J/121 Offshore Speedster Progress Report(Newport, RI)- The J/121 project is in hyper-drive mode with the hull and grid mold nearing completion at CCF Composites and the deck tooling in final fairing at Symmetrix in Bristol, Rhode Island. In two weeks we’ll be laying out deck hardware on the deck plug, positioning cockpit footrests and simulating boathandling maneuvers for final tweaking of equipment location before starting the mold.
The J/Design team has been working with leading sailmakers to determine the optimum J/121 one-design class inventory. We are targeting an inventory of five sails including:
- Mainsail with two reefs
- #1 AP Jib on furler
- #4 Jib on hoistable inner forestay with halyard lock and 2:1 downhaul.
- Code 0 75% Asymmetric on top-down furler
- A2 Asymmetric with zipper luff/tack and lightweight snuffer
In terms of simplified sail-handling for hull #1, we are working with Ubi Maior of Italy to test a very cool custom version of their innovative furling system called the “Jiber.” This is a furling system that allows soft-hank attachment of the jib to a rod headstay without the need for the heavy aluminum foil system. Top offshore racers have adopted similar systems to save weight, reduce aerodynamic drag in the rigging and improve jib handling in extreme conditions at sea. Alternative systems without foils require lashing the head of the jib to a top swivel on the mast, but this prevents the jib from being able to be lowered to the deck without someone going aloft. Many Open 40 and 60 sailors use this method to save weight. The difference with the Jiber is that one can hoist and lower the jib at will (on hanks) with a conventional halyard and, of course, furl on demand. Learn more about the J/121 offshore speedster here
PRIMO CUP XXXIII Preview(Monte Carlo, Monaco)- As part of its proactive sailing policy and bringing life to the harbour, the Yacht Club de Monaco is expecting an armada of one-design elite sailors for the 33rd Primo Cup - Trophée Credit Suisse, from the 2nd to 5th of February. With 800+ sailors from 15 countries expected, the event brings together top European teams and enthusiastic amateurs. A spectacle on the water and après-racing ambiance ashore are guaranteed.
Always ready to innovate and improve, the 33rd Primo Cup - Trophée Credit Suisse sees a major change in format, as it will run over one single weekend for the first time since its launch in 1985. Three courses will be set in the bay of Monaco, another first for the Primo to give each class more space and opening up the choice of tactical possibilities compared to previous years where up to six classes were sometimes rounding the marks at a time.
The J/70s, who have established their winter base in the Principality since October 2016, have many participants from Northern and Eastern Europe in their 40-plus fleet; by far the largest class in the regatta. They will be battling it out for precious points at this Primo Cup - Trophée Credit Suisse, a key stage for the J/70 in the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series before the final weekend in early March. Nine nations are competing from across the continent; including Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Monaco, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, and Sweden.Hoping to defend their series leading position will be the Russian crew of ARTTUBE, led by top Russian woman sailor Valeriya Kovalenko (photo at right). Chasing them hard are a rogues gallery of competitors, such as Stephan Molle’s GRUN SOFTWARE AG and Karsten Witte’s J-WD from Germany; Thomas Mellano’s PAPREC LE HAVRE NAUTIC from France; Massimo Rama’s JENIALE EUROSYSTEM and Petr Nosov’s JESSIE TANTA from Italy; Krempec Krzysztof’s EWA from Poland; Jean Luc Leveque’s WATCH from Switzerland; and Anders Rosenberg’s DYNAMANT RACING from Sweden.
Defending the home turf for YC Monaco are Stefano Roberti’s PICCININNA, Fabrice Papazian’s JOKER, Pierrik Devic’s PAGET and Herve Maiano’s SOPWITH CAMEL.
Another special feature of the Primo Cup - Trophée Credit Suisse is that all crew members in the first three boats in each class receive clothing from SLAM’s Advanced Technology Sportswear! For more J/70 Primo Cup/ Winter Series sailing information
Quantum J/70 Winter Series III Preview(Tampa, FL)- With fifty-seven entries for the final regatta in the 2016/ 2017 Quantum J/70 Winter Series, sailing from February 4th to 5th, the stage is now set for the ultimate battle for sailing supremacy in this prestigious event that features top Corinthian teams and multiple National, North American and World Champions. Starting in December, over 45 boats started the first regatta and as winter set in up north, more and more J/70s decided to migrate south on their own, dragging their owners south (hanging on by frostbit fingers), into the warm and welcoming arms of the “sailingest club in the south”- the Davis Island Yacht Club. It is a fun program they put on all winter long and the series has gained its adherents over time.
