Thursday, April 29, 2021

GREAT LAKES COLLEGE KEELBOAT RACING ANNOUNCEMENT!

J/105 sailboats sailing offshore
(Chicago, IL)- The 2021 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta will be held September 24th to 26th in Chicago, IL. This annual fall regatta provides an opportunity for collegiate sailors to experience offshore keelboat racing with past participating teams coming from college sailing programs in the Midwest and beyond.

Chicago T10 and J/105 fleet members provide the sailboats and are on-board during racing as a safety precaution. The collegiate sailors drive, crew the boat, and manage strategy and tactics. Chicago-area yacht clubs provide facilities, and the fleets provide financial support, participant gifts and awards.

The regatta consists of windward/leeward buoy races on Lake Michigan offshore of Chicago. Teams arrive on Friday and have the opportunity to practice on their assigned boats that afternoon. Race committee attempts as many races as possible all-day Saturday and on Sunday morning. Award ceremonies are Sunday during lunch and teams have the afternoon for travel back to campus.

Past participating college teams have included; Michigan, Michigan State, Miami of Ohio, Hope College, Western Michigan, Wisconsin, Grand Valley State, Toledo, Northwestern, St. Mary’s College of Md., Michigan Tech, Minnesota, Ohio State, South Florida, Miami, Baldwin Wallace, Indiana University, Marquette, Cleveland State University, United States Naval Academy, University of South Carolina, Notre Dame, Illinois-Chicago and more.

Past participating Chicago J/105 one-design fleet owners have included; THE ASYLUM, SEALARK, VYTIS, FLYING PIG, GANGBUSTERS, KINSHIP, and more....hopefully many more this year! Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

GREAT START TO CHESAPEAKE SAILING SEASON

J/70 sailing Annapolis NOOD Regatta
(Annapolis, MD)— The Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta returns to Annapolis, April 30 to May 2, for its 33rd edition, with more than 160 teams expected to race in boats ranging from 20 to 40 feet. The annual spring regatta, which is considered the premiere local sailing event of the year, also serves as the unofficial kickoff for the robust and thriving Annapolis sailing scene.
 
“What I’m hearing is that a lot of sailors have been using the downtime of the pandemic to work on and improve their boats while also going to school with webinars all winter long. They’re keen to apply all that learning to the race course for real,” says Dave Reed from SAILING WORLD, which co-hosts the event with Annapolis Yacht Club and other area yacht clubs. “After a year of so many regatta cancellations, sailors are ready to get back to racing in a big way. The Annapolis NOOD has always been an amazing event, and this year will be no different.”

The Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta series is the largest national sailing circuit, with Annapolis serving as the third event of five, along with regattas in St. Petersburg, Florida, San Diego, Chicago, and Marblehead, Massachusetts. At each regatta, one team is selected as the overall winner, earning a berth at the championship in the British Virgin Islands in late October.

J/22s sailing Annapolis NOOD Regatta
With such national prestige and a reputation for its professional race management, the Annapolis NOOD continues to be a major draw for competitors from all points of Chesapeake Bay and afar. This will be especially true in late April as competitors registered in two of the regatta’s largest classes will be using the event to train for major class championships later in the year. 

The J/70 class, for example, will host its North American Championship in early May in Annapolis and its World Championship in California in August, so organizers expect a high number of professional sailing teams will be in attendance, training and studying the venue’s challenging winds and tides. In addition, the J/111 class (36-foot/seven crew) will host its North American Championship at the NOOD.
 
“We’re especially excited this year,” says competitor Bill Carruth, who races with his wife, Linsley, in the J/105 class. The J/105s will have its North American Championship in Annapolis in October. Their NOOD fleet could have as many as 30 of these 35-footers. “It is a blast to have so many J/105s on the starting line,” Carruth says. “These are good sailors and they know the rules, so we tend to be aggressive, which makes it’s entertaining and exciting.”
 
