J/70 Debut & Big J/80 Fleet Training for Worlds
(La Trinite sur Mer, France)- The 35th edition of the SPI OUEST-France Intermarché starts on March 28th and goes for four days of racing in the Bay of Quiberon off the famous seaport of La Trinite sur Mer. SPI OUEST France is one of Europe's largest regattas, and certainly the premiere regatta of the spring sailing season, and over 150 volunteers from the Societe Nautique La Trinité-sur-Mer have been preparing for several weeks to host the 423 registered sailing teams and several thousand sailors. And among the skippers, some of the biggest names in French sailing will once again take part in SPI OUEST; including none other than Thomas Coville, Franck Cammas (Volvo Ocean Race winner on GROUPAMA), Vincent Riou, Michel Desjoyeaux, Nicolas Troussel Souben Daniel, Nicolas Lunven, Franck-Yves Escoffier and others.
The weather scenario is a bit uncertain as a huge depression in the North Atlantic is expected to arrive Monday in the late afternoon, but is preceded by a trough carrying winds. The path it will takes varies from hour to hour based on the various weather models. Explained Christophe Gaumont (renowned meteorologist), "yesterday, we predicted 35 knots Friday and this morning, we did not expect more than 10 kts! We should have a weekend with a wide range of conditions, sustained wind Friday and Monday and low to moderate Saturday and Sunday. The east, west, south, a little rain, a little sun. In short, an Easter weekend of varied, colorful and variable weather." Now that's a weather forecast all the sailors can rely upon, isn't it?
Of the 423 boats sailing, over 130 alone are J/Teams (31% of the entire fleet) which makes "J" the dominant sailboat brand at the biggest regatta hosted in France! Amongst those teams will be an all-women OMAN SAIL team sailing their J/80 LES JUPTIENS in the enormously competitive fleet of 108 J/80s. This team of women came from Oman to rub shoulders and learn from the biggest names in French offshore and one-design sailing. Joining them are many familiar names at the top of the J/80 Worlds and most all top French teams will be using SPI OUEST as part of their "tune-up" and training efforts for the J/80 Worlds Marseilles down on the Mediterranean later in July. Amongst those teams are familiar French J/80 names like INTERFACE CONCEPT's Eric Brezellec, INTERFACE CONCEPT 2's Simon Moreceau, ATLANTIS's Louis Sambron, GANJA's Luc Nadal and JIBE SET's Herve Leduc. One of Spain's top teams, GOLD SAILING with M. Jauregui, will be testing the waters on the Baie de Quiberon. Alongside him will be Italy's Massimo Rama sailing JENIALE!
The always competitive IRC 2 class has 30 boats and included in the mix are six J/Teams. The fastest boat around the track should be the J/120 RHAPSODIE V sailed by J. Godet. Not far off the pace will be a duo of J/109s that include BAITA IV's D. Correze and FRANJPANE's P. Mouert. Another duo of J/105s looking forward to more reaching courses, will be led by BO GOSS's P. Allain and J-SQUARED's V. Jomier. Then, not minding what the weather throws at them will be the J/100 TRIFLE helmed by G. Fournier.
The biggest handicap fleet is generally IRC 3, with 53 boats starting. Hoping to hold their own against this rogue's gallery of 28-33 footers is the J/92 SABOT sailed by M. Demazure. We wish them well, not easy going solo in that crowd!
With just 18 boats, IRC 4A may well be one of the smaller IRC divisions, but it's incredibly competitive. And, up to that task is one of the giant-killers in the J stable of IRC weapons, the J/97 MISPICKEL V sailed by B. Fagart. If you recall, the J/97 won this class going away in previous SPI OUEST's.
Finally, the "little boat" division is IRC 4B with 40 boats thrashing around the race track. And, none other than the "classic" J/24 is sporting a fleet of six boats to duel it out for J/24 "bragging rights", but also handicap honors. This group includes JINETTE's C. Gury, J'ADORE's E. Richard, INSULARIS's A. Garcia, MARTA's P. Lemaistre, BOLERO's P. Ravel and EL NINO's B. Le Marec. For more SPI OUEST France Intermarche sailing information
Russian Sailing Federation Championships(Palma Mallorca, Spain)- After three wildly successful events the last few years hosting the "Federation Cup" for the Russian Sailing Federation in J/80s in Lanzarote, Canary Islands, the leadership of Russian sailing have decided to stay with the Spanish J/80 sailing theme and sail two regattas in 2013- one in the spring in the Med and the traditional Federation Cup championship in November in Lanzarote.
The first event was hosted by the local J/80 fleet in Palma Mallorca. Seven teams showed up for this first edition and all sailing teams had a fantastic time. This "spring regatta" was called the "Cup of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Sailing Federation". The participants were all members of the Federation's Board which guide and help manage the Federation for all Russian sailors. The second event, the Federation Cup will again be sailed in Lanzarote, using the large fleet of J/80s that have produced J/80 World Champions like Rayco Tabares sailing his famous Princess Yaiza Hotel in regattas throughout Europe and America. The event organizers expect to have nearly twenty J/80s racing for the honor of being the top Russian yachtsmen for 2013 and, perhaps bragging rights for being one of the best Russian sailors in the world! Sailing photo credits- Jesus Renedo For more Russian Sailing Federation Championship information, please contact Serge Kotsiouba (serge@ut-yachting.com) at UT Yachting in Port Grimaud, France.
(Houston, Texas)- The J/70 fleets in Texas, now three strong with Houston, Austin and Fort Worth/Dallas, have announced their "Texas Circuit" for the 2013 sailing season. For starters, these "southerners" are perhaps the most accommodating and fun-loving group of sailors you may ever run into. So, given any open time in your schedule, either drive down or volunteer to go down and join in on the fun as skipper, crew or volunteer.
The J/70 Texas Circuit includes the following events and venues:
Apr 6-7 Elissa Regatta- Houston YC
Apr 27-28 Audi Annual Regatta- Fort Worth Boat Club
May 18-19 Shoe Regatta- Lakewood YC
Jun 22-23 Leukemia Cup Regatta- Houston YC
Sep 21-22 HOOD Regatta- Houston YC
Nov 2-3 J/Fest Southwest- Lakewood YC
For more information, please contact Scott Spurlin at J/Southwest- scott@jboatssouthwest.com
(Buffalo, New York)- The Buffalo Yacht Club is honored to announce that we have been selected to host the inaugural J/70 Great Lakes Championship Regatta. Racing will be on August 10th and 11th and past Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Jud Smith will be hosting a clinic on August 9th.