How it will all end up for the top teams at this event as well as the overall series is anyone’s guess. Certainly, the Ladbroke’s Betting Parlours in London and their counterparts in Las Vegas, Nevada are betting that Martie Kullmann and Thom Bowen’s crew on REACH AROUND are the prime suspects to take the series lead. But, then again, stranger things have happened in the J/70 class when odds-on favorites seemingly take a “dumpster dive”, never to be seen again!Chasing them hard are several tenacious crews, some sailing for the first time this winter, others banking on experience in both Tampa and Key West to bolster their chances. The last time around Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE walked off with honors in QJWS II, but they will be hard pressed to hold off teams like Kerry Klingler’s MENACE, John Brim’s RIMETTE, Tony Rey’s POWERPLAY, Darby Smith’s AFRICA, Allan Terhune’s DAZZLER, Will Welles’ SCAMP and John Wilsey’s SEA BAGS SAILING TEAM.
In the Corinthians class, it is a wide-open affair. Andrew Fisher’s BUTTON FLY will be up against Bryan Cameron’s B-SQUARED, Ed Austin’s CHINOOK, Henry Brauer’s RASCAL, and Rob Britts’ HOT MESS (Key West Corinthian Champion). However, again, the Corinthians class has many new faces for this event, so the betting is off for the top three! For more Quantum J/70 Winter Series sailing information.
2017 driveHG.ca J/24 Worlds Announcement
(Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)- The International J/24 Class Association and the Port Credit Yacht Club of Mississauga, Canada, will be hosting the 2017 World Championship for J/24 class yachts from September 15th to 23rd, 2017. The J/24 is an international One-Design keelboat class and the most popular racing keelboat in the world with over 5,480 boats being sailed in 165 fleets and 110 countries.
The 2017 J/24 Worlds will be a week long event; competitors arrive for 3-1/2 days of official boat measuring and required safety checks. Then, after a practice race, there will be five days of racing held on Lake Ontario’s western waterfront. Eighty-five teams, involving at least 400 top racing yachtsmen and yachtswomen, are expected to compete in the challenging ten-race series. Competitors will be provided with meals and entertainment at various events and times. For J/24 Worlds registration information, please go to the website here. For more drive.HG J/24 World Championship sailing information
2nd Women’s Sailing Cup Italia Announcement(Chiavari, Italy)- Blue Project together with Città di Chiavari, Marina di Chiavari, and Lega Navale Italia Sez di Lavagna, are organizing the 2nd Women’s Sailing Cup Italia. The event is 100% Women, 100% Sport, 100% Solidarity to promote women sailing across Europe and raise funds for the Italian Association for Research on Cancer- all women from around the world are welcome to join us!!
The regatta will be held on Blue Project’s J/80’s and the dates are 24th to 26th of March 2017. The 2016 event proved to be an extremely popular program for women’s team from across Europe- Italy, United Kingdom, Russia, Sweden, France, Netherlands, and Slovenia. The initial interest for this year’s event is expected to eclipse last year’s program, with crews expressing interest from over a dozen European nations. Please contact Ivana Quattrini for more information- ph# +39-335-8093904/ email- info@blueprojectsailing.com/ www.blueprojectsailing.com Facebook Italia Women’s Cup page.
Edgartown Race Weekend Announcement(Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, MA)- Starting to plan for your summer sailing program on Cape Cod and the islands?? Don’t forget the granddaddy of them all- Edgartown Yacht Club's 'Round-the-Island Race and the Edgartown YC Race Weekend! The regatta takes place from July 20th to 22nd, 2017.
Like 2016, the J/Boats participants in 2017 will all be honored with trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place on corrected time amongst all the J/Boats in all classes!! Last year, a broad range of J/teams participated, including J/29s, J/35, J/105s, J/109s, J/111s, J/120s, J/122s, J/42s and a J/46.
For more information, please contact Margaret Passafiume/ Race Administrator/ Edgartown Yacht Club/ 508-627-4364/ racer@edgartownyc.org or go to their website- http://rtirace.org/
J/World Midwinter Clinics Announcement(San Diego, CA)- The J/World Performance Sailing School is offering two most excellent training programs for a nice midwinter break; one in conjunction with the Southern California Midwinters Regatta and the other in conjunction with the Banderas Bay Regatta in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! Here is more information on these two fabulous programs for getting yourself back "in tune" to sail fast and smart!