In all, 11 classes will compete over three days, on race courses set on the waters south of Bay Bridge and immediately outside Annapolis Harbor and the U.S. Naval Academy, which will also field teams across a few classes. Regatta organizers have also added a new competition with the North Sails Doublehanded Distance Race where two-person teams will one day-long endurance race on Saturday, May 1, starting and finishing at entrance of the Harbor.   Sailing photo credits- Paul Todd/ Outside Images   For more Annapolis NOOD Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

GORGEOUS J/109 FOR SALE

Brokerage J/109 cruising sailboat for sale
Hop aboard this J/109 and be welcomed into an incredibly spacious cockpit outfitted with a suite of brand-new B&G marine electronics. Included are a 12" touch screen Chart Plotter at your helm, and three displays forward at the top of the companionway. There's also an ICOM VHF radio mounted to the port side of the helm, ergonomically easy to reach controls for the newly rebuilt autopilot ram. She's also equipped with a binnacle compass, shore power at her stern, manual and electric bilge pumps, hot and cold transom shower, and a stern mounted swim ladder. Relax comfortably on her set of five, white ultra-leather cockpit cushions and listen to the impressive Kenwood 60-Watt sound system.

This J/109 is equipped with the removable transom dock box for extra storage. Should you wish to return to One Design racing- this is super-easy to take off her transom. To port is her propane locker and to starboard is an ample storage locker that is accessible from both a wide deck hatch and an access door at the rear of her head.

As you proceed forward along her side decks, you'll see that ALL her running rigging is new! Two-tone light grey decks compliment her flag-blue hull. There's a new dove grey helm cover, matching dodger and set of four winch covers. A solar powered vent fan in her forward hatch for constant fresh circulation of air as well as screens for all her hatches! Deck hatches were replaced with OEM in 2019.

In terms of sails, you won't find a better outfitted J/109 on the market! She has a new main, and jib built by North for the 2019/2020 season.

Learn more about this "Bristol-condition" J/109 sailboat for sale that is currently located in Maine and ready to go cruising at a moment's notice!Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Monday, April 26, 2021

SAVE OUR SEAS (AND LAKES) WITH ROBOTIC MARKS?

MarkSetBot robotic mark for sailboat racing
USA pioneer MarkSetBot and their colleagues in Switzerland- WaterSportsMarks- were celebrating Earth Day along with many regatta organizers that hope to take advantage of such ground-breaking technology. 

There's no better day to make a commitment to running clean, sustainable regattas than to consider the use of robotic marks for at least the port end of the starting line and for the windward mark, the two most "changeable" marks on a race course.  

A true test of the MarkSetBot solution was at this year's Charleston Race Week. With winds hitting 19 kts and currents traversing the courses at 3.5 kts, it was probably the most severe test yet of the robotic mark's capabilities.  A huge "bonus" was that NO ONE could carry away the mark by hooking the ground tackle on their keels-- a common site in year's past sailing on Charleston Harbor. This resulted not only in reduced anxiety for nervous skippers, but also dramatically reduced logistical burdens on the PRO's regards having to cancel and restart races!

Swiss Watersportmarks.com
In partnership with SAILORS FOR THE SEA and 11th HOUR RACING, our MarkSetBot friends had this to say on improving good practices regards our environmental impact:

"We're committed to fostering sustainable practices on and off the water. Here are our favorite ways to make an impact at your next event. If you're looking for more ideas or to become a certified Clean Regatta, check out our friends at Sailors for the Sea (you can even earn Clean Regatta status by using our Bots!).
  • Eliminate single-use items like plastic water bottles, straws, bags, and dinnerware.
  • Host a beach, marina, or boatyard clean-up in conjunction with your regatta.
  • Ensure proper waste bin placement and signage to educate participants on composting and recycling and divert food waste from landfills.
  • Use paperless event management, including use of whiteboards, online regatta management systems, or email to share regatta information and results.
  • Spread the word about your sustainability initiatives and why a Clean Regatta is important to you. Your work might inspire someone else to make an impact.             
Bonus Tip! Use MarkSetBot robotic buoys to set and adjust the course. Simple and efficient, robotic marks eliminate the need for seabed destructive anchors and fossil-fuel-burning power boats whose sole purposes are moving around marks. At the end of the race day, they can even be charged via solar power.

