Fast Newport to Ensenada Race!

(Newport Beach, CA)- The annual Newport to Ensenada Race had one of its fastest races ever, especially for the “big boats”.  The race is a ritualistic dance for much of the southern California offshore racing community.  It has evolved over time to accommodate more sailing enthusiasts.  Today, it provided the 193 boats entered three choices: the “classic” Newport to Ensenada race of 125nm, the Newport to San Diego race of 75nm, and the Newport to Dana Point race of just 15nm.

What is the attraction of this fabled offshore race down the Pacific coastline from California to Mexico?  Perhaps, it was best captured by a story from Mike Lawler, a boat captain that lives on Balboa Island.  Here are some snippets from his story for the Los Angeles Times (http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/opinion/tn-dpt-me-commentary-n2e-20180424-story.html).

“Experience, of course, is valued, but working well together as a crew is essential. On our boat, several of the crew have been racing together for decades, which is a huge advantage. This will be my 16th N2E race on Amante.

It's also about the camaraderie through shared experiences on the water with other sailors. Both before and after the race, it's fun to have a beer with a fellow sailor, sharing stories about their boats and the race, what went right and what went wrong.

It's about the start. It is thrilling to see so many racing sailboats circling for position in racing sequence just before their start. It is even more of an adrenaline rush to be on one of the boats, doing your best as part of a crew to get a good start, with your competitors all around you, and then hear that starting gun go off!

It's about the breeze. Sometimes we have good breeze all through the night, but that's rare. Usually, on this race the wind eases up after the sun sets, with light air racing through the night, just trying your best to keep the boat moving. Every few years we have a fresh breeze of 15 to 20 knots from the northwest throughout the night, which means an early Saturday morning finish.

It's about the course. From the starting line off the Balboa Pier to the breakwater off the Hotel Coral Marina in Ensenada is 125 nautical miles. Along the way are the Coronado Islands, and the skipper must choose to go either outside or inside those islands. Usually there is more breeze outside the islands, but sometimes an offshore breeze fills in after midnight and the inshore track may be more favored. Other years, sailing the rhumb line directly to the finish, and thereby sailing fewer miles, works best.

It's also about the adventure. Sailing offshore at night is always exciting, and at times challenging. This year, we will have the benefit of a near full moon.

It's about the finish. Often, several boats are converging from different directions, some sailing deep right for the line, and others reaching in at hotter angles. One time we had heavy traffic with about 20 boats bunched together and finishing within a minute of each other. It can be dramatic, at times chaotic, and always exhausting, after racing for 20 to 24 hours or so with little or no sleep.

It's all about the parties. Of course, Hussong's, established in 1892, is famous as not only Baja's oldest bar but also one of a few that claims to have invented “the margarita!” Papas & Beer is another favorite watering hole. The Coral Hotel is hosting a Saturday Night Fiesta for the N2E racers with muchos cervezas and a dance band.”

Friday was the start of the 2018 N2E, which is actually several starts 10 minutes apart, with two side-by-side starting lines, beginning at 11:00am just off the Balboa Pier.  In the end, several J/crews managed to collect more silverware for their trophy rooms; here are some of the highlights.

In the PHRF E class of ten boats, the J/92 DOUBLE DOWN sailed by Brian Kerr took 1st in class!  Not far behind was the J/105 ROCINANTE skippered by Juan Lois, pulling off a 5th in class.

The fourteen-boat PHRF B class saw Doug Jorgensen’s J/111 PICOSA take 4th, missing the podium by a mere 34 seconds!

Finally, in the “big boat” PHRF A class of eleven-boats, it was the mighty J/65 GOOD CALL, skippered by her owner Tom Barker, that took home the bronze!

In the “medium distance” the Newport to San Diego race, taking second in PHRF A class was Seth Hall’s J/124 MARISOL.