Midwinters Clinic and Regatta
San Diego, February 8-12
One of our most popular clinic+regatta combos, the Midwinters in San Diego presents the perfect opportunity for a training session in the mild winter climate of Southern California accompanied by an all-star team of J/World coaches. Three days in an abridged version of our renowned racing weeks followed by two days racing in a real regatta with a J/World coach aboard. We send you home happy, AND faster, higher, smarter...
Southern California Yachting Association Midwinters is one of the largest multi-class sailing events in North America. The Regatta is supported by 27 SCYA member yacht clubs that participate throughout Southern California and stretching into Arizona. This is the perfect way to dust off the winter rust and hone your skills, in order to prepare your boat and crew for the next season. Come enjoy the beautiful year-round conditions in San Diego, and leave faster than your competition.
J/World, the Performance Sailing School, will be offering sailors the opportunity to come play (and learn) during this special event. At our J/World San Diego facility, we will be hosting a three day racing clinic prior to the regatta, which will include boathandling, sail handling, strategy, tactics, rules, etc. etc… all the elements which will contribute to a successful regatta. Please refer to our Racing Courses (Intro and Advanced) pages for details on the topics that will be covered.
Then it is test time… and we have the ultimate test: a real regatta! Each of our J/80s will have teams of three students plus one coach per boat. Everyone aboard will rotate through all the positions while getting the positive insights of one of our renowned J/World instructors.
The cost is $1,495 per person (plus 10% Port Taxes; full pricing policies here). Availability is limited, so be sure to reserve your space early ($400 deposit). Call 800-910-1101
Banderas Bay Clinic and Regatta
Puerto Vallarta, February 26-March 4
Every winter J/World hosts a truly special racing event out of our Puerto Vallarta office. We begin with a three-day racing clinic aboard our fleet of J/80s. Sail trim, boat handling, starting, tactics, rules... you name it, and we cover it! Wednesday is a lay day, then Thursday-Sunday we race in the ever fun Banderas Bay Regatta. This year J/World will be running four J/80s in the event, and we have only two spaces left! Looking for a tropical getaway and a great time sailing? Done.
The Banderas Bay Regatta is a special event held every March at our Puerto Vallarta Sailing Center. Participants range from flat-out racers, to cruising vessels that have sailed the seas to enjoy the wonders of Banderas Bay. The regatta represents the culmination of the month-long “Festival Nautico” in Puerto Vallarta, and has become a favorite of locals and visitors.
J/World, the Performance Sailing School, will be offering sailors the opportunity to come play (and learn) during this special event. We will be hosting a three day racing clinic prior to the regatta, which will include boathandling, sail handling, strategy, tactics, rules, etc. etc… all the elements which will contribute to a successful regatta. Please refer to our Racing Courses (Intro and Advanced) pages for details on the topics that will be covered.
Then it is test time… and we have the ultimate test: a real regatta! The event is a perfect blend of positive attitudes, friendly competition, and ideal weather. Participation in the event of course includes participation in all the land-based activities that the Vallarta Yacht Club has planned.
Each of our J/80s will have teams of three students plus one coach per boat. Everyone aboard will rotate through all the positions while getting the positive insights of one of our renowned J World instructors. The host facility, the Paradise Village Resort, also offers great room rates for regatta participants, so bring the friend and family along for a fun vacation.
This year, J/World is inviting all boat owners/teams to attend our pre-regatta clinic. Classroom sessions will cover sail trim, boat-handling, strategy, tactics, and rules. On the water, coaches will conduct practice races and provide feedback on a wide range of topics.
The cost is $1,595 per person (plus tax; full pricing policies here). Reserve your space early ($400 deposit), as this event always sells out! Call 800-910-1101
J/Sailing News
The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide
The past week was quite active with J/24s sailing in both hemispheres. In Europe, the Italians continue to enjoy reasonably benign winter weather conditions as various fleets sail their winter series in Anzio and Nettuno and other places. Down in South America, the J/24 fleets continue to attract highly competitive teams to their major events; in this case it was the J/24 South American Championship hosted by Yacht Club Punta del Este in Uruguay, racing off the Latin American “Riviera”.In the northern part of the Americas, the San Diego Yacht Club hosted their annual SDYC Fleet Championship in their fleet of J/22s. Despite it being a club competition, the fleet featured several notable sailors sprinkled throughout the crews, including J/70, Star and Etchells 22 World Champions!
Read on! The J/Community and Cruising section below has many entertaining stories and news about J/Sailors as well as cruising blogs about those who continue to enjoy the Caribbean and the South Pacific, staying warm while others are trying to stay warm up north. Check them out! More importantly, if you have more J/Regatta News, please email it or upload onto our J/Boats Facebook page Below are the summaries.
