Showing posts with label sailboats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sailboats. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

J/Newsletter- February 3rd, 2021

sunset on San Francisco Bay

The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide

This past week saw several significant events taking place around nearly opposite sides of the world. Down Under, our friends in Australia are continuing to enjoy sailing their J/122s off both east and west coasts- Sydney and Perth. Their offshore racing exploits continue as they keep garnering more and more silverware for their trophy dens! Meanwhile, on the west coast of the USA, the Singlehanded Sailing Society held their version of the pandemic-influenced Three Bridge Fiasco. While not the usual 300-plus boats selecting which way to round the three bridges (clockwise or counter-clockwise), this year's version was singlehanded only. The big winner was...drum roll please....a J/70! 

In the J/Community section, we had a chance to catch up with Ryan and Maggie McKillen and interview them about their experiences sailing and racing the J/70 at the Bacardi Winter Series a fortnight ago. If you recall, skippering their own boats- SURGE and MAGATRON- they went 1-2 overall! Then, your editor pays tribute to a long-time supporter of J/Boats and sailing in general- Bob Fisher. Read on!
 
J/70s sailing off Monte Carlo, Monaco

Monaco J/70 Winter Series Act II Preview

(Monte Carlo, Monaco)- The Monaco J/70 Winter Series continues this weekend, hosted by the Yacht Club de Monaco in Monte Carlo.  Thirty teams are registered for the event with most participating from Monaco, but including enthusiastic teams from Italy, France, Switzerland, Russia, Sweden, and Netherlands. 

Look for the following teams to be in the hunt at the top of the leaderboard; Claudia Rossi's PETITE TERRIBLE- ADRIA FERRIES, Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio's G-SPOT, Roberti Stefano's PICCININA, Cesare Gabasio's TINN J70, Ludovic Fassitelli's JUNDA- BANCO DEL SEMPIONE, and Tom Studer's JERRY. The event is a schedule for three days, starting Friday and ending Sunday in Neptune's Bay. 
For more Monaco J/70 Winter Series sailing information
 
Ida Lewis Distance Race

2021 Ida Lewis Distance Race Announcement

(Newport, RI)– The 17th edition of the Ida Lewis Distance Race starts Thursday, August 19, 2021 and will keep its expanded format from last year to give competitors more options while the country continues to deal with changes brought about by the COVID 19 Pandemic. The schedule consists of:

• REGISTRATION and SKIPPERS MEETING conducted by host Ida Lewis Yacht Club on Thursday, August 19.

• TRADITIONAL OFFSHORE DISTANCE RACES (Between 112 and 169 NM) for ORC, PHRF (Aloha and Coronet divisions), ORC Double-handed and PHRF Cruising Spinnaker classes starting on Friday, August 20.

• IN BAY DISTANCE RACE (33 NM) for PHRF (Aloha and Coronet divisions), PHRF DoubleHanded and PHRF Cruising Spinnaker classes starting on Saturday, August 21.

The start for the OFFSHORE RACES will be in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay on Friday, August 20th with the first Warning Signal scheduled for 1100. The start for the IN BAY Race will be in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay on Saturday, August 21st with the first Warning Signal scheduled for 1000.

Race headquarters will be located at the Ida Lewis Yacht Club, Wellington Avenue, Newport, R.I., and manned throughout the time of the races.

The offshore portion of the Ida Lewis Distance Race has become a popular late-summer racing tradition, enjoyed by veteran offshore sailors as well as those trying the “overnight sprint” for the first time. It begins off Fort Adams and ends just inside Newport Harbor where Ida Lewis volunteers can site the finish line from their clubhouse on Lime Rock before greeting each team on the water with a congratulatory bottle of Prosecco.

Unique to the Ida Lewis Distance Race, the Race Committee considers weather forecasts to decide from among four courses that range from 112 to 169 nautical miles. The goal is to get all teams back to the dock within 18-24 hours. The courses – incorporating some of the most iconic cruising grounds in New England – are named “The Montauk”, “The Block Island”, “The Point Judith”, and “The Buzzards Bay Tower”.

Classes are for boats 28 feet or longer and include IRC, PHRF, One Design, Multihull, Double-Handed, and, new for this year, Mixed Double-Handed (to debut at the 2024 Olympics). The race also Includes Youth and Collegiate Challenge categories.

The Notice of Race has been published at https://bit.ly/3sz0ccb. For questions, contact Race Chairman Pat Kennedy, Distancerace@ilyc.org.   Sailing photo credits- Stephen R. Cloutier.   For more Ida Lewis Distance Race sailing information
 
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Sailing Calendar

Feb 4-7- Monaco J/70 Winter Series- Monte Carlo, Monaco
Feb 17- SORC Miami to Eleuthera Race- Miami, FL
Mar 4-7- J/70 Primo Cup- Trophee Credit Suisse- Monte Carlo, Monaco
Mar 5-7- J/111 Key West Winter Series- Key West, FL
Mar 5-8- St Maarten Heineken Regatta- Simpson Bay, Saint Maarten
Mar 10-13- J/70 Bacardi Cup- Miami, FL
Mar 19-21- J/70 Davis Island Winter Series III- Tampa, FL
Mar 19-21- San Diego NOOD Regatta- San Diego, CA
Mar 26-28- St. Thomas International Regatta- St. Thomas, USVI
Mar 29- Apr 4- BVI Spring Regatta- Road Town, Tortola, BVI
Apr 2-4- St Petersburg NOOD Regatta- St Petersburg, FL
Apr 11-17- Les Voiles de St Barth Regatta- Gustavia, St Barthelemy 
Apr 8-11- Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC
Apr 24-30- Antigua Sailing Week- English Harbour, Antigua, West Indies

For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
 
J/122s sailing off Australia

J/122’s Continue Offshore Domination in Australia

(Sydney, Australia)- Our friends "Down Under" have been enjoying sailing their J/122s for the past few seasons. For the 2020/ 2021 summer season from October to April, the J/122s are, yet again, throwing down the gauntlet against their fellow offshore competitors both on the eastern and western coastlines of Australia. Here's the latest report from Ray Entwistle, the J/Australia distributor.

"In Queensland on the east coast of Australia, J/122 JAVELIN skippered by Sally Crowley, won the Kingfisher Bay Night race, sailed on Moreton Bay off Brisbane.

There were 21 entries overall for the approximately six-hour race, with JAVELIN 1st in IRC class and 1st in AMS class.

Sally commented on her performance, “JAVELIN enjoyed a magnificent afternoon and evening of sailing in Race 3 of the Kingfisher Bay night series. The forecast for 10-15 kt easterlies was mostly accurate and made for a comfortable race.

Following a bit if excitement at the start, we set off on a work around the bottom of Mud Island and across to the Moreton Island Sandhills yellow buoy. We rounded in the leading group, then settled in for the 14.0 nm run to North Reef, off Scarborough. Without the favored kite for the conditions (blown during the last race) we couldn’t run the angles we would have liked and gave away some time to the symmetrical boats, but "ciest'la'vie".

A lovely sunset accompanied us heading south to Brisbane Rhodes and a spectacular moonrise welcomed us around the Coffee Pots and back to the start/finish.

Thanks as always to the race control volunteers for allowing us to compete in this wonderful series.“

The series consists of four afternoon/evening passage races, designed to be reasonably challenging and are a lead up to the Brisbane to Gladstone race. They are held each month from October through to February and sponsored by Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Island, Queensland (Qld). Organized by Wynnum Manly Sailing Club with support of Royal Qld Yacht Club, Qld Cruising Yacht Club and Moreton Bay Boat Club. 

J/122 JOSS winners
Meanwhile, over on the west coast in Perth, the J/122 JOSS is continuing her impeccable race record.

Saturday was Ocean Racing WA’s (ORWA) first race in the New Year, organized by Hillarys Yacht Club, the 41.0 nm “Pot of Gold” from Fremantle around Rottnest Island and finish at Hillarys.  

After 5.5 hours of racing JOSS was 1st Division 1 IRC against a great fleet of 40 footers; the King 40 “Checkmate” was 2nd, Farr 395 “Giddy Up” 3rd, and the J/122 LITHIUM was 4th (LITHIUM also won on PHS Handicap).

The sail back to Fremantle on Sunday was a Hillarys Yacht Club event. While a smaller fleet, JOSS was 1st IRC combined fleet & took line honours after a great duel with “Alfresco” (a Bakewell 39 pure racing boat) and “Surfer Rosa” (a Pogo 12.50).  For more J/122 offshore cruiser racer sailing information
 
J/70 Scott Sellers winning Three Bridge Fiasco

J/70 Crushes Three Bridge Fiasco!

(San Francisco, CA)- The annual Singlehanded Sailing Society Three Bridge Fiasco Race- Pandemic Edition, returned to its roots over the weekend. Because of California Covid-19 guidelines, this year's edition was open only to singlehanded competitors. The reason being, the SSS board members decided a smaller regatta would be better than no regatta. If you have been paying attention over the years, the races usually draw well north of 300 entries, with the vast majority as doublehanded entries.

J/105 sailing Three Bridge Fiasco
Originally conceived for singlehanded sailors, the numbers of those percentage wise has been dwindling over the years and the SSS thought 125 entries would be more than enough. Boy were they wrong! After the announcement of open entries, the regatta sold out in a big hurry and had a lengthy standby list!

With a series of storms hitting San Francisco Bay in the week prior, the forecast for Saturday improved. Ultimately, sunrise dawned on Saturday, the conditions were glorious, with a sun cloud mix, a nice flood and gentle south westerly to get things going! 

Three Bridge race courseUltimately, the fleet split, as they are likened to do, and optimism ran high. Things would get warmer and sunnier and, well a little less windy and ghosting was an understatement for a while! But as you will see, good things come to those who wait, and indeed they did!

In the end, several J/singlehanders had an amazing day. Winning the whole enchilada was Scott Sellers, sailing his J/70 IFA to a 1st to finish monohull victory, as well as Class 10 Sportboat Division win with a 15:37:21 elapsed time! In Class 1 Non-Spin PHRF, Tom Struttmann's J/105 ARRIVED took 5th place. In Class 5 Spin, Adam Spiegel's J/105 JAM SESSION took 6th, Tim Roche's J/92 ZAFF was 8th, Jim Hopp's J/88 WHITE SHADOW finished 10th, and Eric Patterson's J/105 KESTREL crossed 12th. In Class 9 Spin, we find Alex Alderkamp's J/24 BLUE JAY take 3rd on the podium! Finally, in the novel Class 16 "Power-assisted" fleet, it was Ben Mercer's J/100 EIGHT BALL winning class!

J/88 sailing Three Bridge Fiasco
We asked Scott Sellers, the winning skipper on his J/70 1FA, to provide some color commentary on how he managed to pull off his most excellent performance. Here is his report:

"The Three Bridge Fiasco held in late January is the largest sailboat race on San Francisco Bay every year with over 300 doublehanded and singlehanded entries.  The 21.0 nm pursuit race allows competitors the choice to round the 3 bridges in any order they want. First boat to finish wins.

J/70 1FA sailing San Francisco BayDue to COVID restrictions in California, entries were limited to singlehanded this year and capped at 125 boats. I have done the race numerous times doublehanded on my J/70 1FA, but this would be my first time attempting to race the J/70 singlehanded.  I rigged up some bungee cords to the tiller that I could control while launching the spinnaker up front that worked pretty well.

