J/122 TEAM McFLY Dominate BVI Regatta

The “Kids” J/36 Win Cruising Class!
(Roadtown, Tortola, BVI)- Sailing amongst the stunning tropical islands that feature fabulous parties can be tough work, particularly when it starts out blowing “dogs off chains” with rain flying at you like horizontal bullets.  As they say, “this ain’t what I bargained for dear!”  While flak jackets may have been more appropriate attire for a few precious hours on the first day of racing, the rest of the week was nearly postcard perfect sailing conditions.  That’s how it all went down for this year’s BVI Spring Regatta!

Day one for the event could be described as “epic” in the sense that Neptune’s wrath was unmerciful after some knuckleheaded sailors forgot their morning “offerings” to the mighty weather Gods!  The result?  Well, rain squalls ripped through the Sir Francis Drake Channel at the start of racing, enhancing the warm trade winds with 20-25+ kts winds for most of the day. A short sea state, at times rising to ten feet(!) when the fleet was racing out of the channel added gusto to the wet and wild conditions. Across the three combat zones, concentration, anticipation and ultimately boat handling were the keys to success in the big conditions. It wasn’t until later in the afternoon that the breeze subsided to a relatively calm 18 knots, but by then, several yachts had been forced to retire with boat damage. Oh well, no one said sailing in paradise was easy-street!

The action was fast and furious, especially in CSA Racing 2, where Tony Mack’s J/122 TEAM McFLY (the charted EL OCASO) hammered home a 2-3-1.  Their fantastic performance was a harbinger of things to come for their colleagues in CSA Racing 2 class.  That evening in the Regatta Village at Nanny Cay, the McFLY crew enjoyed the music by the “Shooting Star Steel Pan Band” and “Hudson and the Hoo Doo Cats!!”

The second day of the BVI Spring Regatta was blessed with perfect sailing conditions and wonderful azure blue water, pumped up by 15 knots of warm tradewinds that blew through the Sir Francis Drake Channel. The British Virgin Islands offer stunning scenery and Mother Nature has created one of the best racing areas anywhere in the world. In sharp contrast to the previous day’s survival conditions, tactics and strategy were far more important. Reading the wind and the current correctly were the keys to a good performance on the penultimate day of the BVI Spring Regatta.

BVI Spring Regatta Chairman, Bob Phillips explains the rational behind today’s three courses: “On Norman Course, the Bareboat, Jib & Main and Multihull Classes had a downwind start towards The Cut, the narrow gap between Tortola and St. John. I would have been heading directly down the rhumb line – straight shot. My take was that the current was flowing towards the destination, and the back eddy off Towers Point was definitely worth avoiding. The One Design Course is two miles off Nanny Cay. The issue that we have is that we want them to sail in clear air and tactically they need two miles of width. Offshore the boats get away from the land effect, but we have enough room in the Channel so that the One Design Course doesn’t overlap the others. Today, the CSA Racing Classes beat all the way up to Beef Island Bluff, playing the Tortola shoreline, including the harbour and headlines all the way up, which was a lot of fun. After that they reached around Salt and were downwind all the way to the finish.”

In CSA Racing 2, Tony Mack’s J/122, TEAM McFLY/ EL OCASO were on a roll and scored two firsts and a second to take a commanding lead in the class.  After a nearly disastrous first day’s performance in the rough going that included a 5-DNS-4, Rupert & Jan Thouron’s J/122 DUNDER had an excellent day winning the first race and scoring two second places to move up to third in class!

In CSA Racing 3 class, Jordan Mindich’s J/105 SOLSTICE seemed to be stuck on 6th place no matter where they went and what they wanted to do!  In fact, after loving the first two heavy weather races, as soon as the breeze lightened up into the mid-teens their record reflected the sailing conditions- 3-2-6-6-6-4!

After a long day on the water and another three races, the sailors were able enjoy a feast for the eyes (the Bastanaak Swimwear Show) and later, a feast for the soul- music from well-known Tortolan band- “Quito and the Edge”- a group renowned for some soulful reggae melodies along with hard-hitting dance grooves.

For the last day, sparkling blue water and constant warm breeze provided another day of gob smacking sailing in the BVIs! The Sir Francis Drake Channel was a wonderful sight with a myriad of spinnakers flying across the race area. In the first race of the day, about half of the fleet went around Salt Island, a stunning backdrop and an almost perfect top mark from the easterly trade winds. The One Design Fleets enjoyed a cracking skirmish just off Nanny Cay; the gentle breeze was funneling down to the course.

