J/42 Jaywalker Still Cruisin' After 20 Years!

 

* Here, we get yet another gorgeous photo of Bill and Judy Stellin's J/42 JAYWALKER sailing on the beautiful azure waters of northern Lake Michigan off Harbor Springs, a very special place in the northeastern part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  

Commented Bill, "if you think cruising J/Boats can’t go fast, here is our JAYWALKER, J/42 hull #6, doing 6.3 knots in 7.9 knots of true wind. Notice how glassy the water is. Amazing! Great boat still, we love it!"

J/121 CRESCENT IV Report from Japan

 

J/121 CRESCENT IV blasting upwind on the Sea of Japan.

* "Like many of the world’s most splendid sailing areas, such as Narragansett Bay and Waikiki, Japan’s very own Sagami Bay, just south of Tokyo, has been without sails and sailors for months; staying socially distant, and abiding by the rules.


Nevertheless, I’m now happy to say that sailing in Sagami Bay is finally back! Hayama Marina Yacht Club has restarted its fortnightly summer club races, given the rules and regulations set forth by our national and local governments.


After restarting the sailing season July 12th, our J/121 CRESCENT IV dutifully performed as committee boat at this first race and happily watched eighteen other boats enjoy a strong sea breeze. Then, on August 8th, the time was finally at hand for CRESCENT IV to compete. That morning, we had a fairly nice wind and succeeded in making a top finish in race #1 for our first club race!

Wherever you may be in this windy world, I hope and believe that all J/Boats advocates will enjoy a nice summer sea breeze!" Thanks to Aki Hirai's report, the owner of the J/121 CRESCENT IV

J/99 JAZZ Flies Offshore- Bermuda to Stonington

* Experience and understand what it's like to sail offshore.  The J/99 JAZZ was sailed by Rodney Johnstone and Clay Burkhalter from Stonington, CT to Bermuda (635.0nm as the 'crow flies') to help "rescue" a friends 65 ft sailboat. After 48 hours, they sailed the return voyage back to Stonington in slightly breezier, rougher conditions.  Clay narrates the 10-minute video accompanied by the classic Grateful Dead "Franklin's Tower" song (Las Vegas 1992) playing as the background soundtrack.  Enjoy!


Click photo or link here to watch video:
https://youtu.be/ZzOdJmZKqLo

The J/99 JAZZ Rescue Mission Epilogue

If you all recall from last week, we reported on the "rescue mission" that was undertaken by J/Boats co-founder Rodney Johnstone and his nephew Clay Burkhalter to sail to Bermuda from Stonington, CT with two friends of theirs. The goal was to deliver the owner of a beautiful 65-footer that lay on a mooring at St George's Bay in eastern Bermuda. Their mission was successful, and it was a fast "delivery" on the slippery J/99 offshore speedster!

Upon reaching Bermuda, the team enjoyed an evening of R&R. But less than 48 hours after arriving, the intrepid duo of Rodney and Clay set back out to sea to sail the J/99 JAZZ back to Stonington, CT! The return trip was not the "walk-in-the-park" they had on their way down to Bermuda. In fact, quite the opposite.  

They were both presented with many challenges, including the often capricious, unrelenting and punishing Gulf Stream. A "micro-Low" materialized that was not forecast at all, not surprisingly, over the massive northward moving "river" of the Gulf Stream. Such spontaneous "micro-climates" are not unknown and numerous sailing or motor vessels over time have succumbed to dreadful weather associated with such "micro-bombs".  Here is Rodney's account of their delivery back from Bermuda to Stonington, CT:

"For starters, it was a great adventure and magical experience both ways. Clay and I had two days of light weather coming home, then two days of wild wind and waves through the Gulf Stream as we headed north, which accounts for our big course change to the west late Monday. 


To make time, we motor-sailed most of the first 300 miles in benign Northeast winds under 10 knots. We then sailed with double-reefed main and 3.5 heavy weather jib the rest of the way in NE winds. We hit 30 knot winds and monster seas on the North side of Gulf Stream (see photo sequence above of their track). Huge, breaking waves everywhere. So, we took down the jib and sailed all night on a broad reach with double-reefed main only to stay away from the breaking seas with no "backs" (e.g. a wall). 

The J/99 is very well behaved in that stuff. Easy to steer, so the autopilot had no problem staying the course on a dark, rough Monday night. For a while, it looked like we would make landfall at Atlantic City, NJ. As soon as we got onto the continental shelf, the turbulent waves subsided and got regular, and the winds let up to 20-25 knots. We then hoisted the jib and sailed upwind towards Stonington under clear sky and steady East wind.... all the way back from Bermuda to Stonington on starboard tack with jib and double-reefed main at about 6.5 knots!

What a trip back! It took us exactly five days to go the 635.0nm (as the crow flies, more like 725.0nm of actual sailing). Very exciting, and proof that the J/99 is fit for short-handed ocean sailing. Nothing broke or failed! I hope I get to do this sort of sailing trip again!"  Thanks to Rodney J. for this report and being the intrepid adventurer that he is!

J/105s Prevail in Dave Wall Memorial Race

(Marina del Rey, CA)- In one of the first sanctioned races in Santa Monica Bay in a long time, on June 13th the Pacific Singlehanded Sailing Association (PSSA) held its regularly scheduled single/ doublehanded “inverted start” from Marina Del Rey to Redondo Beach and back.

The 16.0nm course attracted what must be a recent record of thirty-two entries. The fleet included a pair of J/105s, a pair of J/92s, a J/29 and J/80. The Class 1 Singlehanded class had 12 boats, while the Class 2 Doublehanded class fielded 16 boats.

