What is remarkable about this challenging 2020 pandemic year so far is the resolute determination of sailors across the world to figure out how to get back on the water to enjoy their love of sailing. A chance to escape, a chance to enjoy the feeling of wind, waves, sun, and the motion of the boat sliding through the water, with just the wind, seagull cries, and rush of the wake flying by as the only sounds to experience. In Europe, many J/sailors have been fortunate to enjoy late season events postponed from way back in April/ May as well as summer events. Perhaps one of the most famous regattas to finally take place was Les Voiles de Saint Tropez off St Tropez, France. Loving every minute of that event on the Mediterranean were a J/99, J/133, and J/122E. Similarly, another rescheduled event was the Midsummer Solo Challenge in Marstrand, Sweden...not surprisingly, a race weaving its way through the archipelago saw yet another amazing J/88 performance. Just south was the conclusion to the 2020 German J/70 Sailing League, held for twenty-six teams on the Alster Lake in Hamburg, Germany. Amazingly, a new event just took place in the same waters as the 2018 J/80 Spanish Cup and the 2019 J/80 Worlds, it was the inaugural J/80 International Women's Cup at Getxo, Bilbao, Spain!
Over in the Americas, yet another cool new event just completed their series. Leave it to the creative thinkers in the Pacific Northwest to come up with this idea; it was called the North Sound Party Circuit! LOL. Needless to say, J/Doublehanders had a field day over the three-event schedule sailing on a J/111, J/105 and J/33. Out west, twin J/145s (KATARA and PALAEMON) rocked it offshore in southern California in the Catalina Island Regatta over a three-day weekend.
In the J/Community section, there is an interview with David Schmidt from SAIL-WORLD.com and Sam McGuire regards the upcoming J/22 and J/24 East Coast Championship in Annapolis. Plus, there is an entertaining J/125 Sailing Anarchy "back to the future" review by Scot Tempesta.
J/99 Offshore Doublehanded Experience!
(Les Sables d'Olonne, France)- When we launch a new J/Boat, it's important to test it in all weather conditions. Whether in lovely seas, or in very rough weather, we test each of our boats, with shorthanded crew, in order to check performance, stability, maneuverability and general behavior at sea.Ten days ago, J/Composites took advantage of tropical storm Alex in the tempestuous Bay of Biscay to sail aboard a J/99 in heavy seas (8 to 12 foot swell) with a very strong wind (25-30 knots), all with a doublehanded crew!
Downwind or upwind, the J/99 has proven its capabilities and performance in rough weather, which few owners have had the opportunity to experience. Its maneuverability and behavior at sea give the crew a maximum pleasure and satisfaction, in complete safety!
For all sailors that love performance, come and appreciate the planing capabilities of the J/99, a real racer! Learn more about J/99 here. Watch the J/99 YouTube video here.
Rolex Middle Sea Race Preview
(Gzira, Malta)- The 41st edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race is scheduled to start at 11:00 local time on Saturday, October 17th. The Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC) confirmed that everything is in place. The relief is palpable for the organizers and crews. Despite the club’s conviction that race could and should go ahead, if at all possible, it has been a long and uncertain wait. The fifty boats registered to set off on the 606nm course are proof that the conviction was well-reasoned.Principal Race Officer Peter Dimech is probably the most relieved individual in Malta. “It’s an achievement, in the present circumstances, to have a fleet of 50 boats starting from Grand Harbour tomorrow,” he commented. Dimech is quick to give some context, “we are probably the last truly international race of 2020, a year of cancellations, so pulling this off is quite something.”
The race start looks fairly straight-forward, with a force 4 to 5 north-westerly to power the fleet off the line. “The north west breeze will get them to Capo Passero on the southeast corner of Sicily on Saturday evening or night,” continues Dimech. “Then, they may have a problem as the wind is set to die overnight.”
The fleet will be divided into seven start groups with the smallest yachts scheduled to cross the line first. Sailing in IRC 4 Class will be Russian Alexey Moskvin's J/122E BURAN, a recent podium finisher at Les Voiles de Saint Tropez in France.
In IRC 6 Class will be Italian Leonardo Petti on his J/109 CHESTRESS. Joining them will be the J/109 JARHEAD that will be sailed by a youth team from the Jarhead Youth Sailors Foundation of Malta. Furthermore, sailing in IRC Doublehanded and IRC 6 Class will be the French duo of Boess & Bordas on their J/109 JUBILEE. For more Rolex Middle Sea Race sailing information
Audi SAILING Champions League Underway!
(Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy)- The Audi SAILING Champions League Final is underway with twenty-seven teams representing thirteen nations meeting in Porto Cervo for the final leg of the circuit. The event, organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, with the support of AUDI and the ONE OCEAN Foundation as main partner, is scheduled to run from Thursday through Sunday.The event will take place in compliance with all Covid-19 prevention regulations and the protocol issued by the Italian Sailing Federation, ensuring maximum safety for the participating sailors and all staff involved.
Eighteen flights are planned over the course of the four-day event, for a total of 72 races, with the top four teams progressing to the finale. Each team will compete against each of the others as the crews alternate aboard the YCCS fleet of a dozen J/70 one-design class sailboats. The formula for the event was introduced in 2013 in Germany, taking its lead from the format used in soccer (football) tournaments.
Favorites among the participating teams include the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein from Germany, the Royal Danish Yacht Club, and the Akhmat National Sailing Team from Russia. Also competing in the final is the Aeronautica Militare team, representing the Italian Air Force.
“At last we can welcome sailors from various parts of Europe to compete in the final of the AUDI SAILING Champions League. This will be the first international event we have organized since the pandemic began, and we cannot wait to get back on the water,” commented YC Costa Smeralda Commodore Michael Illbruck.
The event program also includes a focus on raising awareness on the issue of safeguarding the sea. On Saturday 17 October, in Piazza Azzurra, the ONE OCEAN Foundation will present a study regarding the quality of the waters off Sardinia's coasts. Having just left Monaco on board the maxi-catamaran formerly known as Club Med, the Oceano Scientific (OOF partner) scientific expedition will also present their project goals to collect scientific data on contaminants in the Mediterranean and raise awareness among local communities. For more SAILING Champions League regatta information
J/Gear HOLIDAY 20% OFF Specials!
(Newport, RI)- Believe it or not, it is just about time to get into the holiday spirit of things. The year-end is fast approaching and now is as good a time as any to give some thoughts to your holiday shopping for your crew, family, and friends.We are offering a 20% discount on all orders excluding the following: J/Models, J/Prints and J/Calendars.
The discount code is- JB2020XS. It will be effective October 1st through November 28th, 2020.
Attention J/Boat owners- because of the demand for customization, we encourage "early ordering" in an effort to meet holiday gift dates.
NOTE- The J/Class logo of your choice can embroidered on the front. We can also customize with your detail. Perfect for the whole crew! For more information and to buy now.
Sailing Calendar
Oct 10-11- J/Fest Southwest- Lakewood, TXOct 17- Rolex Middle Sea Race- Gzira, Malta
Oct 24- Witches Brew Race- Charleston, SC
Nov. 1- Hot Rum Series I- San Diego, CA
Nov. 14- Around the Island Race- Hong Kong, China
Nov. 21- Hot Rum Series II- San Diego, CA
J/99 KING OF BLUE Victorious at Les Voiles de St Tropez Regatta!
J/133 JIVARO silver & J/122E BURAN bronze in IRC D Class!
(Les Voiles de St. Tropez, France)- Traditionally, the mixture of classic yachts with ultra-modern boats is the main characteristic of the world-famous Les Voiles de St Tropez Regatta. Organized over a week, from September 30th to October 8th, this event offers spectacular, beautiful sailing in an exceptional environment.
From the cozy confines of St Tropez Harbor, the sailors depart each day to explore the widely varying race courses offered by the regatta PRO in the Bay of St Tropez, truly one of the most picturesque coastlines in the world.
In this amazing challenging year, a few J/owners have managed to excel and have fun with their family and friends.
After a four-day, four race event in rather changeable weather, between beautiful weather with a light wind and more difficult weather with strong winds, the J/99 KING OF BLUE finished 1st in the IRC E Class of twenty-boats with a remarkably consistent record of 1-1-2-1 for 5 points total! With all podium finishes, no other boat in their class even came close to challenging them! As the winner, they were also awarded the Marines de Cogolin Trophy.
