J/Newsletter- May 5th, 2021

The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide Over the past few weeks, there is mounting evidence humans are finally figuring out how to mitigate the pandemic problem driven by the dreaded covid-19 virus and its various mutants. As a result, more and more events are opening worldwide on four continents so far- Australia, Europe/Asia, South America, and North America. Our friends Down Under enjoyed a fun offshore event that took place about 90.0nm north of Sydney, Australia. The occasion was the increasingly popular, very laid-back Port Stephens Regatta, a J/88 and J/122 certainly enjoyed themselves and celebrated with some silverware.  Over in Europe, the J/70 class is starting its schedule in various countries. The Italian J/70 Cup Act I took place at the picturesque Marina de Nettuno, Italy; the YC Nettuno hosted an enthusiastic 28-boat fleet that were treated to breezy conditions and big waves. Similarly, the United Kingdom J/70 Grand Slam Series I was hosted by the Warsash Sailing Club on the Solent for a fleet of 26 boats. Then, in the offshore department, it was quite busy on the Solent as well. The RORC Doublehanded Offshore was a good test at 91.0nm for a silverware-winning J/109; the RORC Inshore Race of 25.0nm proved to be a challenge for a J/80, J/111, and J/121; and the JOG Sopranino Race of 48.0nm saw stellar performances from a J/120 and J/105. Down in South America, the Argentinean J/70 Class hosted their San Isidro Labrador Regatta, held north of Buenos Aires on the Rio de La Plata for a fleet of 28 boats. Their neighbors up north of the Equator held several events from the east to the west coasts. For starters, the J/111 North American Championship was hosted by Annapolis Yacht Club on the Chesapeake Bay.  Concurrently, the Annapolis NOOD Regatta was also taking place for one-design fleets of J/22s, J/24s, J/70s, J/80s, and J/105s, also hosted by AYC. Northeast of them up the Atlantic coastline, the American Yacht Club Spring Series concluded its second weekend of racing for one-design fleets of J/44s, J/105s, J/88s, J/70s and offshore classes for PHRF and ORC Doublehanded. Three thousand miles west on the Pacific coast in southern California, San Diego Yacht Club hosted their popular Yachting Cup off San Diego's famous Point Loma for a one-design of J/105s, and PHRF handicap racers like a J/120, J/111, J/145, and J/125. Finally, up in San Francisco, the St Francis Yacht Club hosted their US Sailing Match Racing Qualifiers on a fleet of matched one-design J/22s.    J/70 North American Championship Preview (Annapolis, MD)- A preview of the 2021 J/70 North American Championship took place last weekend during the Annapolis NOOD Regatta, sailing on the choppy, cols waters of Chesapeake Bay.  While nowhere near the sixty boats entered for this weekend's event, it will be interesting to see how last week's leaderboard fair against a deeply talent-laden fleet. Having "practiced" well last weekend, the host Annapolis Yacht Club will be looking forward to providing a solid four-days of sailing with up to a dozen races sailed.  Who's the odds-on favorite to be one of those at the top of the leaderboard? None other than a local "home-boy", past J/24 World Champion and America's Cup Champion Terry Hutchinson from Annapolis, MD. Last weekend, Terry, co-owner Jenn Norwood, tactician Scott Nixon, Gil Hackel, and Dan Morris sailed USA 419 in challenging weather conditions, with massive breezes and currents, and they managed to eclipse many top J/70 teams...much to their surprise.   However, as experienced sailors as they are, Hutchinson/ Norwood are under no illusions the J/70 N.A.'s will see the competitiveness level rise several notches. Needless to say, it's truly a "rogue's roost" of Olympic, World, and European champions taking aim at their competitors to be "top dog" by the time the dust clears on the racetrack. A highlight of those teams may include John Evans' AIRPLANE, Josh Becker's AWKWARD TURTLE, Dan Goldberg's BAZINGA, Joel Ronning's CATAPULT, John Brigden's COOL STORY BRO, John Heaton's EMPEIRIA, Doug Rastello's GOOD TO GO, Travis Odenbach's HONEYBADGER, Trey Sheehan's HOOLIGAN: FLAT STANLEY RACING, Chris Kostanecki's JENNIFER, Alex McPhail's NESSUNA, Steve Benjamin's REGGAE SHARK, Peter Duncan's RELATIVE OBSCURITY, Peter Barrett's RESET, Rich Witzel's ROWDY, John Brim's RIMETTE, Brian Keane's SAVASANA, Bruno Pasquinelli's STAMPEDE, Ryan McKillen's SURGE, Bruce Golison's  TEN, Dave Jannetti's VERY ODD, Buddy Cribb's VICTORY, and Mike Goldfarb's WAR CANOE. Racing starts on Wednesday of next week and concludes on Saturday, with up to three races per day scheduled.  For more J/70 North American Championship sailing information   Edlu Distance Race Preview  (Larchmont, NY)- The classic spring opener for offshore races has been Larchmont Yacht Club's annual Edlu Distance Race. For many sailors, it provides the incentive to clear off the cobwebs accumulated from over a year of not sailing, make sure the winches and blocks spin properly, the wheel/ rudder bearings didn't lock up, and sails actually go up and down. Having been starved of going down to sea and dreaming about it for over a year, there must be more than a few sailors that recall that yearning in John Masefield's famous poem- SEA FEVER: "I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by, And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking, And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking....." With one of the best turnouts in years, the sixty-boat fleet will be looking forward to one of two courses the Larchmont YC Race Committee can select: Course #1 – from the start around Eaton’s Neck Point Lighted Gong Buoy and return for about 32.0nm or Course #2 – from the start around Twenty-Six Foot Spot Lighted Bell Buoy mid-sound off Lloyd’s Neck and return for about 18.0nm.  Looking forward to this offshore "sprint" are twenty-four J/Teams (40.0% of the fleet!). Sailing in the eleven-boat ORC Division is Steven Levy's J/121 EAGLE, John Greifzu's J/109 GROWTH SPURT, Bill Ingraham's J/124 TENEBRAE, and Len Sitar's big blue J/160 COUGAR.  In the PHRF Doublehanded divisions is Josh Burack's J/105 PEREGRINA and Glenn Marck's J/109 WATERDOG.  In the 28-boat PHRF Spinnaker division are two J/111s (Ken Luczynski's USMMA team on BLACK DIAMOND and Bill & Jackie Baxter's FIREBALL), Cory Eaves' J/109 FREEDOM, Arthur Hanlon's J/112E DAUNTLESS, Chuck Taus' J/33 SIRIUS, Kurt Locher's J/42 ATALANTA, Neeko Helbich's USMMA team on the J/44 VAMP, Jason Viseltear's J/80 UPSETTER, and Jim Weil & EJ Haskell's J/92 VIXEN.  In PHRF Plus-One division is Ron Richman's J/133 ANTIDOTE and Richie Palmer's J/105 TOLO. PHRF Non-spinnaker class has Erick Blanc's J/112E REBELLE. Finally, the J/88s are sailing as a one-design class with six teams ready to do battle for 32 miles straight! The usual suspects may be at the top of the leaderboard; such as Justin Scagnelli & Tim Price's ALBONDIGAS, Iris Vogel's DEVIATION, Larry Cutler & Andrew Weiss' ONE TOO MANY, and Kevin Marks' VELOCITY.  For more Edlu Distance Race sailing information   J/Gear May 20% Off Special! (Newport, RI)- Here is an excellent opportunity for the whole crew to get more awesome sailing gear.  J-Under Armour Quarter-zip The J-Under Armour Quarter-zip top provides Under Armour technology with a competitive design appearance. A bold stripe details the sleeve. It is made of 100% polyester, a soft and durable circular knit construction with brushed interior for extra warmth. It comes with the J logo of your choice embroidered. Order your customized J-Under Armour quarter zip here. J-Sport Shell: This is light weight for easy packing. It comes in navy with red detailing. It is a perfect mate for unpredictable weather. Water and wind repellent, it offers a stow-away hood for a quick head cover. Poly-construction for easy care, it comes with the J logo of your choice embroidered. Order your customized J-Sport Shell here.   Sailing Calendar May 8- Edlu Distance Race- Larchmont, NY May 9-15- J/70 North American Championship- Annapolis, MD May 29- 50th FIGAWI Race- Falmouth, MA May 28- Storm Trysail Block Island Race- Stamford, CT May 29-30- CORW Spinnaker Cup Race- Monterey, CA May 31- CORW Coastal Cup Race- Santa Barbara, CA June 3rd- CORW SoCal 300 Race- San Diego, CA June 4th- Susan Hood Trophy Race- Mississauga, ONT, Canada Jun 3-6- Southern Bay Race Week- Hampton, VA Jun 4- Annapolis to Newport Race- Annapolis, MD Jun 5-6- Cedar Point One-Design Regatta- Westport, CT Jun 5-6- COLORS Regatta- Chicago, IL Jun 5- Eastport One-Design Classic- Eastport, MD Jun 5-6- Throwdown in MoTown- Detroit, MI Jun 5-6- Women's Open Keelboat Championship- Hamble, England Jun 11-13- New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta- Newport, RI Jun 11-13- Chicago NOOD Regatta- Chicago, IL Jun 11-12- Mills Trophy Race- Toledo, OH Jun 12-13- Champagne Charlie Regatta- Hamble, England Jun 16-20- J/24 North American Championship- Blue Point, NY Jun 18-20- Cleveland Race Week- Cleveland, OH Jun 21-25- Anacortes Race Week- Anacortes, WA Jun 21-25- Storm Trysail Block Island Race Week- Block Island, RI Jun 24-26- Landsail Tyres J/Cup Regatta- Hamble, England For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.   