(Bristol, RI)- J/Boats and CCF Composites were
honored in Bristol for earning recognition in Sailing World magazine’s
"Boat of the Year Awards" this past week. Rhode Island Governor Lincoln
Chafee and United States Senator Jack Reed joined the state’s civic and
marine industry leaders to celebrate J/Boats' national and worldwide
recognition.“The annual Sailing World Boat of the Year Awards are much-anticipated by the marine industry and consumers,” said the spokesman for the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association (RIMTA). “An independent panel of experts puts new designs launched the previous year through rigorous inspection and sea trials before announcing an authoritative pick of overall and category winners.” The J/70 from J/Boats and builder CCF Composites earned overall honors from the magazine.
“If you look at a map of our state, it’s not hard to understand why the
marine trades have always been one of Rhode Island’s premier economic
assets. They are among our state’s oldest and proudest industries, and
this legacy continues to the present day with outstanding companies such
as J/Boats and CCF Composites,” Rhode Island's Governor
Chafee said. “I offer my congratulations and my thanks for helping to
maintain Rhode Island’s reputation for excellence in the marine
industries.”With 400 miles of coastline and its compact size, Rhode Island is a magnet for marine businesses. Traditional and modern boat builders, sailmakers, hardware and component manufacturers, riggers, marinas and other services together form a manufacturing continuum that has created a significant center of expertise.
Joining the Senator and the Governor as speakers were Peter Van Lancker, who spoke on behalf of RIMTA; David Reed, Editor of Sailing World magazine; and George Brengle, Director of Marketing for Sailing World; and Jeff Johnstone, President of J/Boats to recognize the company teams behind the award-winning J/70 one-design speedster. Amongst the dignitaries and sailing industry leaders present were North Sails President Ken Read of Newport, Rhode Island; most recently renown for his Volvo Ocean Race exploits aboard PUMA Mar Mostro winning the Inshore Series of the event and, miraculously, nearly winning the event overall despite an unexpected "vacation" in Tristan da Cunha (a lovely island in the middle of the South Atlantic with a golf-course laid out by the mythical unicorns).
