J's Dominate Pacific NW Offshore

(Puget Sound, Seattle, WA)- J/Boats did it again in one of the most closely fought series in the Pacific Northwest.  J's took five of the Top 11 and eight of the Top 25 in their year-long sailing series.

48 North Magazine awards the popular Top 25 Pacific NW Boats every year.  Ten major events were tracked, including SSSS's South Sound Series, Corinthian YC's Center Sound Series, Seattle YC's Tri-Island Series, CYC's Puget Sound Sailing Regatta, West Vancouver YC's Southern Straits Classic, Royal Victoria YC's Swiftsure International Yacht Race, Whidbey Island Race Week, SYC's Start & Bar Regatta, Bellingham YC's PITCH Regatta and CYC's Puget Sound Sailing Championship.

You had to sail at least four events to be counted.  Performance of all boats sailing in one or more of the above ten events was tracked with a boat's best four event performances being used for calculating her final positions, e.g. a best four of ten.

The goal is to celebrate participation first and foremost and then consistent top-end sailing and performance.  Each boat earned her spot on the 48 North Top 25 List based on her performance in the four regattas under an enormous variety of sailing conditions.  Amongst the leader board in the Top 25 for J/Owners were the following boats: 

2. J/105 JUBILEE- Erik Kirsten
6. J/109 TANTIVY- Stu Brunell
9. J/33 KORVO- Tom Kerr
10. J/29 HERE & NOW- Pat Denney
11. J/29 SLICK- Pat Nelson & Bob Mayfield
14. J/105 ALLEGRO VIVACE- Lorenzo Migliorini
16. J/105 DELIRIUM- Jerry Diercks
25. J/105 LAST TANGO- Jim Geros

All winners can stop by the 48 North booth (West 11) during the Seattle Boat Show Jan 27th to Feb 5th at CenturyLink Exhibition Hall!  Please visit http://www.seattleboatshow.com and head-on over to chat with Bob Ross and crew from Sail Northwest- or contact him at Ph- 206-286-1004  / email- bob@sailnorthwest.com.    For more sailing information on the 48 North Magazine Top 25, go to page 64 here.

Lauderdale-Key West Race Preview

(Fort Lauderdale, FL)- This perennial winter favorite of offshore sailors always throws the fleet a curveball, no matter how good the forecast looks prior to the start of the race.  One would think a simple 160 nm race from Fort Lauderdale, headed south down the Florida shoreline, keeping that right-turn signal blinking as you make your way around all the reef buoys, staying out of the fast-flowing northbound Gulf Stream, to finish off the Truman Annex Navy Base at Key West would not have too many surprises!  Well, if you know anything about "The Hobart" Race that is, essentially, a coastal race down the Australian shoreline, turn left to cross the Bass Straits (a short hop), then cruise down the Tazzie shoreline to the finish knows better.  Even the most defined race courses in terms of their natural boundaries can throw the fleet massive curve balls.  Such is the case in this year's classic Key West Race Week "feeder event", the Lauderdale to Key West Race sponsored by the Storm Trysail Club and the SORC with help from Lauderdale YC.

The original forecast was for an upwind race only as the wind is predicted to start off from the south and clock around to the southwest and west as both the front and the race progress . "This race is always a Navigator's race and changing weather patterns make it an even greater challenge", says Race Committee Chairman Joel Bowie. 

With nearly 50 entries headed for the starting line, the early starters in the race saw a tough uphill slog into 20-25 knots southerly winds down to Miami Beach/ Key Biscayne and the first major turning point of Fowey Rocks.  But, the front is already dying- as it nearly always does when it hits that massive 85 F degree thermal wall called "the Gulf Stream".  However, with a fast-dissipating front and waning breezes clocking NW, then N, then NE, there was still promise for spectacular moonlit nights of racing under spinnakers, watching the dolphin contrails of phosphorescence criss-crossing your wake and knifing upwards pass your bow in dramatic fashion.  Time will tell.

What is unique about the Lauderdale Race among offshore races is that it's sailed within cell phone range the entire race!  Race competitors are permitted to do just about any type of communicating they want, including updating Facebook pages, Twittering away to any friends worldwide-- enabling them to compete for a prize for "Best On-Water Reporting"!! With technology, the folks living vicariously through these sailors can be along for the ride!

Amongst the J/Sailors that love this annual challenge, you'll find a bunch of tough, but fun-loving, hombres sailing PHRF A.  Leading the pack may be Robin Team's J/122 TEAMWORK (2011 Lauderdale Race Champion) along with a trio of J/120s- Frank Kern's globe-girdling champion from Detroit, the famous yacht CARINTHIA; fellow Detroiter Bob Kirkman sailing HOT TICKET (yet another Great Lakes Champion tearing up Florida/ Bahamas offshore waters); and Bill Terry's well-traveled TAMPA GIRL.  Lone wolf, but perhaps the toughest of the lot may be David Bond's gang aboard crimson red J/105 LOKI sailing in PHRF B.