Annapolis NOOD a Celebration for J/Crews! J/22 SCOOBY Crowned as Overall Winner! (Annapolis, MD)- J.R. Maxwell and the crew of the Annapolis-based J/22 SCOOBY were happy with their results Saturday in the big breeze of the 2021 Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta Annapolis; consistency being the key in the highly tightly competitive 15-boat fleet. J/22 Overall Winner And after winning Sunday’s first two races, they were well on their way to winning the regatta. Until the final race. With an over-early start, they were recalled to the line, restarted, and looked up the course to see the work ahead. “We had to grind back from being second-to-last and finished fifth in that race,” Maxwell says. “Today was all about the puffy conditions so you had to stay in the puffs and that wasn’t always intuitive of where that was going to happen. We figured that over time.” Like most sailors Maxwell and his team have had limited time sailing over the duration of the pandemic, but were happy to back on the water and racing again together. “We’re super happy with the win this year,” Maxwell says. “We’ve been sailing this regatta for the better part of a decade and we were ready to get this one this time. We had a regatta last weekend that we won so we were feeling good coming into this weekend.” With Maxwell on SCOOBY was crew Jim Schmicker and Matt Spencer (with Bryan Pryor sailing on Saturday only) and as winner of the J/22 class they were also selected as the overall winner, earning a berth to compete in the Helly Hansen Caribbean NOOD Championship in October. Rounding out the top spots in the J/22s were Brad Julian's YARD SAIL in second, Jeff Todd's HOT TODDY in third, Aden King's RIDING DIRTY fourth, and Jake Doyle's ZESTY ENTERPRISE in fifth position.  J/35 Nail-biter Finale The J/35s are one of the few legacy classes of the Annapolis NOOD, which has been hosted for more than 30 years by the Annapolis YC (with race committee support by Eastport YC and the Severn Sailing Association) and while the J/35s were smaller in numbers, the battle of the top of the fleet was a big one, with Roger Lant’s ABIENTOT winning the tiebreaker over the perennial champions on James Sagerholm’s AUNT JEAN. “They are very, very fast upwind so if you let them get away it’s a tough battle after that, so we worked on a strategy to deal with them on the starting line,” said Lant. “We carried out our plan and it went well.” What was that plan? “The boat that won the start won the race. They were looking for space on the starting line and we were looking to engage, so yesterday we engaged them fairly hard.” But after AUNT JEAN won the day’s first two races, Lant had only one option- to win the final race! “We knew we had to control him at the start, but we also had to win the start, get ahead and get clear. They are such a fast boat upwind, especially in conditions where the racecourse is even like it was today.” But still, to win also requires good crew work under pressure. “As skipper, I’m the most fortunate skipper on the course,” Lant says. “I have a core crew that has been sailing together for three year and the skills keep building and today we had some of the most fabulous crew work I’ve ever seen on the boat. Exceptional.” The balance of the podium and top five included Jim McNeely's MAGGIE in third, Mike Wood's VALHALLA in fourth, and Masci McGonigle's WINDEPENDENT in fifth place.  J/80 Cliff-hanger Finale Conor Hayes and Jeff Kirchhoff’s J/80 MORE GOSTOSA, also contributed their win to the flawless crew work of their team, which has had limited sailing over the past years. More than once, says Hayes, it helped them get back places that ultimately impacted the final outcome—they won by a single point. “The wind was pretty spotty, so it was about finding the pressure and staying in it on the runs,” Hayes says. “It was surprising the current was flooding all day and that was a big factor.” After the winning the second to last race of the day, Hayes knew the points were extremely close between his team and runner-up Daniel Wittig’s TURBO SLOTH, but he had no idea how close. All he could do for the last race was keep TURBO SLOTH in his wake. That didn’t happen, and it almost went worse. “We had a tough start in that last race,” Hayes says. “We wanted to start at the pin but got shut out. We were able to tack out immediately onto port and were in phase [with the windshifts] and from there it was a matter of just staying in more wind. It helps to have boatspeed and good crew to be able to get out of bad situations like that.” The balance of the top five included Tom & Jennifer Kopp's KOPP-OUT (aka The Lasso Way) in third, Mike Hobson's MELTEMI in fourth, and Sarah Alexander's MORE COWBELL in fifth. J/70 Mind-blowing Finish Terry Hutchinson, skipper of the winning J/70 USA 419 he co-owns with Jennifer Norwood, had a similar starting experience in the first race of the day and he, too, almost lost the regatta. They were buried in the start and immediately found an escape route. “We didn’t trust the Velocitek [a GPS-based starting device],” Hutchinson says. “We were poked [close to the line] and I didn’t pull the trigger. The boat on our leebow was about a boat length ahead of us at the start, unfortunately. It was a rookie mistake. When we set up at 40 seconds we were in a good spot, but I felt exposed.” With the focus of his crew, Scott Nixon, Dan Morris, Gil Hackel, and Jennifer Norwood, they clawed their way back to an eight-place finish in the 40-boat fleet— no small feat— which Hutchinson says ultimately won the regatta for them. Although, they did win the next race and finished second in the last to secure the win by 7 points over John Heaton’s EMPEIRIA. “Yesterday was a lot of fun because it was breezy,” Hutchinson says. “We weren’t fast in the first race and then when it lightened up, our limited time in the boat didn’t bite us as hard and we were more competitive. “We were much better today and it’s amazing how hard this racecourse is in Annapolis. The course location was hard because the current was good on the right, but there was pressure [more wind] and shift on the left so you had to balance the two. “You did not want to be in the middle. In the first race the leader came out of the right, and in the second, the leader came out of the left. Each leg was unique to itself, which kept us on our toes.” Behind the Hutchinson/Norwood team was John Heaton's EMPEIRIA in second, Rich Witzel's ROWDY third, Doug Rastello's GOOD TO GO fourth, and Peter Duncan's RELATIVE OBSCURITY in fifth place.  Winning the J/70 Corinthians Division was James Gary's AVACUCHO, followed by Mike McNamara's TEA DANCE SNAKE in second, and Kelly McGlynn's BEARNARCHY in third.  How did things go down in the other classes?   North Sails Doublehanded ORC division Richard Born's J/120 WINDBORN took the bronze, with John Bell's J/100 HIWASSEE taking eighth place.  J/24's Experience a Good'ole Fashioned Butt-whippin' The ten-boat class may have been a bit surprised that class octogenarian Tony Parker would wake up after his Rip Van Winkle-esque pandemic experience and still remember how to sail a J/24. Well, for those in the know, racing a J/24 for Tony is a bit like riding a bike, having been racing the class since inception in 1978 out of Portland, Maine. Now based in Washington, DC, Parker and his BANGOR PACKET team demonstrated near-perfection, winning all eight of their races.  Having a similar score of mostly seconds, Pete Kassal's SPACEMAN SPIFF team sailed home to an 18 pts tally. They were followed by Pat Fitzgerald's RUSH HOUR in third with 25 pts total.  Shoot-out at Houston's OK Corral for J/105s The huge, competitive J/105 fleet didn't disappoint with regards to close competition like their colleagues in other classes. However, it was not the home boys that were showing everyone their transom going home. Instead, it was a pair of Texans hailing from Houston's Galveston Bay that topped the leaderboard in a "mano-a-mano" fight to the end.  In the end, Bill Zartler's DEJA VOODOO led fellow Texan Ken Horne's FINAL FINAL by closing with a 2-2 to win with 27 pts. Third was Cedric Lewis & Fredrik Salvesen's MIRAGE with 32 pts, fourth Hugh Bethell's JESTER with 35 pts (winning the last two races somewhat convincingly), and fifth Doug & Amy Stryker's MAYHEM.  J/30 Triad Trade Podium Finishes To the End Perhaps the most interesting battle in the one-design classes was amongst the passionate J/30 owners. No one would've guessed beforehand that a trio of boats would monopolize the podium finishes in every race! In short, the main issue was the trade-off of covering one competitor while another "escaped" to do their own thing...often times it was the "escapee" that won the race and beat the other two in their own duel! After six races, it was clear that Bob Rutsch & Mike Costello's BEPOP had a slight edge to win class with a 1-3-1-2-1-2 tally for 10 pts. Taking the silver was Bruce Irvin's SHAMROCK with a 2-1-3-3-2-1 record for 12 pts. Earning a well-deserved bronze medal was Tristan Keen's INFECTIOUS SMILE with a 3-2-2-1-3-3 scoreline for 14 pts!  Sailing photo credits- Paul Todd/ Outside Images.com.  