Stephanie Roble earns New York YC’s top sailor honor

(Newport, RI)- Since 2008, the New York Yacht Club has annually presented the Mosbacher Trophy to the Club’s sailor of the year. The award, which is named for former Commodore and two-time America’s Cup champion Emil “Bus” Mosbacher, is the most coveted of the Club’s annual trophies and traditionally the last award at the Club’s Annual Awards ceremony in the Model Room at 44th Street.

Due to social distancing restrictions in New York City, the 2020 Annual Awards ceremony was held virtually last week.

This year’s winner of the Mosbacher Trophy is 49erFX sailor Stephanie Roble (East Troy, WI). While the COVID-19 pandemic canceled a large portion of the Olympic-class sailing schedule—and postponed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by a year—Roble and sailing partner Maggie Shea (Wilmette, IL) were still able to achieve significant success in the women’s skiff class. Roble and Shea have also been active sailors in the J/22 and J/80 class, match-racing around the USA and Europe.  Furthermore, Roble has also been active in the J/70 class as coach and crew sailing with various teams on the J/70 winter circuit.

“I am extremely proud to award the 2020 Mosbacher Trophy to Stephanie Roble,” says Bill Ketcham, Commodore of the New York Yacht Club (himself owner of the famous J/44 MAXINE). “Since graduating from Old Dominion University nearly a decade ago, Stephanie has thrown herself into elite sailing, succeeding in keelboats, match racing, and now the 49erFX Olympic class.

“Stephanie and Maggie made the most of their limited opportunities to compete in 2020, and we look forward to following them on the road to an Olympic medal this coming summer. Stephanie is the youngest person and the first woman to win the Mosbacher.”

Roble and Shea started 2020 by winning the bronze medal in the 2020 49erFX World Championship in Geelong, Australia. It was first American medal in a 49erFX World Championship. That result also secured, by the narrowest of margins, Roble and Shea’s selection as the American representative in the class for the Tokyo Games.

Heading into the 2020 Worlds, which was the second of two international regattas used to select the American representative in the 49erFX class, Roble and Shea needed to finish four spots ahead of fellow Americans Paris Henken and Anna Tobias.

The regatta hinged on the final medal race, which Roble and Shea won to move into third in the overall standings. Henken and Tobias finished seventh in the medal race and seventh in the regatta. With the two teams tied on points for the Olympic berth, the tiebreaker went to whomever finished higher in the final regatta, awarding the berth to Roble and Shea.

The duo’s other result this year was a second at Kiel Week in Germany, which was postponed to September. A second place in that regatta confirmed Roble and Shea’s status as a serious podium contender for the Tokyo Olympics, which are scheduled for this coming summer.

“This is an incredible honor,” says Roble, who joined the New York Yacht Club in 2015. “It’s been quite the year, and we’re really excited about the results that we’ve had. It’s an absolute honor to represent the New York Yacht Club around the world. To be the first female to win this award is extra special.

“This award is a reflection of my team’s commitment and dedication to our goal of bringing home a Gold medal for Team USA. I would like to thank my teammate Maggie Shea and coach Giulia Conti for all of their hard work on and off the water.

“It’s exciting to think about the Olympics, about our dream of winning a medal, but we have to focus on how we can get better every day and hope that will be good enough for a medal come August.”

Previous Mosbacher Trophy winners include world champion one-design skippers such as J/70 World Champion Peter Duncan. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/70 St Maarten Sailing Again!

 

(Simpson Bay, St Maarten)- The first Grant Thornton Keelboat Race of the new winter Caribbean 2020/2021 winter season saw an excellent turnout and sailing under idyllic conditions in Simpson Bay, St Maarten. Two classes were sailed with the faster racing boats in one and the smaller in a second. The final results saw Frits Bus and Team Island Water World taking the win. Second was Kick'em Jenny with Ryan Hope Ross at the helm with a team of younger sailors. FRANNY, the J/70 sailed by Garth Steyn, took third place and Caraibes Diesel sailed by Erwan le Normand the fourth place. The crews of all boats had to work hard to achieve success in the four short-course races that were sailed.


Garth Steyn's J/70 FRANNY is sponsored by IGY MARINAS and by coming in third overall beat the boat that won overall at the St Maarten Heineken Regatta this past March 2020 (remember that pre-pandemic event?)!

