Round the Island Race Preview

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- If it's the first weekend in July, it must be time for the world-famous “Round Island Race” in the United Kingdom, hosted by the Island Sailing Club in Cowes, Isle of Wight.  The challenging 60nm race that goes around the Isle of Wight is by far the most popular race on any sailor’s social calendar all year long in the U.K.; particularly for those that love to get thrashed and challenged by the intricacies of the Solent. 

As has been the case for over a decade, over a thousand boats will begin starting at 0630 hrs.  First off is the IRC Zero class, followed by over two-dozen more classes sailing across the glorious Royal Yacht Squadron line in the summer morning soft orange light.  It should be absolutely gorgeous for the thousands of sailors aboard all the teams making their annual, epic adventure around the Isle of Wight.

On Saturday, the High pressure system should be over the center of the U.K., with a light NE to start, veering SE or even S during the afternoon depending where you are. It will be hot & sunny, so apart from the sunburn danger, thermal effects and possible sea breeze cell developments, it will be a very tactical day. In other words, no chance of any records getting broken from a sailing standpoint, more like a recipe for maximum sunburn/ tanning opportunities.

Taking on the challenge will be a veritable J/Navy sailing across the spectrum of classes.  In the world of IRC handicap classes, here are some of the notable teams to watch. 

In the 25-boat IRC 0 Class will be the J/121 ROCK LOBSTER. Following them is IRC 1A comprised of mostly J/111s and J/122s.  Those teams are the following, J/111’s (JITTERBUG, JOURNEYMAKER II, KESTREL, & SNOW LEOPARD), J/122’s (JAHMALI, JOLLY JELLYFISH, KAYA, R&W, & JANGLE), the J/133 ASSARAIN IV, and the J/120 HANNAM & PARTNERS TEAM 3.

Sailing in IRC 1B Class is the new J/122E JIB & TONIC. The dominating J/112E DAVANTI TYRES is sailing in IRC 1C.

Sailing in IRC 2A Class are twelve J/109s- including JIRAFFE, JASSY JELLYFISH, JUKE BOX, and JUMPING JELLYFISH.

Then, in IRC 2B Class are seven J/105s and six J/109s. J/105’s (JIN TONIC, JELLY BABY, JOS OF HAMBE, MOSTLY HARMLESS, REDEYE) and J/109’s (JINKS & JYBE TALKIN).

Holding their own in IRC 2C Class is the J/92S UPSTART.  And, in the IRC 2D Class is the J/92 JABBERWOCK and the J/97’s (HIGH JINKS, JAYWALKER JET, & JUMBLESAIL 2).

Planning to sail fast and stealthily in IRC 3A Class are the J/32 DOMAINE, J/92S’s (J’RONIMO, JACKDAW, LUNA, NIGHTJAR, SAMURAI J, & VAGABOND), the J/95 JUST IS, and two J/97’s (BLACKJACK II & JURA GB).

In the world of Island Sailing Club handicap rules (ISC), there are a number of J/crews participating.  In ISC 4A Class is the J/109 SQUIBS, in 4B Class is the J/92 JUST IN TIME, in 5B Class is the J/100 TIDERACE, and in the 6C Class are several J/24s (J-RIDER, JOBS FOR THE BUOYS, TEAM IMPACT RACING).

In addition to the handicap classes, there are also one-design classes for the Round Island Race! 

In the J/88s you will fined top teams like J/DREAM, JONGLERU, RAGING BULL, SABRIEL JR, & TIGRIS.  In the J/80s there are JUMPIN JACK FLASH, JUNO, and JUSTIFY.  And, in the J/70s there are JENGA 8, JACKAL, RITA, JACKATOO, JINX, and a number of Royal Southern/ Royal Thames YC teams.  For more Round the Island Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/Crews Lead Cleveland Race Week

J/111 SPACEMAN SPIFF Picket Fences PHRF B!
(Cleveland, OH)- The ever-popular Cleveland Race Week started off the weekend before with one-design classes of J/22s, J/70s, and J/105s.  Subsequently, midweek was the Women’s and Doublehanded Races.  Then, it closed with PHRF handicap classes and more J/105 one-design class racing.

Topping out PHRF B class was a legendary family crew that has supported sailing at every conceivable level one can imagine- from Opti’s to J/70s, to J/88s and J/111s, to anything else that floats!  Yes, in Cleveland that would be the Ruhlman family.  In what can only be described as a “family affair”, it was the Ruhlman family on their beloved J/111 SPACEMAN SPIFF that won class honors with straight bullets in six races!  On board were at least five (?) Ruhlman’s?  The team had at least the following crew members- Meagan Ruhlman-Cross, Michael Sheehan, Pat Sheehan, Rob Ruhlman, Abby Ruhlman, Tesse Ruhlman and Ryan Ruhlman.

