Edlu Distance Race Preview

  

(Larchmont, NY)- The classic spring opener for offshore races has been Larchmont Yacht Club's annual Edlu Distance Race. For many sailors, it provides the incentive to clear off the cobwebs accumulated from over a year of not sailing, make sure the winches and blocks spin properly, the wheel/ rudder bearings didn't lock up, and sails actually go up and down. Having been starved of going down to sea and dreaming about it for over a year, there must be more than a few sailors that recall that yearning in John Masefield's famous poem- SEA FEVER:

"I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking....."

With one of the best turnouts in years, the sixty-boat fleet will be looking forward to one of two courses the Larchmont YC Race Committee can select: Course #1 – from the start around Eaton’s Neck Point Lighted Gong Buoy and return for about 32.0nm or Course #2 – from the start around Twenty-Six Foot Spot Lighted Bell Buoy mid-sound off Lloyd’s Neck and return for about 18.0nm. 

Looking forward to this offshore "sprint" are twenty-four J/Teams (40.0% of the fleet!). Sailing in the eleven-boat ORC Division is Steven Levy's J/121 EAGLE, John Greifzu's J/109 GROWTH SPURT, Bill Ingraham's J/124 TENEBRAE, and Len Sitar's big blue J/160 COUGAR. 

In the PHRF Doublehanded divisions is Josh Burack's J/105 PEREGRINA and Glenn Marck's J/109 WATERDOG.  In the 28-boat PHRF Spinnaker division are two J/111s (Ken Luczynski's USMMA team on BLACK DIAMOND and Bill & Jackie Baxter's FIREBALL), Cory Eaves' J/109 FREEDOM, Arthur Hanlon's J/112E DAUNTLESS, Chuck Taus' J/33 SIRIUS, Kurt Locher's J/42 ATALANTA, Neeko Helbich's USMMA team on the J/44 VAMP, Jason Viseltear's J/80 UPSETTER, and Jim Weil & EJ Haskell's J/92 VIXEN.  In PHRF Plus-One division is Ron Richman's J/133 ANTIDOTE and Richie Palmer's J/105 TOLO. PHRF Non-spinnaker class has Erick Blanc's J/112E REBELLE.

Finally, the J/88s are sailing as a one-design class with six teams ready to do battle for 32 miles straight! The usual suspects may be at the top of the leaderboard; such as Justin Scagnelli & Tim Price's ALBONDIGAS, Iris Vogel's DEVIATION, Larry Cutler & Andrew Weiss' ONE TOO MANY, and Kevin Marks' VELOCITY.  For more Edlu Distance Race sailing information

NEWPORT 2 ENSENADA RACE PREVIEW

(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."



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.”


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!


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.

Annapolis Double-Handed Distance Race Preview

 

(Annapolis, MD)- With thirty-seven entries confirmed in three classes, the Annapolis YC’s Double-Handed Distance on October 3rd & 4th is the largest double-handed overnight race of the 2020 USA season. Its popularity after last year’s debut is impressive, having doubled in size in only its second year. With 18 J/Boats on the starting line, that's 50% of the fleet!

Driving this popularity are the favorable early Fall sailing conditions on the Chesapeake Bay and an accessible yet challenging format: an overnight race of 24 hours duration held on course options that vary from 95 to 100 miles in length.

The fleet includes the mandatory "mixed doublehanded" 11-boat J/105 one-design class. The class is full of highly-competitive offshore sailors and a few "newbies" on the block that are sure to be considerable factors over a long-distance offshore race. The Ladbroke's Betting Parlour favorite certainly has to be last year's winners- the duo of Randy Smyth and Christina Persson sailing BAT IV. Two teams would be odds-on bets to give them a run-for-the-money, the duo of Patrick Gavin-Byrne’s & Cole Brauer on BETTER MOUSETRAP and Christina & Justin Wolfe on FIREBRAND (top sailors from Seattle, WA). Don't count out the "Middies" from the US Naval Academy Sailing Team- they are well-practiced, well-coached, great navigators, know the Bay and its current stone cold, and know their J/105s very well; those teams include Don Poirier & Ashley Koenig on AVENGER, Katie Boyle & Matt Gillcrist on CONSTELLATION, and Paul Jervis & Grace Vandergrift on DREADNOUGHT. 

Sailing in the ORC Handicap classes are seven J/Teams. Three are sailing in ORC 1 Class; Richard Born & Guillaume Seynhave on the very well-known offshore winner, the J/120 WINDBORN; Keith Cole & John King's J/124 LUCKY EIGHTS, and Jim Demerest & Dobbs Davis on the J/46 SODALIS III (this is a "sleeper team"- watch out!). Sailing in the fourteen-boat ORC 2 Class are two J/105s (Arthur & AJ Libby's DOGHOUSE and Kyle McLaughlin & Raymond Bay's SMOKE'N'OAKUM), John Bell & Ryan Treat's J/100 HIWASSEE, and Roger Lant & Mike Wellins' J/35 ABIENTOT. 

Annapolis YC PRO Dick Neville is looking forward to the opportunity to tailor the race to the course and weather conditions for fair and transparent scoring; hopefully, with equals elements of beating, reaching, and running. For more AYC Double-handed Distance Race sailing information

Round Catalina Double-Race Produces J/Silver

(Newport Beach, CA)- Thirty-six boats sailed in South Shore Yacht Club's annual 90.0 nm Round Catalina Island Doublehanded Race. The annual event starts & finishes off the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach and only allows two sailors aboard. Club officials stated this was a record turnout! Yachts ranging in size from 24 ft to 72 ft LOA entered this classic Southern California Handicap Race. 