It was a perfect day for Tony Mack’s J/122 TEAM McFLY/ EL OCASO.  After trading 1-3 scorelines with their J/122 classmate DUNDER (Rupert & Jan Thouron), the McFLY Team could relish the celebration of winning by far the toughest fleet in the regatta.  Meanwhile, their friends on DUNDER also could not have been happier, nearly pulling off a second after winning the last race!

“We have had such a lovely time; the weather has been just glorious and when we had a chance to look around, the scenery here is just amazing. We were playing Cold Play’s ‘Paradise’ on the way in and it was a very appropriate song. No matter what class of racing you are in, there is really competitive sailing. We may have won here in the last race, but in just about every race, there were always several boats in with the chance of glory. We had to sail really well; we didn’t walk away with this by any means. This has been a great start to our season; concentrating three races in a day, we have spent more time on the water than we could have possibly done at home,” said Tony Mack of the J/122 TEAM McFLY/ EL OCASO’s win.

In CSA Racing 3 the scoreline for Mindich’s J/105 SOLSTICE must’ve read like a broken record, adding yet two more 6th places to the three they had already accumulated.  Remarkably, they didn’t finish 6th, they got a top 5 finish!  In fact, just behind them in 6th was the J/33 BOOMERANG sailed by Pat Nolan from the BVI.

The “kids” sailing the J/36 PALADIN with the help of “adult supervision” (owner Stanford Joines from St Croix YC in the USVI) managed to pull off a first after having to take a DNS for two races on the first day.  Thereafter, they ran the table with all bullets to take the class win in CSA Performance Cruising 2 class.  For more BVI Spring Regatta sailing information.

J’s Supreme In 48 North Top 25!

(Seattle, WA)- Last week we featured one of the premiere season long awards for “most excellent” performances in the greater Pacific Northwest.  This week we get the 48 North/ Fisheries Supply Top 25!  Again, “congratulations” to the top J sailors who took 40% of the Top 25.

Here is how it all shook out in the end.  Taking 2nd was Bob Brunius’ J/120 TIME BANDIT tied on class score but just 3/4 point back on average fleet score!  In 4th was Jerry Diercks’ J/105 DELIRIUM; 6th was Stuart Brunell’s J/109 TANTIVY; in 7th was Bob Mayfield & Christine Nelson’s J/29 SLICK; 9th was James Geros’ J/105 LAST TANGO; 18th was John McPhail’s gorgeous navy blue J/160 JAM; another spectacular blue boat took 20th- John Tenneson’s J/145 JEDI; Jerry Woodfield’s J/109 SHADA took 22nd; in 23rd was the Seattle Sailing Club’s J/105 LIFE IS GOOD; and rounding it all out was Pat Denney’s J/29 HERE & NOW in 25th.  Good show all!  Sailing photo credits- Jan Anderson   Courtesy of 48 North Digital online

J/105 DARK STAR Shines in San Juan Regatta

(San Juan, Puerto Rico)- Gusts blowing 20-plus-knots and rolling seas created challenging yet exhilarating conditions for nearly 100 sailors from five islands that competed in the 13th Club Nautico de San Juan International Regatta (CNSJIR), held January 31-February 2 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The CNSJIR Race Committee reveled in the brisk conditions launching as many as 13 races for the six classes that sailed with teams hailing from five Caribbean island nations.

“We are very happy with the success of this year’s regatta,” explains Luis Fabre, chairman of the CNSJIR organizing committee. “We wondered a few years ago how the addition of the bigger boats would fit in with the dinghies, but it has worked well by giving us a good diversity of classes. We have the perfect venue here at Club Nautico de San Juan both onshore and offshore.”

In the 7-boat CSA Spinnaker class, which included three Melges 32s, it was Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Lipuscek’s J/105 DARK STAR that won with a decisive five firsts in six races. “We did very well considering the conditions and the competition,” explains tactician, Rafi Martinez. “Our strategy was to focus on good boat handling, make few errors and on the downwind when the Melges plane to maximize the waves and puffs to our advantage.”