MarkSetBot has been recognized by Sailors for the Sea, World Sailing, and 11th Hour Racing as an impactful way to make your regatta more sustainable. Plus, robotic marks make on-the-course social distancing easier by drastically reducing the number of people needed to set the course.  Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Saturday, April 24, 2021

J/122 OFFSHORE CRUISING RACING SAILBOAT FOR SALE

brokerage J/122 used sailboat for sale
Currently in Marblehead, MA, this well-maintained J/122 is in excellent condition and has current upgrades to its full-race North Sails inventory and and a full complement of electronic equipment. She is ready to do Bermuda Race or Halifax Race. "Turn-key" full race or full cruise!  She is the one head, twin aft cabins layout. Lots more to see. Please contact  J/Dealer Hill & Lowden for more details. For more information and contact click link here Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Friday, April 23, 2021

NEWPORT 2 ENSENADA RACE PREVIEW

Newport to Ensenada Race poster(Newport Beach, CA)– Nearly 170 boats will cross the start line of the 73rd Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race, April 23rd off the Balboa Pier. Perhaps the cleverest element of the event is the race organizers- NOSA- have offered three courses to the intrepid adventurers that cannot wait to get out on the open, unrestricted, Pacific Ocean! Talk about "horses for courses", more than two dozen J/Teams are entered in all three ocean "sprints".  The classic race goes from Newport Beach/ Balboa Pier start line to Ensenada, Mexico and that start line has 120 boats doing the 125.0nm passage.  Twenty boats will take the day-race course down to Dana Point (about 25.0nm) and forty boats will take the mid-range course around the Coronado Islands and finish off Point Loma in San Diego.  

A big "thanks" to everyone for good behavior and helping to reduce COVID restrictions. And, an even bigger "thanks" to the Mexican Navy offering landing assistance so that sailors will be able to safely disembark and enjoy Ensenada.

Answering that "siren song" to go offshore seems innate and is a common bond for many sailors. In a 1962 America's Cup dinner given by the Australian Ambassador at the Vanderbilt family's former estate- The Breakers- then USA President John F. Kennedy made some prophetic remarks about that passion on September 14th, 1962. Listen to it here. He explained:

"I really don't know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea, except I think it is because in addition to the fact that the sea changes, and the light changes, and ships change, it is because we all came from the sea. And, it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have, in our veins, the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it, we are going back from whence we came."

President John F Kennedy sailing with family

Recently, when one person about to sail the race was asked "why sail the N2E", he commented:

"There’s a misconception about yacht racing, boat racing, in that some think it’s stuffy, blue-blazer-boring kind of stuff. But, in reality it's not. Sailing is a fun passion-based hobby, in which everyone has a story about overcoming adversity. Sailing is really about solving problems; things break as boats do and you figure it out. Perhaps the best part? It's sitting with a crew member at the helm in the middle of the night, 30 miles offshore, freezing, talking about life, watching the moon; man taking on machine and nature, the whole thing is magical.”

J/105 sailing to Ensenada, Mexico
Sailing the classic N2E course are John Staff's J/111 OBSIDIAN, Scott Torrance's J/124 FORGIVENESS, Dave Gorney's J/105 NO COMPROMISE, Chuck Bowes' J/29 RHUMB RUNNER, and Brian Kerr's J/92 DOUBLE DOWN.