Having recently run the extremely successful and competitive 2010 J/22 NA’s, 2011 LYRA as well as the annual J/22 “Raw Bar” Regatta, the BYC has demonstrated that it's a great place to sail and the fun continues once everyone is off the water. With 39 boats at Key West this year and 54 currently registered for Charleston Race Week – there is little doubt that the J/70 has quickly become a premier one design machine offering exciting sailing and strong camaraderie in an affordable package! The racing in the Buffalo Harbor offers consistent breeze and wave patterns perfectly suited for mind-blowing downwind surfing!
We are proud to welcome back TOWNE BMW & MINI as our title sponsor. The TOWNE Automotive Group has been a fantastic supporter of competitive sailing for 20+ years. Other sponsors are Doyle Sails, Mount Gay Rum, RCR Yachts and the Great Lakes Brewing. We look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones this summer! Sailing photo credits- Tim Wilkes. For more J/70 Great Lakes sailing information
J/109 Sailing San Fernando RaceA Magnificent Charity Race for Children in the Phillipines
(Hong Kong, China)- From its inauguration in 1977, when a group of sailing enthusiasts from Royal Hong Kong YC cruised down to San Fernando and raced back, this event has had a special place in the hearts of those who have taken part, not only for challenge of the offshore race itself but because they have enjoyed the warmth and camaraderie that surrounds it. It has also, through the support of the children’s home in San Fernando, been more than just a race; the San Fernando Charity Dinner being held on 15 March is a "must attend" event with "red carpet" treatment for the sailors in a spectacular location over-looking the harbor. In other words, it really is a "race to the party" that you simply do not want to miss-- it's for the kids, after all.
As a result, the race itself is a journey and the "means to the worthy ending"! And, it has seen everything the weather Gods could possibly throw at a fleet of sailboats offshore. Once the fleet escapes the warm and friendly confines of Hong Kong's famously busy, choppy harbor waters, the fleet sets off on a 480nm Category 1 Offshore Race from Hong Kong, China to San Fernando, Philippines. The weather can be especially capricious, from warm, sunny, spectacular northerlies pushing the fleet fast under spinnakers in benign "South Pacific" weather to epic monsoon-style storms with fresh to frightening breezes and steep, breaking waves kicked up by the currents.
The lone J/Team sailing this year is WHISKEY JACK, a J/109
owned by Nick Southward. The six crew includes three managing directors of local companies and this year, for the first time, only one lawyer. “Unfortunately we have made a serious tactical error and this year we have no young whipper-snapper, who would otherwise be changing sails as required throughout the race. This means that some of the more statesmen-like members of our crew will have to go forward of the cockpit, something that is unusual to say the least,” says Nick who has one San Fernando under his belt. “Last time, we had 30kts for two days and a steering gear failure which meant spending three hours upside down in the bowels of the boat trying to fix the relevant parts,” he recalls.WHISKEY JACK has entered the San Fernando “for the pleasure and fun of offshore racing, combined with a decent excuse to get “off the grid” for a few days where there is no email or mobile phone coverage,” says Nick and adds that he’s looking forward to “the first night, which will blow out the cobwebs, and then two more days of spectacular sailing including a visit from the dolphins, when we get closer to the Philippines, tuna sushi (the weight watchers have allowed a special dispensation of fishing gear) and the party on the Sunday night, and we do hope we will get there in time!”
WHISKEY JACK's previous results in offshore races include 2nd IRC Div 2 in the 2012 Rolex China Sea Race, 2nd in IRC in the 2011 Taiwan Straits Race and 4th IRC Div 4 in the 2010 Rolex China Sea Race. We wish them all well, fair winds and fast sailing! For more Royal Hong Kong YC San Fernando Race sailing information
J/Sailing News
The Sun Never Sets on J's Sailing Worldwide
The past week seemed to be a remarkable collection of J team experiences that ranged into the extremes of the sailing. For starters, the International Rolex Regatta hosted down in the Caribbean by the amazingly hospitable St Thomas Yacht Club is simply one of those "bucket list" events not to be missed in your lifetime. And, this year it was one of the best (aren't they all?) for the J/Teams that participated, including some amazing performances from the teams sailing a J/120, J/122, J/100 and J/39. Staying near the Equator, further west a fleet of boats took on what is generally seen as a classic surfing contest, the Newport to Cabo Race, that goes from Newport Beach, California down the coast to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. However, this year was not to be the case, as witnessed by two J/125s and a super-comfy J/160 still reaching down the coast awaiting their first "ceviche & cerveza!" Down Under, the J/24s held their South Australia Championships just north of Adelaide, SA. Now for the cooler, chillier stuff in Europe. The Warsash Spring Series continues with close racing for J/70s, J/80s and J/109s sailing one-design and in IRC 3 the J/97s and J/92s are dueling for class supremacy. Working further East, the J/80s in Spain recently completed their Trofeo MetroMar series off Santander, Spain, home to several J/80 World Champions. And, even further East the Championship of Champions of the Tigullio Winter Series raced matched J/80s for the Crown of Champion of Champions. Finally, even further east is an amusing travel experience for the first J/70 (and sailboat) to ever tour Moscow's Red Square in Russia-- in a blizzard! Lastly, there's a nice article on "J/70 Lessons Learned" from Bacardi Miami Sailing Week.Read on! The J/Community and Cruising section below has many entertaining stories and news about J/Sailors as well as cruising blogs about those who continue to enjoy the Caribbean and the South Pacific, staying warm while others are trying to stay warm up north. Check them out! More importantly, if you have more J/Regatta News, please email it or upload onto our J/Boats Facebook page! Below are the summaries.
