this classic Southern California Handicap Race.

The J/124 MARISOL skippered by NHYC member Tom Pollack & American Legion Yacht Club member Rick Hancock were the 2nd boat to finish, 3rd in class & 3rd overall in the PHRF Fleet. The race started in 7.0 knots of breeze building to 27 knots on the back side of Catalina near the island's east end where a local venturi effect from the 1000' tall sheer cliffs accelerates the normal 15 knot westerly breeze.

It was near here that Marisol caught up to larger boats and managed to exit the local windless parking lot in the lee of the island to find the westerly breeze on the other side.  22 miles later at the Balboa Pier, Marisol put her bow across the finish line just 1 second ahead of the Choate 48' Amante in a 15 knot westerly wind that refused to die down at 1:40 am local time.

"Our big yellow asymmetrical spinnaker attached to a retractable spinnaker pole that owner Seth Hall added a couple years ago has made Marisol a much better downwind ride than when she was built 16 years ago," added Skipper Tom Pollack. "All we did was keep it simple and not tack or gybe much, just letting the fast J/124 do the work! She rides on rails!"

The race started at 11:00 AM in a 7-8 knots building westerly breeze taking the fleet 15 miles north on a long port tack. As the breeze built to 20 knots, "We just kept sliding the genoa lead aft, sheeting tighter and pointing higher," said crew member Rick Hancock. "Hoping to use the smooth water in the harbor to change to a #3 jib."

Marisol purposefully navigated to enter the Long Beach Harbor entrance and exit the harbor at Los Angeles Angels Gate.  

"What you take for granted on a fully crewed race boat, does not happen on a sailboat with only 2 crew" said Pollack. "It's how you plan ahead & manage that challenge that allows you to finish the race safely. With the Olympics in 2024 in Paris featuring sailboat racing with mixed crews of 2 people, it should be interesting to watch the video feed," noted Tom Pollack.

Taking 1st place in PHRF B Class & 4th overall was J/109 BLUE CRUSH skippered by Bob Little and Dan Milefchik from Alamitos Bay Yacht Club.

J-109 FUZZY LOGIC skippered by Jeff Shew & Bill Durant from Long Beach Yacht Club took 2nd in PHRF B & 6th Overall.

So, if you find yourself in July of 2021 in Southern California and want to try something different, try SSYC's Crew of 2 race.   For complete results of the Round Catalina Double Race Results.
 

J/70 Chile class sunset
J/70 Class Report from Chile

(Algarrobo, Chile)- We received a report from Juan Eduardo Reid- J/70 sailor and J/Boats Chile dealer- regards their scenario in Chile.

Juan commented, "there has been no sailing activity since March 2020.  We are still sailing just in Virtual Regatta since April.  Santander and Doyle Sails are hosting a VR circuit with the J/70 owners and crews every Tuesday. Is called "The Master League".  There are weekly and monthly regattas.  2 fleets of 20 boats each week with final 40 participants results.

J/70 Virtual Regatta Chile
This, together with a WhatsApp for internal communication, has become a very important factor of keeping the class together and "active".

Chile J/70 women's team
Patagonia Yacht Charter and Doyle Sails hoisted the Chilean qualifiers for the South American Virtual Regatta championship. In the local qualifiers, 90 boats took place.

The class took the opportunity to ask for a voluntary donation for purchasing boxes of food for some employees at our home yacht club: Cofradía Nautica del Pacifico in Algarrobo.

We got very good support from the 90 participants, and collect $1,400 USD. And, the J/70 class did the same and supported the campaign with the same amount. So, with the $2,800 USD in funds, the J/70 Class in Chile and the Cofradía Náutica del Pacífico members support (they also complement each box with extra food), they  have been delivering 18 boxes of food every month since May. Three months of 18 boxes each were delivered and we expect to support with 2 more months.

food for covid-19 coronavirus workers
Independent marine workers are having a hard time since March 2020 and actually there were having very low marine activities since November 2019, after the violence and social strikes we faced in Chile since October 18th, 2019. So, this help is very important for them and the J/70 Chilean Class is happy to somehow contribute.

This is all that I can comment from this side of the world. I hope we can sail again during September or October.  We still have 2,000 new coronavirus cases and 100 dead every day here in Chile. It is getting better, but still not enough to get to normal life."
 

J/Community
What friends, alumni, and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
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J/27 sailboat
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J/80 sailing offshore
* A Perspective on one-design appeal in the J/80 Class from a U.S. Sailing dialogue with the USA J/80 Class President Ramzi Bannura. 

US Sailing: What is the appeal of the J-80 class?

Ramzi Bannura: The allure is that the J/80 is a competitive one design class that has pockets of established fleets and boats across the US and Canada, such as Annapolis, Toronto, Seattle, Austin and New Hampshire . The class has closed class rules so that means that anything that is not expressly permitted is prohibited.  One of the most attractive features of the class is that sailors are open and engaging, meaning sailors teach each other how to sail/race better and optimally tune their boats. It is not unusual to see open and honest discussion happening on the dock about set ups, or chatter about spinnaker take down techniques, or why one side of the course or the other was better in a post race debrief.  The J/80 class is  a like-minded community of sailors that seeks camaraderie through healthy competition.

Though mainly sailed by middle-aged men in the 40+ age range, it is common to see teenagers and women skippering a competitive J/80, and it is worth noting that the J/80 is commonly used for family cruising and PHRF sailing in all venues.

J/80 sailing offshore
US Sailing: How is the J/80 class growing?

Ramzi Bannura: In the past two years, based on class membership numbers, the J/80 class has seen a 20% growth. Since there is a shortage of boats, although new ones can be built to order today, class members are looking to locate boats that are not currently being sailed so that new owners can get involved competing in the class. The boats hold value well – 25 to 30 year old boats are still very competitive and hold championship trophies. The boats perform well in light air but the real performance starts when the breeze gets up to 15 knots and the boats start planning downwind at times approaching 20 knots. Fear is not a large factor as the breeze goes up since the J/80 demonstrates the art of solid handling and even graceful broaching as opposed to traditionally scary knockdowns. The J/80 is very easy to rig, tow and launch which makes opportunities for traveling an inviting adventure.

