Win a FREE APPLE iPod Touch!

Sailing Anarchy and J/Boats have partnered to provide you a fun contest for the holidays.  Take the challenge to identify the boats, the place and the month in the new 2010 J Sailing Calendar and compete to win some sweeeet swag.  Apple iPod Touch 8 GB, VISA Gift Cards, Hoodie sweatshirts, Polo shirts, sailing T-shirts, sailing caps and more.  All you need to do is read the contest rules, register and complete the contest questionnaire.  The contest starts December 16th, 2009 and ends Friday, January 15th, 2010.  Winners will be announced at the J/Tent during Key West Race Week, January 18th, 2010.  Learn more about the J/Sailing Anarchy Contest.

J/95 Wins CRUISING WORLD'S BOTY Awards

"Best Weekender" and "Best Domestic Boat of the Year"

(Middletown, R.I. - Cruising World magazine announced the winners of its 17th annual Boat of the Year awards. Topping this year's list of winners for the most anticipated awards in the sailboat industry was the J/95. The J/95 won the Domestic Boat of the Year award and the Best Weekender of the Year.

Four other boats also won awards from an independent panel of experts who inspected and tested 18 nominated boats following the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, earlier this year. Decisions were based on extensive dockside inspections and sea trials of the boats. All of the winners, along with the rest of the 2010 BOTY nominees and several other boats reviewed by the magazine's editors, are featured in the January issue of Cruising World.

In addition to claiming the Domestic Boat of the Year award, the J/95 was also named Best Weekender. "The judges were impressed with the J/95's sailing performance, functional accommodations, and shoal-draft keel/centerboard," said Cruising World senior editor Bill Springer. "At a time when many families are cruising waters closer to home, it's the ideal weekender for nearby bays, and it'll be up to longer coastal cruises when time permits."  Learn more about sailing the J /95 at CRUISING WORLD's BOTY Review.

J/95 Wins SAIL 2010 Best ‘Performance Sailboat’ Award

(Boston, MA)- The brand new J/95 is the first model from J Boats in thirty-two years of production to feature a shoal draft lead keel with a lifting centreboard and twin rudders. She will make her European debut at the London International Boat Show in January.  Key Yachting will be exhibiting the J/95 on stand N021T at the show, along with the J/97, winner of the Black Group at Cowes Week earlier this year.

The J/95 is clearly a new concept for J Boats. However, in terms of the technical execution of the concept, the build quality and the overall performance of this sleek and pretty thirty-one footer, J Boats seem to have hit the market with the right product at the right time, again.

For creek hopping in shallow, tidal harbours or for enjoying a picnic off the beach the J/95 features a bronze centreboard that pivots and fully retracts up into a slot in the fixed lead keel. When lowered, the centreboard projects below the keel, giving a draft of 1.68 metres; with the centreboard retracted, the draft of the J/95 is reduced to just 91 centimetres, allowing the J/95 access to some of the most beautiful and secluded sailing waters of our coast, otherwise untouched by other performance sailboats.

To optimise steering control during shoal draft operation, the J/95 is specified with tandem rudders. Previously, boats with single shoal draft rudders have tended to suffer from crippling weather helm, especially when close reaching in a breeze. The twin rudders and wheel steering of the J/95 offer superb balance and control and there is plenty of room in the cockpit too. Below decks, she is comfortable and well thought out. She has two full length settee berths, a private heads, an optional double v-berth in the bow and designated locations for a microwave, grill and cooler.

Being a J Boat, the J/95 is designed with performance as a priority.  This smart little boat not only looks great but she also is built to ISO CE Mark Category ‘A’, which is defined as a vessel capable of crossing oceans. And of course she sails beautifully! With her optional masthead spinnaker and retractable bowsprit, she is perfectly capable of double-digit downwind speeds, and upwind, whether in ‘deep draft’ or ‘centreboard up’ mode, she will happily track along at 6.5 knots and outpoint most race boats.

The future for the J/95 in the shallow, estuarine waters of the UK coastline is bright; she represents a new and potent sailing package from J Boats, a shining star for the new season. No surprise then that the J/95 has just won SAIL Magazine’s 2010 Best Boats ‘Performance Sailboat’ Award.   Learn more about sailing the J/95 at SAIL's Best Boats Review.

