(Warsash, Southampton Water, England)- For the third week running, the challenge greeting competitors in the Warsash Spring Series on 27th March was how to get their boats along in light conditions, when the breeze rarely reached double figures. Global warming perhaps? After affects of the thrice-decade "super moon" phenomenon? For Black Group, a half hour lull gave three classes a real test to round the first leeward mark where a large parking lot built up. However, a gentle wind returned, with some classes completing their courses whilst others were shortened. White Group, off Hill Head, experienced an even shiftier breeze and did well to get the planned three races in for J/80s.
IRC1-B sees Niall Dowling's crew on the J/111 ARABELLA hanging tough in very trying light and variable conditions, lying second with a very consistent 2-3-3 score and is lying in fourth overall IRC just four points outside of third.
In IRC3 Jamie and Mike Holmes J/97 JIKA-JIKA continues to lie second on a tie despite a disastrous thirteenth. In fact, tied for second is Andy Howe's J/92 BLACKJACK that has a consistent 7-8-5 for 20 points. Bill Blain's J/97 BATFISH IV is still learning the ropes and is currently in 11th.
The
sixteen boat strong J/109 class continues to see Dave Mcleman's OFFBEAT
lead the fleet with a 6-3-3, remarkably consistent despite the often
challenging conditions that leave other teams gasping for air wondering
where to go next! However, sailing nearly as well is Mike and Sarah
Wallis' JAHMALI with a 9-4-1 just two points back. And, not to be
counted out of the front of the fleet yet is Dave McGough's JUST SO with
a 3-9-5 for seventeen points. Interesting. To finish in the top three
of the J/109 class you have to be averaging under sixth (6th) place?
Holy Jersey Cows!! That's an epic, anxiety-inducing average, to beat
(or meet), eh?! To give you some perspective, last year's "high rollers"
who could do no wrong, Dave and Kirsty Apthorp's J-DREAM are blasting
along with a 4-2-18th?? Next weekend is sure to jumble the standings
again. Never, ever a dull moment in this fun, exciting racer-cruiser
class. In the J/80s, Stewart Hawthorn (JUMPING JENGA) has a three point advantage over Patrick Liardet (AQUA-J) whilst Dan Brown (HENRI-LLOYD SHOCKWAVE) in third is just one point ahead of Terry Palmer (JUST DO IT). But, lurking just behind this group is John Cooper on OI!, getting a 2-2-1 in his last three races to simply prove a point-- they're just getting tuned up and on track! For more Warsash Spring Series sailing results. Sailing Photo credits- Eddie May Gallery
On
Saturday Class C and D started in light to moderate winds. By Sunday, a
massive front with strong breezes and very choppy waves hit the
tail-end of the Cabo fleet (see photo to right), primarily affecting the
big boats in Class A & B that started a day later than Class C and
D. A and B basically got hammered and a bunch of top boats dropped out
later on Sunday, early Monday morning (California "sleds" and modern,
lightweight "wedges of cheese" cannot sail well upwind, period).
Meanwhile, SoCal was drowning in water with record rainfalls generating
road closures and massive mud slides. Pacific Coast Highway (Route 1)
was washed out and Santa Barbara set a record of 6" rainfall in 24 hours
with yet more to come. Perhaps some of those J/24s and J/105s in SB
Harbor may be put to good use as second homes!
On
Monday afternoon, fleet compression was occurring as the
northwesterlies filled in and continued building behind Class C and D.
With approximately 300 NM to go (finish line off harbor to the right),
the fleet saw increasing pressure from the NW, which usually dominates
the Baja peninsula this time of year. By late evening, the night-time
pressures increased to 18 knots along the lower Baja California
peninsula and the entire fleet flew chutes with increasing speeds
through the night, taking advantage of a clear, moonlit sky with warmer
winds. The Monday afternoon Anarchy report from Frank's INVISIBLE HAND
was, "Well, as expected, the last 36 hours on the course were full of
challenges. The A & B classes that started Saturday got the full
impact of the southerly system and the retired casualty list is larger
than those still racing. The boats in our class (C) had very light
winds out of the south. We looked OK at yesterday's check-in but after
24 hours beating into a light southerly we could not overcome the
longer waterline of our class competition so we slipped a place but held
the same in the overall. The GRIBs have been consistent so we still
have some running to look forward to over the next few days and
hopefully reel in those that slipped by. To still be in full foulies on
the 3rd night was not what we expected and the shorts are still in the
crew bags. This is not what they said it would be in the brochure! The
boys on deck just unfurled the Code-0 and dropped the Light #1 to see
if we can get a bit more out of the new J/111. We've got our work cut
out for us, back to the grind." 