Taking the fast-track out and around the Coronado Islands to San Diego is the largest collection of J/145s ever- four of them- including Robert Pace's ANDIAMO 2, Roger Gatewood's KATARA, Ernie Pennell's MORE MADDNESS, and Rudy Hasl's PALAEMON. Joining them will be Tom Pollack's J/124 MARISOL, Dean Stanec's J/130 NIGHT'S WATCH, Derek Gaertner's J/27 PROJECT 53, Fed Hayem's J/46 MISTER J, and Mike McCarthy's J/88 BLUE FLASH. On a PHRF overall handicap basis, that will be one remarkably competitive division!

J/145 sailing offshore
Another tough collection of J/Crews are sailing the Newport to Dana Point race. Talk about a wind-sprint! Taking a "swing for the fences" in this race are Joaquin Cobelo's J/109 MARIAH, Matt Campbell's J/120 ADIOS, Charles Brewer's J/124 HEARTBEAT 4, Jock McGraw's J/22 TEKEELA, Tom Garrett's youth team on the J/70 SLOOP JOHN B, and the duo of Richard Bennett & David Matthews on the J/92 FIREWATER. 

As pandemic restrictions have been lifted, options for social activities have increased. The annual Yachtsmen’s Luncheon and pre-race dinner at Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, albeit without the infamous crowds, are being held. Plans for Sunday’s trophy ceremonies at the festive Hotel Coral and Marina are still being determined, pending the number of revelers, and in coordination with the host city’s guidelines. In light of Ensenada’s restrictions on large gatherings, Sunday afternoon’s awards ceremony, always joyful and celebratory, may be conducted in shifts.  For more Newport 2 Ensenada Race sailing information

On social media, follow all the action on these links:
Facebook.com/newporttoensenada
Instagram.com/newport_to_ensenada
Twitter.com/newsfromnosa
 Add to Flipboard Magazine.

FASTNET RACE COURSE RECORD SET BY J/70 SAILOR & J/22 CAY SUPPORTER!?

MOD 70 Powerplay sailing on Solent, UK
In the "you won't believe what J/Sailors are doing when not sailing their J's" department, J/70 sailor Peter Cunningham and J/22 Youth sailing program supporter from the Caymans Islands Sailing Club has been exploring a few adventurous, if not extreme, elements on his "bucket list". Recently, his POWERPLAY Team tackled the Fastnet Race course record in his MOD 70 trimaran (a wee-bit different VMG than his J/70!). Here is their report.

Rolex RORC Fastnet Race course
Led by Peter Cunningham and skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield, the MOD 70 POWERPLAY completed the original Fastnet Course of 595 nautical miles in a new record of 25 hrs 4 mins 18 secs.

“It was kind of ambitious, but the conditions were right, and the team was ready to go,” commented Peter. “The POWERPLAY crew was fantastic. Miles (Seddon) did a brilliant job navigating, we had two wonderful drivers in Ned Collier Wakefield, who set up the boat and runs the program, and the fastest sailor on Earth- Paul Larsen- who drove in some incredibly bad conditions.”

Shortly after midday on Monday 05 April, in a bitterly cold strong northerly wind, POWERPLAY started their Fastnet record attempt crossing the Squadron Line off Cowes, Isle of Wight. 

MOD 70 Powerplay off The Needles, Isle of Wight, UK
POWERPLAY made short work of racing to Lands' End and powered across the Celtic Sea at speeds in excess of 30 knots. POWERPLAY rounded the famous Fastnet Lighthouse and raced through the night. On Tuesday 06 April, at 13:42 and 19 seconds BST, POWERPLAY reached the Plymouth Breakwater, where the team celebrated their amazing run of 25 hours, 4 minutes and 18 seconds.

“We didn’t leave much out there, we were pushing really hard and everything aligned,” commented Skipper Wakefield. “I am not going to lie, it was pretty full-on, especially in April with an arctic northerly with snow around. With the apparent wind we saw 50 knots over the deck, and we hit a top speed of just under 40 knots. The lads did a brilliant job, changing sails about every half an hour. It was rough, physical and very cold. As a crew, we have done cumulatively over 50 Fastnet Races, we love the course, and to do it faster than it has been done before is really cool.”

