J/70 North American Championship Preview

(Annapolis, MD)- A preview of the 2021 J/70 North American Championship took place last weekend during the Annapolis NOOD Regatta, sailing on the choppy, cols waters of Chesapeake Bay.  While nowhere near the sixty boats entered for this weekend's event, it will be interesting to see how last week's leaderboard fair against a deeply talent-laden fleet. Having "practiced" well last weekend, the host Annapolis Yacht Club will be looking forward to providing a solid four-days of sailing with up to a dozen races sailed. 

Who's the odds-on favorite to be one of those at the top of the leaderboard? None other than a local "home-boy", past J/24 World Champion and America's Cup Champion Terry Hutchinson from Annapolis, MD. Last weekend, Terry, co-owner Jenn Norwood, tactician Scott Nixon, Gil Hackel, and Dan Morris sailed USA 419 in challenging weather conditions, with massive breezes and currents, and they managed to eclipse many top J/70 teams...much to their surprise.  

However, as experienced sailors as they are, Hutchinson/ Norwood are under no illusions the J/70 N.A.'s will see the competitiveness level rise several notches. Needless to say, it's truly a "rogue's roost" of Olympic, World, and European champions taking aim at their competitors to be "top dog" by the time the dust clears on the racetrack. A highlight of those teams may include John Evans' AIRPLANE, Josh Becker's AWKWARD TURTLE, Dan Goldberg's BAZINGA, Joel Ronning's CATAPULT, John Brigden's COOL STORY BRO, John Heaton's EMPEIRIA, Doug Rastello's GOOD TO GO, Travis Odenbach's HONEYBADGER, Trey Sheehan's HOOLIGAN: FLAT STANLEY RACING, Chris Kostanecki's JENNIFER, Alex McPhail's NESSUNA, Steve Benjamin's REGGAE SHARK, Peter Duncan's RELATIVE OBSCURITY, Peter Barrett's RESET, Rich Witzel's ROWDY, John Brim's RIMETTE, Brian Keane's SAVASANA, Bruno Pasquinelli's STAMPEDE, Ryan McKillen's SURGE, Bruce Golison's  TEN, Dave Jannetti's VERY ODD, Buddy Cribb's VICTORY, and Mike Goldfarb's WAR CANOE.

Racing starts on Wednesday of next week and concludes on Saturday, with up to three races per day scheduled.  For more J/70 North American Championship sailing information

SPACEMAN SPIFF TWO-PEATS AS J/111 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION

 

(Annapolis, MD)- Sailing their 2021 J/111 North American Championship concurrent with the Annapolis NOOD Regatta, the seven teams were truly put to the challenge this past weekend on Chesapeake Bay. 

The first day of the regatta was canceled due to gale-force winds and massive chop. After getting blown off the water the first day, “challenging, puffy conditions” is how SKELETON KEY's skipper Peter Wagner described the second day. “We had to keep our eyes out of the boat and change gears frequently, but it was really good racing.”

With three races in winds that started near 20 knots and faded and shifted through the day, Wagner and his crew on SKELETON KEY, emerged as the top boat, winning the first two races and finishing fourth in the third. The outcome, he says, was better than he expected having not raced the boat since August 2019.


“It’s been a long time,” Wagner says. “We got out to do some boathandling work in San Francisco before we brought the boat here, but no racing, it was just putting ourselves through our paces and making sure the boat was still functional.”

For the day’s first two races, Wagner says, they were able to get off the starting line clean and control their own race, sailing the course as efficiently as possible.

“That was pretty important because things were changing quickly and we had to be able to react to the changes as they happened. In the third race, we ended up on the wrong side of one windshift and the result showed, but that will happen sometimes.

“In that race, you had to be on the right [side of the course]. We got stuck a little too far left and couldn’t quite find a shift to come back. We almost did, but our friends on [Rob Ruhlman’s] Spaceman Spiff faceplanted us at a critical moment, bouncing us back left and sealing our doom. That was a good move by them.”

Wagner says his team did a great job settling into their roles after a long absence and their boathandling and speedwork were as good as could be expected. For tomorrow, the third and final day of racing, Wagner’s goal is to continue sailing well and not worry about the rest of the fleet, which are not far behind on the scoreboard.

“It’s about incremental improvements,” he says, “and for me, I guess the one area to improve getting back in sync with my mainsail trimmer, so we’ll continue to focus on that.”

Stumbling out of the blocks with a 6th place on the first racing day, Rob Ruhlman’s SPACEMAN SPIFF crew regained focus to win two of the six races on Sunday to capture the title by one point over Andrew and Sedgwick Ward’s BRACO with Rod Jabin’s RAMROD a point further back in third. 

Ruhlman was the defending champion from 2019, as the 2020 event was cancelled due to the pandemic. The Ruhlman "family" crew consisted of Mike Case, Martin Kullman, Doug Moose, Abby Ruhlman, Ryan Ruhlman, Maegan Ruhlman and Mark Wiss. 