The fleet was blessed with a somewhat classical SoCal offshore day. Sunny, good breeze, and in the mid-70s F. In consistent wind of 14-16 knots that ranged from a beam reach to close hauled, Dan Murphy and Rob Dekker sailed their J/105 CUCHULAINN to the top of the leaderboard, more than two minutes ahead of their nearest competitor, the J/29 ZULU sailed by owner Caesar Berger and Ronald Augustsson. Just off the pace was the famous J/80 AVET, the duo of Curt Johnson and Paul Burnett took fourth place. Notably, working out their early season kinks to take an 8th place was Brian Kerr and Edwina Gillin's J/92 DOUBLE DOWN. 

Charles Spear in his J/105 TWELVE BAR BLUES finished second amongst the Class 1 Singlehanded boats.  

Supporting Doublehanded Sailing Growth

(London, United Kingdom)- World Sailing has established a dedicated section for doublehanded offshore sailing to support the growth and interest in this segment of the sport.

Following the selection of a Mixed Two Person Offshore Keelboat Event at Paris 2024, event numbers for doublehanded offshore events in One-Design boats and handicap racing have increased.

The dedicated section on Sailing.org provides information on Paris 2024, as well as a list of doublehanded offshore events that will be regularly updated. A section on equipment is also included.

To encourage focus on the discipline of offshore sailing itself rather than on specific equipment, the Paris 2024 Olympic Equipment will be selected relatively close to the event.

The broad discipline of doublehanded offshore sailing, which includes all doublehanded events over 50 miles in length, with no gender restrictions, and sailed one-design or under any rating system (e.g. ORC, IRC, or regional systems) can guide sailors to focus their preparation efforts on the required skills to succeed. Skills such as seamanship, navigation, weather prediction, route selection, boat-handling and, of course, fast sailing.

The 2024 Mixed Keelboat Offshore Event will be a representation of this discipline. A very specific, one-race, mixed-gender, one-design, supplied-equipment, event with a specified duration.

In recent weeks and months, a 2024 Offshore Equipment Working Party, that brings together members of the Equipment Committee and Oceanic and Offshore Committee, have been in consultation with manufacturers of offshore boats. The Working Party is developing a set of criteria in consultation with the industry both for the Paris 2024 Olympic event and for the qualification events.

An initial draft of the criteria will be made public and accessible when available here.

Towards the end of 2019, World Sailing issued a Request for Information to engage manufacturers and classes in the discussions around the equipment. World Sailing received 12 responses from manufacturers and designers who provided information on initial proposals. The principal brand represented, fully one-fourth of the dozen recommended, were J/Boats- the J/88, J/99, and J/105.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the manufacturers all met World Sailing collectively via a video conference. Discussions centered around opportunities for all fleets, how World Sailing can help all manufacturers thrive and increase events, as well as emphasizing the importance of equipment equalization and the one-design aspect for the Paris 2024 Olympic event to ensure the focus remains on the skills of the sailor.

The discussion was positively received by all manufacturers as they underlined their commitment to ensuring the continued growth of the discipline. The criteria for suitable Equipment for the Olympic Offshore Event will be published no later than 31 December 2020 and the Equipment will be selected no later than 31 December 2023.

Promoters of sailing circuits, training camps, and event organizers seeking to incorporate doublehanded offshore events are invited to contact World Sailing to contribute to the promotion of this exciting and fast-growing discipline. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/Sailors Enjoy SORC "Covid Shakedown Race"

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- Thirty-four Solo & Doublehanded yachts enjoyed champagne racing on the Solent on Sunday, 7th June 2020. SORC (Singlehanded Offshore Racing Club) staged the largest yacht race since the start of the Covid Lockdown for socially distant compliant solo and duo teams.

Unusually for SORC, which is the United Kingdom's only yacht club dedicated to solo yacht racing, the club also staged a Doublehanded class...it proved to be a wildly popular, prescient decision. Commented the Commodore of SORC, "with the Covid pandemic starving us of yacht racing generally, and Doublehanded racing gaining real traction at the moment, it seemed only fair to share our resources and have them join us in a race. It was a well-received, successful initiative."

The race team behind SORC wisely delayed their inaugural 2020 race from a 30 knot, grey Saturday to a sparkly, sunny, 12 knot Sunday. Given the enthusiasm to get afloat, the epic 27 boat solo fleet extended the race invitation to include double handers, increasing the entry field by a further 9 boats on the start line.

The numerous shoreside observers, perambulators, cyclists, and the generally curious were treated to a mixed fleet apparently aimlessly sailing in random directions, whilst awaiting the start sequence. The DH fleet were planned to start at 1100, but SORC's PRO Steve Cole wisely decided to delay starting the sequence until 1130 to allow the wind to fill in. Perfect timing because the first wind ripples soon arrived, with a steady 10-12 knot westerly propelling the DH start. All starts were “stealth” starts [radio only], so along with obviously only solo or two person yachts, any adverse comments from shore regarding yachts racing would be completely negated. The reverse being true, that the Solent coming alive again was welcomed.


General Race Report
"The race....should I give a blow-by-blow account of who went where and when? Or, perhaps not! Sufficient to say that from the start, the place to be was in the west flowing back-eddy along the Gurnard shore. Most yachts headed this way, but the art was in gauging when to tack across the easterly flow towards Beaulieu and the first mark. Here, fortunes changed, the leading boats off the line who stayed on the island shore lost out. A group of five boats led by the J/105 MOSTLY HARMLESS popped out in a favorable position.