MOD 70 Powerplay team
PowerPlay Crew for Fastnet Course Record: Peter Cunningham, Ned Collier Wakefield, Tom Dawson, John Hamilton, Paul Larsen, Jack Trigger, Miles Seddon, Martin Watts.   More about Team POWERPLAY

Thursday, April 22, 2021

LANDSAIL TYRES J/CUP ANNOUNCEMENT

J/70s sailing at J/Cup
(Southampton, England)- Key Yachting is delighted to announce the launch of the 2021 Landsail Tyres J/Cup. This will be the first major regatta in England following the proposed final stage of the UK Government roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions.
 
"Landsail Tyres are thrilled to once more be supporting the J-Cup regatta," said Chris Saunders, Landsail UK Brand Manager. "This will be Landsail's seventh regatta and being the first one after Covid restrictions are expected to ease - it is going to be extra special. The J/Boats community always delivers exciting racing, and we can't wait to see who comes out on top this year!"

J/109 sailboats starting
Hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club, well over 50 teams are expected for the exclusive J/Boats regatta. Three one-design classes will be competing including the J/70 Class and J/109 Class. The J/111 Class has the added thrill of competing for the National Championship. A variety of J/Boats crewed by friends and family, as well as professional sailors, will be racing in organized IRC Classes.

J/CUP Awards banquet
The Landsail Tyres J/Cup invites all J/Boats owners and crew to take part in three days of exciting racing in The Solent with daily prize givings. The most coveted award at the Landsail Tyres J/Cup is the J/Cup itself, which will be awarded at the J/Cup 2021 Dinner.
 
J/99 sailing offshore
“A big thank you to Landsail Tyres for their continued support of the J/Cup, this is going to be a lot of fun,” commented Key Yachting’s Wayne Palmer. “For over 20 years this has been the event that brings the J/Boats family together and that is especially important in the current climate. The Key Yachting team is just as passionate about the regatta as the hundreds of sailors that will be taking part. We are determined to make it a memorable event for everyone involved.”   Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth/ PwPictures.com  Event Reporter: Louay Habib

The 2021 Landsail Tyres J/Cup is open for entry. Online registration and race documents including the Notice of Race can be found at YachtScoring Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

2022 J/24 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN CORPUS CHRISTI!

J/24 sailboats off start
(Corpus Christi, TX)- The International J/24 Class Association (IJCA) will hold its 2022 World Championship at Corpus Christi Yacht Club in Corpus Christi, Texas USA from July 14th to 22nd, 2022. Due to pandemic-related concerns, the scheduled host for the 2021 Worlds in Mendoza, Argentina will move to a later year. 

Brad Stokes, Regatta Chair, said, “Corpus Christi Yacht Club, host of the 1988, 1982 and 1979 J/24 North American Championships and recipient of the US Sailing St. Petersburg trophy for excellence in race management is pleased to welcome J/24 sailors to experience our favorable wind conditions and our southern hospitality.”

IJCA Chair Will Welles added, “We are very pleased that Corpus Christi will host the 2022 Worlds, and we are hoping that many teams will come and compete in this great sailing venue!”  Sailing photo credits- Priscilla Parker. For more J/24 Class sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/121 SILVERS @ RORC SPRINGS SERIES 2

J/121 Darkwood sailing on Solent RORC series
(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The Royal Ocean Racing Club continues its Offshore Spring Series on the Solent this past weekend. The races are designed to provide around 5 to 7 hours of racing around government marks in and out and around the Solent. Blessed with more solid spring sailing conditions, several of the J/Teams that are participating are beginning to find their strides as they work out nearly a year's worth of "rust" from not being on the race track. 