The J/124 MARISOL skippered by NHYC member Tom Pollack & American Legion Yacht Club member Rick Hancock were the 2nd boat to finish, 3rd in class & 3rd overall in the PHRF Fleet. The race started in 7.0 knots of breeze building to 27 knots on the back side of Catalina near the island's east end where a local venturi effect from the 1000' tall sheer cliffs accelerates the normal 15 knot westerly breeze.

It was near here that Marisol caught up to larger boats and managed to exit the local windless parking lot in the lee of the island to find the westerly breeze on the other side.  22 miles later at the Balboa Pier, Marisol put her bow across the finish line just 1 second ahead of the Choate 48' Amante in a 15 knot westerly wind that refused to die down at 1:40 am local time.

"Our big yellow asymmetrical spinnaker attached to a retractable spinnaker pole that owner Seth Hall added a couple years ago has made Marisol a much better downwind ride than when she was built 16 years ago," added Skipper Tom Pollack. "All we did was keep it simple and not tack or gybe much, just letting the fast J/124 do the work! She rides on rails!"

The race started at 11:00 AM in a 7-8 knots building westerly breeze taking the fleet 15 miles north on a long port tack. As the breeze built to 20 knots, "We just kept sliding the genoa lead aft, sheeting tighter and pointing higher," said crew member Rick Hancock. "Hoping to use the smooth water in the harbor to change to a #3 jib."

Marisol purposefully navigated to enter the Long Beach Harbor entrance and exit the harbor at Los Angeles Angels Gate.  

"What you take for granted on a fully crewed race boat, does not happen on a sailboat with only 2 crew" said Pollack. "It's how you plan ahead & manage that challenge that allows you to finish the race safely. With the Olympics in 2024 in Paris featuring sailboat racing with mixed crews of 2 people, it should be interesting to watch the video feed," noted Tom Pollack.

Taking 1st place in PHRF B Class & 4th overall was J/109 BLUE CRUSH skippered by Bob Little and Dan Milefchik from Alamitos Bay Yacht Club.

J-109 FUZZY LOGIC skippered by Jeff Shew & Bill Durant from Long Beach Yacht Club took 2nd in PHRF B & 6th Overall.

So, if you find yourself in July of 2021 in Southern California and want to try something different, try SSYC's Crew of 2 race.   For complete results of the Round Catalina Double Race Results.

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From its large carbon wheel to the fine cherry and teak joiner work and Ultra-Suede upholstery below, or simply by the smooth, graceful way it slides through the water, the J/124 is every bit a sailing yacht in the best sense of the word. One that is a joy to sail in all conditions with minimal crew and with rare need to employ the auxiliary diesel engine.

"Sea Loft" is a one-owner yacht and a rare find. She is in like-new condition, exceptionally well-equipped, and maintained to a discerning standard. In indoor heated storage for every winter season, other than re-commissioning, this boat needs nothing. The many custom options and specifications will astound you. Come take a look at Eastern Yachts Sales in Maine, you will not be disappointed.

SORC Islands in the Stream Series Update

(Fort Lauderdale, FL)- A new season of SORC sailing is upon us, bringing with it a mix of tradition and change for the 2019-2020 Islands in the Stream Series.

The series kicked off with the Nassau Cup Ocean Race on November 14th, 2019. It was the 78th edition of the race and it was a windy one at that...with the fleet buffeted by a storm/ frontal passage for the first part of the race, producing strong winds on the nose as the fleet beat across the very rough Gulf Stream to the Bahamas Bank. After 24 hours of sailing, most of the fleet got freed up from the Berry Islands southeast down to Nassau, Bahamas.

Then, nearly a month later, the fleet sailed the very light and drawn out Wirth M Munroe Palm Beach Race, the so-called “Race to the Buffet” that started on Friday December 6th. Most boats were late for the Sailfish Club of Florida’s legendary party, feast and awards presentation.

The series then heads south for some island time in the Florida Keys. The next event is the 160.0nm Ft. Lauderdale to Key West Race on January 23rd, 2020. The tropics in January provide the perfect spot to unwind with the Conch Grinder Race, and to enjoy the treasures and pleasures of Key West before the awards party at First Flight Island Bar and Restaurant (formerly Kelly’s Caribbean).

The series then finally wraps up with another trip to the Bahamas with the inaugural Eleuthera Race, starting off South Beach, Miami on March 11th, 2020 and finishing at the Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina. The race and series awards party will take place on the beach overlooking Exuma Sound!


The host clubs for the series includes Coral Reef Yacht Club, Nassau Yacht Club, Storm Trysail Club, Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, Sailfish Club of Florida, and Lauderdale Yacht Club.

On an overall basis after the first two races, Chris Lewis's J/44 KENAI from Houston, Texas is sitting in a fourth place tie-breaker with Joe Brito's J/121 INCOGNITO from Bristol, Rhode Island, both boats have 13 pts total. Just two points back is Brad & Angie Stowers' J/92 HILLBILLY from Melbourne Yacht Club in Melbourne, Florida, sitting in 6th place with 15 pts total; their crew consists of David Nesbitt, Karl Krahmer, Brad Bristol, Sebastian Gauza, and Marty "Kiwi" Stoll. Finally, Seth Hall & Tom Pollack's J/124 MARISOL currently sits in eighth place with 17 pts. At the completion of the series, three of the four races will be counted.  Follow the SORC Islands in Stream Series on Facebook  For more SORC sailing information   For more Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Epic Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta For J/Crews

(Larchmont, NY)- Initially established in the early 1970’s by “The Corinthians” that ran the regatta until 1999, the collegiate offshore regatta was then picked up by Storm Trysail Club. The invitational regatta is held annually out of Larchmont Yacht Club, who is a co-organizer of the event, in addition to the Storm Trysail Club and Foundation.