Then, in the “little boat” Newport to Dana Point race, a number of J/crews scored well!  In the PHRF Spin Division, it was a near clean sweep.  The Jock McGraw’s J/22 TEKEELA won the class of eleven boats, followed in second place by Tom Garret’s J/70 SLOOP JOHN B, and by Charles Brewer’s J/124 HEARTBEAT 4 in 5th place.  Sailing photo credits:  Joy Sailing / Bronny Daniels  and  Tom Walker Photography  For more Newport to Ensenada Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

71st Newport to Ensenada Race Preview

(Newport Beach, CA)- The Southern California offshore season continues to ramp up in the later stages of spring.  After the famous San Diego to Puerto Vallarta Race that took place a few weeks ago, it’s now time for the Newport to Ensenada Race- still one of the world’s largest international yacht races, with a legendary 125nm course that starts off the piers at Newport Beach, CA and heads south down the California coastline to a finish inside Toto Santos Bay off the lovely Hotel Coral & Marina in Ensenada.

Starting on April 27th, the fleet of 180+ boats will look forward to their 71st annual edition of the race.  Answering that seductive call to the sea- the “song of the sirens”- are nearly a dozen J/crews from the Southern California region.

The majestic queen of the PHRF A fleet will be the J/65 GOOD CALL, sailed by Tom Barker from the Cortez Racing Association.  Two of the insanely fast J/125 offshore speedsters will be participating- TIMESHAVER (Viggo Torbensen from Dana Point YC) and WARRIOR (Dr Laura Schlessinger from Santa Barbara YC).

In the next PHRF B class will be Seth Hall’s J/124 MARISOL sailing for the Cortez Racing Association.  However, he will have to contend with two strong J/120 offshore crews- POLE DANCER (Terri Manok from OYC) and HASL FREE (Rudolph Hasl from San Diego YC).

Sailing PHRF C will be the J/105 ROCINANTE sailed by Juan Lois from SBYRC and the J/35 MACS skippered by Eric McClure from Alamitos Bay YC.  Then in PHRF D is the J/92 DOUBLE DOWN helmed by Brian Kerr from SMW YC.

Finally, sailing the “short course” to Dana Point YC will be the J/22 TEKEELA led by Jock McGraw from DWYC.  For more Newport to Ensenada Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Puerto Vallarta Race Preview

(San Diego, CA)- Held bi-annually, anticipation has been building for the 2018 Puerto Vallarta Race as race day approaches this coming Friday at 12 pm Pacific time. Hosted by San Diego YC, the 1,000 nm race has been famous for two elements- the classic spinnaker-driven sleigh ride down the Mexican coast to the end of the Baja Peninsula, then a left turn at Cabo San Lucas across the Sea of Cortez, to the finish line off Punta Mita, Nayarit, Mexico that is at the opening of Bahia de Banderas (Banderas Bay).

The race has always attracted J/sailors of various stripes and experience over the course of time.  This year, two veteran offshore racing teams will be going at it hard in a 1,000nm dog-fight for class supremacy in Division 6.  The two protagonists are well-known in SoCal racing circles; the two J/125s are Mark Surber’s DERIVATIVE from San Diego YC and Viggo Torbensen’s TIMESHAVER from Dana Point YC.

While the stripped-out racing machines like the 125s and TP52s will be flying along at breakneck speed, the J/65 GOOD CALL, sailed by Tom Barker from Omaha, NE, will be sailing in Division 4 and will have the benefit of air-conditioning, a wine/ beer cooler, hot & cold pressure water, fresh water maker, and a number of other creature comforts that would make any racing sailor envious of such power, speed, and comfort all rolled into one boat!  For more Puerto Vallarta Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Islands Race Preview

(San Diego, CA)- Back for its ninth year, San Diego Yacht Club will host the 130nm Islands Race on February 16-17, 2018. The Islands Race is one of SDYC’s signature offshore races, and the first of the 2018 racing calendar for most boats. Following the Islands Race will be the Puerto Vallarta Race in March, the SoCal 300 in May, and the Rum Runner Race in October.

The Islands Race brings San Diego Yacht Club and Newport Harbor Yacht Club together when the race starts in Long Beach Harbor. From there, competitors will head west off the Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands before finishing in Point Loma. This scenic course showcases Southern California’s gratifying sea breezes and profound ocean swells.

A number of J/Crews are ready to attack the course on their start Friday evening.  Every crew are veterans of the southern California offshore experience, including Viggo Torbensen’s J/125 TIMESHAVER from Dana Point YC; Tom Barker’s J/65 GOOD CALL from Cortez Racing Association; Ed Sanford’s J/105 CREATIVE from SDYC; Seth Hall’s J/124 MARISOL; and Paul Stemler’s J/44 PATRIOT from Newport Harbor YC.