Regatta & Show Schedules:
Mar 17-Apr 28- Warsash Spring Series- Warsash, EnglandMar 28-Apr 1- SPI Ouest France- La Trinite sur Mer, France
Apr 11-14- Strictly Sail Pacific (70, 111)- Alameda, CA
Apr 18-21- Charleston Race Week (22, 24, 70, 80)- Charleston, SC
May 3-5- Annapolis NOOD Regatta- Annapolis, MD
May 8-12- Semaine de Porquerolles (111)- Ile de Porquerolles, France
May 17-19- Seattle NOOD Regatta- Seattle, WA
May 18-20- J/24 German Nationals-
May 31-Jun 2- Southern Bay Race Week (24, 70)- Hampton YC, VA
Jun 7-9- Chicago NOOD Regatta (105, 109, 111)- Chicago, IL
Jun 7-9- New York YC Annual Regatta (111, 122)- Newport, RI
Jun 14-15- Off Soundings Regatta (105, 109, 120)- Watch Hill/ Block Is
Jun 15-16- Cleveland Race Week (70)- Cleveland, OH
Jun 19-22- J/24 US Nationals- Wayzata, MN
Jun 23-28- Block Island Race Week- (80, 35, 105, 109, 111, 44)- Block Island, RI
Jun 27-30- Kieler Woche (70, 80, 24)- Kieler Segeln Club-
Jul 4-7- J/24 UK Nationals- Plymouth, England
Jul 6-13- J/80 World Championships- Marseilles, France
Jul 13-15- Chicago Mackinac Race- Chicago YC- Chicago, IL
Jul 27-28- Youngstown Level Regatta (70, 24)- Youngstown, NY
Aug 9-11- J/109 North Americans- Chicago YC- Chicago, IL
Aug 9-11- Verve Cup Offshore (109, 111)- Chicago, IL
Aug 9-13- J/27 North American Championship- Oakville, Ontario
Aug 14-18- J/111 North Americans- Chicago YC- Chicago, IL
For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
J/Teams Sweep Rolex RegattaJ/120, J/100 & J/39 Win Classes
(St Thomas, US Virgin Islands)- The 40th edition of the International Rolex Regatta, which took place between 21-24 March, lived up to the event’s proud and esteemed tradition. 72 international yachts including crews representing Germany, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom as well as the customary large contingent from the Caribbean and the United States graced the competition held in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands.
Building breezes of 10-15 knots across the three days of racing guaranteed a tactically engaging competition. A hard-fought contest in CSA Racing 1 was forecast by Anson Mulder, tactician on United States J/120 EL OCASO. “Tight finishes are the norm and this year will be no different. Several competitors in our class have a shot at winning and past experience tells us LAZY DOG is one team that will be in the hunt. It will definitely be tooth and nail!” So it proved.
The competition was decided by the final race. EL OCASO, owned by Rick Wesslund, took the spoils winning four of the six races to finish ahead of Sergio Sagramoso’s persistent J/122 LAZY DOG from Puerto Rico. It was make or break time on the last day of racing. Rick sums up the fun on the final race this way, "After three days and six races total, it came down to the last race on the last day to determine the winner in our class. In the last race, we were in a dead heat with Lazy Dog. Sometimes we were in the lead, and other times they were. It was a real emotional roller coaster, but we just hung in there. We stayed on it and we won."
The CSA Racing 2 was in for a bit of a surprise as another past winner of the Rolex showed up to steal da'watch and win da'party! Kid-power prevailed in CSA Racing 2. St. Croix's Jack Bishop, with a crew of 14- to 17-year-old sailors aboard the J/100 BAD GIRL took home the prize. "The boat was out of the water for a few years. The owner, Rob Armstrong, wanted to get it back in primarily so the kids could sail," says Bishop, the lone adult who drove. "We finished the first and second days with a one point lead. Today, it was good crew work and staying out of the currents that paid off." Taking 3rd in class was Jonathan Lipuscek's J/105 DARk STAR, they had been the class leaders going into the last race, but unfortunately had to take a DNF/12pts in the final race to drop back down the ladder. The J/30 COMFORTABLY NUMB skippered Marston Winkles from the local host St Thomas YC won the last race to grab 6th overall!
While they may be going for "white sails only" racing (some call it "the blender division" for good reason!), the CSA Non-Spinnaker class saw one of the regattas most dominant performances. A double bullet day secured the lead for the J/39 CRYSTAL. "The first day we were in a three-way tie for first with Three Harkoms and Paladin," explains Puerto Rico's Jerome O'Neill, who skippered CRYSTAL. The second day, we won the only race of the day and it eked us into first. Our mission today was to cover Three Harkoms. We got another two firsts and that put the nail in their coffin." The J/36 PALADIN sailed by Stanford Joines from St Croix YC along with another youth crew sailed beautifully to grab third overall on a tie-breaker with another J/Team colleague, the J/95 SHAMROCK VII sailed by Tom Mullen.Another memorable Rolex St Thomas is now "in the can" and congratulations must go out to the St Thomas YC for being such incredible hosts, to Rolex for the vision to support one of the world's best regattas and to "Sir Canfield" for being top dog running the regatta as Chief PRO and race manager. Sailing Photos by Ingrid Abery/ Hot Capers- http://www.ingridabery.com For more Rolex Regatta sailing information
J/Teams Hope For Cabo Breeze(Newport Beach, California)- As one sailor described it, "When it comes to offshore distance racing, the prominent California races do a few things right: they are mostly in solid downwind conditions, they are mostly in warm weather, and they most certainly finish in desirable locations. The odd numbered years are the best, with the 800 mile Cabo San Lucas (Mexico) race in March providing a good tune-up for the 2,225 mile Los Angeles to Honolulu Transpac race in July."
But Mother Nature makes few guarantees and the 30 boat fleet that began the Cabo race (March 22-23) are clearly feeling cheated. It was a beautiful day for the PHRF Start off Newport Beach. 75 Degrees, blues skies, and 8 knots of Southwest breeze. The fleet got off to a great start and headed south to Cabo. The PHRF fleet encountered light and variable winds their first night offshore as they entered Mexican waters. Most of the fleet remained near rhumbline. However, the next day the wind conditions had not improved.
Thus far the race has been mostly upwind, and mostly in light winds. So bad were the conditions during the first 30 hours that three boats retired, including the two J/125s, TIMESHAVER's Viggo Torbensen of Dana Point YC and WEST COAST WARRIOR's Greg Constable from Nanaimo YC. Who can blame them, they'd gone less than 100nm in under 30 hrs!The leaders favored the inshore route as they exited California and 24 hours into the race, with some of the fleet abreast of the warmer Baja peninsula and the island of Todos Santos abeam, the fleet was expecting slightly better though not great wind conditions. To date, the further south the teams have progressed, the steadier the breezes have become. And, as a result it looks like the "big boats" will have their day in the sun and on the podium.