Regatta & Show Schedules:
Feb 4-5- Quantum J/70 Winter Series- Tampa, FLFeb 10-12- J/24 Midwinters- Indian Harbour Beach, FL
Feb 14-19- Hong Kong Race Week- Hong Kong, China
Feb 17-19- St Petersburg NOOD Regatta- St Petersburg, FL
Feb 20- RORC Caribbean 600 Race- English Harbour, Antigua
Feb 23-26- J/70 Midwinters- St Petersburg, FL
Mar 2-5- St Maarten Heineken Regatta- Phillipsburg, St Maarten
Mar 3-4- Monaco J/70 Winter Series- Act V- Monte Carlo, Monaco
Mar 2-5- J/27 Midwinters- New Orleans, LA
Mar 9-11- Bacardi Miami Sailing Week- Coconut Grove, FL
Mar 17-19- San Diego NOOD Regatta- San Diego, CA
Mar 24-26- St Thomas International Regatta- St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Mar 27-Apr 2- BVI Spring Regatta- Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Apr 10-15- Les Voiles de Saint Barth- Gustavia, St Barthelemey
April 20-23- Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC
Apr 30- May 1- Antigua Sailing Week- English Harbour, Antigua
May 5-7- Annapolis NOOD Regatta- Annapolis, MD
For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
CARRERA Crowned J/24 South American Champions(Punta del Este, Uruguay)- The 2017 J/24 South American Championship was hosted by the extraordinary hosts at the Yacht Club Punta del Este on the gorgeous “Latin American Riviera” known simply as “Punta”. Surrounded by spectacular high-rises, even more spectacular beaches, and an amazing harbor/bay to race around, the eighteen teams from three countries- Argentina (11), Peru (2) and Uruguay (5)- experienced near champagne conditions for the entire regatta.
After ten races, there was no question the class act of the regatta was the Argentinean crew on CARRERA, led by skipper Matias Pereira and crew of A Guerra, J Bellinotto, E Losano and G Bellinito. Winning 4 of 10 races ultimately led to a winning total of 24 pts.
The first day of sailing the regatta was epic. Three races in 18-23 kts of breeze, big waves and lots of sun! The locals from Uruguay were tough in these conditions. Local hotshot Pedro Garra and his PANTERA crew (M Garcia, I Guichef, M Leite, A Carlucio) were first with just 4 pts, having posted a 2-1-1 on day one. They were followed by Matias Pereira on CARRERA with 6 pts and Harry Giura on LUCA (with crew of D Guani, G Arocena, I Arocena, M Pineyro) with a 3-5-4 for 12 pts. Fourth was the top Peruvian boat, Javier Arribas’ MONARCA (with crew of J Gavino, A Lafosse, M Markovinovic, D Mendoza) with 17 pts.
The second day of racing on Friday brought beautiful, electrifying racing. The breeze subsided to 12-15 kts with much less swell, with all teams returning to using their 150% genoas. After a one-hour postponement, the racing started in a southerly breeze that slowly shifted left to the southeast. Three more races were run, with the course clearly favoring going to the coastline off to the left and catching the breeze lines filling in off the beach. It was a great day of sailing for Sergio Pendola’s crew on CACIQUE (C Dagusti, J Lupo, M Santangelo, L Luzzi), posting a blistering pace of 2-4-1 to surge up into the top of the leaderboard and win “Boat of the Day”. Overall, Garra’s PANTERA was still winning with Pereira’s CARRERA following closely behind.
On Saturday, the third day of racing dawned with a 16 kts wind out of the north that little by little started to weaken and get increasingly shift. Fortunately, the YCPE PRO Bernie Knuppel managed to knock out another three races, much to the delight of the fleet. With the ability to apply a discard after six races, the leadership board has changed significantly. Now, CARRERA was leading followed by Garra’s PANTERA.For the finale on Sunday, it was a nearly anti-climactic scenario. By winning the final race, CARRERA walked off with the Championship. Taking second was Garra’s PANTERA followed by Pendola’s CACIQUE in third. Rounding out the top five, it was Rodrigo Benedetto’s HAIK- THOMPSON REUTERS team that took 4th place with Marcelo Alzola’s BLUECROSS & BLUESHIELD team placed 5th.