Based on the wind and tide conditions, I chose a counterclockwise course of Bay Bridge, Richmond Bridge and then Golden Gate Bridge.  By the time I got to the Richmond Bridge, I had passed all the smaller boats that started earlier including a gaggle of Moore 24s and Express 27s. I was briefly passed by a Wylie 39 on the beat to the Golden Gate but passed them back on the run to the finish to win the 100-boat monohull division. In the light to moderate conditions that we had, the J/70 was an easy boat to singlehand upwind and downwind!"

Thanks to Presure-drop.us and Scott for the sailing photos and stories.  Pressuredrop.us Sailing photo & story contributions   Sailing photo credits- "Slackwater" on Flickr
 

J/Community

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

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J/70 McKillen family sailing off Miami, FL

McKillen Family J/70 Interview

We had an opportunity to speak with the Bacardi J/70 Winter Series II regatta winners- Ryan and Maggie McKillen. Here is their interview with Stu Johnstone, J/Newsletter publisher/ editor.

STU: For starters, congratulations on your 1-2 finish last weekend in the J/70 Bacardi Winter Series! I believe that's the first time in the history of yachting that a husband/wife took the top two spots, steering their own boats, in a major one-design class international event! That's cool! Ryan, your SURGE team had a 1-5-4 and, Maggie, your MAGATRON had an 8-2-1. Please tell us how that took place? 

RYAN: Well, that was not an easy regatta for anyone, including us. My team of John Wallace, Lucas Calabrese, and Sam Loughborough did a great job! They got me off the line and into good lanes. For the most part, the left paid off for the one and only day we sailed on Saturday. We won the first race, so we sailed the next two smart and conservative, covered boats when we needed to and didn’t seek too much leverage. 

The last race was hard for us. The start saw us lose our Vakaros GPS unit, lost our pings, lost the start clock. It just so happened Maggie's MAGATRON team was next to us near the boat end. We yelled over to give us the time...no such luck, right?  For too long they said nothing, then we got chirpy and they gave us a 20 count. We managed a great start, closed the lane on Maggie (sorry, honey), and took off. I'll let Maggie explain what she did (he says laughing)!

MAGGIE: Well, we had a fun regatta.  Amazing fleet, great sailors, lots of depth and talent. Wow, still amazed we accomplished what we did. My crew of Orrin Starr, Brian Kamilar, and Jareese Finch are awesome! I owe everything to them! We were thrilled to get a second in our second race! But, the last race was sooo exciting; winning a race in that fleet with all those World Champions?! Never thought that would happen! 

So, thanks to my husband, we had no lane at the start of the last race! We hung in there seeking height on starboard as long as we could, then tacked away and cross a few boats. After a minute, we tacked back onto starboard. Then, we saw more wind coming in right. We were so excited. Brian was trying to keep me calm and focused. The wind kept going further right, we rounded the first weather with a big lead! We kept our composure, thank goodness, and stretched our lead. What an amazing way to end the regatta.

Ryan McKillen J/70 SURGE
STU: Where did you first learn how to sail?

RYAN: I guess it all began when I was living and working in San Francisco and could see lots of little white triangles sailing all over the Bay. As a software engineer cooped up inside an office building with a window on the Bay, it makes you dream wistfully of doing it yourself. The Bay is such a beautiful place to sail. 

So, back in 2015 I did some research and decided to take the ASA (American Sailing Association) basic keelboat course. I then took the cruising course and got certified to charter boats. I was so excited I could do that. I chartered a Catalina 37 and brought along several friends. Needless to say, that didn't go so well. As an inexperienced Bay sailor, on a windy day, things can get crazy quickly. We made it to Alcatraz and turned around as quickly as possible to get back. I think my friends were so terrified, they'll never set foot on a boat again.

Ryan and Maggie McKillen sailing J/70sMAGGIE: (giggling) oohh, that's easy. I was not a sailor when I met Ryan. When we started dating in 2018, I loved going to the places where he was racing his J/70. Biscayne Bay is gorgeous in the winter, pretty water, nice weather, it’s nice to be outside. So, I jumped on the chase boat and watched the racing, intrigued to listen to the play-by-play from the coach- Tony Rey.  

Every bone in my body is competitive, so competitive racing fascinated me. I love playing tennis and love to run. As an adult, I could see sailing is for anyone, any age, any experience. So, poor Tony was getting peppered with a million questions as we watched Ryan sail around the course. 

Then, when Ryan and I were in Charleston in summer 2020 for a wedding, a friend asked, "what's she doing on the chase boat?" A couple of guys, friends, persuaded me to try it. But, I had to learn how to sail first! Ryan and Tony got a hold of Brian Kamilar, a great college sailor, local pro, who also coaches high school sailing in Miami. I took 6 or 7 lessons with Brian, he treated me like his high school students, starting from scratch and teaching all the basics.

Maggie and Ryan McKillen sailing J/70sSTU: How did you get into racing J/70's?

RYAN: After moving back east, I ended up in Miami, FL and Newport, RI. In 2017, I started to do research on a daysailer to have in Miami and bring it to Newport in the summers. I decided to get an E-33, designed by Robbie Doyle, and built by Lyman-Morse in Maine. I called Robbie and spoke to him about the boat and my relative lack of experience in sailing.

Robbie then exclaimed to me, "if you wanna learn how to sail, you gotta race!" I laughed and wondered if he was really being serious. Robbie then said, "why don't you come sail with us on PROTEUS, a Maxi 72. Next month we are going to Antigua to do the RORC Caribbean 600 Race".  Not knowing what a maxi boat or the 600 was, how could I not take up the opportunity?  Off I went, eyes wide-open, not knowing what to expect next. The 600nm tour around thirteen Caribbean islands was amazing, well before it was time to turn up around Saba and having blown up most of the sails and fried the electronics in a storm, we decided to retire. I’ll never forget how calm the pros on the boat were in the midst of so much chaos. That's what led to meeting Mark Mendelblatt, tactician on PROTEUS. We hit it off as friends and spoke about how to sail better. He suggested I get into the J/70 class, citing it was an easy boat to learn, get up to speed, had great talent, and was a fun fleet to sail in. So, I bought Jud Smith's World Champion boat called AFRICA- USA 179. 

My first regatta was three years ago- Sail Newport 2018. Mark sailed with me and he recruited John Wallace as our trimmer- another All-American college sailor. After a year of sailing, John suggested we get a coach to help improve our game; Tony Rey from Newport got involved and our learning curve remained steep. Then, my buddy Sam Loughborough, who I first got to know at the Proteus crew house, asked to join the boat. We are now sailing with Lucas Calabrese as tactician, an Argentinean Olympic Silver Medalist in the 470 class. 

Last year I got a Laser to better learn "balance" and the dynamics of sailing a dinghy, learning how to steer with feel, trim my own main and keep the boat fast downwind. The reasoning was simple, top dinghy and Laser sailors are fast helmsman on keelboats, because you become more sensitive to how a boat moves in waves.

Well, I am learning how to handle a boat better and better! With the Laser, I've been swimming a lot in Biscayne Bay (he says laughing)! I specialize in "death rolls".  But, I am improving, thank God the water's warm! 

MAGGIE: As I was saying earlier, a few friends, Ryan, and others persuaded me to try racing J/70s. For the same reasons explained to Ryan...easy and simple to sail. We convinced Brian to sail with me because Ryan was always impressed with his results on the race course. He's been great, he had been sailing with Henry Brauer on his J/70 RASCAL.

So far, I've had about 35 days on the water sailing J/70s! I love it. I love to be competitive with my husband and new friends we've found in the class. I've been waiting for something like this to come into my life!

J/70 Magatron chilling
STU: Do you sail for fun? Daysailing or cruising? Favorite places?

RYAN: Yes, that's how I started. After the ASA learn to sail and charter courses, I got the bug. Notwithstanding my charter experience on San Francisco Bay (haha), I wanted to have a boat to go daysailing. That's why I bought an E-33. It’s been a fun couple of years. First launched in San Francisco, then in Miami last season. She’s having a few upgrades performed now in Maine, but next spring Maggie and I will sail her to a new home in Newport! We’re excited to see the amazing coastline of Maine!

STU: What are your future plans for sailing?  

RYAN: We are having fun sailing the J/70 class.  Good people, great competition, and you can race them all over America and Europe. We look forward to those experiences. Now, we are campaigning for this year's J/70 Worlds in L.A.  I also just got an M32 catamaran, my next experience sailing in Newport this summer!

MAGGIE: I'm looking forward to as much racing as I can get in, daysailing and local events in Newport! As for J/70s, we're currently planning on sailing at Davis Island, Charleston, and Annapolis this spring. As for the future, it will be about a balance between family and sailing and kids. We're looking forward to exploring more experiences in sailing for sure!


Bob Fisher sailing J/105

A Tribute for dear friend Bob "the Fish" Fisher

Your publisher/ editor of J/News has known "Fish" since 1981, sailing together in the SORC that year on a J/36 called BLUE BAYOU. Decades later, we sailed again on J/105s in the Master's Regatta in both San Francisco and San Diego, CA. Since the inception of the J/24 in the United Kingdom, Fish was always a big fan and supporter of J/Boats; having raced one himself out of Royal Lymington YC. Here are some funny, happy memories of his lasting legacy in yachting.

Like many others in the sailing world that have been touched by "Fish's" passion and enthusiasm for the sport of sailing, I'm sad to see him go. So many fun, happy memories of sailing with him and enjoying a beverage or two at famous watering holes around the world. Perhaps, the most hilarious one being the "Silver Cloud" karaoke bar on Lombard St. in San Francisco (http://silvercloudsf.com/)! It was Fish's self-declared favorite bar ever! No question, mutual friend Phil Lawrence can attest to those fun times!

J/36 Blue BayouI first met Fish in 1981. The owner of the J/36 BLUE BAYOU (Dick Johnson from the US Virgin Islands) wanted to race his boat in the 1981 SORC (Southern Ocean Racing Circuit). The ring leader was another character- Mark Ploch from Clearwater, FL. Mark helped organize the team and managed to convince both Bob Fisher and Tim Jeffery (cub reporter at the time and much later Chief Communications Director for Larry Ellison's ORACLE USA America's Cup program) to not only crew but provide race-by-race updates of our exploits as well as the other famous offshore racing yachts of the time (all IOR boats). Both Fish and Tim had never sailed the famous SORC offshore series before, so it took them little convincing to make the trip!

There were several memorable moments in that 1981 SORC series.  

The first was having Bob and Tim as roommates at the local seedy hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida. Imagine this picture for a moment, waking up at 5:00am in the morning, both Bob and Tim would get up with t-shirts and underwear on (yes, true story), get onto their Radio Shack TRS-80 pocket computers (see below), hook up the modem to the telephone line, and send their stories back to Yachts & Yachting editors and various British newspapers. Hilarious! Young Stu J. (23 yrs old) at the time gave them endless grief for the whole process. It may have helped that we all had few too many at the famous St Petersburg YC bar the night before; that was when I first learned about Fish's penchant for regaling all within earshot of all kinds of crazy stories that had most everyone dying with laughter!

Radio Shack TRS-80 pocket computer
The second and third most epic events took place as the result of one race- the epic St Petersburg to Fort Lauderdale Race. Just 465.0 nm down around the bottom of the Florida Keys, leaving the Rebecca Shoals buoy to port, then head north with the fast-flowing Gulf Stream to the finish off the Ft. Lauderdale sea buoy. 