For the 2019 edition, the STC Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta was hosted by LYC from October 12th to 13th for forty-eight college teams from across the country and Europe. Of those 48-boats donated by owner/sponsors, fully thirty-nine of them were J/Boats owners (81% of the fleet). In short, it is a J/Boats College Offshore Regatta due to the amazing generosity and passion for sailing from J/Boats owners.

The dozen-boat J/105 class was won by the U.S. Naval Academy team sailing on CONUNDRUM, skippered by Nick Walden with crew of Luke Gillcrist, Sam Hall, Jack King, Zach Medeiros, and Eddie Rankin. Second was Boston University sailing RAVEN, skippered by Stanley Schreyer with crew of Collin Alexander, Jim Collins, Liam Dwyer, Emily Garrard, Matt Hamelsky, and Teo Waalberg. Third place went to Stevens Institute of Technology sailing MAGIC, skippered by Matt Roleke with crew of Aidan McEnroe, Townsend Morey, Mack Totman, Jesse Stevenson, and Alex Wiggins.

The nine-boat J/109 class had close-racing amongst the top five teams. Winning was Jacksonville College on GUARDIAN J, skippered by Telmo Basterra with crew of Sam Baker, Telmo Basterra, Grace Benzal, Logan Brickhouse, Ian Hunter, Jarret Monroe, and Stephen Streater. Second was University of Rhode Island sailing EMOTICON, skippered by Cecilia Schneider with crew of Parker Colantuono, Peter Gunn, AJ Kozaritz, Aidan Naughton, Ryan Palardy, and Chris Pearson. Third place on a tie-breaker was the Virginia Tech University team sailing ZIG ZAG skippered by Linda Lovelace with crew of Gustav Berner, Jack Carroll, Allie Champion, Oscare Johansson, Jackson Livanec, and Reid Shanabrook.

In the J/44 Class, winning the James Bishop Memorial Trophy was the U.S. Naval Academy on MAXINE. Their team was comprised of skipper Hayden Kuzemchak with crew of Kaitlyn Boyle, Brett Eckert, Tim Forman, Zach Krause, Matt Malone, Kevin Navarro, and Phillip Smith.  Second was US Merchant Marine Academy on VAMP, with Ken Luczynski as skipper. Then, rounding out the podium was the Maine Maritime Academy on BREAKAWAY with Taylor Martin on the wheel.

Winning the PHRF Medium Class was the Fordham University Team sailing the J/124 TENEBRAE, with skipper Tucker Hersam with crew of Matt Alfano, Will Dumke, Eddie Harrison, Sam Johnson, Porter Kavle, Declan Lombard, and Scott McKenzie. Third went to Michigan State University sailing the J/112E REVIVER, skippered by Connor Baker with crew of Tim Dickey, Adeline Grootendorst, Brenna Hover, Corinne Nedeau, Charlie Parker, Teddy Prokop, Eva Rossell, Ella Wynsma, and Murphy Wynsma.

Then ten-boat PHRF Small Class was dominated by all J/Teams.  It was a formidable fleet with equally phenomenal competition. The top six boats all finished, essentially, in a massive tie-breaker. The podium was determined on a FOUR-WAY tiebreaker at eight points each! LOL! And fifth was determined on a two-way tiebreaker at nine pts each! Hokey Smokes Bullwinkle, I’m confuzzzed! Winning was Yale University on the J/100 BLACKCOMB with a 7-1 tally for 8 pts, skippered by Emery Wallace with crew of Jacob Asher, Chris Chaumont, Liv Mosnoi, Martin Tipton, and Adam Wolnikowski. Second was University of Toledo on the J/88 YONDER with 1-7 scores for 8 pts, skippered by Ethan Taylor with crew of Brandon Austin, Kaitlin Conner, and Eric Lynch. Third was University of Maryland sailing the J/88 OH JEE with a 6-2 record, skippered by Cole Daitch with crew of Mike Bisson, Chuck Cannon, Natalie Jones, Madelie Mulligan, and Rachel Prucnal.

Thanks to all the J/Boat owners and sailors that made this regatta possible. Lots of fun was had by all by the 400+ college sailors!  For STC Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta scores  For more STC Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Blustery Ted Hood Regatta

J/112E Dominates PHRF Class
(Marblehead, MA)- The Eastern Yacht Club hosted their annual Ted Hood Regatta in conjunction with their amazing local partners, the Corinthian YC and the Boston YC for a fleet of both one-design racers and offshore PHRF handicap sailors. The sailors enjoyed great camaraderie and fun ashore at Eastern YC. However, the weather was less than cooperative. Friday’s racing was light winds, followed by a beautiful day with very lumpy shifty northeast winds on Saturday. Then, the combination of a massive High over the Canadian Maritimes and a giant Low southeast of Cape Cod conspired to produce massive 8-10 foot waves and 15-30 kt winds on Sunday from the ENE, resulting in a complete cancellation of all sailing on Sunday.

The eight-boat J/70 class witnessed a blitzkrieg, appropriately enough, by a boat named SHRED; Stein Skaane’s crew scored four straight bullets. Second was Frank McNamara’s CHINOOK with a 2-3-2-2 for 9 pts, and third was Jim Raisides & Charlie Pendleton’s BAD HOMBRES’ with a symmetric 3-4-3-4 tally for 14 pts.