J/30 TEAM FUZZY Crew Views on NA's

Thanks for this story from Jon Eberly and Kelly Robinson who raced aboard FUZZY WUZZY: "Obviously, when you win the NAs, you are likely to feel pretty good about the regatta.  For “Team Fuzzy”, 2009 was certainly as good as it gets.  Our win in 2008 was terrific, but as shown in the on-line poll before the 2009 regatta, it wasn’t clear that we were anyone’s favorite!  We hadn’t sailed against Zephyr since they crushed the fleet in 2006—also at Cedar Point and sailing the same boat they used this year (Bayou Bleu).   Smiles and Fat City had both beaten us in the  One Design Regatta at Cedar Point earlier this year.  Furthermore, we were missing a couple of our long-time crew, including our tactician from last year, Bob Matthews.

Going into the regatta with such strong competition, we knew that every race would be critical and require total focus. Based on the forecast possibility for wind cancellation on Sunday, we also knew that regatta standings Saturday afternoon could be key to taking home the hardware. Our all-amateur crew brought a lot of experience to the course—five out of seven are boat owners and racing skippers, and everyone is a driver. On the water, we kept chatter to a minimum with everyone focused on their role (and watching for shifts, of course!)...."  A lot more to read on this story on the beautiful and newly revamped J/30 website.

Brothers Piris Dominate J/80 ECC Trophy

(Santander, Spain)-  The Piris brothers sailing their J/80 YATES & THINGS, skippered by Antonio, and FONESTAR, with James at the helm, took the top two positions in the first weekend for the ECC Trophy over a twenty five boat fleet.  With a light easterly wind on Saturday with a lot of current and a shifty 18-25 knot breeze on Sunday, the fleet was put to the test to stay out of trouble and in contention for the top five.

After a "black flag" Sunday,  which jumbled the standings considerably, the two Piris brothers, Antonio and James, dominated the regatta.  Following behind them were Alberto Padron on MABLE IV in third place and Ignacio Camino ni NEXTEL in fourth.  Champion sailor Torcida Pichu didn't have such a great weekend and managed fifth on ECC VIVIENDAS.  For more regatta information.

J/97 Race Results Update

The J/97 JENGA had a remarkably successful debut racing season in UK waters this year.  Congratulations are in order to Paul and Marie-Claude Heys for their wonderful performances over a broad spectrum of weather conditions that are typical in the summer sailing season in England.  As a demonstration of its remarkable diversity, the J/97 won in drifting conditions with nary a ripple in sight to gale force, blowing dogs off chains, conditions with huge breaking waves.  Here was JENGA's record for 2009:

• 2nd in class and 27 overall out of 1779 starters, at the JPMorgan Round the Island Race
• Winner of Black Group Overall at Cowes Week – 6 race wins
• Overall Winner of Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta – 6 race wins
• Winner of J-Cup – 9 race wins
• Winner of RNLI Eastbourne Lifeboat Regatta – 4 race wins
• Learn more about sailing the J/97

J/24 Copa de Mexico Update

Wow, check this regatta out!

(Cabo, Mexico)- Jorge Castillo reports- "We are still three months away from the event and already have 52 boats with paid registration. We have crews registered from Brazil, Germany, Monaco, El Salvador, USA, Puerto Rico, Peru, Italy and Mexico! All preparations are going as expected, charter boats available are being assigned by Kenneth Porter this coming week and hotel accommodations are already posted on the website (we will send updated registration codes for discounted rates shortly). The competitor's villa has been designed to gather all participating classes; Offshore, J24, Kite surf. Optimist  and Windsurf during the two weeks of celebration. The title sponsor will be Nextel.  For more regatta information.

