J/99 Excitement and Perspectives from the Q/Team

The new J/99 is a hot topic in the sailing community, and Quantum is no exception when it comes to sharing the enthusiasm. The J/99 is an incredible addition to the J/Boat lineup that is filling a growing demand for short-handed racer/cruiser platforms that perform as well buoy racing as they do offshore.

Our designers were able to create high-performing and versatile sail plans that bridge the gap between competitive racing and cruising in comfort. Quantum's J/Boat sail designer Kerry Klingler and sail consultant Kris Werner worked with RCR Yachts to create a fast set of sails with a racing-first focus that can easily transition into a performance cruising setup.

The lofts class experts worked directly with clients to develop the best sail plan possible, designing every sail on the J/99 to fit the individual needs of the owner, be it racing, cruising, or something in-between. A sail with perfect shape on the first hoist that retains shape after repeated hoists was a testament to the team’s design process and product.

"We designed the sails to be versatile, easy to trim, and structured for a long life," explained Klingler about his approach with RCR Yachts. "One of the keys to our business is an understanding that these sails need to be adjusted for each client's needs and wishes," he adds. Kris Werner reinforces this customer-centric approach: "We discussed and researched all the best possible options, while keeping some level of cost and investment in mind. This is the type of detailed service and support that we intend for every client at Quantum."  Read more here about the “Q” approach on the J/99 here Add to Flipboard Magazine.

NYYC One-Design Regatta Preview

(Newport, RI)- Thirty-five J/70s will be plying the waters of Narragansett Bay this coming weekend in the annual New York YC One-Design Regatta.  The fleet is comprised of numerous one-design class National, North American, and World Champions, most of whom are sailing the regatta as part of their training programs leading up to the J/70 World Championship, hosted by Eastern YC in Marblehead, MA later in September 2018.

The headline crews include such class leaders as Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT from Excelsior, MN; Jack Franco’s 3 BALL JT from Lakewood, TX; Glenn Darden’s HOSS from Fort Worth, TX; Martie Kullman’s HYDRA from St Petersburg, FL; Jenn & Ray Wulff’s JOINT CUSTODY from Annapolis, MD; Jim Cunningham’s LIFTED from San Francisco, CA; Peter Cunningham’s POWERPLAY from Cayman Islands; John Brim’s RIMETTE from Fishers Island, NY; Pam Rose’s ROSEBUD from Chicago, IL; Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE from Fort Worth, TX; John & Molly Baxter’s TEAM VINEYARD VINES from Riverside, CT; and Tim Healy’s famous USA 2 HELLEY HANSEN.

There is a strong presence of Japanese teams, as they are conducting their three-regatta “Japanese National Championship” in order to qualify one of their teams for the J/70 Worlds in September.  For those in the TP52, Farr 40 and M32 world, you will recognize some of the leading crews.  Makoto Uematsu’s ESMERALDA from Tokyo hardly needs any introduction, he helped create the TP52 class with the support of Newport’s own Ken Read at North Sails.  In addition, there is the famous “SLED” team, composed of a number of boats- Hideyuki Miyagawa’s IT’S SLED from Hyogo; Takashi Okura’s SLED from Alpine, NJ; and Eichiro Hamazaki’s THE SLED from Kanagawa.  In addition, there is Yasutaka Funazawa’s NATSUKO from Tottori.  That should be an interesting competition to watch!  For more New York YC One-Design Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/121 JACKHAMMER Sail-testing Video

(Newport, RI)- The J/121 JACKHAMMER was sail-testing and training off Newport, RI the past two weeks; newly launched off Bristol, RI by her owner Andrew Hall from the United Kingdom.

“We have been working hard on this project for many months this winter,” explains Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland. “We are very excited to see JACKHAMMER in the water and out sailing. JACKHAMMER’s owner (Andrew Hall) has put a lot of work into this project and we are delighted to be involved. Our goal was to provide a turnkey sail package for Andrew. He was able to step aboard, throw off the lines, and go fast straight away– goal achieved.”

JACKHAMMER was built in the US, the sails were designed in Ireland, built in our production facility in Hong Kong, and then fitted and tested in Newport– such is the global reach and expertise of the UK Sailmakers Group.

JACKHAMMER is powered by Uni-Titanium upwind and an extensive downwind wardrobe consisting of Matrix spinnakers and Top Down furling Code Zero and Flying Jib.

The J/121 is designed with ease of use in mind – as such, all fore sails are set on furlers. The J1 and J2 jibs work on a Selden Furling unit with the J3 Staysail working on an Ubi-Maior furling unit. The J3 is hoisted to a halyard lock and tensioned using a 3:1 purchase tack line– this enables it to be cleared off the bow when not in use but deployed with ease and speed when needed.

