Awesome NORTH SAILS Raffle
(Newport, RI)- The J/105s have not only created a fun new J-105 Tour- the mid-summer Narragansett Bay Championship- but they've managed to up the ante and pull together a great set of sponsors and program this coming summer for all J/105 sailors worldwide! Plus, it gives you expert "A-sail" speedsters the chance to rediscover why Larry Ellison (a J/Boat owner) has Newport as one of his choices for AC34. So, all J/105 sailors in twenty+ countries around the world- Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Chile, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Malta, Monaco, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, South Africq, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, USA- need to have fun in Newport this summer, could be good training for your next AC efforts!First, the racing and social events. In addition to the Coastal Living Sail Newport Regatta on July 10-11 and the New York Yacht Club Rolex Race Week on July 17-18-19 (both with great apres' sail activities), the J/105s added an exciting weekend of in-shore buoy racing, the West Passage Regatta on Aug 7-8 at Wickford Yacht Club. For the out-of-towners, the racing area for the first two regattas is south of Newport in Rhode Island Sound. For the third event, Wickford Yacht Club is running numerous races with shorter legs to emphasize tactical skills with starts and mark-roundings, avoiding the long courses that often spread out the fleet too much; it should be very exciting for skippers and crew.
Second, the sponsors are offering fantastic support and serious "swag" for regatta participants. If you don't have a J/105 to sail, you may want to find one fast! Here's why:
* NORTH SAILS will also donate a NEW “VMG-Force” J/105 spinnaker to the charity raffle on Saturday night, August 7, benefiting the Wickford Sailing Association’s junior program – for a modest $50 tax-deductible ticket you have a shot at a $3,600 spinnaker with “flatter sections for easier light air flying in tighter angles in winds of 10 knots or less.” All J-105 owners are eligible to purchase a ticket, even if crewing on another J-105. The catch? YOU must be present to win.
* NORTH SAILS is conducting a free on-the-water clinic to all comers on Friday afternoon, August 6 and will provide a mark-set boat for the West Passage Regatta.
* WEST MARINE is giving away a lot of free gear to all skippers and crew who attend the Saturday night BBQ, in honor of opening its new superstore in Newport and will provide special prizes to the top finishers in the regatta.
* SAMSON RIGGING is offering its latest high-tech sheets and halyards to the top three boats in the West Passage Regatta.
* WATERLINES is offering a J-105 half-model perpetual trophy to the winner of the Narragansett Bay Championship and coupons to the top three boats for free J/105 replacement parts.
* BREWERS WICKFORD COVE MARINA is offering half-price haul-outs and power washes, and $50 per week dry storage, to make it reasonably painless to bring your boat from afar and keep it here for the four weeks of great sailing! Bring it on!