While their fast and furious J brethren have punted, the J/160 INNOCENT MERRIMENT sailed by Myron Lyon has been hanging in tough as nails and are leading the PHRF Division boat-for-boat. As things are progressing, especially since it's a reaching machine, IM should go faster and faster relative to their competition. So, there's still a good chance INNOCENT MERRIMENT can not only pull off a finish by Saturday, but perhaps even win her class! Fingers-crossed and our best wishes to Myron and crew!
For race-tracking and more Cabo Race sailing information
Chill Greets Warsash Sailors!(Warsash, England)- The Brooks Macdonald Warsash Spring Series continued for the second Sunday of racing on 24th March 2013. With a steady 15 knots mainly from the east, the wind chill factor dropped the apparent temperature down well below freezing but the conditions did not deter the enthusiasm and energy of competitors, some of whom had battled with the unseasonable snow to reach the Solent. All classes got away on time to complete the day’s schedule. The wind was at the lower end of that forecast and gusts to 28 knots did not materialize.
The Black Group team set up station near Flying Fish buoy in a constant NNE force 4-5 - ideal sailing conditions except for the temperature. The west-going tide combined with the NE wind helped keep boats back from the line, allowing all starts to get away cleanly. No one wanted to have the delay of a general recall. Courses of 13/15 miles were set basically of a windward/leeward pattern, using permanent and laid marks and with a finish close to Calshot buoy. The boats with slick sail handling did well. It was not easy for crew members to move nimbly wearing so many layers of clothing and with numb fingers. Competitiveness was to the fore, resulting in some hairy moments. Four sailors went overboard: three, all sensibly wearing lifejackets, were caught out when a lifeline snapped. For both incidents, neighboring boats quickly stopped racing and went to their assistance. Everyone was soon back on board, with no adverse effects and the Protest Committee is being asked to award redress to those boats that stood by.
The J-Sprit designs sailing in IRC3 continue to rule the roost. The J/97 JIGGERY POKERY helmed by Paul Heys took a 3rd this past weekend to maintain overall leadership by one point. Nick & Adam Munday's J/97 INDULJENCE was 5th and lies 3rd in fleet. David Greenhalgh & John Taylor's J/92 J'RONIMO is sitting in 5th after taking a 6th. In the J/109 class, only six seconds separated OFFBEAT (David McLeman) from JAHMALI (Mike and Sarah Willis). Notching up another first means OFFBEAT is on its way to establishing a healthy lead on the fleet. However, just behind them it's an absolute horse-race for the top five spots. Currently, JAHMALI has jumped into second position, followed by Owain Franks & Jean Lockett's JYNNAN TONNYX in third, David McGough's JUST SO in fourth and Ian Mackinnon's TIGH SOLIUS II in fifth.
Peter Knight’s White Group for sportboats was closer inshore where the wind varied between 15 and 19 knots with gusts to the low 20s. The windward/leeward course was set between hamblewinterseries.com and Meon buoys. The breeze was slightly shifty and by the last race the course was moved 15 degrees left. The J/70s and J/80s all enjoyed three races around 40 minutes each. The fleets so far have been well behaved, with only one boat starting early. In the first race BETTY (J/80 – Jon Powell) jumped the gun right by the committee boat but promptly returned, sailed well to recover and take second place followed by two wins in the subsequent races. BETTY has a five point lead over ROCK & ROLL (Gillian Ross) after five races, followed by Mark Baskerville's MISTRAL in third. Others fared not so well, taking a wide or very wide route round the leeward gate with spinnakers getting wrapped round the forestay or not coming down as quickly as the crews would have liked.In the smaller new J/70 class North Sails (Ruairidh Scott) was competing for the first time and took two firsts and one second places to move into 3rd position overall. But, Ian Atkins in Boats.com heads on series points counting three 1sts and two 2nds to date.
The Brooks Macdonald Warsash Spring Series takes a break over the Easter holiday and returns on Sunday 7th April, by which time spring must surely be in the air. In the meantime, the annual RORC Easter Regatta is being held from 29th to 31st March. Sailing photo credits- Iain McLuckie For more Warsash Spring Series sailing information
EL FIDELDO Smokes J/24 South Australians(North Haven, South Australia)- The CN Management South Australian State titles were held at the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia over the weekend of the 9th and 10th of March off North Haven, just north of Adelaide sailing in the challenging waters of Gulf St Vincent. A predominantly light wind event saw the local fleet joined by a few guest skippers chartered boats and one visitor from Victoria. Andrew Townsend pulled a crew together and entered JJF, while Jamie Goode returned to the fleet in NO EYE DEER after downgrading to a Farr 30 at the start of the year and Bill Coutts (the previous owner of JJF) was the guest helm in STOCKCAR. Special thanks go to Ron Thomson and the crew of KICKING BOTTOM who made the trip from Sandringham for the weekend.
With concerns about whether there would be enough wind for any racing, the race officer got proceedings underway in a very light and shifty breeze and had to rotate the course through more than 90 degrees before the two laps were completed. A slightly stronger and much steadier breeze allowed for a fairer 2nd heat however the 3rd race of the day was abandoned as the wind disappeared completely with most of the fleet getting swept north on the tide. With 2 wins EL FIDELDO were looking like the boat to beat with KICKING BOTTOM pushing them hard with 2 second places.Sunday saw one race completed in a light northerly before the wind started swinging to the west bringing the possibility of a sea breeze. Although the direction steadied, the breeze failed to build and the last two races were run in similarly light conditions. EL FIDELDO managed to maintain their unbeaten record with KICKING BOTTOM close behind and Dave Nicholson on SUCH IS LIFE finishing consistently at the front end of the fleet to secure third place overall.
Under PHS, it was Bill Coutts that took the honours by only half a point from Andrew Townsend with the other Townsend's in GOOD COMPANY taking third.