We had a chance to catch up with owner Pascal Fan, owner of KING OF BLUE:
“We are very happy with our races at Les Voiles. This year has been very special for us. We bought the J/99 at the beginning of the year, before the Covid-19 crisis. We were only able to sail on board in regattas in the spring. In fact, during the Sémac Trophy, we were fortunate to have finished 3rd overall!
It is with great pleasure that we’ve participated in this 2020 edition of Les Voiles in St Tropez. We are so happy and so grateful to participate as a family and friends. During the various coastal races, we were around 3rd or 4th on the downwind tracks and 1st on the upwind tacks. Our J/99 KING OF BLUE is the real bomb! We were all delighted to sail on board! You really have to try it to enjoy!"
Meanwhile, two other J/Crews had remarkable performances as well in huge, twenty-boat IRC D Class. Winning the silver medal was a familiar French crew, Yves Grosjean's J/133 JIVARO with a 2-3-2-3 tally for 10 pts. Taking the bronze in his first major offshore regatta was a Russian team; Alexey Moskvir's J/122E BURAN had a 3-4-3-4 record for 14 pts. Learn more about the J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster here:
J/111 RAKU Wins Doublehanded North Sound Party Circuit!
(Orcas Island, WA)- Congratulations to the J/111 RAKU that placed first this year in the North Sound Party Circuit north of Seattle, WA! Sailed double-handed by Christina and Justin Wolfe from Orcas Island Yacht Club, RAKU consistently chalked up bullets for the first three events. Here is the report below."Up north, we learned some valuable lessons this year during our first running of the North Sound Party Circuit, and we are happy to share them. The biggest takeaway: working together between yacht clubs works better and is a lot more fun than working alone at your own club.
With so many great events on the calendar, it’s no wonder that participation at many individual events has dropped off in recent years. With this in mind, sailors from Anacortes, Orcas Island, and Bellingham sat down over beer and pizza to solve the world’s problems (at least those related to sailboat racing). We all thought of our very favorite events, and the common themes were the dock party, the land party, and solid race organization—not necessarily in that order. Brilliant!
There are already some great examples of clubs working together: the Southern Sound Series, West Sound Series, Vancouver Island Race Series, among others. To me, the North Sound Party Circuit reflected these other cooperative series. The result— better events, and fewer of them.
Social distancing threw a big wrench in a race series that was devoted to social gatherings, but it didn’t spoil the party, so to speak. Races were limited to singlehanded, doublehanded, or households; and eventually to crews of five. No tequila party, no Gertrude’s Hearse, no raft up in the marina. None of our greatest ideas came to fruition, however with a spirit of help and camaraderie, we managed. We worked together on race committee duties, and we adopted a pursuit start to promote distancing. The true test will come next season, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise…
Waycross Investment Management took a leap of faith and stayed on as series sponsor. Having a sponsor was essential to creating consistency across the event calendar.
Ultimately, we had terrific participation, in part because we were pretty much the only game in town. When Covid-19 restrictions canceled the first event, everyone wondered if anything was going to happen at all.
By May, a handful of brave boats came out for the Point Roberts Race in pouring rain with lightning in the hills. When we hosted Round Orcas in June, we were at capacity participation. Windermere Regatta capped out as well with a fun medium-distance-race regatta. Northern Century had 43 boats for the toughest race you’ll ever love.
All-up, 74 boats participated in the party circuit this year. The majority of the sailors were doublehanded and found out that they love it! Most everyone learned to do things with fewer people. The most surprising thing about the circuit this year? All of the top four finishers sailed doublehanded throughout the series."
Overall, several J/Doublehanded teams populated the top five. In addition to Christina and Justin Wolfe's J/111 RAKU win, there was a tie for third place between J/crews. Mike Powell and Jeff Vernon of Bellingham, sailed their J/33 KEET and Vince Townrow of Bellingham, sailed singlehanded and hoisted the kite without autohelm in PLENTY of breeze on his J/105 KINETIC.
Congratulations to the top boats and thank you for your faithful participation. Whether we’re dancing to live music or just waving hello across the water, this year showed us that, even under the toughest circumstances, the Party Circuit works! Thanks for contribution from 48 North magazine and Stephanie Campbell
J/80 Women's Cup Smashing Success!