For more Helly Hansen Annapolis NOOD Regatta sailing information   SPACEMAN SPIFF Two-peats as J/111 North American Champion (Annapolis, MD)- Sailing their 2021 J/111 North American Championship concurrent with the Annapolis NOOD Regatta, the seven teams were truly put to the challenge this past weekend on Chesapeake Bay.  The first day of the regatta was canceled due to gale-force winds and massive chop. After getting blown off the water the first day, “challenging, puffy conditions” is how SKELETON KEY's skipper Peter Wagner described the second day. “We had to keep our eyes out of the boat and change gears frequently, but it was really good racing.” With three races in winds that started near 20 knots and faded and shifted through the day, Wagner and his crew on SKELETON KEY, emerged as the top boat, winning the first two races and finishing fourth in the third. The outcome, he says, was better than he expected having not raced the boat since August 2019. “It’s been a long time,” Wagner says. “We got out to do some boathandling work in San Francisco before we brought the boat here, but no racing, it was just putting ourselves through our paces and making sure the boat was still functional.” For the day’s first two races, Wagner says, they were able to get off the starting line clean and control their own race, sailing the course as efficiently as possible. “That was pretty important because things were changing quickly and we had to be able to react to the changes as they happened. In the third race, we ended up on the wrong side of one windshift and the result showed, but that will happen sometimes. “In that race, you had to be on the right [side of the course]. We got stuck a little too far left and couldn’t quite find a shift to come back. We almost did, but our friends on [Rob Ruhlman’s] Spaceman Spiff faceplanted us at a critical moment, bouncing us back left and sealing our doom. That was a good move by them.” Wagner says his team did a great job settling into their roles after a long absence and their boathandling and speedwork were as good as could be expected. For tomorrow, the third and final day of racing, Wagner’s goal is to continue sailing well and not worry about the rest of the fleet, which are not far behind on the scoreboard. “It’s about incremental improvements,” he says, “and for me, I guess the one area to improve getting back in sync with my mainsail trimmer, so we’ll continue to focus on that.” Stumbling out of the blocks with a 6th place on the first racing day, Rob Ruhlman’s SPACEMAN SPIFF crew regained focus to win two of the six races on Sunday to capture the title by one point over Andrew and Sedgwick Ward’s BRACO with Rod Jabin’s RAMROD a point further back in third.  Ruhlman was the defending champion from 2019, as the 2020 event was cancelled due to the pandemic. The Ruhlman "family" crew consisted of Mike Case, Martin Kullman, Doug Moose, Abby Ruhlman, Ryan Ruhlman, Maegan Ruhlman and Mark Wiss.  J/111 Class Director Chris Howell interviewed Rob after the event for perspectives on what it took for his family team to win. How does it feel?  Ruhlman: How does it feel? Fantastic! Particularly because of the way it all came together on the last day. Trust me, none of us left the house on Sunday morning with winning even on our mind. This is a really tight, competitive class; top three was our goal. And as always, doing this with my family is incredibly special. What was the key to the victory? Ruhlman: From our side, it took perseverance and a belief in ourselves. In all honesty, when our good friends on SKELETON KEY pulled the trigger a bit early at the start of Race 4, that opened the door to the possibility of a step up. This Class is so competitive and the boats so even that one misstep at any point in the race is very difficult to recover from. What is it you like about the boat and the Class?  Ruhlman: Our family has grown up in Lightnings (and by “grown up,” I mean since birth), with the exception of my wife Abby, but she may has well have since she was introduced to it at 19 years old. The one-design aspect of it, with the boats as even as they are, and the lack of an “arms race”, is great. Maybe more importantly is the camaraderie. After several years (a lot of these guys know each other from racing all kinds of other big boat classes), I’ve gotten to know a lot of really neat people and look forward to seeing them onshore as much as I do offshore. For me, it’s the Lightning Class of big boats. What’s next for the team?  Ruhlman: We’ll likely spend most of the summer in the Great Lakes where the J/111 Class is growing very nicely. There are three boats in Detroit now. We have three 111s in Cleveland already and a fourth on the way with the impending delivery of Jeff Davis’ new 111. It is quite possible we will have six, maybe seven J/111s at both Cleveland Race Week and Put-in-Bay Race Week. Might be time to start a Great Lakes Championship! We do also have our Lightning North American Championship in Cleveland this summer, which is a qualifier for our Worlds in May of ‘22 and the Lightning Women’s, Junior’s and Master’s Championships are being held at our home (Lightning) club, Pymatuning, where we will all be competing as well as helping conduct the event. After that, it will be back to J/111 World’s prep and then the main event in Hampton, Virginia. In the end, with SPACEMAN SPIFF winning with a 6-3-2-1-1-4 tally for 17 pts, the Ward's BRAVO posting a 3-6-1-3-4-1 record for 18 pts, and Jabin's RAMROD (top local boat) driving to a 4-2-3-2-3-5 for 19 pts, it's readily apparent that Ruhlman's commentary was prophetic... nothing comes easy in the J/111 class they are so well-sailed and so close in speed and tactics.  Rounding out the top five was Wagner's SKELETON KEY with a 1-1-4-7-5-3 record for 21 pts and Martie Roesch's VELOCITY scoring 2-5-7-4-2-2 for 22 pts, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively. Tough racing, indeed, when the winner has a near "middle of fleet" average of 2.85 and fifth place had a 3.66 average...not much difference!  For more J/111 North American Championship sailing information   J/88 and J/122 Triumph @ Port Stephens Regatta  (Port Stephens, NSW, Australia)- The Sail Port Stephens 2021 Regatta was held 19-25 April with the Port Stephens Trophy Event held 23-25 April with 130 keelboats and 50 trailerables and off-the-beach classes enjoying the mild-Autumn conditions.  Sail Port Stephens goal is to give competitors the best possible on and off water regatta experience in one of the east coast’s finest sailing destinations, a little over 2 hours north of Sydney by car or an easy 90.0nm day sail.  The Port Stephens slogan is "Incredible By Nature"! And, if you love pristine beaches, crystal blue waters, spectacular sunsets over the nearby ranges and great sailing conditions then this is the place to be. Two particularly outstanding results for the three-day event were the J/88 JOJI and J/122 JACKPOT, both winning their class convincingly.  Mark Wharton’s J/88 JOJI winning 1-1-2 in their 26 boat Division 3 fleet.  Rob Hale’s J/122 JACKPOT with 12-2-2 scores in their 22 boat Division 1 fleet. Friday, the fleet looked spectacular as they headed offshore from Port Stephens under spinnaker, rounded the offshore islands then headed to the mark off Fingal Bay’s white sandy beach. A westerly of around 12-14 knots stayed for their course.  Saturday was the Broughton Island Passage Race with light and variable breezes and a few DNF’s, but there was no stopping the J’s.  Sunday, the South Westerly breeze returned for the final day of the regatta being an inshore W/L race.  Reports from Mark (J/88 JOJI) and Rob (J/122 JACKPOT) are below: J/88 JOJI: “It was J/88 JOJI’s second Sail Port Stephens Regatta, its first in 2019 when the fleets got smashed by a 40-knot southerly squall in the last race. Not a fun moment or one to repeat. So this year’s breeze and weather conditions were just what the race organizers  ordered. It was a record fleet of 130 boats spread across a number of varied divisions. The racing was serious but lots of fun too with some close quarter starts and tense top mark roundings. JOJI went into all races knowing who the local boats were, as local knowledge was key to master the currents and breeze shifts. The size of JOJI relative to the Division 3 fleet meant that it was essential to get a clear air start. Lucky for us, all three starts were good and so we managed to break away from the main fleet to chase down the fast locals. The first 2 races were passage races out offshore around the Islands and made for terrific asymmetrical spinnaker sailing. The 3rd race, an up and down with two marks top and bottom to give the 60 or so boats room at either end. JOJI’s handicap wins in the first two races didn’t separate the field very much “points wise” and going into the last race four boats were within a couple of points of each other. The pressure was on. The 3rd race started in similar fashion, close quarters, downwind start, gybing onto port on the line and positioning for clear air again. And, also keeping the local gun boat within reach. JOJI’s superior speed upwind along with some great crew work on the tacks meant we knocked off the “boat to beat” and he eventually got buried in amongst the bigger boats. JOJI maintained its clear air lead and took line honors and 2nd on handicap and winning the series by a clear 16 points. A great result for JOJI and its crew!