San Diego YC Staff Commodore Wayne Terry, a co-chair of the event, commented, “the 9th annual Islands Race is co-sponsored by the San Diego and Newport Harbor Yacht Clubs. The race is often used as a tune-up for SDYC’s semi-annual running of the Puerto Vallarta Race, which is scheduled to commence on March 2nd. Over the years, the Islands Race has experienced weather conditions ranging from mild to extreme, while usually fun and always challenging. As always, refreshments will be on the front deck of SDYC awaiting the sailor’s arrival at the prize giving ceremony.”

SDYC will host the award ceremony on the clubhouse main deck on Saturday, February 17 with food and drinks for competitors beginning at 3pm, or later, depending on when the majority of boats complete the race. Sailing photo credits- Bronny Daniels/ JoySailing.com  Friends, family, and the sailing community can follow the race by tuning in to the YB Tracking website. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

SDYC’s Islands Race- Kick-Off for SoCal Season

(San Diego, CA)- Back for its ninth year, San Diego Yacht Club will host the 130nm Islands Race on February 16-17, 2018. The Islands Race is one of SDYC’s signature offshore races, and the first of the 2018 racing calendar for most boats. Following the Islands Race will be the Puerto Vallarta Race in March, the SoCal 300 in May, and the Rum Runner Race in October.

The Islands Race brings San Diego Yacht Club and Newport Harbor Yacht Club together when the race starts in Long Beach Harbor. From there, competitors will head west of the Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands before finishing in Point Loma. This scenic course showcases Southern California’s gratifying sea breezes and profound ocean swells.

With registration now open, a fleet of over 25 boats is expected to compete in 2018, similar to past years. In 2017, the smallest boat entered was a 33 footer, while the largest boat entered was Roy Disney’s 70 ft Pyewacket.  A number of J/Crews are already registered, including Viggo Torbensen’s J/125 TIMESHAVER from Dana Point YC, Tom Barker’s J/65 GOOD CALL from Cortez Racing Association, Ed Sanford’s J/105 CREATIVE from SDYC, Seth Hall’s gorgeous flag-blue J/124 MARISOL, and Paul Stemler’s J/44 PATRIOT from Newport Harbor YC. 

SDYC Staff Commodore Wayne Terry and Daniel Giessmann from NHYC will again co-chair the 2018 running of the event. For those sailors who enjoy an assortment of conditions within 130nm of offshore racing, Giessmann recommends you register.

“The Islands Race is great because it gives sailors a real taste of what offshore racing is like in Southern California. For some racers this may be the longest offshore race they do and for others it is a great tune-up for the PV or Cabo races that follow. Being early in the season also allows for a wide variety of weather scenarios to keep navigators busy. I enjoy being the chair to help promote and grow west coast offshore racing.”

Additionally, Terry provides a summary of the 2017 Islands Race and what to expect in 2018.  “The normally well-attended Islands Race, co-sponsored by the San Diego and Newport Harbor Yacht Clubs, will soon enjoy the 9th year of this annual event. The race normally draws 25+ competitors, many of whom will use it as a tune-up to SDYC’s semi-annual running of the Puerto Vallarta Race, which is scheduled to commence on March 2nd. Over the years, the Islands Race has experienced weather conditions ranging from mild to extreme, while usually fun and always challenging. The Islands Race is one of those many events where the respective sailing offices do most of the work, and deserve a big thank you for doing so. On behalf of the organizing authority, we hope everyone participating in this year’s event has a fun, fast and most importantly, safe race to San Diego. As always, refreshments will be on the front deck awaiting your arrival at the prize giving ceremony.”

SDYC will host the award ceremony on the clubhouse main deck on Saturday, February 17 with food and drinks for competitors beginning at 3pm or later depending on when the majority of boats complete the race.  Friends, family, and the sailing community can follow the race by tuning in to the YB Tracking website. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/Sailors Cruise The Islands Race

(Newport Beach, CA)- After a whirlwind of speculation and decision making regarding the official course for the 2016 Islands Race, the boats all finished safe in port after their 130nm adventure around the islands (Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands) from Newport Harbor to San Diego.

The Friday start featured sunny skies and a disappointing southerly wind at just 4 knots! Not to worry - the front that the Organizing Authority and Race Committee was anticipating ripped through the start area not long after the start as the Race Committee boat was traveling back to Newport Harbor. Lighter winds followed the initial squall, then built steadily as the backside of the front filled in.