In addition to her A2 and A3 downwind Matrix Asymmetric spinnakers, JACKHAMMER is also equipped with a top down furling Code Zero, direct furling Flying Jib and heavy weather direct furling A5 Asymmetric spinnaker.

This setup is versatile and enables the power output of the sailplan to be managed very effectively, especially offshore. In our sailing video you will see the Flying Jib set on a small bowsprit and used in conjunction with the J3 Staysail. Also shown is her Top Down Furling Code Zero and her J2 and full mainsail configuration.  J/121 UK Sails Ireland sailing video. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

2017 J/70 Winter Circuit Update

(Newport, RI)- The J/70 class continues its amazing momentum across several continents.  The J/70 South American Championship is expecting nearly two dozen boats in Algarrobo, Chile.  The advent of a new J/70 builder in Buenos Aires, Argentina is fueling that growth in South America.

Meanwhile, the 2017 winter circuit for J/70s in North America is ramping up with strong interest in all major events that range from December 2016 to May 2017!

Quantum J/70 Winter Series
For starters, the Quantum J/70 Winter Series will again be taking place in Tampa, FL and hosted by the Davis Island YC.  The same deal that was provided by DIYC will again be offered to J/70 sailors- on a first come/ first served basis, J/70 sailors may leave their boats at DIYC for the three events!  The schedule is as follows- December 10-11, then January 7-8 and the finale is February 4-5.  That means J/70 teams can sail just about all winter in Florida!  Register today here at Davis Island YC!

Quantum Key West Race Week
In between the Tampa events, a number of teams will also be participating in the Quantum Key West Race Week, hosted by Storm Trysail Club in Key West, Florida.  That regatta will take place from January 15th to 23rd, with boats having the option to dry-sail out of the Truman Annex or park in the harbor at the Galleon Marina.  If there was ever a destination event that is worthwhile to sail in spectacular Caribbean-type tradewinds and sunny skies- this one is it!  You can register now for Key West Race Week and enjoy a nice discount too.

J/70 Midwinters
After the Quantum Key West and the Winter Series, the J/70 Midwinters will be hosted by St Petersburg YC in St Petersburg, FL on Tampa Bay- an easy “commute” for those boats that have sailed at Davis Island YC.  The Midwinters will be run from February 23rd to 26th.  Register here for the J/70 Midwinters regatta!

Bacardi Miami Sailing Week
Next on the agenda in March is the very popular Bacardi Miami Sailing Week- co-hosted by the three famous sailing clubs on Biscayne Bay- Coral Reef YC, Biscayne Bay YC and Coconut Grove Sailing Club.  The “Bacardi” takes place from March 9th to 11th.  The J/70 class is again invited to participate and sail on their own circle!  By March, spring sailing conditions on the Bay are nearly perfect- 70s during the day, sunny, with seabreezes that often build to 10-15 kts by mid-afternoon!  You can register here for Bacardi Miami Sailing Week!

Charleston Race Week
While “April showers may bring May flowers” in New England, it’s still sunny and warm in the Deep South and there is no better way to spend a lovely weekend in April than to visit “the Belle of the South”- Charleston, SC.  Charleston Race Week will take place from April 20th to 23rd.  J/70 sailors seemingly keep setting records for this incredibly popular event.  For the last two years running, nearly 80 boats have showed up to test their skills criss-crossing sand bars, 2-3 kt currents, and 20-30 deg shifts.  Charleston is a rather unique sailing venue- a mix of lake sailing and river sailing all rolled into one.  Plus, the social activities are second-to-none on the beach at the Charleston Harbor Inn & Marina- the regatta HQ!  You can register here for Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC.

Helly Hansen Annapolis NOOD Regatta
Finally, what better way to round out the spring sailing season than to close it with spectacularly fun sailing on Chesapeake Bay.    By then, the famous “cherry blossoms” are in full-bloom all across the Washington, DC region and along all the streets in Annapolis.  The mid-Atlantic climate is famous for this naturally occurring spectacle, plus you can take in a bit of history with all the museums in DC!  What is the occasion?  It’s the famous Helly Hansen Annapolis NOOD Regatta in Annapolis, MD!  From May 5th to 7th, the Annapolis YC and their clubs (Eastport YC and Severn Sailing Association) roll out the red carpet for all kinds of J/sailors! You can register for the Annapolis NOOD Regatta here!
For more J/70 information

Sailing Champion Ed Baird Coaching @ Key West

(Key West, FL)- Ed Baird, past J/24 World Champion and America’s Cup Champion, was in Key West Race Week this past week providing participants some perspectives on their race course performance that day.