The seventeen-boat J/105 class saw a new force in the class show up at the top of the podium. Thoroughly dominating this tough class on their penultimate day was famous Houston sailor Bill Zartler, crushing the fleet with a 1-3-1 to take home the gold on his famous DEJA VOODOO from Lakewood YC. Just one point back was another famous J/105 sailor from Houston, Texas, Ken Horne’s FINAL FINAL. Then, as if the drum roll had not ended yet, Rolex Big Boat Series Champion Tim Russell and his famous crew on NE*NE (which includes Brent Draney J/105 champion tactician) took the bronze medal! That is a star-studded podium for the J/105 class!

In the ORR 1 Division, Fred deNapoli’s J/124 ALLEGRO MALVAGIO took third in class. They were followed by Gary Weisberg’s J/111 HEAT WAVE in fourth and Tom Mager’s J/122 GIGI in fifth place.

Chris Zibailo’s J/112E DOPODOMANI won the ORR 2 Division in dramatic fashion with three bullets in their scoreline!

Then, in ORR 3 Division, Ward Blodgett & Liz Smith’s J/33 SIROCCO sailed a solid series to nearly take the class win. They posted an exemplary 3-1-2-2 for 8 pts to take the silver.

In PHRF Non-Spinnaker Class, Sam Foster’s J/40 CAHOOTS from Marblehead, MA won their class!  For more Ted Hood Regatta sailing information

Ted Hood Regatta Preview

(Marblehead, MA)- The Eastern Yacht Club will be hosting the Ted Hood Regatta in conjunction with their amazing local partners, the Corinthian YC and the Boston YC for a fleet of both one-design racers and offshore PHRF handicap sailors.

The J/70 class has eight crews participating, including leading teams like Stein Skaane’s SHRED, Holly Fabyan’s ASTERIA, Graeme Carr’s JOYRIDIN, and Frank McNamara’s CHINOOK.

As the largest class in the regatta, the J/105 sailors are using the event as their “training session” for their upcoming J/105 North American Championship being sailed two weeks later in the same waters.  With seventeen teams in attendance, many of the top J/105 North American teams are in attendance.  It will be interesting to see how these teams perform over the three-day event; Bill Zartler’s DEJA VOODOO from Houston, TX; Bruce Stone/ Nicole Breault’s GOOD TRADE from San Francisco, CA; Paul Beaudin’s LOULOU from Harlem YC in New York; Tim Russell’s NE*NE from San Francisco, CA; Mark Lindquist’s STERLING from Beverly, MA; and Mark Masur’s TWO FEATHERS from Fort Worth Boat Club in Texas.

In the ORR Division is Fred deNapoli’s J/124 ALLEGRO MALVAGIO, Chris Zibailo’s J/112E DOPODOMANI, Tom Mager’s J/122 GIG, Gary Weisberg’s J/111 HEAT WAVE, Ed Kaye’s J/111 PRAVDA, and Liz Smith & Ward Blodgett’s J/33 SIROCCO.

In the PHRF Spinnaker class is Chris Lund’s J/133 JUMP from Rye, New Hampshire. In PHRF Non-Spinnaker Class is Sam Foster’s J/40 CAHOOTS from Marblehead, MA.  For more Ted Hood Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Eight Bells- Mike Bruno

(Rye, New York)- American Yacht Club Commodore Mike Bruno, 63, passed away suddenly early on the morning of August 13 at home in Armonk, NY.  Great friend William Sandberg had this to say about Mike:

“Mike was a very lucky man and knew it. He had a beautiful wife (Meg) and three wonderful kids (Mike, Russell and Price) he adored and more friends and admirers than one could ever imagine.

He had a successful business career. After receiving his MBA from Columbia Business School in 1981, he joined Solomon Brothers where he rose to become Vice President of the Mergers and Acquisitions Group within the Finance Department. He joined Stonebridge Partners in 1987, becoming the Managing Partner in 1989.

He was an accomplished and avid J/Boats sailor. Mike had a series of J/Boats he named WINGS- a J/124, J/122, and most recently a J/88.

Ironically, 2019 may have been his most successful year— winning the J/88 class at J/Fest St Petersburg, winning Charleston Race Week and dominating Storm Trysail Block Island Week.

In addition to this year, he was a two-time winner of the J/122 North Americans, New York YC Race Week winner, and 2016 Key West Race Week J/88 class winner. Along with American Yacht Club, he was a member of New York Yacht Club and Storm Trysail Club.

Most of all he was, perhaps, the most generous person I have ever known. Need a house in Florida to use an auction item to raise money for the US Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams? You got it. A spectator boat for viewing? Of course. Rooms for wounded vets to attend a regatta? Done. And, the list goes on.

As Commodore of American YC, he played host to the US Sailing Disabled Championships in 2008. When approached about hosting a disabled regatta in the future, not surprisingly Mike quickly made it happen. Thus, was born the Robbie Pierce One-Design Disabled Regatta, where Mike even served on the Race Committee.

Most recently, he served on the Board and twice chaired the annual fundraiser for Freedom Waters Foundation in Naples, FL, which enhances lives of individuals with special needs and veterans by providing therapeutic boating experiences.

A memorial service will be held at American YC in Rye at 1400 hours, Friday, August 16.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mike’s name to:

Pediatric Cancer Research at Memorial Sloan Kettering
Attention: Rachel Flannery
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Office of Development
P.O. Box 27106
New York, NY 10087
Or online at http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/michaelsbrunojr

I will miss Mikey terribly, as will many others. You were a very special man, Mike Bruno. Sail fast.” Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/Teams Win Silver in Santa Barbara-King Harbor Race!