The 2016 South American Champion, Matias Pereira, adds to his laurels that of Pan American Champion and Argentinean Champion 2016!! This result gives Pereira an automatic place to participate in the 2017 J/24 World Championship in Canada. For more J/24 South American Championship sailing information
Hardesty Wins San Diego YC Championship!(San Diego, CA)- The 2017 sailing season continued this past weekend, January 28 & 29, in La Playa for one of San Diego DYC’s signature events - the 6th annual Club Championships sailed on their fleet of matched J/22 one-design sailboats. As always, competitors brought their energy, talent, and competitive spirit to the race course (and the race dock). The event featured 60 races over two days that were exciting for both participants and spectators.
The wind was a little shy at the beginning of the regatta on Saturday, starting off light from the south. The Race Committee optimistically started a race, but it was abandoned when the wind shut off completely. When the breeze picked up out of the south again, racing resumed. Once again, the southerly died after the second start of the first race, but this time the normal westerly had begun to fill and competitors were able to finish the race. The westerly stayed around for the rest of the day and the Race Committee was able to get 28 races in. Sunday’s racing was postponed until just before noon when the wind picked up out of the west. After that, Sunday was a perfect day, with decent wind between 3-8 knots throughout most of the afternoon and temperatures in the mid-70s.
More than just an excuse to race in SDYC’s J/22 one-design class sailboats, Club Champs is an event inclusive of all members to promote racing among club fleets and families, and to celebrate friendly rivalries around the club. World Champion sailors compete alongside novice racers and SDYC juniors, some as young as 13 years old. Fun and membership camaraderie are main components of the weekend. For those thirsty for more than competitive racing, Bay City Brewing Company was out on the race dock and present at the post racing celebrations with some of their most popular beers on tap for participants of age.The Catamaran Fleet, skippered by Bill Hardesty with crew Mandi Hardesty and Ty Reed, took the 2017 title after winning 11 of their 15 races. Of course, winning is nothing new for this team - Mandi has been on the winning Club Champs team for the past 3 years, while Bill was the winning skipper in 2015. The Catamaran Fleet actually finished in a tie for first place with the Star Fleet. Race Committee determined The Catamaran Fleet the winner after considering who beat whom in the last race – and therefore, second place went to the Star Fleet, consisting of skipper George Szabo and crew members Craig Moss, Stacey Szabo, and Julie Mitchell. In third place was Team Reynolds with skipper Greg Reynolds, and crew members Matt and Jake Reynolds.
Mandi explained why she keeps racing Club Champs each year. “I've sailed the Club Champs for the past three years because it's such a great event sailed right off the docks allowing for wonderful spectating and camaraderie. My family and friends and especially my son could watch the action close up. And it is exciting - this year the title came down to the last leg of the last race. We were fortunate to come out on top against so many accomplished sailors from one of the most competitive yacht clubs in the world.”
A big “Thank You” to all of the racers, support crew, and spectators who help to make this annual event fun and inclusive to all members, fleets, and families. Plus, a big “Thank You” to the SDYC staff in the Sailing Office, catering, and the kitchen that work tirelessly and collaborated to help keep events running smoothly.
Many people have volunteered numerous hours of their time to make this another successful Club Championship Regatta including; Regatta Co-Chairs- Joanne O’Dea and Tiffany Billings and Regatta PRO- Susi Graff! For more J/22 San Diego YC Championship sailing information
LA SUPERBA Leads Italian J/24 Winter Series(Anzio & Nettuno, Italy)- In the seventh stage of the 42nd Winter Championship, the fleet was able to enjoy two good races in adverse weather and sea conditions. Leading this particular event, was the J/24 Raggio Verde di Savastano.
"The day started with no wind and an annoying residual air from the South East. The arrival at 1400 hrs of a light breeze from the west that rarely touched 7 knots, allowed the race committee (chaired by Mario de Grenet) to run two good races,” explained Federico Miccio of JUMPING JACK FLASH.
The big story of the regatta was the amazing performance by ITA 191 Raggio Verde di Savastano skippered by Carmelo Savastano with Francesco Linares on tactics. They were followed by top Hungarian crew HUN 162 JUKE BOXING skippered by Miklos Rauschenberger and in third place by the top Italian Navy crew- Ignazio Bonanno’s LA SUPERBA. It has been an exciting series since many Hungarian boats are using these events for training for the 2017 European Championships in Hungary on Lake Balaton and the 2018 World Championships taking place on the same lake!