Smaller sea states with 6-8’ swells and significant wind chop marked the hours following the start. Winds varied between 20 and 30 knots with gusts. According to crew member Stuart Bannatyne, “It rained hard. It was a point-to-point race, yet the way the wind was shifting made it really challenging. But it was that kind of challenge that made it an enjoyable race.”

There was plenty of other race gear casualties though. Consider one of the smaller boats out there, BLUEFLASH, a J/88 who placed second in Division 4. According to crew member Sean Grealish, whose father Scott Grealish was skippering BlueFlash, “We shredded two sails because of a bad broach. We were sailing at 18 knots boatspeed which is amazing for this size boat!”

Others weren’t as phased by the squalls. Jeff Brown onboard the J/65 MAITRI thoroughly enjoyed the rough weather and had a different idea on how to best cope with bumpy conditions and damaged gear. “This was our first time on the new boat and we were having an absolute blast. We were eating lasagna and salad from Old Venice right when our first kite blew up. So, we then we started going 10 knots with our main alone all while still enjoying our lasagna.”

Event chair Wayne Terry commended the Islands Race staff for their decision-making skills. “I think the Organizing Authority did an exceptional job with excellent leadership. We appreciated the patience from competitors as we waited to watch forecasts and tried to make the best decision.”

Upon finishing, many sailors reported that they celebrated the challenging day the only way they know how- by rushing straight to the warm, dry bar!  In fact, one of the first teams to the bar had to be Tim Fuller’s team on the J/125 RESOLUTE- they took 2nd in PHRF 2 and 2nd Overall in Fleet. Then, in ORR 2 Class scoring, they were 1st class and 2nd overall!

Another winner was Paul Stemler’s J/44 PATRIOT, taking 1st in PHRF 3 Class and 1st in ORR 3 Class scoring, too!

Finally, the aforementioned J/88 BLUE FLASH actually did remarkably well considering they blew up two sails.  Grealish’s crew managed to secure silver in PHRF 4 Class and also a 2nd in the ORR 4 Class scoring!  For more Islands Race sailing information

Islands Race Preview

(Newport Beach, CA)- The 130nm Islands Race takes off on March 11, and is San Diego YC’s first offshore race of the year; followed by the SoCal 300 in May and the Rum Runner race in October. This is the seventh year that SDYC will partner with Newport Harbor Yacht Club for the Islands Race. The race will showcase impeccable scenery alongside the California coast as competitors start in Long Beach Harbor, navigate around the Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands, before completing the race in Point Loma in San Diego.

The Islands Race is a staple in the offshore racing circuit for boats of all sizes.  This year twenty-eight of the best boats in the California offshore racing community are taking part on the start this Saturday.  Amongst them is a diverse group of J/Teams, covering the spectrum from the speedy J/88 up to the magnificent J/65.

At the top of the heap and most likely to be the first member of the J/Tribe to cross the finish line first is Tom Barker’s beautiful navy-blue J/65 MAITRI from the Cortez Racing Association.  She will be chased hard by one of the veterans of the offshore SoCal wars, Tim Fuller’s J/125 RESOLUTE from Newport Harbor YC. Watch out for Paul Stemler’s J/44 PATRIOT from Newport Harbor YC, particularly if the breezes are strong from the southwest as they haven been with the advent of the El Nino induced “Pineapple Express” (e.g. a long slog to windward in big seas!). Similarly, such conditions would also be welcomed by Seth Hall’s gorgeous flag-blue J/124 MARISOL from Cortez Racing Association.  Hoping for blast-reaching and planing-mode conditions is perhaps the “Swiss Army knife” in the quiver of J’s racing down to San Diego- the J/88 speedster appropriately named BLUE FLASH and sailed by Scott Grealish and friends from Willamette SC in Portland, Oregon- the last offshore race they sailed they won by a country mile!  Watch this space, history may repeat itself!  Finally, there is no telling how the Sanford’s J/105 CREATIVE from San Diego YC will fair in the race; as a proven commodity they can easily make the podium if they race in one-design configuration and get a blow from the WNW.  For more Islands Race sailing information- you can watch the fleet racing on the YellowBrick Tracker!