“ J/122 JACKPOT: Sydney-based J/122 JACKPOT lived up to her name again with a convincing win at Sail Port Stephens regatta over the weekend. The result is even more impressive as this is the first time JACKPOT has competed in the ever-growing Sail Port Stephens regatta.  “It’s a very different sailing area to our beloved harbor, with much more navigational effort required for the shallows, channel markers, wind shifts, and tidal effects than we are used to,” said Rob.   At 40ft, JACKPOT was at the smaller end of the impressive 22 boat competitive fleet including Farr 52, Dehler 46, First45’s, McConaghy 47, first 47’s, and an X43 to name a few. Rob Hale commented, “the first race was very light with plenty of shifts and tidal influence, we were a bit rusty, but still managed a 12th. Being one of the smallest boats in the fleet, we had to re-think our start line tactics which helped us come back with vengeance in race 2 with a hard fought second place. Race three was inshore, but again we managed a second place totaling 16 points for this three-race regatta, a clear 4 points ahead of our closest competitor. It’s such a good feeling when you know you are at the smaller end of the fleet, but finish with the top four boats crossing the line and look back thinking that was another great race. Port Stephens is a beautiful and scenic place to race, and we will be back to defend our title in 2022. We would like to thank our competitors for keeping us on our toes, Port Stephens Race organizers, and of course, our trusty crew for a great event.” Sailing Photo Credits: J/122 Jackpot photos by D Edmiston.  J/88 Joji photos by Sail Port Stephens.   J's Buzzing Bank Holiday Series in U.K. J/109 Wins RORC Doublehanded Offshore, J/120 Screams to a Win! (Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The Solent was buzzing with activity over the May Bank Holiday with well over one hundred keel boats taking part in racing. Inshore and offshore races organized the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and the Junior Offshore Group (JOG), attracted no less than 27 J/Boats, and they were very much in the chocolates. RORC Doublehanded Offshore The RORC ran their first overnight doublehanded race this year, a 91-mile marathon which was to last over 17 hours. Starting from the Squadron Line the fleet raced upwind to the east. After exiting The Solent, they were off the breeze for a spinnaker run along the South Coast of the Isle of Wight. After passing The Needles, a broad reach into Poole Bay was followed by a harden up to finish at North Head. Mike Yates’ J/109 JAGO, racing with Eivind Boymo-Malm, was the winner, beating Sam White & Sam North racing Mzungu by just 12 seconds after time correction! RORC Yacht of the Year for 2021 Jangada was third. The big win was made even more special by the fact that of the 29 teams taking part, the competition included Solo Round the World sailors, Figarist, Olympic Medallist and World Champions. “It was a very complex race, with many sail changes and tactical decisions from beginning to end,” commented JAGO's Mike Yates. “A big cloud at the Nab Tower caused a split in the fleet and we just managed to hold our kite. Our jib top was very effective on the southside of the island and the decision to go offshore at St Catherines worked well with a breeze filling in from the southwest. We also just made several tidal gates in the latter part of the race. We are delighted to win and all credit to Elvind, two-handed racing is heavily reliant on teamwork, so he deserves just as much praise.” RORC Inshore Race The RORC fully-crewed inshore race was essentially a 24-mile windward-leeward from the Squadron Line to Bembridge Ledge and back. The impressive fleet included professionally sailed FAST40+ yachts and an IRC optimized TP52 plus an array of performance race boats, built for the IRC rule. However, the breeze built during the latter part of the race, giving an advantage to the smaller boats. Ross Bowdler’s J/80 JUSTIFY, was second in an impressive fleet. “A big thank you to the RORC for the race,” commented J/80 JUSTIFY’s Bowdler. “It is so cool to race against the big boats and get a great result.” JUSTIFY will be at the Landsail Tyres J-Cup confirmed Ross. “We did our first J-Cup last year and really loved it. The atmosphere is just great because we get to race against other J/Boats. This year it looks like we will be able to party, and I can tell you we have no problem with our rating in that department!” JOG Sopranino Race Fourteen J/Boats took part in Salcombe Gin Sopranino Race on Saturday May 1st organized by JOG (Junior Offshore Group). The 48-mile course was also essentially a windward-leeward from Cowes to Owers and return.  Stuart Lawrence’s J/120 SCREAM 2 took Line Honours in the 58-boat fleet winning IRC One and placing second overall. IRC Class Two was dominated by J/Teams, with the top six teams all racing models of the J/Family. IRC 2 was won by David McGough’s J/109 JUST SO. Second was Chris Burleigh’s J/109 JYBE TALKIN' and third was Gordon Craigen’s J/105 JACANA. Tom Hayhoe and Natalie Jobling, racing J/105 MOSTLY HARMLESS was third in the Doublehanded Class. A substantial number of J/Crews will be racing in the first big regatta of the season for the Royal Southern Yacht Club. The May Regatta will be held this weekend, 8-9 May. 26 J's have already entered including ten J/70s for a new style Sprint Series. An armada of J/Teams is expected for the Landsail Tyres J-Cup which will be held 24-26 June. Online entry is open and, with the planned relaxation in restrictions, the band is booked for the first big party of the summer!  For more RORC offshore sailing information   J/105 J-OK Wins Yachting Cup Overall (San Diego, CA)- The 2021 Yachting Cup, one of San Diego Yacht Club’s most popular signature regattas, was a little smaller in size this year, but it certainly matched the on-the-water spirit of Yachting Cup’s past. While normally hosting nearly 100 boats, the 2021 regatta hosted forty-eight teams, all eager to race and itching for good competition. J/Crews sailed quite well in conditions that varied from postcard-perfect Saturday to a stormy Sunday.   Day 1- Gorgeous "Shorts & Shades" Sailing On Saturday, the conditions on both the “far” and “near” ocean courses were shifty at about 225 degrees, seeing sporadic puffs from 5 to 11 knots. The day started with a short postponement while the breeze filled in.  The conditions were described as perfect for Ed Sanford’s J/111 CREATIVE that finished first in the PHRF-C class at the end of the day. “The conditions were perfect for our 111, especially when it hit around 8-10 knots. However, we did have to steer through the waves, and it was challenging going upwind on port tack,” commented Sanford. The third race for the PHRF classes finished with a 6-mile race home. “The first and third race for us were pretty much flawless. Coming down the channel in the last race was challenging, but perfect once we got past Ballast Point. The kite was pulling like you couldn’t believe and we just started gaining distance boats in front of us,” said Sanford.  In the J/105 one-design class, Stewart Cannon’s J-OK stood first with a 2-1-1 tally. Cannon has owned his J/105 J-OK for over 20 years. His crew has been sailing together for some time and they all rely on a full team effort for success. “We really enjoyed ourselves out there,” stated Cannon, while his team chimed in. Crew Ryan Lorence added, “We spent all day going the way we thought it was going to go, and it went the opposite, but luckily we were able to get through. We had to switch gears and change some jibs, but we had a pretty good day.” Post-racing, competitors were invited to take "to-go" cocktails back to their boats and enjoy live music by Stylus Overhaul.  Day 2- Tempestuous Finale It wasn’t exactly a day of smooth sailing on day two. With misty weather and large, choppy ocean swells, teams used to sailing in champagne San Diego were in for a bit of a challenge, especially compared to the previous day's conditions. It seemed while most boats were up to it, a handful were not able to look past the waves and towards success on the horizon by the final race. Overall 2021 Yachting Cup winner, J-OK, was one of the boats that embraced the ocean and saw the regatta the whole way through. The crew attributes their success this weekend to working together as a team. “We put together a good team and we have a good boat,” said J-OK Crew Jim Dorsey. “It’s one hundred percent teamwork. It was very tough steering conditions today, and Stewart (Cannon) did an excellent job. Between Jim and Stewart, they really worked it,” added Julie Mitchell, the J-OK Tactician. Rounding out the J/105 leaderboard was George Scheel's SUN PUFFIN in second, Steve & Lucy Howell's BLINK! in third, Donica & Scott Ryder's SANITY in fourth, and Rich Bergmann's ZUNI BEAR in fifth position. In the PHRF C division, John Laun’s J/120 CAPER did not give up against Ed Sanford’s J/111 CREATIVE in any of the day's races, earning three bullets and putting them ahead by one point. “It was a fun day with challenging conditions. The boat was set up well for it, and we had more breeze, so it was a little quicker. Our boat really likes 15 knots or more,” started Laun. “The first race stood out the most and set the tone for the day. It showed us that our set up was right. In between the first and second race, we switched jibs to match the wind,” he finished. Behind the J/120 and J/111 sweeping the top spots in PHRF C division was Chuck Nichols' J/120 CC RIDER in fifth place.  