It was evident that course-setter and long-term SORC race official Dave Giddings with Steve Cole had used the crystal ball to great effect; the course was enjoyable with true windward legs and downwind legs that were actually downwind. The course mainly featured navigation buoys rather than racing marks, giving the solo/DH sailor a fighting chance of finding them!

Heading off to East Bramble, symmetric spinnaker boats were able to lay the mark, whilst the rest zigzagged their way there allowing for much gybing practice. Two tight fetches to S Ryde Middle then NW to Hillhead caused us in Mzungu to decide that we could use the code zero; no we can`t. Yes, we should have done. Presumably everyone else had the same discussion, because I didn`t see one hoisted.  Perhaps the solo sailors didn`t have a crew discussion. Those that did can get appropriate help once the NHS is less busy. A beat back to East Lepe with the now strongly ebbing spring tide was quick, the port turn around the mark into the tide punished slow spinnaker work as SOG dwindled for those with no power. The fleet closed up considerably and had a great, sunny run to finish, Cowes Week style, at Gurnard [many close inshore out of the tide] where competitors took their own times. The J/105 MOSTLY HARMLESS, sailed by the duo of Natalie Jobling and Tom Hayhoe took line honors and IRC Overall.

The weather was kind, the wind was just right, the course was spot on and it was a "free race". Thanks SORC!" Thanks for this report from Tony White.

Class 1 Solo Class
It was a game of "snakes and ladders" in a closely-fought race. Fifteen boats on the starting line with solo skippers can make for interesting incidents, to say the least. After zigging and zagging across the Solent, it was the J/88 TIGRIS, skippered by Sam Cooper that took line honors with an elapsed time of 2 hrs 36 min. However, TIGRIS was closely followed by a bunch of other boats in less than 1 min 12 secs, dropping him down to 4th place on IRC handicap time.  Jerry Freeman's J/105 JULIETTE finished in 5th place about a minute off the pace of the top boats.


Class 4 Doublehanded IRC Class
While it may have been a closely fought duel in the Solo I class, it was anything but that in the Class 4 Doublehanded class of nine boats. Starting off fast, going the right direction off the start, the team of Natalie Jobling and Tom Hayhoe on their J/105 MOSTLY HARMLESS led the lead pack to the first mark and simply kept expanding their lead. By the end, the "classic J/105" beat some of the newest boats off competitor's drawing boards, taking line honors by over 4 minutes on the next boat and also taking IRC handicap honors by 1 min 33 secs! Unfortunately, their stablemates on the J/99 JET made a few too many "wrong turns" tactically in the swift-moving Solent currents. At one point JET was a top three contender, but fell back again towards the end, so the JET team of James & Charlie Owen crossed the line 8 minutes behind the J/105 to take sixth on their first outing of the year.

A bonus for all sailors was the fact that North offshore expert Ronan Grealish was on the water in the North Sails RIB, offering coaching, sail trim tips, and support to all. Based on their experience last weekend, Ronan came up with three key tips for shorthanded sailing:

Sail Trim:
Optimize your sail controls so you can control the mainsail and headsail from the same position. Cross-sheeting the headsails are a good option to allow both sails to be trimmed from the windward side. It is important to have your sheets marked for average upwind trim so you can quickly pull them to the mark before fine-tuning, once settled on your new tack.

Planning Ahead:
Thinking two steps ahead will mean you are always ready and anticipating the next maneuver, reducing the likelihood of sailing past a turning mark. Sailing the shortest distance will pay more than keeping the sail up until the last moment.

Having an Autopilot:
A good autopilot is crucial, allowing you to concentrate on sail trim which powers the boat and gives you the best speed. Keeping your head out of the boat to look for changing conditions and tactical decisions will pay dividends when paired with effective sail trimming.

Did you miss our doublehanded webinar with renowned offshore sailor Armel Le Cléac’h and phenom Clarisse sur l’Atlantique? The duo joined North Sails President Ken Read for an inside look into the trials of doublehanded sailing and the grit it takes to race shorthanded.


Watch a "Doublehanded Master Class" on YouTube video here.   Sailing photo credits- Rick Tomlinson   For more SORC Offshore series sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Celebrating J/99 Offshore Speedster #50!

(Les Sables'd'Olonne, France)- The challenging world events in the past few months have not been kind to humans, sailing, and the boating industry. To say the least, it has been devastating in terms of human cost as well as economic costs. Fortunately, in France, building has resumed after a brief period of "lockdown" and boat builders/ manufacturers were permitted to get back to work.


As a result, the momentum continues for the "doublehander's boat of choice" in France for many of the top French offshore sailors. While many competitors are offering "free boats" to top French sailing professionals that have an eye on the 2024 Paris Olympics sailed in the Mediterranean, the "smart money" sailors are working with their sponsors to purchase their own J/99s for training and racing offshore. Not surprising, considering that J/99s crushed all of their competition in the famous Duo Cat-Amania Doublehanded Offshore Championship in France against its competitors in the 29 to 33 foot size range.


The most exciting news is celebrating the fact that J/99 #50 has rolled off the production line at J/Composites in Les Sables'd'Olonne, France and she is looking forward to doing some offshore sailing this summer!  Learn more about the J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster here. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/Net Brokerage Specials- J/100

Check out our exciting new site for lovingly-owned J/Boats from around the world.