J/105s Sweep Hot Rum Series Class 3

J/70s & J/100 In 3-Way Tiebreak for Class 4!
(San Diego, CA)- In the fall of 1957, Herbert Sinnhoffer decided to start a race for the purpose of tuning up BUTCHER BOY II for the upcoming offshore race to Acapulco, Mexico.  The first race brought 18-20 boats. DOLPHIN sailed into first place giving Gerald R. Bill the honor of filling the silver Samovar with hot rum for the remainder of the fleet. Today, the Hot Rum Race draws over 130 boats, but the spirit of the race is the same. Mr. Sinnhoffer was remembered for saying that the point of the Hot Rum race is to be "a fun race, (and) to be able to meet afterwards and make friends."

The 2015 Hot Rum Series kicked off on November 7th with a picture perfect San Diego day; sunny skies and winds around 7-10 knots with gusts up to 15. A Southeast breeze called for spinnakers at the start. Kites started off small with a Catalina 30s and J/22s and grew to very large with a Kernan 70 and J/65. All 140 boats eventually crossed the start line and head out to Point Loma to the first mark.

The wind conditions increased as the racers dropped their chutes conservatively and rounded to head back to the bay. Coronado Brewing Company and Mount Gay Rum greeted sailors with open arms back at the party at SDYC, and everyone said how fortunate they were to be out racing on such a beautiful day.

Little did they know, the second Hot Rum race, held on November 21st, would be just as pristine. The race started with lighter winds in the bay as all the boats waited their turn to start. Most racers decided to go kite up at the start as they had done before. After the majority of smaller boats had rounded the first mark there was a wind gap that left some of the bigger boats stuck momentarily. As they crept along the wind picked back up in time for the large kites to come down, with winds gusting around 12-14 kts.

The final race in the series took the sailors by surprise with winds forecasted to be light. The boats were instead greeted in the starting area by a steady 12-knot breeze as they awaited to begin the last race in the series. Smaller boats were able to use the wind for their start but by the time the bigger boats got going, they found themselves in a hole off Ballast Point and the little boats shot ahead. The fleet sailed into big gusts off Point Loma as they headed back toward the finish. Blessed with three perfect Saturday’s, 2015 Hot Rum Series will go down in history as one of the greatest!

Back on shore, sailors from all across Southern California regrouped in the pavilion near the SDYC pool for the awards party that featured live music from The Lifted Tack featuring SDYC’s Junior Sailing Director John Fretwell on the mic.

Starting with Class 1, the J/125s had a go of it with Tim Fuller’s RESOLUTE taking fourth place and Mark Surber’s DERIVATIVE finishing seventh.  Sailing very consistently in mid-fleet was the magnificent J/65 MAITRI sailed by Tom Barker.

Class 2 is usually the province of J/120s, having won or swept the class for so many years that everyone has lost count.  While sailing fast and taking most of the top spots, it was the first time in years a J/120 hadn’t won the class.  Instead, they took three of the top five, with Mike Hatch’s J-ALMIGHTY in 3rd, followed by Chuck Nichols’ CC RIDER in fourth and John Laun’s CAPER in fifth.

Dennis Case and his team aboard the J/105 WINGS was the Class 3 Winner and took 3rd Overall.  According to Case, “this Hot Rum series was really one of the best I can remember in some time. You could not ask for better sunny weather with the wind in the 9 to 18 kts range for all three races. The PHRF time on distance rating system general favors the big fast boats when the wind is light and when it’s stronger it favors the smaller slower boats. This year the wind was just right. I think everybody had a good fun time on the water. For us on the J/105 Wings it has to be on the last race, when we were close spinnaker reaching to the second mark with the wind gusting to 18 kts and big swells rolling underneath. Close to broaching we would surf the waves doing 14 kts boat speed. Raving Madness and Wani Racing were the top two boats overall and sailed great races and deserve to be congratulated. I only once got close to them. It was never close. But next time if the wind is around 20kts --- watch out for Wings!"

J/105s took 5 of the top 7 spots in Class 3.  In second was Rick Goebel’s SANITY (also 4th overall), fourth was Dag Fish’s VIGGEN, sixth was Steve & Lucy Howell’s BLINK! and seventh was Ed Sanford’s CREATIVE.

