Jaffrezic Wins J/22 French Nationals

(Nantes, France)- Over the weekend of September 4th and 5th, the French J/22 class held their Nationals, competing for the Trophy Dominique Doucet.  The setting was gorgeous and the sixteen boat fleet took full advantage of the beautiful conditions to get in six races over the two days.  

In an unusual scoring scenario, the regatta had a two throw-out six race series! As a result, the scoring was extremely close for the top three spots as it was difficult to compute who was going to win until the last leg of the last race-- even then some of the sailors simply threw away their calculators and just sailed around the race course, praying for the right combinations to win.

 

After sailing in 3-6 knots south-southeast winds all weekend, it was the team of APCC2 sailed by Jean Yves Jaffrezic that took the top step on the podium, winning with a counting score of 1-3-3-1, throwing out two 4ths.  Jean Yves was the only team to score all top five scores in the regatta.  Benefitting from the high throw-out count was Frederick Mouchet, tossing a 16-9 and counting a 2-2-1-4 for nine points, just one point from first.  Third was early regatta leader Jean-Francois Guionet, starting strongly with a 3-5-2-1 and tossing an 11-7.  The local Nantes-based J/22 teams dominated the top five.  For more J/22 French Nationals sailing information.

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RELOADED Ices J/24 UK Nationals

(Cornwall, England- A strong turnout of twenty-two J/24s showed up the the classic Autumn Cup Championship in Falmouth, doubling as the J/24 UK Nationals 2010.  A few class stalwarts attended, including long-time class champion Stu Jardine racing the latest incarnation of STOUCHE.  

The Royal Cornwall YC were wonderful hosts, ensuring the sailors had plenty of food, drink and racing, though not necessarily in that order!  The RCYC PRO conducted an fantastic series, getting in ten races over three days of racing off the gorgeous, undulating  green coastline of Cornwall.  Good breeze, reasonable seas made for good close racing.  

Nevertheless, it was G Watson's team on RELOADED that showed top UK 24 sailors how it's done, starting off the first day with three straight bullets and picking up two more on the second day to lead the regatta by a comfortable margin.  In fact, RELOADED didn't sail the last race on Saturday as they'd won the regatta by race 9.  

Not to be denied from a strong podium showing was Stu Jardine sailing STOUCHE, himself a multiple J/24 UK Champion.  After sailing a solid series in races 1 thru 7 and leading the regatta, Stu and crew took an unfortunate nose-dive in race 8 (getting a 16th) and after a 5th in race 9 couldn't recover enough to win the event, finishing second just three points shy of first.  Third was Roger Morris sailing the well-known JOLLY ROGER.  Fourth, Duncan McCarthy on MADELINE and fifth Nick McDonald on LEAGEL ALIEN.  For more J/24 UK Nationals sailing information

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FUNHOUSE Wins J/22 East Coast Championships

(Annapolis, MD)- Fall is in the air and down in the Chesapeake Bay that means the fall sailing season is kicking into high gear.  With its gorgeous tree-lined shores turning brilliant colors of flaming red, burnt orange and screaming yellow, it has to be one of the world's more beautiful places to sail, especially in a "clear as a bell" puffy northwester.

The J/22s enjoyed the first of the fall sailing weather this past weekend racing their East Coast Championship, though this year it was a bit more painful.  The last time AYC was due to host this event, it was postponed due to an impending Tropical Storm that was working its way up the Coast.  

This year they could have used a bit of that blustery weather!  Three races were held on Saturday with the first two in trying conditions with major wind shifts which in the light air proved frustrating for RC and competitors alike.  With the chance of a 3rd race seeming bleak, PRO Mark Murphy patiently waited for even the slightest sea breeze and was rewarded with a comfortable, steady breeze and the best sailing of the day to round out the first day or racing.  On Sunday, the RC posted the AP Flag and kept everyone ashore hoping that once again there would be a light at the end of the tunnel but it wasn’t to be.  