J/111 Class Director Chris Howell interviewed Rob after the event for perspectives on what it took for his family team to win.

How does it feel? 
Ruhlman: How does it feel? Fantastic! Particularly because of the way it all came together on the last day. Trust me, none of us left the house on Sunday morning with winning even on our mind. This is a really tight, competitive class; top three was our goal. And as always, doing this with my family is incredibly special.

What was the key to the victory?
Ruhlman: From our side, it took perseverance and a belief in ourselves. In all honesty, when our good friends on SKELETON KEY pulled the trigger a bit early at the start of Race 4, that opened the door to the possibility of a step up. This Class is so competitive and the boats so even that one misstep at any point in the race is very difficult to recover from.

What is it you like about the boat and the Class? 
Ruhlman: Our family has grown up in Lightnings (and by “grown up,” I mean since birth), with the exception of my wife Abby, but she may has well have since she was introduced to it at 19 years old. The one-design aspect of it, with the boats as even as they are, and the lack of an “arms race”, is great. Maybe more importantly is the camaraderie. After several years (a lot of these guys know each other from racing all kinds of other big boat classes), I’ve gotten to know a lot of really neat people and look forward to seeing them onshore as much as I do offshore. For me, it’s the Lightning Class of big boats.

What’s next for the team? 
Ruhlman: We’ll likely spend most of the summer in the Great Lakes where the J/111 Class is growing very nicely. There are three boats in Detroit now. We have three 111s in Cleveland already and a fourth on the way with the impending delivery of Jeff Davis’ new 111. It is quite possible we will have six, maybe seven J/111s at both Cleveland Race Week and Put-in-Bay Race Week. Might be time to start a Great Lakes Championship!

We do also have our Lightning North American Championship in Cleveland this summer, which is a qualifier for our Worlds in May of ‘22 and the Lightning Women’s, Junior’s and Master’s Championships are being held at our home (Lightning) club, Pymatuning, where we will all be competing as well as helping conduct the event. After that, it will be back to J/111 World’s prep and then the main event in Hampton, Virginia.

In the end, with SPACEMAN SPIFF winning with a 6-3-2-1-1-4 tally for 17 pts, the Ward's BRAVO posting a 3-6-1-3-4-1 record for 18 pts, and Jabin's RAMROD (top local boat) driving to a 4-2-3-2-3-5 for 19 pts, it's readily apparent that Ruhlman's commentary was prophetic... nothing comes easy in the J/111 class they are so well-sailed and so close in speed and tactics.  Rounding out the top five was Wagner's SKELETON KEY with a 1-1-4-7-5-3 record for 21 pts and Martie Roesch's VELOCITY scoring 2-5-7-4-2-2 for 22 pts, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively. Tough racing, indeed, when the winner has a near "middle of fleet" average of 2.85 and fifth place had a 3.66 average...not much difference!  For more J/111 North American Championship sailing information

J/111 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

(Annapolis, MD)- Sailing their 2021 J/111 North American Championship concurrent with the Annapolis NOOD Regatta, the seven participating J/111 teams will also have their eye on getting their teams and boatspeed dialed in for their J/111 World Championship later in the fall on Chesapeake Bay. 

If there was ever a fleet that would drive the handicappers delirious at the Las Vegas or Ladbrokes UK betting parlors, it would be the J/111s.  Basically, all seven boats racing have been on the podium of a major J/111 regatta in the past three years. Those teams include Andrew & Sedgwick Ward's BRAVO from Long Island; Ken Comerford's MONEYPENNY from Annapolis; Rod Jabin's RAMROD from Annapolis; Ian Hill's SITELLA from Hampton, VA; Peter Wagner's SKELETON KEY from San Francisco, CA; Rob Ruhlman's SPACEMAN SPIFF from Cleveland, OH; and Marty Roesch's VELOCITY from Annapolis. Grab a bowl of popcorn, a six-pack of brewskis, pull up a chair and watch the battle unfold all weekend-long!  For more J/111 North American Championship sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

J/70 North American Championship Announcement

 

(Annapolis, MD)- The 2021 J/70 North American Championship, hosted by the Annapolis Yacht Club (AYC), will be held May 10-15, 2021 in Annapolis, Maryland.  Registration is now open.  The event will be limited to the first 60 registered boats that are 100% paid in full.  All boats registered after the first 60 will be put on a waiting list.  The hope is that we will be able to expand the entries if pandemic-related restrictions are eased.  For more J/70 North American Championship sailing and registration information

EIGHT BELLS – DICK TILLMAN

 

The entire J/Boats family was saddened by the news of Dick Tillman crossing the bar on October 15th, 2020.

Friend, colleague, competitor, and consummate gentleman Dick gave so much more to the sailing world than he ever took from it. Always quick with a kind word and generous with his time helping others, he was the “glue” that kept everyone and everything together.