So, the day dawned with a gorgeous bright sunny day with the Southwest wind blowing a solid 15-20 kts for the start. The wave pattern was truly bizarre, as it can be on Tampa Bay; it was a very steep 2-3 foot "chop" that made our 36-footer bounce around like a cork...a bad thing for weak stomachs or hungover sailors. The first casualty, amazingly enough, was Mark Ploch...running back to the stern rail to leeward and losing his breakfast.  Not long after it was Fish's turn. Then Tim, and the rest of the crew; except me, the lone survivor of the entire crew. That would work against me later. 

After a bit of clean-up, off to starting line. Mark was on the helm, we took off on port tack at the start, fetching the Egmont Key sea buoy, our first left turn on the race track. By the time we got there, the strong Southwester was starting to die off, as predicted by NOAA at the time. The forecast was for a very strong, classic cold front to drop across the Gulf of Mexico with northwesterly breezes starting at 15 to 25 kts, then building! Ouch! Sure enough, while fetching Rebecca Shoals buoy about 40.0nm out, it's pitch black, the wind swung around quickly before the front.
 
J/36 Blue Bayou
We dropped the headsail, quickly put up the 1.5 oz heavy spinnaker, and took off on starboard gybe, hitting 10-13 kts constantly. Just before we got to Rebecca Shoals buoy, lightning bolts blazing across the skies behind us, we could see (even at night) another line of breeze headed towards us from the northwest (thanks to all that lightning). Mark and I looked at each other wondering what would happen next. We decided to gybe earlier than we expected, pulling it off without too much trouble in 25 kts of breeze (remember, these were end-to-end pole gybes using lazy guys, flying the spinnaker off the sheets). Then, the s**t hit the fan. The first puff hit around 30 kts, taking us flying past Rebecca around 15-16 kts boatspeed. Halfway down the 12.0 nm leg before we turned left for Lauderdale, the next puff hit around 40 kts. The J/36 just about lifted out of the water-- I think we topped 21.6 kts. At that point, Mark and I felt that was enough stress on everyone. Using the lazy guy to leeward, we did a simultaneous blow the guy to port, winch in the lazy guy to pull the spinnaker behind the main and blow the first 20 feet of the halyard. Thankfully, it worked. 

Next up was putting up a #4 jib. That took place without too much trouble. Though it took a few minutes, it probably didn't matter since we were planing under main alone. Then, it was up the Keys on a port tack reach, slowly edging out into the northerly-flowing Gulf Stream. 

J/36 sailing offshoreBy early morning, as the sun rose off to the East over the Bahamas, the conditions were horrific. With such a fast-moving front, the breeze was due north by the time we got into the heart of the Gulf Stream. Waves were steep and breaking, often up to 12 ft high, with no backs behind them, just a cliff. So, steering proved to be quite a challenge to avoid launching the boat going upwind in 25-35 kts, gusting 40, reefed main and #4 jib flying. 

Around 10:00 am, our electronics and Loran GPS went out. Not good! We had to start the engine to charge the batteries. Click, click, click. Nothing happened. Mark and I spoke and we realized we had an air lock in the fuel flow. Ouch. That was no easy fix. In short, Mark "volunteered" me to help bleed the system in the bowels of the boat to get fuel flow (everyone else was still battling fatigue from early sea sickness). So, unhooking the hose from the engine, and sucking diesel into the hose to ensure we had fuel flow, spitting it out into a bucket. Then, flipping the valves on the diesel, and thankfully firing that damn diesel engine to work. Needless to say, we made it to Lauderdale in one piece. And, the party that ensued in Lauderdale, later in Miami, and later again in Nassau, Bahamas was even better. We all survived to tell the story. Trust me, Fish and Tim never forgot that experience.

Later in life, I didn't run into Fish again until I went over to the UK and Europe to start J/Boats Europe in 1990. The first person I called for advice was Fish, of course. Because of him, I ended up in Lymington, Hampshire. For those "in the know", Lymington is a sleepy little town on the western end of the Solent that is home to many of the UK's leading sailors. The most amusing part of that experience was having Fish sail with me on my J/44 J/HAWK on evening "beer-can races" off the Royal Lymington Yacht Club. As he often reminded me, our near-shore mark roundings were often an exercise in "plowing" through the mud/silt in order to continue the race...or, sometimes not!

A decade+plus later, I saw Fish and friends in Valencia for the America's Cup. I was there for three weeks. Fun and games as always, after "work" (if you could call it that), going to their favorite pub just off the traffic circle near the bases with characters like Peter Montgomery (New Zealand), Tim Jeffery (then ORACLE Communications Director), and Angus Phillips from the Washington Post. 

J/105s sailing off San Diego, CA
After getting back to the USA, it wasn't until the summer of 2007 when I get an email from Fish asking if I'd participate with him and friend Phil Lawrence, sailing the International Masters Regatta on J/105s, hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club. That was a no brainer, the answer was "yes", of course. To make a long-story short, we had a fantastic time. Perhaps the most entertaining part was a nightly swing by what became our favorite watering-hole, the famous karaoke bar called "Silver Cloud" on Lombard St. We sailed together again in 2008. Thereafter, the world economy tanked in 2009-2010, so the Master's regatta was canceled.

Working with its founder, Don Trask, the San Diego YC offered to restart the event in the sunny, warm, friendly waters of southern California. After all, San Diego is the favorite retirement community for the "old guard" of the US Navy- plenty of Admiral-level types in the neighborhood. The idea was enthusiastically received with the support of St. Francis YC themselves. 

J/105 skippered by Bob Fisher
Sure enough, I got another invitation from Fish in 2013 to sail and rub elbows with some of the world's sailing glitterati. Fish was in his element, of course, relishing the chance to see dozens of his friends he'd written about for years- like Dennis Conner, Don Trask, Vince Brun, etc. 

We sailed together for three straight years from 2013 to 2015, each regatta presenting its unique challenges and chances to catch up with sailing friends from around the world.  

Bob Fisher's J/105 crew
Bob's crew- L-R: Brent Draney, Stu Johnstone, Julia Johnstone, Fish, Phil Lawrence

Again, sitting on the wide-open decks of San Diego YC in the evening, Fish reflected for a moment, "you know, I've sailed a lot of regattas. But, this one has to be the most fun I've ever had. Great people, great club, great crew!" We toast and clink glasses to yet another day of fun with the Fish doing what he loved best, sailing with friends and enjoying the moment. That's what he loved to do most.

J/105 Masters Regatta skippers
2014 participants- L-R: Chuck Nichols, Augie Diaz, Jon Andron, Dennis Durgan, Jon Wright, Tom Ehman, Gary Jobson, Bob Fisher, Dick Enersen, Don Martin, Don Trask, Bob Munro.

When Fish was sailing the Masters, his competitors read like a "who's who" of yacht racing, many of whom were subjects of Fish's columns over time in the British yachting press. Those sailors included Hans Fogh, Don Trask, Ron Holland, Rod Johnstone, David Irish, Stan & Sally Honey, Augie Diaz, Gary Jobson, Tom Ehman, Dick Enersen, Malin Burnham, John Kilroy, Bill Menninger, Doug Rastello, Dick Tillman, Robert Mosbacher, and John Jennings, just to name a few.

We will miss Fish, to be sure. But, his infectious, enthusiastic fun-loving spirit is imbued in all of us. That was his special gift to all that enjoyed his friendship. Sail on my friend, see you someday soon.

Sailing photo credits Bronny Daniels/ Cynthia Sinclair  Donations in Bob Fisher’s memory are welcomed to the Sir Thomas Lipton Foundation.  Messages are welcome on Bob Fisher’s Facebook page
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Wednesday, January 6, 2021

J/Newsletter- January 6th, 2021

Sunset off Malta Happy New Year and Best Wishes and Success in 2021 to J/Crews all over the world. May fair winds carry you swiftly to wherever you wish to go; be that cruising, daysailing, or racing offshore.  

Retrospectively, we wish to thank all “front line” first responders that have helped all of us over the course of the past year to survive the pandemic. Many J/Sailors we know of are nurses, doctors, police, fire, and EMT’s…thank goodness for them and their dedication. Our love and God Speed for them…may they persevere, endure, stay healthy, and help us eclipse this scourge that has afflicted us. May we, together, overcome it in 2021!
 
J/9 daysailer hull plug

J/9 Daysailer Update!

(Newport, RI)- If the huge buzz of J/9 activity is any indication, the demand for modern, comfortable daysailers is back! Not since the daysailer boom of 2003-2008 have we seen such strong interest. The J/9 announcement has generated more inquiries in three weeks than even the J/70 in 2011!

J/9 Tooling Update

The beautifully faired and finished J/9 hull plug was recently completed at Symmetrix Composite Tooling, and the hull mold is well underway and on target to complete at CCF Composites. Hull #1 is on schedule to mold in January. The deck plug is in the final fairing and finishing stage at Symmetrix and is due for final nonskid application in early January.

J/9 deck tooling plug
Both Al and Jeff Johnstone of J/Boats and members of the Symmetrix Team (ranging in height from 5’4” – 6’2”) tested out the cockpit seating and walk-through transom. The forward corner seats offer J/122E-like protection behind the cabin. With the tiller extension, you can steer the boat from the front of the cockpit, under the dodger, and reach all the controls – perfect if having to sail in adverse weather. The aft corner seats are equally as comfy, and the cockpit coamings are the perfect height for arm rests. The addition of dedicated cockpit drains enables the main cockpit floor to be lower to provide more comfortable, deeper seating and better bracing while standing and steering.

Fun J/9 FAQs

Following are some follow-up questions that have come in since the J/9 announcement.

Can I add an auto-pilot to the J/9? 
Yes, either an above deck or below decks auto pilot can be installed aftermarket.

Why are the jib tracks on the cabin top and not the side deck? 
We learned from the J/99 that the optimal upwind jib lead sheeting angles are generally between 8 and 9 degrees depending on the wind strength and sea state. But to do that on the J/99 (and most other boats) one must rig in-haulers. The J/9 gets rid of all that clutter with jib tracks installed on an 8.5 degree sheeting angle with easy trimming right to the cabin top winches. Tacking between cabin top winches is much easier than primary winches (no scrambling across the cockpit needed). This one, small change significantly cleans up the side decks.

How does the mainsheet system work? 
This is the first J with the primary mainsheet purchase at the end of the boom and the sheet tail coming out mid-boom into the cockpit near the tiller. Instead of a bulky traveler with cars, blocks, purchase, control lines, etc. the J/9 will have a mainsheet purchase that floats on a double Dyneema strop. For 90% of one’s daysailing needs, the double strop attaches to a centerline pad-eye aft of the tiller (much like leaving a traditional traveler centered). Then for the occasional times one wants to optimize centerline boom sheeting, each strop can be quickly moved outboard to a pad-eye (P&S) to create a triangle bridle – similar to the set-up seen on the Olympic 470 and 49er. This is another solution that visually reduces clutter, simplifies sailing, and doesn’t give away performance.

What size outboard do you recommend? 
The ideal outboard for the J/9 will be a 6HP. A 5HP could be sufficient in protected waters without strong tides. The final design for the outboard bracket is in process and will include a tilt-up position so the outboard can remain on the transom while sailing.

Can you tell us more about the electric inboard option? 
We’re reviewing several electric options including a new product coming online in 2021 from our long-time diesel engine supplier Mack-Boring. We’re not able to share specifics yet, but are planning to test out a system on hull #1, before signing off on the final option.

