SAIL 22 J/70 TUNING REGATTA- A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE

(Coconut Grove, FL)- Over the course of our "pandemic winter" of 2020/2021, there have been several imaginative events that were created for sailors that enabled them to go sailing in a safe, healthy way and adhere to any known pandemic "safe behavior" guidelines.

One of those events in Florida has been Ed and Becky Furry's SAIL 22 J/70 Tuning Regatta. The first event took place on Tampa Bay hosted at Davis Island Yacht Club and the second just took place off Coconut Grove (south Miami) with host Shake-A-Leg providing launch/ docking facilities. The dozen J/70 teams that participated enjoyed two days of very nice spring sailing on the gorgeous aquamarine waters of Biscayne Bay. The goal for the event was "training" and not focused on "winning". As such, there was constant on-the-water coaching and discussions amongst teams regards boat-speed, boat-handling, and sail trim/ rig tune setups. 

In the end, several notable teams participated that offered their expertise to others, as well as picking up a few pointers themselves! Those teams included Pam Rose's ROSEBUD with Willem Van Waay aboard (3x J/70 World Champion crew), Laura Grondin's DARK ENERGY with Taylor Canfield providing guidance (multiple Match Race World Champion), Brian Keane's SAVASANA, and Buddy Cribb's VICTORY with Greiner Hobbs directing traffic (a multiple College All-American).

On the leaderboard, it was David Janetti's VERY ODD topping out the dozen crews, perhaps learning fastest from all the training/ speed lessons. Second was Chicagoan John Heaton' EMPEIRIA and third was Pam Rose's ROSEBUD. Kudos to class newcomer Doug Newhouse on YONDER and Lauran Grondin's DARK ENERGY for each dialing themselves in well-enough to win some races against very talented teams. Thanks to the Furry's SAIL 22 for organizing such a productive, helpful event (http://www.sail22.com). 
For more SAIL 22 J/70 Tuning Regatta sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

ST PETERSBURG NOOD REGATTA PREVIEW

 

(St Petersburg, FL)- The Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta is excited to be heading back to St Petersburg! Perhaps a different calendar weekend, but that's OK as long as it means the sailors are thrilled to be back in St Petersburg and back to one of our favorite clubs- St. Petersburg Yacht Club. The leadership at SPYC are determined to roll out the red carpet for all and hope there is always fun to be had on race day! Three days of racing are planned from April 2nd to 4th on Tampa Bay.

Even though no after sailing socials this year, the entire St Pete NOOD team will treat you to coffee and pastries on the main dock each morning and meet you right back there after racing with a cold beer!! Muchas cervezas, por favor!! Thanks to the beer sponsor Anchor Brewing, there will be coolers overflowing with "coldies" waiting on the docks when you return! Sounds awesome, a great break and antidote to the "pandemic blues" from the past year!

J/Crews across the spectrum are participating, many for their first regatta in well over a year.  In the North Sails Doublehanded Division are two J/112E's; Chris Zibailo's DOPODOMANI and Harvey Ford & Tom Mistele's SILVER SURFER.  Joining them will be Tarry Grimsdale & Bill Wingrove's J/35 ROCKET!

In the Cruising World Rally Race will be yet another J/35- Jose Suarez Hoyos' NO WAY JOSE- as well as David Mendelblatt's J/24 FAT LADY. 

Hoping to make their mark in PHRF 2 Division will be a trio of J/Teams; including two J/105s (Mitcham Stephen's BREEZIN BAYOU and George Cussins' FIRE & ICE) and Bob Wetmore's J/29 FAMILY CIRCUS. Sailing in PHRF 3 Division is Herb Maguire's J/22 HOLY MOLY!! 

On Circle C are two J/One-Design classes. Notable teams in the seven-boat J/70 class are Steve Knoop's AMERICAN FLYER from Chicago Yacht Club, Alex Meleny's TRUCKIN' from Vineyard Haven Yacht Club, Chris Schoendorf's TAZ from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and four crews from host St Petersburg YC (Jody Abrams' BSTF, Matt Braun's ELE, Tim Snyder's MORE THRILLS, and Preston Weaver's HELLY HANSEN JR CREW).

The J/24s should have an interesting battle with four bows pointing across the line as it could be reduced to multiple match races to determine the winner. Participating in that free-for-all is Mike Beattie's DAZE OFF, Andy Garrett's IRISH, Eammon Delisser's MAIN SQUEEZE, and Katie Nelson's YELLOW TAIL (girl power!). 
Sailing photo credits- Paul Todd/ Outside Images. For more Helly Hansen St Petersburg NOOD Regatta sailing information

J/70 BACARDI INVITATIONAL PREVIEW

(Miami, FL)- This coming weekend, the Bacardi Invitational for the J/70 class takes place on Miami's Biscayne Bay, hosted by the Shake-A-Leg Foundation, with race management conducted by the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club.

The twenty-four boat J/70 fleet has multiple teams with impressive pedigrees in this highly competitive class. Past J/70 World Champion Joel Ronning on CATAPULT has to be a front runner with back-to-back wins in 2019 and 2018, although he dropped to 4th last year. 

In 2020 and 2019, Ryan McKillen and his team on SURGE had to settle for second place and will hope to improve upon that this year. Their target is firmly in sight, with a win at the recent Bacardi Winter Series 2, with new crew on board in the form of Olympian Lucas Calabrese, who may be the component to secure an upgrade. 