Like their colleagues in Class 3, the two J/70s and a J/100 all ended up tied on 10 pts each after the three races!  Taking the win on the tiebreaker due to most 1sts was the J/100 JASWINDER sailed by Tom Reilly with an 8-1-1 record.  Second was the J/70 SOGGY DOLLAR skippered by Dave Vieregg with a 1-3-6 scoreline.  And, third was yet another J/70, Steve Wyman’s NUNUHUNU with a 2-5-3 tally!!  Fun and games for sure in that fleet!

Thank to sponsors First National Bullion, SD Boatworks, Mount Gay Rum and Coronado Brewing Company for their support of SDYC’s annual Hot Rum Series.  Sailing photo credits- Bronny Daniels/ JOYSAILING.com  For more San Diego YC Hot Rum series sailing information

Gorgeous Start To Hot Rum Series

(San Diego, CA)- According to Scuttlebutt, “the conditions couldn’t have been better. Sunny and warm. Enough wind to keep boats moving, yet allow crews to confidently handle them. A couple reach legs out the harbor, with a two tack upwind beat returning the fleet to the finish.

The pursuit format mellows the vibe. Outcome almost doesn’t matter. You are always surrounded by boats, types of which you don’t normally see. The 12nm course is interesting. Tactics are simple. Pass the boats that started ahead, and hold off the boats that started behind. Most times the weather decides if it is your day.

Afterwards, a huge crowd gathers at San Diego Yacht Club. Maybe because everyone felt good about their effort. The entry fee at one time was rum, with a batch of hot buttered rum drinks dispersed to those of age. Progress ruined that tradition, but sailors are a resourceful bunch, so not all can be squashed.

On this day, with the big hitters on the race course, it was the fiberglass classics that dominated the fleet of 135 boats. The overall standings was led by a Ranger 33, a Catalina 30, two Ericson 35-2s, and a J/24. When boats from the 70s can beat the hot shots, it is a good day for the sport.”  Thanks for that perspective from Craig Leweck at Scuttlebutt News.

How did things go for the dozens of J/Teams on the “fun track” out of the harbor, around two buoys off Pt Loma and back into the finish just off Shelter Island?  Pretty well for many of them.  In PHRF 1, Mark Surber’s J/125 DERIVATIVE managed a 6th place followed by another J/125- Tim Fuller’s RESOLUTE.  Tom Barker’s magnificent navy blue J/65 MAITRI managed to glide gracefully & quickly through the fleet to secure a respectable 12th place- not bad for H/C pressurized running water, twin wine refrigerators, two 40” LED TVs, Hughes Direct TV/ HiSpeed Internet via satellite, watermaker, air conditioning and generator to keep the crew “cool”, “gellin” & “chillin” with games down below when the going gets rough!

In PHRF 2 Class, the J/120s nearly swept the class, occupying 3 of the top 4 slots.  Leading the way was Chuck Nichols’ CC RIDER in 2nd, followed by John Laun’s CAPER and Mike Hatch’s J-ALMIGHTY.

Like their colleagues in the class above them, the J/105s literally swept PHRF 3 Class, in fact, taking 6 of the top 8 positions.  Leading this gang of merry bandits home was Rick Goebel’s SANITY in 1st place (6th overall), followed by Dennis Case’s WINGS in 2nd place (8th overall), Dag Fish’s VIGGEN 3rd place (12th overall), Ed Sanford’s CREATIVE (13th overall), then Steve & Lucy Howell’s BLINK! in 6th and Mike O’Connell’s SPEEDPLAY in 8th.

The J/70s have learned how to sail their boats much faster in these benign, easy-going sailing conditions.  This weekend’s wind angles were certainly to their liking despite the fact it was not planing conditions offshore.  Nevertheless, Dave Vieregg’s SOGGY DOLLAR won PHRF 4 Class (11th overall) followed by Steve Wyman’s NUHUNU- a sweep of the top two positions on the podium!   Other J/Teams near the top included Tom Reilly’s J/100 JASWINDER in 8th, Bob Berkley’s J/70 MOCKING J in 9th and Eduardo Saenz’s J/70 DESTROYER in 11th.