(Getxo, Bilbao, Spain)- The inaugural International Women's Cup recently took place off Getxo, Spain on their gorgeous azure blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Hosting the event for the dozen J/80 women sailing teams was the Real Club Marítimo del Abra, sponsored by Euskadiko Kirol Portuak. Originally, the regatta was scheduled to be held at the end of March 2020. But, like everything else, it had to be postponed due to the pandemic and sailed last weekend.After hosting the Spanish J/80 Cup in 2018 and the J/80 World Championship in 2019, the Club de Las Arenas wanted to promote women's sailing and teamwork. Finally, after working with Basque authorities, they were given permission to host the event at Real Club Maritimo del Abra. The regatta was held over the three-day weekend of October 9th to 11th. The event started off with a teamwork/ training session on Friday; which was greatly needed by all!
“It is with great satisfaction to present this important sporting event, which represents a great step in the objective that EKP has within its strategy of promoting and contributing to equality between women and men in all areas. The hope is to grow women's presence in sailing as skippers, crew, and boat owners," said Edurne Egaña, Executive Director of Euskadiko Kirol Portuak.
The Biscayan J/80 sailor- Carmen Galdós- commented that, “women have been sailing for a long time, with an increasingly higher percentage of female sailors participating in recent years. Now, with the support of the Spanish J/80 Class, there is even more interest; the women like the J/80 for its sailing qualities and ease-of-handling.”
In addition, Lourdes Bilbao (owner of the J/80 SIEMENS GARCIA) agreed by highlighting at the press conference that, "this event is a great leap forward, and events like this promoting women's sailing gives them an opportunity to get together with friends and strangers. Plus, for many of them it was a chance to sail with Olympic-class sailors, many of them being Olympic Medallists!”
The 100-plus women sailors could not have been more blessed with great weather and nice sailing conditions. On the first day, the RCMA PRO managed to run three races. The shifty northwest wind of 8 to 12 kts challenged the sailors. However, it quickly became clear the class act of the regatta was going to be Natalia Vía-Dufresne's CLINICAS DORSIA Sailing Team, closing the day with a 1-2-2 record. Also winning races the first day were Carmen Galdós's FINGOLFIN Women’s Team and Helena Alegre's CENTROSEGUR Team.
Much to the delight of the women sailors, the second day of racing saw more of the same sailing conditions, but with a bit more breeze-on from the northwest, blowing 15 to 25 kts. Starting where she left off on the first day, Via-Dufresne's CLINICAS DORSIA Team won the first race by a wide margin and repeated that performance by an even larger margin in the last and final race. Clearly, Natalia's team
reveled in the breezy, wavy conditions, compiling a 2-2-1-1-1 tally for 5 pts and the gold medal. Her winning team included Nuria Sanchez, Ana Pujol, Susana Romero, Clara Llabres, and Marta Garrido. Despite CLINICAS DORSIA domination, the second place DECOEXSA Women's Team crew was just five points back on the leaderboard with a record of 3-5-2-3-2 for 10 pts. DECOEXSA was skippered by Olatz Munoz Ortiz, with crew of Amaia Sanchez Arnaez, Paula de la Hoz San Bartolome, Patricia Alza Larruscain, Magdalena Czernick, and Marta Lizarrage Durandegui.
Taking the bronze medal step on the podium was the well-known BIOBIZZ Women's Team with a record of 4-3-4-2-3 for 12 pts total. Skippering BIOBIZZ was Maria Sanchez Diez with crew of Laura Fernandez Gutierrez, Lucia Gonzalez Villa, Claudia Carpintero Borrajo, Carlota Gala Licona, and Elena Quevedo Pasarin. Thanks to Luis Fernandez for his beautiful photos of the inaugural International Women's J/80 Cup!
J/145 KATARA Wins OVERALL in Catalina Race
(Catalina Island, CA)- Sean Motta from Davis Island Yacht Club in Florida recently sailed on the J/145 KATARA off southern California in a very popular offshore spring race to Catalina Island. Here is Sean's report:"I normally have a strict “more time on the race course than in the airport/airplanes getting there” policy. However, after Covid-19 effectively destroyed the second half of DIYC Member Roger Gatewood’s J/145 KATARA’s west-coast sailing season, I got a call from Bill Wingrove that we had been invited to participate in the 2020 Long Point Regatta! Myself and the rest of the crew were all too happy to schedule a flight and jump at the opportunity!