In the end, it was a "foreigner" from way south of the Mason-Dixon line that strode into town and demonstrated to everyone who was the new posse in town.  Collin Linehan's FUNHOUSE MIRROR took the top spot, winning the racing with a 2-1-3 record to just beat out local Annapolis sailor, Brad Julian, sailing JULIAN ASSOCIATES to a 3-2-2 tally.  The regatta came down to the last race and if Brad could push the FUNHOUSE gang further down the ladder and place a boat in between them they'd take home the gold.  However, it was not to be.  Finishing third overall was a local Annapolis favorite, Jeff Todd racing the famous HOT TODDY, garnering a 5-3-1 score.  For more J/22 East Coast Championship sailing information.  Sailing photo credit- Tim Wilke

  

Eight Bells- Dave Kirby- J/122 TKO

The J Community is sorry to hear about the recent passing of Dave Kirby, owner of J/122 TKO in California. Dave, who won his class in the St. Francis Big Boat series two years in a row with his J-122 TKO (see here at right), died on Saturday after a long battle with prostate cancer. He had just turned 56. Dave was president of The Kirby Organization (TKO), one of the most successful band booking agencies in the world, with offices in Los Angeles and New York. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he grew up racing International 14s and then Lasers at the Britannia Yacht Club. When he moved to the U.S. and worked in New York he raced on Long Island Sound and cruised in his 35-foot Nightwind. The music agency business took him to Los Angeles where he immediately became a force to contend with in Southern California racing. He leaves two teen-aged sons, his wife Christine, his mother Betty and three sisters. His father, also David Kirby, one of North America's finest International 14 sailors of the 50s and 60s, died in 1970 at the age of 42 of melanoma. Dave was the nephew of Laser designer Bruce Kirby.

  

Australian 2010 J/24 Worlds Report

You have to read this report from an Australian crew that sailed the recent J/24 World's in Malmo, Sweden.  If you thought Moose's accounts were fun and informative, Hugo's account is simply hilarious-- particularly for any of you that have traveled to foreign events and chartered boats.  Here's his account:

Part one – pre regatta.  Our 2010 Worlds campaign started 12 months ago, this included organizing a crew who would sail in the 2010 Nationals and commit to the worlds. We had all won nationals and competed in many world championships.

With this depth of experience the work required to prepare for a worlds was spread amongst all the crew. This involved finding a good boat, sail design that was suitable for the Swedish conditions and covering every issue that can and has impacted on past campaigns. We seriously looked at all the things that had worked or failed in previous campaigns.

We included a Danish sailor in our crew who sailed in Malmo Sweden in J’s and is regarded as one of Denmark’s finest.  Our Danish crew assisted with local logistics, finding bikes, driving us around to get sails repaired, hotels and advising on the local conditions which included a current that changed direction during each day.

We discussed our sail design with local Olympic sailor from North Sails who discussed the best designs with his counterpart from North Sails one design in San Diego. We ordered the latest Kevlar Genoa and spinnaker from North’s which was made by the One design loft in U.K.  We shipped an equipment box to Sweden which had spare parts, sheets, blocks and sails. Our accommodation and flights were secured 6 months prior to leaving. Our “Special” Charter boat was investigated and secured early in the charter pool.

When we arrived and inspected our charter boat, we discovered that our boat which had great results under its previous Italian owner, had a "very special custom" set up.  After sailing in so many J regatta’s I had never sailed a “special J/24″, and as such didn’t understand what “Special”(in the European context) meant.

I strongly encourage you to read the rest of the story here--- too funny to be true-- especially the account of one boat getting into a collision and also losing two outboard engines overboard!

  

Tough J Racing in Rolex Big Boat- Day One

(San Francisco, CA)-  The Bay served up a classic September day.  With a forecast of patchy fog, cool temps and a 10-20 knot breeze from the southwest it was going to be a combination of both tactical as well as navigational skills.   Nevertheless, the weather certainly didn't dampen the spirit of competition as teams fought hard for position to stay ahead.

The "one-design" group at the Rolex Big Boat Series includes the J/120s and the large J/105 class.  The first race for this group was on the North Course, while the IRC Handicap racers started along the City Front Course area.  The North Course PRO, Hank Stuart from Rochester, NY (no stranger to the Bay area) elected to set a course deep into the Berkeley Circle for the simple reason that it had less current effect and there was less fog.  A half hour start delay occurred because a number of the Melges 32s had minimal navigation equipment and got lost!!  That's the Bay for you, can't imagine why anyone would think anything different--- yes, San Francisco Bay does get FOG in case anyone doesn't know already!

The first race saw sunny and foggy patches that had strong effects on the breeze.  Nevertheless, due to the delayed starting sequence, the current effects started to kick in such that in the classic ebb current scenario, you always have to be mindful of the right side of the course.  Basically, "a river runs through it", as the saying goes, so don't hit the left corner when the guys in kayaks are paddling faster upwind under Angel Island than you can sail upwind.  For all fleets, you had to play the shifts middle right in order to win the race.  Clearly, Bruce Stone's J/105 ARBITRAGE team figured this out as well as Don Wieneke's team aboard the remarkable LULU.  Behind them were Peter Wagner's SLEIGHRIDE.  For the J/120s, John Wimer's DESDEMONA took the gun with Chris Chamberlins' JOLLY MON getting a well-deserved second.  Third was Don Payan's DAYENU.