Always sitting high up the leader board is Brian Keane and his SAVASANA team. He previously placed 7th and 3rd as well as securing top five finishes at the J/70 Worlds. 

Pamela Rose and her team on ROSEBUD have been steadily advancing up the leader board, rounding out Bacardi Winter Series 2 in 3rd place, and clearly have the skill to stake their claim on the podium. 

During the Bacardi Cup there will be a special tribute to honor the life and legacy of James ‘Ding’ Schoonmaker who passed away on January 19, 2021. It was the special friendship between Ding, Tito Argamasilla Bacardi, and Frank Zagarino who in 1962 brought the Bacardi Cup to Miami from Cuba, thus saving this unique and special regatta.  For more Bacardi J/70 Invitational Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

JESUS LIZARD CROWNED J/24 MIDWINTER CHAMPION

 

(Miami, FL)- This past weekend from February 26th to 28th, the USA J/24 class held their J/24 Midwinter Championship in Miami, Florida, with the Shake-A-Leg Foundation as their host at their facility on the Miami waterfront. The twenty-nine J/24 teams from across the country were blessed with simply amazing weather for the entire three days of the regatta. In fact, the regatta PRO managed to run ten races, much to the delight of all sailors.

After a slow start on the first day, winning the event in convincing fashion was John Mollicone's JESUS LIZARD crew of Paul Abdullah, Mike Marshall, Nick Turney, and Dan Borrer. Here is how it all went down, thanks to reporting from class director Chris Howell.  

Day One- Friday- Gorgeous Start!    

The event kicked off with four races completed. Teams reveled in the pristine conditions on Biscayne Bay with winds at 8-10 knots, sunny skies and temperatures in the 80s. Carter White on WIND MONKEY (crew of Marcus Rogers, Chris Lombardo, Kelly Franklin-Colby, & Molly White) shot out to the early advantage with 1-2-1-4 finishes for 8 points. Mollicone's JESUS LIZARD stood in second place with 16 points with a 3-3-9-1 tally. Floridian Robby Brown’s ANGEL OF HARLEM (crew of Richard Shellow, Steve Lowery, Kevin Ratigan, & Beaujeaux Delapouyade) finished third with a 11-1-10-6 tally of 28 points. 

White’s WIND MONKEY earned their first bullet of the day in race one, ahead of James Freedman’s MISS CONDUCT and Mollicone’s JESUS LIZARD. Brown’s ANGEL OF HARLEM grabbed the next win, with White and Mollicone again cracking the top three. Trailing White’s second victory in race three were Nadia Daggett’s MUSTACHE RIDE and Val Shestopalov’s VICTORIA. Mollicone secured his silver position for the day with a victory in Friday’s final battle, followed by Aidan Glackin’s MENTAL FLOSS and Freedman.

Day Two- Saturday- Perfect Weather, Again!

The teams again enjoyed ideal conditions on Biscayne Bay. With breeze between 10-15 knots, blue skies and above-average temperatures, four more races went in the books, bringing the total to eight (now including a discard). 

Able to drop a ninth from Friday, Mollicone’s JESUS LIZARD now counted only top three finishes for 17 net points and the lead, heading into the final two scheduled races Sunday. Day one leader WIND MONKEY continued solid scores, but dropped to second with 23 net points. Travis Odenbach’s HONEYBADGER joined Mollicone in placing among the top three in all of Saturday’s races to move into third overall with 30 net points.

Gilberto Rivera’s URAYO team (Jaime Balzac, Pablo Mendez, Melvin Gonzalez, & Efrain Logo) from Puerto Rico rocked the day with three bullets. The first came in the opening race in a duel they won with Odenbach and Mollicone. Odenbach and Mollicone moved up to first and second in the next contest, with Kirk Reynold’s TYRUS in third. Rivera’s second victory came in race seven, again with Mollicone and Odenbach staying at the front of the fleet. Mirroring how the day began in the last match, Rivera, Odenbach and Mollicone comprised the top spots.

Day Three- Sunday- Yet Another Glam Day!

The final day saw two scheduled races take place in more of the same glam conditions of the previous two.  After taking 2nd in the first race, Mollicone's JESUS LIZARD crew sailed home to celebrate their good fortunes! Taking up that opportunity, Odenbach's HONEYBADGER won the last two races to seal the deal for the silver medal. The WIND MONKEY crew experienced a bit of misfortune on their last day, posting a DSQ and 17th to drop to fourth place. Sailing solidly was Rivera's Puerto Rican team on URAYO that posted a 3-4 to excitedly jump onto the bronze step on the podium...their best finish ever in the USA J/24 Midwinters! Rounding out the top five was Brown's ANGEL OF HARLEM in fifth place. Sailing photo credits- Chris Howell/ JCA.  For more J/24 Midwinters sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

MARK PINCUS CHATS ABOUT J/24 MIDWINTERS

 

David Schmidt from Sail-World.com (https://www.sail-world.com/news/234871 ) newsletter recently had time to catch up with a stalwart of the J/24 class in Miami, Florida- Marc Pincus. Here is that interview.