This past weekend, it was Mike O'Donnell's J/121 DARKWOOD that took 2nd IRC Overall in the fleet of twenty-five-boat IRC Class. Other J's in the top ten included Andy Theobald's J/122 R&W in 8th, Rob Cotterill's J/109 MOJO RISIN' in 9th, and David Ward's J/92 JACKDAW in 10th.  For more RORC Offshore Spring Series sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

AWESOME 25TH ANNIVERSARY CHARLESTON RACE WEEK!

J/88 sailing at Charleston, SC
(Charleston, SC)- Expectations were high for this year's celebration of the 25th anniversary of Charleston Race Week. Hosted at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina, the dozens of volunteers from the Charleston Offshore Racing Association (CORA) delivered in spades after more than a year off. With the added bonus of having the weather Godz cooperate for once, most all fleets were able to fulfill their full schedule of races, with most one-design fleets experiencing ten races after three days of sailing!

J/70 woman skipper Maggie
The sailors experienced mostly sunny days with southerly winds; with winds varying from southeast to southwest, depending on the degree of cloud cover, and breezes ranging in velocities from 6 to 16 kts. As usual, the mostly ebbing currents of up to 3.5 knots played havoc with laylines both upwind and downwind for many sailors...many boats "doing donuts" after hitting one of the robotic MarkSetBots being used as marks. 

A total of 188 boats in 16 classes were finally able to celebrate the 25th anniversary race week in Charleston, SC. Not surprisingly, passionate J/Sailors across the country couldn't wait for this rendezvous with destiny! Of the 188 boats registered, 103 of them were J/Boats sailors (a stunning 55.0% of the fleet)!  

J/70 sailboats starting
The regatta featured five one-design J/Classes, including J/22s, J/24s, J/70s, J/88s, and J/105s.  In addition, there were two “Pursuit-style” sailing divisions for both PHRF and ORC handicap rated boats that included a J/30, J/35, J/109s, J/111s, J/120s, J/121s and a J/122. 

Starting with the biggest fleet in the regatta, the J/70s near runaway winner was Bruno Pasquinelli's STAMPEDE. With the red bull billowing broadly on their big white chute, there were most often seen at the front of the fleet, posting seven podium finishes to win with just 24 pts net; quite a feat in this hotly contested fleet! Joel Ronning's CATAPULT returned to their regatta-winning form and gave the Stampeders a good run-for-the-money, but were not able to close the gap fast enough on the last day, taking the silver with 40 pts net. Rounding out the podium was Mike Goldfarb's WAR CANOE, winning two races on their way to earning the bronze with 43 pts net.  The balance of the top five include John Heaton's Chicago team on EMPEIRIA in fourth and Dave Jannetti's VERY ODD in fifth. 

The J/70 Corinthians Division was won by Henry Filter's Napolitan crew on WILD CHILD, followed by Alex Meleny's TRUCKIN in second, and Mike Sabinash's SABOTAGE in third position. 

J/24 one-design sailboats off Charleston Harbor
The large 19-boat J/24 class saw a full-blown duel take place for class honors. In such a classic confrontation, it was the final race that determined the outcome for the two protagonists that are well-known amongst J/24 class veterans- Kirk Reynolds on TYRUS and Aidan Glackin on MENTAL FLOSS. After trading off bullets in the first six races, it became a war of attrition to see who would blink last. In the end, it was Reynolds' TYRUS crew that avoided the "send it down the mine shaft" race to win by two points. Glackin's MENTAL FLOSS crew sailed a stellar series, save for their 9th place in race 2 that slowed down their chances for the win. Watching the fireworks taking place all weekend-long from the bleacher seats was Denny Vaughn's HABANERO, themselves winning two races but suffering from inconsistency to settle for the bronze. Rounding out the top five were Chris Stone's VELOCIDAD and Jim Thurlow's FORTITUDE in fourth and fifth, respectively. 

J/22 sailboats sailing Charleston Harbor
The J/22s were subject to a good'ole butt-whippin' by Justin DaMore's YEM team, counting seven bullets in their scoreline to win with a mere nine points net. An easy second-place performance was earned by Fed Plasecki's CoC 7 team with 17 pts. net. The bronze went to Nathan Bowen's USA 8 team with 29 pts. net. 