In 1981, when the J/24 achieved International Status with 3,000+ boats in 25+ countries, the class leaders knew it was time to establish a professionally-managed class office. The key was finding an Executive Director who not only knew one-design, but who would also have the respect of the international sailing community. Even better if it were someone with the temperament to handle a multitude of strong personalities.

The J/24 Class had a lot in common with the Laser Class at the time. One of the first J/24 magazine reviews in 1977 (by Jack Knights) was titled “J/24– is this the Laser with a Lid?” The J/24 Class rules were inspired in part by the Laser Class– in particular the ultimate one-design rule- “unless these rules explicitly allow it, then it’s not allowed.” 

Nearly every other J/24 sailor at the time was an active Laser sailor – and enjoying the newly found luxury of sleeping in a comfortable berth at traveling regattas instead of a tent.

So, in September of 1981, the J/24 Class went big and hired Dick Tillman, the world’s most prolific Laser champion and author. Together with his partner-for-life and wife Linda (who predeceased Dick in 2017), Dick and Linda became the face of the International J/24 Class for 10 years through the J/24’s most prolific decade. 

While Dick handled the class business, Linda published the 100-page glossy J/24 Magazine twice per year. They were an unbeatable combination, a true sailing ‘power couple.’
 

Dick Tillman covering Rod Johnstone during the J/24 Legends Race in the Silver Anniversary Regatta in Newport, RI, sailed on Narragansett Bay.

Jeff Johnstone exclaimed, "I had read Dick’s first Laser book a dozen times and built his Laser hiking bench well before first meeting him in 1981. Then in 1984, we had a chance to sail together crewing for my father Rodney in the 1984 J/24 North Americans in Kingston, Ontario, followed by the 1984 Worlds in Poole, England. As only sailing can do, those two shared regatta experiences made friends-for- life and produced more stories that we’d repeat for the next 30+ years. But, my most memorable times with Dick and Linda were during the several long road trips from Rhode Island to Florida in the 80’s when we often stopped into Merritt Island, Florida. Dick and Linda would welcome us in for a meal and some much-needed rest and then send us on our way the next morning. They made you feel like part of the family, and we were, and they were part of ours."

The J/Boats community is forever richer by having had Dick and Linda Tillman such an integral part of its fabric. Fair winds and following seas to Dick and Linda, now sailing together again.   Dick’s tribute wall.

J/111 North Americans Moved to Spring 2021

(Annapolis, MD)– The J/111 Class Association and Annapolis Yacht Club have determined, because of the varying levels of infection and disruption across the world, that this year’s J/111 North American Championship scheduled for October 29 - November 1 will be raced as part of the Annapolis NOOD from April 30 - May 2, 2021. The Class will instead hold its East Coast Championship in Annapolis during the previously scheduled Halloween weekend 2020. The Organizing Authority has been closely monitoring the worldwide developments in the COVID-19 pandemic. They understand the commitment of time and money required to participate in a Continental Championship, as well as the enormous resources that our hosts dedicate to such events.

Allan Terhune, Event Chair, said, “Last week, we had a great meeting with several J/111 owners. While Annapolis YC was ready and committed to hosting the event, the owners were in agreement that with the uncertainty of events, moving to the spring of 2021 will ensure that the J/111 Class and AYC will have an event that is worthy of being a North American Championship. I am very excited for the decision and look forward to the great sailing on schedule this fall and also in 2021 on the Chesapeake Bay.”

In the meantime, the Class wishes all J/111 sailors and their families the best in these difficult times. We look forward to resuming sailing as soon as we can.  Sailing photo credit- Lorens Morel

2020 J/105 North Americans to be Sailed in 2021

(Annapolis, MD)- The J/105 Class Association, Annapolis Yacht Club and J/105 Fleet #3 have determined, because of the varying levels of infection and disruption across the world, that this year’s J/105 North American Championship scheduled for October 29-November 1 will be raced October 28-31, 2021. The Organizing Authority has been closely monitoring the worldwide developments in the COVID-19 pandemic. They understand the commitment of time and money required to participate in a Continental Championship, as well as the enormous resources that our hosts dedicate to such events.

Cedric Lewis, owner of MIRAGE and Event Co-Chair, said, “We were hopeful when we sent out the Notice of Race that COVID-19 would be a distant memory by the time the event took place at the end of October, but unfortunately, that may not be the case. We have complete confidence in AYC's ability to conduct Championship-caliber racing in a safe manner, but the other aspects of the event, including social events and post-race gathering on the dock, would not be possible. The Organizing Committee recommended postponing the event until we can hold a true Championship and offer sponsors the visibility that is expected when supporting an event. On behalf of my Co-Chair, Andrew Kennedy (owner of BAT IV) and Fleet Captain Bill Carruth (owner of PEREGRINE), we look forward to hosting our fellow competitors in 2021.”