The second keelboat class of the regatta, the 7-boat IC24s (modified J/24s), saw Puerto Rico’s Fraito Lugo’s ORION take the lead and hold it until the end scoring 8 firsts in 13 races. “It was close racing as the younger sailors are very good,” says Lugo.

“We are in the selection process to see what J/24 team will represent Puerto Rico in the Central American- Caribbean Games in November in Mexico,” says Lugo. “The IC24 is excellent for practice for the CAC Games, especially because the format calls for J/24s sailed in the Pan-Am games configuration of 105% jib, spinnaker and main with four crew.”

Puerto Rico’s Marco Teixidor driving his IC24, CACHONDO, finished second, with Puerto Rico’s Carlos Sierra aboard FUAKATA in third.

The CNSJIR is an outgrowth of the Club’s junior sailing program, which was launched in the 1970s. The addition of CSA classes in 2013 has expanded the opportunity for more sailors to participate. Over 75 volunteers contribute to the success of this regatta.  For more San Juan International Regatta sailing information

J's Dominate San Juan Regatta

KQLO Wins J/24s, J/105 UMAQUA Smokes CSA Spinnaker
(San Juan, Puerto Rico)- With the winter sailing season in the Caribbean beginning to wind-up into a higher gear, it would be natural that it all starts on the western end of the island chain and have everyone simply migrate eastward in "baby-steps" to the next island, headed upwind against the mighty trade-winds of course, to ultimately end up sailing in Antigua Week at the far eastern end sometime in April. What a plan for awesome sailing and a party, eh?  Makes sense to many sailors, especially the happy-go-lucky, incredibly social, fun-loving Puerto Rican sailors.  Seems they got it right.  Start in San Juan, then go to Fajardo, then successively head down the Windward-Leewards to sail the RORC 600, Heineken St Maarten, Rolex St Thomas, BVI Spring Regatta Tortola, St Barts then, finally, Antigua! 

Starting with the San Juan International Regatta, the racing takes place in San Juan Bay where temperatures reach a comfortable high in the low 80s and winds customarily blow 10 to 15 knots in February.  The event was hosted by Club Nautico de San Juan from February 1 to 3 and welcomed over 140 sailors in 102 boats racing in 10 classes.  Postcard-perfect sailing conditions prevailed, just as advertised.  Generally, "perfect" with mostly sunny skies and winds blowing under 10 knots the first day and gusting to nearly 20 knots on the final day of competition. The mark of a truly great regatta is the opportunity for lots of racing. True to reputation, the SJIR Race Committee ran as many as 13 to 16 races over three days for the dinghy classes and seven races for the newly-added CSA spinnaker class.

'What is so good is the participation of sailors from so many islands and in so many classes. It really levels the playing field and creates a great competition,' says regatta chairman, Luis Fabre. 'It is also wonderful to welcome the first-time addition of the CSA Spinnaker class. This has added a whole new dimension to the regatta. Next year we hope to add a CSA Jib and Main class as well.'

In the nine-boat CSA class, it was a fleet of six J's that dominated the class. Puerto Rico’s Julio Reguero from the host club CNSJ sailed his J/105 UMAKUA fast and consistent.  They showed everyone how to get it done, scoring an impressive 4.5-1-1-DNS-1-1-1 for  9.5 pts net to win by a landslide.  Hanging in strong over the course of the regatta and grabbing third overall was the J/122 LAZY DOG skippered by Sergio Sagramoso from the Ponce Yacht and Fishing Club. The DOG's scores of 2-6-4-1-3-DNF-3 for 19 net pts was just 3 pts from 2nd!  Also finishing in the top five and taking fourth in class was the J/105 DARK STAR sailed by another "local",  Jonathan Lipuscek, managing a 7-2-2-5-7-3-2 scoreline for 21 net pts.  Other J's having a great time included the J/80 KOSA LOKA (or OTRA COSA?) sailed by Caribbean racing veteran Kike Gonzales from Club Nautico Puerto Rico; the J/39 CRYSTAL helmed by Jerome O'Neill from Ponce Yacht and Fishing Club and the J/80 VENTUS skippered by Hector Melendez from CNSJ.