J/88's sailing on Charleston Harbor
A near-dozen J/88s showed up for some of that famous southern hospitality and no one left disappointed. Great sailing, great food, spirited competition across the board. Such was the evenness of the racing that every single boat on the podium had a double-digit race to get discarded, a first to be sure for this class. Sitting in third place after the first day, brothers John & Jordan Leahey's DUTCH from Chicago, IL decided they were ONLY going one-way on day two- "go left young man" was the local advice they heeded in spades. For four straight races, they would start at the port end of the line, check-in with the tour guides at Fort Sumter, stamp their ticket for being the ONLY boat in the left corner, then proceed to the windward mark to rejoin the fleet. A winning formula it was for that day! They were rewarded with three bullets in four races to leap to the front of the fleet at the end of the "moving day" (the second to last day of the regatta). The final day dawned gray and served up the most bizarre wind conditions of the regatta. Not doing themselves any favors, the DUTCH team posted their second-worst race of the regatta with a 9th place. That left the final race to determine who amongst the top three teams would win the regatta. In the end, the DUTCH'ers traded in their "left turn signal" for a "right turn signal" in the finale...and rolled the dice. In short, that strategy worked again..."when in doubt, hit a corner", if not left, then why not right?! LOL. DUTCH won the final race to take class honors by 4 pts. Second went to their arch-nemesis in the hotly-contested J/88 Chicago Fleet- Andy Graff's EXILE. Just three points back, after torpedoing their chances at a class win with a DFL in race 9, was Justin Scagnelli and Tim Price's ALBONDIGAS from the Long Island Sound J/88 fleet. The balance of the top five included Brian O'Malley's BLUE in fourth and Andrew Weiss' ONE TOO MANY in fifth.  

J/105s sailing on Charleston Harbor, SC
Not surprisingly, the J/105 fleet was treated to a complete "white-washing" by Ken Horne's Houston, TX team on FINAL FINAL. Proving themselves in the 2019 J/105 North American Championship in Marblehead, MA with a second place, Horne's crew continues to post strong performances in the class. After nine bullets in nine races, they elected to not sail the last race and went home. The Schaedler/ Taylor duo on WHISTLER posted eight podium finishes in their final tally to take home the silver. Third was Joe Highsmith's DEAD ON ARRIVAL with 35 pts net. The rest of the top five were Joe Pitcavage's SPECTACLE in fourth and Bill McKenzie's RUM FRONT in fifth place. 

J/122 Teamwork sailing on Charleston Harbor, SC
The ORC B Offshore division was treated to a podium sweep by three top J/Teams. Winning for the millionth-time was Robin Team's J/122 TEAMWORK with 6 pts net. They were challenged hard by two J/121s. Bob Christoph's LOKI traded bullets with TEAMWORK in a few races, but that was not enough to overcome TEAMWORK's consistency. Both teams tossed 3rds (!) but LOKI had to count one more third to settle for second place. Third was Bill Wiggin's & Ashley Maltempo's WINGS. 

J/121 LOKI sailing Charleston Harbor, SC
In PHRF A Pursuit Spin division, J/Teams took six of the top eight places. Richard Moore's J/120 KEELFORCE took the silver with Bob Musor's J/130 SCEPTRE earning the bronze. Fourth was John Keenan's J/120 ILLYRIA, sixth Willy Schwenzfeier's J/35 ARROW, seventh Ed Goss' J/36 SOUL, an eighth Bill Hanckel's J/120 EMOCEAN. 

J/120 sailing on Charleston Harbor, SC
The PHRF B Pursuit Spin division, the Warrior Sailing Team took third place with their J/95 WARRIOR 95, while Mark Swatta's J/30 LAS BRISAS finished fifth. 