The balance of the podium in PHRF B was Chris Mallet’s J/109 SYNCHRONICITY in 2nd, followed by another J/111- Don Hudak’s CAPERS.

Paul Matthew’s J/35 WHITEHAWK sailed fast and managed silver in PHRF C class, followed by Kevin Young’s J/39 BLACK SEAL in third place.

PHRF D was the battle of the pretty J/34 IOR boats.  Winning that shootout was Dave Krotseng’s BONAFIDE with a 3rd in class, followed by the familiar Cleveland crew of KNEE DEEP (Brett & Katie Langolf) just two points back in 4th position.

The fleet of seven J/105s enjoyed close racing over the weekend.  In fact, it was a strong performance on Bob Mock’s UNBRIDLED that kept them in the lead, winning two races and adding two deuces to take the class win.  Just two points in arrears was the Uhlir Brothers TRIO, the rounding out the podium with the bronze was Stephen Mitcham’s BREEZIN BAYOU.

On Wednesday, it was Women’s PHRF Racing Day.  The two J/105s sailed fast and both took podium honors. Winning was Lucinda Einhouse’s crew on OVATION and hoisting the bronze medal was Angela Mazzolini’s SLINGSHOT.

In addition, on the same day, it was Tim Vining’s J/22 DEUCE that won the Doublehanded JAM division (just jibs & mains).  For more Cleveland Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Newport Harbor YC Two-Peats 2x2 Sardinia Team Race

(Porto Cervo, Sardinia)- The AUDI Invitational Team Racing Challenge kicked-off on June 21st- the Summer Solstice- for four days of racing on the emerald green and blue waters off Porto Cervo. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, with the support of title sponsor AUDI, hosted the event.

The biennial regatta took place aboard the YCCS fleet of J/70 one-design sailboats using the "team racing" formula in which a total of four boats race at one time- two boats representing each team with 3 crew on board.  The teams compete in a series of short, fast races that emphasize teamwork between the crews. Most importantly, in the 2x2 format, last loses!  Making for some incredibly dramatic attempts at “pass-backs” in the absolute latest stages of any race!

Seven teams sailed the third edition of the event, including the Newport Harbor YC from California, winner of the 2016 edition. Also sailing were teams from Gamla Stans Yacht Sallskap from Sweden; Eastern Yacht Club, Newport Harbor YC, and the New York Yacht Club from the USA; and the United Kingdom’s Royal Yacht Squadron and Royal Thames YC. The YC Costa Smeralda Team Racing crew represented the home team.

YCCS Commodore Riccardo Bonadeo commented on the inter-club event, "I am particularly pleased to welcome these teams who have travelled from countries as far away as Sweden, the United States and England to come to Porto Cervo for three days of thrilling racing. We are looking forward to seeing some great sportsmanship with crews competing to defend the honours of their respective Clubs. And finally, I would like to thank our home team flying the YCCS colors, led by Antonio Sodo Migliori and Edoardo Mancinelli Scotti."

Day One- YCCS Takes Early Lead
The first day was characterized by light wind. The host team from YCCS sat atop the fleet, followed by Newport Harbor Yacht Club and in third place, tied on points, were the two American teams- Eastern Yacht Club and New York Yacht Club.

After an initial postponement of the first starting signal due to light winds, the Race Committee got racing started at approximately 13.30 on the regatta course in front of Porto Cervo Marina. The seven teams managed to complete the first round robin.

Opening racing was the YCCS team, headed, respectively, by Antonio Sodo Migliori and Edoardo Mancinelli Scotti. They sailed fast and smart, claiming victory in all six of the races they sailed. The Americans dominated second and third place in the standings; with Newport Harbor YC (skippers Justin Law and Mac Mace) leading Eastern YC (skippers Spencer Powers and Stein Skaane) and New York YC (captained by Brian Doyle and Will Graves).

Filippo Maria Molinari, Team Captain of YCCS, commented, "We've given all the participating teams a good welcome. We were able to win all our races today and we are, of course, pleased. There is a little more wind forecast for tomorrow. Today, we had very light conditions, 7-8 knots up to 10, but the day was very pleasant. Most likely, we are at an advantage because we have a light crew, we'll see what happens in the next few days with stronger wind."  A somewhat prophetic point of view from Sr. Molinari!

Day Two- Newport Harbor YC Take Lead
The second day of racing started as scheduled. Accompanied by a westerly wind of varying intensity, racing started as scheduled at 1130 hrs. At approximately 1500 hrs, as the breeze dropped out, racing was halted for an hour until the westerly wind built back up to 12-15 knots. This allowed the teams to complete the second round robin of the regatta with a total of 50 races run so far.