Will there be a bow sprit option? 
The J/9 is designed for main-only or main & jib-only sailing, but we will be offering a sprit option for those wanting to fly an overlapping A-Sail. We are finalizing the design for a 2-3’ fixed carbon sprit option that matches the bow profile of the boat (similar to the J/99) and that will be packaged with all the necessary rigging and blocks. This option will be available to add aftermarket.  For more J/9 daysailer sailing information
 
J/45 offshore cruising yacht

J/45 Offshore Cruising Yacht Update!

(Les Sables d'Olonne, France)- Dreaming of expanding your cruising horizons across the Seven Seas? Why not in the NEW J/45 offshore sailing yacht! Work is proceeding swiftly on this exciting new world cruiser in France.

J/45 resin infusion hull video
Watch this amazing time-lapse video of the first J/45 hull being resin-infused under vacuum pressure at J/Composites in Les Sables d'Olonne, France. 

Learn more about the revolutionary vacuum resin-infusion system and watch J/Composite’s Fred Bouvier explain (in French with English subtitles) how it all works.
J/45 resin infusion system

Learn more about the new J/45 offshore sailing yacht here.
 
J/80 World Championship

J/80 Worlds Announcement!

(Newport, RI)- The Royal Danish Yacht Club is looking forward to hosting the J/80 World Championship in 2021 from July 3rd to 9th, 2021. J/80 sailing is a very fundamental part of the Club.

The event will take place at Rungsted Harbour approximately 15 km north of downtown Copenhagen. This harbour is one of 3 stations that RDYC runs and it is the station where the club have its J/80 fleet. So, J/80 sailing in this part of the Öresund is huge.

The event will be run as a "sustainability regatta"; meaning among other activities, that we will work hard to minimize paper and try to make as much run electronically off solar and wind power.

And, when you are not on the water, there will be a lot of social activities near the harbour. Copenhagen is fantastic in July – just to mention Tivoli, Canal Touring, Elsinore Castle, Nyhavn and Bakken. And, for those not sailing, Copenhagen shopping is world famous. Please come join us and rejoice in sailing again on the gorgeous Baltic Sea! This regatta is an "open" event, so please come one, come all! Danish hospitality is world-famous!  Register your team here on Manage2Sail.com  For more 2021 J/80 World Championship sailing information
 
J/70 Europeans

J/70 European Championship Announcement

(Skovshoved, Copenhagen, Denmark)- The Royal Danish Yacht Club is looking forward to hosting the J/70 European Championship from June 4th to 12th, 2021. 

The event will take place at Rungsted Harbour approximately 15 km north of downtown Copenhagen. This harbour is one of 3 stations that Royal Danish YC runs. 

The RDYC has been a strong support of the growth of the Danish J/70 Sailing League and their efforts have led the way for well over eighteen sailing clubs in their small nation to participate and elevate the level of competitiveness for Danish sailors on a world-class level. The KDY/ RDYC have been able to achieve tremendous success in the SAILING Champions League in the past few years; an event that has been held at the YC Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy for the past few years.

As in years past, the KDY/ RDYC are anticipating up to 100 J/70 teams will be participating in the J/70 European Championships on the Baltic Sea.  For more J/70 European Championship sailing and registration information
 
J/70s sailing regatta

J/70 North American Championship Announcement

(Annapolis, MD)- The 2021 J/70 North American Championship, hosted by the Annapolis Yacht Club (AYC), will be held May 10-15, 2021 in Annapolis, Maryland.  Registration is now open.  The event will be limited to the first 60 registered boats that are 100% paid in full.  All boats registered after the first 60 will be put on a waiting list.  The hope is that we will be able to expand the entries if pandemic-related restrictions are eased.  For more J/70 North American Championship sailing and registration information
 
J/24s sailing St Petersburg, FL

St Petersburg NOOD Regatta Announcement

(St. Petersburg, FL)- Sailing World magazine and the St. Petersburg Yacht Club are delighted to announce the 2021 edition of the HELLY HANSEN St Petersburg NOOD Regatta will be taking place later in the spring this year- from April 2nd to 4th, 2021 in St. Petersburg, FL. 

The usual classes are invited to participate, including J/22s, J/24s, J/70s, J/88s, and PHFR handicap classes. Sailing photo credits- Paul Todd/ Outsideimages.com  For St Petersburg NOOD Regatta registration information  For more St Petersburg NOOD Regatta sailing information
 
J/160 Annapolis Newport

Annapolis to Newport Race Announcement

(Annapolis, MD)- The Annapolis Yacht Club is pleased to announce the Notice of Race for the 2021 Annapolis to Newport Race has been posted and online entry is now open. This will be 38th biennial edition of the Race, which originated in 1947.  Starts will take place on Friday, June 4th and Saturday, June 5th.

In order to deal with the complications of Covid-19 we have made a few adjustments to the format:

Given current the current public health climate in Maryland and Rhode Island, we are unable to commit to the social components of the event at this time, including the pre-start All Hands Competitors’ Party at Annapolis Yacht Club, and the Hospitality Tent and Awards Party in Newport.  The resulting good news is that gives us the opportunity to significantly reduce the entry fee to a flat $700 per boat, if paid by March 15th.  By comparison, a 40’ boat paid a $1,400 entry fee in 2019.  The popular social events of the race are still on our radar and if the public health situation improves, we may be able to add some or all to the schedule. Social events will be charged on a per person basis, separately from the entry fee. 
    
Entry fees are fully refundable if the race is cancelled, or a boat withdraws before May 21st.
    
The registration process has been streamlined so that all entry requirements or paperwork can be completed online, by email or fax, so that only a quick, socially distanced visit to Annapolis Yacht Club to pick up the YB tracker will be required. 
    
Trophies will be awarded via a virtual Awards Presentation if we are unable to host an in-person event.
    
Our very popular seminar series on boat and crew preparation will be presented virtually via Zoom Webinar.  The first "What to Expect Seminar on Sails, Rigging and Electronics" is scheduled for Saturday, February 20th at 1000 EST. 
    
The official event site https://www.annapolisnewportrace.com/ will continue to be populated with information including event partners.  At this time, we’d like to thank Spinsheet, Helly Hansen and Team One Newport for joining us again and supporting the 2021 Annapolis to Newport Race.    

In 2021, we will be offering starts for boats rated under the ORC and PHRF rules, including an ORC Double Handed division and a Classic Yacht division rated under PHRF.

Some good things remain the same:
  • As in the past several races, there will be two starts, with the slower ORC and PHRF boats and the Double Handed division starting on Friday, June 4th and the faster boats on Saturday, June 5th.
  • All boats will sail the offshore course, leaving the Chesapeake and rounding Chesapeake Light Tower.
  • We will provide a truck to transport your gear to and from Newport.
  • Arrangements have been made for discounted dockage at Newport Yachting Center.
For more Annapolis to Newport Race sailing information

 
J/105 doublehanded

Bittersweet Chocolate Doublehanded Regatta Announcement

(San Francisco, CA)- The Bittersweet Chocolate Doublehanded J/105 Regatta will be on Sunday, January 10th, starting and finishing near Buoy X in front of Golden Gate Yacht Club. Come one, come all! Borrow a boat! Already, four boats have signed up.  Here's the link to register:  https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/21659#_docs

No entry fee, and the top three boats win some of Bruce's freshly baked bittersweet chocolate brownies, delivered on the water right after racing.  Note- that for all regattas going forward, both the NOTICE OF RACE and SAILING INSTRUCTIONS are important to download!!

Especially note the following in the NOR.  This is a "B" level event with the following exceptions:
  • doublehanding- either of the crew can helm
  • anyone can borrow/ charter a J/105
  • the driver can move anywhere on the boat
  • a spinnaker retrieval tack line is allowed. 
These exceptions change Fleet One Rule 3.1 and J/105 Class rule 7.5.

By allowing anyone to borrow/ charter a J/105 and come out racing, this is intended to promote the wonderful experience of sailing J/105s on the Bay, and possibly inspire purchase.  It also rewards your experienced crew to try their hand (if you'll lend them the boat). Plus, doublehanding a J/105 is fun and a great challenge!

In terms of additional doublehanded racing, we anticipate a good turn-out of J/105s for the SSS's Three Bridge Fiasco on January 30th. Thereafter, the San Francisco J/105 fleet will host another doublehanded regatta on Valentine's Day, February 14th! 

Entry is free, and you may review the NOR and SI's and sign-up here.

When you register, we suggest you list your crew as an additional owner so we can know who is racing.  Alternatively, you can register as a team of two under the crew section and then add the crew there.

Our PRO Don Wieneke will once again send us off at the start, this time either from a boat or from the shore, while we'll take our own times at the finish.  The top three finishers will receive my famous bittersweet chocolate brownies. Feel free to contact Don or myself if you have any questions.  Looking forward to seeing you on the water in January.

Feel free to contact Bruce Stone for more J/105 sailing information- email- bruce@brucestone.com or call- 917-822-4060. Sailing photo credit- Will Keyworth.  For more Bittersweet Chocolate Doublehanded Regatta sailing information
 
J/24 arizona

"Watership Down Series" Announcement

(Phoenix, Arizona)- This year long regatta has been designed to provide sailors of all skill levels a different approach to utilizing their skills and competition on the water.  Though not a normal part of a Notice of Race, and before diving into the Sailing Instructions, this is meant to give an overview of the event and explain the “why” behind many of its aspects.
  • The races will be distance races, therefore, one race per day.
  • Registrants will enter as Co-Skipper teams and must share the helm pro-rata.
  • Throw-outs, if any, must follow the pro-rata skipper ratio.
  • Rating bonuses and penalties will be done on a percentage basis, not a fixed amount, in order to maintain a level playing field across all boats.
  • The short-handed aspect goes for competitors and Race Committee, thus the Rabbit Start.
  • The short-handed idea goes for both skill and our social distancing guidelines.
  • Regarding social distancing, we have noticed, through conversations and social media, that most folks have started hanging out in small, contained groups again, and from what we can tell, most groups resemble their crews.  - The entire crew may not be there, but a partial crew is, thus, the short-handed structure.
  • Pay attention to the allowed number of crew per LOA of the boat being sailed as there are both penalties and bonuses related to this.
  • Pay attention to the Rabbit changing every race and the rules surrounding the Rabbit.
  • Throw-outs come at the very end, so this series will not be decided until the very end.
  • Building on this, pay attention to DNCs being registrants plus one, not competitors plus one.
  • Understand the age bonuses, both young and old!
  • Please note that the team registers, not a boat.  
  • The team may race different boats every race per skipper availability, crew availability, etc. 
  • If you want to participate but do not have a boat, let us know. We have quite a few!
J/24 arizonaThe underlying idea is simple – come race, different boat, different crew, different helmsman, different approach on any given day.

Victor and his friends at TILLER & KITES have a number of beautifully restored J/24s to sail- all pretty bright pink!  


For more Watership Down Series sailing information
 
J/Duffels for sale

January Special for a J/Duffel!

(Newport, RI)- Ronstan has been in the performance sailing business for years and they have designed a quality duffel that is perfect for racing or cruising. Ample space in the 24"x12"x12" dimension with wide grip carry strap. Inside wet pouch keeps the dry clothes separate. Rugged stitching and large top loading flap. Embroider with your class logo, boat name, and sail number.  We are offering a 21% discount for the month of January! Click here to order now!
 