Thanks to Quantum Sail Design Group for its team of professionals that did on-site daily weather briefings, discuss tactics and strategy provided on-the-water "live" commentary on all racing circles. For more Charleston Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Monday, April 19, 2021

J/9 DAYSAILER UPDATE- DECKED OUT, LOOKING GOOD!

J/9 daysailer hull decked in Bristol, RI
(Newport, RI)- J/9 #1 is decked and in final assembly at CCF Composites in Bristol, RI. She looks nearly ready to sail! The deck hardware is installed, most of the interior components are fitted, and the after-deck finish work is underway. Next week, the keel will be fitted and then the boat will head to International Marine for bottom paint followed by an early May launch.

J/9 daysailer deck
We’re looking forward to hosting an active demo-sail schedule in Bristol and Newport from mid-May to mid-June and then the J/9 will be displayed and sailed (in the pursuit class) at Storm Trysail’s Block Island Race Week. Thereafter, demo-sails will be available out of Stonington, CT for July and August, and back in Newport for September.

J/9 daysailor cockpit
Despite the industry shortage of labor and raw materials, we’re happy to report that CCF Composites has pulled out the stops to get J/9 production up and running. Hull #2 (RCR Yachts) is in assembly and hull #3 (Sail California) is in the mold. The target is an initial production rate of a boat every two weeks by summer and then ramping up from there to handle the backlog of nearly 30 boats. For more J/9 daysailer information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Saturday, April 17, 2021

2005 J/133 FOR SALE

J/133 brokerage sailboat for sale
The J/133 is the embodiment of the J/Boats ethos - setting a new standard for race-winning speed under multiple handicap systems, stability for shorthanded cruising, durability for rough offshore passages, an easy to manage sail plan and performance cruising comfort. 

The J/133's generous sail plan provides performance in both breeze and light airs, and with a low center of gravity, makes for short handed stability while eliminating the need for multiple sail changes across wind speed bands. 

Her generous cockpit and aft led lines deck layout transit readily from day sailing, to single handling to fully race crewed. 

J-HAWK features the coveted performance cruising triple cabin interior and was factory loaded with many upgrade packages including her deluxe satin finished cherry joinery, a well-equipped double sink galley with refrigeration, stove and microwave, and Ultra-Leather pearl upholstery. Comfortable sleeping for 6 combined with excellent storage systems in each cabin plus port and starboard seating in the main salon provides comfort space and luxury for anything from day trips to blue water passage making. A MUST SEE cruising sailboat to fulfill your dreams of sailing the Seven Seas! Learn more about this J/133 brokerage sailboat for sale here- https://jnet.jboats.com/listings/2005-J133-YCgd7FzUAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

Friday, April 16, 2021

THE EASTER REGATTA

 J/24s sailing Easter Regatta

(Columbia, SC)- Sailed in J/24s since 1987, THE Easter Regatta has been one of the world’s most popular and enduring J/24 events. It offers an excellent mix of shore side events and world-class competition. Whether you are an amateur team attending your first regatta or a professional team contending for the top prize, you will find something that impels you to return year after year!

Launching J/24s with a cherry picker
The Columbia Sailing Club offers first-class facilities, such as the new Bath House at the beach and camping area! Their “never-leave-the-club” option offers free camping (first-come, first-served), meals every day, and parties galore! The beautiful peninsula and gorgeous beach provide an unparalleled camping experience. Most importantly, the down-home southern hospitality tied everything together. This is the tradition that J/24 competitors have come to know and love. 

J/24 sailor's towing rig
The fourteen J/24s were thrilled to be sailing on Lake Murray. Three races were completed, and it was a battle to the wire. Winning by just one point was Chris Stone's VELOCIDAD over Charles Bumgardner USA 555. James Howard's CLASSIC completed the podium. Rounding out the top five was John Hirsch's DAZE OFF in fourth and Fred Wiedeke's CARAMELLA in fifth position.  For more J/24 Easter Regatta sailing information