"The J/24 might be venerable design, but the now 44-year-old design still draws some of sailing's best talents to its ranks. Better still, the boats are affordable, relatively easy to maintain, and transportable enough to be taken to destination venues or warm-weather locales during the cold months. One great example of this type of destination fun is this year's J/24 Midwinter Championship (February 26-28), which is being hosted by Shake-A-Leg Miami and which will be sailed on the waters of Florida's Biscayne Bay.

While J/24s may be portable-and their small crew numbers conducive to (relatively) easily creating coronavirus bubbles-the simple fact that the pandemic is still raging has forced many regattas to cancel. Fortunately for J/24 sailors, this year's Midwinters is still happening; better still, the event organizers are taking COVID precautions very seriously and have worked hard to create a safe event for all involved.

Which brings us back to the earlier point that, while now an older design, J/24s have long earned their well-deserved reputation for delivering great racing, and this year's Midwinters promises to be no exception.


I checked in with Mark Pincus, regatta chair for the 2021 J/24 Midwinters (and fleet captain for J/24 Fleet 10 in Miami, Florida), via email, to learn more about this competitive regatta.

SW: What kind of entry numbers are you seeing this year? Also, how do these stack up to previous editions of the regatta?

MP: We are about on track from other years at 23 entries...there are several entries I know are pending, so we should see 25-30 entries on the starting line.

For this COVID environment, we're very happy to be in the normal range! There is a cap of 35 boats, and we were hoping to have to make a wait list but that's probably not going to be necessary.

SW: Weather-wise, what kind conditions can sailors expect to encounter on Biscayne Bay in late February? Also, what are the best-case and worst-case weather scenarios?

MP: Our winter season is great sailing weather typically with balmy mid-70-degree Fahrenheit temps and nice breezes.

We normally see easterly winds from NE-SE and mid-teens in velocity. If a front is coming through, then anything is possible. It's very rare to have temperatures below the 50's but in February they can happen.

With the cold fronts it depends on how strong they are and if they make it all the way south past Miami. When the fronts stall it can leave us without much wind but hopefully the doldrums we have seen this season are past and the breeze will be on for this year's J/24 Midwinters.

SW: How important do you think local knowledge will be? Also, do you expect most visiting teams to arrive early and acclimatize to conditions?

MP: Biscayne Bay is not a hard place to sail and all but maybe one of the current entries has raced here more than once before. The tides are pretty easy to understand, and there are many options for getting current real time info on conditions.

Where we will be racing, a little south in Biscayne Bay, we are removed from the few local knowledge spots near shores.

And yes, I already know of several boats that are coming early to get some practice sailing done!

SW: If you could offer one piece of advice to visiting (and local) teams, what would it be?

MP: It's different this year: BE SAFE!

Respect all the preventatives put in place to keep both sailors and hosts safe and COVID-free. The last thing we want is to have any regatta become a spreader event.

Other than that, bring plenty of water and suntan lotion!

SW: In the ideal world, how many races do you and the other organizers hope to score? Also, how many races will you run per day?

MP: We have ten races are scheduled. Hopefully, with good breezes we can run four races each on Friday and Saturday so that only two are needed on the last day.

SW: What kinds of safe-play pandemic tactics are you expecting from the racers on the water? Also, what kind of shoreside Covid precautions will the event employ?

MP: Looking at our NOR (yachtscoring.com/event_documents/13200/2021%20J24%20MWs%20NOR%20.pdf) will give an idea of all the precautions we have put in place.

Starting with requiring all participants— whether they are racing, supporting, or race committee— to provide negative rapid Covid tests that are less than 72 hours old to be at the event.

We will have temperature takers stopping all persons entering the property and issuing color-coded wrist bands after being allowed entry.

We have suspended all social functions and will prohibit gathering at the venue. If the previous regatta we ran in December is a model, then we expect the sailors to be respectful of the world we are dealing with and not be ultra-aggressive, both on the water and in the jury room!

SW: Can you tell us about any efforts that you and the other regatta organizers have made to try to lower the regatta's environmental footprint or otherwise green-up the regatta?

MP: The biggest environmental effort this year, other than the fact we are sailors who by description do not pollute the atmosphere and are usually very cognizant of keeping our waters clean, is the addition of MarkSetBot to the race course!

Although interest in these GPS battery-operated robotic race marks was already building, the onset of COVID hastened their acceptance in the sailboat racing world. They make staffing the Race Committee much less demanding, controlling the race circle super-fast and easy and require less motorized equipment on the racecourse.

SW: Anything else that you'd like to add, for the record?

MP: We look forward to seeing all of our J/24 friends here in beautiful Coconut Grove playing on our Biscayne Bay waters again in February! Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/TEAMS SWEEP SORC ISLANDS IN STREAM SERIES!

 

J/44, J/109, & J/121 Go 1-2-3!

(Eleuthera, Bahamas)- The final event for the SORC's Islands in the Stream Series took place last weekend- the Miami to Eleuthera Race. The course took competitors through the heart of the Bahamas and led them to a tropical oasis- Eleuthera Island on the eastern banks.


The 443.0nm race started February 17, 2021 in moderate winds with great expectations the "Weather Gods" would prove right and provide a fresh breeze nearly all the way down the course. The Eleuthera race started off of South Beach, Miami, crossed the Gulf Stream, left Great Isaac (67.5nm), Great Stirrup (75.5nm) and Eleuthera (82.0nm) to starboard, rounded the southern tip of Eleuthera (130.0nm), past the southern tip (18.0nm), and up to the finish near Powell Point (70.0nm). Thereafter, drop sails and head into the gorgeous Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina. 