Here is another beautiful example of our popular 33 ft. day sailor- the J/100.  This J/00 shows in near new condition and is loaded with race and day sailing gear. She was completely re-fitted by her current owner in 2015 and has a number of great improvements on the boat; including a retractable carbon sprit, new standing and running rigging, full Grand Prix race bottom and keel fairing, and gorgeous new Awlgrip hull paint in Ice Blue. More information here. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Getting Excited About Optimizing the J/99

* Getting Excited About Optimizing the J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster
The new J/99 is a hot topic in the offshore sailing community, especially amongst the double-handed racers and even cruising couples around the world. The J/99 is an exciting addition to the J/Boat lineup that is filling a growing demand for short-handed racer/cruiser platforms that perform buoy racing as well as they do offshore.

As part of maximizing the J/99's full potential for performance upwind, reaching, and downwind, sailmakers around the world have had their top teams working 24x7 on optimizing their offerings. One of these has been the Quantum Sailmakers team. Here is a summary of the continual process they go through.

"Quantum designers focused on creating 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 J/Boats Dealer RCR Yachts to create a fast set of sails with a "racing-first" focus that can easily transition into a performance cruising setup. They focused on using sail fabrics that give the sails an added level of structural durability that will ensure fast, repeatable shapes.

Quantum 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 Quantum'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 sails need to be adjusted for each client's needs and wishes," he adds.

Kris Werner reinforced their 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."

Werner, a former broker at RCR Yachts, appreciates the continued relationship that his position as a sail consultant affords. "Supporting and working with RCR Yachts is a true pleasure," he says. "We at Quantum Sails Rochester do everything we can for them, and the enthusiasm the RCR team shows for our sport is closely matched to the customer-focused ideals of Quantum Sails. Our relationship is about helping customers get more enjoyment out of sailing and less about promoting one company over the other."

Watch this short sailing video from the Quantum team that was taken during their initial performance testing program in Newport, RI.


Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/88 Selected for Mixed Offshore USA World Team Worlds Qualifier

(Chicago, IL)- The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac® presented by Wintrust (CYCRTM) is excited to announce the event has been selected by US Sailing as the Double-Handed Worlds Qualifier in preparation for the 2024 Olympics. The boat selected for the US qualifier is the J/88, and the CYCRTM plans to host a special division for the Mixed Offshore Double-handed discipline, for both a one-design fleet as well as a rated ORC fleet in J/88s, in the 112th running of the race this summer.

"This is an exciting time for the USA and a great opportunity to race an Olympic class offshore boat," says Jay Kehoe, Sailing Director at the Chicago Yacht Club. "Non-mixed double-handed teams will also be able to participate, but will have to adhere to the sail rules and safety equipment, and are not eligible for the 2020 Offshore World Championships."

There will be six (6) boats available for charter and a partial inventory of safety equipment, thanks to the generosity of the local J/88 fleet. Teams chartering or bringing their own J/88 are also encouraged to participate. However, there will be restricted sail choices and specialized safety equipment that will apply to all competitors in the class.

The Team USA entry to the 2020 Offshore World Championships will be selected from one of the eligible teams competing in the Mixed Two Person division of the CYCRTM.

The 112th CYCRTM will take place July 17th and 18th, 2020. The inspection, measurement and equalization process for all boats, sails and the complete list of required safety equipment will be specified in the Notice of Race of the Chicago-Mackinac Mixed Two Person division, which will be issued later this month. Please email regattamanager@chicagoyachtclub.org if you are interested in applying for a charter boat, or if you have any other questions on this process. To learn more about the Mixed Offshore, please visit US Sailing’s website that details all of the qualifiers for the World Team.  Learn more about the U.S. Sailing Olympics 2024 Doublehanded Mixed Offshore Program here.

About the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac®: "America’s Offshore Challenge™
The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac® presented by Wintrust is one of the world’s largest annual offshore races, drawing top-notch sailing talent from around America and the world.  Known as ‘The Mac’ to everyone in the region, the ultimate test of Great Lakes navigation starts each July just off Chicago’s Navy Pier. Passing through some of the most beautiful coastal waters in the world on the 333-statute mile (289nm) race route, the fleet faces the storms, reefs, calms and competition that truly make it "America’s Offshore Challenge."

From Friday’s Cruising and Saturday’s Racing starting cannons to the finish line just on the other side of the iconic Mackinac Bridge, fans can follow every racer via the live Race Tracker, while keeping tabs on their favorites on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  For more Chicago to Mackinac Race sailing information

About the J/88 Offshore Speedster
Introduced in 2013, the J/88 is 29’ mid-size family speedster with stability, style and sailing comfort. Design highlights include a high-aspect, non-overlapping sail plan (no genoas) with a carbon fiber, double-spreader mast - deck stepped for easy rigging, tuning and keeping the main cabin dry.  With more than 100+ boats worldwide and a growing fleet on Lake Michigan, the design has been extremely successful for inshore racing, family day sailing, as well as offshore shorthanded sailing.  For more J/88 offshore speedster sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/99 Pacific NW Debut at Seattle Boat Show!

(Seattle, WA)- Make your plans now to view the brand new, triple-award winning, 32' Offshore Speedster- the J/99! Sail Northwest in Seattle will be showing their boat indoors at the Seattle Boat Show, Century Link Field Event Center. The Seattle Boat Show goes from January 24th to February 1st, 2020.
  
The J/99 is the newest addition to the J/Sport range, combining headroom and comfortable interior accommodation with the tiller-driven responsiveness of a sport boat. The sail and deck plan are optimized for easy handling with fewer crew and incorporate the latest developments from the award-winning J/121 and the new Offshore Sailing World Champion J/112E. The interior features twin aft cabins, a proper sit-down forward facing nav station, an L-shaped galley, and a private forward head with sail locker.  For more J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster information   For more Seattle Boat Show information and tickets Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Sailing World Boat of the Year- Best Crossover-J/99 Offshore Speedster!