By
Monday nightfall, it was amazing to see the Class C and D boats locked
in a very strategic duel with roughly 170NM to the finish (winds looking
like this photo to right!). It was a very interesting strategic mix
off Cabo San Lozaro in the early hours of the moonrise as the Class C
and D boats were making tactical turns downwind and a break for the
beach for offshore-wind pressure or better sailing angles by going
slightly outside on the right side of the course. It was in this part
of the race were some boats made significant gains and others lost out
some distance on their competitors--- the J/111 INVISIBLE HAND happened
to be one of the latter. The afternoon Anarchy report from INVISIBLE
HAND stated, "we were finally able to stop sailing upwind Monday and had
a spinnaker up by late afternoon. The morning check-in showed what we
expected with us still in 3rd in class since the prior 24 hours still
included a lot of upwind work. Since dark we started to put on pace
with winds of 10-20 knots. There were pretty large swells rolling
through with another direction wind wave so driving was challenging as
the stern quarter kept getting checked around. The 6am morning
scheduled radio report had us 17 miles behind the Beneteau First 40.7
NOAS 2 with 179nm to the finish. To our surprise we spotted them and
crossed several miles in front by 2:45pm this afternoon. So we made up
quite a bit of miles in just under 9 hours with boat speed in the 10-13
knots range. We have about 90nm to the finish so we hope to be able to
make up more of the time lost on course while sailing upwind. The
swells have now reorganized and are allowing us a much better average
not fighting to keep the boat on course. Finally feels like we entered a
Mexico race, the Sun is finally out and so are the shorts. Hopefully
the wind will hold and we will finish in the wee hours Wednesday
morning."
As
for the racing, it seems that the Congo line dancing to music was
translating onto the race course with home-boy Benz Faget leading the
J/22s home with nearly all firsts sailing his great yacht called,
appropriately, FATS (a New Orleans famous jazz musician). Second was
Bob Muller with nearly all seconds and third was another local boy,
Dwight LeBlanc III sailing WAVEMAKER well enough to almost spoil the
party for Muller to snag second place. 
*
Speaking of offshore racing and cruising experiences in far-flung
islands and harbors across the Pacific, ever hear of renowned French offshore sailor/cruiser Jean Rheault? Jean is yet another J/41 aficionado, sharing a love for the beautiful, rakishly ended IOR J/41 along with other notable sailors you may know like Ken Read of PUMA and Scot Tempesta of Sailing Anarchy
infamy. Jean has loved the J/41 for years, sailing it across the
Pacific and continues to do so today sailing in the fabulous waters off
Malaysian and Indonesia and Thailand. He bought his first J-41 in 1997,
MERRIMAC, which he lost on the Sable Island sand bank on a trip from
Newport, RI across the Atlantic to the Azores Islands (note- it was the
same MERRIMAC sailed by Bob and Stu Johnstone in the 1985 Admiral's Cup
trials in Newport). Jean then bought his current J/41, now called SOUAY
I, in Newport Beach CA when it was named SEQUOIA. He then
single-handed the J/41 across the Pacific to Thailand where it got a
brand new teak deck with a bimini salon cockpit and a V-berth.
After
sailing in December in the Kings Cup (Phuket, Thailand), winning Modern
Classic Class BTW, Jean says, "I am sailing solo from Phuket-Thailand
to Pattaya-Thailand, via Singapore. I bring SOUAY I in the Indian Ocean
to do the area regattas. Now I am sailing back to China Sea, there are 2
regattas this spring-- Top Of The Gulf in Pattaya and the Samui
Regatta." After that, SOUAY I heads back to Ocean Marina near Pattaya
are south of Bangkok. Jean encourages any J lovers to visit him in
Thailand, SOUAY is available for day and event charters- he says "the
wind is 10 to 12 knots 80% of the time, weather is 28C to 32C all year
long and the ocean is at 30C. 
It's
simply spectacular sailing. Plus, SOUAY I charms everyone who's seen
and sailed her with her beauty and her grace-- everyone loves her- from
Olympic sailors who appreciate the J-Boat helm sensation, to very famous
TV and Movie Stars in Thailand, they lay back in the big cockpit bed
under the bimini, relax and drink a glass of cool white wine, and then
they want to stay for a life-time..... not joking!" No worries there
Jean, we believe you based on these beautiful and amazing pictures of
your experiences with many new-found sailing friends!