With a perfect scorecard of 8 wins out of 8 races, the Newport Harbor YC team led by Justin Law and Mac Mace took control of the provisional classification.  The host team from YCCS (skippers Antonio Sodo Migliori and Edoardo Mancinelli Scotti) posted 6 wins out of a possible 8, now sat in second place. The New York YC team pulled away from Eastern YC by a delta of two points, and now sits in third place in the standings.

Dave Clark, Commodore of Newport Harbor YC, who was participating as a crew member on their team, commented,  "The event has exceeded our expectations, the organization, the race committee, sponsors and all the staff have been perfect. We're having fun and we're also racing well!"

Skipper Justin Law added, "It was a fantastic day, we started at 1130 hrs on the dot and apart from the drop in wind in the middle of the day, everything was perfect. We can't wait to race again tomorrow!"

Day Three- NHYC Victorious, Again!
The final day saw Newport Harbor YC clinch victory ahead of the YC Costa Smeralda (YCCS).

After the morning briefing at 0900 hrs, the YCCS Race Committee went out on the water to assess whether conditions would permit the scheduled start for the day. After observing conditions of 1.5 meter waves and 18-25 knots of westerly wind, the YCCS PRO postponed sailing until the breeze settled around 1500 hrs. The finalists then proceeded with racing to decide the top podium finishers.

Newport Harbor YC (Justin Law and Mac Mace) faced the home team from YCCS (Antonio Sodo Migliori and Edoardo Mancinelli Scotti) to do battle for first and second place. Winning two of their three races earned the Americans the championship. Eastern YC (Spencer Powers and Stein Skaane) then sailed against the New York YC (Brian Doyle and Will Graves) in a fight for third place, with NYYC taking the third on countback to their earlier round robin results.

Justin Law, skipper of Newport Harbor YC, commented on his team's victory, "A fantastic day, the YC Costa Smeralda Race Committee did a great job, they were patient and waited for the wind to die down and made the regatta happen. A big THANK YOU goes to my team mates for making this victory possible!"

All teams received the YCCS Burgee as a memento of the event and the winners from Newport Harbor Yacht Club were also awarded a Garmin inReach Explorer+ that can be used to send and receive text messages and e-mails in any part of the globe.  For more information on the YC Costa Smeralda 2x2 J/70 Team Race event, please contact - Marialisa Panu- Tel. +39 0789 902223/ email- pressoffice@yccs.it / website- http://www.yccs.com Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Drift-a-thon RORC Morgan Cup Race

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- Although light winds were predicted for the race, the fleet experienced the remnants of a westerly sea breeze for the Squadron Line start, lasting long enough for a twilight exit from the Solent.

Calms and complex local effects during the night, made observation and experience of light airs racing paramount. As night fell, the breeze dropped significantly, resulting in somewhat of a park-up off Portland Bill, giving an advantage to the higher rated IRC boats that had made the tidal gate. However, close to Midsummer the night was short, dawn broke before 0500hrs and the lower IRC rated yachts enjoyed longer daylight racing with enhanced breeze.

In what amounted to a wildly variable and complex race, it appeared that hitting corners was working best.  However, while inshore boats that were way inshore faired better than those who were hedging their bets, it was the offshore boats that stood quite a ways offshore that ended up winning most divisions.  In short, the pre-race strategy Plan 1, devolved to scenario option C or D for most boats.  "C’est la vie, c’est la guerre".

The net results were as follows for some of the J/Teams that were participating in a quasi-drifting match.  In IRC 1 Class, Nick Angel’s J/121 ROCK LOBSTER took 4th place. In IRC 2 Class Andy Theobald’s J/122 R&W was 4th and Gilles Fournier/ Corinne Migraine’s J/133 PINTIA 5th place (e.g. notable that one of the winningest teams offshore in RORC and French racing circles also had a tough race!).  Finally, in IRC 3 Class, Chris Preston’s J/109 JUBILEE was 4th and Rob Cotterill’s J/109 MOJO RISIN’ placed 5th.
For more RORC Morgan Cup Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Light Air Queen’s Cup Race

J/145 MAIN STREET Tops Class, J/110 Eclipses Doublehanders
(Milwaukee, WI)- The 80th running of the Queen’s Cup, one of the most storied yacht races on the Great Lakes hosted by the South Shore Yacht Club will certainly not go down as one of the fastest in history.  When TP52s take an average of 7.5 kts to cross a distance of 68.5nm from Milwaukee, WI across Lake Michigan at a course of approximately 89 degrees to Grand Haven, MI, you know it was not going to be one of those famous Midwestern “barn burners”, for sure.

Nearly 200 boats participated, with over 1,200 sailors enjoying great parties both pre-race and post-race at each venue.