Previously scheduled North American Championships will shift back one year as follows: San Francisco Yacht Club (San Francisco, CA) in 2022, American Yacht Club (Rye, NY) in 2023 and Edgewater Yacht Club (Cleveland, OH) in 2024.

In the meantime, the Class wishes all J/105 sailors and their families the best in these difficult times. We look forward to resuming sailing as soon as we can. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/88 North Americans to be Sailed in 2021

(San Francisco, CA)- The J/88 Class Association and St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, CA have determined, because of the varying levels of infection and disruption across the world, that the 2020 J/88 North American Championship scheduled for September 17-20 will be raced in 2021 as part of the 2021 Rolex Big Boat Series. The regional J/88 Fleet still plans to race at the 2020 Rolex Big Boat Series; however, their Championship will now be the West Coast Championship.

The J/88 Class Officers have been closely monitoring the worldwide developments in the COVID-19 pandemic. They understand the commitment of time and money required to participate in a Continental Championship, as well as the enormous resources that our hosts dedicate to such events.

Gary Panariello, J/88 Class Officer from Sausalito, CA, says, “The regional Fleet looks forward to the Rolex Big Boat Series each year, as it is known for great competition, camaraderie, and an unbeatable venue. The Class wants to make sure the North American Championship is a great competition, and in the current circumstances, participants from the North American fleet cannot fairly compete due to travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19. Postponing the North American Championship until 2021 is the right thing to do to make sure all competitors can compete safely.”

In the meantime, the Class wishes all J/88 sailors and their families the best in these difficult times. We look forward to resuming sailing as soon as we can.  For more J/88 offshore speedster and one-design information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

2020 J/22 North Americans Cancelled

(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)– The International J/22 Class Association (IJ22CA) and CORK in Kingston, Ontario Canada have determined, because of the varying levels of infection and disruption across the world, that the 2020 J/22 North American Championship scheduled for August 6-9 is cancelled. The Executive Committee has been closely monitoring the worldwide developments in the COVID-19 pandemic. They understand the huge commitment of time and money it takes to participate in a major Championship, as well as the enormous resources that our hosts dedicate to such events.

The Class intends to hold the 2023 J/22 North American Championship at CORK in Kingston, following the 2021 J/22 World Championship in Corpus Christi, Texas (July 18-24) and the 2022 J/22 North American Championship in Tawas Bay, Michigan (September 13-17). In the meantime, the Class wishes all J/22 sailors and their families the best in these difficult times. We look forward to resuming sailing as soon as we can.

Trevor Collins, J/22 Canadian Class President, said, “It was important to the organizing group that we would be able to offer competitors an event complete, memorable and worthy of a North American Championship title. We hope all J/22 sailors get on the water soon, and we look forward to inviting you all back to CORK in the near future.”  Learnmore about the J/22 and the class here. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

More Regatta Cancellations & Postponements

(Newport, RI)- Sadly, several more major events have been either cancelled or postponed as the cycle of the pandemic sweeps through other countries around the world. 

2020 J/80 World Champs is cancelled
Due to current events impacting sailing regattas, travel, and related global disruptions, the J/80 North American Class Association Executive Board has cancelled the 2020 J/80 World Championships that were originally scheduled to be held from September 28 to October 3, 2020 in Newport, RI.

While the J/80 Worlds will return to North America in 2022, the 2021 J/80 World Championship will be hosted by the Royal Danish Yacht Club in Hellerup Denmark.

2020 J/70 North Americans is cancelled
The International J/70 Class Association (IJ70CA) and the Port Credit Yacht Club have decided, because of the varying levels of infection and disruption across the world, to cancel the 2020 J/70 North American Championship scheduled for September 20-27, 2020 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

The Executive Committee has been closely monitoring the worldwide developments in the COVID-19 pandemic. They understand the huge commitment of time and money it takes to participate in a major Championship, as well as the enormous resources that our host clubs dedicate to such events.

The 2021 J/70 North American Championship will remain as planned from May 12-15 at the Annapolis Yacht Club in Annapolis, MD. The Class intends to hold the 2022 J/70 North American Championship at the Port Credit Yacht Club, meaning the 2023 J/70 North American Championship will be hosted by St. Petersburg Yacht Club in Florida (originally scheduled for 2022).

J/24 North American Championship Postponed to August 2021
The International J/24 Class Association (IJCA) and the Sayville Yacht Club in Blue Point, New York today announced the postponement of the Good Samaritan Hospital J/24 North American Championship slated for August 11th to 16th, 2020. The revised dates are August 18th to 22nd, 2021, pending approval of the SYC Board.

The Organizing Authority reviewed COVID-19 guidance documents from World Sailing, US Sailing and New York State, as well as working closely with event sponsors.

The Sayville Yacht Club started an Infectious Disease Committee which has been monitoring the CDC, state and local government agencies in order to develop the Club's policies for the summer of 2020.