When all is said and done, the J/80 is ridiculously competitive and the class rules and one design specification consistency over the years makes the skipper and crew the primary difference in the performance of the boat, not all the extra high-tech gear common today!

US Sailing: What best practices does the J/80 class have to share for participation and retention of sailors?

Ramzi Bannura: The J/80 class has a member-only section of the website (http://www.j80na.org) where members have exclusive access to the J/80 “knowledge base” and other tools which is particularly helpful to new J/80 owners, as well as access to the North American member directory. Hints and tips along with tuning information on how to make the boat go faster are also readily available.

The J/80 North American class is not a “Pro” dominant class since the owner/driver rule tends to limit the number of pro drivers unless they are boat owners. Pro sailors are otherwise active in the class as crew and trusted advisers for boat owners/programs on a regular basis.  If a sailor wants to sail the class events, they will be required to be a boat owner. The class welcomes the participation of pros as they continue to share their knowledge and expertise in the spirit of camaraderie through competition.

US Sailing: How has the J/80 class been able to help contain the costs of participation?

Ramzi Bannura: Boat owners are only allowed to buy one suit of sails per year; this restriction tends to temper an arms race. Many teams save those “championship” sails for the big events, and regularly use other used sails in their regular club and evening races. New sails definitely make a difference, but the biggest differentiator is the skill of the sailors.

The other way that many sailors are able to manage costs of traveling outside of their local area is through the invitation and generosity of other J/80 sailors across the country.  If there is an event, many local fleet sailors offer to host/house out of town sailors to make travel to events more affordable. Hospitality encourages participation and friendships are born through that participation. This is an amazing and notable element of the J/80 class that has led to well attended events and good friendships.

US Sailing: Any final thoughts and additional information you would like to share?

Ramzi Bannura: There are more than 1,000 boats that have been built world-wide, with 250+ boats here in the US and Canada. The average price ranges between $25-35,000 all up, and as previously mentioned, the J/80 tends to hold its value since older boats are build solid and are competitive with newer boats.  Not only is the J/80 being used for racing (with max crew weight of 770 lbs/350 kg) but its versatility is shown in its regular use by clubs and sailing organizations for learn to sail and instructional programs, for boat rentals within programs, and for family time sailing.

It is important to note that the J/80 is as global as any worldwide one design class.  In addition to North America, there is a strong presence in Asia and Europe.  North American sailors can participate in international events and our champions hold their own against anyone from anywhere.  And the One Design Insurance policies from the Gowrie Group can be a huge benefit to one design sailors when they are sailing/competing at home or abroad, giving boat owners that additional peace of mind.  J/80 World Championship is currently planned for 2022 in North America.

Any and all are welcome to sail the J/80 and join the class – it is a fun, fast and fair class to be part of!

For more stories and resources for one design sailors, visit US Sailing’s One Design Central!   Learn more about the J/80 class here


J/99 sailing offshore
* Off Watch: Covid Blues
Herb McCormick, Cruising World's Executive Editor, and active J/24 Thursday night Fleet #50 racer in Newport, RI, had covered this year's St. Maarten Heineken Regatta back in March. J/News Editor Stu Johnstone spoke with Herb a few times at the famous evening concerts; Stu was sailing with friends on the J/105 SOLSTICE, owned/ skippered by Jordan Mindich from Long Island, NY. Here is Herb's retrospective view following our "lockdown life" in Newport, RI since March:

"Looking back, a visit to St. Maarten to cover the Heineken Regatta in early March now seems like a surreal experience in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

There are several things I have in common with our distinguished regular columnist, one Capt. Gary M. “Fatty” Goodlander. We’re both lifelong nautical scribes; have published thousands of magazine articles, and several marine books; and have a deep, abiding love for sailing. But, for the purposes of this little essay, I’ll point to one other experience Fatty and I have shared: We’ve both served as the press officer of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

There are a lot of fantastic perks to a career in sailing journalism— I’d venture to say that Fatty’s and my collective passport entries over the years are far more extensive and unusual than the average bear’s. But getting rich, alas, is most certainly not one of them. Which is why side gigs— such as books, freelance work, or working for regattas— are very welcome tasks indeed. And, that brings me to my most recent visit to St. Maarten, late this past winter, for the 40th edition of that crazy, wonderful event (it was actually my second swing to the island in recent months.)

Looking back, I think it’s safe to say that the Heineken Regatta— which drew sailors from Europe, Russia, the US, Australia, South Africa and many Caribbean islands, competing on nearly 150 yachts, and which took place from March 5th to 8th— was likely the last international sailing event to take place before the planet basically closed for business later that month due to the onset of the novel coronavirus. It’s hard to believe, just that short time ago, that few of us had any clue that before long we’d all be donning Jesse James-type bandannas for the ever-infrequent dashes to the supermarket.

Was it a surreal experience? In retrospect, indeed. But at the time, there was no real sense that we were all clueless spring breakers, or that we were pushing some irresponsible envelope to have a bit of fun at the world’s expense before it all went sideways. Who knew that all our lives would soon be governed by some bizarre concept known as “social distancing?” Life on the island, in the bars and restaurants— and yes, out on the racecourses— carried forth very much as usual. On the day that the regatta started, the first positive case of COVID-19 on the island was still nearly two weeks away. Of course, once that happened, St. Maarten quickly went on lockdown, and before the month was over, the international airport was basically closed to passengers. The wagons had been circled.

Meanwhile, in harbors and marinas the world over, the basic premise that governs the joy of owning and sailing a cruising boat— pure, unfettered freedom to go whenever and wherever we wish— had also come to a screeching halt. Plans were put on hold. With no real endgame in sight, there was no timetable to even plan when we could make a plan.

Full. Stop.

I wrapped up my duties on the last night of the regatta and was on a plane hours later, with a stop in Newark before my second flight back to New England. The usually busy airport was a ghost town. I washed my hands, had a beer, and washed my hands again. Then I flew home, suddenly aware of how things had already changed.