The Queen's Cup is one of the oldest cups in the yachting world yachting that is still offered for competition every year. Its history dates back to an age when both British Victorian silverwork and sailing yachts were without rival anywhere.

American shipyards of this era were turning out very fast sailing vessels called “clipper ships”. These craft were extreme designs built to out-perform the fast new breed of ships powered by steam. The American racing sloop Silvia was built during this era using this radical new technology.

On August 19, 1853, she won second place in a regatta scheduled by the Royal Yacht Squadron that was raced off Cowes, England.

First prize- the 100 Guineas Cup - was won by the English yacht Gaily, six minutes and 38 seconds ahead of Silvie. This outstanding performance by the American Silvie led the RYS to award a special prize to her, the 50 Guineas Cup, now known as the Queen's Cup.  Notably, this took place exactly two years after the yacht America won the first 100 Guineas Cup in 1851!

The cup was brought back to the New York Yacht Club, Silvia's home port, and went into obscurity until 1874, when a Mr. J.H. Godwin, of Kingsbridge, New York, gave the Cup to his friend Kirkland C. Barker, Commodore of the International Yacht Club of Detroit. The Cup was to be offered as an international challenge called the Godwin Cup.

But, as it turned out there was only one challenge, Annie Cuthbert of Hamilton, Ontario. Barker's yacht Cora won the first race, with the Canadians winning the second, but forfeiting the final race. This gave Barker his victory, but left very strained relations between the Detroit and Hamilton yachtsmen. The Cup was never offered for competition again, probably due to the sudden death of Commodore Barker. He and two other crewmembers drowned while shifting ballast in Cora in preparation for the 1875 racing season.

Nothing more is known about the Queen’s Cup until about the turn of the century, when a young lad, while cleaning out a family storeroom, discovered an exquisite rosewood box holding the Cup. The lad was Walter Hull, whose father was Charles Hull, son-in-law of Commodore Barker, to whom the Cup had been given.

Walter Hull treasured the Cup for the rest of his life and kept it in his possession until September 1, 1938. At that time, his good friend William Lawrie (late Commodore of South Shore Yacht Club in 1944) persuaded him to deed it to South Shore Yacht Club, "for an annual race across Lake Michigan, always starting off South Shore Yacht Club, and ending at a point in Michigan, open to all yachts of a recognized yacht club on the Great Lakes."

Of note, the silversmith firm of Robert Garrard, 29 Panton Street, St. Martins, England, created the Queen’s Cup in 1847-1848 (the official silversmith of the British Royalty).  Interesting history, how “son of America’s Cup” ended up at one of the most laid-back, unassuming sailing clubs on Planet Earth- and, at that, in the Great Lakes!

Given that cool history behind the how the Queens’ Cup ended up in Milwaukee, here’s how it all went down for this year’s race.

Winning PHRF 1 Class was Bill Schanen’s elegant, bright fire-engine red J/145 MAIN STREET, a fixture in big boat offshore events for over a decade on Lake Michigan. As usual, it was a “family affair” with many Schanen generations enjoying a benign cruise across the lake.

J/Crews nearly swept PHRF 2 class. Taking second was Doug Petter’s J/130 WILLIE J, fourth was Bob Klairmont’s J/133 SIROCCO 3, fifth Jim Richter’s J/44 CHEEP-N-DEEP II, and sixth Bob McManus’ J/130 EDGE.

PHRF 3 was the J/111 Division.  Winning that incredibly competitive class was Mark Caliban’s NO QUARTER, followed by Brad Faber’s UTAH in second and Richard Hobbs’ HOBGOBLIN holding on for the bronze.

Hanging in for fourth place in the PHRF 4 class was Doug Evans’ J/109 TIME OUT.  Then, in PHRF 8 Class also taking fourth was Dennis Dryer’s J/30 FRANK LLLOYD STARBOARD.

Sailing like a dynamic-duo possessed in the PHRF Shorthanded was Ron Otto’s J/110 TAKEDOWN 2, taking home the gold by a fairly decent margin!   For more Queen’s Cup Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/Sailors Love Long Beach Race Week

Campbell Tops 70s, CAPER Clobbers 120s
(Long Beach, CA)- Sunny, southerly conditions were forecast for the Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week that took place from June 22nd to 24th last weekend. The popular annual regatta, hosted by Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) and Long Beach Yacht Club (LBYC), featured three days of fair winds and friendship for all.

Chuck Clay, long-time LBRW Regatta Co-chair and ABYC staff commodore, said, "I really enjoy the social side of the event and the camaraderie between the sailors. They travel from up and down the coast to compete, and are fierce on the race course! But, when they get ashore, it's all about having a good time and telling 'war stories' with old friends. Mix that in with a little rum from one of our sponsors (Mount Gay Rum) and you have a perfect recipe for great times, great stories and a few shenanigans!"  Indeed, all of that became true over the weekend!