At 58, Ed Baird’s list of accomplishments began pre-internet, so you have to be of a certain age to know how long he has been dominant in the sport. Ed remains at the pointy end of performance, and this week he is sharing his observations during a nightly ‘show and tell’ at Key West Race Week. It was well-received and very informative for many boats.  Here Ed explained his mission:

“Quantum Sails and Harken asked me to do a daily debrief for the three race courses at the event. Each day we select a course, and I am joined by photographer Keith Brash who brings along an assortment of drones and cameras. Together we try to gather as much interesting footage as possible, and then edit segments that we can share each night with people from those courses.

With the visual presentation, I can provide my observations which hopefully provides the sailors with helpful information. We try to look at the whole course and find things that we think everyone can learn from. This might involve looking at one particular boat and noting their sail trim or pointing out how certain boat handling techniques are impacting performance. With the drone, we can capture starting line situations that are hard for the competitors to otherwise recognize.

It is all very educational, even for me. Sailing is really a lot of fun at Key West and I hope that through these group discussion that people can enjoy the event even more.”

VINEYARD VINES Two-Peats Quantum J/70 Winter Series

(Tampa, FL)- The second act of the Quantum J/70 Winter Series, hosted by Davis Island YC on Tampa Bay, produced another pleasant surprise- wind!  The sailors could not have been happier to get in six races over the weekend.

The record fifty-two entries were again eclipsed by the remarkably consistent VINEYARD VINES team lead by John & Molly Baxter from New York YC!  Starting off with all top four finishes (2-1-3-4-4), Baxter’s team seemingly backed off on the gas pedal and closed with a 12th on the sixth and final race to win with 26 pts.  Behind them, most teams were experiencing roller-coaster scorelines with dramatic swings from the rarified air of the top three to subterranean double-digits.  Doing better than most was Tom Bowen’s REACH AROUND, posting a 7-3-5-11-7-1 tally for 34 pts to grab the silver.  Settling in for the bronze was Geoff Becker’s USA 25 from Severn Sailing Association with a record of 1-10-11-1-9-9 for 41 pts.  Rounding out the top five was Jeff Janov’s E.L.E. from California YC with 52 pts in 4th position and David Hiebert’s STAMPEDE from Fort Worth Boat Club with 56 pts in 5th.

In the 21 boat Corinthian’s Division, everything went topsy-turvy for the top boats.  Winning the division was Brian Elliott’s B-SQUARED with a record of 3-6-9-9-23-21 for 71 pts.  Twenty points back in 2nd place was Todd Jenner’s TEA DANCE SNAKE with a scoreline of 11-12-15-17-6-33 for 94 pts. Third was John Arendshorst’s 20/20 from Macatawa Bay YC with 111 pts.

The third and final event for the series takes place February 6th to 7th at Davis Island YC.   For more Quantum J/70 Winter Series III sailing information

J/Teams Star in "To the Next Challenge" Sailing video

(Jamestown, RI)- EC Helme, owner of the J/92S SPIRIT sailed out of Conanicut YC in Jamestown, recently sent us a nice note.  He commented that, “Steve Caldwell from Quantum Sails said the J/92S SPIRIT (and the J/111 ODYSSEY) were featured prominently in some promotion from Quantum.  On the homepage (http://www.quantumsails.com/) you’ll see a scrolling display of those two images, both of which were taken of us on a Tuesday night race early in the season on Narragansett Bay.  Moreover, they made a nice short video to promote sailing and their business, there are several video clips from the same race that feature the J/92S and the J/111. It’s called ‘To the Next Challenge’”.

Ed Reynolds, a long-time J/Boats sailor and President of Quantum Sails, had this to say about their latest efforts, “As sailors, what's one thing all of us have in common? We relish a challenge. We sail because being on the water inevitably brings new opportunities to learn, grow and experience adventures that change us forever.  At Quantum, we're connected to sailors everywhere by our love of sailing - and our belief that facing a challenge head-on is infinitely rewarding.”  Watch the promo sailing video here- https://www.youtube.com/embed/nye2FBRUFu0?rel=0

Flynn Wins J/22 North Americans

(Houston, TX)- The Houston YC played host for the J/22 North American Championship, held from September 30th to October 4th on Galveston Bay.  While it was never a forgone conclusion a former World Champion in the J/22 class would win, no one was surprised to see Terry Flynn’s TEJAS crew take the top prize.

The sailing got underway Friday in gorgeous conditions, allowing four races to be completed. Local hotshot Terry Flynn immediately took control of the leaderboard with tallies of 1-1-3-1 for only 6 points. That was nine point in front of Travis Odenbach’s SEA BAGS SAILING TEAM and 12 ahead of Brad Julian’s TEAM THREEDORIES.COM. Flynn’s crew, which consists of Mark Foster and Matt Romberg, won the J/22 Midwinter Championship earlier this year.