An interesting side-note, SAILING WORLD's Stuart Streuli is sailing aboard Robin Team's TEAMWORK- learning how to race, navigate, drink beer, avoid the reefs, avoid the Gulf Stream, employ race-winning strategies while sailing fast-- all at the same time!  Imagine that!  It should be an interesting report at some time in the spring- look for it in Sailing World here- http://www.sailingworld.com.   Sailing photo credits- Imagesbymarco.com and John Payne photos.com   For more Lauderdale Key West Race sailing information.

Y&Y Reader's Choice Awards- "Yacht of the Year"- J/111

(London, England)-  Shocked?  While the French sailboat reviewers were having fun evaluating the J/111, the sailors across "La Manche" in England had first-hand experience either sailing aboard or racing against the J/111 all season long on the Solent and in the Fastnet Race.  Many of them were Yachts & Yachting Magazine readers.

The UK had a sun-filled season. One which lifted the spirits, and one which further boosted that feeling of "goodness" by a number of special events that had the sailing scene buzzing.  The America’s Cup launched its World Series and came to Plymouth and Cowes Week got a new sponsor. The result, with Aberdeen Asset Management’s branding, was the liveliest Cowes for years – especially with the J/111s criss-crossing the Solent in wild, planing rides buzzing past everyone and keeping pace with TP52s on some legs- hitting steady 16 knots with bursts to 22 knots! Plus, the 111's had a great time in the Around Island Race, that 65nm classic around the Isle of Wight, winning their class.  If that weren't' enough proof the 111 could sail well in a wide variety of conditions, it finished 2nd in IRC Class 1 in the Garmin Hamble Winter Series (more below) and even got a 3rd in IRC Doublehanded in the Rolex Fastnet Race despite being parked for hours within a stone's throw of the finish line (and watching a sure overall win evaporate as time passed by).

As a result of all that activity, the Yachts & Yachting readers selected the J/111 as "Yacht of the Year" in the UK!  As described in Y&Y, "it's no wonder the J/111 won, imagine a J/109 on steroids – a one-design that’s nearly 20 per cent lighter, with a longer waterline and bigger sail area!  It's fast and it shows, the trophy shelves are already stuffed with all the Queen's Garrard silverware!"  Sailing photo credits: Paul Wyeth @ PWPictures.com   Find out more about the J/111 story in England in the latest February 2011 issue of Yachts and Yachting.   For more J/111 sailboat information.

Chilean J/105 Clinic Runaway Success

(Algarrobo, Chile) Andrew Kerr recently spent some time down in Chile enjoying the enormously gracious hospitality of the Chilean J/105 Fleet and providing them a sailing clinic on how to sail J/105s faster.  Here's Andrew's report:

"The Growing J105 fleet in Chile recently hosted a 3 day seminar at Club de Yates Algarrobo in Algarrobo on Chile’s  beautiful coastline.  Algarrobo is a fantastic venue for sailing and to bring your family and friends and the Yacht club is a very friendly club that is excited about having active one-design sailing and a fleet like the J/105.

Daniel Gonzalez, the fleet Captain, and Juan Reid of J-Boats CHILE organized the clinic and I (Andrew Kerr) came in from the USA to coach the seminar.  Local sailor Phillip Goyeneche helped with translating the technical terms of Sailing and did a fantastic job, Phillip has spent time in the USA and is also fluent in German, he is a remarkable person!

TEN J/105 teams attended the clinic, we spent 3 day’s sailing right in front of the yacht club in light, medium and heavier conditions which was perfect for teams as they developed there techniques and boat handling.  We would meet in the morning in the classroom for a talk on topics such as starting techniques and tuning and then sail a very short course with lots of starts and mark rounding’s all of which were videotaped by Andrew for review back at the shore side debrief.

What is fantastic about the J/105 is how it is great for family and friends to sail on – Daniel Gonzalez regularly sails with his 3 daughters, Vernon Robert who is a really good J/24 sailor sails with his father steering, he trims the mainsail and his sons trim and are on the foredeck.  Many teams sail with family on board and the fleet emphasizes family and friends, good sailing and good camaraderie on and off the water.

The J/105 fleet is growing fast in Chile and with people like Daniel, Juan , Vernon and Phillip and many others the J/105 fleet will flourish, there are already 16 boats in the area with many sailors expressing interest in the boat and the fleet.  A big "Thank You" to the fleet and Yacht club for all its hospitality, I am very much looking forward to going back to Chile and seeing my new friends!  For more J/105 sailboat information

2012 J/105 Midwinters in Houston!

(Houston, Texas)- Yes, you read it right.  J/105 Fleet 17 has stepped up to announce they will host the 2012 J/105 Midwinters from March 9th to 11th at Lakewood Yacht Club in Houston, Texas, sailing on beautiful Galveston Bay.

Lakewood Yacht Club sits on 38 beautifully landscaped acres with four sheds and seven docks. There are over 200 open slips on fixed and floating piers ranging in size from 40 feet to 100 feet. The spacious clubhouse offers its members a beautiful view of Clear Lake and Galveston Bay.