About a week later, I felt terrible. I’m generally a pretty healthy dude (touch wood), but I went down hard. There was no testing available in Rhode Island at that point, and I might never know for sure if I had the virus. After a long week, I got better, but at the time, I sure as hell knew I wasn’t in St. Maarten anymore, figuratively or literally.

I was sitting in my kitchen at some point during my illness, whatever the hell it was, listening to WMVY radio from Martha’s Vineyard, usually a bastion of good-time James Taylor tunes and the like. Over the years, the sunny station had provided the soundtrack on my boat for many a pleasant summer cruise. But, for the second or third time over the course of a few hours, they were spinning R.E.M.‘s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).” And, I thought about who I’d hung out with in St. Maarten; and the bar I’d leaned on in Newark; and my poor daughter down the hall (whose highly anticipated senior year of college had just been zapped), who I might be infecting with my stuff.

And, I did not feel fine.

Of course, we’ve all got our stories about this mess...that’s mine. But I’ll conclude this little lament with a sunnier thought. Smooth sailing lies ahead. Stay safe, mates."  Thanks for this contribution from Cruising World- Herb McCormick
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Wednesday, July 22, 2020

J/Newsletter- July 22nd, 2020

sunset in ChileJ/Sailing News

Five months into "pandemic life" here in Newport USA, we continue to see a few "sprouts" of activity taking place in the sailing world. RC model yachting and racing in "virtual regattas" continues to take place in various places worldwide.  In Europe, that exciting activity called "real sailing" did finally take place in Germany!  The German J/70 Segel-Bundesliga sailed this past weekend in Kiel, Germany, with eighteen teams participating in their first regatta of the season on the Baltic Sea, the event was hosted by three clubs.

Then, in America, we await reports from friends in the Pacific Northwest of couple/doublehanded and family/household racing taking place on Puget Sound.  South of them, on California's west coast, the Santa Barbara YC held their annual Fiesta Cup Regatta for one-design fleets of J/70s and J/111s, good fun was had by all sailing off "America's Riviera".

From the Midwest, we get a fun perspective from Brett Langolf sailing with friends on their J/35 in the recent Bayview to Mackinac Race- the first race ever to not end up on Mackinac Island itself due to the "pandemic rules" for the island.

Finally, please take a peek at a J/99 highlights video of Rod Johnstone's JAZZ "rescue mission" sailing from Stonington, CT to St. George's, Bermuda and return- criss-crossing the notoriously capricious Gulf Stream twice in just six days!
 

J/70 sailing in Kiel, Germany
ONE Kiel Tops German J/70 Segel-Bundesliga
(Kiel, Germany)- As the hosts for the first 2020 Germany J/70 Segel-Bundesliga that took place this past weekend in Kiel, from July 17 to 19, the three Kiel clubs (Baltic Sailing Club, Kiel Sailing Association and TSV Schilksee) did not expect that one of their hometown teams would end up eclipsing the fleet of eighteen teams.

J/70 women's sailing team- Kiel, Germany
After sixteen races for each team over three days, it was Team ONE Kiel's young team led by skipper Magnus Simon that dominated the first weekend of sailing.

"We didn't expect that things would go so well for us," says Sören Brandt from Team ONE Kiel. “We approached race after race with a clear head and confidently positioned ourselves tactically. It worked really well, better than we expected!"

ONE Kiel Team win German J/70 Segel-Bundesliga
Following them on the podium was the Segel-und Motorboat Club Uberlingen, just beating long-time rivals Wassersport-Verein Hemeligen by just one point.  Rounding out the top five was a past DSBL champion in fourth place- Norddeutscher Regatta Verein- and in fifth place was Wurttembergischer YC in fifth position.

In the second division, the Bodensee-Yacht-Club Überlingen led by helmsman Konstantin Steidle took the lead. The Hamburg Sailing Club and the Mühlenberger Sailing Club took second and third place.

J/70 women sailor- German Sailing League
The start of the Sailing Bundesliga season was the first sailing event since the Covid-19 pandemic broke in Kiel in March 2020 and is seen as a pioneer for further sailing events in the 2020 season.

Anke Lukosch, Project Leader of the Sailing Bundesliga, is satisfied with the first weekend of sailing; “our hygiene concept was approved by the athletes and they implemented in an exemplary manner. I am particularly pleased that, despite the corona regulations, top-class sport could be seen and the league feeling could be fully lived again."

J/70s sailing off Kiel, Germany
All sailors are now preparing for the next DSBL regatta taking place from August 28th to 30th in Berlin, sailing on the Wannsee.  Sailing Photo credits: DSBL / Lars Wehrmann   For more German J/70 Segel-Bundesliga sailing information
 

J/70s sailing regatta offshore
Successful, Fun-Loving Fiesta Cup Regatta!
(Santa Barbara, CA)- In the face of every obstacle known to man, the Santa Barbara YC hosted their 14th annual Fiesta Cup Regatta off the beautiful harbor of Santa Barbara, California from July 18th to 19th.  The fleet was greeted by nice sailing conditions and a total of seven races were held for the one-design J/70 and J/111 classes.

FIesta Cup Regatta logo posterThe eight-boat J/70 class was fiercely contested by the two protagonists, and well-known, racing teams in Santa Barbara.  Past J/24 North American Champion Pat Toole and his team on 3 BIG DOGS had their hands full taking on Scott Deardorff/ Jon Ziskind/ Gus Duncan's CAKE.  Over the course of seven races, these two teams won all seven races and accounted for six 2nds! In the end, it was Toole's 3 BIG DOGS that took the regatta by two points over the CAKE team.  Third was the MONKEY HOUSE gang, led by Paul Castleberg and Lauren Amery. Fourth was Thomas Tunberg's NAMASTE and fifth John McCaffery's MAGIC CARPET RIDE.