J/24 Australian Championships

(Sandringham, Australia)- The resurgent J24 one design keelboat class, with expanding fleets in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, will be holding its national title regatta at the stunning new $12.75m Sandringham Yacht Club from 2 to 8 January 2010. These are the first nationals to be hosted by SYC since building was completed in October 2009.  Oover 20 boats and 100+ c ompetitors are expected, including some of the finest sailors in the country. Sean Wallis, Sean Kirkjian, Doug McGain, David Suda and Hugo Ottaway will provide the competition for the most fiercely competitive Australian titles for some years. Added to these illustrious names are the all women's crew on HYPERACTIVE which last year won two heats in the same event.  First place immediately qualifies for The J/24 World Championships in Sweden, September, 2010    Learn more about the J/24 Australian Championships.

J/35 SOUNDTRACK Wins IRC 3 Off Sydney

Father/son Team Lead CYCA Spring Series

(Sydney, Australia- Dec. 5th)-  The J/Boats are really making an impact around the Sydney racing circles in this year's 2009/2010 summer sailing season.  The J/35 SOUNDTRACK sailed and owned by Tim Cox, and sailed by his son Edward, finished first in Division 3 in the final race of the CYCA Short Ocean Pointscore Series, thereby winning the Spring Series.  Even though she is one of the older J/Boat designs, this race series proves she is still a very competitive boat.  Congratulations to Edward and his crew.

Of note-  Across the harbour at Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Tony Coleman is busy getting his J/133 EUPHORIA up to speed.  As Tony and crew  get to know the boat better, they're beginning to score firsts, seconds and thirds on IRC over the past weeks.  More news on them soon.

J/122 JACKPOT Wins IRC Sydney Series

Entwistle's Team Takes CYCA Short Ocean Series Down to the Wire

(Sydney, Australia- Dec. 5th)- The final race of the 6 race Short Ocean Pointscore Series was held on Saturday 5th December.  It was going to be a nail biter because the first 3 yachts were tied on points for first place, so the final race would decide the winner.  The way the drops were working the J/122 JACKPOT sailed by Ray and Sandra Entwistle needed to win by 2 places to secure the series for IRC Class 1.  That was a tough call given the skill level of the competition.

The fleet awoke to a glorious Sydney summer day, about 25 degrees C, and a soft 8-10 knot E/SE breeze.   The seas outside the Sydney heads had abated, with only a slight swell remaining after the southerly from the previous night.  They were also racing for the ‘David Burke Memorial Trophy’.

With a combined fleet of 22 yachts on the start line ranging from 40 footers to 60 footers - the J/122 at 40 feet was amongst the smallest.  According to Ray,  "Our initial concern was not to be buried at the start by the larger yachts in the fleet.  We stayed back a little at the start which allowed us to come in at the committee boat end and tack into clean air.  We had a pretty clean beat to get out of the heads, and then our tactician Ian picked the wind shifts perfectly to the top mark which was about 6nm offshore. The course was windward / leewards so we popped our 155sq.m asymmetric running kite for the downwind legs, and with first-rate trimming by Hedgey we ran just as square as the symmetric rigged boats. The design work on the asymmetric kites by ‘Ian Short Sailmakers’ is excellent.   After 3 laps around the course we had maintained our lead.  The finish was a kite run/broad reach back through Sydney Harbour Heads, then a quick gybe and a reach down Sydney H arbour to the committee boat at Watson's Bay.  We just simply had a great days' sailing.  The crew worked seamlessly and our J/122 JACKPOT just revelled in the conditions. We came in 1st in IRC, and most importantly, the required 2 places ahead of our main rivals that enabled us to win the series in Division 1."

Ray's perspective on the J/122 after a season's worth of sailing is helpful for those of you considering a great all-round racer-cruising yacht- "The main thing about the J/122’s performance is her consistency.  Our worst result over the 6 race series was third, and given that the series had all types of wind conditions from 6-8 knots up to 30-35 knots, and from windward/leeward courses to 40nm return passage races, there is a lot to be said for her consistent performance.  Her accomplishments are no fluke – this is the same series in which JACKPOT finished equal first in the Australian Autumn, just after she was commissioned.  She just doesn’t have any vices."

"Special thanks to our crew – Ian, Hedgey (Glen), Darren, James, Emmy, Cassandra and Caroline for their consistent effort and skill which really made this race series a lot of fun" said Ray and Sandra Entwistle.