(Santa Barbara, CA)- According to the winning skipper of the Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race, “it was a great race, good breeze in the high teens, low 20’s, nice little waves to jump on, finishing the 81 mile race in a tad over 9 hours… we stayed slightly outside to King Harbor, stayed in pressure the entire 50 mile leg, got headed in perfectly and suddenly found ourselves atop the podium overall by a mere 22 seconds! Wow, what a thrilling finish!”

The Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race is a distance race spanning 81.0nm and has been a tradition for Santa Barbara and King Harbor sailors for 47 years. Seventy boats sailed the 2019 edition, of which 23% (16) are J/Teams.

The SB-KH is a deceptively simple race, since the tactics are pretty well understood by most teams. From the start line, sailing in a building northwesterly seabreeze, it is a straight shot on starboard tack to the bottom of the Channel Islands, with either Code Zeros or reaching spinnakers. The one and only turning mark is Anacapa Island, left to port.  The principal issue is getting around the wind shadow of Anacapa before gybing and dashing off on port tack under spinnakers towards the infamous Point Dume (a.k.a. sometimes Pt Doom!) in the glittery, fashionable village of Malibu, CA. The reason why that strategy works is that late afternoon winds from the NW are significantly accelerated around that point due to the fact the seabreeze is getting sucked into the entire Los Angeles Basin (all pavement, black roofs, and desert mountains off to the east! Upon reaching Point Dume, most boats gybe back onto starboard tack and head for the finish line at the opening to King Harbor in Redondo Beach, just north of the gorgeous Palos Verdes peninsula.

As described above by the winning skipper overall, it was a “textbook” race. The most significant  question was- “when do we gybe under Anacapa Island to avoid the wind cone and make the dash for Point Dume?” The gamblers that are willing to throw the dice and “go for it” gybe early and try to take an inside line underneath the island. But, there can be enormous holes that develop where boats have parked for hours and disappeared behind the fleet. The more conservative approach is to continue offshore on starboard until well clear of the dreaded “wind cone”, then gybe onto port and head for the vicinity of Point Dume and the stronger, greatly accelerated winds curving around the giant bluff.

In the end, it was Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s J/125 WARRIOR that nearly pulled off a perfect race on a perfect day of sailing. With breeze-on at the starting line, the smaller, faster, planing boats have a distinct advantage, as it’s a spinnaker reach to the 4.0nm gap between Anacapa Island and Santa Cruz Island. The big boats have to chase them down and hope the smaller boats don’t navigate the Anacapa “gap/ cone” scenario well! Dr Laura’s veteran crew on WARRIOR sailed fast, completing the 81.0nm course in 8:13:48. That was good enough for first in ULDB B Class, but 22 seconds shy of PHRF Overall honors!

It was ULDB C Class that “cleaned” up overall. Three J/111s finished 3rd to 5th in class, with Kenny Kieding & John Vincent’s ARGO 3 leading the way, followed by Bernie Girod’s ROCK & ROLL just one minute behind and Doug & Jack Jorgensen’s PICOSA just 30 seconds behind them! That was a very tight three-way battle between very well-sailed J/111s.

PHRF A Class saw two J/crews on the podium.  Second was Scott Torrance’s J/124 FORGIVENESS, followed in third by Tom & Terri Manok’s J/120 POLE DANCER.

Similarly, in PHRF B Class, Jack Mayer’s J/109 ZEPHYR took the silver.  The J/105s occupied most of the top spots in PHRF C Class. Second was Dan Murphy’s CUCHULAINN, followed in third by Tom Bollay’s ARMIDA, fourth was Chuck Spear’s TWELVE BAR BLUES. Then, rounding out the top five as Tom Hinkle’s J/40 WHITE LIGHT.

A total of seven awards were handed out to happy J/Owners in the fleet of 69 keelboats in 9 PHRF racing classes- that’s one-quarter of all podium silverware!  For more Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race Preview

(Santa Barbara, CA)- The 2019 Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race is a distance race spanning 81.0nm and has been a tradition for Santa Barbara and King Harbor sailors for 47 years. The race is quite popular with sailors up and down the Southern California coastline, seventy boats are registered, of which 23% (16) are J/Teams.

The SB-KH is a simple race, too, since the tactics are pretty well understood by most teams. From the start line, sailing in a building northwesterly seabreeze, it is a straight shot on starboard tack to the bottom of the Channel Islands, with either Code Zeros or reaching spinnakers. The one and only turning mark is Anacapa Island, left to port.  The principal issue is getting around the wind shadow of Anacapa before gybing and dashing off on port tack under spinnakers towards the infamous Point Dume (a.k.a. sometimes Pt Doom!) in the glittery, fashionable village of Malibu, CA. The reason why that strategy works is that late afternoon winds from the NW are significantly accelerated around that point due to the fact the entire Los Angeles Basin is boiling hot (like 100 F deg hot!) and the Santa Rosa/ San Jacinto Mountain range to the east are like giant frying pans sending all that heat skywards! Upon reaching Point Dume, most boats gybe back onto starboard tack and head for the finish line at the opening to King Harbor in Redondo Beach, just north of the gorgeous Palos Verdes peninsula.