Sailing Calendar

Jan 14-17- Monaco J/70 Winter Series- Monte Carlo, Monaco
Jan 16-18- J/111 Key West Winter Series- Key West, FL
Jan 21- STC Lauderdale to Key West Race- Fort Lauderdale, FL
Jan 22-24- J/70 Bacardi Winter Series II- Miami, FL
Feb 4-7- Monaco J/70 Winter Series- Monte Carlo, Monaco
Feb 17- SORC Miami to Eleuthera Race- Miami, FL
Mar 4-7- J/70 Primo Cup- Trophee Credit Suisse- Monte Carlo, Monaco
Mar 5-7- J/111 Key West Winter Series- Key West, FL
Mar 5-8- St Maarten Heineken Regatta- Simpson Bay, Saint Maarten
Mar 10-13- J/70 Bacardi Cup- Miami, FL
Mar 19-21- J/70 Davis Island Winter Series III- Tampa, FL
Mar 19-21- San Diego NOOD Regatta- San Diego, CA
Mar 26-28- St. Thomas International Regatta- St. Thomas, USVI
Mar 29- Apr 4- BVI Spring Regatta- Road Town, Tortola, BVI
Apr 2-4- St Petersburg NOOD Regatta- St Petersburg, FL
Apr 11-17- Les Voiles de St Barth Regatta- Gustavia, St Barthelemy 
Apr 8-11- Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC
Apr 24-30- Antigua Sailing Week- English Harbour, Antigua, West Indies

For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
 
J/70 Monaco

J/70 Sailors Factor @ Yacht Club Monaco Awards- TROPHÉE CREDIT SUISSE 2020

(Monte Carlo, Monaco)- The traditional Winter Cocktail Party, which welcomes new members before the YCM Awards - Trophée Credit Suisse are presented, went ahead this year albeit remotely in compliance with the current health situation. 

Yacht Club de Monaco President, HSH the Sovereign Prince Albert II, rewarded sailors who proudly fly the Principality’s colors and have made a mark on the world’s race areas. As J/Sailors recall, Prince Albert was a J/24 sailor for two decades in Monaco and actively supports the J/70 fleet today.

A regular on the J/70 regatta scene, Pierrik Devic received a special prize for his excellent results in the Laser Master. Having embarked on this physically tough Olympic class boat, he won the Euro Master Circuit 2020 in the Laser Radial Master category and clinched 4th place in his category at the Laser Master European Championship. 

The YCM Awards 2020 also recognizes members who have best defended the Club’s burgee during the past year. In the YC Monaco’s flagship J/70 class with 17 boats flying the burgee, Ludovico Fassitelli took the honours as he did last year. He finished 3rd in the 2019/2020 Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series at the end of 20 races, 1st in the Med Cup, 7th in the Malcesine J/70 Cup, 5th in the J/70 Italian Championship and winner in the Corinthian (amateur) category. 

The coveted "YCM Sailor of the Year" 2020 award went to Lord Irving Laidlaw (Highland Fling), nominated three years in a row since 2017, for the sum of his successes in the world’s most prestigious races. He talked of his passion and what motivates him, “I like new challenges, but above all I love getting a project to work and making it a success, which is not easy. It means finding the right boat, a good crew, organizing the training sessions. Everything must dovetail to perfection. What inspires me most is winning. I love competing but I prefer winning races even more”. 

Where did Lord Laidlaw first learn how to compete at a world-class level? He sailed J/24s for nearly two decades in the United Kingdom, Italy, and across Europe.

Lord Laidlaw is not only passionate about sailing, but he is also a committed philanthropist focused on young people through his Laidlaw Foundation. This revolves around three main principles: 
  • fighting inequality and poverty through education
  • inspiring young people to believe in their potential to be tomorrow’s leaders
  • supporting young women to achieve top class business degrees and take their place in the business world. 
With the dawning of a new year, the YCM fully intends to maintain its course when it comes to innovative projects like the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (6-10 July 2021). This annual event transforms the Club into an incubator supporting R&D in the shipping sector, stimulating the creativity of tomorrow’s engineers and professionals to devise propulsion systems using only clean energy.  For more YC Monaco J/70 Winter Series sailing information

 

J/Community

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

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J/145 racer cruiser

* Love retro reviews of some of the most iconic J/Boats in the sailing world?

We will pass along some more in the next few weeks from SAILING ANARCHY.com.  For this first week in January, we have Sailing Anarchy.com founder Scot Tempesta taking you on a tour of the J/145 offshore racer cruiser.

As a quick backgrounder, the J/145 was a "follow-on" design to the famous offshore silver-winning speedster- the J/125. It was created as a request by J/Boats owners (most of whom started with the world-famous J/24) to have a "more comfortable" version of the J/125 for their family, while still having "cruise-ability". 

Well, the specification for the J/145 was a bit O.T.T. (yes, over the top). Like the J/125, it was constructed of a combination of foam core and balsa core with a combination of carbon fiber layers, vacuum-infused in triple layers (outer skin, core, inner skin). That construction specification made for a robust, strong, lightweight, amazingly quick offshore racer/cruiser.

For those who have sailed J/145s, it's an "eye-opening" experience. No one expects what looks like a family cockpit, wheel-steered, cabin with opening ports, sailboat to have a PHRF rating of -15! Seriously?

Another shocker is the interior... a REAL navigation station, a REAL J-shaped galley (offshore friendly), and enough room to sail an offshore crew in seriously comfortable Ritz-Carlton/ Peninsula Hotel comfort fashion (at least by most offshore racer standards!).

Enjoy this YouTube video tour of a nicely appointed J/145 here by Scot Tempesta from Sailing Anarchy.


J/35 sailing class

* J/35 Learn to Sail Classes

Hey! Have you ever wanted to learn to sail a big sailboat? On January 24th at 1:00 we are starting a Zoom class on how to sail. There will be five lessons out of a book (provided by our instructor) and starting in late April there will be five on the boat lessons. The cost is $750.00, but you will get your money back if you race on any sailboat between June and September. We have put over 30 new people on the water racing in the last two years. This is open to all, and it just might be an opportunity to get the teenagers involved. Ian Pouliot is our class instructor. Ian has over 35 years of racing sailboats. He is the current instructor at North Star Sail Club for Junior sailors. Ian is also a sail maker and has just a wealth of knowledge about sailing.

The sailboat for you to get involved with is called a J/35. It is 35 feet long, weighs 10,500 lbs, and is the most iconic sailboat ever designed. It was the first sailboat to be inducted into the United States Sailboat Hall of Fame. It was designed by Rod & Bob Johnstone in the early 80s. We have enough boats to race ONE DESIGN (very important) all summer out of North Star SC. You will have a chance to learn the lines (ropes?) and positions on a J/35. Sign up with a friend and take this experience with you for the rest of your life.

You can call me- Mike Fitzgerald- at (248) 790-0666 or call Ian (586) 295-9344 and get registered. This is a great chance to get involved with a new sport that you will take with you even when you're in your 80s. I say that because I am 70!!

Wednesday, December 9, 2020

J/Newsletter- December 9th, 2020

Sunset off MaltaAs many parts of the world are approaching the end of "Pandemic 2020" (for better, or for worse), there are still some events taking place that are adhering to government protocols.  Down in South America, the debut of a J/99 took place on Puerto Callao Bay off Puerto Callao, Peru. They had a great performance in their inaugural race, coming up against a champion J/111 crew. 

In North America, several events took place across the USA. The famous SORC “Islands in the Stream Series” held their second event- the Palm Beach Race- that was modified to be a round-trip of 80.0nm between Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach sea buoys.  Then, in the Midwest, the J/22 Winter Series in Charlevoix, Michigan continued their "arena-style" sailing just off the marina, hosted by Charlevoix Yacht Club. Out west, we report on the finale for the San Diego YC Hot Rum Series with silver-winning performances by J/145s, J/105s, and J/120. Finally, we get a "better late, than never" report on the Northern Century Race that took place on the Salish Sea, hosted by Anacortes Yacht Club in the Pacific Northwest state of Washington. 
 
J/70s sailing on Biscayne Bay off Miami, FL

Bacardi J/70 Winter Series Preview

(Miami, FL)- While the Midwest and northeastern regions of the USA are caught in the grips of multiple Lows (depressions) bringing lots of nasty weather; like northeast winds, rain, sleet, snow, ice, slush, and just ugliness, the J/70 class will be hosting its first major event since the March 2020 coronavirus lockdowns shutdown every imaginable regatta in America, and the rest of the world, for that matter.

Hosted between Shake-a-Leg-Miami, Biscayne Bay Yacht Club and the USSC, the first race weekend for the Bacardi Invitational Winter Series will be December 11-13, 2020 with the next face-off on January 22-24, 2021. Then, the Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta will complete its final event from March 10-13, 2021.

A very star-studded sixteen boat fleet of enthusiastic participants are very excited to get back out on the water on the gorgeous aquamarine Biscayne Bay, with sailing taking place off Miami, Florida. Many of the top American teams will be participating, all familiar faces to J/Sailors that have sailed the J/70 circuit.

Several World Champions are in attendance, including Joel Ronning's CATAPULT (Morgan Reeser and Erik Shampain on speed/ tactics), Germany's Mike Illbruck sailing PINTA (John Kostecki on tactics), Steve Benjamin's SAINT team has THREE World Champions on the team (himself, plus Chris Larson and Al Terhune), Dave Janetti's VERY ODD (Travis Odenbach and Kris Werner on speed/ tactics), and Ryan McKillen's SURGE (Lucas Calabrese on tactics). So much for teams with World Champions on board, just one-third of the fleet! LOFL!

In addition, there are several hot teams that are no "wallflowers", such as John Evans' AIRPLANE (Martie Kullman on tactics), Trey Sheehan's HOOLIGAN: FLAT STANLEY RACING (Curtis Florence and Brad Boston on speed/ tactics), Ryan Foley's JOHNNY UTAH (Nic Baird- College Sailor of Year- on tactics), John Brim's RIMETTE (Zeke Horowitz on tactics), Pam Rose's ROSEBUD (Tomas Dietrich on tactics), and Peter Vessella's RUNNING WILD (Tracy Usher on tactics). 

WOW!! On a percentage basis, this regatta likely has the "deepest bench" of College All-Americans, National, North American, and World Champions in a sixteen-boat fleet, ever! Chill the beer, fire up the popcorn machine, and pull up a chair...this will be an interesting regatta to follow! 

By the way, there are two Corinthians teams that have hot hands on the tiller and smart sailors in their line-ups that may surprise a lot of the top teams. The BEARNARCHY team from Philadelphia, PA has Kelly McGlynn driving with Luke Adams on speed/ tactics (College All-American and son of the famous Ed Adams). Then, Team LIL from the local Coral Reef Yacht Club have proven to be surprisingly fast and smart; after all, they know Biscayne Bay quite well. The LIL team includes skipper Joey Kolisch and tactician/trim Val Schestopalov; both excellent youth sailors and a product of the Optimist/ 420 wars as kids.  Follow the Bacardi J/70 Winter Series here for complete results
 
J/22s sailing off Montego Bay, Jamaica

Jamin J/22 Jamaic Regatta Preview

Interview with Spencer May by Sail-world.com

(Montego Bay, Jamaica)- If you're a J/22 sailor, it's hard to imagine a better regatta than the Jamin' J/22 International Regatta, which is set to unfurl on the waters of Jamaica's beautiful Montego Bay and the nearby vicinity on December 12, 2020. The event, which is being hosted by the Montego Bay Yacht Club, typically supplies boats, sails and equipment, allowing visiting participants to focus on winning races rather than organizing their kit. To facilitate this, local J/22 sailors participate in "qualifiers" that allow the strongest teams to represent Jamaica. The rest of the fleet is then loaned to the visitors in a lottery system.