It was good to see almost all the boats at the CYCSA on the water for the weekend and great to have some competition from further a field. The next event in SA is the Great Southern Regatta, again held by the CYCSA, on the 6 and 7th of April. To secure our One Design start, it would be great to see as many boats on the water as possible. Details are available on the CYCSA website. For more J/24 Australian sailing information
Italy's Champion of ChampionsDone Italian-style with a Turkish Touch
(Lavagna/ Genoa, Italy) - CHESTRESS 3 won the 1st Championship of Champions, the event dedicated to all the winners of the 37th Edition of the Winter Championship of Tigullio Gulf that had sailed across several fleets and in different types of boats. The weekend event was sponsored by TURKISH Airlines and BLUE Project.
The event was unique in that all the boats were supplied to the competitors and the crews were assigned their J/80s by drawing lots.
The teams were greeted by a nice, steady Scirocco breeze of 8-10 kts for the weekend. Such steady conditions allowed the regatta's PRO to conduct the races without changing the race course! Taking advantage of the nice weather were the CHESTRESS 3 crew, skippered by Giancarlo Ghislanzoni. With the victories in the 2nd and 4th races and second places in races 1 & 3, the CHESTRESS 3 crew were declared the Champions in the Championship of Champions 2013- winning complete round-trip airline tickets for the entire crew on TURKISH Airlines between Genoa, Italy and Istanbul, Turkey!Following the CHESTRESS 3 team were AIA DE MA sailed by Luca Olivari in second overall, then SEA WHIPPET skippered by Vittorio d'Albertas taking third overall. Rounding out the top five were JENIALE! sailed by long-time J/80 Italy class champion Massimo Rama in 4th and CHICA sailed by Renato Mignone in 5th.
On Saturday night all the participants had a massive BBQ in a friendly atmosphere at the Club Nautico Lavagna. "All our participants have been very happy with the competition and with the J/80 - said Michele Rayneri of BLUE Project - and this is our greatest satisfaction and victory. BLUE Project's aim is to make the "Championship of Champions" an annual tradition and we hope with the support of Turkish Airlines again next year"!
Of note, the award-winning airline Turkish Airlines was voted "Best European Airline" 2011 and 2012 for "comfort, efficiency and top catering". Perhaps some of their American airline counter-parts could learn a thing or two from them!! After expressing his satisfaction with the the event, Mr Ufuk Unal, General Manager Turkish Airlines' Genoa HQ, awarded all crew members of CHESTRESS 3 with their prize- round-trip tickets Genova / Istanbul. For more Championship of Champions sailing information
(Santander, Spain)- The Spanish J/80 armada are slowly gaining momentum and as the spring continues to roll-on, the top J/80 teams are beginning to get into their "groove". As one might expect, World Champion J/80 teams like Pichu Torcidas' ECC VIVIENDAS and Ignacio Camino's NEXTEL ENGINEERING would be amongst the leaders of the regattas their teams sail in the spring.
This past weekend, the Trofeo Metromar was at stake for these hot J/80 teams, a series of races that takes place over several weekends. The final race is atypical of many J/80 events in that it was, essentially, an offshore point to point race. From the start, the fleet headed to the first buoy north of Santa Marina, then to the buoy of Molinucos, then returning to finish at the original starting line.
The race started with both ECC VIVIENDAS and NEXTEL leading the fleet. The twenty-three J/80s sailed out into the bay with their spinnakers flying, making for a color picture on the first Saturday of spring. At the first mark the wind shifted to the NE at 10-15 kts. The new breeze made the journey to the next mark fast and fun for the fleet.
The awards ceremony was very relaxing and fun. The winners collected their trophies, with ECC VIVIENDAS taking first overall, followed by NEXTEL ENGINEERING in 2nd and Alberto Padron's MAQUECHE in 3rd overall. Sailing well and finishing 4th was Jaime Piris on FONESTAR and in 5th was Javier Lopez-Vazquez sailing METROMAR.
Next on the Spanish J/80 schedule is the Cerveza Sol Trophy starting March 30th that will feature four days of racing spread over the next month. In addition, the weekend of April 13-14 will be the IX Trofeo Santander, the first event that counts for the Circolo Vela Montana (the mountain sailing circuit). Sailing photo credits- ChapiFoto.com For more J/80 Spain sailing information
Learning Curve: J/70 Sailing Lessons From the Front Lines @ Bacardi Sailing Week
(Miami, FL)- "The new J/70 has gathered a lot of momentum from coast to coast. Earlier this month, twenty boats competed at the 2013 Bacardi Miami Sailing Week making it the fourth major regatta in the short history of the class" says Terra Lee Berlinski.
She goes on to explain, "Participating in the regatta was Quantum San Diego’s Eric Heim who served as trimmer and tactician on board USA 98 owned by Al Poindexter. It was the crew’s first regatta together, resulting in a lot of lessons. Reflecting on the highs and lows of the regatta, the boat, what worked and what didn’t, Eric took away several lessons from the event."
As Eric describes of their experience, "During Wednesday’s practice, it blew 16-20 knots providing steady planing conditions. Upwind, the bowman and pitman hiked legs out while the tactician/trimmer hiked in ball form next to the winch, in order to make trim adjustments. This allowed the helmsman to focus on steering. It was helpful to cross-sheet the jib to the weathered winch and to foot rather then pinch through the waves. Downwind, the jib stayed open while planing to give more sail area in front of keel to help pull the bow down." Read more here about Eric's description on what they found made the J/70 sail better
J/Community
What friends, alumni and crew of J/Boats are doing worldwide
* J/160 HANA HOU! sailing the waters off Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii. Short cruises and day-sailing through-out the Hawaiian Islands can't exactly be the world's toughest sailing experience-- if anything it's simply paradise- forever. Warm breezes, 10-15 kts around the islands, 15-25 kts in the straits, clear azure-blue white-capped seas, whales, dolphins, turtles, neon-colored fish on every reef, not sure what anyone can do to improve upon paradise! Proud owner of J/160 hull #9, Doug McClaflin, recently sent us an update on the life in the middle of the Pacific. As he describes it, "We love our J/160! She rides majestically on her mooring in front of Waikiki Yacht Club in Honolulu. We're lucky enough to do a variety of races and cruises all year long!