The sixteen J/Teams participating include four J/111s (Bernie Girod’s ROCK & ROLL, Doug & Jack Jorgensen’s PICOSA, Kenny Kieding & John Vincent’s ARGO 3, & Mike Drammer’s TITANIUM), Dr Laura Schlessinger’s J/125 WARRIOR (a multiple race winner), two J/120s (Tom & Terri Manok’s POLE DANCER & Jack Rose’s PRIVATEER II), Scott Torrance’s J/124 FORGIVENESS, two J/109s (Tom Cullen’s FUEGO & Jack Mayer’s ZEPHYR), Doug Steick’s J/100 JIB & TONIC, Tom Hinkle’s J/40 WHITE LIGHT, three J/105s (Chuck Spear’s TWELVE BAR BLUES, Tom Bollay’s ARMIDA, & Dan Murphy’s CUCHULAINN), and Brian Kerr’s J/92 DOUBLE DOWN.  For more Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week Preview

(Long Beach, CA)- The Alamitos Bay YC and Long Beach YC are hosting the 2019 Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week from June 21st to 23rd for a fleet of 108 boats in what many consider to be one of the best sailing areas on the California coastline. Even though southern California is famous for its “June Gloom” (where mornings start with thick sea fog along the coast, 100 ft visibility no less), the powerful sun burns it all off by noontime and generates a fairly strong seabreeze from the WNW that can kick-in up to 20 kts by late afternoon!

Thirty-six J/Teams (about 33.0% of the fleet) are participating in the popular event. By far the biggest one-design class is the eighteen J/70s; many of those teams have an eye towards the J/70 World Championship that will be sailed in the same waters in 2020. Some of the top teams include Bruce Golison’s MIDLIFE CRISIS, Chris Kostanecki’s JENNIFER, Peter Cameron’s KANGAROO JOCKEY, Curt Johnson’s AVET 2.01, Jeff Janov’s MINOR THREAT, Jim Murrell’s HUCKLEBERRY, Tom Garret’s SLOOP JOHN B, and Patrick Danly’s BOONDOGGLE.

The eighteen-boat PHRF Division includes three J/105s (William Quealy’s J-RABBIT SLIM, Scott McDaniel’s OFF THE PORCH, & George Scheel’s SUN PUFFIN), two J/109s (Jeff Shew’s FUZZY LOGIC & Heinz Butner’s RAPTOR), Ken Kieding’s J/111 ARGO 3, and David Boatner’s J/35 RIVAL.

Finally, in the PHRF Random Leg Division includes Timothy Harmon’s J/124 CIRRUS.  For more Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Edlu Distance Race Preview

(Larchmont, NY)- This coming weekend marks the start of the summer offshore racing program for Larchmont Yacht Club.  The Edlu Race, first sailed in 1956, has long been a classic tune-up race for the around Block Island Race and Block Island Race Week. Followed by a classic party, it is one the “must-do” events on western Long Island Sound.

The Spinnaker course is 32.0nm from the Larchmont Breakwater to Gong 11B off Eaton's Neck and back. The Non-Spinnaker course is approximately 20.0nm.

The start times are set for slower boats to start first and enable everyone to get back to Larchmont YC in time for the “Sailors Welcome” with lots of camaraderie, hot dogs, chili, beer, dark‘n’stormies and live music!

In the nine-boat IRC Class is Steven Levy’s J/121 EAGLE from Indian Harbor YC and Len Sitar’s J/44 VAMP from Storm Trysail Club.

The eight-boat PHRF Doublehanded Division includes Jon Yoder & Bill Gassman’s J/100 BLACKCOMB from Larchmont YC, Josh Burack’s J/105 PEREGRINA from Huguenot YC, Abhijeet Lee’s J/111 VARUNA from New York YC, and Mike Greene’s J/35 LOBLOLLY from Cedar Point YC.

At thirty-two boats, the PHRF Spinnaker Division is shaping up to be a battle by fourteen J/crews!  Participants include William Komaroff’s J/100 TEXAS ROSE, two J/105 YOUNG AMERICAN teams, Carl Olsson’s J/109 MORNING GLORY, Bill & Julie Baxter’s J/111 FIREBALL, Bill Ingraham’s J/124 TENEBRAE, Paul Zinger’s J/30 ZINGER, and Iris Vogel’s J/88 DEVIATION.

The eleven-boat PHRF Plus-One Spinnaker Division includes Eric Bicknese’s J/105 BIG EZ, Arthur Hanlon’s J/112E DAUNTLESS, Sara & Josh Reisberg’s J/120 ABILYN, Todd Aven’s J/92 THIN MAN, and Tim Mount’s J/97E VESPER.

Finally, in the Edlu Short Course PHRF Non-Spinnaker Class will be Kurt Locher’s J/42 ATALANTA from host Larchmont YC.  For more Larchmont YC Edlu Distance Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/Crews Collect Newport to Ensenada Race Silver!

(Newport Beach, CA)- Remarkably, the second major event of the Southern California offshore season also started off with a whimper. This year’s Newport to Ensenada Race was not the “fast forward” downwind sleigh ride of year’s past.  Instead, it started off quite light, especially overnight, but then as the fleet made their way down the coastline the onshore sea breezes and northerly flows kicked in for a sunny, breezy finish for most boats.

The legendary 125nm “wind sprint” that starts off the piers at Newport Beach, CA is a simple race course; after the start, just head south down the California/ Mexican coastline to a finish inside Toto Santos Bay, off the lovely Hotel Coral & Marina in Ensenada.

The 72nd annual edition of the race was perhaps most frustrating for the “maxi’s and the fleet of ULDB 70s.  However, for the mid-size boats in the 35 to 45 foot range, it all worked out quite well on handicap scoring; in particular, for many of the dozen J/Teams.

One of the leading navigators described this year’s event: “the race was tricky as heck, but we just looked to sail the shortest possible course, going just outside the Coronado’s for a bit, then jibed into shore and staying left. VMG all the way and just drive.”

For many in the light winds race, finding VMG (Velocity Made Good) was the difference between winning or ending up experiencing VNDG (Velocity No Dang Good) instead.