In the ORC Division scoring, Sanford's J/111 CREATIVE won quite handily, posting five bullets on their way to a runaway victory.  The PHRF B division saw a few big J's participating. Taking second was Rudy Hasl's J/145 PALAEMON, followed by Ernie Pennell's J/145 MORE MADNESS in fifth and Standish Fleming's J/125 NEREID in sixth place.  PRO Summer Greene explains Sunday's sailing, “we were averaging about 15 knots the whole day, but the sea state was really bad and made it hard on all the teams. There were a lot of kite catastrophes and messy mark roundings. We were still able to get in three races. About a third of the boats dropped out before the last race, but the lead boats were still there, their boat handling was a bit better, and we thought it was important to get that last race in for them.” Due to State and County protocols, there was no formal award ceremony. After the racing, awards were announced, and competitors were invited to pick them up at their convenience.  "Congratulations to all of our first-place finishers. San Diego Yacht Club is proud this year to be able to host our premier regatta of the season: Yachting Cup. A special thanks goes out to the Race Committee for all their hard work, especially on rough days like today. It feels good, during these crazy times, to be back on the water sailing and being able to participate in something that feels fairly normal. We hope everyone will be return for the 2022 Yachting Cup so we can continue to grow this event into something bigger and better,” concluded Chair Patrick Murray.  Sailing photo credits- Mark Albertazzi  For more Yachting Cup sailing information   AYC Spring Series Closes with Dozen Races (Rye, New York)- The second half of the 2021 American Yacht Club Spring Regatta held on April 30 – May 2 had over 50 boats entered in the One Design, PHRF, and ORC classes to compete off Rye, NY on Long Island Sound. The AYC Race Committee was able to complete races for the Short Course ORC and J/44 classes, and one distance race for the Coastal Racing course, which included PHRF, Doublehanded, and Mixed Doublehanded classes. The weekend began with a gale warning holding teams shoreside Friday. The wind subsided Saturday afternoon to a more manageable 15-18 knots across the Long Island Sound allowing just enough time for three races. Sunday started off light and shifty with the rain looming over the New York City skyline, before giving way to sunshine and a little more pressure for three more races rounding out the series. Continuing where they had started on the first weekend of racing, Bill Ketcham's MAXINE sailed a very consistent series to win the J/44 one-design class with 17 pts after eleven races, counting all podium finishes. Frequently giving them a run-for-the-money was Don & Dick Rave's RESOLUTE, finishing just three points back to take the silver. Rounding out the podium was Tom Blackwell's BREAKAWAY with a total of 29 pts. Winning the J/105 one-design class was Paul Beaudin's LOU LOU, winning seven races enroute to a somewhat dominating win in the highly competitive class with 18 pts total. Second was Dave Willis' SOLUTION, counting nine podium finishes for a total of 25 pts. Taking the bronze in his first known podium finish in the J/105 class was Greth Lester's ECHO, showing flashes of brilliance, like winning the first race, but getting "unglued" and inconsistent in other races to fall behind the leaders.  The J/88 one-design class was a tale of two weekends and two protagonists "flip-flopping" their roles in the fleet. On the first weekend, it seemed Iris Vogel's DEVIATION team could do no wrong and was winning by a good margin in the light to moderate conditions and flat water. Then, the second weekend saw a dramatic change in wind/ wave conditions which proved to be the undoing of the DEVIATION crew, but also much to the liking of the dynamic duo of Lawrence Cutler & Andrew Weiss on ONE TOO MANY. After closing with four straight bullets, the ONE TOO MANY boys finished tied with DEVIATION, winning the tie-breaker on countback. Watching the battle unfold from the bleacher seats on both weekends was another fun-loving duo on ALBONDIGAS, Justin Scagnelli & Tim Price, taking home the bronze for their second successive major event of the season.  The J/70 one-design class saw Jean Marc Papin's PEN SEGAL take the class win with nearly all bullets, followed by Ben Hunt's NO NAME in second, with Gibbons Sinclair's HALF MINE II taking the bronze.  In the Coastal PHRF Division, it was Steven Levy's J/121 EAGLE that won class with consistent sailing. Just two points back, Robert Schwartz's J/109 NORDLYS took the bronze. In the Coastal ORC Mixed Doublehanded, it was Todd Aven & Barbara Karpinska's J/99 THIN MAN that took the silver!   Toole Wins J/22 Match Racing Qualifier  (San Francisco, CA)- St Francis Yacht Club members are witness to a remarkable variety of sail racing, but there is one type of sail racing that is distinct even to the casual observer - the intense head-to-head battle of match racing – right outside the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows of the famous Grill Room and its commanding views over San Francisco Bay.  By way of background, US Sailing will hold its Match Racing Championship in Long Beach in October, after a series of seven qualifiers around the country.  On May 1-2, 2021, the St. Francis hosted the NorCal qualifier in its fleet of evenly matched J/22s, sailed by teams of four. With identical boats, this was a test of the tactical acumen of the skippers and the boat handling skills of the crew, sorely tested in the high winds of last weekend, gusting over 30 kt.  In fact, crew went overboard on both days during fast maneuvering or in broaches due to the high winds. The bosun boat was busy assisting with equipment repair or replacement, and swapped out one boat due to collision, a reflection of the speed and intensity of match racing on SF Bay. Over the two days of round-robins, for a total of 12 matches, Team Toole and Team Breault came to the forefront and seemed evenly matched. In the end, Oliver Toole (StFYC) took a one-point victory over Nicole Breault (StFYC), finishing 11-1 compared to her 10-2.  When racing head-to-head they split, with Breault beating Toole on Saturday and the reverse on Sunday. The difference, in the end, was when Jack Barton (representing San Francisco YC) topped Nicole on Saturday. The big story is that Toole, a two-time All-American sailor from Stanford and a team racing champion, came into the event without match racing experience. However, he and his wife Kelly have sailed together for over ten years and are quite familiar with the City Front and J/22s, having practiced team racing there many times and successfully represented the Club at the Baldwin Cup and Morgan Cup.  In addition to their brother-in-law Jack Ortell at bow, they were bolstered by Olympian Craig Healy on board as trimmer and tactician.   “Though I graduated from Stanford in 2014, our team has stuck together. We were quite comfortable in the breeze, since our St. Francis group has practiced 4x4 team racing here in these conditions many times in recent years before we left to race elsewhere.  It was terrific having Craig on board with his immense match racing talent, and of course super fun to qualify for the national championship. We’re looking forward to expanding our circle with the right team for Long Beach’s Catalina 37’s, obviously a much bigger boat requiring different skills and some large people.” Breault commented that, “we had some fresh new faces in this regatta and that bodes well for the match racing scene in California. Quite a few skippers asked me afterwards to set up some sparring sessions so we can keep playing the game and honing our skills!”  Her team consisted of Maggie Bacon (bow), Karen Loutzenheiser (trim), and Molly Carapiet (main/tactics).   Brock Paquin, representing Cal Maritime, finished third, with crew of Justin Zimna, Kyle Collins, Lukas Kraak.   JENIALE EUROSYSTEM Tops J/70 Cup Act I (Marina de Nettuno, Italy)- The first event of the 2021 J/Cup Italy took place off Anzio and Nettuno, a pretty seaside town southwest of Rome. The regatta was hosted by Marina de Nettuno and Yacht Club Anzio-Nettuno for the fleet of three-dozen teams from across Italy. The teams were treated to strong breezes for the three-day event, so strong in fact, that the third and final day had to be canceled due to enormous seas breaking at the entrance to the marina.   