Joseph Buonasera, SYC Rear Commodore and J/24 NAC Regatta Chairman, said, “First and foremost, the organizing committee has the responsibility to make sure that all of the participants, including the volunteers and the race committee are able to participate in a safe and secure manner. We also have a responsibility to our sponsors. We understand this is very disappointing for all of us. There has been a great deal of work done to prepare for this regatta, and due to reasons beyond our control we feel that this postponement is the right thing to do. Our sponsors are ready to come back in 2021, and it will allow our participants to have the event that they have come to expect and deserve.”

The previously scheduled J/24 North American Championships will now shift one year, with Kingston, Ontario Canada hosting in 2022 and Sandusky Sailing Club in Ohio in 2023. In the meantime, the Class wishes all J/24 sailors and their families the best in these unusual times. We look forward to resuming sailing as soon as we can. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/One-Design Schedule Updates- J/22 & J/24

(Newport, RI)- At this time, the J/22 and J/24 classes have the following updates for their members.

J/24 North American Championship
The Good Samaritan Hospital J/24 North American Championship, hosted by Sayville Yacht Club in Blue Point, NY is postponed to August 11th to 16th, 2020. All competitors already registered will be allowed to maintain their slots for the new August dates. If a competitor decides to withdraw for any reason, a full refund will be returned as long as it has been done before June 30. (Any withdrawals after June 30 will be returned less a $75.00 processing fee.) The special hotel rates at the Hyatt Regency Long Island have been rescheduled for August 9-16. All other questions should be sent via email to Regatta Chairperson/Rear Commodore Joe Buonasera at jbuona29@gmail.com. We hope to see you in August!




J/22 World Championship
Over the past several weeks, the International J/22 Class Association in coordination with the South African J/22 Class have been closely monitoring the current pandemic. It has been decided that it would not be in anyone’s interests to continue to hold the World Championship in July. Even if the virus has been contained by then, there are concerns about South African businesses, the economy and participation. Plans for the 2021 J/22 World Championship in Corpus Christi, Texas USA are well underway, so South Africa will host the J/22 World Championship in 2022. Please be sure to reference the International J/22 Class Association website- http://www.j22.org/

Gorgeous J/88 North Americans Photos!

Maureen Koeppel Photography was out on the water for the J/88 North American Championship and took some epic photos of J/88s flying around the race course, off the starting line, rounding marks, and rounding down broaching, too! Watch this very entertaining musical and photo montage! Enjoy!  In addition, Melissa Pike also had some amazing photos of the J/88 NA’s as well.. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

CLOUD 9 Triumphs at J/88 North Americans

(Larchmont, New York)- Fourteen J/88s competed in the 2019 North American Championship held at Larchmont Yacht Club in New York from October 16-20. Teams came from San Francisco, Canada, Youngstown, Rochester, Shelter Island and Long Island Sound.

The regatta started with a coastal storm on Thursday, with steady winds of 35 knots and gusts exceeding 45 knots, leading to an abandonment of all racing for the day. Four races were held on day two in a shifty NW wind of 20 knots, gusting to 28. Laura Weyler and the team of HIJINKS, winners of two previous North American Championships, took an early lead with 6 points, ahead of John Sommi’s CLOUD 9 (15 points) and Elizabeth Barry’s ESCAPE (17 points). Boat handling and consistency paid off, as even the smallest mistake could lead to a deep finish. This was evidenced by Bruce Stone and Nicole Breault’s team on OH JEE, who sailed three spectacular races with two bullets and one fourth but had to retire from race 3 because of a broach at the finish line, leading to a scrape with another boat.

Day three started with 6-8 knots out of the West, testing everyone’s light air skills. Four races were held in flat water and sunny skies. Keeping the boats moving and finding lanes of clear air paid off. At the end of the day, CLOUD 9 was leading the pack with 28 points, while second to fifth place were only points apart, with HIJINKS in second (32 points), Andrew Weiss’s team of ONE TOO MANY moving into third (38 points), OH JEE in fourth (39 points) and ESCAPE in fifth (40 points).

Day four brought an Easterly breeze of 8-12 knots with lumpy seas. Three races were held, and Sommi’s CLOUD 9 finished the day winning the 2019 North American Championship with a total of 36 points (11 races, no throw outs). His crew included Victor Diaz de Leon, Edward Kiaer, John King, Hugh MacGillivray and Carlos Lorente Robles. Second went to Weyler’s HIJINKS (41 points), third to Stone’s OH JEE (47 points), fourth place Barry’s ESCAPE (51 points) and fifth to Weiss’ ONE TOO MANY (55 points). The Corinthian Trophy was awarded to Bruce Stone and Nicole Breault, who placed third in the Overall Division.