Over 130 boats sailed in the regatta, featuring a huge one-design fleet of J/70s with some of the world’s top competitors participating. In addition, the ever-popular J/120 fleet had their usual knock-out, drag-em-out-fight for supremacy offshore.

Day 1- June Gloom
Despite a gloomy morning and weather forecast, "Long Beach delivered!" said Co-chair Chuck Clay.  By the start of the first race, the marine layer (a.k.a. June Gloom Fog) had burnt off and the modest southerly flow began shifting right. Soaring inland temperatures drew in the ocean breeze, swiftly ratcheting to a 14-knot wind from 230-degrees.

Day 2- June Gloom + Big Lump
Was that Long Beach? Or, was that the laundromat?  Choppy, lumpy, 'washing machine' conditions on San Pedro Bay, with hearty 10 to 14 knot breezes, gave sailors a day to remember.  Again, seasonal 'June gloom' conditions dominated the sky, with steady breeze and sloppy seas, giving Random Leg (RL) racers a scenic and invigorating ride.

Random leg racing has grown in popularity over recent years, according to regatta co-chair John Busch. "What's kept this regatta going strong is we offer both buoy and random leg racing. A lot of the old-timer boats don't necessarily want to do the buoy racing, but still want to come out and play."

"We have four random-leg divisions, based on the size and age of the boats, and really fine tune the course for each group," said Busch, who is also PRO on Charlie course. The regatta ran races on three separate courses, each with its own expert Race Committee.

Saturday's racing capped off with the legendary Mount Gay Rum party, with music and dancing around the pool at LBYC.

Day 3- No more June Gloom! Classic Sunny LA Day!
It all came together on the final day. The wind blew, the sun shone, dolphins leapt, and racers smiled.  On the last of three days of highly competitive racing, sailors got “the whole enchilada.”

A gentle breeze from the south filled in, bringing with it a mild sea state– nothing like Saturday's churning grey waters. Marine life came out to play, and sunny skies warmed the sailors. And, from the standpoint of the sport of sailing, the heat was on!

As title sponsor, Bruce Cooper (Ullman Sails Newport Beach) spent several years driving the media boat, visiting the three courses each day, and checking on clients and friends along the way. When he became active in the J/70 fleet though, he added another hat – joining the fray as competitor.

"Moving from a sponsor-spectator, to competitor, I'm definitely burning the candle at both ends– racing during the day (on his J/70 USA 32) and handling sail repairs at night! But, it is worth it. It's like Christmas morning, when you know you're going to get to do race week. Whether there's a lot of wind, or not, it's always some of the best racing you'll have all year."

There was no question the J/70 class saw some fearsome, close racing around the race track all weekend long.  After seven races, the surprise winner was a guy named Argyle Campbell from Newport Harbor YC sailing SOX.  Well, not so much of surprise when you realize who his team included- a fellow Etchells 22 World Champion- Bill Hardesty on main/ tactics and also J/22 World Champion- Allen Terhune on trim. Not exactly your crew of happy weekend warriors! In fact, more like a bunch of bloodthirsty mercenaries!

Despite that kind of intellectual, tactical firepower on board the mighty SOX, Bruce Golison’s team on MIDLIFE CRISIS (a pretty laid-back crew by comparison) nearly pulled off the overall win!  Both teams know the SoCal weather conditions like it’s their backyard, having grown up in the LA area for decades.  Golison’s crew threw down the gauntlet in the first race with a bullet, but then suffered in races 3 to 5.  However, they got their “mojo” going to close with two bullets while Campbell’s crew were suffering a bit of brain fade (or, speed)- remarkable, considering it was Hardesty and Terhune.  In the end, great competition amongst SoCal sailing legends.  Taking third was Jeff Janov’s MINOR THREAT from California YC, fourth was Ignacio Perez’s ZAGUERO from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and fifth place went to the Corinthians Division winner- Pat Toole’s 3 BIG DOGS from Santa Barbara YC.  Second in Corinthians was Chris Raab’s SUGOI and third was Tony Collins’ FLY.

In the J/120 class, it was John Laun’s CAPER that took class honors with five 1sts in seven races for a total of 12 pts!  Second was Chuck Nichols’ CC RIDER with 16 pts and third was John Snook’s JIM with 22 pts.

In the PHRF handicap world, Doug & Jack Jorgensen’s J/111 PICOSA took 2nd place in PHRF B class, narrowly missing the overall win by just one point. Their team was winning going into the last race, averaging just over a 2nd, but a last race miscalculation saw them score a 5th to the winner’s 2nd to lose the event. They were sailing in a very high-powered fleet that included three 1D35s, three M32s, and Farr 30, all high-performance light-medium air boats that do not like any heavy weather!