Thirty-nine teams from across the United States took to the waters off Shoreacres, Texas in breeze of 8-10 knots under clear blue skies, as Flynn notched his first of three bullets. Odenbach and Marek Valasek’s EL OCHO followed in race one, and Marvin Beckmann’s THE MARTIAN and Odenbach in race two, as winds increased to around 14 knots. A couple of Annapolis, Maryland teams dominated the next battle with Chris Junge’s CORNER OF SANITY & MADNESS winning, and Julian in second. Flynn rounded out the top three, while winds backed off slightly to 10-12. Flynn returned to the top spot in the final contest as the breeze also returned (to 16 knots). Beckmann and Julian trailed in the next two positions.

As the regatta unfolded, Flynn’s crew on TEJAS continued to dominate. Only one race was sailed on Saturday in a light air affair.  Then, a fourth in Sunday’s only race secured victory for the TEJAS team, who tallied just 10 net points in the six races. Prior J/22 World Champion Flynn thanked his crew of Mark Foster and Matt Romberg, who “did all the hard work this regatta.”

With a third in Sunday’s light air match-up, Brad Julian’s TEAM THREEDORIES.COM from Annapolis, MD secured the silver position with 16 points. Texan Marvin Beckmann’s THE MARTIAN edged out Travis Odenbach’s SEA BAGS SAILING TEAM of Rochester, NY for the bronze (22 points to 23). Newport-based Michael Marshall’s BAD NEWS won Sunday’s contest to claim the fifth spot overall with 29 points.

At the awards ceremony at Houston YC on Sunday afternoon, Flynn commented, “It was a great event, and while the weather didn’t completely cooperate, the Race Committee did great as well as all the volunteers at Houston YC.”   For more J/22 North Americans sailing information

Innovative “New” Quantum Key West Race Week

Storm Trysail Club proposes harbor fleet, distance racing, ORC ratings
(Key West, Florida)- The Storm Trysail Club has promised to maintain all the elements that have made Quantum Key West Race Week such a popular event while introducing innovations designed to increase participation.

With the release of the official Notice of Race, organizers with the Storm Trysail Club have proposed several new elements for Quantum Key West Race Week 2016. A harbor course area for smaller sailboats, distance racing for Performance Cruising designs and replacing PHRF with the International ORC rating system are among the creative ideas found in the new NOR.
 
John Fisher, regatta chairman for Quantum Key West Race Week, said the changes were made in response to feedback from both the United States and international sailboat racing community. Storm Trysail Club conducted a survey of past and potential participants seeking comments on what could be done to improve the event.

“We believe the sailing constituency that revolves around Key West was looking for something different,” Fisher said. “Many, many elements of the regatta are tried and true, but there are other things that needed to be tweaked. We are listening to the sailors that care about Key West Race Week and are attempting to address their desires and needs.”

Cost has become a concern for some of the amateur programs that were a staple of Key West Race Week at its peak when more than 300 boats were competing on an annual basis. Participation at the annual midwinter regatta took a hit during the worldwide economic downturn, as many of the mom and pop programs just could not afford to spend seven days in the Conch Republic.

“One of the things we’ve heard repeatedly involves the expense of the regatta. Key West is a very popular tourist destination and therefore the cost of meals and lodging can be considerable,” Fisher said.

To address that issue, Storm Trysail is offering the great racing experience of the event condensed into a three-day regatta format for those classes that choose to do so. Fisher said racing would be held Wednesday through Friday for those classes so participants are included in the final awards ceremony.

“Housing and feeding a crew for four or five days as opposed to eight or nine reduces the expense to a level that is more palatable for a segment of boat owners,” Fisher said. “We’re hoping that holding a regatta within a regatta will bring back a segment of skippers who stopped doing Key West because of the cost.”

Acknowledging the declining interest in PHRF racing at Key West has prompted Storm Trysail to make alterations aimed to attract those types of boats anew. One idea is to provide distance racing for Performance Cruising designs, whose skippers would prefer to sail one long race that traverses the keys as opposed to multiple buoy starts. This should be appealing to more casual racers who may not be participating with a complete crew or simply prefer navigation-style courses.

Dick Neville, race committee chairman for Quantum Key West, pointed out that 42 boats competed in last year’s Fort Lauderdale-to-Key West Race, but only four of them entered Quantum Key West 2015.

“We need to give those boat owners a reason to enter our regatta and I think one distance race each day could do that,” Neville said. “My experience is that those Performance Cruising boats would prefer that type of format. We could give them a different course each day and finish them near the harbor so they get back to the dock faster.”