Commenting on their second place finish on their second offshore outing on the brand new J/121 BLUE FLASH was owner Scott Grealish:

“We knew we had a bad start. And, it's obvious we were slow the first hour. I think the combination of being short handed with two new guys affected us; so, we were not quick off the line, setting the zero, etc. Plus, we are still learning how to trim that setup.  We improved and gained over the next few hours with no real condition changes.

In the end, we took second in class to the Andrews 40 by four minutes corrected. They beat us in the Cabo Race, too (first overall), so we respect their program.

Our eleven-boat class sailed in light 0-10.0 kts TWS and all Code Zero/ A1 spinnaker sailing conditions. We all finished within 2% on our elapsed times! Incredibly, a pretty well-sailed offshore fleet!

We sailed with four and found the water ballast very useful on the small zero at 8.0 kts TWS, 80-105 TWA. We think the staysail under the Code Zero is slower at 6-8.0 kts TWS. But, we never got more wind to really test this combination further.

There was a “Catalina Eddy” sailing condition during the night. That meant there was a periodic phasing of colder, stronger breeze forward from offshore; followed by warmer, lighter gradient veered breeze (60 degrees!)! So, we sailed the A1 spinnaker in both VMG mode and hotter sailing angle modes (the phases were too quick to merit gybing with two on deck, but fully crewed we would've). During daylight, we got to two boat test-sail against the Farr 40s, trying both modes.

Our take-away was that the J/121 can be fast sailed and deep on the A1 (TWA 148-152, TWS 6-8 kts) with all weight forward and two crew to leeward. Paradoxically, this reverses at TWS 9-10 kts, where hotter angles are better.”

Meanwhile, Terri Manok’s all-female team on the J/120 POLE DANCER also had a successful offshore experience on their way to Ensenada. Her crew members were American, Irish, Canadian, and a New Zealander. They won the Caroline Starr Trophy for Best Corrected All Female Crew as well as the Carlos Avila Escoto Trophy for the Best Corrected J/120.

“We stayed out of the fray and got a good start,” said Manok. “It was a long race, but had a wonderful group of ladies to sail with. And, we had fun!”

“The girls” on Manok’s POLE DANCER persevered, stuck to their guns, and pulled off a podium finish against a large class of veteran offshore racers, taking the bronze in the PHRF A Spinnaker class, just 20 minutes from silver! You go girls, great sailing!

Rudolph Hasl’s crew from San Diego YC sailed their J/145 PALAEMON in the PHRF ULDB A Class and, despite the light, shifty, streaky winds, pulled off a 4th place in a fleet filled with all-carbon offshore racers- mostly super-fast TP52s.

Then, in PHRF ULDB C Class, Doug & Jack Jorgensen’s J/111 PICOSA got on the podium by taking 3rd in class, while Seth Hall’s J/124 MARISOL took fourth.  That was a great result for both boats in the 24-hour sprint down the Mexican coastline. 

In PHRF ULDB D Class, Juan Lois’ J/105 ROCINANTE won class honors while fellow stablemates, Brian Kerr’s J/92 DOUBLE DOWN took the silver; a great celebration was had by these two J/teams at the top of the podium!

In the shorter Newport to San Diego Race (the “sunset sail”), Robert Pace’s J/145 ANDIAMO 2 took the bronze in the PHRF A class of fifteen boats, the largest of any class in the entire event!

In the even shorter Newport to Dana Point Race (the “day sail”), it was a near clean sweep of the top five by J/Crews!  Winning was Jock McGraw’s J/22 TEKEELA, followed by Charles Brewer’s J/124 HEARTBEAT 4 in third place, Marty Henehan’s J/92 FIREWATER in 4th place, and taking 6th place was the Newport Harbor YC’s youth team on the J/70 SLOOP JOHN B, skippered by Tom Garret.  Sailing photo credits-   Tom Walker   Jeff Granberry   For more Newport to Ensenada Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Newport Harbor to Cabo San Lucas Drift-A-Thon

(Newport Beach, CA)- The 20th running of the 800.0nm Newport Beach to Cabo San Lucas International Yacht Race started with some degree of promise that the weather forecasts would not come to fruition. The first three fleets of boats started off in decent winds from the WNW that slowly clocked as the fleet sailed south down the Mexican shoreline.

However, the forecasts did, indeed, hold true and the race became somewhat of an anti-climactic event for the late starters.  The winds were so light that nearly all of the Saturday starters (the Maxi’s and Super Maxi’s) dropped out! And, over a third of the rest of the fleet did the same, “turning and burning” under their “iron gennies” to head back to home.

It was still the usual downwind race, with winds fluctuating from the northeast to northwest, as the fleet ever so slowly crawled down the Mexican coastline, gybing on lifts and desperately looking for pressure anywhere!

For the three J/Teams that managed to finish the race, there was no question there were many anxious moments as one after another held either the lead in their division or were hanging on to a podium finish (as forecast by the YBTracker.com fleet tracking algorithms).

Those three boats were Scott Grealish’s brand new J/121 BLUE FLASH, Viggo Torbensen’s J/125 TIMESHAVER from Dana Point YC, and Seth Hall’s J/124 MARISOL from Newport Beach, CA.

In the battle of the 40+ footers, it was Torbensen’s J/125 TIMESHAVER that yet again out-gunned their classmates, working every inch of advantage, every degree of downwind AWA, every perfect sail combination, to finish the race in 4 days 18 hours 18 minutes to correct out to 2nd in class, missing the ORR 3 Division win by just 4 hours.