KATARA was moved to the Los Angeles area last year where she participated in the 2019 TransPac (DIYC Log Article October 2019), the LAYC’s Midwinter Around Catalina Race (DIYC Log Article March 2020), and the 2020 Puerto Vallarta Race (DIYC Log Article April 2020). There were plans for the Newport-Ensenada Race, the Rolex San Francisco Big Boat regatta, and many others, all of which were cancelled by the pandemic.
Bill and I headed to the Tampa airport to hop a flight to LAX where we would join up with Roger, his daughter Cat, Sam Heck (our CA boat captain), and several other CA based sailors for the regatta. This race is generally as much about the parties on the island of Catalina as it is the two day-races out and back. While the large on-shore activities were cancelled, our sister J/145 PALAEMON (owner Rudy Hasl is a member of the San Diego Yacht Club) had access to a beautiful remote camp facility on the island.
Unlike most of KATARA’s races, where we frantically comb through the boat looking for anything of weight not bolted down to be thrown ashore before we depart, this race’s prep involved loading in a dinghy, oars (thanks Liam and Tyler!), home-cooked Korean BBQ (thanks, Allie!), sleeping bags, pillows, adult beverages, cookies, and doughnuts!
After a brief motor down to the starting line, the race started in a light breeze around 5-6kts out of the southwest. The forecast expected this to build slightly to near 10-11 kts and clock to the right as we sailed across the channel and to the island. We made a short 3 mile beat to the North on Port tack before tacking for what we hoped was, and turned out to be, the lay line to the finish. Other than an expected area of highly turbulent air just outside the mooring field within a mile of the finish line, the rest of the outbound race was uneventful and largely an uphill endeavor.
Sail stacking was allowed for this race, so many of the crew spent a fair bit of the race man-handling massive sail bags around the deck for optimal weight distribution.
Once finished, we picked up our mooring ball and shuttled the crew in the dinghy, a few at a time, ashore. Once everyone assembled together, Allie prepared an incredible meal of Korean BBQ, rice, and salad. In the morning, many of the crew took a hike to the top of one of the nearby peaks, while others enjoyed a relaxing morning aboard or took a swim through the mooring field.
The race back on Sunday started at 1300 in southwest winds like we had on Saturday. Starting with the light-medium genoa, then quickly proceeding through the tweener, the A1, and ultimately the A2. The bow team did an excellent job of peeling between the various headsails. The A2 and Staysail carried us much of the way through the second half of the race to a beautiful finish just off of Newport Beach, CA. A few hours motoring home ended what was a fabulous weekend enjoyed by all."
In the 2020 Long Point Regatta to Catalina, Roger Gatewood’s (DIYC) J/145 KATARA took 1st overall ORR (1-1) and 2nd in Class PHRF (3-2). Her sistership- the J/145 PALAEMON owned/ skippered by Rudy Hasl- took 2nd overall ORR.
The KATARA team included: Sean Motta (DIYC), Bill Wingrove (DIYC), Sam Heck, Cat Gatewood, Julia Jaynes, Liam McCarthy, Allie Tsai, Tyler Caroe, Louis Tuey, Daina Bandziulis, and Ruta Bandziulis. Reprinted with permission from the Davis Island Yacht Club October 2020 Newsletter- "The Log". Thanks for sailing photo credits- Tom Walker.
J/88 Eclipses Midsummer Solo Challenge
(Marstrand, Sweden)- Scandinavian sailors were recently treated to the annual Midsummer Solo Challenge, an overnight race for singlehanded sailors in an around the famous, picturesque, archipelagos of Sweden on the Baltic Sea.The purpose of Midsummer Solo challenge is to have a great time together with other solo enthusiasts with a strong focus on the social part (not this year for Covid-19 reasons). And, we hope that all participants get to expand their comfort zone and enjoy fun sailing. To remove as much as possible of the competitive aspect of the race, we play by the following basic rules:
- Colregs are used, not racing rules
- Boats are divided into different classes based on hull length
- No handicap system (apart from hull length)
- No prize giving ceremony, just a t-shirt & beer, plus bragging rights
The course is 123.0 NM and has only 4 marks, all port roundings. It goes through the most beautiful parts of the Swedish archipelago during daytime and when the night comes you’ll be sailing on open water.Check out this video from last year’s event to see how awesome it is, it is truly a must see.