In fact, it is the intention of organizers to eliminate PHRF racing altogether – a strategy that has prompted them to look for solutions offered by the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC), an international organization sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation and supported by users in 40 countries around the world. Having evolved from IOR and IMS roots, the organization currently administers two systems – ORC International (ORCi) and ORC Club, both of which are being proposed for use at Quantum Key West Race Week.

Neville noted that nearly 10,000 ORCi and ORC Club certificates will be issued in 2015, and the hope is that adopting the system for Quantum Key West will encourage more foreign owners to register. ORCi is the system used for full-measured boats participating at the highest levels of competition while the ORC Club is intended more for club-based programs.

“We had to face the reality that PHRF boats have been disappearing from the regatta and the logical solution is to offer a different rating system that is more popular worldwide,” said Neville, pointing out that ORC provides three different ratings for windward-leeward courses based on whether the wind is light, medium or heavy. “One of our goals is to attract more overseas boats to Key West, and we are encouraging owners who may have raced PHRF in the past to obtain an ORC Club certificate.”

Bill Canfield has come aboard as on-site event manager and will be moving to Key West to provide a permanent presence. Herb Reese, a longtime Key West Race Week volunteer, will arrive in the Conch Republic several months before the regatta to help prepare Truman Annex and other shore-side support services.

“We have put together a committee comprised of people with vast experience running regattas,” Fisher said. “We’ve had boots on the ground in Key West already to meet with city leaders and look into the various logistical challenges. We are doing our best to build relationships and develop the organizational infrastructure well in advance of the regatta.”

Ed Reynolds, President of Quantum Sail Design Group, said the title sponsor was pleased with the innovative ideas proposed by the Storm Trysail Club leadership to keep Key West Race Week on the cutting edge.  “Storm Trysail Club has reached out to the sailing community for input on how to improve and grow Quantum Key West Race Week and is taking steps to satisfy the needs and desires of the sailors,” Reynolds said. “We’re pleased to see the proposed innovations designed to spark more interest and we’re looking forward to a great event.”   Sailing photo credits- Sharon Green/ Ultimate Sailing.  For more Quantum Key West Sailing information

FREE RaceQs.com 3D Race-tracking & Analysis

J/22, J/24, J/70, J/80, J/105, & J/111 avatars!
(San Jose, California)- Relive your sailing adventures with RaceQs' free, 3D, animated race replays. Record one boat or an entire fleet and watch the replay to evaluate your performance in 3D. You don't need any special equipment to get started, just a GPS or a smart phone. Give it a test drive today and change the way you race.

To sail fast, we should learn from our mistakes and gain experience.  Sailboat racing is fun and consistent performance improvement enables you to sail more competitively; perhaps even winning a race! The beauty of this sport is that you can always get better.

Boat owners spend “mucho dinero” each year on sails, electronics and boat improvements in their search for that elusive “edge”. But, they often neglect to address the most critical factors: efficient boat handling, winning tactics, and cohesive crew work.

RaceQs is a set of technology products designed to improve on the “human factor”, while sharing the joy of sailboat racing among the crew, club mates and competitors.

Here is a good example.  Allan Terhune takes us through a recent race aboard his J/70 "Dazzler". He walks us through his tactics and gives some trim tips for the J/70. Allan Terhune is a National and World champion in several classes, and is the Global One Design Director for Quantum Sails. http://raceqs.com/podcast/28-racing-the-j70-with-allan-terhune/

Recent events tracked with RaceQs.com were the J/22 Midwinters, the Quantum J/70 Winter Series and, soon, the Russian J/80 Spring Championship on Lake Garda, Italy in two weeks.  Also, the J/105 class has adopted use of RaceQs, starting with Seattle fleet and followed by Toronto, San Francisco and San Diego.  Get on board now and setup your J/Class event for race-tracking and fun post-race analysis- - it’s always humbling (and a learning experience) to hear one of your top competitors explain a bad race or “not so worthy” tactical moves.  For more RaceQs.com information and App download.

Rob and Sandy Butler: Sail Canada Sailors of the Month!

(Toronto, Ontario, Canada)- Sail Canada’s Sailor of the Month award acknowledges sailing achievements by Canadians involved or associated with the sport in all its forms. Here is an excerpt from the January report:

The ever-popular Quantum Key West Race Week delivered picture perfect sailing conditions until the final day of racing where competitors were faced with howling winds and rough seas forcing the top contenders to raise their game in order to claim victory.