The J/111 Class was a three-way duel between very experienced offshore teams. The surprise winner was not what the Ladbroke's Betting Parlour in London was betting on- Bernie Girod's ROCK & ROLL. Instead, it was Mike Drammer & Shaun Hughes' TITANIUM that rode their fast horse to the head of the class with a 1-3-1-1 tally for 6 pts total. Incredibly, the next two spots were determined on a tie-breaker at 9 pts each! With a 2-1-3-3 tally, it was Kenny Kieding's ARGO 3 that took the silver over Bernie Girod's ROCK & ROLL that had a 3-2-2-2.  For more Fiesta Cup Regatta sailing information
 

J/111 sailing offshore
J/111 North Americans Moved to Spring 2021
(Annapolis, MD)– The J/111 Class Association and Annapolis Yacht Club have determined, because of the varying levels of infection and disruption across the world, that this year’s J/111 North American Championship scheduled for October 29 - November 1 will be raced as part of the Annapolis NOOD from April 30 - May 2, 2021. The Class will instead hold its East Coast Championship in Annapolis during the previously scheduled Halloween weekend 2020. The Organizing Authority has been closely monitoring the worldwide developments in the COVID-19 pandemic. They understand the commitment of time and money required to participate in a Continental Championship, as well as the enormous resources that our hosts dedicate to such events.

Allan Terhune, Event Chair, said, “Last week, we had a great meeting with several J/111 owners. While Annapolis YC was ready and committed to hosting the event, the owners were in agreement that with the uncertainty of events, moving to the spring of 2021 will ensure that the J/111 Class and AYC will have an event that is worthy of being a North American Championship. I am very excited for the decision and look forward to the great sailing on schedule this fall and also in 2021 on the Chesapeake Bay.”

In the meantime, the Class wishes all J/111 sailors and their families the best in these difficult times. We look forward to resuming sailing as soon as we can.  Sailing photo credit- Lorens Morel
 

J/111 stars in book
J/111 Stars in Espionage Thriller!
(Boston, MA)- It’s exceedingly rare for a self-published book by a new author to break into the top 20 on the Amazon “Most Sold” list. Christopher Rosow’s first book, "False Assurances", not only ascended to #6 on that list for the week ending May 17, it simultaneously hit #1 with a bullet on Apple Books…an occurrence only slightly more likely than seeing a mermaid. Today, it's #1 Amazon Kindle Best Seller, #1 Apple Books Best Seller, #1 Wall Street Journal Fiction Best Seller, #6 Amazon Combined Print/ E-Book Best Seller-- an amazing achievement.

Chris Rosow book- False AssurancesIn July 2017, a J/111 competing in the Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race is boarded by terrorists intent on smuggling weapons into the U.S. After escaping from his captors, the owner is rescued and subsequently calls the FBI Boston field office to report that his boat’s been hijacked. The call appears to be a hoax, and the local agents have already been assigned to a visit by the President that evening. Because Bureau procedures require a response to all threats, the task of investigating the call is given to an unlikely hero, FBI Information Management Specialist Ben Porter. With no training in field work, will Ben be able to uncover the deadly plot and prevent it from being carried out?

Christopher Rosow conceived this story while standing watch (perhaps not entirely diligently) on a J/111 during the 2017 Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race. According to Chris, "I was supposed to be on-watch, making the boat go fast, but instead I was goofing around with the boat’s AIS system in the navigation station, thinking, “what if…?”! LOL!

After the manuscript was rejected by a succession of publishers, he made the decision to self-publish and also write a sequel to False Assurances called Threat Bias. In just over a fortnight, 40,000 copies of the first two books in the Ben Porter Series were purchased and both have garnered 5-star ratings on Amazon.

Lauded as “thoroughly riveting” by best-selling author James Patterson (a man who knows a bit about “couldn’t-put-it-down” novels), False Assurances and Threat Bias are available in e-book or print format on Amazon, in e-book format on Apple Books, or in print format from your favorite independent bookseller via Ingram. This reviewer is predicting that these will be the best thrillers you’ll read this summer…and that heads will roll at more than a few publishing houses when the film rights to the Ben Porter Series are purchased by a Hollywood studio.

A life-long sailor known to his many friends as "Treef", Chris Rosow currently chairs the junior sailing program at Pequot Yacht Club in Southport, CT. He and his wife Meghan and children Connor, Keilan and Maggie live in Southport with a chocolate Lab and a Havanese (“The Odd Couple of dogs,” he jokes) and what he describes as “way too many boats.” Chris' brother David owns and sails the extremely successful J/109 LOKI and, along with their Dad (David Sr), they have been long-time active sailing members of New York Yacht Club.

JAMES PATTERSON applauds "a thoroughly riveting two-novel debut that introduces a compelling new hero.”

In CONNECTICUT MAGAZINE, Sean Chaffin writes, “What sets the novels apart from other suspense thrillers? Protagonist Ben Porter, who works for the FBI, is the anti-James Bond. A bit overweight and short, he’s more George Costanza than Jack Ryan.”

Editor-in-chief of WINDCHECK magazine Chris Szepessy predicts “that these will be the best thrillers you’ll read this summer.”  Buy on Amazon here.   Buy on Apple Books here.   Thanks to Chris for this contribution.

 

J/Gear for sale
J/Gear July 20% OFF Special!
(Newport, RI)- The J Under Armour Quarter Zip Top provides Under Armour technology with a competitive design appearance. A bold stripe details the sleeve. The Under Armour logo is displayed on the left sleeve.

The top features a reflective quarter-zip for visibility during after-hours training; contrast fabric overlays on sleeves and collar; rolled forward shoulder seams for unrivaled comfort; and performance loose fit.

It is constructed of a 100% polyester fabric, a soft and durable circular knit construction with brushed interior for extra warmth, with the signature Moisture Transport System that wicks sweat to keep you dry and light.

The J/Class logo of your choice is embroidered on the front. We can also customize with your detail. Perfect for the whole crew!  Check it out here on the J/Gear website
 

Sailing Calendar

Aug 13-16- SAILING Champions League- St Petersburg, Russia
Aug 14-16- Swedish J/70 Sailing League- Ornskoldsvik, Sweden
Aug 15-16- Danish J/70 Sailing League- Aarhus, Denmark
Aug 15-16- J/Fest Newport- Newport, RI
Aug 28-30- J/70 Segel Bundesliga- Wannsee, Germany
Aug 28-30- Under 21 Italian J/70 Sailing League Championship- Rimini, Italy
Sep 5-6- Danish J/70 Sailing League- Skovshoved, Denmark
 

J/35 sailing Bayview to Mackinac Island race
A Winning J/35's Perspective on the Bayview-Mac
(Mackinac Island, MI)- Call it what you may, but sailing offshore brings great camaraderie to small crews and big crews. In this year's version of a pandemic-driven reduction to family and smaller crews, it only brought people even closer together.