At the start of the final race, the overall outcome could not have been predicted by anyone. The top five contenders for the series were quite close on points between a TP 52, a 40 ft custom, and three J/Teams (J/44, J/109, and J/121).


In the end, tremendous perseverance paid off for all three J's. Winning was Chris and Karen Lewis' J/44 KENAI, followed by Andy Wescoat's J/109 HARMS's WAY in second, and Bill Wiggins' J/121 WINGS in third position. 


Here is the report from Chris & Karen Lewis (pictured above with crew) from their perspective on the gorgeous J/44 KENAI:

"We were thrilled to win the SORC 2020-21 Islands in the Stream Series with a 1-1-2 score line. The races were varied with light conditions for Races 2 and 3 and then a real blow for most of the Eleuthera Race that challenged all yachts. 

We won the series through sheer determination and, at times, some good decision making. For example, to get to Key West we tacked the 145% genoa 114 times and gybed the 0.5oz VMG kite 28 times. I guess that was good for the sailmakers! Although, I am amazed at how today's carbon sails stand up to offshore conditions if properly handled. 

The first leg to Eleuthera was a tight reach in moderate conditions across the Florida Straights (e.g., the fast-flowing Gulf Stream) allowing for a Code Zero to be flown off KENAI's 2.0m sprit.  We sagged below the rhumb-line with the Stream on our stern quarter. By reefing the main and reducing drag in the puffs, the boat was noticeably faster. Then, we changed to a Heavy #1 sheeted to the rail and we were able to foot up to Little Isaac over the last 20 nm with less north set current. 

From there, we were on the wind with a 200nm starboard-biased beat changing down to a #3 jib and finally the #4 jib! In both cases we had a reefed main. The seas got to be 6 to 8 ft and confused going out into the Atlantic Ocean past the northern tip of Eleuthera (Ed. note- the ocean floor goes from 10,000 ft to 50 ft. in less than 4.0nm, creating the "washing machine effect" on the eastern shore). 

We moved the #4 jib sheeting to the outboard track and saw boat speeds of up to 8.7 knots. Great for the race, but not appreciated by the off-watch crew as KENAI launched off and through the seas. Finally, we turned to a fetch down to the southern tip of the island and set the A4 spinnaker for the finish line. We knew it was tight with the TP52 on rating, but the old girl hit 13 knots with 25 knot gusts on the VMG run to the finish. We corrected out by 22 minutes in the race, with the RC selecting the ORC Predominantly Upwind Rating. 


It's truly amazing that a 23,500 lb. 30-year-old design with 175 sq. m kites and an overlapping genoa has been able to be competitive with a variety of race boats in SORC under a wide range of conditions during the series. The key is knowing your boat and staying near 100% of your speed throughout the race. We do a lot of sail changes. We were also fortunate the J/121 WINGS never got to fly downwind for very long!"


The red-carpet treatment laid down by the Cape Eleuthera Resort & Marina was enthusiastically welcomed by all teams. It is truly a little paradise in the middle of the ocean. Their staff did go above and beyond to make sure the sailor's needs were all met, and then some! That included a fantastic bonfire after the awards ceremonies and dinner to celebrate the end of the event (no worries, the wind was blowing hard offshore!)!

The resort looks west over Exuma Sound, which provides good access to the Marina. The channel into the marina is straightforward East/ West, and well lit. A summer dredging project removed the few remaining high spots and left a 12-foot controlling depth, as well as adding jetties extending from the shore.

Follow the SORC Sailing on Facebook here  For more SORC Islands in the Stream series sailing information     For the SORC Miami to Eleuthera Race results and informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

J/24 MIDWINTER CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

 

(Miami, FL)- This coming weekend, sailing from February 26th to 28th, the USA J/24 class has organized their J/24 Midwinter Championship in Miami, Florida, with the Shake-A-Leg Foundation being their host at their amazing facility on the Miami waterfront. J/24 sailors from across the country are certainly excited about heading down to one of their favorite "watering holes" in all of Florida- Coconut Grove and its super chill downtown collection of restaurants and bars (abiding by pandemic guidelines, of course). The sailors can't wait to chuck the boat in, pop open a few "tinnies", lather up in sunscreen, put on the shades, and take a cruise around the lovely aquamarine waters of Biscayne Bay with friends.


Nearly thirty J/24 teams are registered and the depth of talent is remarkable. Sailing the regatta are several past National, North American, and World Champions; such as the John Mollicone & Mike Marshall duo on AMERICAN GARAGE, Robby Brown's ANGEL OF HARLEM, the Long Island Sound brother duo of Al & Dave Constants on BLITZ, the scary smart crew on HONEYBADGER (Travis Odenbach, Patrick Wilson, Chris Stocke, and Monica Morgan), Eammon Delisser's MAIN SQUEEZE with Luke Lawrence on cockpit/ tactics, the famous Aidan Glackin on MENTAL FLOSS, Mark Pincus steering SCOUTS HONOR, Kirk Reynolds driving TYRUS, and Marcus Rogers on WIND MONKEY with Carter and Molly White providing traffic directions. No "spring chickens" amongst those boats, a lot of bragging rights in the J/24 class amongst them!  For more J/24 Midwinters event and registration information, click here to go to Yachtscoring.com and sign up!