The overall winter championship standings show that Bonanno’s LA SUPERBA (with crew of Simone Scontrino, Alfredo Branciforte, Francesco Picaro and Vincenzo Vano) are still leading the series with just 11 pts. Sitting in second is ITA 447 PELLE NERO owned by Paul Cecamore and skippered by the 2014 Soling World Champion, the Hungarian Farkas Litkey, with 22 pts total. In third is PELLE ROSSA owned by Gianni Riccobono and skippered by Sergio Strippoli with 42 pts. For more Italian J/24 Winter sailing information
CARISMA Tops J/24 Yucatan “Regata de Amigos”(Cancun, Mexico)- Jorge Ojeda and friends continue to have a great time sailing in their local fleet of J/24s on that spectacular peninsula in the northeastern part of Mexico- the Yucatan- a region famous for its enormous Mayan monuments, like Chichen Itza and Tulum’s spectacular fortress along the eastern shoreline. The beaches are fabulously white (made from shells and coral) with baby blue waves crashing on the shoreline, and the waters offshore are just 2-3nm max from the famous cobalt blue Gulf Stream- teeming with wildlife that is beyond belief- like giant bluefin tuna, huge sailfish capable of swimming in 60 kt bursts, monster sunfish 12 ft across, gazillions of flying fish
attempting suicide on various boat decks and, of course, a wide variety of sharks looking to munch on something tasty (hopefully, not your toes while you hike on the weather rail!).The “Regatta of Friends 2017”, hosted by the J/24 Yucatan Fleet, was lots and lots of fun. It was a good weekend for sailing with changing winds and unusual wind directions. The fleet started off racing with 10 kts of breeze, but soon it grew fast to 20-30 kts. For the fleet of nine boats, it was extremely exciting racing offshore!
Congratulations to the team of CARISMA, skippered by Tomas Dutton that sailed to a 1-4-1 for 6 pts. Taking second were their friends on FILIBUSTERO just one point behind them! Third was the VENDAVAL crew with 12 pts based on a 2-5-5 tally. For more Yucatan J/24 Fleet sailing information
J/Community
What friends, alumni and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
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* J/70 Ullman Sails Testing- here are some cool pictures. And, a report from the team:“My son is doing his senior high school project at Ullman Sails and we have gotten to know Alex Curtiss there who is now head of the one-design program at the local loft. Alex graduated last year from St. Mary’s. He and the owner of the local loft, Bruce Cooper, wanted to sail test their new heavy air and all-purpose jibs as a follow-up to the San Francisco Worlds. Seeing that Friday was going to be windy with a 20 – 25 knot Santa Ana they rigged up to be out on the water early for two boat testing.
In USA 32 (Dave Ullman’s old boat that is now owned by Bruce and Sean Bennett, who won Corinthian at Worlds) was Bruce, Scott Mais (a Newport Harbor High School sailor), Ryan Davidson from Ullman Sails, and David Wood (a Corona del Mar High School sailor that was part of the team with my son in St. Pete for the High School Keelboat Championship).
On our boat (USA 70) were Robert (my son), Alex, Dodge Rees (who graduated from College of Charleston last year and is now the head coach at Newport Harbor YC and the coach for Newport Harbor High School) and Justin Law (who is former recent head coach at Newport Harbor YC and coach for Newport Harbor High School).The wind did not disappoint and the two boats got in a good four hours of testing. A pro photographer friend, Bronny Daniels at JoySailing.com (http://www.joysailing.com), got the photos from the Ullman RIB with Matt Stevens, the assistant coach for Corona del Mar High School.” Thanks for the report from Tom Garrett in Newport Beach, California.
* Sail Newport and its fleet of J/22s got welcome support from the National Football League’s New England Patriots’ Coach Bill Belichick (the American Football Conference representative in the 51st Super Bowl in Houston, Texas). Bill donated his powerboat to Sail Newport, the Rhode Island community sailing center. The non-profit public Sailing Center, located in Newport RI, will use the 24' Grady White vessel “V-RINGS” (get it, 5 Superbowl rings?) in its youth and adult sailing programs, regattas and sailing events on Narragansett Bay.
"We are thrilled and grateful to Coach Belichick for donating his boat for use in our public sailing programs. The boat will be used as a support and safety vessel for all of our instructional programs and regattas, including J/Fest in August (a regatta for J/Boats owners) and the May 2018 North American Stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race,” said Brad Read, Executive Director of Sail Newport.
The boat donation was facilitated by Albury Brothers Boats and will be delivered mid-February to Sail Newport. According to Albury Brothers President, Jeff Lichterman, he and Coach Belichick have done some boating together. More importantly, Belichik has done some sailing, grew up in Annapolis, and boated on the Chesapeake Bay. Plus, Belichick had an opportunity to sail on former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chaffee’s J/100 on Narragansett Bay!