Then, in PHRF RL-D class, Jack Mayer’s J/109 ZEPHYR took third. In PHRF RL-C class, Paul Stemler’s J/44 PATRIOT was 5th and Tim Harmon’s J/124 CIRRUS was 6th.

In PHRF D Racing, with seven buoy races to the count, David Boatner’s J/35 RIVAL crushed the competition with four 1sts and three 3rds for 13 pts total.  Second was Heinz Butner’s J/109 RAPTOR with 21 pts.  And, fourth was Scott McDaniel’s J/105 OFF THE PORCH with 30 pts.  For more Long Beach Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/88 BLUE FLASH- Race 2 Alaska Done!

(Port Townsend, WA)- On Saturday, June 16th, the infamous Race to Alaska started off Port Townsend, WA for the first leg of 40nm.  Then, on Monday, June 18th, the “real race” took off to Ketchikan, Alaska for over 750nm up fearsome straits with currents up to 15 kts, tornado-puffs pealing down hillsides in 40 kt microbursts, and even midsummer snow off the Canadian maritime provinces of British Columbia and the “inside passage” north to Alaska.  The weather can be fearsome.  A race not for the faint of heart, that is for sure.

When the 2015 Race to Alaska was first announced, the premise was so absurd it woke up sailors far and wide with a wake-up call. No engine or support along 750 miles.  What reasonable person would tackle that challenge? Sure, the $10,000 first prize literally nailed to a piece of wood got everyone’s attention.  But, there’s no free lunch in life, and the cost of that ten grand was high.

Three years later, our over-wired, over-stressed, over-politicized planet remains in need of some pain and suffering to remind ourselves that, as John Maxwell notes, “You cannot overestimate the un-importance of practically everything.”

The 2018 edition of the R2AK delivered. Here’s the June 25 report from Ketchikan, Alaska:

Even for those who lack calloused fingertips and strained tendons commonly associated with “tracker finger,” just watching the dock in Ketchikan provides all the cues needed to predict the imminent arrival of another Race to Alaska team.

Regardless of the time of day (usually late) or amount of rain (usually a lot), the procession down the docks starts with people, then the cameras and microphones of local press plus the R2AK media team, then a bell on a stand from the Ketchikan Yacht Club, a six-pack or two of congratulatory beer, and a uniformed customs officer.

Sometimes, there’s also a guy playing bagpipes. Sometimes, someone brings a shotgun. To date, these two have remained peacefully unrelated.

Fans crowd the docks, line the piers and breakwater, and wait for the first hoot from the first sighting to break the damn of pent-up enthusiasm and respect and what follows is a rolling wave of joyous elation that brings people together, lifting their voices, bagpipes, and the occasional shotgun blast to a heart-warming cacophony that serves as encouragement and an audible navigational aid for their final 500 feet.

On Monday June 25th, that scene played out six times as the first echelon of finishers touched the dock, rang the bell, drank the beer, cleared customs, and had one reaction or another to the bagpipes.  First to finish at 12:17 AM with a champagne shower was Team Sail Like A Girl- it was a joyous celebration for the all-women crew of seven, first to ring the bell, and immediately announcing that all $10,000 nailed to the board would go to the women’s Breast Cancer research- kudos to them for a job well done!  

Several hours later, J/88 Team BLUE FLASH hove into view, much to the delight of many on the crowded dock.  Scott Grealish’s son Sean and five other crewmembers, all under-25, sailed their J/88 BLUE FLASH into the Ketchikan finish line as the sixth boat overall around 1635 hours.  That they even finished was a reward in itself as the youngest adventurers ever to accomplish that feat.

The team of six had an average age of 19.4 when they started the race (one just graduated high school a few weeks ago). Their race was one of competent prudence that outpaced their age. They arrived unscathed, boat intact, and other than burgers on the mind, none the worse for wear and tear.  An amazingly mature group of kids.

Team BlueFlash: “In the R2AK spirit we’d like to start a tradition for the youngest team in the race. In this bag are our sporks— we’ve all signed them. We’d like the youngest team in the next R2AK to carry them for good luck.”

Race Boss: “Did you wash them?”

Team BlueFlash: “No.”

Proud Dad- Scott: “You guys sailed 218 miles in the last 24 hours!”

Everyone else: “WOOOHOOOOO!”

Team Sail Like a Girl: “So, what was it like sailing with a boat full of boys?”

Maisey (the only girl on Team BlueFlash): "Ha ha! (lots of laughter)

Team BlueFlash: “I think we’ve proved that a bunch of young and stupid people could sail a really good race!”

