Wednesday, June 5, 2019

J/Crews Dominate Tampa Bay to Ft. Myers Race

J/112E Silver Surfer on Tampa Bay, FL
(Fort Myers, FL)- The 2019 Tampa Bay to Ft. Myers Race included 30 teams for the 100.0nm coastal course along on the Gulf of Mexico.  Hosted by the ever-welcoming Davis Island Yacht Club, the race dates back to 1946; it starts inside Tampa Bay just off the Davis Island YC in Hillsborough Bay and the fleet heads southwest out underneath the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, leaving Passage Key to port, and a straight blast down the coast to the finish off Ft Myers/ San Carlos Bay inlet buoy.  It was a fast race this year, with most boats finishing in just over 13 hrs of racing- about a 7.5 kts average!

In the thirteen-boat PHRF Spinnaker Class, the J/Teams led a near sweep of the to five slots.  Winning was George Cussins’ J/105 FIRE & ICE by over four minutes to Roger Gatewood’s J/42 SHAZAAM! in second place. Fourth was Harvey Ford’s new J/112E SILVER SURFER, and fifth place went to David Arata’s J/105 JHAWK!  In the PHRF Racer-Cruiser Class, Renee Ben-Avraham’s J/30 THERAPY took the silver medal.  For more Tampa Bay to Ft Myers Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.