Said OH JEE boat owner Nicolas Delcourt, who handled the pit for the Corinthians winners Stone & Breault, “I loved the on-board choreography and team work, roll-tacking the boat in the light stuff and planing during the big breezes. OH JEE has never been so fast, and lending out my boat turned out to be a wonderful experience!”  For more J/88 North American Championship sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/88 North American Championship Preview

(Larchmont, New York)- The 2019 edition of the J/88 North American Championship will be hosted by Larchmont Yacht Club in Larchmont, New York for a fleet of fifteen teams from across the country. The racing will take place from October 17th to 20th on western Long Island Sound in classic fall weather conditions. At this time of year, the transition from summer doldrums to fall gales is a customary scenario. However, the past two weeks have seen a massive shift in weather conditions that are somewhat unprecedented, with enormous Atlantic depressions (Lows) forming offshore and spinning N/NE winds in the 15-25 kts range, sometimes even 45 kts with massive 8-12 foot waves.

Many top teams from across the USA will be vying for J/88 NA Class honors. The previous two weekends have seen one team simply whitewash the fleet in what most consider being a “Pre-J/88 NA’s”- the American Yacht Club Fall Series. Winning with nearly all bullets over two weekends of racing was John Sommi’s CLOUD 9. A clear favorite, they will be challenged by a number of veteran J/88 teams that have won previous J/88 NA’s, J/88 Midwinters, and other major events over time. Those teams include Gary Panariello’s COURAGEOUS, Justin Scagnelli’s ALBONDIGAS, Iris Vogel’s DEVIATION, Elizabeth Barry’s ESCAPE, Laura Weyler’s HIJINKS, Andrew Weiss/ Lawrence Cutler’s ONE TOO MANY, Bill Purdy’s WHIRLWIND, and Brice Dunwoody’s YONDER.  For more J/88 North American Championship sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

AEGIR Crowned J/80 North American Champion

(Winnipesaukee, NH)- Twenty-two teams battled unusually light-air conditions across three days before a champion could be crowned. Hurricane Humberto stalled a high-pressure system over Lake Winnipesaukee and the host Winnipesaukee Yacht Club for a three-day stretch of sunny but fickle breezes.

Cam Tougas got his name on the J/80 North American Championship perpetual trophy for the second straight year, this time as helmsman aboard the winning boat AEGIR representing Beverly Yacht Club in Marion, MA. Last year Tougas, 24 and a graduate of URI, crewed aboard Chip Johns winner Cavitica from BYC when the event was held in a blustery Marion venue on Buzzards Bay.

This time Tougas and his band of twenty-something friends had to hit the road and change to light air mode with a 2-9-2-1 score to win the championship.


From left to right, the youthful team of Matt Coughlin (tactician), Henry Tomlinson (bow), George Luber (trimmer), and Cam Tougas (helm), won the 2019 J/80 North American Championship aboard AEGIR #487 on Lake Winnipesaukee September 22, 2019.

Long waits between races did not dull the appetites of the competitors, who travelled from as far away as Seattle and Austin Texas for a taste of lobster and New England hospitality at Winnipesaukee Yacht Club, home to J/80 Fleet 1.

Ten travel teams from all over North America, including Canada came expecting the typical heavy air sailing usual at this time of year. One team claimed they changed the rig tune three times before a race was in the books. Breezes in the 3-5 knot range, included huge shifts in direction, made for challenging racing.


Class Stalwarts Bill and Shannon Lockwood, on the left finished second overall. On the right is PRO Carter White, who did a great job, despite the conditions.

Henry Tomlinson borrowed his dad's boat to bring himself and his sailing buddies to win the Championship.  The trophy presentation was done in typical Fleet 1 style at Fay's boat yard as the travel boats were placed on trailers for the ride home.

Rounding out the podium was Lek Dimarucot’s USA 175 in third, losing a tie-break on countback at 22 pts each with the Lockwood’s SHENANIGANS.

The balance of the top five included Kevin Hayes & Jeff Kirchoff’s MORE GOSTOSA in 4th and Les Beckwith’s FKA in fifth place.

Doyle wins Quantum Sail Raffle!
In a raffle to raise money for the up coming J/80 World Championships to be held in Newport RI Sept 28-Oct 3, 2020, David Doyle from Toronto Canada Fleet 20 was the lucky winner and proud recipient of a Quantum Main and Jib.  Congratulations David! 


J/80 North American Class President presents sails to David Doyle during the J/80 North American Championships in New Hampshire last weekend.  J/80 North Americans sailing results here  For more J/80 North American sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

TOTALED MAYHEM Crowned J/30 N.A. Champion

(Annapolis, MD)- The 2019 J/30 North American Championship regatta was hosted by the Chesapeake J/30 fleet with the Annapolis Yacht Club as their co-host partner. The regatta was sailed from September 20th thru 22nd. A near record fifteen teams participated in the regatta, with a total of seven races run over the three days.