The big winners overall this weekend were teams in PHRF 5 Class.  Taking 5th in class and 5th overall was Mark Clements’ J/24 BRIGADOON.  Next J/Teams were Bob Noe’s J/30 MAD HATTER in 12th and Ben Nieting’s J/22 RIPPLE in 13th.  Sailing photo credit- Bronny Daniels/ Joysailing.com.   For more San Diego YC Hot Rum Series sailing information

J/65 at the Newport International Boat Show

If you have a passion for speed and comfort, the J/65 BRAND NEW DAY is in a league of its own.   The J/65 is the flagship passage maker in the J Boat line-- the ultimate private sailing yacht for sailing enthusiasts. The J/65 has exceptional performance under non-overlapping headsails, double-handed ease of operation, minimum on-deck maintenance, luxurious accommodations, stunning aesthetics, and great value. Finishing 2nd in IRC in the 2010 Newport – Bermuda Race, sailing with air conditioning and wine with each meal, the J/65 is a yacht that performs exceptionally well and in style and comfort. For more on the race experience.  BRAND NEW DAY will be at the Newport International Boat Show September 16 – 19 in Newport, Rhode Island. To arrange a viewing, contact Jeff Brown- jeff@jk3yachts.com
  

J/65 BRAND NEW DAY- Perspectives on Bermuda Race

Jim Madden, owner/skipper of the J/65 BRAND NEW DAY, had some interesting insights as to the challenges and experiences of sailing to Bermuda-- one might call it "The Joy of Proper Yachting":  "The Newport to Bermuda Race was an exciting and challenging event.  For most of the fleet, the 635 miles was a fetch / beat through winds varying from 'triple 0s' to gusts well over 30 knots. Other than a Code 0, very few boats saw spinnakers.

This year's Gulfstream added some serious challenges to navigators. Several meanders and eddies along the stream's path proved quite difficult to locate and when found, often created surprising results - quite the opposite of those expected.

Thought the race is officially scored under ORR by the Cruising Club of America ('CCA') and Royal Bermuda Yacht Club ('RBYC'), the number of entries with IRC certificates increased substantially from the 2008 event.

In fact among most of the large boat Divisions, virtually all boats produced IRC certificates and chose for dual scoring. The biggest, fastest boats in the race were an impressive group of mostly IRC racers including 'Speed Boat', a Volvo 70, 'Rambler', 'Bella Mente', 'Genuine Risk', 'Titan', 'Ran', and 'Vanquish'. Though no records were set in 2010, the big fastest boats all arrived in less than 48 hours.

In the St. David's Lighthouse ('SDL') Division eight, all 12 big boats had IRC, and the results between ORR and IRC were quite consistent with only one two boats swapping second and third under each rule. Division eight was the big boat class in the amateur division ('SDL') and had some dramatic differences in size and type of Boats.

The Class ranged from a classic McCurdy & Rhodes 69 to a Custom 40 footer, and it included boats as diverse as a Reichel Pugh 66' racer, a Swan 601, a J65, and a Santa Cruz 70. 'Gracie', the McCurdy & Rhodes 69, and perhaps the oldest boat in the Class, was the class winner under both ORR and IRC proving that older big boats can be quite competitive under IRC.

For the J/65, 'Brand New Day' ('BND'), it was a relatively short three-day event - finishing on Monday, June 21st at 8:24pm ET. For most of the race, 'BND' and 'Gracie' were within ten miles of each other. Scoring under IRC, BND took a second, and a third under ORR. BND and Gracie managed to beat all the big, fast racers under IRC.

The ride to Bermuda on the J/65 was a very comfortable venture. The air conditioning in each of the cabins, heads, galley and salon kept the interior of the boat at a constant 68 degrees. This made for some strange, but very satisfying, sensations when coming off watch from the hot stickiness of Gulf Stream weather to a chilled interior. Hors d’ouevres were served promptly each evening at 5pm. The cooked dinners of lasagna, pork, and chicken were accompanied by white and red wine.

One of the most interesting highlights of the trip was post race - motoring through the North Channel in Bermuda after finishing. This is a very narrow, jagged channel from St. George's (east end of Bermuda) to Hamilton.

Boats were advised to stay overnight in St. George's and only continue to Hamilton during daylight hours. Ignoring the recommendation, BND did the 16 miles overnight in calm seas with three navigating below, and all others on deck. No problems, but many scenes reminiscent of 'The Hunt for Red October'.

BND is now back in Newport, Rhode Island, awaiting some serious cruising this summer and a few more races under IRC."  For more information on sailing the J/65.