Tim Penhallow- Team Boatyard Boys (Winners in 2015): “Well, thanks for coming and joining the old stupid people!” (laughing).

As the sun set on the official awards ceremony and the block party that mixed Ketchikan regulars with R2AK’s temporary residents, old and young, stupid and stupid alike. The celebrations continued into the long Alaskan night (really more like an extended twilight!).  Here is the “live video” of the J/88 BLUE FLASH arrival in Ketchikan, Alaska- on Facebook   Follow J/88 Blue Flash on Instagram   Follow the Race 2 Alaska on Facebook here  For more Race 2 Alaska sailing information
 

Fun-Loving Block Island Race Week

(Block Island, RI)- The Duck Island Yacht Club in Westbrook, Connecticut and the Block Island Yacht Club teamed up to co-host Block Island Race Week 2018. The sailors were blessed with five good days of racing on Block Island Sound from June 17th to the 22nd.  In addition to random leg races, there was the famous Round Island Race, too.

In the PHRF Spinnaker division, a half-dozen boats sailed the entire week.  The highlight was the three-way “match race” taking place within the PHRF division all week long, all vying for “class” bragging rights.  In the end, topping the J/111s was Sedge & Andy Ward’s BRAVO.  Greg Slamowitz’s MANITOU was second, then Kenn Fischburg’s WILD CHILD followed them, in succession.

In the PHRF Non-Spinnaker class, Peter Hilgendorff’s J/29 MEDDLER ended up taking fourth in class after not sailing the last two races.   Sailing results here  For more Block Island Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Fun J/FEST Northwest Regatta

(Seattle, WA)- Hosted by Corinthian YC Seattle and J/Boats Northwest, the 2018 edition of J/FEST Northwest was a great success for the forty-seven teams that participated in the two-day regatta.  Racing took place for a PHRF class and one-design for J/24s, J/80s, J/97E’s, J/105s, and J/109s. There was no question the Saturday evening dinner and extravaganza took its toll on some of the crews, a number of them waking up a bit “foggy” on Sunday morning.  Most classes had at least three races, and others up to five in total.

The eight-boat PHRF Division had an eclectic mix of J’s from across the design spectrum of time. In the end, it was twin J/30s leading the way!  Winning was Jim Bottles’ CELEBRATION with a 1-1-2 for 4 pts, followed by Cindy Gossett’s OUTLAW with a 2-2-1 for 5 pts.  Seems to have been a nip-and-tuck battle between them all weekend-long.  Third was Jamie Thomas & Kyle Caldwell’s J/44 ASYLUM.

There was a surprising win in the eleven-boat J/24 class.  Taking the honors was Lydia Volberding’s JAILBREAK with a remarkably consistent 1-3-3-3-1 for 11 pts total.  The balance of the podium was determined by a tie-breaker on 18 pts each- taking second was Jacob Lichtenberg’s HAIR OF THE DOG with a 9-1-4-1-3 over Scott Milne’s TREMENDOUS SLOUCH with a 2-8-1-2-5.

It was another very close battle for the top of the leaderboard in the eight-boat J/80 class.  In the end, it was a classic “last race/ last leg” that determined the ultimate outcome.  Taking the class win was Bryan Rhodes’ CRAZY IVAN with a 1-7-1-1-2 for 12 pts total.  Second was Emre Sezer’s RECKLESS with a consistent 2-4-2-2-3 for 13 pts.  Third was Phil Dean’s RUSH with a 6-3-3-3-1 for 16 pts.

Rocky Smith’s INDIGO HORIZONTAL dominated the J/97E class with straight bullets.  Following in second was Scott McConnell’s ROCKET J SQUIRREL and third was Eric Barlow’s IRIE.

The always-popular J/105 class of eleven teams saw a familiar face at the top of the podium- Chris Phoenix’s JADED winning with a 2-1-3-3-1 for 10 pts.  Grabbing the silver were the “Soupers” from Portland- Eric Hopper, Matt Davis, Doug Schenk’s FREE BOWL OF SOUP- posting a respectable 3-2-4-2-2 for 13 pts.  Third just one point back was Jerry Diercks’ DELIRIUM with a 5-3-2-1-3 for 14 pts.  Two locally famous names in the local PNW circuit rounded out the top five- Jim Geros’ LAST TANGO in 4th and Tom Kerr’s CORVO 105 in 5th.