(Newport, RI)- The J/99 was a favorite and a serious Boat of the Year contender. The judges sailed it on the snottiest day on the week, and as the breeze ratcheted ever higher, the boat, they said, comes alive. They’ve come to expect nothing less of a J Boat, because designer Alan Johnstone is on a roll. For J devotees and owners, of which there are many, the J/99 will feel like home.

“We’ve been missing a sweet spot in the 33- to 35-foot range with a performance boat that combines headroom and accommodations for family sailing, but is also purpose-built for owners aspiring to do double­handed sailing,” J Boats’ Jeff Johnstone tells the judges.

While tempting to cater to an emerging shorthanded market with a highly specialized boat, he adds, they didn’t want a one-trick pony with the J/99. “That’s not how we, or our owners use our boats,” Johnstone says. “We like a boat that can day sail well, have room for a full crew and set up right for shorthanded sailing.”

To that end, he points out, everything in the halyard and sail-control department is within reach of the tiller; at the same time, the cockpit can accommodate a busy five- or six-person crew for hustling around the cans.

Johnstone’s preferred model for comparison is the company’s big seller of earlier days. “Think of it as a modern J/105, with more headroom,” he says. “In terms of interior volume, it feels like twice the boat of a 105. But it’s quicker. It’s 2 feet smaller, and it’s more stable. It’s also slippery in light air.”   Read on here on SW BOTY review.   For more J/99 offshore speedster sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Award-winning J/99 @ Paris Boat Show!

(Paris, France)- The 2019 edition of the Salon Nautique Paris will be taking place on the southside of Paris in its usual location at the Parc d'Exposition from December 7th to 15th.  The J/Composites team from Les Sables d'Olonne, France will be in attendance with the award-winning J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster at Pavillon 1, Stand 1-G-64.  For Salon Nautique Paris boat show information

Since its debut one year ago, the J/99 has been critically acclaimed by many of the world's leading sailboat analysts as an exciting new entry into the mid-size offshore cruiser-racer marketplace, with a focus on offering an exceptional experience for those focused on short-handed sailing- doublehanded offshore or a family wishing for a fun, fast, easy-to-sail, weekday evening "beer can" racer.  The J/99's pedigree is without peer and her performance is enough to get anyone out for a spontaneous sunset sail with family and friends in comfort and style.  For more J/99 offshore shorthanded speedster sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/99 Wins SAIL Magazine Awards Best Boats- Performance Boat 31'+!

(Boston, MA)- Eleven of the nominees for SAIL Magazine’s 2020 Best Boats Awards have been advanced as winners for this annual recognition.

“Once again, the boatbuilding industry has shown how it never seems to run out of fresh ideas—something that is clearly evident in SAIL’s Best Boats contest,” says SAIL’s executive editor Adam Cort, who was joined in judging by associate editor Lydia Mullan, cruising editor Charles J. Doane, charter editor Zuzana Prochazka, veteran boat-reviewer Tom Dove and SAIL’s contributing editor Tom Hale.

One of the winners of SAIL’s 2020 Best Boats Awards was the new J/99- awarded the Best Performance Boat over 31ft! Here is the commentary from the SAIL Best Boats Judges:

"It was a fun year for SAIL’s Best Boats judges with a number of mid-sized performance boats to sail trial. Alas, the downside to having so many boats to choose from is also having to pick a winner. This was especially tough because of the variety of boats involved. How do you compare, for example, our winner in this category with, say, the Sun Fast 3300? In the end, though, our judges decided to give the J/99 the nod for two reasons: build quality and breadth of sailing ability.

With respect to the build quality, the J/99 is wonderfully constructed: top to bottom, stem to stern. Topsides, the boat continues designer Al Johnstone’s use of plumb ends and elegantly sculpted cabin trunk to create a look that is all business, yet still elegant.

Belowdecks, the saloon and accommodations are well laid out, with just enough woodwork to keep things from looking sterile while still saving owners a lot of maintenance headaches. The rig is aluminum with a fixed sprit for flying an A-sail. The layup, overall finish and hardware installations are top-notch.

With respect to sailing ability, what most impressed our judges was the combination of performance and versatility, all in a surprisingly low-key package. While some of the other boats in this space very much wear their performance cred on their sleeve in the form of a welter of halyards and control lines, the J/99 is a fairly simple platform by comparison. Not that there’s anything wrong with complexity. On the contrary, for an awful lot of sailors out there, it’s all part of the fun. However, there are also an awful lot of other sailors out there, not to mention friends and family when out daysailing, for whom it’s not, and it’s here that the J/99 truly excels. On the one hand, with its tiller and carefully apportioned cockpit, the boat is perfect for such offshore events as the Chicago-Mac race, whether fully crewed or shorthanded. On the other, it’s also the perfect boat for beer-can racing or just tooling around the harbor on a sunny day. Successfully combining these two types of sailing in a single 32ft sloop is no mean feat— and the reason our judges chose the J/99 as the winner in a very strong field."  For more SAIL Magazine's Best Boats 2020 Awards information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/99 Nominated for Multiple Performance Yacht of the Year Awards

(Newport, RI)- For the first time in recent history, a newly introduced "J" has been nominated for a record number of five "Performance Yacht of the Year" awards across the USA, the United Kingdom, and Europe.

European Yacht of the Year 2020- J/99 in the Performance Cruiser Category!
The European Yacht of the Year Award is the most important, influential, and most widely communicated boatbuilding prize worldwide. Often referred to as the "Oscar" of yachting.