The Bermuda-style clubhouse provides the 500 plus Lakewood members with quiet harbor-view dining facilities and excellent cuisine while the bar and piano lounge with three large plasma televisions invite members to relax by the fire or gather around the bar. The beautiful ballroom overlooking the inner harbor is the venue for many of the Lakewood social events as well as weddings, meetings and the popular Sunday Brunch. A Game Room provides supervised activities for members children.  Lakewood Yacht Club has been recognized in the "Robb Report" (a high-end lifestyle magazine) as one of the Top 10 most prestigious yacht clubs in the United States.  For more J/105 Midwinter Championship sailing information

VOILES Magazine "Boat of the Year"- J/111

(Paris, France)- Surprised?  It was a banner year for the J/111 and the press accolades keep pouring in.  Over in Europe, some of the world's most experienced sailing editors and reviewers have had opportunities to compare and contrast the J/111 against two dozen-plus models from leading sailboat builders in Europe.  What they discovered is what most American and British sailing experts in the media saw as one of the most exciting next-generation offshore sailboats in decades.  After the dozen or so French sailing experts spent over a week evaluating various boats, the J/111 came out on top as the VOILES Magazine Boat of the Year 2012!  A PDF file (36 MB) can be found here to read-- in French.

Southwest Airlines' SPIRIT Promotes SAILING J/80s!

* Southwest Airlines SPIRIT Magazine- November 2011. This holiday season (and in 2012), get off the couch and get out into the world. Rather than must-have toys and tech gear, SPIRIT Magazine handpicked 32 action-filled trips that take you from the snow-covered peaks of Park City, Utah, to the tale-tinged pubs of New York City, to the gorgeous water of San Francisco Bay. Ready, set, wish!

Check it out!  SPIRIT picked Orange Coast Sailing Club's J/80 to be on the cover seen here!  Here's the blurb below inside the SPIRIT Magazine as the FIRST activity you should pick-- go sailing!!

SAILING- SCALE THE BAY!
Berkeley, California-based OCSC Sailing provides all manner of maritime education, but its Basic Keelboat class is ideal for windjammer wannabes without a clue. Master the sport over five days or two consecutive weekends. On Day One you’ll be at the helm of a 24-footer; by the next afternoon you’ll be commanding your crew to "Jibe ho"! The fog lifts from the San Francisco Bay in the winter months, making it an apt time to test the waters, which will host the 34th annual America’s Cup catamaran race in 2013. $995; go to http://www.ocsc.com  See SPIRIT Mags article on Sailing Experience Gifts- cool stuff!

J Sailors Leading Volvo Ocean Race!

* Over the course of the holidays, the Volvo 70s managed to sail into the "Land of No Return", the "Twilight Zone", the "No Spin Zone", the "No Go Zone", the "Stealth Zone" and the "Party Zone".  Whatever.  The sailing part didn't work for a lot of teams.  The party part perhaps soothed some severely bruised egos.

Nevertheless, it's pretty clear the hard-charging Spanish team on TELEFONICA led by Iker Martinez can probably credit their extensive small keelboat racing experiences on J/80s in Spain against World Champions as critical in keeping them on edge and on top of the Volvo Ocean Race World.

Ken Read, the J/24 World Champion, has had his share of hard-luck, first the broken mast and Tristan da Cunha shipping episode, then having to deal with the Indian Ocean Doldrums and a slow boat going into Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.  We wish our J/Team friends all well and good luck on the next leg to Sanya, China!  For more Volvo Ocean Race sailing information

Newport J/70 Demo & Fleet Program

(Newport, RI)- Following early spring sea-trials in Newport, we will maintain two demo boats here in Rhode Island through mid-summer.  As a result, J/Sailors can arrange factory tours with J/Dealers at our building facility at CCF Composites in Bristol, Rhode Island and also go for demo sails off Newport in beautiful Narragansett Bay.

J/70 fleet development is growing rapidly with the two largest fleets so far being Annapolis/ Chesapeake Bay and Seattle/ Puget Sound with dozens of enthusiastic new J/70 sailors!  Fleets can be shipped in "four-packs" anywhere in America with fleet pricing of boat, trailer and sails under $45,000.  Hull commitment slots have filled up remarkably fast, talk to your J/Dealer soon to get in line, we'll be past the century mark on J/70 orders in no time flat!  For more J/70 sailboat information

London Boatshow- J/80, J/109 & J/111!

(London, England)- Opening up this weekend for a week-plus is the Tullett-Prebon International Boat Show in London at the ExCel Exhibition Centre.  From January 5th to 13th, you can take a stroll down the "Boardwalk" in the South Hall and view the J/80 (M009), the J/109 (M008) and the J/111 (M011).  Paul and Marie-Claude Heys and Becci Eplett, amongst others, will be glad to help you learn more about these three boats as well as the upcoming J/70 in Europe!  For more London Sailboat Show information.