Winning the Pacific NW J/109 Championship Trophy was Stu Burnell’s TANTIVY with a complete blitzkrieg of the fleet, posting just five bullets for a massive total of only 5 pts. Ouch.  Jerry Woodfield’s SHADA nearly pulled off a win, but had to hang tough just to get the silver by a mere one point with a 4-4-2-2-2 tally for 14 pts.  Third was Tolga Cezik’s LODOS with a reasonably consistent record of 2-2-3-5-3 for 15 pts.  For more J/Fest Northwest Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/121 APOLLO - Bermuda Race Winner Report

How the West Was Won- Point @ Bermuda!
(Hamilton, Bermuda)- Don Nicholson’s new J/121 APOLLO sailed its first major ocean race last week, the famous 635nm Newport to Bermuda Race.  Blessed with good fortune, solid navigation and well-executed strategy, they managed to win their Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division class and finish 6th overall.  An amazing performance considering the magnitude of variables and weather decisions necessary to stand atop the podium in the professional GHL Division.

From onboard APOLLO, we get the report from Kerry Klingler, the J/Boats Team Leader at Quantum Sails, on how they managed to get their first big offshore win.

“Great team, great boat, great sails combined for a super finish.  When racing programs emerge, it is rare that the individual elements align in a way that makes the whole program perform at a high level.  In this year’s Bermuda race, the APOLLO team realized this rare alignment.

The program started with Don Nicholson searching for a new boat for his racing program with the help of team organizer Denise Bienvenu and Annapolis yacht broker David Malkin. They narrowed their focused to the new J/121, liking the idea of a water-ballasted performance boat, with well laid-out sail handling features that could be distance-raced and be very competitive.

At that point, I became part of the program for Quantum Sails.  I looked at the proposed sail inventory set by J/Boats and made smart adjustments to suit our racing needs better.

The first adjustment was a twin-groove headstay, with full hoist sails that were battened.  It was my feeling that we needed a full complement of jibs, with a J1, J2, J3 set on the forestay, and a J4 set on the inner forestay.  These jibs were all designed with horizontal battens for maximum efficiency.  With twin grooves, we could change headsails and keep the boat moving at top performance.

For the spinnaker inventory, we sought to make the most out of the boat’s inherent performance capabilities.  With that in mind, we made the A2 larger than the proposed one-design size and added an A3.5 asymmetrical.  This sail was an in-between step, between the A2 and the Code 0.  It would double as heavy air runner, but would also be able to reach well.  Overall, the goal was to have a complete racing inventory, without having too many sails on board.

We entered the boat in the GHL pro division to be able to make the most out of Al Johnstone’s water-ballasted design.

In the last day and a half, the design made a huge difference in boat speed.  We were power-reaching at 8 to 10 knots. When racing J/122’s, we had never been able to hit that kind of speed.  Also, for most of the race, we had only four people on deck; the ballast made up the difference.

In addition, the inner forestay for the J4 Jib worked great.  We were able to slot the J4 under the Code 0 and add considerable additional speed to the boat.  For distance racing, this set up makes a lot of sense.

A lot of work goes into putting together a great well-meshed crew for a distance race like Newport to Bermuda.  Here are some of the keys to our success:

First, you have to handle the boat well, so the bow and sail handlers come into play.

Second, ideal trim is needed to keep the boat fast at all times. Everyone has to be vigilant, so that you’re trimmed fast all the time.

Third, you need good helms, people who can push the boat to its fullest potential.  The APOLLO team had that fine mesh of talent to make the most of the boat’s capabilities and the race’s challenges.  We formed two efficient watches that married the best of the talent.  The first watch consisted of Don Nicholson, Kerry Klingler, Mike Levy, and David Malkin.  The second watch consisted of Denise Bienvenu, Paul White, William Pritz, and Jack McGuire.

Fourth, you gotta have a good navigator that knows the weather, GRIB files, and routing software like Expedition.  To fill the role of navigator, we had Scott Adler.

Fifth, any distance race requires sound tactical & strategic decisions.  Most top programs knew the target for entering and exiting the Gulf Stream. The difference was what happened south of the stream.  For us, the idea was simple: keep the boat moving as fast as possible towards Bermuda.  Given how surprisingly big the wind shifts were, keeping the boat moving towards the goal was the best solution.  I remembered sailing with John Kolius.  He always sailed the boat as fast as possible, never put the boat hard on the wind, but speed was the key and let the wind do what it wants to do– there will always be future wind shifts!!  For the last two and a half days, that is exactly what we did.  We didn’t chase shifts or wind predictions, but sailed with what we had.  We pointed the boat as close as possible headed towards Bermuda; in other words, we took the closest tack or gybe to the mark!

In the end, the two watches did a great job.  Within the groups, we switched roles, having different people steering and trimming, who kept the crew fresh, and kept the boat moving.  The bond created working with such a fine group of sailors made the trip and the experience unforgettable.  It reminds me of why we do this unique and great sport!”  Thanks again for this contribution from APOLLO team member- Kerry Klingler.  For more J/121 Offshore speedster sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.