Initiated by German sail magazine YACHT, it was first presented at boot Düsseldorf in 2004. Today, twelve magazines from all over Europe make up the jury, each of them the leading voice in their respective countries and respected beyond national borders. The announcement of the winners will take place during the Boot in Düsseldorf January 18th-26th 2020. Here was the commentary of the J/99 nomination:

"Even before being unveiled, the new offshore speedster by J-Boats sold in the dozens. And the J/99 was an instant success not just commercially– she also showed strong results on race courses right from the beginning. Available with single or twin rudders, symmetric or asymmetric spinnaker setup, she can be tailored to her owners' likings. While she may look rather modest compared to flashier new designs and weighs more than some of her direct competitors she is nonetheless right up there in the mix– including a relatively modest pricing compared to industry standards."  For more European Yacht of the Year Award information

SAIL Magazine Best Boats Award- Performance Monohulls
J/Boats have won numerous SAIL Best Boat Awards over the course of time, in fact since the very beginning that SAIL magazine created the awards!  Here is their commentary on the J/99 nomination:

"Following up on the J/121, which won a SAIL Best Boat’s award in 2018, the new J/99 is similar in concept, with a deck layout and rig optimized for smaller crews in the interest of addressing the increasing interest in shorthanded racing both in the United States and abroad. Beyond that, the 33ft J/99 is vintage modern “J”. with its plumb ends, slippery “SCRIMP” infused hull, deep high-aspect rudder and similarly deep fin keel lead “shoe,” the latter designed to get the boat’s center of gravity as low as possible. As is the case the with the rest of the J/Boats fleet, the cockpit is a functional work of art, with plenty of room for trimming sail."  For more SAIL magazine Best Boats Award information

SAILING WORLD Boat of the Year
For the first time since inception, the Sailing World Boat of the Year was reduced to a single category with a dozen boats selected for their 2020 Award- e.g. a single boat will win.

Dave Reed, Editor of Sailing World, hopped aboard the J/99 immediately after the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland. Sailing on a particularly nasty weather day, the Sailing World evaluation team that included Dave, Greg Stewart, and Chuck Allen experienced 10-20 kt ENE winds, driving rain squalls, and a classic short, steep Chesapeake Bay chop. One reviewer commented, "wow, the J/99 has a beautiful feel on her helm upwind and she's stiff...maybe that's why we're going 7.1 kts upwind!"  Another commented downwind after a half-dozen gybes with the large A-sail up, "this boat is on rails downwind, cannot believe we just hit 13.0 kts in a 19 kts puff?! This boat will be fun offshore!"  For more Sailing World Boat of the Year Awards information

CRUISING WORLD Boat of the Year- Performance Cruiser Category
Cruising World magazine announced its roster of nominees for the 2020 Boat of the Year awards. Like their sister publication (Sailing World), testing for the awards took place after the U.S. Sailboat Show. The J/99 has been nominated in the "Performance Cruiser" Category.

Twenty-four boats – 17 monohulls, 6 catamarans and a trimaran – have been nominated for the 2020 Boat of the Year prizes. The annual awards, selected by an independent judging team, recognize the best new production cruising boats and multihulls laid out and equipped for coastal and offshore sailing and voyaging. This year’s judging panel is comprised of systems expert Ed Sherman of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC); Ralph Naranjo, a veteran cruising sailor and author; and well-known technical writer and cruiser Dan Spurr.

"This is a deep and highly diverse fleet, ranging in size from a compact 30-footer, to a full-sized 67-foot cruiser", said Herb McCormick, Cruising World Boat of the Year director. "It promises to be a very competitive contest, and our judges will certainly have their work cut out to determine the winning entries."  For more Cruising World Boat of the Year Awards information

The British Yachting Awards- Racing Yacht/ Sportsboat Category
For the first time this year, Sailing Today teamed up with presenting partner MUSTO and sister magazine Yachts & Yachting to bring you the British Yachting Awards, truly a celebration of every aspect of the sailing world – from Caribbean cruising to high-tech racing.

In the Racing Yacht/ Sportsboat Category, there were a half-dozen boats under consideration. The selection team commented on the J/99 nomination:

"The J/99 has proved an instant hit, with 30 boats ordered, mostly off plan, within a few weeks of the prototype’s first sailing trials. Although clearly aimed at the burgeoning short-handed scene, the boat is also set up to be raced fully crewed, suitable for amateurs and professional teams."  Learn more about the British Yachting Awards 2019 here   Learn more about the J/99 Speedster here Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Annapolis YC Doublehanded Distance Race Preview

(Annapolis, MD)- Racing sailboats across a long distance has inspired generations of sailors. The Annapolis Yacht Club announces a new 24-hour race for double-handed crews to start on Saturday, September 28, 2019 off the entrance to the Severn River. In response to the announcement by World Sailing, the international governing body of the sport, that the Olympic Games will host a mixed double-handed, long-distance competition beginning with the 2024 Paris Games, the Annapolis Yacht Club is among the first sailing organizations to create this new event.

The race course will be spread throughout the Chesapeake Bay with a finish line off the yacht club’s dock on Spa Creek. The race is scheduled to last 24 hours, the first boat to the finish line will receive the top prize. The race will be an endurance contest for the crews as they race throughout the night hours. Keeping the boat sailing fast, monitoring weather forecasts, careful navigation, precision boat handling, and physical stamina are a few of the attributes the crews will need to excel in this challenging contest.