According to Garth, "this was good news for the J/70 versus our competitors. I believe we had good upwind and downwind boat speed, as well as a great crew. Our team was comprised of Rien Korteknie doing main and tactics, Iain Mobbs doing jib and spinnaker and our bow goddess Kippy Guilders doing the spinnaker hoists and drops, as well as keeping us men in check!"  For more J/70 one-design sailboat information

J/109 Wins Miami to Nassau Cup Race

 

(Miami, FL)- The 79th edition of the Nassau Cup Ocean Race, a 180 nm course from Miami to Nassau, leaving Great Isaac and Great Stirrup to starboard, is no longer possible due to current protocols in the Bahamas. Instead, an ocean race of approximately 178 nm was held starting in and returning to Miami.


Since 1934, some of the best offshore sailors in the world have battled for the prestigious Miami to Nassau Cup, including Ted Turner, Dennis Conner, Dick Bertram, and Ted Hood, aboard legendary boats like Running Tide, Windward Passage, Tenacious, and Boomerang.  Half a generation after World War II forced a short intermission, the race became part of the fabled Southern Ocean Racing Conference in the 1980s until the series’ dissolution in the 1980s.  Building on the race’s welcome rebirth in 2003, the new SORC, a group of race-veteran race managers, announced its management of the Nassau Cup Race in 2010. 
 
Starting in very light airs under Code Zeros, the fleet wandered their way across the Gulf Stream to the first mark, with the breeze steadily building all day. In the end, the J/109 HARM'S WAY sailed by Andy Westcoast won their ORC 3 class handily by over four hours corrected time.  Meanwhile, Ashley Maltempo & Bill Wiggins sailed the new J/121 WINGS to fourth place in ORC 2 Class, narrowly missing the podium by just minutes on corrected time.  For more Miami to Nassau Cup Race sailing information

Eight Bells: Frank Butler

The world of sailing recently lost an iconic figure in the boat-building world. J/Boats family and sailors wish to honor the passing of Frank Butler, founder and CEO of Catalina Yachts in southern California.

Many members of the J/Boats family had their chance to meet and discuss with Frank the various attractions and love for the sport we all shared. For decades at the Annapolis Sailboat Show, Bob, Rod, Jeff, Al, Drake, Stu often ran into Frank, shared some beers with each other, gave each other good-natured ribbings for our respective roles and brands in the sailing world. As Stu J. often reminded Frank, we were his biggest cheerleader, as his Catalina sailboats were often the first sailboat many current J/Boat owners started with....the "Henry Ford of the sailing world to the BMW/ Mercedes of offshore one-design/ racing/ cruising aficionados." It truly was a symbiotic relationship between Frank and the Johnstone family. We are sad to see him go.

Catalina Yachts tribute to him:
A sailing icon and industry “king spoke”, Frank has introduced hundreds of thousands of people to sailing during his lifetime. Frank leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Catalina Yachts.

Born in California in 1928, Frank’s line of popular sailboats put more than 85,000 Catalinas on the water throughout the yachting world. His boatbuilding career began in 1962, when he contracted with a Southern California builder for a 21-foot daysailer. The builder was unable to finish the boat and gave Butler the tooling. He completed building the boat himself, found he enjoyed the process, and agreed to take over the company.

A few years later he founded Catalina Yachts, which has grown to become the largest builder of fiberglass production sailboats in the United States, a position it holds to this day.

A key to Butler’s success in the sailboat industry was his attention to Catalina customers. Handling warranty issues himself, owners were nearly always surprised and reassured to get a personal call from Frank to discuss their concerns.

In recognition of his support of the Congressional Cup, a premier-level Grade 1 match racing event in which Frank designed, built, and donated a fleet of 11 Catalina 37s especially for the event, Long Beach Yacht Club awarded him the Crimson Blazer.

A founder and lifelong member of the Westlake Yacht Club (Westlake, CA), Frank was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2013.

Following his graduation from Glendale High School, he served in the US Navy. He met his wife, Jean, at a school dance; they recently celebrated their 71st anniversary.