It was a wild and woolly regatta for many of the participants, particularly for the three teams at the top of the leaderboard. Leading after the five races by a significant margin was Russ Atkinson’s WILDCAT; posting a 4-3-1-1-1. However, a sixth race 13th torpedoed their stellar performance and their chances to win the regatta overall. Thereafter, despite winning the final seventh race, Atkinson’s WILDCAT team could not overcome their sixth race debacle. Winning in the end was Doug & Amy Stryker’s TOTALED MAYHEM with a 6-1-3-4-5-1-2 tally for 22 pts total. WILDCAT ended up taking the silver, while Doug Wallop’s CANNONBALL 2.0 sailed to a 3-5-4-8-2-2-4 for a total of 28 pts to take the bronze.  For more photos on regatta sponsor SPINSHEET, please go here  For more J/30 North Americans sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/70 North American Championship Preview

(Cleveland, OH)- The Edgewater Yacht Club will be hosting the 2019 edition of the J/70 North American Championship for the world’s largest and most popular sportboat class from September 24th to 29th. The racing will be taking place on the challenging waters of Lake Erie, famous for its severe chop and rapidly changing winds along their city waterfront.  In the background is the famous Rock & Roll Museum that is located, literally, on the waterfront.

Forty-four teams are participating from the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. As one might expect, there are many strong teams participating as they begin to look forward to the 2020 J/70 World Championship in Long Beach, California.  Some of those crews from the USA include Dan Goldberg’s BAZINGA, Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT, Travis Odenbach’s HONEYBADGER, Tim Finkle’s JUNIOR, Bruce Golison’s MIDLIFE CRISIS, Gary Warner’s MOAB, Oivind Lorentzen’s NINE, John Brim’s RIMETTE, Pam Rose’s ROSEBUD (with Taylor Canfield as main/ tactician), Brian Keane’s SAVASANA, and John & Molly Baxter’s TEAM VINEYARD VINES. The top non-USA teams include the Mexicans (Fernando Gutierrez’s WOODSTOCK & the Perez family’s ZAQUERO), the Brazilians (Harold Solberg’s VIKING and Pedro Camargo’s MANCHA NEGRA), the Chileans (Victor Lobos’ MEMPHIS and the Ducasse family’s DUCASSE Sailing Team), and the Canadians (Scott Weakley’s REX from Toronto).  For more J/70 North American sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/30 North American Championship Preview

(Annapolis, MD)- The 2019 J/30 North American Championship regatta is being held by the Chesapeake fleet with the Annapolis Yacht Club as host. The regatta is being held September 19th thru 22nd. Thursday Sept 19th will be measurement day, with racing held Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

To date, there are a near record number of J/30 teams participating in the 2019 edition of the J/30 N.A.’s. The teams entered hail from Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Michigan. Notable teams include Bob Rutsch & Mike Costello’s BEPOP, Jim McGinnis’ BLITZ, Steve Buzbee’s BLUE MEANIE, Ron Anderson’s INSATIALBE, Heidi Frist’s SUZIE Q, and Doug & Amy Strykers’ TOTALED MAYHEM.  Sailing photo credits- Paul Todd/ OutsideImages.com.  For more J/30 North Americans sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/80 North American Championship Preview

(Lake Winnipesaukee, NH)- The Lake Winnipesaukee Sailing Association is hosting the 2019 J/80 North American Championship on their beautiful lake in central New Hampshire. A strong turnout of twenty-three boats will be sailing from September 18th to 22nd, with boats coming from all over New England, Seattle, Annapolis, Texas, and even Canada.

Amongst the regatta leaders should be teams like Henry Tomlinson’s AEGIR, Brian Gibbs’ BLIND FAITH, Alex Kraus’ COOL J, Les Beckwith’s FKA, Ken Colburn’s GHOST, Tom & Jenn Kopp’s KOPP-OUT, Kevin Hayes & Jeff Kirchoff’s MORE GOSTOSA, John Vallee’s SHEETS & GIGGLES (CAN), Bill & Shannon Lockwood’s SHENANIGANS, and Ramzi Bannura’s STACKED DECK.  For more J/80 North American Championship sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

GOOD TRADE Crowned J/105 N.A. Champion

(Marblehead, MA)- The 2019 J/105 North American Championship was sailed from September 5th to 8th off Marblehead, MA on the open waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. Hosting the event was Corinthian Yacht Club, along with title sponsor “The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board”. After eight races run on three of the four days of racing (one day lost due to Hurricane Dorian passing by offshore), it was Bruce Stone & Nicole Breault’s GOOD TRADE (with crew of Halsey Richartz- trim, Bill Higgins- bow, John Sahagian- mast, and Stu Johnstone- tactician) winning their second J/105 North American title. Here is how they managed to repeat their N.A. title.

Day One- Gorgeous fall weather
Eighteen teams from across the USA and Canada enjoyed spectacular early fall sailing conditions, with winds starting clear, cool from the Northeast, and saw winds shifting into the Southeast by late afternoon. The Corinthian YC PRO managed the conditions well, getting off three races in a breeze that persistently shifted right all day, as forecasted.