The vision for the Olympic Games in 2024 is to feature a race of around 500 miles in a boat of about 30-32 feet in overall length. World Sailing is committed to gender equity in the sport and is encouraged by the tremendous interest throughout the world to compete for an Olympic medal. Early comments by World Sailing suggest that 18-20 countries will qualify for the medal race in 2024. Los Angeles 2028 also intends on hosting a long-distance double-handed race off the Southern California coast during the Olympics.


With GPS-based tracking and easy communications with the competitors, the double-handed long-distance race will attract worldwide interest in all time zones 24 hours per day. Racing enthusiasts will be able to follow the Annapolis Yacht Club competitors throughout the race on the internet.

The AYC event will feature two divisions: one for mixed gender crews in J/105s and a second division open to male or female teams in boats of 25 to 42 feet using the Offshore Rating Council handicap rule to score the different size boats.

The seven-boat J/105 fleet has several famous offshore sailors participating. Among the early entrants is Randy Smyth, a two-time Olympic medalist and winning America’s Cup sailor. He will be paired with his friend Christina Parrson on-board MIRAGE. In addition, Patrick Gavin-Brynes & Evelyn Hull will be sailing AMERICAN OCEAN RACING PROJECT/ BREAKAWAY.

In the ten-boat ORC Division, there are two J/Duos racing; John Loe & Matt Schubert’s J/33 HORNET and Roger Lant & Mike Welin’s J/35 ABIENTOT. You can follow all the sailors on the event website!  For more AYC Doublehanded Distance Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Rolex Fastnet Race Preview

(Cowes, England)- For the previous four editions of the Rolex Fastnet Race, the elation of overall victory has been enjoyed by a team racing a yacht in the 35 to 42 foot range. In the 2013 and 2015 editions of the 605.0nm offshore race, the top three boats overall came from IRC Three and Four. This year, currently 340 teams will race under IRC for the overall win and over half of them will be competing in IRC Three and Four. The vast majority of the 3,000-strong competitors in the 400-boat fleet are passionate amateurs, racing on a huge variety of boats, with 88 different designs found in these two classes. A majority of the J/Teams participating in the race are in the IRC Two, Three, and Four classes.

For all of those J/Crews, the big decision everyone has been strategizing for the past week is weather routing decisions up and down the track.

Whether to go inshore or offshore, how long will it take, will it be a ‘big boat or small boat’ race, how to handle the powerful tides and will I need an anchor and an umbrella?

The answers for this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race are profoundly different according to whether you are on an monster 130 ft trimaran or one of the vast armada of J/109s.

In essence, the forecast for this year’s race is starting Saturday at the beginning of the ebb tide in an unusual southeasterly breeze (rather than upwind in the normal prevailing southwesterly).

According to Rolex Fastnet Race meteorologist Libby Greenhalgh, overnight for the leaders, or well into Sunday for the tail-enders, the crews will have to negotiate a “transition zone” that will see the wind drop before filling in from the southwest, a scenario that may benefit being north (in search of thermal breeze close to the coast) or offshore and south (to get to the new gradient pressure first), as always, also dependent on the state of the tide.

“Faster boats will tend to dig further south towards the Casquets TSS (Transportation Separation Scheme- a ‘no-go’ zone) and will be the most southerly,” continues Greenhalgh. “For everyone else it will be of more rhumb line or just south of the rhumb line route.”

In a “typical” Fastnet Race, the choice between going west or east of the TSS off Land’s End is significant. However, earlier in the week the only way to go was west, maintained Greenhalgh. However, this has since changed with the easterly route opening up for the slower boats.

The good news is that after this the scenario becomes more straightforward with a reach across the Celtic Sea to the Fastnet Rock and back to the Scilly Isles, in southwesterly or WSWerly winds and in pressure that will vary between 15-25 knots according to the timing. At present, it seems very unclear if the overall prize will go to the smallest boat in the race, which will get held up least in the transition zone or one of the bigger boats.

One IRC Doublehanded navigator, Henry Bomby, had some thoughtful perspectives on race strategy. “I did quite a bit of pre-race analysis and whenever an IRC Three or Four boat does well it is because they just make it through the tidal gate at Portland Bill,” says Bomby. “Normally you are upwind through there, but we’ll be straight line sailing. There appears to be more wind in the south where the transition is also shorter, but then you end up more upwind anyway. So, our route will take us quite close to the Casquets and we’ll be offshore for the transition, then tacking and getting lifted.

After the transition, we’ll be fully upwind, pointing at Penzance, but then eventually getting lifted. That will be quite a tricky thing– when you start getting the new breeze filling in. The more west you get, the quicker you’ll get through it, but the chance of sailing extra miles because you overlay is quite high. That will be a critical part of the race. For boats in this size range the crossing of the Celtic Sea will still be a reach but in a more moderate 12-14 knots, routing suggests a time of 3 days 12 hours.”

IRC One Division
The massive 64-boat IRC One fleet has boats that range from the high-rating boats of custom Ker 46 to low-raters of a First 40- a pretty extreme range. As the lower-rating boats, the trio of J/121s will certainly enjoy the challenges associated with the current weather forecasts as outlined above with winds forcing sailing a variety of sailing angles. Those three 121s include the recent Class and Overall Winner of the recent RORC Channel Race- Mike O’Donnell’s Irish team on DARKWOOD. Joining them to press their class hard will be Nick Angel’s ROCK LOBSTER and Andrew & Sam Hall’s JACKHAMMER.