I bought the boat in 2007 and had planned to race in the 2007 TransPac Race. The original owner was very good at stalling the close on the sale, most likely to maintain the higher price he wanted for the boat thinking I would agree in order to have the boat ready for the start line. As it turned out, I called his bluff and lowered the price, offering to give up the race since the boat was in San Diego. The owner agreed since he was about to lose the sale, so I ended up leaving from San Diego not officially in the race but did sail down with the fleet by being a non-official entry, safer that way to cross the pond and it was the second time I sailed to Hawaii on a J-Boat. The first time was on a J-46 as crew in the 2004 Pacific Cup. It was that first crossing that sold me on a J-Boat and took three years before I found "Hana Hou". "Hana Hou" in Hawaiian means "one more time", "do it again", "encore".
I race the boat in selected races, the first long distance race was 2008 from Oahu to Kauai getting first to finish and third overall missing first place by 9 minutes after nine hours of racing. My rating at the time was not favorable being my first Hawaiian entry, I believe it was -9 PHRF. I now have a 18 rating having convinced the rating committee that Hana Hou is a cruising boat......don't tell anybody. I do our beer can races on Friday nights, weekend warrior races and every year the 70nm Maui to Oahu Lahaina Return race on Labor Day. No around the buoys. We race for fun and a good time. Just won last month the "Best Dressed Boat" for opening day and the fun race after at Waikiki YC!I'm on the Board at Waikiki Yacht Club and Vice Chair Admin of the Honolulu Host Committee for this year's 2013 TransPac Yacht Race. We look forward to coverage for this years race as I believe we have some J-Boats entered. Aloha, Doug
P.S.- I selected the J-160 after meeting Rodney at the Oakland Boat Show many many years ago. Having stepped up from a Catalina 42 that I raced single-handed in San Francisco I now take out my J-160 alone quite often. Even set the kite on those perfect days alone. A great boat."
* J/70 Moscow Boat Show Report- Grigory & Dmitry of J/Russia where not only working hard selling both the J/70 and various J's at the Moscow Boat Show recently, they were also having fun playing "tourist" on the way home from the show. And, so they decided to take a "side trip" with their J/70 around Moscow's RED SQUARE! Imagine. Red Square remains, as it has been for centuries, the heart and soul of Russia. Few places in the world bear the weight of history to the extent that Moscow's central square does. Inextricably linked to all the most important historical and political events in Russia since the 13th century, the
Kremlin (built between the 14th and 17th centuries by outstanding Russian and foreign architects) was the residence of the Great Prince and also a religious centre. At the foot of its ramparts, on Red Square, is the 16th Century St Basil's Basilica, one of the most beautiful Russian Orthodox monuments and most famous pieces of architecture in the world. Then, across the square is the constructivist pyramid of Lenin's Mausoleum, leader of the famous Communist Party in Russia (then known as the Soviet Union or CCCP). Red Square is rich in symbols of Russia's turbulent and intriguing past. If you want to learn more about Moscow- read more here- http://www.moscow.info/ or on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Square.
The photos of the J/70 are taken in front of the Kremlin and Saint Basil's Cathedral. Yes, a J/70 actually went around Red Square without getting arrested, impounded or destroyed! In fact, it was attracting a crowd! Here's the photo journey of the J/70 MOJO in front of some famous landmarks before heading from Moscow back to Kaliningrad on the Baltic. Very, very cool stuff. On the right is what it looks like on a sunny day!We also believe the J/70 is the first SAILBOAT that has ever traveled around Moscow's Red Square in front of all those famous monuments, the Kremlin and all those other historical elements of Russian history. Next time Grigory & Dmitry, put up the mast, hoist the sails and spinnaker and go sailing around Red Square on the trailer!
Bill and Judy, at ages 65 and 64, retired to their J/42 sailboat JAYWALKER in 2000 and sailed into virtually every nook and cranny of the Mediterranean Sea during an eight-year cruise book-ended by trans-Atlantic passages. But that’s not why they should get the award.
They deserve it for being exemplars of the well-led sailing life free of the often exaggerated drama and inflated challenges that deter many from long-distance cruising under sail. And they deserve it for the article Bill wrote for the Wall Street Journal last December that carried their example far beyond the small world of sailing.
In the newspaper story, Bill tells of an odyssey in which the sailboat that was their home and means of travel gave the couple not only the pleasures of sailing on new waters but entree to a potpourri of some of the world’s most historically and culturally significant places and the people who inhabit them, all with little fuss.
There was a small setback at the start of the adventure, when Judy broke her wrist in an encounter with the mainsheet in boisterous weather on the first leg from Newport, Rhode Island, to Bermuda. But after that their story is one of smooth sailing, even when the sea wasn’t smooth, a tale so cheerful Bill even manages to put a positive spin on a root canal. Done in Italy, the procedure cost one-tenth of the going rate in the U.S. and “the work was first class.”
But, seriously, isn’t it a demanding challenge for a couple of Social Security recipients to sail thousands of miles in a big-rigged, high-performance sloop through the far reaches of ocean and seas and into ports bristling with navigational and even political hazards?" Read on here in SAILING Magazine's website.
* "Clean" goes sailing a J/111 in Auckland, New Zealand? Really. It's true. According to "Mr Clean" himself, Alan Block from Charleston/ Detroit, "Thanks to some shiny new Doyle sails and the sheer awesomeness that Clean brings to any team (HA!), DJANGO, the first J/111 to hit New Zealand, crushed the competition in her first outing; a Wednesday night on the harbour. In a fleet filled with whacky canters and huge-rigged sporties, the J/111 seems to go just fine, thank you very much! Postcard photo thanks to Atka Reid. The J/111 thread on Saili
ng Anarchy has one of Doyle NZ’s Andy Pilchard, triumphant owner AJ Reid, and Clean. Meanwhile, anyone looking to escape the Austral winter or otherwise interested in a month of J/111 one-design racing in Chicago should check this link out. The "D" in DJANGO, BTW is silent.* J/70 enthusiast and proud owner of RASCAL, Henry Brauer from Marblehead, MA and member of Eastern YC and New York YC was enjoying his trip to Chianti, Italy in the Tuscany region. Said Henry, "here's a toast to the J/70 crowd, enjoying a delicious local red chianti and look forward to seeing everyone at Charleston Race Week soon! Let's hope the weather Gods cooperate, if not I'll have plenty of good red chianti to offer Neptune for good measure!"
* J/160 AVATAR headed for the Caribbean, again! We LOVE these updates from our cruising J sailors that continue to criss-cross the Seven Seas. This one comes from Alan Fougere, sailing his beloved J/160 AVATAR. 