SORC Miami to Eleuthera Race Preview

(Miami, FL)- The final event for the SORC's Islands in the Stream Series takes place this weekend- the Miami to Eleuthera Race. The course takes competitors through the heart of the Bahamas and leads them to a tropical oasis in a part of the Bahamas that is not as well traveled as the typical destinations. Less traveled does not mean uncharted, and it is certainly within reach for SORC competitors.


The 295-mile race starts on February 17, 2021. The Eleuthera race will start off of South Beach, Miami, proceeding across the Gulf Stream, leaving Great Isaac, Great Stirrup and Eleuthera to starboard, rounding the southern tip of Eleuthera, and proceeding up the west side of the island to the finish near Powell Point. The Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina is on the west side of the island of Eleuthera, at the finish line. 


Several enthusiastic J/Teams are participating in the race and some are vying for overall fleet honors.  In the ORC 1 Division is Chris Lewis's KENIA from Austin, TX; Andy Wescoat's J/109 HARM'S WAY from Spring, TX; and Bill Wiggins's J/121 WINGS from Johns Island, SC. 

As competitors discovered after the inaugural Eleuthera Race in 2020, the Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina is the perfect spot to wrap up the SORC Islands in the Stream Series. General Manager Chris Morris and his staff at the resort are as excited to have you there as the SORC is to send you there. They go above and beyond to make sure that no need goes unmet.  It truly is the perfect spot to wrap up the series.

The resort looks out to the west over Exuma Sound, which provides good access to the Marina. The channel into the marina is straightforward East/West, and well lit. A summer dredging project removed the few remaining high spots and leaves a 12-foot controlling depth, as well as adding jetties extending from the shore.  Follow the SORC Sailing on Facebook here   For more SORC Islands in the Stream series sailing information   For the SORC Miami to Eleuthera Race results and informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

J/24 MIDWINTERS UPDATE

 

(Miami, FL)- Following in the same footsteps as their J/70 friends and colleagues, the USA J/24 class has organized their J/24 Midwinter Championship in Miami, Florida, with the Shake-A-Leg Foundation being their host at their amazing facility on the Miami waterfront.  

Responding enthusiastically has been J/24 sailors from across the country. Clearly, there is an enormous pent-up demand to get back out on the water and enjoy the camaraderie of seeing long lost friends from living the pandemic life.

So far, thirty J/24 teams are registered on YachtScoring to participate in what may be the first regatta for nearly all the teams since the March "lockdown" last year. The depth and talent of the fleet is remarkable, with many boats getting their covers dusted off, boats polished, bottoms sanded, and shaking out the mice family living in the sail bags! Sailing the regatta are several past National, North American, and World Champions; such as the John Mollicone & Mike Marshall duo on AMERICAN GARAGE, Robby Brown's ANGEL OF HARLEM, the Long Island Sound brother duo of Al & Dave Constants on BLITZ, the scary smart crew on HONEYBADGER (Travis Odenbach, Patrick Wilson, Chris Stocke, and Monica Morgan), Eammon Delisser's MAIN SQUEEZE with Luke Lawrence on cockpit/ tactics, the famous Aidan Glackin on MENTAL FLOSS, Mark Pincus steering SCOUTS HONOR, Kirk Reynolds driving TYRUS, and Marcus Rogers on WIND MONKEY with Carter and Molly White providing traffic directions. Should be fun!

If YOU are not on a J/24 sailing in this regatta, you better be asking yourself, "why not"!? Go for it, it's an easy drive down I-95 to Miami! Just chuck the boat in, pop open a few "tinnies", lather-up with sunscreen, put on the shades, and take a cruise around the lovely aquamarine waters of Biscayne Bay with friends! Sign me up!  For more J/24 Midwinters event and registration information, click here to go to Yachtscoring.com and sign up! Add to Flipboard Magazine.

St Petersburg NOOD Regatta Announcement

 

(St. Petersburg, FL)- Sailing World magazine and the St. Petersburg Yacht Club are delighted to announce the 2021 edition of the HELLY HANSEN St Petersburg NOOD Regatta will be taking place later in the spring this year- from April 2nd to 4th, 2021 in St. Petersburg, FL. 

The usual classes are invited to participate, including J/22s, J/24s, J/70s, J/88s, and PHFR handicap classes. Sailing photo credits- Paul Todd/ Outsideimages.com  For St Petersburg NOOD Regatta registration information  For more St Petersburg NOOD Regatta sailing information

BACARDI J/70 WINTER SERIES PREVIEW

 

(Miami, FL)- While the Midwest and northeastern regions of the USA are caught in the grips of multiple Lows (depressions) bringing lots of nasty weather; like northeast winds, rain, sleet, snow, ice, slush, and just ugliness, the J/70 class will be hosting its first major event since the March 2020 coronavirus lockdowns shutdown every imaginable regatta in America, and the rest of the world, for that matter.

Hosted between Shake-a-Leg-Miami, Biscayne Bay Yacht Club and the USSC, the first race weekend for the Bacardi Invitational Winter Series will be December 11-13, 2020 with the next face-off on January 22-24, 2021. Then, the Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta will complete its final event from March 10-13, 2021.