Start to Mark 1 @ Lysekil
Before the start, most sailors decided to play it safe. The forecast was reaching in 15-18 knots of wind with gusts hitting 30 knots. Most boats started with full main and the big jibs. While "sail crossover" charts indicated that Code Zero's would have been the weapon of choice, very few bothered to try it. In fact, a number of boats had the first reef in their mainsails. Once past the opening of the Marstrand fjord, a few boats did hoist and unfurl the Code Zero's- like J88.SE sailed by Jonas Dyberg. Gusts up to 25 knots from TWA 100-110 hit and the boat really took off.
Approaching Gullholmen the wind angle became tighter and was now around TWA 70 so the Code Zero had to be furled. Once past Gullhomen, the wind shifted, and it was full upwind all the way to Mark 1 but there was never a need to tack. Just before Mark 1, the gusts were hitting close to 30 knots, but the boat was still fully manageable under the jib and reefed main, still no drama.
Mark 1 to Mark 2
From Lysekil to Smögen some boats ran with jibs or Code Zero. The wind was shifting quite a lot, wind strength was around 15 – 20 knots and the gusts was close to 30 knots. The TWA was anything from 95 to 135 degrees.
From Smögen to Fjällbacka it was tight reaching, steady winds of around 20 knots gusting 30. Just after Smögen, the leader of 25-30 ft class Dyberg in his J/88.
Mark 2 to Mark 3
Going from Mark 2 to Mark 3 was pure pleasure for most sailors. Many deployed their Code Zero's and the J/88 was cruising along at 7 to 11 knots, depending on the conditions for wind angle and breeze.
Mark 3 to Mark 4
This was a long leg, about 56.0 NM. Unfortunately, the wind angle was too tight for the Code 0, the TWA was anywhere from 65 to 90 degrees and the windspeed was anywhere from 11 to 22 knots with a few gusts of 30 knots. Back to full main and jib-only.
Mark 4 to Finish
As it was a northernly current, most skippers decided to stick to port tack to get maximum lift from the current and head towards shore. Once you got out of the current, it was time to tack short-tack into shore to the finish line past the Marstrand Fort.
In the end, the J/88 named J88.SE, owned by Jonas Dyberg won the 25 to 30 ft Class and was 14th overall in a fleet of 52 boats...only a handful of 34 to 45 ft boats beating him boat-for-boat...all more than 6 feet longer!
"It was a “super-fast” race this year since we had strong winds from ashore and therefore beam reach most of the race. I could not use any of my kites," commented Dyberg.
Peter Gustafsson, who normally would sail J/111 BLUR in this race took some pictures you find them here on Facebook. There is also a nice sailing video sequence of my J/88 here. One of my own movie sequences can be found here. The highlights video from the race done by the organizer/sponsor you can see here. For more Midsummer Solo Challenge sailing information.
Check out this very cool, transom-hung J/88 rudder autopilot install!
According to Jonas, "inside the boat the drive unit is a Simrad DD15 (I think this is a Jefa unit but just Simrad branded). And, the control unit is a Raymarine ACU 200 with P70 control panels. I also added a wireless Raymarine S100 remote control, but do not use it as much as planned because it has limited function compared to the P70 panels. This setup is a life-saver for single or double-handed sailing- a fantastic performer!"
Norddeutscher Regatta Verein Five-Peats German J/70 Sailing League Series
(Hamburg, Germany)- In an impressive display of consistency on the shifty, puffy waters of Alster Lake in downtown Hamburg, Germany, the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein Team "five-peated" the German J/70 Sailing League. Their helmsman, Tobias Schadewaldt, was also repeat winner from their 2018 winning team.
After a sensational kick start at the beginning of the season and an exciting chase over the last few regattas, the ONE Kiel team secured the runner-up title in their first season as a first division club. Last year's champions from the Seglerhaus am Wannsee association took third place on the podium.
The Bodensee-Yacht-Club Überlingen prevailed in the 2nd sailing league and, in addition to regatta victory, also won the season overall, ahead of the Mühlenberger Segel-Club in second and the Joersfelder Segel-Club in third.
The thirty-six clubs of the 1st and 2nd sailing Bundesliga competed in the final showdown on Hamburg's Alster Lake over three days. With a four points lead ahead of their rival ONE Kiel, the NRV started the regatta as championship leader after the previous four regattas and secured the championship trophy and the title on the final day in excellent wind conditions.