For the first race on the City Front Course for the IRC C Class, the Fast Boat Class, Andy Costello and Peter Krueger's J/125 DOUBLE TROUBLE took a second and Richard Ferris' J/125 AUGUST ICE was fifth.

The second race of the day proved to be even more of a navigational challenge than the first.  Patchy fog evolved into a blanket of fog across the race course.  Where's Alcatraz and the cone?  Who knew if you didn't have a good GPS chart plotter.  The more the wind blew, the more fog got blown under the Golden Gate Bridge.  Puffs were exceeding 23 knots at times.  But the holes were even bigger, dropping to 8 knots at the most inopportune times.  Classic SF Bay seabreeze conditions.  The two courses flip-flopped, so the IRC handicap guys end up on the North Course and the One-Design guys end up on the City Front Course.  The J/120s saw Don's DAYENU walk off after the start to win the race, followed by past RBBS winner Steve Madeira in second sailing MR MAGOO.  Third was Dick Swanson's GRACE DANCES.  The J/105s had a donnybrook of a race with the leaders playing "chutes and ladders" with each other most of the race.  "The cone, the cone" was the mantra.  Play it and win when it floods!  Simple math, one might imagine.  But many got it wrong.  At the end, Scooter Simmons on BLACKHAWK played the first leg the best to lead the 105s home.  Second was Jeff Littfin and John Case on MOJO and third Don Weineke again on LULU. 

Leading the J/105 standings after the first day is Bruce Stone's team on ARBITRAGE with a 1-4, followed by a three-way tie for second with Scooter Simmons on BLACKHAWK (a 5-1), Jeff and John on MOJO (4-2) and Don on LULU (3-3).  In the J/120s, Don on DAYENU is leading with a 3-1, followed by John Wimer on DESDEMONA  (1-5) and Barry Lewis in third with a 4-4!    The J/125s are hanging tough in IRC C Fast Boat Class with Andy and Peter's DOUBLE TROUBLE in second with a 2-2 and Rick Ferris' AUGUST ICE from Lake Tahoe in third with a 5-3.

For more Rolex Big Boat Series sailing info and results
http://www.big-boat-series.com

Rolex Big Boat Series Preview

(San Francisco, CA)- With racing set to start this weekend, the 46th annual Rolex Big Boat Series, hosted by California’s St. Francis Yacht Club, is playing host to 97 boats, including 26 IRC entrants.  An innovative twist will be the inclusion of an IRC light displacement--read super-fast--sport boat class-- like the notorious J/125s! The balance of the fleet is comprised of one-designs with J's representing two of the larger classes- the J/105 class with 24 entrants followed by J/120s with 8 entrants.  Total J's participating, including the two J/125s AUGUST ICE and DOUBLE TROUBLE, means 36 J's of 98 boats entered in this year's RBBS- nearly 40% of the fleet!

For the J/120 class, one of the expected leaders may be Barry Lewis's CHANCE, last year's winner of the Rolex BBS.  But, CHANCE will most certainly be challenged by John Wimer's DESDEMONA from Half Moon Bay, California.  Last year, the outcome of the last race determined the overall winner of this very competitive class.  2008's winner MISTER MAGOO sailed by Steve Madeira will surely be a contender as will Don Payan's DAYENU that finished third last year.  BTW, the J/120's are the J/Calendar's 2010 Rolex BBS September "poster childs" (see http://www.jboats.com/sailing-calendar).

Returning to defend their title in the J/105 class will be Chris Perkins' GOOD TIMIN.  Also contending for the top spot will be 2009 J/105 North American Champion Bruce Stone sailing ARBITRAGE (2nd in RBBS 2009).  Both of these class leaders will be challenged by other podium finishers in past RBBS's, including, Jeff Littfin's and John Case's MOJO, Rolf Kaiser's DONKEY JACK, Scooter Simmons BLACKHAWK, the Spiegel's JAM SESSION and the Laby/Pipkin team on board RACER-X.  For more Rolex Big Boat Series sailing information.

  

J/105 North Americans Preview

(Chicago, IL)- Over twenty J/105s are conducting their final preparations at the Chicago Yacht Club for this year's J/105 North American Championship. Teams from throughout the U.S. and Canada will compete Thursday through Sunday with three races planned each day.