The J/24 class had a great series with twelve races sailed.  In the end, it was Puerto Rico’s Jose Fullana on KQLO that probably stunned the fleet by taking eight 1sts, four 2nds and tossing a 2nd!  One might call that a "spanking", or perhaps a "schooling" for their colleagues on how to do it right!  Rising to the challenge, but not quite getting there, was Jaime Balzac's RAZZMATAZZ accumulating an equally impressive two 1sts, six 2nds and three 3rds while tossing a 3rd to take second overall.  Third position on the podium was TAX RETURN sailed by Carlos Feliciano; they started slowly but like a runaway freight-train down a hill, finished with a flourish, winning the last two races!  Thanks for the contribution from Carol Bareuther.   For more San Juan International Regatta sailing information

J/39 CRYSTAL Wins Puerto Rico Heineken

J/24 URAYO Wins Class, J/80 & J/105s Second
(Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico)- Sailors from throughout Puerto Rico and the northern Caribbean converged at the Palmas del Mar Yacht Club & Marina for the Puerto Rico Heineken International Regatta.  “This is exhilarating,” said regatta director Angel Ayala. “We exceeded our expectations in terms of number of boats.”  Skippers and their crews hailing from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten and more, were sailing in six classes: Racing, Racer-Cruiser, Performance Cruiser, Jib & Main and one-design classes for J/24s and IC/24s.

The Puerto Rico Heineken International Regatta is the second leg of the Cape Air Caribbean Ocean Racing Circuit (CORC), which started in February with the St. Croix Yacht Club Hospice Regatta, continues with the International Rolex Regatta in St. Thomas and concludes with the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival out of Nanny Cay Marina on Tortola.

Sunny skies, minimally choppy seas and a steady breeze blowing 14 to 16 knots out of the east made for perfect conditions on the first day of racing.  Forty-five boats in nine classes sailed offshore between Puerto Rico’s southeastern mainland and the island of Vieques, racing on a mix of windward-leeward courses and courses with reaches for the cruising classes.

A last minute amendment by the International Judges officiating over this regatta created some extra fun and excitement for sailors.  “We had several classes, but many of the classes were small, so the judges made the decision to combine some of the classes for the starts,” says regatta director, Angel Ayala.  This meant that boats in Spinnaker A, Spinnaker B and Racer-Cruiser, 14 in all, started each race together. In addition, the J/24s and IC/24s, a total of 10 boats, launched off the line together. The other classes, Performance Cruiser, Jib & Main, Hobie Cats and Chalanas, each had their own individual starts as usual.

“We really enjoyed this,” says St. Thomas’ Paul Davis, who skippered his J/27, MAG 7, in Spinnaker B. “Having more boats on the line at the same time was a lot of fun.”  To give an idea of just how exhilarating this was, one of the yachts that started with MAG 7 was over twice its size, an old Farr 65 from the Whitbread/Volvo Race.

Mother Nature dialed up the breeze to 20-plus-knots on the second day of racing, putting both sailors and their boats to the ultimate test.  “Sailing today was much tougher than yesterday,” says a Puerto Rican crew member. “We started in about 15 knots of breeze, but by the afternoon it was blowing 22 knots with 4- to 5-foot seas. This made for challenging racing. At one point we broached and had the spreaders in the water.”  Forty-five boats in nine classes sailed offshore between Puerto Rico’s southeastern mainland and the island of Vieques, racing on a mix of windward-leeward courses and courses with reaches for the cruising classes.

After the third day of racing, the leaders strengthened their positions across the fleet.  For Spinnaker B, Kiki Gonzalez sailed his J/80 OTRAKOSA from Puerto Rico into second place and just behind him was Paul Davis's MAG 7, J/27 from St. Thomas.  In the Racer-Cruiser class, the J/105 UMAKUA sailed by Julio Reguero from Puerto Rico was second followed by another J/105, Carlos Camacho's ABRACADABRA from Puerto Rico.  Performance Cruiser saw Tony Sanpere seeking yet another win in class.  But Tony and crew fell just short, settling for second place with his gorgeous J/36 CAYENITTA GRANDE from St. Croix.  Winner of the Jib & Main Class was the classic race-horse, Jerome O'Neill's J/39 CRYSTAL from Puerto Rico.  Amongst the J/24s, it was URAYO sailed by Gilberto Rivera of Puerto Rico winning, followed by BANANA BOAT's Leopoldo Loria from Puerto Rico in second and KQ-LO's Jose Fullana of Puerto Rico in third.  Sailing photo credits- Bob Griese/ Outside Images.  For more Puerto Rico Heineken Regatta Sailing information.