Sail Newport is a non-profit educational organization with a mission to foster the sport of sailing and to attract and manage sailing events in Newport, RI. In its 34th year of operation, Sail Newport is a thriving organization with thousands of regatta entrants, adult students, youth sailors, and sailboat renters visiting its facility in Fort Adams State Park in Newport Harbor. The organization also offers their nationally-recognized Youth Sailing Program for young sailors starting at age 5. Sail Newport also hosts many local, national and world championships each year.
Currently, Sail Newport is running the “Campaign for Blue Space” to raise funds for a new Marine Education and Recreational Facility and expand its educational programs. The new center is anticipated to open in July of this year at Sail Newport's campus in Fort Adams State Park. For more information, please contact Kim Cooper at (401) 846-1983/ kim.cooper@sailnewport.org For more Sail Newport information.
J/Cruisers
J Cruisers continue their adventures around the world, below are a selection of most excellent "blogs" written by their prolific publishers. Some terribly amusing anecdotes and pearls of wisdom are contained in their blogs. Read some! You'll love it.
* The J/40 HERON REACH sailed by Virginia and Jerry is participating in the Blue Planet Odyssey project and have recently joined them in the Marquesas Islands in the Eastern Pacific. Learn more about their adventures and experiences here- http://heronreachodyssey.blogspot.com/
* J/160 SALACIA has been sailing in Australia in the Whitsunday Islands. Guess who decided to throw themselves across their bow as they cruised comfortably to their next destination? A giant whale! Look at this amazing photo!
* Jim & Heather Wilson just completed a circumnavigation of our "blue planet Earth" in June 2013 on their J/42 CEOL MOR. Said Jim, "The odyssey of CEOL MOR is over, for now. We completed our circumnavigation on our J/42 when we crossed our outbound track in Britannia Bay, Mustique. We were, however, still 2,000 nautical miles from home. So we continued on through the Windwards, the Leewards, and then through the British Virgin Islands. After a farewell 'Painkiller' at the Soggy Dollar, and a last meal at Foxy’s, we made the 1,275 nautical mile passage to the Chesapeake and completed our port-to-port circumnavigation when we arrived in Annapolis on June 28, 2013. We had been away 1,334 days, completed 259 days of ocean passages, and sailed 30,349 nautical miles (34,925 statute miles). Read more about their adventures in their well-documented blog here: http://www.svceolmor.com/SVCeolMor/Welcome.html* J/160 AVATAR headed for the Caribbean, again, for 2015/ 2016! We LOVE these updates from our cruising J sailors that continue to criss-cross the Seven Seas. This one comes from Alan Fougere, sailing his beloved J/160 AVATAR. Alan sent us an email update regards their various improvements and refit to the boat (see above). They will again be based at Proper Yachts in St John, US Virgin Islands.
* Bill & Judy Stellin were interviewed about cruising on their J/42 in the Wall St Journal called "Retiring on the Open Sea". The Wall St Journal asked Bill to reply to dozens of questions that flooded into the WSJ's Editor desks. Here's the update:Retiring on the Sea: Answering Readers' Questions
Advice about selecting a boat, ocean crossings, itineraries and safety
The article in our WSJ Online December retirement report about eight years spent sailing the Mediterranean— "Retiring to the Open Sea"— prompted many questions and comments from readers. We asked William Stellin, who wrote the story, to answer some of the most common queries.WSJ- "What kind and make of boat did you use? Looking back, would you have picked a different boat?"
Bill- "In 1995-96, J/Boats of Newport, RI, came out with a new cruiser/racer model, the J/42. We bought hull No. 6 of this popular 42-foot sailboat and named it JAYWALKER. This was our fourth boat since beginning sailing in 1975.
Although long-distance cruising wasn't what we had in mind when we purchased JAYWALKER, it soon became apparent it had the ability to carry us easily and safely anywhere we wanted to go. Because the boat is light, it sails well in light winds, which means very little motoring is necessary.
People often ask (and argue) about what boat is best for cruising. Any boat that is strong, safe, fast, comfortable and easily handled by two people should fit the bill. One thing for sure, fast is fun—and important when trying to avoid bad weather."