We got a wonderful report from our friends in Cleveland, Ohio- Brett Langolf who generally races his lovingly restored J/34 IOR classic Half-Ton racer on Lake Erie. This year, he had the privilege of sailing with a bunch of local friends on a J/35 called MAJOR DETAIL. Here is Brett's report:

"Why this year's Bayview-Mac?

Because you never stop racing.
Even if it’s less than 3 miles to go.
Even after almost 240 miles upwind, the lead J/35 is still extending.
Even if we've thrown everything at them, you can and have exhausted all options.
Even when sending the entire crew to sleep on the rail over the last 12 hours didn’t work.
Even if the Class President already sent an email congratulating the other boat on winning the Port Huron to Mackinac Race (watching the tracker live on-line).

So, you pause and decide to all have a beer as the sun rose and the finish line was in sight, “because good things happen when we drink beer!!”

You all raise Canadian beers, even though you had to stay out of Canadian waters, the whole race for fear of deportation. You all "cheers" for what you are about to achieve.

Cheers to second place in the Port Huron to Mackinac.
Cheers you didn’t break anything.
Cheers to old friends and new on the crew.
Cheers that all tested negative for COVID-19.
Cheers to our weekend boat escape.
Cheers for the families we are about to see.
You cheers to an amazing skipper that created this opportunity.

Cheers because….wait! What?? This dog fight of a J/35 battle just gave itself an insanely bizarre turn-of-events. The lead boat has tucked themselves into shore, to leeward of Mackinac Island, and potentially impacted by an on-the-nose current.

Check Yellow Brick Race Tracker. They are going 1.1 kts and we are going 7.1 kts! We can only see them through binoculars and all of a sudden, we like what we see.

“Mortimer, we are back in business!”

“Legs Out. Traveler Up. Keep us in the breeze. Grab me a water. Don’t screw this up,” we all said at once.

One last thing to throw at us. Over the line first? Maybe.

We pulled it off, the mano-a-mano J/35 battle was over. We pulled it off against an amazing crew!

Wait, this is an ORR Race. How much time do we owe them? Crap, almost 6 minutes? OK we got it.

Well, cheers to us, we pulled it off.

J/35 Bayview Mackinac Race winners- Major Detail
First in Class E, First in the J/35 Fleet and Yacht Club Challenge Winner. MAJOR DETAIL was on the virtual podium, the real awards happen once America figures out this COVID mess.

J/Boat sweep- J/35, J/35, J/109....but we need to update one minor detail, it was MAJOR DETAIL in 1st!

Grab your wallet and your masks boys, "Pink Pony" here we come." Editors note- the Pink Pony Cafe & Restaurant is the de facto race HQ for all sailors after completing any Mackinac Race.   Thanks for contribution from Brett Langolf.

 

J/Community
What friends, alumni, and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
-----------
* J/Net Brokerage Specials! Check out our exciting new site for lovingly-owned J/Boats from around the world.

J/122 brokerage- for sale in Spain
A J/122 is a superlative boat, a true race-winning horse that also allows you to cruise as a family. Carbon mast, carbon boom and a huge inventory of NORTH SAILS sails in very good condition. Version 3 with double cabins and a bathroom. Consult us the complete list of equipment. Nautamarine- we are the exclusive distributors for Spain of the J/Boats.  Learn more about this J/122 here.


J/99 sailing doublehanded offshore
* Experience and understand what it's like to sail offshore.  The J/99 JAZZ was sailed by Rodney Johnstone and Clay Burkhalter from Stonington, CT to Bermuda (635.0nm as the 'crow flies') to help "rescue" a friends 65 ft sailboat. After 48 hours, they sailed the return voyage back to Stonington in slightly breezier, rougher conditions.  Clay narrates the 10-minute video accompanied by the classic Grateful Dead "Franklin's Tower" song (Las Vegas 1992) playing as the background soundtrack.  Enjoy!

J/99 JAZZ sailing off Bermuda
Click photo or link here to watch video:
https://youtu.be/ZzOdJmZKqLo

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Wednesday, July 15, 2020

J/Newsletter- July 15th, 2020

sunset in ChileJ/Sailing News

As the new world-order of pandemic life continues to unfold, there are some events around the globe that are cautiously dipping their toes in the water and testing the feasibility of hosting regattas again- safely, of course.  Coming up this weekend are two famous regattas that are well-known within their regions. In Germany, the German J/70 Segel-Bundesliga will be taking place off Kiel, site of the famous Kieler Woche, with sailing on the Baltic Sea. Then, out west in what has become "re-lockdown" California, the Santa Barbara YC is hosting their enormously popular Fiesta Cup for J/111s and J/70s.

Meanwhile, last weekend, the hugely popular Bayview Mackinac Race took place on Lake Huron. Conditions were gorgeous at the start, but changed into a challenging windward beat in steep, cliff-faced, waves to the notorious finish line off Mackinac Island...J/Crews loved the race for sure! Then, out west in California, the Doublehanded PSSA Dave Wall series race took place off Marina del Rey, using Malibu sea buoy off the Malibu Pier as a turning mark. Finally, in the J/Community section you will see an amusing report on the newly-hatched Newport radio-control sailboat fleet; an amazingly competitive cast of characters that includes multiple World Champions, Offshore Champions, and Narragansett Bay Champions.
 

J/70s sailboats in German Sailing League
German J/70 Segel-Bundesliga Starts in Kiel

(Kiel, Germany)- The first day of the 2020 Germany J/70 Segel-Bundesliga is taking place this weekend in Kiel, from July 17 to 19. Three Kiel clubs are organizing the season opener in Kiel-Schilksee: The Baltic Sailing Club, the Kiel Sailing Association and TSV Schilksee.