While the still-raging pandemic has impacted the Montego Bay Yacht Club's ability to host a full invitational event, including the usual home-stay accommodations and parties, participating sailors can still look forward to plenty of on-the-water competition. In honoring the "international" component of Jamin, local teams will each represent a foreign fleet for the day of racing. Jamaica will be represented by the recent Nationals champion Renegade, which will be skippered by the veteran Jamin competitor Richard Hamilton.

Once on island, participating sailors can look forward to great racing. Provided that the weather Gods cooperate, the event is planning on running four races. 

J/22s at Montego Bay Yacht Club
David Schmidt from SAIL-WORLD.com checked in with Spencer May, Jamin Chair and Vice Commodore of the Montego Bay Yacht Club, to learn more about this classic warm-water One-Design regatta.

SW: Can you tell us about the regatta's culture?

Spencer: Jamin' has a longstanding culture of inclusion and hospitality. Offering North American and the rest of the world sailors an opportunity to sail and enjoy pristine conditions (warm prevailing trade winds and the clear, warm water of the Caribbean Sea) in early December, with the U.S. and Canada are usually battling snowstorms.

During the event's infancy, the late Tony Hart (the original "host") would take visiting sailors on excursions to some special places around the island. Good Hope in the interior and Sea Grapes Villa in Discovery Bay were both incredible day trips for the visiting teams. Home-stays were common and visitors would usually extend their trip to explore Jamaica on either end of the three-day regatta.

Jamin' has a culture of fun-loving friends gathering to compete and create memories, with laughter and smiles galore (and plenty of cold drinks!).

SW: Can you tell us how the 2020 edition of the regatta will be different than previous years?

Spencer: 2020 will be unlike anything we have seen before. The event has been closed to foreign teams, as travel restrictions and Jamaica's regulations have been a constantly moving target.

We did not want prospective visitors to have to cancel flights or accommodations due to all the factors currently out of our control.

We also will not be hosting the usual themed parties that have been such a standard as there are currently Government restrictions on the number of individuals allowed to gather.

J/22s sailing off Montego Bay, Jamaica
SW: Given the pandemic, how many boats are you expecting to attract this year? Also, where will they hail from?

Spencer: We are hoping for eight boats on the starting line. This number represents just over three-quarters of the local fleet with a couple of the teams traveling to the Montego Bay Yacht Club from Kingston's Royal Jamaica Yacht Club.

SW: What kind of competition levels are you expecting this year?

Spencer: With our Nationals behind us, we have a very good idea of the level of competition...HIGH!

The first and third places finished within three points of one another. Renegade took the win with 12 points and Ayahso and Tsunami scoring 15 points each over the two-day, six-race weekend.

We are expecting some tight competition from this year's Jamin' Regatta as many of the same teams will be represented (though they will all be flying different colors as we are representing different countries).

We will be missing the international teams and their ability to mix it up with the fleet, but rest-assured racing will be competitive. The plan for the final race of the series is to do a reverse start. The boat with the fewest point going into the last race will need to cross the start line last and the team with the most points will have a bit of a head start. Call it the handicap race for this series, as we are not doing any throw-out races.

J/22s sailing downwind off Montego Bay, Jamaica
SW: Do you have your eye on any pre-racing favorites in both classes? What about any dark horses?

Spencer: Using our 705-pounds limit on the boats keeps everyone honest and if the wind is light for any races that will give the three-person teams an advantage over the teams that sail just below the limit.

In the absence of last year's 30th-anniversary race winner, Mike Farrington, it will once again give local heroes a chance to shine!

SW: Does the event still plan to hold post-racing festivities/parties, given the pandemic? If so, can you tell us what we're missing out on?

Spencer: We are not going to be hosting the traditional booze-soaked parties as alcohol doesn't make it easy to follow local Covid protocols... So, we will have to party double-time in 2021.

In the '90s there was a tradition of a boating "Parade of Lights" in the past and it was revamped last year for the first time in recent history. Open to motorboats, cruisers, and catamarans, all clad with festive lights and blasting holiday tunes, this event is perfect for respecting Covid protocols.

On a quiet evening (just after sunset) we will leave the club and do a few laps around the harbor, gleefully singing and drinking on our own boats with friends and family, celebrating together and apart! J/22s are traditionally towed behind one of the larger motorboats.

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?

Spencer: We utilize one five-gallon bucket per boat for the entirety of the event to dish out the ice/food/drinks/welcome packets and t-shirts. These buckets are re-used year after year.

SW: Anything else that you'd like to add, for the record?

Spencer: We have had a 30-plus years of historic events, creating lifelong friendships from all over the world, and it has been incredible to build those relationships and see some familiar faces over the decades.

Many of the members have connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Anyone that is interested in seeing future event details should also follow along.  Follow Jamin J/22 Jamaica Regatta here on Facebook  Follow Jamin J/22 Jamaica Regatta on Instagram here
 
J/111 sailing Edgartown Regatta

Edgartown Race Weekend Announcement!

(Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, MA)- "We hope everyone is having a great holiday season.  Our team at Edgartown YC is hard at work organizing the 2021 Edgartown Race Weekend (“ERW”) and have just gone live with the NOR on Yacht Scoring for both the 'Round-the-buoys racing (“RTB”) and 'Round-the-Island (“RTI”) segments of ERW.

For decades, the Edgartown Race Weekend has been a favorite of J/sailors on Cape Cod, the Islands, and Vineyard Sound. The event attracts J/teams from as far north as Maine and as far south as the Chesapeake Bay. Dozens of J/Crews have made the event an annual ritual as they look forward to catching up with friends and families from afar that also make it a tradition to participate.  Come one, come all! The 2021 edition promises to be a fun one and may we all hope to rejoice such great events yet again on the water next year!  For more information follow the links below We encourage participants to register ASAP to receive information and updates from the Organizing Authority throughout the offseason. Please note the entry fee is not required to complete your registration on Yacht Scoring.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns to the Edgartown Race Weekend Administrator- Margaret Passafiume- email: raceadministrator@edgartownyc.org. Sailing photo credit- Stepen Cloutier.
 
J/Gear for sailors

Not Too Late for J/Gear Holiday Gifts!

(Newport, RI)- 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.

There is still time to get your whole crew that distinct J/Gear gift with your boat name!  Get caps, polo shirts, shells, gear bags, and more! 

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

Dec 4- Wirth M Munroe Memorial Race- Palm Beach, FL
Dec 5- Hot Rum Series III- San Diego, CA
Dec 11-12- J/22 Jammin Jamaica Regatta- Montego Bay, Jamaica
Dec 11-12- J/70 Bacardi Winter Series- Miami, FL
 
J/145 sailing off San Diego, CA

J/Crews Celebrate Silverware @ Hot Rum Series

(San Diego, CA)- So, there we were. Hot Rum race 3, watching all the weather and forecasts and guessing how the day was going to unfold. It is "local knowledge" that there is always a nice little "point effect"- light winds accelerating down the east side of Point Loma- that create some artificially significant winds. With that wind in their sails easing them along the first leg of the Hot Rum race course, racers also had the benefit of an outgoing tide (in effect all day) to get them out to Mark 2. The race committee had little confidence the race would even get that far.

J/111 sailing off San Diego, CA
Just as the first boats were rounding Mark 2 to begin their downwind sail into the Roads, those light Point Loma winds started to ripple their way east to the otherwise glassy sea that extended way past Mark 3 and Mark 4 deep in the Roads. Over the next hour and a half, boats reached and gybed their way to the bottom of the course in 3 to 5 kts of wind. From there, a two mile beat back to Mark 5 challenged the fleet. There, the RC Signal boat Corinthian sat looking east over the race course, then north, 3 miles up the bay to the course finish. Decision time.

J/120 sailing off San Diego, CA
With no certainty of the wind holding (that wasn’t forecast to be there in the first place), and 50% of a very high 5 foot-plus all-day tide ebb still making the final 3 miles to the finish an uphill effort, the RC hoisted the sierra flag (S) and anchored approx. 330 yds south of Mark 5, laying a ‘shorten course’ finish line perpendicular to the course from the previous mark. Their impression at that moment was that unless they shortened the course, up to a third of the fleet would have no hope of finishing even in the current conditions, and half or more wouldn’t make it to the charted finish if there were any deterioration.

The first six boats lined up to cross this new finishing line were predictably all ultralight sleds that can muscle their way through light air with apparent winds and boat speeds fractionally higher than the actual wind speed. The RC understands that the finish might have seemed premature. But, to the mortal seaman and mermaids aboard the other 90 boats still racing, we think it was the correct move.  

J/70 sailing off San Diego, CA
Still, no good deed goes unpunished. And, there were two uncomfortable things that the RC still needed to address. First, was to note the boats that missed the “S” finish line. You can reference your Racing Rules of Sailing book inside back cover for the picture of flag “S” (a.k.a. sierra). It identifies RRS 32.2. Reading 32.2 (a) it informs the finishing line “…shall be at a round mark, between the Mark and a staff displaying flag S.“

A few focused sailors, not seeing the S flag, and likely not hearing the Race Committee announce on the race channel VHF 69, sailed on starboard, south of and past the RC signal boat with flag S displayed. They tacked to port and their course took them completely around the signal boat and the finish line. It is frustrating to see this breakdown of understanding, but we always hope that those that were confused by what a RC does can learn from it and be better informed in the future. Trying to "save a race" for many but losing a few that aren’t familiar with flag S is always the trade-off.

J/105 sailing off San Diego, CA
Then, there is the scoring. Fun fact. A Hot Rum “shorten course” race has happened twice before, in 2008 and 2009. While rare, it is not unprecedented, and the solution is not untried. First, understand a Pursuit Start - basically boats are given a particular start time based on a formula that estimates boat’s speed around the course relative to other boats. Bigger faster boats "owe" smaller slower boats more time as the course gets longer. And the inverse – less time is owed on a shorter course. In virtual terms, everyone but the first boat to start got a late start for HR3. By shortening the race at mark 5, approx. 3.2nm was cut off the race course. We know how long it took for boats to sail around the 8.7nm course, so we refigured new ‘virtual’ start times based on 8.7nm and added the actual elapsed time to that to generate new ‘virtual’ finish times. Those are found on the Hot Rum race 3 finishes page. The boat finish order is different than you actually may have witnessed. That’s because like a regular PHRF handicap race where you adjust times after the finish, we adjusted times both before AND after.

J/145 sailing off San Diego, CA
Shortening course is not easy to do or understand, especially in a unique format like a Pursuit race with all the handicap incentive given at the start. But, it seemed like a better option than leaving 45 boats floating in the channel. Either way, there was a lot of gratitude from most finishers. The Hot Rum, to quote 1981 its creator- Herb Sinnhoffer- “is a fun race and to be able to meet afterwards and make friends”. Given COVID protocols, the "fun race" intent still holds up. It is great that some will work really hard and compete at a high level, while others will just enjoy a nice social sail around the waters of San Diego-- in December! Either way, remember the Race committee is doing its best to honor the intent race, and balance the efforts of those participating.

In the third and final race in the San Diego Yacht Club Hot Rum series, two of the J/145s finished with the same point total for Class I. After count-back, it was Rudy Hasl's PALAEMON and Ernie Pennell’s MORE MADNESS taking 3rd and 4th out of fifteen boats in Class I (the BIG boats!). They were barely beaten by a custom carbon fiber Swan 601 and Pat Disney's custom carbon Andrews 68. 

