STRATOS Takes J/105 Easterns(Perth Amboy, NJ)- The Raritan Yacht Club of Perth Amboy, NJ hosted their 69th annual Red Grant Regatta on July 11-12 as part of the yacht club's 150th anniversary celebration. The regatta hosted 56 boats including nine J/105s and nine J/109s, along with several PHRF spinnaker/non spinnaker and cruiser classes. The weather was typical summer conditions for Lower NY Harbor/Raritan Bay with warm temperatures and light breezes of 5-8 knots.
Bengt Johansson and the crew from ZIG ZAG won a very tightly contested J/109 East Coast Championship. Nine boats from New England, Long Island Sound, Chesapeake and New Jersey raced in the regatta.
Both days had a light Southeast breeze in a strong cross current. After about an hour postponement on Saturday the race committee managed to get two races off before the wind dropped below 3 knots. Racing was very tight with Rosalita, Mad Dogs and Zig Zag tied for first and Morning Glory and Emoticon tied for fourth after the first day.
Sunday the postponement was a bit longer before the breeze settled in at about 5 knots. Racing was again very tight with several boats leading at some point. At the second windward mark the wind got very light and the leader Rosalita briefly got stuck in a hole and got passed by Cosmo, Morning Glory and Zig Zag. This enabled the set up for Zig Zag to win the regatta with Rosalita second and Morning Glory third.
The Zig Zag crew included the entire Johansson family- including Bengt & Marie with sons Oscar & Victor and four other friends.
The East Coast Championship was the third event in the 2015 East Coast Regatta series that included the mandatory National Championship at Block Island Race Week, the 2015 NOOD Regatta at Annapolis YC, and the 2015 East Coast Championship at Raritan YC. This trophy was awarded to Bill Sweetser and his Rush crew for capturing first place at the NOOD Regatta and second place at the 2015 J/109 North American Championship.
In the very competitive J/105 fleet, Marcus Wunderlich's STRATOS edged out Paul Zajac's SKAL in the last reach of the last race to win the race and take home the regatta trophy by a point over Ann & Gary Myer's MAGIC. MAGIC was unbeatable the first day of the regatta, taking all the bullets. SKAL took third overall.
Over on Circle A, the PHRF Racing classes were sailing all together. In PHRF A1, four J/29s were sailing against a J/92— about the same length boat! Prevailing amongst the J/crews was Jim Mackevich’s J/29 FOR SAIL, finishing 4th in class. Just behind in 5th place was Tom & Julie Sinatra’s J/29 SMOKIN J and in 7th position was Sandra Gray’s J/29 MOJO.
The PHRF A2 racing class had eight J/Boats teams in a fleet of eleven boats! As a result, those J crews took 6 of the top 7 places. Steve Buzbee’s classic J/30 BLUE MEANIE took 2nd in class. Just behind them, a tie-breaker determined the outcome for two J/24s with Dan Busch’s BUSCHWHACKER taking 3rd while Doug Olsen’s OUTER LIMITS took 4th. Next was Tim Mahoney’s J/80 CANNONBALL in 5th
In the PHRF Day Cruiser race, it was Donna Paganos’ J/35 TEN YEARS AFTER that managed a relaxed 7th place in class.
The regatta benefitted the charity Easter Seals of New Jersey and had the lead sponsor of Goslings.
For more Red Grant Regatta sailing information
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