IRC Two Division
The 60-boat IRC Two class has a number of highly competitive J/Crews, all proven offshore champions in recent years.  For starters, there is the J/122E AJETO that is also qualified to sail in the IRC Doublehander class, she will be sailed by joint owner-skippers- Robin Verhoef and John van der Starre- from the Netherlands. The engineer and dentist from The Hague have been Dutch IRC champions four times, and were European J/111 champions in 2015 with a previous boat, Xcentric Ripper, with which they won class in the 2015 Fastnet. It's the fourth Fastnet for another the J/122 JUNIQUE RAYMARINE Sailing Team, especially adapted for shorthanded sailing and a proven performer in the hands of Chris Revelman and Pascal Bakker who took 3rd in class at the 2018 Round Britain and Ireland race.

Up to the challenge will most certainly be the two J/133s from France- JIVARO and PINTIA.  Gilles Fournier & Corinne Migraine have sailed PINTIA to the RORC Overall Seasons Points Championship last year and are a contender again in 2019.  Plus, PINTIA has won and podiumed on a number of RORC season races criss-crossing southern England and the Channel over to France.  Yves Grosjean’s JIVARO has also podiumed in a number of French events like the SPI OUEST France Regatta in La Trinite sur Mer, France and winning IRC 1 Class in the Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race.

Four other J/122s are joining this incredibly talented group. Moving fast up the “tune-up/ training” program on the Solent and a few RORC offshore races have been Chris Daniel’s JUNO, Clive Miles’ JANGLE, Alain & Marie Catherineau’s LORELEI, and David Richards’ Russian team on JOLLY JELLYFISH.

Joining the battle are two J/111s- Sebastien de Liedekerke’s DJINN from Belgium and Simon Grier-Jones’ SNOW LEOPARD. Additionally, Andy Middleton & Alex Fisher’s J/120 SUNSET from the USA will be well-sailed by a veteran offshore team.

IRC Three Division
A massive number of boats are sailing IRC Three class- eighty-five yachts on the starting line! 46 from Great Britain, 18 from France and also Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, and the USA.

Sailing their hearts out off the start to gain early advantage will be Philippe Baetz’s J/112E MUSIX from France, Philippe Girardin’s J/120 HEY JUDE from France, and a veritable armada of J/109s.

Sixteen J/109s will be competing in IRC Three and IRC Four. The 35ft bowsprit design has its own prize, the J/109 RORC Trophy!! The leading J/109 for the RORC season is David McGough's JUST SO, overall winner of the 2019 Morgan Cup with 85 teams racing under IRC. JUST SO won the J/109 RORC Trophy in the 2015 Rolex Fastnet Race.

The British Armed Forces have a long history in the race and this year, four teams from Her Majesty's Armed Forces will be racing in the J/109 fleet. The RAF with RED ARROW, the Royal Naval with JOLLY JACK TAR, the Royal Engineers with TROJAN, and the Royal Armoured Corps with AJAX.

JOLLY JACK TAR’s skipper- Lt Tom Thicknesse RN- started yacht racing with the Royal Navy; this will be his second race, and first as skipper. "Whatever the weather, we are expecting a mentally and physically draining race that demands everything from the crew. We have our sights set on the Inter-Regimental Trophy for the best service yacht and aim to be in the top five J/109s overall," says Thicknesse. "Offshore sailing has been a key element of Royal Navy sport and adventurous training for many years as the mental and physical challenge gives the opportunity to develop the endurance, leadership, teamwork and courage of our crew. The race epitomizes this challenge," continued Thicknesse.

IRC Four Division
This giant 87-boat class not only has the aforementioned J/109s, it also has Jerry Freeman’s J/105 JUILETTE and Chris Miles & Mike Sellers’ J/97 HIGH JINKS.

IRC Doublehanded Division
Over the last few editions of the Rolex Fastnet Race, the IRC Doublehanded class has shown steady growth from 45 entries in 2013, to 53 in 2015, and 57 in in the last race. At the time of writing, 63 doublehanded competitors were entered this year.

Back again are the other podium placers from the IRC Doublehanded class in the last race, including Dutch aces Robin Verhoef and John van der Starre once again on AJETO. “We have more experience with the boat and her performance since the last Fastnet and we are really looking forward to another tough and good competition, especially after becoming Dutch Two-Handed champions for a fifth time in a row,” says van der Starre. “The RORC North Sea Race went very well for us, beating the famous Frenchman Gery Trentesaux with his new, IRC-optimized JPK 11.80 in IRC 2. We won both IRC and ORC Doublehanded Divisions!”

For Christopher Preston, sailing with Austrian yacht design student Felix Trattner on the J/109 JUBILEE, this will be his tenth Rolex Fastnet Race, but his first double-handed. “I did the Round Britain and Ireland non-stop in 2000 doublehanded and absolutely loved it,” he says. “It was a challenging and interesting race. I loved the combination of helming and tactics and organization.” Having sailed Jubilee fully crewed with his old Clipper crew in 2017, racing it doublehanded is something of a bucket list affair. Over the winter he and Trattner has been optimizing the J/109 for double-handing in terms of the sail set-up and internal ballasting.

The biggest competitors to these two top teams will be Revelman & Bakker’s J/122 JUNIQUE RAYMARINE Sailing Team, Kees Mijs’ J/109 ARETHUSA, Joppe Schepers & Jasper Heike’s J/109 JOMALIJA, Alistair Doughty’s J/109 JELENKO, David & William McGough’s J/109 JUST SO, Jerry Freeman’s J/105 JULIETTE, and the Miles/ Sellers duo on the J/97 HIGH JINKS. Not surprisingly, given the state-of-the-art in technology and boat-handling equipment in offshore double-handed racing, do NOT be surprised if a number of these experienced J/Duets produce good results!  For more Rolex Fastnet Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.