A very star-studded sixteen boat fleet of enthusiastic participants are very excited to get back out on the water on the gorgeous aquamarine Biscayne Bay, with sailing taking place off Miami, Florida. Many of the top American teams will be participating, all familiar faces to J/Sailors that have sailed the J/70 circuit.

Several World Champions are in attendance, including Joel Ronning's CATAPULT (Morgan Reeser and Erik Shampain on speed/ tactics), Germany's Mike Illbruck sailing PINTA (John Kostecki on tactics), Steve Benjamin's SAINT team has THREE World Champions on the team (himself, plus Chris Larson and Al Terhune), Dave Janetti's VERY ODD (Travis Odenbach and Kris Werner on speed/ tactics), and Ryan McKillen's SURGE (Lucas Calabrese on tactics). So much for teams with World Champions on board, just one-third of the fleet! LOFL!

In addition, there are several hot teams that are no "wallflowers", such as John Evans' AIRPLANE (Martie Kullman on tactics), Trey Sheehan's HOOLIGAN: FLAT STANLEY RACING (Curtis Florence and Brad Boston on speed/ tactics), Ryan Foley's JOHNNY UTAH (Nic Baird- College Sailor of Year- on tactics), John Brim's RIMETTE (Zeke Horowitz on tactics), Pam Rose's ROSEBUD (Tomas Dietrich on tactics), and Peter Vessella's RUNNING WILD (Tracy Usher on tactics). 

WOW!! On a percentage basis, this regatta likely has the "deepest bench" of College All-Americans, National, North American, and World Champions in a sixteen-boat fleet, ever! Chill the beer, fire up the popcorn machine, and pull up a chair...this will be an interesting regatta to follow! 

By the way, there are two Corinthians teams that have hot hands on the tiller and smart sailors in their line-ups that may surprise a lot of the top teams. The BEARNARCHY team from Philadelphia, PA has Kelly McGlynn driving with Luke Adams on speed/ tactics (College All-American and son of the famous Ed Adams). Then, Team LIL from the local Coral Reef Yacht Club have proven to be surprisingly fast and smart; after all, they know Biscayne Bay quite well. The LIL team includes skipper Joey Kolisch and tactician/trim Val Schestopalov; both excellent youth sailors and a product of the Optimist/ 420 wars as kids.  Follow the Bacardi J/70 Winter Series here for complete results

MAJIC CROWNED J/24 KINGS DAY REGATTA CHAMPION

 

(Jacksonville, FL)- The Florida Yacht Club and J/24 Fleet 55 hosted twenty-one very enthusiastic J/24 competitors to a wonderful weekend of competitive sailing at the 2020 Kings Day Regatta November 21-22, 2020.  

The racing Saturday and Sunday had a total of six races sailed on the St. Johns River south of Jacksonville in the traditional fall breezes of Northeast Florida. It was a see-saw battle for the podium all weekend long as each time was trying to "dial-in" not just speed-mode in the flat water, but also getting into sequence in the shifty breezes.

Starting off with a 1-5-1 on the first day, Greg Griffin's MAJIC played their local knowledge to the max, ending the day with a strong lead. The other day's winner was Robby Brown's ANGEL OF HARLEM from Davis Island YC, gliding into second for the day. They were followed by Dan Borrer's JESUS LIZARD just one point behind.

The die was cast for the battle that would unfold on Sunday morning. The first race of the day saw all three teams struggling to even finish in a podium position as they covered and watched each other like hawks as they rounded the race track. However, it was Borrer's JESUS LIZARD that closed the regatta with an emphatic double-bullets to take the silver. Griffin's MAJIC hung in close and avoided disastrous races to take the win by a mere two points. Brown's ANGEL OF HARLEM crew was fast and consistent, but a Black Flag in the last race dispelled their chances for the overall win. Instead, the HARLEM crew had to settle for the bronze.

The winning team on MAJIC consisted of skipper Greg Griffin and crew of Will Newton, Skip Allcorn, Mike Reddaway, and Emma Newton. The silver medal crew on JESUS LIZARD was Dan Borrer driving, with team of Kelly Holleran, Steve Lopez, Barbara Gold, and Max Lopez. The bronze medal winners on ANGEL OF HARLEM were Robby Brown on the helm, with crew of Beau Delapouyade, Richard Shellow, Steve Lowery, and Kevin Ratigan. For Kings Day Regatta sailing results and information  For J/24 Fleet 55 information
  For more J/24 one-design class information

J/24 Kings Day Regatta Preview

 

(Jacksonville, FL)- The Florida Yacht Club and J/24 Fleet 55 have invited all J/24 competitors to a wonderful weekend of competitive sailing with great friends at the 2020 Kings Day Regatta November 21-22, 2020.  

Racing Saturday and Sunday will include top-notch racing on the St. Johns River south of Jacksonville in the traditional fall breezes of Northeast Florida. 

In addition to scheduled racing, Friday afternoon will include a North Sails Clinic hosted by Paul Abdullah, which will include tuning tips, practice races, and on the water coaching.


Friday evening will conclude with the famous Florida Yacht Club Low Country Boil (pandemic-compliant outside!) overlooking the beautiful St. Johns River featuring steamed oysters, shrimp and grits and more. After racing finishes Saturday, we will host a banquet in the ballroom featuring seafood, meat and vegetable pasta dishes, salad, and dessert. Both evening events are included in the registration fee and complimentary beer from one of our sponsors Bold City Brewery will be provided all weekend.