The Canadian entry in the J/88 class was Ontario natives Rob and Sandy Butler, sailing on TOUCH2PLAY. TOUCH2PLAY trailed behind class leader DEVIATION for most of the week, eventually capitalizing on DEVIATION’s weaknesses on the final day. The Butler crew racked up three bullets in the heavy air, clinching the overall win on a tie-breaker!

“We kind of put the pressure on (Deviation) by winning the last race on Thursday. We still trailed by two points so we knew we had to come out and win both races today,” Rob Butler said. “Our crew was really dialed in and we had very good boat speed. I’m proud of the team for doing what we had to do in order to win the regatta.”

The Butler’s have an extensive resume of successful titles including a clean sweep of the J/70 open series last March and top Canadian performances in other classes, among other impressive results going back several years. Sail Canada congratulates Rob and Sandy Butler for their Key West title and name the Butler’s Sailor of the Month – January! Sailing photo credits- Tim Wilkes.com

J/111s- Practice Like You Race

(Annapolis, MD)- Scott Nixon, from Quantum Sails, brings you the perspective of sailing aboard the Quantum Key West Race Week regatta winner MY SHARONA.  Here is his commentary:

"I was lucky enough to receive an invitation to sail with a George Gamble and his J/111 team from Pensacola, FL on MY SHARONA at this year's Quantum Key West Race Week. This was the first KWRW where the J/111's had a one-design start; it was also the first J/111 Midwinter Championship. This event, along with the looming J/111 World Championships in Newport, RI, set the stage for a great start to 2015 for this exciting class.

This was my first J/111 regatta so I was the rookie on board. George Gamble selected a great, fun team from the Pensacola YC including his teenage son Kyle who was our man in the middle who kept the team motivated on the rail all week. The MY SHARONA team has put a lot of miles on their boat the past few years including a few races along the Gulf Coast of Florida and a race all the way to Mexico. They have also done a lot of local PHRF racing and even drove the boat out to the Great Lakes the last two years for the J/111 North Americans. When George decided to get me on board we knew a weakness would be time in the boat together so we set a goal of trying to get as much quality practice time in as possible in preparation for the Worlds in early June.

Doing the Pre-Regatta Homework
Working with the great team at Quantum Sails, my pre-regatta homework was not too hard. I started with our sail designer Kerry Klingler, who has done all of our J/111 sail designs that have won the last two North Americans. We discussed the standard class inventory and suggested wind ranges for the class sails. George ordered a new light jib and A1.5 light spinnaker for the event.

After ordering the sails, I spoke with Quantum's J/111 speed doctor Wally Cross (two-time NA Champ and European Champ in the J/111). He walked me through the rig set up, rake numbers, pre bend, mast butt locations and the full Quantum tuning guide for our class sails. We felt we had a grasp on the setup but needed a way to confirm this in KW.  Who better to talk with than the winner of Key West last year!

I called Nick Turney who does tactics and helps run the great SPACEMAN SPIFF programs. He was a wealth of information on sailing the boat. Nick discussed the importance of sailing the J/111 to targets upwind and downwind and to really keep an eye on the target TWA off the breeze. Nick runs Quantum Cleveland, a recent addition to the Quantum network, so both of us were new to the Quantum J/111 sail program and setup. We decided the best way to get up to speed was to team up and train together before racing started, and to also tune up each morning on race day to make sure we felt fast before the start.

“Practicing Like You Race”
This homework really paid off for our teams during the week. We trained very hard for three full days before racing started on Monday. I don't think I was too popular with our team the first few days as we spent a solid six hours on the water each practice day! We would leave the dock each morning with our training partner and do a long, downwind tune followed by a long, upwind tune. At times we would stop and chat on the VHF to make sure the slower boat could adjust settings to match the faster boat.

The teams hiked hard and practiced like we were racing. After tuning, Spaceman's coach boat would run some practice starts and shore races where other J/111's would jump on with us. This gave us great, real-time racing situations to work on together as a team. Starting, close lee-bows, ducks and layline positioning were just some of the maneuvers we were forced to perfect. All of the J/111's would head in for a late afternoon cocktail after the short races but I made the unpopular decision to stay on the water "just a little while longer!"

Perfecting Maneuvers with “Hot Laps”
I introduced our team to “hot laps,” which are simple windward-leeward laps where the marks are very close together so you just have time to set the spinnaker, gybe and then take it down before the leeward rounding sends you back around again. Our first few laps did not go very well, as they rarely do! Everyone was tired and struggling to find their role individually for all these quick maneuvers. But after pushing hard and digging deep our team started to gel. We did three days of hard training, but the sweat and bruises were all worth it. After the training sessions we headed into the regatta with the confidence to pull off any maneuver required. The credit has to go to the team on board as everyone embraced the long, hard practice sessions and improved a massive amount in a very short time.