The original start for the sailing league was supposed to be on the Chiemsee. The move to Kiel and sailing on the Baltic Sea was a popular choice and welcomed by virtually all the sailing clubs.

“After a long wait, everyone is happy that sailing events in Kiel can start again. The athletes are already in the starting blocks to duel again on the water,” said Mr. Lukosch, the Segel-Bundesliga Manager of Operations.

J/70 sailboats racing German Sailing League
On the first day of sailing, the northern German clubs dominated the eighteen teams in attendance. Under bright sunshine, the light winds and coronavirus regulations could not spoil the joy of everyone involved.

The boats were on the water from 11:00 AM until early evening. After 18 high-energy races, the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein was ahead with 10 points, followed by the Hemelingen Water Sports Club and the ONE Kiel Team.

Thirty-six more races are scheduled on Saturday and Sunday. Racing starts at 10:00 AM. The races will be broadcast live between 12 noon and 4:00 PM (European time).   Sailing Photo credits: DSBL / Lars Wehrmann  For more German J/70 Segel-Bundesliga sailing information
 

J/70 sailing Fiesta Cup- Santa BarbaraFiesta Cup Regatta Preview
(Santa Barbara, CA)- The Santa Barbara Yacht Club is pleased to host the 14th annual Fiesta Cup in gorgeous Santa Barbara, California from July 18th to 19th, 2020.  One-designs invited to participate include the J/111 and J/70 classes. Due to Covid-19 restrictions in California, this year's event will only be open to Santa Barbara YC and Santa Barbara Sailing Club boats.

The sailing will take place in the Santa Barbara Channel. The scenery is unparalleled, since the 50-mile channel is bordered by the Channel Islands National Park to the southwest and the "American Riviera" and San Pablo Mountain range to the northeast. In July, the venue typically provides a sea breeze of 12-18 knots from the WNW, but has a variety of wind conditions and average temperatures of 77 degrees.

Looking forward to a weekend on the water is a large contingent of J/Sailors. As the largest class in the regatta, the eight-boat J/70 fleet will enjoy great sailing and competition. The usual suspects will be present, including Scott Deardorff's CAKE, Tom Tunberg's NAMASTE, Pat Toole's 3 BIG DOGS, and Paul Castleberg's MONKEY HOUSE.

The J/111 Class will be a three-way duel between very experienced offshore teams, such as Bernie Girod's ROCK & ROLL, Kenny Kieding's ARGO 3, and Mike Drammer & Shaun Hughes' TITANIUM.  For more Fiesta Cup Regatta sailing information
 

J/105 sailboat one-design racer
2020 J/105 North Americans to be Sailed in 2021

(Annapolis, MD)- The J/105 Class Association, Annapolis Yacht Club and J/105 Fleet #3 have determined, because of the varying levels of infection and disruption across the world, that this year’s J/105 North American Championship scheduled for October 29-November 1 will be raced October 28-31, 2021. The Organizing Authority has been closely monitoring the worldwide developments in the COVID-19 pandemic. They understand the commitment of time and money required to participate in a Continental Championship, as well as the enormous resources that our hosts dedicate to such events.

Cedric Lewis, owner of MIRAGE and Event Co-Chair, said, “We were hopeful when we sent out the Notice of Race that COVID-19 would be a distant memory by the time the event took place at the end of October, but unfortunately, that may not be the case. We have complete confidence in AYC's ability to conduct Championship-caliber racing in a safe manner, but the other aspects of the event, including social events and post-race gathering on the dock, would not be possible. The Organizing Committee recommended postponing the event until we can hold a true Championship and offer sponsors the visibility that is expected when supporting an event. On behalf of my Co-Chair, Andrew Kennedy (owner of BAT IV) and Fleet Captain Bill Carruth (owner of PEREGRINE), we look forward to hosting our fellow competitors in 2021.”

Previously scheduled North American Championships will shift back one year as follows: San Francisco Yacht Club (San Francisco, CA) in 2022, American Yacht Club (Rye, NY) in 2023 and Edgewater Yacht Club (Cleveland, OH) in 2024.

In the meantime, the Class wishes all J/105 sailors and their families the best in these difficult times. We look forward to resuming sailing as soon as we can.
 

J/Gear for sale
J/Gear July 20% OFF Special!
(Newport, RI)- The J Under Armour Quarter Zip Top provides Under Armour technology with a competitive design appearance. A bold stripe details the sleeve. The Under Armour logo is displayed on the left sleeve.

The top features a reflective quarter-zip for visibility during after-hours training; contrast fabric overlays on sleeves and collar; rolled forward shoulder seams for unrivaled comfort; and performance loose fit.

It is constructed of a 100% polyester fabric, a soft and durable circular knit construction with brushed interior for extra warmth, with the signature Moisture Transport System that wicks sweat to keep you dry and light.

The J/Class logo of your choice is embroidered on the front. We can also customize with your detail. Perfect for the whole crew!  Check it out here on the J/Gear website
 

Sailing Calendar

Jul 17-19- J/70 Segel Bundesliga- Chiemsee, Germany
Jul 18-19- Fiesta Cup (J/70 & J/111)- Santa Barbara, CA
Jul 23-26- Sailing World Marblehead NOOD Regatta- Marblehead, MA
Jul 24-26- Ugotta Regatta- Harbor Springs, MI
Aug 13-16- SAILING Champions League- St Petersburg, Russia
Aug 14-16- Swedish J/70 Sailing League- Ornskoldsvik, Sweden
Aug 15-16- Danish J/70 Sailing League- Aarhus, Denmark
Aug 15-16- J/Fest Newport- Newport, RI
Aug 28-30- J/70 Segel Bundesliga- Wannsee, Germany
Aug 28-30- Under 21 Italian J/70 Sailing League Championship- Rimini, Italy
Sep 5-6- Danish J/70 Sailing League- Skovshoved, Denmark
 

J/121 sailboat- sailing Bayview Mackinac Race
J/Crews Dominate Bayview Mackinac Race

(Port Huron, MI)- The 2020 edition of the Bayview Mackinac Race will go down in the history books as one of the tougher races on record. It was no "walk-in-the-park" as the fleet endured many hours of beating upwind to get to Mackinac Island, despite the incredibly beautiful sailing conditions at the start on Saturday, June 11th.

