In what may be a record turnout in recent years for the J/30s, seventeen boats showed up for the NA's for some great racing. The top three spots were hotly contested with only six points separating the top three at the end of the seven race (one throw-out) regatta. The winners, Steve Buzbee's well-oiled machine on BLUE MEANIE, sailed well to consistently place in the top five, garnering a 1-2-1-1-7-1-5 record. Second only two points back and coming on very strong in the later half of the regatta were Bengt Johansson's cast of characters on FUZZY WUZZY, racing to a 4-1-6-2-1-2-3 score. Rounding out the top three were Bill Saltonstall and gang aboard ARABELLA, sailing to a 2-5-3-4-3-3-2 tally.
The J/30 Class has gotten well-organized and have made great efforts to ensure J/30 owners are having fun and enjoying the camaraderie of one-design class racing-- taking a few pages out of other J One-design organizations like the J/24 Australian Class and J/80 class, the J/30s are providing a great class website along with forums and current news and information about class members and their activities aboard. BTW, the artwork is credited to long-time J/30 sailor, Martha Quigley-- she was part of the Starlight Express crew that to this day still holds the fastest time to finish in the Marblehead to Halifax race. She also has a history with the J/30's in that her brother had one for a number of years here in Marblehead and she spent quite a bit or time racing on it. See Martha's gallery of work at- http://www.landfallgallery.com/ Read more about sailing the J/30 Class and their NA's