Alan sent us an email update commenting on their passage south this winter, "In mid-December AVATAR completed her sixth transit to her winter Caribbean home, Grand Cruz Bay, St. John, USVI (seen above) from her home port in Quissett (Falmouth), MA. A crew of three, Captain Alan (e.g. me), Crew Pablo Brissett and Mark Conroy, covered the 1,500 nm trip in in her best time to date- 7 Days 5 Hours, averaging 8.7 kts, that's about 208 nm per day! Amazing passage it was! Rainbow at right far offshore was some of the amazing phenomenon we experienced on this fast offshore passage.AVATAR will participate in the BVI Sailing Festival/Regatta again in 2013, where last year she won the Nanny Key Cup Cruising Class race around the Island of Virgin Gorda. Here are some photos for you to share with the J/Community at-large. Enjoy!"
Best, Alan Fougere/ AVATAR
* Bill & Judy Stellin recently had an interview about cruising on their J/42 in the Wall St Journal called "Retiring on the Open Sea". The Wall St Journal asked Bill to reply to dozens of questions that flooded into the WSJ's Editor desks. Here's the update:Retiring on the Sea: Answering Readers' Questions
Advice about selecting a boat, ocean crossings, itineraries and safety
The article in our WSJ Online December retirement report about eight years spent sailing the Mediterranean— "Retiring to the Open Sea"— prompted many questions and comments from readers. We asked William Stellin, who wrote the story, to answer some of the most common queries.WSJ- "What kind and make of boat did you use? Looking back, would you have picked a different boat?"
Bill- "In 1995-96, J/Boats of Newport, RI, came out with a new cruiser/racer model, the J/42. We bought hull No. 6 of this popular 42-foot sailboat and named it JAYWALKER. This was our fourth boat since beginning sailing in 1975.
Although long-distance cruising wasn't what we had in mind when we purchased JAYWALKER, it soon became apparent it had the ability to carry us easily and safely anywhere we wanted to go. Because the boat is light, it sails well in light winds, which means very little motoring is necessary.
People often ask (and argue) about what boat is best for cruising. Any boat that is strong, safe, fast, comfortable and easily handled by two people should fit the bill. One thing for sure, fast is fun—and important when trying to avoid bad weather."
READ MORE ABOUT BILL'S INSIGHTFUL COMMENTARY AND THOUGHTS ON WSJ ONLINE HERE
J/Cruising Community
J Cruisers continue their adventures around the world, below are a selection of most excellent "blogs" written by their prolific publishers. Some terribly amusing anecdotes and pearls of wisdom are contained in their blogs. Read some! You'll love it.
* The J/42 JARANA continues their epic voyage around the Pacific. Continue to read about Bill and Kathy Cuffel's big adventure cruising the South Pacific headed for New Zealand. Their blog is here: http://www.svjarana.blogspot.com/
* John and Mary Driver are sailing their J/130 SHAZAM for extended cruising in the Atlantic basin. At this time, John and Mary finished their double-handed crossing of the Atlantic, landing in Portugal on their J/130 Shazam after completion of their ARC Rally. Read the latest news at http://www.sailblogs.com/member/shazam/.
* Several J/160 owners are island hopping across the world's oceans, fulfilling life long dreams to cruise the Pacific islands, the Caribbean islands, the Indian Ocean and all points in between. Anyone for Cape Horn and penguins?? Read more about their adventures and escapades (like our J/109 GAIA, J/42s PAX and JAYWALKER and J/130 SHAZAM friends above).- SALACIA, the J/160 owned by Stephen and Cyndy Everett has an on-going blog describing some of their more amusing experiences (http://www.salacia1.blogspot.com).
- Bill and Susan Grun on the J/160 AVANTE are also sailing in the Pacific archipelago, read more about their great adventures on their blog (http://web.me.com/susangrun). Read about their latest adventures as they've gotten to New Zealand- "Avante Cruises the Pacific".
- Eric and Jenn on the J/160 MANDALAY also sailed the Pacific archipelago, read more on their blog at http://www.sailmandalay.com. Eric and Jenn are J/World alumni took MANDALAY up and down the West Coast (Mexico, CA), then to the South Pacific and New Zealand. MANDALAY is back in San Francisco now, and in the J/World fleet--she is available for skippered charters, private instruction, and corporate/executive groups.
J/Brokerage
The only way to stay out of "Harm's Way" is to buy her! The J/109 is a wonderfully performing design that has all of the comforts down below that rival any 35 foot sail boat. The cockpit is large and comfortable for the helmsman and the crew. At the helm the skipper has unobstructed lines of view of the course and the sail plan. Want to drive and trim the main? the backstay? This boat allows you to do this. Yet you can load up the race crew and go win races. Whether sailing with family and friends for a weekend overnighter, or racing this boat does it all, and does it very well! The helm feels light and lively, like all J/Boats!
"Harms Way" is a great J/109 that was purchased new and kept on fresh water until moved to Galveston Bay 4 years ago. The owner has reduced the price to aggressively sell this boat and and get "Harms Way" into the hands of an owner that can enjoy her.
Please contact Scott Spurlin at J/Boats Southwest for more information- phone- 512-335-2391/ email-scott@jboatssouthwest.com
FAST EDDY has had extensive work done to the deck and the hull. Boat deck and cockpit have been entirely re-done Summer 2012. She is now in great condition for a new owner.
She is a great fresh water boat. Ready to race or cruise. The J/130 made a big splash when she was first introduced to the sailing world in 1993. Winning Sailing and Cruising World Magazine's coveted "Boat of the Year" award unanimously beating out 11 other contenders, it was apparent that this was no ordinary racer/ cruiser. He "ease-of-handling" was a common theme noted throughout the judging process. The clean, functional and user-friendly cockpit and rig, along with its inviting interior were among many of the reasons for its success. All this being achieved without having to sacrifice any performance is a testament to the JBoats team and their ability to continuously deliver boats that are the industry standard for performance cruisers being designed today. The J/130 displays the performance of many 50 ft offshore races, but is easier for a couple to handle than most 35 ft cruisers. The carbon fiber mast and deep bulb keel make her an exceptionally stiff yacht.