Due to Canadian maritime restrictions over the covid-19 pandemic, this year's course was simple- "go north and finish!" The only obstacles were having to leave Thunder Bay Island and Bois Blanc Island to port before crossing the virtual GPS finish line between the famous lighthouse and Mackinac Island.

Despite the challenging weather conditions Saturday night and Sunday, most of the twenty J/Teams completed the entire race track. In the only two divisions that had J/Teams entered, it was a clean sweep for them in both.

J/111 sailboat- sailing Bayview Mackinac race
In eleven-boat Class D Racing division, Bob Cristoph's J/121 LOKI took both line honors and the corrected time win by nearly 20 minutes over Scott Sellers' J/111 NO SURPRISE. Third was John Harvey's J/120 SLEEPING TIGER, fourth Tim & John McGuire's J/112E ELEVATION, and fifth Don Hudak's J/111 CAPERS.

In the twelve-boat Class E Racing division, it was yet another J/sweep. Two J/35's took the top of the podium. Winning was Bill Vogan's MAJOR DETAIL, followed by Ed & John Bayer's FALCON. Third was Chris Mallet's J/109 SYNCHRONICITY, and fourth place went to Sam Powers' J/105 GRYPHON.

This year, the race featured a "Shore Course- Sport Boat" division. The sole J/team was Scott Sorbie's J/88 LEGACY, garnering some silverware in their first outing of the year to take the bronze in Class L Racing division..

J/111 No Surprise team in Michigan
The report from the Polk Wager on the J/111 NO SURPRISE team gives you some good "color commentary" on how it all went down getting beaten-up going to Mackinac:

"Another Mackinac Race in the books aboard the NO SURPRISE, and another spectacular adventure with friends and family. It was a difficult and physically uncomfortable race this year, with strong upwind breeze and challenging sea states leading to a very wet boat, long hours on the rail, and essentially no sleep for anyone. After we spent much of the race from the outside looking in, Scott found the shift we were waiting for at 9:00 PM on Sunday night to allow us to take second place in our class (and very nearly first).

J/111 No Surprise young sailors
A special shout-out to our three rookies: Trip Wagner, Hannah Sellers, and Hadley Camp (seen above). These three spent countless hours on the rail being pelted by waves, eagerly made sandwiches for the team as the boat pounded upwind in the Straits, pumped the boat out with buckets as needed, and even completed a classic midnight water-crashing-spray-everywhere jib change pretty much unassisted. And they did it all with enthusiasm and energy; it was great to be there at the start of what I am sure will be many future Mac race adventures for them."

J/35 sailboat- sailing Bayview Mackinac Race
Here's another report from J/35 DEAN's LIST owner- Dean Fitzpatrick- the J/35 class President and cheerleader:

"Congratulations to Ed Bayer and his crew in winning their division in the Bayview Mac Race! They had a very tight race with Bill Vogan's MAJOR DETAIL. These two boats were never more than two miles apart for the whole race.

That is proof positive of the strength and speed of one of the finest sailboats ever designed by Rod Johnstone- it goes like a train upwind! First and second place by J/35s, triumphing over a J/109, J/105, and a gaggle of Beneteau 36.7s!

Anyone looking to get the biggest bang for their buck only needs to see the results of this race. J/35's walk the walk. Great job by all, you guys once again are putting the sunshine on the J/35, and showcasing the J/35 renaissance to the whole sailing world!"   For more Bayview Mackinac Race sailing information
 

J/92 and J/105 sailing Doublehanded PSSA race
J/Sweep of Doublehanded PSSA Race

(Marina del Rey, CA)- The Pacific Singlehanded Sailing Association held their annual 27.0nm "David Wall Race" from Marina del Rey to Malibu sea buoy and return this past weekend. The PSSA was sympathetic to the numerous requests for "doublehanders" to participate in their offshore season. The response was nothing short of dramatic, with the Doublehanded class garnering 13 entries versus the 11-boat Singlehanded class.

Here is the report from Dan Murphy on the J/105 CUCHULAINN:
"On Saturday, Rob Dekker and I did the 27-mile PSSA race to Malibu and back. The wind was predicted to be 6 kts, peaking at 10 kts, by mid-afternoon. So, I tuned the rig for that wind expecting we would not do very well at the outset and might be in OK shape for a longer race.

J/105 sailing Doublehanded PSSA race
Indeed, the wind from the start until we had Malibu in sight was the predicted 6-8 knots.  And, we had a hard time keeping up with the smaller J/Boats with their big genoas. But, then the wind started building, and once we turned around at Malibu Pier, it built rapidly until we had a 16-18 knot winds that powered up the spinnaker and had us surfing at 8-10 knots for the short 10-mile trip back to Marina Del Rey. We made up a lot of ground on those smaller boats and ended up fifth in our doublehanded class and third out of the boats competing for the series. The entire race took us just 4 hours 45 minutes. We love sailing the J/105, particularly in moderate to big breeze!"

Winning the Doublehanded Class was Curt Johnson & Paul Burnett's J/80 AVET. Taking the silver was Brian Kerr & Grant Bartee's J/92 DOUBLE DOWN and rounding out the podium with the bronze medal was Caesar Berger & Ron Agustsson's J/29 ZULU.  The balance of the top five was Lenny Gordon & John Thomas' J/92 SUNSHINE and fifth was the J/105 CHUCHULAINN. Also participating were two bigger J's; Jack Rose & Ken Robinson sailed the J/120 PRIVATEER to 8th place and Bruce Keller & Neil Fletcher sailed their J/130 BEAUTY to 9th place! A great show of force by all doublehanded J/Sailors, taking 7 of the top 10 is real proof of the ease-of-handling and boat speed of J/Designs in a wide variety of conditions.
 

J/Community
What friends, alumni, and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
-----------
* J/Net Brokerage Specials! Check out our exciting new site for lovingly-owned J/Boats from around the world.