Leading the regatta after the first day was Bruce Stone and Nicole Breault’s GOOD TRADE from San Francisco, CA with a 2-2-1 record for 5 pts, in a no-throw out up to 12 race series. Second was Ken Horne’s FINAL FINAL crew from Houston, TX with a 3-1-6 tally for 10 pts. Third was hometown local hero Charlie Garrard’s MERLIN with a 6-4-3 scoreline for 13 pts. Rounding out the top five were Tim Russell’s NE*NE crew from San Francisco, CA with a 8-3-4 scoreline for 15 pts and Terry Michaelson’s Canadian team on THE USUAL SUSPECTS with a 1-8-8 score for 17 pts.

Day Two- Blustery Nor’easter, Massive Waves
Friday morning dawned with grey scudding clouds, ENE winds in the 9 to 17 kts range, and massive cross-chop and ground swells from the ESE pushing up to 9 foot heights.  The conditions were quite difficult for the helmsmen to steer, as on port tack the bows slammed into massive headwalls of water, while on starboard tack, the boats were being rocked sideways by the massive, often breaking seas, like palm trees waving in a full gale. Three more races were run, testing the crews and, in particular, the skippers.

Still leading by a greater margin of points was GOOD TRADE, after posting a 4-1-2 for the day to, they were repeat daily winners on points. Not far off the pace was the FINAL FINAL team with a tally of 2-2-5 to maintain their second spot and a good chance for the top of the podium on the final day. Jumping up into the third spot was Tim Russell’s NE*NE after posting two bullets and a 6th for the day.

Day Four- Light, Shifty NNW’er, Flat Water
Saturday’s racing was canceled on Friday afternoon due to the Hurricane Dorian forecasts showing even larger waves in the 10-18 foot range and gale force winds of 20-35 kts just offshore.

Sunday morning dawned with a spectacular fall day with bright blue skies, puffy white cotton ball clouds flying by overhead, and nice cool weather. The breeze forecast was less than rosy, as it was clear the rapidly receding Hurricane Dorian off to the ENE was not going to have sufficient power to maintain a strong NNW breeze of 8-13 kts. With a one-hour earlier starting time, the CYC PRO managed to run two races in a rapidly dying breeze. In fact, it was hard to set the course as the winds were fluctuating through a 40-degree arc and with 4 to 8 kts of breeze by the time the first race started.

With an amazing RC boat end start for the first race of the day, Horne’s FINAL FINAL crew started off in first and were never to be challenged again, simply sailing away from the fleet and winning by at least 500 yards over the 2nd place boat. Talk about throwing down the gauntlet, their performance had the GOOD TRADE team scrambling to stay in contention for the regatta. With yet another less than stellar start, the GOOD TRADE crew had to double-tack to clear the starting line in last place and work extra hard to stay in touch with the top third of the fleet by the first weather mark. Three legs later, and a bit of good fortune thrown in for good measure, the GOOD TRADE team pulled off a 5th place finish to now lead the regatta by only 2 pts. The Texans had the SF Bay Champions quaking in their boots, as the San Franciscans could visibly see how fast the Texans were in the light stuff.

The tension was electric going into the last race. Yet again, the two regatta leaders eyed each other like rabid dogs; circling with guns drawn and knives in their teeth, ready to do battle for the final match. After starting next to one another, literally, the FINAL FINAL team sped out from under GOOD TRADE, forcing them to tack off first. However, by the top mark, it was GOOD TRADE rounding 4th with FINAL FINAL in 5th. The ensuing downwind tactical duel was quite dramatic, as various race leaders like NE*NE, Charlie Garrard’s MERLIN from Marblehead, and Terry Michaelson’s THE USUAL SUSPECTS from Toronto all ended up in a massive clump at the leeward gate. Meanwhile, GOOD TRADE masterfully pulled off a quick double-gybe in less than 200 yards to round the leeward gate in first, headed to the favored left side of the course upwind. Meanwhile, FINAL FINAL rounded 6th after the melee at the bottom marks. In the end, GOOD TRADE sailed a good, conservative final beat and downwind run to secure the race win by 400 yards and take the 2019 J/105 North American Championship title with just 18 pts total.


Despite their final race travails, Horne’s FINAL FINAL team avoided the “down the mine shaft” score and held on to 6th to take the silver with 26 pts. Meanwhile, the drama continued to build behind them on the leaderboard. Leaping onto the podium in the bronze position was Charlie Garrard’s MERLIN team, by virtue of taking 2nd in the final race for a total of 29 pts. The biggest fall from grace was Russell’s NE*NE team, posting a 15th in the finale to drop down to fourth position with 41 pts. Rounding out the top five was Michaelson’s THE USUAL SUSPECTS with 54 pts.

Sailing videos:
Day 1- Thursday Sailing   Day 2- Friday Sailing   Day 3- Saturday Clubhouse J/105 Panel (Matt Arno, Nicole Breault, Stu Johnstone)  Follow J/105 Class Facebook page  For complete J/105 North American Championship results  For more J/105 North American Championship sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.