In the PHRF Overall results for 113 boats, Hasl's J/145 PALAEMON and the custom Swan 601 STARK RAVING MAD finished tied for second place at 30 points each, with the countback going to the Mad-men. Notably, taking fifth place was the other J/145 MORE MADNESS. 

J/120 sailing off San Diego, CA
The sailing conditions for Race 3 were very challenging, with winds ranging from under 5 Kts to 10 kts, with shifty winds at the start and steadier winds later in the race. As a result of the decreasing wind conditions, the race was shortened to enable most boats to finish the race.

In other classes, J/Crews faired extremely well. In PHRF 2 Class, it was Chuck Nichols' J/120 CC RIDER that won the first two races handily, but suffered in the lighter going in the third race to post a "down the mine shaft" 9th place.  As a result, the CC RIDERS had to settle for the silver in this year's series. A similar fate befell the J/111 CREATIVE sailed by Ed Sanford. After the first two races with a 5-3 tally, their finale had to count an 18th....dropping like a rock from the top three down to 9th in class. 

J/29 sailing off San Diego, CA
The twenty-seven boat PHRF 4 Class was crushed, as usual, by a slew of J-mercenaries. In fact, it was a clean sweep of the top six in class. Not surprisingly, leading the charge and sweeping the podium were top J/105 teams. Winning was Jim Dorsey's J-OK, followed by the Vieregg/ Bermann duo on ZUNI BEAR in second and Jeff Brown's SWEET KAREN in third.  Following them were Chuck Bowers' J/29 RHUMB RUNNER in fourth, George Scheel's J/105 SUN PUFFIN in fifth, and Nico Lindauer’s J/34 IOR beauty MARLEN in sixth place. Notably Lindauer’s J/34 IOR won the last two races quite handily...they suffered from having to count a 28 pt DNC for not sailing the first race. Sailing photo credits- Mark Albertazzi.  For more San Diego YC Hot Rum Series sailing information
 
J/111 sailing off Peru

J/111 and J/99 Garner Silver in Peru!

(Puerto Callao, Peru)- This past weekend, the Puerto Callao Yacht Club held the first of its summer series on the Pacific Ocean, with a fleet of ten boats sailing in Puerto Callao Bay.

There was a lot of excitement amongst J/Boats enthusiasts in Peru with the arrival of the new J/99 TUNCHE. After her launching and a tune-up sail the TUNCHE team sailed in their first regatta of the summer. Anticipation was high amongst many ex-J/24 racers that have gotten a bit older and are racing in offshore ORC handicap events.

J/99 sailing off Peru
After the weekend of sailing, it was clear the J/111 CHALLWA was determined to maintain their control over Peru's ORC fleet, winning the regatta with room to spare on points. However, fast out-of-the-box, the J/99 TUNCHE progressed fast up their learning curve and managed to pull off a silver in the regatta, a great start for the inaugural race of the J/99.

J/99 sailing upwind off Peru on Pacific Ocean
According to J/Peru dealer German Fuchs, "it's expected the new J/99 will continue the winning saga of J/Boats in Peru. After all, Peru has always been one of the largest and oldest fleets of J/24s in South America. Many sailors are looking closely at the new J/99 and, perhaps, there will be a J/99 fleet soon in Perú."  For more J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster information
 
J/44 sailing SORC Palm Beach Race

J/44 Crushes SORC Palm Beach Race

(Fort Lauderdale, FL)- The second event of the 2020-21 SORC Islands in the Stream Series on December 5 was a revised course when it was deemed the traditional Wirth M Munroe Palm Beach Race course could not be held due to COVID-19 regulations. Instead, a round-trip 80.0nm course from Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach and return to finish off Fort Lauderdale attracted 15 teams in ORC.

As you can tell from the photos, this was light airs affair for most of the race. Virtually all boats went off the starting line with Code Zeros flying and crew sitting on the leeward rail. Occasional "puffs" (more like big zephyrs) would waft gently across the course and crews would slowly move to the windward side!  

J/121 sailing off Fort Lauderdale, FL
In the end, J/Crews did quite well. Winning the fleet in ORC Overall was Chris Lewis’ J/44 KENAI, crushing the fleet by literally one hour corrected time. Finishing second behind them in ORC Class 2 was Ashley Maltempo & Bill Wiggins J/121 WINGS. The WINGS team sailed well considering it was their first time on the boat, taking 6th ORC Overall behind a few TP 52's. Taking 5th in ORC Class 2 was Brad Stowers' J/92 HILLBILLY and sixth place went to Andy Wescoat's J/109 HARM'S WAY.

J/92 sailing off Miami, FL
The winter plan for the 2020-21 Islands in the Stream Series in south Florida and the Bahamas has evolved due to COVID-19 restrictions. See updates below.

2020-21 Islands in the Stream Series
• January 21, 2021: The series then heads south for some island time with the Ft. Lauderdale to Key West Race. The tropics in January provide the perfect spot to unwind with the Conch Grinder Race, and to enjoy the treasures and pleasures of Key West before the awards party at First Flight Island Bar and Restaurant (formerly Kelly’s Caribbean). More information here

• February 17, 2021: It all wraps up with another trip to the Bahamas with the 2nd annual Eleuthera Race, starting off South Beach, Miami and finishing at the Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina. More information here.   For more SORC Islands in the Stream sailing information
 
J/22s sailing on Lake Charlevoix, MI

Arena Football, Sailing J/22 Style

(Charlevoix, MI)- Near the northwest tip of the Michigan peninsula is Charlevoix, with sailors enjoying access to Lake Michigan but also connected with two inland options. In this report by Tom Barnes, he shares how the locals use what they have to great advantage.

The Charlevoix Yacht Club J/22 Fleet 45 has been holding Arena Racing in Round Lake since 1988 (with a break for about six years). Arena Racing is named after Arena Football which packed a lot of excitement into a much smaller venue.

Starting on the first Sunday after the 15th of October (because that’s when dockage is free), the J/22 Fleet moves from the commodious Lake Charlevoix to the confines of Round Lake for another season of Arena Racing.

What’s so cool about racing on this 55-acre lake is this year we have 10 boats! We race main and jib only to keep people off a potentially icy foredeck and out of the 43-degree water. The average race takes about 15 minutes and we get 6 of them in from 1:00PM to 3:00PM, finishing in time to watch the Detroit Lion’s lose.

The starting line is long enough for 6-7 boats, so there is always a second row…and sometimes a third. Crappy start, caught on the wrong side of 120-degree shift…no worries, the next race is only minutes away. It’s very shifty and this year I’ve blamed “bad luck” on getting caught in knock after knock…but the best skippers have been consistently near the top and so I know the problem is my own.

We get the cream of the crop for skippers and crew. All other area racing is done for the season so Melges 24, J/70, J/35 skippers and crews jump onto J/22s. Two sailors from our sister fleet across the peninsula in Tawas made the three hour drive each way to crew on a boat.

J/22s sailing on Lake Charlevoix
Not just the sailors enjoy Arena Sailing. On November 1st, we had a warm sunny day and there were 50+ people onshore taking pictures and trying to understand the action. My wife was providing color commentary from the docks and verbally abusing me for being mid-pack.

Our Volunteer Race Committee, John Kunitzer, is a Demi-god. He and his crew set the windward marks (sometimes 2 or 3 to accommodate wind shifts), start line and get us going promptly at 1:00PM. Between races they are a way station for beer and brownies. They host members of the local photography club and volunteer helpers who enjoy the antics.

Our NOR and Instructions give the RC a lot of leeway as to courses. On a fickle, light air day, John sent us on a downwind start race; a triangle race where you were allowed to go either way around; and a starboard rounding race. It keeps you on your toes to know the rules.

John also has three different scoring systems running all the time…The Ricky Bobby System – points only if you win (“if you ain’t first, you’re last”); High points scoring based on how many boats you beat; and the daily low point scoring system.

In the late 90s, Charlevoix boasted 16+ J/22s. Seven years ago we were down to one lone J/22 owned by Bob Grove. Bob is an enthusiast and champion of good causes. He set a goal of building the fleet back to 20 boats by 2024. He bought three good used boats and started loaning them out.

I borrowed mine for three years and then bought hull #483 from Bob. He promptly bought another. He sold one last fall and in October bought hull 744 from Cleveland. Bob has a likely buyer that will start racing with us next year and he is starting to shop for #11.

Each year, the Cranberry Cup is the final official race of the season. The Cup is so named as the regatta is held on the Sunday following Thanksgiving (thus the “Cranberry”). It’s a perpetual Trophy and tradition has it that the previous winner is to fill the chalice with dried cranberries to be distributed to participants following the race (this year we had to settle for only the new winner getting the cranberries).

Lake Charlevoix, Michigan
The 2020 edition was held November 29, with Charlevoix Yacht Club arranging a cheering section while three drones filmed the action while 100s of pictures were taken and shared. Even the Petoskey News Review came down and interviewed us right after racing.

With 10 J/22s on the line in WSW winds at 5-15 on a mostly cloudy 45-degree day, we had six races which allowed one throw-out. The RC set two potential weather marks and at race time settled on the more southern of the two.

Despite the well-intentioned square start line, the 45-degree wind shifts every 30 seconds meant one end was going to be favored. More often than not that ended up being the pin end. Being close to that end and having a crew ready to quickly tack allowed boats to cross the fleet on port just after the start.

When the wind stayed right, it was a very short starboard tack to the south shore and boats were calling for “sea room” causing a mass of quick tacks by those with the weather gauge.

The weather mark is only 3 minutes away and while the first-place boat usually got around clean, the middle of the pack was almost always a cluster with lots of calls for “buoy room” and disagreements over when and if an overlap occurred.

The first downwind leg was an opportunity for passing. The breeze came more from the south side so staying high gave an advantage of getting the new breeze first. This ran against the tactic of going left to ensure you were inside at the mark rounding. I tended toward staying left and unfortunately, that cost me several boats over the six races. Lesson learned!

That downwind mark rounding saw some of the most interesting events of the day. Our eventual winner and another boat got a late inside overlap and were denied room (by me). They hooked the mark on their rudder and hung there a while getting it clear… this became their throw out race.

The final score was amazingly close. The top three boats separated by only two points.
The cream always rises to the top and “Sailing Inc” – Bow #8 skippered by Dan Tosch with George “Bear” Peet Jr and Brian Prokuda won the cherished cup with 11 points.

Dan dedicated the win to George Peet Sr. who passed away last year. George was a huge sailing advocate, supporter of junior sailing and a very tough competitor in J/22s, Lightnings, and Lasers. Bear is an outstanding sailor in all sizes and boat types. Brian is an experience helmsman and worked hard on bow.

Second Place went to last year’s winners on Pale Face Lite – Owner Bob Grove, skipper Steve Pirie and crew Beverly Cady with 12 points. They received a bottle of Mount Gay, which Beverly eagerly accepted! Steve was also awarded the “Best Damn Skipper” flag (signed by all participants), for most points accumulated during the series (high scoring system).

This came down to the last day of racing with Kevin Meier holding a 10-point lead going into the day…but Kevin made the bad choice of working for a living and missed the Cranberry Cup, leaving the door wide open for Steve. Considering the fickle conditions of Round Lake, these two dominated the top of the leaderboard almost every week.