After a seven-race series, it was Massimo Rama's JENIALE EUROSYSTEM that took the class honors against some of the best-known European teams from the past four years. Rama commented, "we're so excited about this early season result, probably the result of the many winter training sessions in the waters of Genoa, which helped us greatly improve as a crew. It is precisely thanks to the excellent on-board synergies that we have managed to be consistent in the regatta this weekend and to achieve this important result that I really want to thank my crew for. The J/70 proved to be a fun boat once again and the fleet level is growing from stage to stage. At the next stage in Rimini, we hope to continue doing well!"  Sailing in his home waters, Luca Domenici's NOTARO Team finished in second place. His team included tactician Diego Negri, a famous sailor in Italy as a champion in multiple classes. Domenici commented, "what a fantastic day in the waters of Anzio and Nettuno, where I was born and raised. And, how nice it is to win three such challenging races on a day where marine weather conditions left all the participants heavily challenged. Afterwards, the greatest emotion was celebrating these victories with my family; I'm thankful they were here supporting me during the regatta. It was an incredible day for our NOTARO Team, we can't wait to get back on the water for the next act of the J/70 Cup 2021." The bronze medal went to the young ANIENE YOUNG crew of Luca Tubaro, also winner of the Corinthian category. In fact, rounding out the Corinthians Division behind Tubaro was Ludovico Fassitelli's JUNDA-SUMUS CAPITAL and Mauro Brescacin's LA FEME TERRIBLE.  The next Italian J/70 Cup regatta is scheduled for the weekend from June 11 to June 13 in Rimini. The main sponsor of the J/70 Cup 2021 is Lincoln International. The official clothing partner Sail Racing, official sport nutrition partner Alphazer, official timekeeper Garmin, technical partners Armare, Savona Shipyard, Remigo, Quantum Sails and official supplier Girmi and Serena Wines. Watch video by Zerogradinord for the J/70 Italian Class.  For more Italian J/70 Cup series sailing information   NEGRONI Tops Regatta San Isidro Labrador (Buenos Aires, Argentina)- One of the most important regattas on the evolving Argentinean J/70 regatta calendar is the San Isidro Labrador Trophy hosted by Club Nautico San Isidro along the Rio de La Plata. Such was the passion and desire of the Argentinean sailors to get rolling on the waters again within the state's pandemic guidelines that twenty-eight boats registered to participate in the event- a record turnout for any J/70 regatta in Argentina!   Over the course of the weekend regatta, the two protagonists that battled for class supremacy ended up with a fearsome battle in the last race to determine who would beat who. In a classic regatta scenario, Paolo Cosentino's NEGRONI team from Yacht Club Argentino (P. Pruden, P. Consentino, and L. Carissimi) won the first race and posted a 6-4-1 in the next three races to be the leader without throw-outs, but a loser with a throwout. With one more race in the cards, Alejandro Irigoyen's BUTANTAN team (J. Fregonese, L. Cerrato, and G. Martinez) had a disastrous first race 14th, but managed to get their act together and reeled off a 1-1-2 in the next three races. As a result, with a good fifth and final race, they could toss their 14th to win the regatta.  As one might expect, the scenario was not lost on Cosentino's NEGRONI team. With a fifth race started on Sunday, the NEGRONI team simply match-raced BUTANTAN into the bottom of the fleet, forcing them into an 11th place finish. As a result, NEGRONI won with 12 net points with BUTANTAN having to settle for second place with 15 pts net.  While the top two teams were dueling for supremacy on the high seas, the battle for the final step on the podium, in fact for the top five, was nothing short of an epic 15-round battle in the boxing ring. Emerging from that four-boat, wildly swinging, race-to-race fortunes was the Silva family's aptly named MERCENARIO 6, skippered by top woman helm Martina Silva. They took the bronze medal on the podium on a count-back tiebreaker at 25 pts each over Van Avermaete’s SI QUERIDA. One point back was the Gwozdz & Herman-Suarez's BACHAJO in fifth place.  For more Argentina J/70 Class sailing information   CALYPSO Victorious @ J/70 UK Grand Slam I (Warsash, England)- Twenty-three teams competed in Round One of the J/70 UK Grand Slam Series. The event was organized by the Warsash Sailing Club as part of the Warsash Spring Championships 2021. Calascione & Peters racing CALYPSO took the first victory in the seven-event series, scoring three wins out of seven races held in brisk and beautiful conditions on The Solent. Paul Ward’s EAT SLEEP J REPEAT (still the defending J/70 World Champion) recovered from a Black Flag DSQ to post consistent results, but fell short by a single point to finish second. Nick Phillips’ CHAOTIC scored a hat trick of bullets in the final three races snatching third place, ahead of Graham Clapp’s JEEPSTER and Martin Dent’s JELVIS (a J/111 World Champion). Notable performances included Simon Patterson’s STANDFAST, Jonnie Goodwin’s HARLEQUIN and Charles Thompson’s BRUTUS. The mid-fleet peloton is always a competitive arena in the J/70 Class with three teams tied on points after seven races. Duncan McCarthy’s team came out on top on countback from J/70 stalwart Patrick Liardet, racing COSMIC, and a new team in the J/70 Class, Tony Dickin’s EXCESS. For more United Kingdom J/70 Class sailing information   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 here.   Gorgeous, well-equipped J/37 Cruiser-Racer for Sale CARINA had a spectacular racing career; she's fully equipped and ready-to-go on its next adventure. The performance of the J/37 on the race course is only half of the story with CARINA. She also can be a great cruiser with comfortable accommodations and equipment to cruise the coast of Maine or head south for the winter.  Did we mention the Beer-can racing possibilities and bragging rights? Finally, she's not too big to sail shorthanded if you just want to use her for day sailing. The perfect mix with J/Boat performance and Comfort features for the cruiser. Check out the full details and call us at Northpoint Yacht Sales   Weather Models 201 - Which Weather Model is Best? So many models - so little time! Marine Weather University announces an upcoming course in these ubiquitous forecasting tools. Taught by renowned sailing meteorologist Chris Bedford along with 2x America's Cup winning navigator, Peter Isler, this class will explore these powerful forecast guides. Students will learn: * How to determine which model(s) to use for a specific application * What high resolution models are available in your location  * The differences in the various models * Professional techniques to avoid being overwhelmed with too much data and too many choices * Where to find models in graphic and GRIB form * Best practices for the display, interpretation and use of various weather models * Individual models strengths and weaknesses Weather Models 201 will feature two lectures - first offered as live webinars May 18 & 20 @ 5:00pm Pacific time. All course content and the lectures will be posted online for 24/7 on demand access. Attendance to the live webinars is not required.  Sign up here to register for the event at Isler Academy * Eight Bells- Thomas J. Harrington J/Boats and the New York Yacht Club are saddened with the passing of Commodore Thomas J. Harrington on April 27th. From 2013 through 2014, Commodore Harrington served as NYYC's 63rd Commodore. He was 81 years old. “Commodore Harrington brought great energy and passion to the concept of bringing the Club to members outside of our physical clubhouses," says current Commodore Christopher J. Culver. "His vision has become fully realized during this pandemic.” Harrington joined the Club in 1991. His passion for sailing had started years earlier, while an officer with the U.S. Marine Corps, and developed as he pursued an MBA at Columbia Business School in New York City. He moved to London after graduating, working for Chemical Bank, and purchased half-ownership in a Soling, which he raced on the Solent. Upon his return to North America, he dove into larger yachts, racing in the Caribbean and then in New England and the Mid Atlantic aboard his J/30 and J/35, both named Obstreperous. He fostered a loyal crew and enjoyed success in both classes. In September of 1995, sailing with largely the same team, Harrington won the J/30 North American Championship and the J/35 National Championship on consecutive weekends. Commodore Harrington also knew the importance of giving back to the sport, and he served in leadership positions for one-design classes and chaired a North American championship. After moving on from one-design racing, Commodore Harrington twice raced her to Bermuda. He was also part of a consortium of Club members who formed the Black Watch Alliance and purchased the 68-foot 1938 Olin Stephens-designed Black Watch (formerly Edlu II). The boat served on submarine patrols off Eastern Long Island during the Second World War. Commodore Harrington enjoyed a long career at Chemical Bank, including as president of its International Leasing subsidiary. After leaving Chemical Bank, he founded Spectrum Capital, Ltd., serving as president and CEO. He is survived by his wife Alane and their sons Jamison and Tucker.