Needless to say, after months of living as couch potatoes, working or watching TV, J/24 sailors didn't need much coaxing to fire-up the old Suburban or pickup, toss all the stuff inside, and head down to JAX for some fun in the November sun! Twenty-five J/24 teams have answered the "call of duty" to "live and obey" that Siren's Song attraction of getting together on any puddle of water and have some good'ole J/24 sailing fun and camaraderie with friends from across the Southeast.

Who are some of the "who's who" showing up from the ranks of veteran J/24 sailors? Quite a few, to say the least. Notable teams include TEAM TARHEEL/ NEW ENGLAND ROPES headed up by Paul Abdullah, Robby Brown's famous team on ANGEL OF HARLEM from Davis Island YC, Nadia Daggett's notorious MUSTACHE RIDE, Amar Patel's ROUGE, Bill Winegrove's PIGS IN HIDING, and Erica Trejo's youth team from Chicago Corinthian YC on the "KELLY HOLMES-MOON Junior Boat Grant".  For Kings Day Regatta sailing results and information   For J/24 Fleet 55 information  For more J/24 one-design class information

J/111 Key West Winter Series Announcement!

 

(Key West, FL)- The inaugural 2021 Key West Winter Series will take place from January 16-18 and then March 5-7, and if you want to go, you need a J/111! Our hats off to Ryan and Rob Ruhlman and the entire team at SAILING INC (with J/Dealerships in Ohio and South Carolina) for pulling this together. Six boats are already registered and several more expected. Below is the excerpt from the Scuttlebutt Sailing article between Rob Ruhlman of SAILING INC, Karl Felger Mayor of Key West, and Scuttlebutt's Craig Leweck.

When the difficult decision was made not to hold Key West Race Week in January 2018, it was a harsh blow to those who relied on its weather and weirdness during the middle of winter. But it’s hard to forget the roosters, ruckus nightlife, Mount Gay Rum, and key lime everything. So, it’s southbound again for the inaugural Key West Winter Series powered by Sailing Inc. With two events planned in 2021 for January 16-18 and March 5-7, we check in with some of the instigators for an update.

Craig: Where did the idea come from?
Rob: Key West Race Week had an epic 30 year run and being part of nearly every one of those years made it more than an annual event but a way of life. It was what January was dedicated to every year. The opportunity to reignite that flame, albeit on a much smaller scale, is worth pursuing in the hope that when properly fanned and fed the fire will once again burn brightly. The J/111 class has gotten together to organize an event this year and with the support we have and a little bit of luck, we can use this as a starting point for bigger and better events going forward.


Craig: Why Key West and not somewhere else?
Ryan: Key West is a signature destination in the United States, an honest-to-God tropical paradise. The opportunity to race on blue water, experience the island culture, and reconnect with our friends during the cold winter months is just too good to pass up.

Craig: Key West had become less accommodating when Key West Race Week ended. Has that changed?
Karl: The City of Key West has graciously signed off on the event, and we’re going to have a lot of help from our friends and sponsors. The majority of the organized activity will be on-the-water, with our social gatherings leveraging some of the best spots in Key West. We appreciate the City of Key West’s cooperation and are happy to help support the local community and economy.

Craig:  There is no infrastructure in Key West... how do you pull this off?
Karl: Our goal is to provide a grand prix racing experience, while planting the seeds for the future. Our focus is on offering multiple great races each day over the two-weekend format, leveraging resources provided by the J/111 owners, and with the help of a world class PRO. We have secured the services of a full-service marina, allowing the fleet a venue to launch, haul-out, and store their boat between two events. Boat owners then have an option for dockage at any marina of their choosing. Finally, something to look forward to! Pack your bags and we’ll see you at the Green Parrot!!  For more J/111 Winter Series sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

Baird Family J/70 Team Prevails off St Petersburg

 

* The Great Baird Family Truckster rolls along! What does a J/24 World Champion, National Sailing Hall of Famer, and America's Cup Champion do for a home-rule yacht club championship?  Crew as bowman/ big-wave-blocker on a J/70?  Yikes. Scary movies, for sure! You can hear it now, "so Dad, can you get the damn chute down....like now!?"


Well, that is exactly what Ed Baird did this past weekend at the St Petersburg YC Sailing Championship. Yes, indeed. Ed crewed for his son Nic Baird and cockpit uber-Goddess Isabelle Rossi de Leon. To be sure, the trio is not lacking for credentials in the sailing world. Aside from Dad Ed, son Nic was a College Sailor of the Year and Isabelle was a Yale Sailing Team College All-American. Not exactly a bunch of hacks. Not sure what their StPYC Club Champ competitors expected, but certainly they were the dominant team, taking four bullets in five races.

Ironically, there were a few more College Sailing All-Americans that finished second, taking three deuces in the first three races, but finally getting their act together and winning the finale to punctuate a fun day of racing and throw down the gauntlet to the Baird family "truckster" they may not get away with another runaway win the next time around! That crew included David Mendelblatt, Bill Icely, and Chad & Emma Shakespeare. Rounding out the family theme for the event was the third place crew; skippered by Matt Braun, with crew of Trevor & Heidi Hicks, and Paul Danielson.  For more St Petersburg YC Club Championship sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

SORC Social Distance Race Announcement

(Miami, Florida)- As event organizers navigate their local health restrictions, for some areas that means participation is permitted only with same household crew while other areas focus on group size.