Third Place went to Bow #02 with Bill and Tom Babel on “Eminence Front” (they are big “The Who” fans) and crew Laura Johnson with 13 points. Bill founded Arena Sailing in 1988, stayed with it until 1992 and had a hiatus until he and Tom jumped on a boat again last year. They now are hooked and we’re hoping to see them back for many years to come. The Babel’s are tough enough when they sail separate, together it almost isn’t fair.

Below are the results for the Cranberry Cup, Arena Sailing Series, and the Ricky Bobby. Steve and Bill tied for the most wins. The tiebreaker was proposed, as in the movie, that they have a footrace and then kiss…at this suggestion Bill promptly conceded the win to Steve.  Sailing photo credits- Dan O’Haver  Thanks for contribution from Scuttlebutt Sailing newsletter
 
J/120 sailing off Seattle, WA

J/Crews Prevail in Northern Century Race

(Anacortes, WA)- In the "it's never too late to report" department, the Anacortes Yacht Club hosted the Northern Century Race in the beginning of the fall. It is a 100.0 nm offshore triangle that delivers the toughest race you’ll ever love. The course extends through and around (skipper’s choice) the San Juan Islands, and each year competitors are met with a unique set of challenges and some of the most beautiful conditions the Salish Sea has to offer.

Though a 50-mile option exists (for the sane people), the Northern Century 100 course starts to the north in Fidalgo Bay off Anacortes and heads further north to Point Roberts, then south any way you choose to Hein Bank, followed by a return finish at Anacortes.

J/99 sailing on Puget Sound, Seattle, WA
The race starts on Friday evening, and night-time spinnaker runs are the norm on the way up to the first mark of the course. Due to the time of year, meteor showers and phosphorescence that light up the night add to the excitement of the race.

Bruce's Briefs from Sailish.com had this sobering forecast to offer the sailors this year:

"We said summer had arrived last week and this weekend it will arrive with some very, very warm temps especially on Sunday. Today’s satellite pic shows just how spectacularly clear conditions are over the Salish Sea.

NOAA satellite photo
That’s both the good news and the bad news as the Surface Analysis Charts show our Pacific high weakening and tending to flatten while a thermal trough of low-pressure expands along the coast running from San Francisco inland to southern BC. This will convert our current onshore flow to an offshore flow on Saturday which will bring some downslope winds and compressional heating to the area, hence the high temps. The weather charts also show the distinct lack of any kind of pressure gradient over the area. This will make for, once again, a very challenging Northern Century Race.

The real challenge for this race is that in this transition period from onshore to offshore flow, the Race course is right in the convergence zone where the flow coming down the Strait of Juan de Fuca (SOJ) meets the flow coming down the Strait of Georgia (SOG). As the flow coming down the SOJ weakens, the flow coming down the SOG will build slightly turning the southerly/southwesterly flow over the San Juan Islands to a north/northwesterly flow. The big question is always, when will this happen? The models are not in agreement which is not surprising considering the lack of a pressure gradient.

The keys for the race are getting out of the starting area, getting through the lee of Guemes Island, and getting up Lummi Island. From there to the Point Roberts Buoy there will probably be more wind slightly to the east of the rhumb line. The wind will be light and from the south/southwest with it generally going very light after around 0200hrs. You would really like to be around the Pt Roberts mark before 0200 and then be sure to take your time at the shorten course mark.

One model does have a northerly of 5-8 kts filling down the SOG and down San Juan Island just before dawn. That combined with the big ebb of the day could get you to Hein Bank in time to catch the flood to the finish. If you’re a big boat with a tall rig and really wanted to roll the dice, you could try sailing down the inside of San Juan Island and gamble that you could make it out of Cattle Pass before about 0900 Saturday morning and the start of the big flood of the day. The big boats could finish by mid-afternoon Saturday.

Century race courseFor the once this year, expect the lighter air to be in the SOJ while the central Sound will have a delightful northerly of 10-15 knots on Saturday before it becomes light on Sunday. This will be a great weekend to be on the water just be sure to have plenty of sunblock and be sure to reapply throughout the day."

That was a pretty accurate forecast by the famous "Bruce the weatherman"! It was a light airs race, with beautiful vistas, and lots of flying code zeros to keep things moving. 

In the three divisions that had thirteen J/Crews participating, each had a podium finish by a top J/Boats team. In the Full Crew 100 Division, taking second was Jim Hinz's J/120 HINZITE. The balance of the top eleven included Dougherty & Andrew's J/125 HAMACHI in 4th, Cathy Van Antwerp's J/111 VALKYRIE in 7th, Phil Dean's J/80 RUSH in 8th, Bob Brunius' J/120 TIME BANDIT in 9th, Jason Vannice's J/35 ALTAIR in 10th, and Tolga Cezik's J/109 LODOS in 11th. An amazing performance by these teams in very challenging conditions. 

Similarly, in the Doublehanded 100 Division, J/Crews took 5 of the top 10! Taking the silver was Vincent Townrow's J/105 KINETIC. They were followed by Christina & Justin Wolfe's J/111 RAKU in 4th, Emre Selzer's J/80 RECKLESS in 5th, Mike Powell's J/33 KEET in 9th, and Karl Halfkinger's J/35 SHEARWATER in 10th. 

Finally, in the Full Crew 50 Division, taking 3rd was Walt Meagher's J/35 SUNSHINE GIRL. All in all, kudos to all crews for their perseverance and concentration to get the job done!

Also, in the recent Scuttlebutt Sailing Newsletter, there was a great article by a participant in the race that gives you a front row seat perspective on the amazing beauty and the trials and tribulations of sailing this tough race.  Read more here on Scuttlebutt.  Sailing photo credits- Sean Trew 
 

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:  https://jnet.jboats.com/

J/133 for sale in Netherlands
Beautiful 2006 J/133 available in The Netherlands. The ideal mid-40s length racer/cruiser…and a winner of The Sailing World Magazine Overall Boat of the Year, J/133 is a yacht with the stability for short-handed cruising, race winning speed under IRC & PHRF, durability for rough offshore passages. Add in the retractable carbon bowsprit and flying and handling the asymmetrical spinnaker becomes a breeze. Viewing is possible, by appointment.  Learn more about this J/133 here

* Recognizing Sportsmanship in 2020

While the sailing calendar for Cortez Racing Association (San Diego, CA) was hampered for much of 2020 due to strict government regulations for recreational boating, when racing did begin, the organization recognized four teams that put others before themselves. One of them was an amazing rescue of another boat offshore by a J/35 team.

Don Fulton and the crew of the J/35 BLUE LUNATIC, on September 12, during the “Dennis Conner Around the Coronado Isle Race”, came to the aid of a sinking power boat. Don and his crew assisted the sinking vessel by contacting the Coast Guard and, at the request of the CG, standing by to continue rendering assistance until the CG could arrive, as they were many miles off the coast. Even though stopping to help this boat meant the end of their long anticipated first race after months of quarantine, the Blue Lunatic was happy to help. Congratulations and kudos from all of the J/Family around the world for such a generous and heroic act of seamanship to help other boaters in peril offshore!


Dave Philipps- Providence Journal

* Eight Bells: Dave Philips

It is with great sadness that J/Boats reports that David M. Philips passed away November 27 at Brightview Commons in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. He was age 94.

David was a long-time fan of J/Boats since the company first started building J/24s in Warren, RI and setup its world headquarters in Newport, RI. David was THE sailing reporter for the Providence Journal, the principal newspaper for the State of Rhode Island. David became quick friends with Bob and Rod Johnstone, J/Boats' co-founders in the summer of 1977. Dave took great pride in reporting on the success of the J/24 at Block Island Race Week in 1977 and subsequent events later. Dave reported every single day of the first J/24 World Championship in 1979 held in Newport, RI. He interviewed participants, the winner Charlie Scott from Annapolis, MD, and provided great coverage of the event. In later years, David would continue to report on the continued growth of J/Boats and the successes of numerous J/Designs over the next three-plus decades. In fact, Dave was particularly proud of Rhode Islanders that were winning across the USA, Europe, and World Championships- like Ken and Brad Read, Ed "Moose" McClintock, Scott Ferguson, Ed Adams, amongst others too numerous to mention.

After graduating high school in 1944, Dave enlisted in the U.S. Navy and deployed to the Pacific as a meteorologist on an aircraft carrier. Stationed as part of the 8,000-vessel fleet gathered at Ulithi for the invasion of Japan, he and his fellow sailors were relieved to learn of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Following the Japanese surrender he finished his tour of duty in 1946 and returned home to go to college on the GI Bill. After graduating from Wesleyan University in 1951 he began his career as a journalist working for publications in Prescott, AZ, Nampa, ID, Wallingford, CT and New Haven, CT before coming to the Providence Journal, where he worked as a sports journalist for 36 years until his retirement.

David loved covering sailing and his coverage of the America’s Cup races in Newport, RI, San Diego, CA and Perth, Australia made the Providence Journal the newspaper of record for following the America’s Cup. Even 20 years after his retirement, a trip to the waterfront always included people recognizing him and coming up to reminisce.

“If you raced sailboats on Narragansett Bay from the 1960s to the 1990s you knew Dave Philips,” recalled Providence Journal colleague Michael Szostak. “If you skippered a 12-meter yacht on Rhode Island Sound during the hey-day of America’s Cup racing in Newport, you knew Dave Philips. If you crewed aboard a boat in the Newport-Bermuda race, you knew Dave Philips.”

Dave served as Chairman of RI Boating Council, held memberships in US Sailing and Narragansett Bay Yachting Association, and worked as a correspondent for Yachting Magazine for 10 years in the 1970s. The Narragansett Bay Yachting Association awarded him the William E. Tripp trophy for making an outstanding contribution to yachting and yacht racing on Narragansett Bay for 36 years.

Known to have quipped, “I’ve covered every sport but ladies wrestling,” his interests ranged well beyond his impressive knowledge of sports statistics and facts. He recalled a vast repertoire of college and university fights songs and could add a song lyric or apt quotation to any conversation. He knew all the songs and cheers for his alma mater, Wesleyan, where he served as Secretary of the Class of 1951 from 1971 until 2019.

His love of singing led him to sing in a cowboy barbershop quartet in Prescott, AZ and later in his church choir at St. Martin’s Church in Providence. Additionally, he possessed an abiding interest in the weather sparked by his naval service as a meteorologist. He faithfully followed The Weather Channel, which may have even preempted ESPN as his favorite. Each year he purchased a Farmer’s Almanac and inserted blank pages to keep track of the actual weather compared to the Almanac’s prediction.

As much as he loved sports, weather and singing, he also loved dogs, especially a series of Miniature Schnauzers. His idea of contentment was a comfortable chair in front of a roaring fire with a dog in his lap.

He is survived by two brothers, Daniel Philips of Pompano Beach, Florida and John Philips of Silver Spring, Maryland, a sister, Caroline Norwood of Emeryville, California and his special friend, Constance Hargreaves and her family of Cranston, RI.

He is also survived by many cousins including, Nancy Burroughs of Peace Dale, RI, Tom Rowe of Middletown, RI, Andy Rowe of Hope, ME, Clark Tyler of McLean, VA, Terry Tyler of Dorset, VT and David Rowe of Northbrook, IL.

Due to COVID restrictions the graveside service at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI will be private. A memorial to celebrate his life will be held next spring or summer. In lieu of flowers contributions may be sent to St. Martin’s Church, 50 Orchard Avenue Providence, RI 02906. 
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