For NRV helmsman Tobias Schadewaldt, this title was a great relief, as he describes shortly after the decisive race, “after the first two days of the regatta, I frankly thought that the title would not work this year. But, thank God I was totally wrong with that! It was very exciting for us until the end! Most recently, the pressure to have to sail well was particularly great! Luckily, we managed that. Before this year's finale, I remembered the final two years ago in Hamburg, which we had won. Our team gave me a lot of strength personally and now I am relieved that it turned out so successfully for us." German J/70 Sailing League YouTube highlights. Sailing Photo credits: DSBL / Lars Wehrmann For more Deutsche Segel-Bundesliga sailing regatta 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: https://jnet.jboats.com/
The elegant "Amazing Grace" is the most recently re-fitted and upgraded J/100 on the market. The J/100 is proven both as a daysailer and for inshore racing. Now based in Falmouth, Maine, Amazing Grace was originally a freshwater boat until purchased and re-fitted as a dual-purpose sailboat in 2017. Her current owner is a highly experienced and successful cruising and racing sailor who knows how to keep a boat in top condition. However, due to a change in family circumstances, she has been used very little since being re-fitted and raced only once (a short club race that she won handily even without her new race sails). Here is a chance to own a true "gold-plater", a gorgeous example of the coveted J/100 daysailer.
* Watch this J/125 Sailing Anarchy "back to the future" review by Scot Tempesta.
The 41-foot J/125 is as close to high performance big-boat sailing one can find in a boat that’s manageable (yes, even with spinnaker) by two or three people. J/125 is like a street-legal Indy 500 car that’s easier to drive than the family sedan. Joy in ownership (and investment) is a function of time spent sailing. Time sailing depends on how easy it is to be off “on the spur of the moment” inspired by a beautiful day without having to organize 8-10 crew. Thanks to Jason Andrews for the J/125 at sea footageWatch the Sailing Anarchy J/125 review here
* Sam McGuire Interview on the 2020 J/22 and J/24 East Coast Championships
David Schmidt from SAIL-WORLD.com conducted an interview with Annapolis J/24 Fleet Captain- Sam McGuire."Fall can be a bittersweet time for East Coast sailors. Winter isn’t far over the horizon, yet fall brings cooler temperatures, markedly less humidity, and some of the year’s best breeze and racing conditions. This is especially true for the Chesapeake Bay, where the 2020 J/22 and J/24 East Coast Championships, which are being organized by the Severn Sailing Association, U.S. J/24 Fleet 8, and U.S. J/22Fleet 19, are set to unfurl from October 17-18 on the waters near the mouth of the Severn River.
While J/22s and J/24s are not new designs, these classic keelboats have long attracted some of the country’s—and the world’s—fastest sailors, and, as a result, both classes offer some of the most competitive One Design keelboat racing afloat.
Couple October’s usually fantastic conditions on the Chesapeake Bay with these highly competitive classes and with the historic (and sailing-obsessed) town of Annapolis, Maryland, and the result is almost always a regatta to savor long after fall’s nip has given way to winter’s full-scale chill.
I checked in with Sam McGuire, who serves as the Severn Sailing Association’s J/24 fleet captain, via email, to learn more about this exciting regional championship regatta.
SW: What kind of entry numbers are you expecting this year?
DS: We hope to have 15-20 J/24s and expect the same number of J/22s as well. The last few years, we have been averaging around 30 J/24s and 20 J/22s.
Our regatta has been steadily growing over the last five years, and while this year certainly has its challenges, we look forward to welcoming back all of our friends and competitors.
SW: Do you have your eye on any pre-racing favorites in both classes? What about any dark horses?
DS: I would say Tony Parker and the Bangor Packet team is the prohibitive favorite. He won the J/24 Midwinters in February and is an incredible J/24 sailor and supporter of the class. This is the 42nd J/24 East Coast Championship, and I believe Tony has sailed every ECCs!
Many of the out-of-town boats from upstate New York and Maine will be giving Tony a run for his money, but the Bangor Packet is definitely the hometown favorite.
In the J/22 class, I’d have to say Jeff Todd and his team on Hot Toddy are the team to beat. They consistently score in the top three of this event, and [they] have been sailing incredibly well all year long.
SW: How many racecourses will be operating simultaneously? Also, how many races per day (and for the entire regatta) does the race committee hope, provided that the weather cooperates?
DS: We will race on one circle, and [we] are planning on seven races [total].