Frank is survived by Jean, their four daughters Deborah Reese, Mary Linn, Nancy Bear, and Karen Butler; three sons, David, Robert, and Steve; 20 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

Awakening the joy of sailing for so many people in past generations, Frank Butler’s sailing legacy will certainly continue well into in future generations.Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/99 Scores More Stunning Victories in Australia

 

(Sydney, Australia)- The J/99 JEDI scored another stunning trifecta win racing offshore out of Royal Prince Alfred YC in Pittwater, near Sydney. The top mark was 8nm offshore, conditions were light 5-10 knots ESE. JEDI was one of two boats sailing doublehanded in the combined 18-boat fleet. JEDI finished 1st overall combined Div 1 and 2 fleets in ORC, and 1st ORC and IRC in Div 2. Remarkably, the J/99 was the smallest boat by far and still beating fully crewed 40+ footers on the water.

Delighted with their performance, skipper Ray Entwistle said, ”we've been lucky enough to experience the J/99 in many different wind and sea states and the results have been just as impressive. The first race in 8-15 knots and lumpy seaway, second race in 15-25 knots and very rough seaway, third race in light conditions and fairly flat seas. The J/99 has performed outstandingly well in this wide range of conditions, is incredibly easy to manage, and a real joy to sail.”  Learn more about the J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster hereAdd to Flipboard Magazine.

All Squalls Must Pass- J/125 Battling the Elements

Andy Green's entry in the 2019 Mirabaud Yacht Racing photo contest was a stunning one- a J/125 beating into a squall off Wales on the often-tempestuous Irish Sea.

About the image he wrote, "This was a cool shot of the J/125 JACK KNIFE from the IRC Regatta in Pwlhrli (Wales). It had been champagne sailing with blue skies and 20 knots of breeze. I could see a squall moving toward us, and within minutes, we were in 40+ knots of wind, heavy rain, and near-zero visibility. The fleet was being battered by the conditions. But, as soon as it came the squall lifted, we returned to blue skies and 20 knot winds!” 

[Ed. Note- Andy Green and his wife Nell and their children live in Newport, RI and have been fans of J/Boats for years. This photo is one of his most memorable images.]Add to Flipboard Magazine.

STC 29th Block Island Race Week presented by Margaritaville Announcement!

 

(Block Island, RI) – The Notice of Race for the 29th Edition of the biennial Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race Week presented by Margaritaville has just been issued by Storm Trysail Club Rear Commodore and STC-BIRW 2021 Event Chair Ray Redniss. 


Redniss reports, “obviously, planning for a week-long regatta in the midst of pandemic uncertainty is a challenge.  So, we are thrilled Margaritaville is back to add even more fun and spirit to this event. We are also happy to report, based on the results of a survey of past competitors conducted this week, that interest from the fleet appears to be high.  Storm Trysail Club is confident that we can stage a safe and exciting event while continuing to monitor health guidelines, listening to our sailors, and adapting contingency plans as needed.”

On-the-Water Director for BIRW 2021 Dick Neville explains, “In the last edition in 2019, we expanded the number of racing formats to accommodate an even wider array of yachts – from world-class Grand Prix teams on Windward/Leeward courses to families and friends on cruising boats in daily navigator and pursuit style races. As a result, we had quite a number of first-time entrants, and look forward to welcoming more entries by expanding Double-handed and Plus1 opportunities.” 

Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race Week presented by Margaritaville typically offers four to five days of racing and when the weather doesn’t cooperate (which historically happens once per week), we have activities planned to keep even the most competitive sailors entertained onshore. The highlight of the week for many sailors is the Around Block Island Race in which the entire fleet circumnavigates the beautiful island off the coast of Rhode Island.

The biennial event was first held in 1965 after a number of Storm Trysail members participated in Cowes Week in England and were inspired to create an American version. In 2019, 122 boats competed across 13 divisions with close to one thousand participants, volunteers, and families descending on the island for the third week of June. 

Event Chair Redniss expressed cautious optimism regarding the usual shore side parties and social activities. “As befitting a Club that places a high priority on Safety, we will be very vigilant in ensuring that we adhere to all of the appropriate conditions and recommendations. While the tent parties are generally a centerpiece of the shoreside festivities, we are looking at other creative ways to preserve all of the fun in the event the tent is not feasible.” Sailing photo credit- Stephen Cloutier.  For more STC Block Island Race Week sailing information

New J/120 Facebook Group- Join Us!