Please contact Richie Stearns at Stearns Boating for more information- email- rich@stearnsboating.com/ phone- 312-994-9153
One of the world's most successful J/122s is for sale- hull #6 built in March 2007 by J/Europe.
PENN AZEN has been very successful since her launch in 2007:
- 2007 RORC IRC Class 1 season winner
- 2008 RORC IRC “Yacht of the Year”- plus 8 season’s awards
- 2009 Winner of UNCL Trophée Atlantique in class 1
- 2010 French Rolex Commodores Cup team and 2nd at Trophée Atlantique
- 2012 Cowes-Dinard race: 3rd in IRC Class 2 and 4th IRC Overall
Inside arrangement- 3 cabin version plus folding sea berths in the saloon – 10 berths in total
Sails- X-Voiles France- complete inventory for any offshore racing, including RORC Fastnet Race.
Electronics- Full set from NKE Electronics including carbon wind indicator, 3 mast displays and 2 cockpit displays, gyroscopic compass, gyro autopilot, plus Icom VHF with ASN and AIS receiver and Furuno GPS.
Please contact- Gwen THOMAS from Ouest Greement- P: +33 (0)2 40 82 66 65 or E: tgreementpornic@free.fr
Perhaps one of the nicest J/32 cruisers available. Not many worldwide! DOMAINE is a lovely boat which has had a huge amount of care and attention (and money!) lavished on her over the years by her single owner from new and he now wants to sell to get a newer J!
For more details please contact:
Prue Nash
Key Yachting Ltd
Email- Prue@keyyachting.com
Phone- +44-238-045-5669
J/124 WARBRIDE For SaleThe J/124 Warbride was commissioned and expertly set up by Waterline Systems, Quantum Sails, and Hall Spars. She is fully equipped and equally well suited for day sailing, cruising or racing
Down below is a full cherry interior, teak and holly sole, ultra suede cushions, cherry table, refrigeration and full galley.
One deck, she's effortless to sail short handed with an electric main halyard winch, port and starboard autopilot control heads, full cockpit cushions and a full dodger.
If your competitive juices are flowing, there's a full complement of racing sails, carbon spinnaker pole, and even a removeable sprit…..and of course the absolutely essential carbon wheel.
For more information, contact Tom Babbitt at East Coast Yacht Sales, 207 236 8656 or tom@ecys.com.
J-46 STREGA For Sale
The J/46 STREGA was one of the last J/46s built (hull #39) and shows in "new boat" condition. She has many options including J-Boat installed supplemental refrigeration, power SSB and cruising packages. Her features include a 76 hp Yanmar diesel, a Mastervolt 7.7 kw generator, 630 amp house batteries, two zone air conditioning, primary power winches, a three cabin cherry interior, two heads, hot and cold pressure water, 120 gallons of water, 88 gallons of fuel, 19” television, varnished rails, Raymarine electronics and Doyle sails.
Extras include an automatic engine compartment fire extinguisher, six person Avon life raft, 9’4” Zodiac dinghy, storage box for dingy fuel tank, Radio/CD/DVD player, propane grill and numerous other custom features.
Typical of all J-Boats, STREGA sails beautifully and handles well in all weather conditions. Boat yard maintained and stored indoors STREGA is a must see for anyone interested in a mid-40s cruising sailboat.
For more information, please call Bruce Taymore at 617-529-3991.
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In the J/80 one-design class, racing was tight, with lots of crowds at every mark-rounding. Nevertheless, in the end, it was JOIE DE VIVRE sailed by class leader Laura Vroon that led the last three races to win the overall series title-- crowned as J/80 Queen of Netherlands Sailing! In second was B Holsboer sailing JUUL and in third was H Everwijn racing ELFJE. Top Belgium team was T de Jonghe on DJ in 5th, top German team was Chris Savoye on MENTAQUILIBRIUM in 7th and top Spanish team was E Scheeren on JALAPENO.
The local J/24 Councillor d'Aloisio Mayo said, "Despite the decidedly hostile winter season, the Race Committee was able to sail the 15 races scheduled in three days. Most importantly, forty-eight new sailors battled for the trophy and, thanks to the commitment, patience and professionalism of the owners we have transformed the occasion into a coaching/ training session for everyone. This trophy was born, in fact, to give the opportunity to many fans to learn the world of racing and the J/24 and the Roman fleet, to grow constantly! A special thanks goes to all those who participated, to the owners of the Roma J/24 fleet, the Head of J/24 Fleet Paul Rinaldi, the Navy League of Anzio, which organizes the trophy with the support of volunteers, the Race Committee and the Italian Navy Sailing team in Anzio." 
For this year's event, the Campeonato Centro de la Republica Cordoba, it was Pablo Despontin's team on CARRER that managed to win by the narrowest of margins. With 21 boats on the water of Lago San Roque from Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Mendoza and Neuquen the fleet managed to sail three races over the course of three days, such is the case with mountain breezes!
* J/70 Fleet Southwest continues to expand and there are many new faces that have been joining the fleet and having fun. Some members have already been traveling to various J/70 regattas, while others are just taking delivery and getting ready to jump into the J/70 Southwest Circuit.
- Al Poindexter- seen here recently took delivery of Hull #98 in time for Key West Race Week. We properly christened his boat at the Sail tuning day he so graciously organized. Al races out of LYC in Seabrook, Texas and has been enthusiastically sailing his boat, including Key West, St Petersburg and also Bacardi Miami Sailing Week.
- Steve and Sheryl Strout- have been re-invigorated by the new J/70 and have taken hull #178 home to Fort Worth. They are members of FWBC and will be joining the J/70 teams on the circuit this season as it begins to unfold. It's always exciting to put together that first circuit! In years to come as people scroll through the historical results that first circuit series winner will always be remembered!
* J/120's Detroit Fleet- are these guys simply fun? Or, just plain crazy? In either case, they're "committed" and thank goodness they are. In the dead of 
winter, one of the worst in years in Detroit (thanks to global warming, of course), J/120 owner Frank Kern (famously of CARINTHIA fame and a Commodore of Bayview YC) recently took some photos of the J/120 teams preparing their berthing area at Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit for summer sailing in 2013. Cool. Literally. This year there will be six J/120s there and they HAD to mark the area in the BYC marina now known as "J-Land" to celebrate!! Good on ya mates! Standing on frozen ice to commemorate the occasion!! Love it. :)