READ MORE ABOUT BILL'S INSIGHTFUL COMMENTARY AND THOUGHTS ON WSJ ONLINE HERE
* The J/42 JARANA continues their epic voyage around the Pacific. Continue to read about Bill and Kathy Cuffel's big adventure cruising the South Pacific headed for New Zealand and points further around the Blue Planet Earth. Here is their latest update (December 2016) from Bill & Kathy:“We completed a three year tour of the south pacific and sailed from Hobart Tasmania back to Seattle in the fall of 2012. After two seasons of local cruising, we decided to truck the boat to Rochester NY. In the summer of 2015, we sailed out the Saint Lawrence seaway and down the east coast of Nova Scotia and the US, with a few months in the Bahamas that winter. This past summer, we crossed the Atlantic with stops in Bermuda and the Azores, making landfall in Falmouth, UK. We have worked down the coast of France, Spain and Portugal and are now in Lagos Portugal. We plan on passing through the Straits of Gibraltar and spending a couple seasons in the Med.”
Their blog is here: http://www.svjarana.blogspot.com/
* John and Mary Driver are sailing their J/130 SHAZAM for extended cruising in the Atlantic basin. At this time, John and Mary finished their double-handed crossing of the Atlantic, landing in Portugal on their J/130 Shazam after completion of their ARC Rally. Read the latest news at http://www.sailblogs.com/member/shazam/.
* Several J/160 owners are island hopping across the world's oceans, fulfilling life long dreams to cruise the Pacific islands, the Caribbean islands, the Indian Ocean and all points in between. Anyone for Cape Horn and penguins?? Read more about their adventures and escapades (like our J/109 GAIA, J/42s PAX and JAYWALKER and J/130 SHAZAM friends above).- Bill and Susan Grun on the J/160 AVANTE are also sailing in the Pacific archipelago, read more about their great adventures on their blog (http://web.me.com/susangrun). Read about their latest adventures as they've gotten to New Zealand- "Avante Cruises the Pacific".
- Eric and Jenn on the J/160 MANDALAY also sailed the Pacific archipelago, read more on their blog at http://www.sailmandalay.com. Eric and Jenn are J/World alumni took MANDALAY up and down the West Coast (Mexico, CA), then to the South Pacific and New Zealand. MANDALAY is back in San Francisco now, and in the J/World fleet--she is available for skippered charters, private instruction, and corporate/executive groups.
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The months of June and July will host a succession of events ranging from races for superyachts to interclub regattas and competitions for one-design fleets. Racing commences with the Club hosting the Italian J/70 fleet for the first time for the Alcatel J/70 Cup (2-5 June) and continues with the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta (7-11 June), an eagerly awaited event that once again this year promises a large fleet of spectacular sailing giants. The second edition of the Invitational Team Racing Challenge, an international event in the true Corinthian spirit, will see top yacht Clubs invited to compete on board the Club's new J/70 fleet and will take place from 14th to 18th June. The first half of the sporting season concludes with another new event, the AUDI Italian Sailing League (8-10 July), an event that gathers top Italian yacht clubs for 3 days of competition, once again on board the YCCS J/70 boats.
Konakovo River Club
Moscow Imperial YC
Following the footsteps of the 2015 event, the Italian J/70 Class Association will count on a highly international fleet for the entire racing season. And, whereas several new teams have joined the Italian and European J/70s, all top teams of the 2015 ALCATEL J/70 Cup- both in overall and Corinthian divisions- started their 2016 season in Monaco to collect the points through the series consisting of the five events.
The regatta was blessed with good sailing conditions all three days, with the lightest day being the final day with a light easterly of just 8 to 12 kts. Even then, the regatta’s PRO managed to fire off seven races for the enthusiastic sailors. Plus, the famous "swimsuit fashion show" was a popular as ever.
Saturday morning dawned with a gorgeous sunrise, but with a perfectly “glassed-out” lake mirroring the spectacular snow-capped mountains. The teams sat and socialized under postponement for a few hours on Porto Ronco Beach until the breeze came. By early afternoon, a south wind built again with 4-6 kts of breeze, enough to get in four more races on the day to complete five rounds in total. Race winners on the day included RC Oberhofen, two from RC Bodensee and one for SN Geneva. As a result, the RC Bodensee team was winning a tiebreaker at 11 pts each over SN Geneva due to having two more race wins. Sitting just one point back in third place was the RC Oberhofen team; they had sailed fast and smart for the day, accumulating a 1-2 to be within striking distance of the leaders.
Day 4
“My oldest grandson is 14 years old and already he’s almost six feet tall. The other one is 13 years old and is very tiny. The tiny one helps on the bow and the other one helps in the cockpit.”