On June 27, the SORC Social Distance Race will offer rating racing along a 21.0nm course around Key Biscayne in Miami, FL. A pursuit start will meet the mandate that boats must remain more than 50 feet apart, and participants must follow the crew capacity limits based on boat length:

• Boats less than 25 feet: 4 adults max. plus children 17 and under; max. of 8 people.
• Boats 25 to 36 feet: 6 adults max. plus children 17 and under; max. of 8 people.
• Boats greater than 36 feet: 8 adults max. plus children 17 and under; max. of 10 people.

Initially scheduled for May 24, the storm that became Tropical Storm Arthur caused a postponement to the week after Father’s Day. We look forward to seeing as many of you on the water as possible! For more SORC Social Distance Race sailing information

J/70 Bacardi Invitational Report

(Miami, FL)- Forty-three J/70 teams from ten nations (USA, Argentina, Italy, Thailand, Brazil, Great Britain, Chile, Germany, Canada, and Mexico) started off their regatta with three races. Coral Reef YC is hosting the event, in coordination with Biscayne Bay YC, and the combined PRO’s hope to get in at least 3 to 4 races per day.

A stellar fleet is assembled for the event, following on the previous week’s J/70 Midwinter Championship that was hosted in the same venue.


After three races on the first day, leading the fleet is current J/70 World Champion Paul Ward's EAT SLEEP J REPEAT from the United Kingdom. Ward's crew includes Ruairidh Scott, Ben Saxton, and Mario Trindade have accumulated an astonishing 2-2-1 tally for 5 pts. The balance of the top five includes Ryan McKillen's SURGE in second with a 5-3-4 for 12 pts, third is Pablo Herman's NEW WAVE from Chile with a 3-4-10 for 17 pts, fourth is Oivind Lorentzen's NINE with a 13-5-2 for 20 pts and fifth place is John Evans' AIRPLANE with an 8-13-5 for 26 pts.  For more J/70 Bacardi Invitational sailing information

BANGOR PACKET Cruises J/24 Midwinters

(Melbourne, Florida)- Since 1978, when twenty-one boats participated in the first J/24 Midwinters in Key West, Florida, the fleet has always seen remarkably talented fleets sailing their annual event in Florida. For this year's 42nd annual regatta, Eau Gallie Yacht Club in Indian Harbour Beach, FL hosted the thirty-three boats that participated from across the USA with a particularly strong contingent participating from the Pacific Northwest, specifically Seattle, Washington.

After sailing eight races with one discard, the most remarkable performance came from the famous septuagenarian Tony Parker on BANGOR PACKET XXX (Tony has owned many J/24s over the past forty years!). For those J/24 class historians, Tony has sailed the J/24 since 1978, starting in Portland, Maine and has continually sailed in the class ever since. Here is how it all went down over the three-day event.


Day 1- Gorgeous Start
The regatta started off on Friday in a beautiful breeze averaging 13 knots, sunny skies, and cool temperatures; the fleet was treated to three races. Reigning World Champion Keith Whittemore’s FURIO got out of the gate strong, posting a 4-1-1 for 6 points and the early advantage. Whittemore was leading Parker's BANGOR PACKET that had posted an equally impressive 2-3-4 with 9 points. Two teams were tied at 10 points for the next two positions: past World Champion Mike Ingham’s NAUTALYTICS and Kirk Reynolds’ TYRUS (a past J/24 North American Champion).


Day 2- Another Perfect Day
The second day of the Midwinters delivered yet another extraordinary day of racing. The EGYC PRO managed to conduct three hotly contested races with winds averaging 15 kts, gusting to the low 20s, under a postcard perfect azure blue skies.
  
Ingham’s NAUTALYTICS shot up the leaderboard after posting a sensational all-podium finishes day of a 2-2-3 and now lead the fleet with 11 pts net after six races. Dropping a sixth from the first day, Ingham retained four seconds and a third for his regatta-leading scoreline. Parker’s BANGOR PACKET held on to second place with 13 points. Reynolds’ TYRUS was clinging to the third position at 15 points, just one ahead of both Whittemore’s FURIO and John Mollicone’s BUCKAROO/ NEW ENGLAND ROPES from Newport, Rhode Island.


Day 3- Cliff-hanging Finale
A victory by Parker’s BANGOR PACKET in the final race, coupled with a U-Flag penalty for regatta leader NAUTALYTICS, gave Parker with crew Will Bomar, Emmet Todd, Zeke Horowitz and James Niblock the 2020 J/24 Midwinters title. BANGOR PACKET recorded only top-four scores throughout the three-day event, and finished with 18 net points, one better than Mollicone’s BUCKAROO/ NEW ENGLAND ROPES. Mollicone started slowly out of the gate on Friday, but then notched five finishes in the top three (including a pair of bullets) to nearly capture the Championship. Ingham claimed the third position overall with 20 points, and Whittemore’s FURIO was just another point behind in fourth.

“It was one of the tightest regattas we have ever sailed,” said Parker. “The regatta was won on the final leeward leg. It was fun and challenging, and any of the top six boats could have won. We had a terrific team with Zeke, James, Will and Emmet. They performed brilliantly.”  For more J/24 Midwinter Championship sailing information