Heading out for race day one, our goals were to be safe and stay in the top four of each race. George and our bowman Derrick Riddle did a fantastic job of getting us off the line and we were able to sail each race the way we wanted. The week was fairly light so we were extremely fast with our new Quantum class light jib that we used all but the last day, which was over 15 knots.

Using Crew Weight to Help Steer the Boat
We also had great speed off the wind with the new A1.5 class spinnaker that we used in 11 knots and under. With clean starts and good speed, we were able to just stay ahead of the clumps of boats to make good decisions on which side to protect upwind. George focused solely on driving the boat at target speed and angle and the crew constantly moved their weight to keep us at the target heel angle upwind and downwind. This made my job easier as we tried to sail by ourselves in clear air and toward the next expected shift. This strategy worked well all week as we only had two races out of the top two and were able to win five of the ten races. The class was tight at each rounding, so having good sets, gybes and spinnaker drops perfected by our team during training really helped us stay out of trouble all week and kept the pressure on the boats around us.

As a team, we worked really hard all week to focus on our own individual jobs and come together as a group. It was great to see the team get better each day and come away from this regatta with a ton of knowledge to build on as we head to the next events in preparation for the Worlds this summer. I was very impressed with our team all week as they used two GoPros to record our races. They religiously watched them each night at our dinner/ debriefs to implement ways on improving their onboard roles.

Top Lessons Learned
Here are the top five things we learned in Key West about sailing the J/111 in a tight, one design fleet:

1. The boats take a while to build speed, so hitting the line at full speed and target angle are key.

2. Don't be afraid to in-haul the jib off the line to hold a lane or sail in a slightly higher mode, especially in light winds under 15 TWS with the light jib. On the flip side, don't hesitate to ease the in-hauler when you want to sail fast or in bow-down mode for tactical reasons.

3. Having the crew hike hard upwind on the rail allows the trimmers to keep the leeches tight and keep power in the boat longer. Hike hard out of tacks and off the starting line to hit target speed faster.

4. Downwind, the stock J/111 class polars published by J/Boats are very good! We sailed to them all week with regards to target boat speed and target true wind angle.

5. Off the wind, use crew weight to help steer the boat, especially in over 11 knots with the A2 runner up. Hike the boat to windward to bear off and weight to leeward the helmsman head up. This helps minimize rudder movement so you can remain fast.

Thanks again to George and the MY SHARONA team for an outstanding attitude and effort in Key West. Also special thanks to Nick Turney on SPACEMAN SPIFF and Wally Cross on UTAH for sharing J/111 tips and tuning with us on the water. The Quantum sails and set-up were very fast and easy to do. Q teams were 1,2,3 and 4! We all improved each day and had fun on shore sharing war stories at the tent and on Duvall Street. We are really looking forward to the next J/111 one design start this spring at Charleston Race Week. Hope to see you on the water soon."  Sailing photo credits- Tim Wilkes.com and Alan Clark/ Photoboat.com.

Quantum J/70 Winter Series III Preview

(Tampa, Florida)- This weekend marks the third and final “act” of the Quantum J/70 Winter Series, hosted by Davis Island YC and sailed on beautiful Tampa Bay.  Will luck run out on Marty Kullman’s NEW WAVE, the winner of the first two regattas?  Or, will they sail lights-out again and hammer home another convincing performance?  One thing is for sure, the competition in the last event has considerably heated up post-Key West.

Perhaps it is the crazy cold weather, multiple blizzards and “cottage fever” afflicting sailors in the Northern parts of America that has suddenly created a mass migration south?  Who knows?  But, with 51 boats registered, many top teams will now be in the hunt for the “pickle dishes” given out to the top five boats! Hopefully, the weather will cooperate. The weather forecast certainly looks promising, with 10-15 kts Northeast on Friday, veering East 6-10 kts Saturday, and veering further Southeast on Sunday at 5-9 kts.

Chasing Kullman’s NEW WAVE will be a hornet’s nest of good teams that have done well in Key West and the previous Quantum J/70 Winter Series events in December and January.  Leading that charge may be Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT from Wayzata YC in Minnesota, as well as others like Allen Terhune on DAZZLER from Annapolis, MD; Rob Britts on HOT MESS from the local Davis Island YC; Cole Allsopp on MOXIE from Annapolis, MD; Will Welles on RASCAL from Newport, RI; Henry Brauer on SCAMP from Marblehead, MA; Dave Franzel on SPRING from Boston Sailing Center; Patrick Wilson on STAMPEDER from Charleston, SC; and Kris Werner on SUPERFECTA from Rochester, NY.