J/88 for sale- brokerage U.K.
J/88 #14 is probably one of the best examples of a racing J/88 currently on the market. With all the gear for either class one-design or IRC racing. This twice National Champion has been maintained to the highest standards, dry-sailed her entire life, with no expense spared on sails, electronics and on-going maintenance. Currently owned by the J/70 World Champion, this competitive boat is ready to race with a new owner!  For more J/88 #14 sailboat information

New York YC Harbour Court- DF95 sailing
* DF-95 sailing comes to Newport!
Here's what past J/24 World Champion and current Sail Newport Managing Director- Brad Read- had to say about his first evening of sailing/ racing his DF-95 model sailboat #88 (in Boston Bruins livery/ colors) off the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court pier:

Brad Read's DF95 #88 sailing in Newport
"Very fun tonight! Thanks to Jim Boyd, Lynn Lynch and Beth Duggan of NYYC for allowing this to happen and setting the course at Harbour Court!  We are trying to get clearance from Rhode Island's Department of Environmental Management for Tuesday next week at Sail Newport.  I look forward to more sailing at NYYC Harbour Court, Newport Shipyard, and Sail Newport. Great fleet, truly a cast of characters."

In response, fellow DF-95 sailor Amory Ross (the famous photographer in Newport) had this tongue-in-cheek perspective:

"For those not in attendance... Brad went 1-1-1-1. Glad he took a break from wet sanding his hull to appropriately thank the enablers! Lots of fun indeed, echo the appreciation! Can see the potential. We may need some bigger 'bumpas', but then again, rubbin’ is racin! Looking forward to the next somebody-please-sink-88-now gathering, soon!" Editor's note- #88 is Brad's boat, LOL!

Newport DF95 fleet sailing
Here is the humorous, full-on, report from the self-appointed Newport DF-95 Fleet Scribe- "Mahky Mahconi" (in theory, a famous Boston-based descendent of Radio Pioneer Guglielmo Marconi- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guglielmo_Marconi).

"The Newport Radio Control DF-95 Fleet’s first eva evening race series was held at the friendly confines of Harbour Court on Thursday July 17th and it looked wicked fun!

This reporter was quite impressed with the impressive handiwork in boatbuilding by our intrepid sailors.  For those who still are either in process of rigging or paralyzed with fear even looking at the unopened box with their yacht inside, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that is the dyslexia-inducing fun of ripping around Newport Harbor with some really fun folks!

Mahky’s Musings- Night 1:

Body English works!  Clay looks like he is ballroom dancing in all his maneuvers.  Seems fast! Wait till you see those hips in action. He did say T-boning the orange balls was slow...something about "I can't see" or missing his bi-focals.
   
Art has commissioned an artist to paint “Temptation” on the side of his beloved craft.  Fleet Scribe thinks that is a great idea because maybe then he will have the “temptation” to actually start with all the other yachts.

Newport DF95 fleet sailing off New York YC Harbour Court   
Paul had a full-on cheering / coaching section! Alisa, Justin and Mitchell provided ample advice and council.  They brought in Super Coach 'Lior' in for tuning and strategic advice. Some of the quotable coaching: “Turn Left!! No Dad, your other left!”
   
Dan Hughes got his thousand steps in for the day on his health app by feverishly pacing up and down the pier.
   
Brad started the evening off by pouring a bit of beer on the bow as a sort of christening of his boat.  Then he complained that his jib wasn’t easing out properly. Should have used a better beer maybe?
   
Maxi’s #93 and Amo’s #11 were out early training and definitely had the best tuning early which many people copied over the course of the night. Amo was overheard saying he was going to bring his yacht to Nantucket to race Amo Sr. in his Cat boat.  Standby for more details and the Vegas line on that match race.
   
Nick Bailey, the only pre-existing DF-95 owner brought his boat down from Marble Dead.  They survived the Lynn Way and the Revere Pahkway and also showed great speed through the evening.
   
Mike Toppa and Tom Kirk are still rigging up their boats, but came down to heckle (observe). TK brings a Cape Cawd in the summah perspective to the fleet and maybe could host an away event in Wild Hahba.
   
Stu J came down early, helped set up the course, sailed around for a bit, but had to leave prior to the racing..."bidnez reasons" he claims. The question remains is why…  What is he hiding? Could it be that he is adding a “J/Sprit” and furling Code Zero? Your intrepid reporter will be inquiring.
 
The only casualty of the afternoon was Henry’s boat that had a servo malfunction.  After much investigation, sabotage was ruled out. (Seriously, if anyone can help Henry determine his cause of his servo issue, please call him).

Oh, and there was racing! After an extended warm up, the fleet got together for 4 races. Conditions mirrored the famed Chahles Rivah in Boston and that seemed to help Paul (Harvard) and Brad (Boston U.) who subscribe to the Hunter S. Thompson theory that "when the going gets weird, the weird “turn pro”.

Windy, Dead Calm, Shifty and Fun according to all sailors (and a significant number of spectators). Everyone had their ups and downs in the results and crawled up the steep learning curve of RC Racing.

When asked about his good results for the night, #88 skipper Brad was quoted: “This RC Sailing seems to play well to my specific combination of OCD, ADD and Dyslexia. Plus, it's kinda like sailing in the Charles, it is far better to be lucky than good."

Fleet trash-talking continued after racing with the “Sink 88” mantra that was started by Amo. That has led Brad to go to the hobby shop and integrate a BB gun with a special servo trigger to fire salt pellets at Amo. This may just be that war of attrition that we were all hoping for as spectators….

Thanks to Janet Garnier - she was our attentive score keeper and is compiling the results for the fleet.

Thanks to Lynn/Beth and Jim Boyd at NYYC for allowing this rabble to be on the pier at Harbour Court for the first night of racing!

Thanks to Bob J, Stu J and Kendra for organizing the purchase of the boats and the first night of Racing!

Thanks to Clay for teaching the sailors the DF-95 Jitterbug. It is a sight to behold!

Sincerely, Mahky Mahconi…  Fleet Scribe."
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