SW: Weather-wise, what kind conditions can sailors expect to encounter off of Annapolis in late October? Also, what are the best-case and worst-case weather scenarios?
DS: October sailing in Annapolis is best sailing anywhere in the country. In the summer, it is often hot, hazy and humid. The winds are predictably light and variable and there is a tremendous amount of powerboat slop.
However, after Labor Day, the days get a little shorter, the air is little crisper and most of powerboats are gone.
We will have cold fronts rolling through regularly and invariably, we will have at least one day that will blow “the dogs off the chains” with a Northwesterly blowing 25-30+.
This is typically followed by a big southerly the next day, offering competitors fun and challenging conditions. The water temperature is still warm in mid-October, so you do not mind getting dunked. We put on our boots, hank on the jibs, and hang on for a wet and wild time.
The worst-case scenario would be a full-fledged hurricane, and this being 2020, we can't rule that out. Fingers crossed though!
SW: How important do you think local knowledge will be? Also, do you expect most visiting teams to arrive early and acclimatize to conditions?
DS: Current can be a big factor when sailing off Annapolis. Many of our competitors have sailed here many times and are familiar with the lay of the land, so to speak.
We are expecting new-comer Erica Trejo and her J/24 Boat Grant team from Chicago. We will team them up with a local pro on Friday for some tuning and help get them up to speed with the Annapolis area.
SW: If you could offer one piece of advice to visiting (and local) teams, what would it be?
DS: Enjoy being on the water, enjoy sailing with your closest friends, and enjoy great racing in most competitive keelboat class of all time!
SW: What kinds of safe-play pandemic tactics are you expecting from the racers on the water? Also, do you expect that this will be a highly competitive event, or—given the pandemic—is the spirit of this year’s event more about getting out on the water for some friendly racing?
DS: Many teams are choosing to sail with four-up on the J/24, as opposed to a full crew of five. We strongly encourage mask use on the water and [we] mandate it off the water on all club premises.
A few weeks ago, we had the Annapolis NOOD, which was a huge success. This was the first large weekend regatta of 2020 and they did an excellent job with electronic check-ins, drive-by skipper’s bag pickups and virtual awards. Every sailor had a grin from ear to ear and [was] just happy to be racing again.
We are working with our fleets and Severn Sailing Association to implement the same policies to ensure everyone has a safe and fun regatta.
This regatta always attracts the best J/24 and J/22 sailors on the East Coast, and while this year may look a little different than years past, I expect it to be highly competitive. Don’t get me wrong—this is a fun, friendly crowd, but once you’re on the starting line, it’s go time!
SW: Can you tell us about any efforts that you and the other regatta organizers have made to try to lower the regatta’s environmental footprint or otherwise green-up the regatta?
DS: The Severn Sailing Association has been at the forefront in reducing our environmental footprint on the Chesapeake Bay. From installing a water bottle filling station to planting [an] oyster garden onsite, they are committed to efforts large and small.
They are currently in the process of a major infrastructure program aimed at reducing the effects of storm water and runoff into our watershed. We continue to look at ways the club and our fleets can be a leader in green initiatives.
SW: Anything else that you’d like to add, for the record?
DS: Yes, to say that 2020 has been a disruptive year is an understatement, but it has also come with a silver lining. Instead of carrying on with status quo in terms of our sailing season, it has allowed adapt to this new normal. While we were on lockdown the sailing community as a whole and our J/24 Fleet 8 specifically shifted our focus to fleet development. We organized multiple webinars and zoom calls with Coach Robby Brown to go over every aspect on how to better sail a J/24.
In June, we were able to start our weeknight racing once again. Our local fleet held a sail auction fundraiser and used the proceeds to hire local pros as coaches and made them available to any team who wanted their input. We felt that this was away to take advantage of our strong weeknight program and also help teams feel more competitive towards larger championship level regattas.
With the lower expected entries this year, we decided to cut our typical three days of racing down to two. We lowered the entry fees substantially, and on Friday October 16, we will offer a speed and tuning clinic held by North American Champion Robby Brown in the morning, followed by practice races in the afternoon.
Our goal is to get as many J/24s and J/22s as possible out on the race course for the best fall sailing on the East Coast!" For more J/22 & J/24 East Coast Championship sailing information Thanks to SAIL-WORLD's David Schmidt for this interview
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