J/Newsletter- April 21st, 2021

The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide

Happy Earth Day! It's hard to believe that human beings feel compelled to celebrate saving our blue-marble colored life-raft called Earth. Nearly 8.0 billion strong so far and climbing rapidly, is it possible that humans have no clue that too many people in the raft can sink it?

Paradoxically, the Covid-19 pandemic has indeed proven that human activity is a bad thing for Mother Earth... pictures abound of "unseen" cities (anyone seen the Taj Mahal?), gorgeous vistas, mountain ranges, clear blue oceans, streams, even a near-swimmable labyrinth of canals in Venice, Italy! Shocking? Perhaps. But, it's 100% clear evidence that human-induced pollution and activity of all sorts is having a material effect on our environment. 

Let us all hope the past year's eye-opening perspectives provide "lessons-learned" in some form or another as it relates to the environment. Sailors may be one of the most attuned as a group to the environmental issues we face. 

The fate of our oceans was remarkably well-explained by Californian Wesley Marx in his eponymous book- THE FRAIL OCEAN published in 1967- a half-century ago! An avid surfer, diver, boater, Wesley expressed his concern for our Seven Seas and mankind's misuse of its resources. Read it, highly recommended! You can find it on Amazon here. An excellent companion read regards environmental issues is also Rachel Carson's SILENT SPRING. 
 

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Newport 2 Ensenada Race Preview

(Newport Beach, CA)– Nearly 170 boats will cross the start line of the 73rd Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race, April 23rd off the Balboa Pier. Perhaps the cleverest element of the event is the race organizers- NOSA- have offered three courses to the intrepid adventurers that cannot wait to get out on the open, unrestricted, Pacific Ocean! Talk about "horses for courses", more than two dozen J/Teams are entered in all three ocean "sprints".  The classic race goes from Newport Beach/ Balboa Pier start line to Ensenada, Mexico and that start line has 120 boats doing the 125.0nm passage.  Twenty boats will take the day-race course down to Dana Point (about 25.0nm) and forty boats will take the mid-range course around the Coronado Islands and finish off Point Loma in San Diego.  

A big "thanks" to everyone for good behavior and helping to reduce COVID restrictions. And, an even bigger "thanks" to the Mexican Navy offering landing assistance so that sailors will be able to safely disembark and enjoy Ensenada.

Answering that "siren song" to go offshore seems innate and is a common bond for many sailors. In a 1962 America's Cup dinner given by the Australian Ambassador at the Vanderbilt family's former estate- The Breakers- then USA President John F. Kennedy made some prophetic remarks about that passion on September 14th, 1962. Listen to it here. He explained:

"I really don't know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea, except I think it is because in addition to the fact that the sea changes, and the light changes, and ships change, it is because we all came from the sea. And, it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have, in our veins, the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it, we are going back from whence we came."



Recently, when one person about to sail the race was asked "why sail the N2E", he commented:

"There’s a misconception about yacht racing, boat racing, in that some think it’s stuffy, blue-blazer-boring kind of stuff. But, in reality it's not. Sailing is a fun passion-based hobby, in which everyone has a story about overcoming adversity. Sailing is really about solving problems; things break as boats do and you figure it out. Perhaps the best part? It's sitting with a crew member at the helm in the middle of the night, 30 miles offshore, freezing, talking about life, watching the moon; man taking on machine and nature, the whole thing is magical.”


Sailing the classic N2E course are John Staff's J/111 OBSIDIAN, Scott Torrance's J/124 FORGIVENESS, Dave Gorney's J/105 NO COMPROMISE, Chuck Bowes' J/29 RHUMB RUNNER, and Brian Kerr's J/92 DOUBLE DOWN.

Taking the fast-track out and around the Coronado Islands to San Diego is the largest collection of J/145s ever- four of them- including Robert Pace's ANDIAMO 2, Roger Gatewood's KATARA, Ernie Pennell's MORE MADDNESS, and Rudy Hasl's PALAEMON. Joining them will be Tom Pollack's J/124 MARISOL, Dean Stanec's J/130 NIGHT'S WATCH, Derek Gaertner's J/27 PROJECT 53, Fed Hayem's J/46 MISTER J, and Mike McCarthy's J/88 BLUE FLASH. On a PHRF overall handicap basis, that will be one remarkably competitive division!


Another tough collection of J/Crews are sailing the Newport to Dana Point race. Talk about a wind-sprint! Taking a "swing for the fences" in this race are Joaquin Cobelo's J/109 MARIAH, Matt Campbell's J/120 ADIOS, Charles Brewer's J/124 HEARTBEAT 4, Jock McGraw's J/22 TEKEELA, Tom Garrett's youth team on the J/70 SLOOP JOHN B, and the duo of Richard Bennett & David Matthews on the J/92 FIREWATER. 

As pandemic restrictions have been lifted, options for social activities have increased. The annual Yachtsmen’s Luncheon and pre-race dinner at Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, albeit without the infamous crowds, are being held. Plans for Sunday’s trophy ceremonies at the festive Hotel Coral and Marina are still being determined, pending the number of revelers, and in coordination with the host city’s guidelines. In light of Ensenada’s restrictions on large gatherings, Sunday afternoon’s awards ceremony, always joyful and celebratory, may be conducted in shifts.  For more Newport 2 Ensenada Race sailing information

On social media, follow all the action on these links:
Facebook.com/newporttoensenada
Instagram.com/newport_to_ensenada
Twitter.com/newsfromnosa
 

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Great Start to Chesapeake Sailing Season

(Annapolis, MD)— The Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta returns to Annapolis, April 30 to May 2, for its 33rd edition, with more than 160 teams expected to race in boats ranging from 20 to 40 feet. The annual spring regatta, which is considered the premiere local sailing event of the year, also serves as the unofficial kickoff for the robust and thriving Annapolis sailing scene.
 
“What I’m hearing is that a lot of sailors have been using the downtime of the pandemic to work on and improve their boats while also going to school with webinars all winter long. They’re keen to apply all that learning to the race course for real,” says Dave Reed from SAILING WORLD, which co-hosts the event with Annapolis Yacht Club and other area yacht clubs. “After a year of so many regatta cancellations, sailors are ready to get back to racing in a big way. The Annapolis NOOD has always been an amazing event, and this year will be no different.”

The Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta series is the largest national sailing circuit, with Annapolis serving as the third event of five, along with regattas in St. Petersburg, Florida, San Diego, Chicago, and Marblehead, Massachusetts. At each regatta, one team is selected as the overall winner, earning a berth at the championship in the British Virgin Islands in late October.


With such national prestige and a reputation for its professional race management, the Annapolis NOOD continues to be a major draw for competitors from all points of Chesapeake Bay and afar. This will be especially true in late April as competitors registered in two of the regatta’s largest classes will be using the event to train for major class championships later in the year. 

The J/70 class, for example, will host its North American Championship in early May in Annapolis and its World Championship in California in August, so organizers expect a high number of professional sailing teams will be in attendance, training and studying the venue’s challenging winds and tides. In addition, the J/111 class (36-foot/seven crew) will host its North American Championship at the NOOD.
 
“We’re especially excited this year,” says competitor Bill Carruth, who races with his wife, Linsley, in the J/105 class. The J/105s will have its North American Championship in Annapolis in October. Their NOOD fleet could have as many as 30 of these 35-footers. “It is a blast to have so many J/105s on the starting line,” Carruth says. “These are good sailors and they know the rules, so we tend to be aggressive, which makes it’s entertaining and exciting.”
 
In all, 11 classes will compete over three days, on race courses set on the waters south of Bay Bridge and immediately outside Annapolis Harbor and the U.S. Naval Academy, which will also field teams across a few classes. Regatta organizers have also added a new competition with the North Sails Doublehanded Distance Race where two-person teams will one day-long endurance race on Saturday, May 1, starting and finishing at entrance of the Harbor.   Sailing photo credits- Paul Todd/ Outside Images   For more Annapolis NOOD Regatta sailing information
 

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Great Lakes College Keelboat Racing Announcement!

(Chicago, IL)- The 2021 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta will be held September 24th to 26th in Chicago, IL. This annual fall regatta provides an opportunity for collegiate sailors to experience offshore keelboat racing with past participating teams coming from college sailing programs in the Midwest and beyond.

Chicago T10 and J/105 fleet members provide the sailboats and are on-board during racing as a safety precaution. The collegiate sailors drive, crew the boat, and manage strategy and tactics. Chicago-area yacht clubs provide facilities, and the fleets provide financial support, participant gifts and awards.

The regatta consists of windward/leeward buoy races on Lake Michigan offshore of Chicago. Teams arrive on Friday and have the opportunity to practice on their assigned boats that afternoon. Race committee attempts as many races as possible all-day Saturday and on Sunday morning. Award ceremonies are Sunday during lunch and teams have the afternoon for travel back to campus.

Past participating college teams have included; Michigan, Michigan State, Miami of Ohio, Hope College, Western Michigan, Wisconsin, Grand Valley State, Toledo, Northwestern, St. Mary’s College of Md., Michigan Tech, Minnesota, Ohio State, South Florida, Miami, Baldwin Wallace, Indiana University, Marquette, Cleveland State University, United States Naval Academy, University of South Carolina, Notre Dame, Illinois-Chicago and more.

Past participating Chicago J/105 one-design fleet owners have included; THE ASYLUM, SEALARK, VYTIS, FLYING PIG, GANGBUSTERS, KINSHIP, and more....hopefully many more this year!
 

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J/Gear April 20% Off Special!

Awesome Under Armour Performance Polo shirt!

(Newport, RI)- Here is an excellent opportunity for the whole crew to get Under Armour Polo shirts at a special price. Under Armour have been a leader in the performance arena for some time now and their gear is perfect for a marine application. This polo boasts rugged construction and features a distinctive comfortable fit.

The fabric is 95% polyester, 5% elastane, it is a smooth, soft anti-pill fabric, has an anti-odor technology to prevent the growth of odor causing bacteria, and offers 30+ UPF protection from the sun’s harmful rays!
Order your beautiful, comfy Under Armour Performance Polo here
 

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Sailing Calendar
Apr 8-11- Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC
Apr 30- May 2- Annapolis NOOD Regatta- Annapolis, MD
Apr 30- May 2- J/111 North American Championship- Annapolis, MD
May 9-15- J/70 North American Championship- Annapolis, MD 

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

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J/Community

What friends, alumni, and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide

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J/Net Brokerage Specials! Check out our exciting new site for lovingly-owned J/Boats from around the world here.  

Gorgeous J/109 For Sale

Hop aboard this J/109 and be welcomed into an incredibly spacious cockpit outfitted with a suite of brand-new B&G marine electronics. Included are a 12" touch screen Chart Plotter at your helm, and three displays forward at the top of the companionway. There's also an ICOM VHF radio mounted to the port side of the helm, ergonomically easy to reach controls for the newly rebuilt autopilot ram. She's also equipped with a binnacle compass, shore power at her stern, manual and electric bilge pumps, hot and cold transom shower, and a stern mounted swim ladder. Relax comfortably on her set of five, white ultra-leather cockpit cushions and listen to the impressive Kenwood 60-Watt sound system.

This J/109 is equipped with the removable transom dock box for extra storage. Should you wish to return to One Design racing- this is super-easy to take off her transom. To port is her propane locker and to starboard is an ample storage locker that is accessible from both a wide deck hatch and an access door at the rear of her head.

As you proceed forward along her side decks, you'll see that ALL her running rigging is new! Two-tone light grey decks compliment her flag-blue hull. There's a new dove grey helm cover, matching dodger and set of four winch covers. A solar powered vent fan in her forward hatch for constant fresh circulation of air as well as screens for all her hatches! Deck hatches were replaced with OEM in 2019.

In terms of sails, you won't find a better outfitted J/109 on the market! She has a new main, and jib built by North for the 2019/2020 season.

Learn more about this "Bristol-condition" J/109 sailboat for sale that is currently located in Maine and ready to go cruising at a moment's notice!

Save Our Seas (and lakes) with Robotic Marks?

USA pioneer MarkSetBot and their colleagues in Switzerland- WaterSportsMarks- were celebrating Earth Day along with many regatta organizers that hope to take advantage of such ground-breaking technology. 

There's no better day to make a commitment to running clean, sustainable regattas than to consider the use of robotic marks for at least the port end of the starting line and for the windward mark, the two most "changeable" marks on a race course.  

A true test of the MarkSetBot solution was at this year's Charleston Race Week. With winds hitting 19 kts and currents traversing the courses at 3.5 kts, it was probably the most severe test yet of the robotic mark's capabilities.  A huge "bonus" was that NO ONE could carry away the mark by hooking the ground tackle on their keels-- a common site in year's past sailing on Charleston Harbor. This resulted not only in reduced anxiety for nervous skippers, but also dramatically reduced logistical burdens on the PRO's regards having to cancel and restart races!


In partnership with SAILORS FOR THE SEA and 11th HOUR RACING, our MarkSetBot friends had this to say on improving good practices regards our environmental impact:

"We're committed to fostering sustainable practices on and off the water. Here are our favorite ways to make an impact at your next event. If you're looking for more ideas or to become a certified Clean Regatta, check out our friends at Sailors for the Sea (you can even earn Clean Regatta status by using our Bots!).

• Eliminate single-use items like plastic water bottles, straws, bags, and dinnerware.
• Host a beach, marina, or boatyard clean-up in conjunction with your regatta.
• Ensure proper waste bin placement and signage to educate participants on composting and recycling and divert food waste from landfills.
• Use paperless event management, including use of whiteboards, online regatta management systems, or email to share regatta information and results.
• Spread the word about your sustainability initiatives and why a Clean Regatta is important to you. Your work might inspire someone else to make an impact.             

Bonus Tip! Use MarkSetBot robotic buoys to set and adjust the course. Simple and efficient, robotic marks eliminate the need for seabed destructive anchors and fossil-fuel-burning power boats whose sole purposes are moving around marks. At the end of the race day, they can even be charged via solar power.

MarkSetBot has been recognized by Sailors for the Sea, World Sailing, and 11th Hour Racing as an impactful way to make your regatta more sustainable. Plus, robotic marks make on-the-course social distancing easier by drastically reducing the number of people needed to set the course. 

For MarkSetBot information.   For the Swiss Watersport Marks model informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.