There are many new faces in the crowd that will certainly be a factor in the top ten, but it’s difficult to know how they will fair against these experienced class veterans.  Perhaps Holly Graf’s brand new SPICE from Eastport YC will become “Super Spice Girl” and smoke the fleet!?  Time will tell.   For more Quantum J/70 Winter Series sailing information

J/70 Q-II Series Preview

(Tampa, FL)- The second annual J/70 Quantum Winter Series hosted by Davis Island YC saw an enormous turnout of forty-seven teams eager to enjoy sailing in the warm, southern climate of Florida for the first event in the series back in December.  In the light, shifty conditions, Marty Kullman’s NEW WAVE team took home the silverware.  However, it’s a New Year and you can bet several teams have made it their mission to fulfill their first New Year’s wish of the season— win “Q-II” in Tampa this weekend from January 10th to 11th!

Will Allan Terhune’s DAZZLER team wake up from a holiday-induced coma of food and drink to run the table?  Are the young bucks from Annapolis in the form of Cole Allsopp and friends on MOXIE dialed into the warm, mind-expanding weather?  Or, will Dave Franzel’s SPRING, Will Welles’ RASCAL or Jacko Franco’s Texas gangsters throw everyone a curve-ball and dominate the podium?

Remember, you can watch the action “live” on the Internet using the RaceQs.com “tracking app” (Android and Apple iOS).  There was a lot of lively conversation in the Davis Island YC bar after the last series as team watched themselves do the right (or wrong) thing on the big screens! Check out the app here at RaceQs.com (http://www.raceqs.com).    The “live” broadcast 3D replays are available here.
For more J/70 Quantum Winter Series sailing information.

NEW WAVE Draws First Blood @ J/70 Quantum Winter Series

(Tampa, Florida)- The second annual J/70 Quantum Winter Series hosted by Davis Island YC saw an enormous turnout of forty-seven teams eager to enjoy sailing in the warm, southern climate of Florida.  While the weather looked promising, with sunny skies all weekend, it was the breeze that proved difficult for both competitors and race management.  A waning cold front produced decent NNW breezes on Saturday’s racing, permitting DIYC PRO Judy Hanlon to squeeze in four races before the breeze diminished.  However, Sunday dawned bright and sunny and no amount of praying by all was enough to summon the seabreeze by early afternoon.

The sailing on Saturday produced remarkable results for just about everyone in the top ten, perhaps the first time in recent memory that literally every single boat had a double-digit score to drop in just four races!  As it turns out, the top three boats were nowhere near the top five after two races!  Nevertheless, in the end, it was “home boy” Marty Kullman and his able-bodied crew aboard NEW WAVE that took the regatta win with a 15-2-2-1 for 20 pts total.

Starting in a similar manner, current J/22 World Champion Allan Terhune sailed his J/70 DAZZLER to second overall with an equally crazy “snakes & ladders” scoreline of 14-3-1-3 for 21 pts.

Perhaps remembering that amazing first day of glory at Key West two years ago, Cole Allsopp and friends on MOXIE dialed it all in and sailed a solid series to take 3rd overall with a record of 5-12-3-2 for 22 pts.  Close it was for the top three!  Notably, all the top three overall took the top three spots in the last race— guess it took this talented group a few tries before they all finally got it right!

Rounding out the top five were the 2013 Key West Midwinters Corinthians winner, Dave Franzel on SPRING, taking fourth place.  They were followed by Will Welles on RASCAL.  Notably, class newcomer Jack Franco from Houston, Texas sailed USA-3 to a 3-4-5 to be leading the regatta after three races!  However, whatever the genie was telling them to do suddenly called it quits and dove back into the magic bottle- their last race 26th dropped them to 8th overall- ouch!

As he has done in the past, Rob Britts sailed HOT MESS to the overall Corinthians Team win with 31 pts.  They were followed by Andrew & Melissa Fisher’s BUTTON FLY in second and in third was Noel Clinard’s LOONATICTU.

An excellent “training” feature for the regatta was the introduction of “live” broadcast of any teams using the RaceQs.com “tracking app” (Android and Apple iOS).  There was a lot of lively conversation in the subsequent coaching analysis post-racing at the Davis Island YC bar! Check out the app here at RaceQs.com (http://www.raceqs.com).  The “live” broadcast 3D replays are available here.  In particular, do the comparison of NEW WAVE vs DAZZLER vs SPRING on a race-by-race basis; it provides some fascinating insights on how each “player” approached the upwind and downwind legs!

The three-part J/70 Quantum Winter Series continues just after New Year’s 2015 with Act #2 on January 10th to 11th, just prior to the J/70 Midwinters in Key West, Florida.  Then, the final Act #3 takes place from February 7th to 8th.   For more J/70 Quantum Winter Series sailing information