(Annapolis, MD)- Nineteen J/30s showed up to the starting line for the
2011 J/30 Intergalactic North American Championship hosted by the
Annapolis Yacht Club. 19 boats! That is way cool. Proof that you
can't relegate that old war-horse onto the ash-heap of yachting
history. Au contraire! J/30s have seen it all, survived it all,
changed the paradigm for 30 foot racer-cruisers forever, and continue to
demonstrate why their loyal owners love them so much. It's a great
combination of a good performing boat, easy to handle by a small family
and can cruise comfortably. And, there were some spectacular examples
of J/30s lovingly restored to what really look like "better than new"
boats! Perhaps the J/30s will one day have a "Grand Prix
concours'd'elegance" themselves, eh?!The racing was close and the lead changed hands several times. Fittingly, four boats won races over the course of seven total. The top five was not locked in until the dust cleared after the final, seventh race! Leading the charge home to the top of the podium was Dave McConaughy's WHITE BOAT from Hampton YC. Dave's crew seemed to ride one heckuva roller-coaster over the seven races, nearly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory! Starting with a 6-4, this "average white band" of sailors ran off with three 1sts, then just about tossed the regatta away with a mind-blowing 8-8 in the last two races to win by only four points. Fighting tooth and nail all weekend was Steve Buzbee's BLUE MEANIE up from Raritan Bay YC. Steve's team managed a steady 2-7-8-5-2-5-4 for 33 pts to get the silver. Just behind him were three boats that had to beat one another in the last race to secure 3rd. Winning the tie-breaker for third was Bob Rutsch and Mike Costello sailing BEPOP from the host, Annapolis YC. On the losing end of that stick was fellow club member Grealy Putnam taking fourth racing BETTER MOUSETRAP. Perhaps the "long-distance" award goes to Whitney Kent from South Shore YC in Milwaukee, racing the beautiful navy blue RAFIKI to fifth overall, book-ending their record with a 1st in the first race and 2nd in the last race!
BTW, for RAFIKI, please be sure to read in the J/Community section the loving, remarkable story about two teenage girls racing her double-handed off Milwaukee in the Queen's Cup on Lake Michigan. For more J/30 North Americans sailing information