Hanging onto the class lead for the better part of two days was Grealish’s brand new, fresh out of the box (2 hours!) J/121 BLUEFLASH. Interspersed with their moments of brilliance were hours of frustration chasing wind streaks for advantage over their erstwhile competitors. As part of their “training mission”, their hope was to learn as fast as possible how to guide their new 40-foot missile faster down the track, experimenting with every sail combination possible. As the smallest boat in the class, they suffered from the same malaise that the Super Maxi’s and Maxi’s got caught in, little to no wind the further they got down the coast as the frontal system receded away from them. That phenomenon not only forced the biggest baddest boats out of the race, with their speedo’s reading “triple naughts” at times, but that also enabled the top boats in ORR 3 Division to continue to extend their lead. In the end, BLUEFLASH was content with a 5th in class, and gathering an enormous amount of data to help them on their 50th Transpac Race preparations later in the summer.

In ORR 5 Division, Hall’s J/124 MARISOL took 5 days 9 hours 55 minutes to complete the 800.0nm track to correct out to 4th in class.   Watch YB Tracking of the race here.   For more Newport Beach to Cabo San Lucas Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Newport to Cabo Drift-A-Thon Update

(Newport Beach, CA)- The 20th running of the 800.0nm Newport Beach to Cabo San Lucas International Yacht Race started this past week. So far, it has proven to be such an anti-climactic event, with such light airs, that nearly all of the last fleet to the starting line on Saturday (the Maxi’s and Super Maxi’s) have dropped out!! And, over a third of the rest of the fleet have done the same, “turning and burning” under their “iron gennies” to head back to home.

It is still a downwind race, with winds fluctuating from the northeast to northwest, as the fleet ever so slowly crawls down the Mexican coastline, literally! For the three J/Teams still on the race track offshore, they may be suffering anxiety attacks as each zephyr of wind rolls down from the heavens above to power them down, euphemistically speaking, to their ultimate destination in Cabo San Lucas.  Those three boats are Scott Grealish’s brand new J/121 BLUE FLASH, Viggo Torbensen’s J/125 TIMESHAVER from Dana Point YC, and Seth Hall’s J/124 MARISOL from Newport Beach, CA.  Live YB Tracking of the race here.  For more Newport Beach to Cabo San Lucas Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Newport Beach to Cabo San Lucas Race Preview

(Newport Beach, CA)- The 20th running of the 800.0nm Newport Beach to Cabo San Lucas International Yacht Race starts this week. This edition of the race will be especially exciting as the West Coast prepares for a huge season of offshore sailing leading up to the 50th Transpac. The first ORR handicap classes start Thursday, March 14th at 1300 hrs, followed by five more ORR handicap classes starting on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Typically a downwind run to Cabo San Lucas, racers enjoy the sunny afternoons and warm, moonlit evenings as they journey down the coast.  The race is a test of weather routing, excellent navigation, and the crew pressing hard 24 hours a day.  For the most part, it is a very reachy race early.  Then, as the fleet makes its way down the coast of Mexico, the winds move further aft and the boats start gybing in northerly winds that can often peak at 15-25 kts during the daytime.

Three very fast J/crews will be on the race track offshore, all hyper-fast reaching machines that have proven to win their fair share of offshore silverware.  Making her race debut will be Scott Grealish’s brand new J/121 BLUE FLASH! After winning its class in the Storm Trysail Club’s Bermuda Race last year, this will be the first true “downhill” test of the J/121 against many of the best SoCal offshore speedsters.

Perhaps the biggest competitor that BLUE FLASH will face is one of the famous J/125s, Viggo Torbensen’s TIMESHAVER from Dana Point YC. TIMESHAVER’s favorite whipping post has been their buddies on the SC50 Horizon. They may now have to add Grealish’s J/121 BLUE FLASH to their “watch” list as they make fast progress down the Mexican coastline.

Finally, do not count out Seth Hall’s J/124 MARISOL from Newport Beach, CA.  Their team has proven that in lighter offshore races, like the Newport to Ensenada Race or the SoCal 300 sailed earlier in the year, they have the light air reaching speed and narrow, easily-driven hull to sail fast and get a podium finish.  Live YB Tracking of the race here.   For more Newport Beach to Cabo San Lucas Race sailing information

J/Crews Prevail in Fast, Shortened Islands Race X

J/44 and J/124 Garner Silver!
(San Diego, CA)- The 10th annual Islands Race attracted 26 teams on February 15 for a Southern California offshore course from Long Beach Harbor, around Santa Catalina and finishing in San Diego, CA. The standard 134.0nm course, which generally includes rounding San Clemente Island to port, was shortened to 80.0nm when the island mark was removed due to a military exclusion zone!

As anticipated by the sailors, the teams took awhile to head offshore to pick up the west to northwest trade-winds that flow southward down the coast. With the shortened course, the crews went around Catalina Island, turned left, set spinnakers, sailed down inside San Clemente Island to the Point Loma finish line off San Diego. It was a quick race in the 10-17 kts WNW winds offshore, with most boats finishing in less than 13 hours of sailing!

Taking up the challenge were two J/crews with lots of blue-water pedigree. In ORR 3 Division, it was Seth Hall’s famous navy blue J/124 MARISOL from Newport Beach, CA that captured the bronze in a class littered with custom carbon offshore speedsters.  Hall’s crew were elated to beat some of Southern California’s more notorious offshore racers, just missing the silver by a mere 47 seconds!!

Similarly, in ORR 4 Division, it was Paul Stemler’s pretty J/44 PATRIOT from Newport Harbor YC that took on all comers with speed, grace, comfort, and elegance, winning their division by 12 minutes corrected time!  For more Islands Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.