Competitors traveled from as far as Santa Barbara, CA and Dallas, TX. Two teams also came south from Canada. The PRO is Vickie Matthews.  Local favorites include Don Wilson, founder of the Chicago Match Race Center, racing CONVEXITY; Tom Petkus on VYTIS and Dorin Candea on MESSY JESSY--- notably all were in the top three in the SW NOODS Chicago in June.  Also a factor will be Carter Williams on CREATIVE DESTRUCTION; Canadian Jim Rathbun on HEY JUDE! (second in the 2009 J/105 NA's); a couple of warhorses from Fort Worth, TX in the form of Lee Smith and Ken Young on JOKER; and J/105 Class President Bernie Girod on ROCK & ROLL from Santa Barbara, CA.  For more J/105 North Americans sailing information

  

J/95 Key West Available To Race!

(Key West, FL)- The perfect holiday present -- race ready, willing and able -- J/95 number one is seriously for sale and committed for delivery to Miami by year end for sailors wanting to make her the fifth boat planning to attend the first J/95 one-design gathering this January at Key West Race Week. 

The most extensively equipped J/95 built, she is capable of kicked back shoal draft daysailing or happily, quickly romping around the buoys. 

Please contact Craig Crossley at 401-330-6135, craig@crosscurrentmarine.com for more information.

J/111 TriState Race Debut

(Chicago, IL)- With great anticipation a crowd gathered around the dock at Chicago YC on Friday afternoon September 6th to take their first peek at the recently arrived J/111.  Like a powerful stallion pulling at its reins in nervous anticipation of a quick trip around the race track, the J/111 was waiting to gives its crew a fast flight across the fresh water of Lake Michigan.

Expectations were not unfounded. After the first leg of the Tri-State Offshore race was canceled due to gale force winds, the J/111 instead went sailing on Saturday with a number of prospective 111 one-design fleet owners.  In the puffy westerly winds blowing 10-22 knots and a large swell running in a southerly direction, the stage was set to test the performance of the 111 in Lake Michigan's notorious chop.  The boat left the dock, set the smaller 111m2 asymmetric spinnaker and took off on a couple of 18+ knot puffs.  By the afternoon, with a number of skeptics on board loaded with handheld GPS's, there was no question the 111 was easily planing off the wind and hitting 16+ knots in 22 knots of wind.  One owner was told by a crew member that he better wipe the smile off his face or it would kill him!

Sunday's racing dawned with a forecast for 10-20 knot winds from the S-SW for the 35 mile leg from Chicago to Michigan City, IN-- basically a drag race under spinnaker headed at Michigan City's power plant stacks.  The 111 started with the large 130m2 kite, sailed off below its competitors and established a lead less than three miles after the start over a Grand Soleil 44 IMS/IRC racer, Mumm/Farr 36s, J/120s, J/109s and a Sydney 38. The wind varied from 85 to 110 apparent with the large A-sail for half the race. The wind moved further south and increased slightly in velocity into the 15+ knot range, moving the apparent wind to 65-90 degrees, necessitating a change to the smaller 111m2 kite.  The tighter reach also proved to the liking of the boat and by race end, the J/111 crossed the line 4th boat for boat, behind a RP 66, a TP 52 and an RP 46 and winning on corrected time.

Labor Day Monday dawned grey and cool with a brisk breeze blowing in from the S-SW 10-20 knots with a short, steep nasty chop.  Like the day before, the forecast suggested a rhumbline route, a drag race for 35 miles pointing at Chicago's Sears Tower from the Michigan City's starting line just off the long jetty.  The leg was a 32 mile "power beat" with jib just inside or just over the lifelines.  Only in the last 3 miles did the bigger boats have the wind temporarily free-up to set code zero's or spinnakers.  The 111 started at the RC boat end, to leeward of all competitors.  Stacked to windward basically dead even were the two J/120s, two Mumm/Farr 36s, the Grand Soleil 44 and the Sydney 38.  What surprised everyone was the fact that the 111 managed to just stay ahead of the 36-41 footers in these conditions, slicing into the waves, accelerating rapidly off wave-tops and rarely ever pounding.  Even in these conditions, the 111 was hitting 7.7 to 8.5 knots "power beating".  The GS-44 is a powerful boat and as expected, powered away from the fleet to win boat-for-boat on what was essentially a "waterline" race.  With good management of their sail selection and better playing of the late race wind shift, the J/120 and the Sydney 38 caught the 111 in the last five miles of the race.  As a result, the 111 finished 4th on elapsed and 2nd on corrected, the J/120 winning the class on this leg.  Overall, the J/111's 1-2 for the weekend meant that she "unofficially" won her class for the shortened "Bi-State Race".  For more J/111 sailing news and information.