A J/120 Facebook group was recently started by Gareth Thomas, a passionate J/120 sailor. The name of the group is called- "J120 Sailboat". For those of you who love the J/120 or are interested in sailing on J/120s, please do not hesitate to join and contribute to the discussion on the group. Everyone and anyone is welcome! Come join us...see why so many sailors have loved their experience sailing on J/120s offshore and around-the-buoys. Be that Detroit's Lake Huron, Annapolis to Newport, Newport to Bermuda, or Marblehead to Halifax! Please join our J/120 Facebook group here.Add to Flipboard Magazine.

NEW J/9 Day Sailer Announcement!

 

J/Boats' Most Comfortable Cockpit Ever??

(Newport, RI)- Responding to a growing need amongst sailors for a more comfortable, simpler and easy-to-own daysailer, J/Boats is excited to announce a sleek new 28-footer (the “J/9”) with perhaps the most comfortable cockpit and easiest-to-manage sailplan in this size range. 

“With the J/9, we set out to reimagine how to make sailing easier, more relaxing and more inclusive,” said Jeff Johnstone of J/Boats. “This is a boat you can sail by yourself in just a few minutes, or bring along the whole gang with plenty of room to spare. Escaping to the water and enjoying shared family adventure has never been more important, and the J/9 is the perfect platform.”


The J/9 cockpit has four great corner seats to nestle into and enjoy the day. With friends and family aboard, everyone can find the perfect place to relax.  And access aboard has never been easier.  A swim platform behind the cockpit allows walk-through boarding, and on those downwind sails home, you can cool off by dragging your feet in the water.


Sailing the J/9 is as easy as hoisting the mainsail and trimming the sheet.  Why make it any more complicated?  Look around on the water and you’ll notice 80% of the sailboats are sailing with only one sail. The answer is keep it simple!  One tiller, one sheet. The big difference with the J/9 is you will be sailing with one sail more comfortably and quicker than most others with two sails or under motor.  Ready for the afterburners? Simply unroll the jib and enjoy effortless, stable & smooth sailing from the comforts of the best J/Boats cockpit ever.  

The daysailing community has not benefitted from a dedicated design from J/Boats since the award-winning J/100 (33’), which remains one of the most sought-after J’s created. The NEW J/9 offers the cockpit comfort and sailing features of a larger boat, at a price most will find competitive to the best brokerage offerings. For more J/9 daysailer information.  Call your local J/Boat dealer for further information. 

GREG FISHER JOINS SAILING INC. / EVOLUTION SAILS

 

Another long-time J/Sailor and has gone full circle in the sailing world. First having sailed Lightnings and working for Bill Shore at Shore Sails. Later, helping develop J/24 sails for Shore Sails, Greg Fisher notably took over College of Charleston's sailing program and turned it into a college sailing powerhouse. Now, he's back to sailmaking again!

Universally liked in the sport, Greg Fisher helps people enjoy sailing, and now will be taking his talents to the Sailing Inc. / Evolution Sails team (Sailing Inc is a J/Boats dealer in Ohio). Here’s their announcement:

Sailing Inc., a trusted provider of premium sailing and marine products, services and support, welcomes Greg Fisher as the Evolution Sails Loft Manager for the Sailing Inc. Charleston (SC) location.

Fisher, a Collegiate All-American, has won 25 National, North American or World Championships in 7 different one design classes and is an acclaimed expert in the sailing community for over 40 years. Fisher will head up our Sailing Inc. / Evolution Sails team in Charleston (SC) while working closely with locations in Cleveland (OH), Sandusky (OH), and St. Petersburg (FL).

Fisher will lead the administrative and business development functions of Sailing Inc. and Evolution Sails in Charleston, and help support the further development of the research, design and production of the Evolution Sails product lines. His extensive knowledge as a sailor, sailmaker and coach will grow Sailing Inc.’s capacity to provide expert level service and professional support across the United States.

Fisher will focus on building a stronger relationship between the sailor and the sailmaker, leveraging Evolution Sails championship-caliber sail design and production teams to deliver high-performance, long-lasting cruising and racing sails built by one of the world’s most innovative sailmakers.

“I am enthused to return to my sailing career ‘roots’ with my new position at Sailing Inc. / Evolution Sails,” said Fisher. “Sailmaking is where I started almost 45 years ago! To be able to pursue this new chapter with such a talented and passionate team at Sailing Inc., who share a strong customer focus is exciting.”

Fisher continues, “I’ve sailed with new sails from Evolution and am impressed with the high-performance design and superb quality of construction. I look forward to helping sell and promote this exceptional brand right here in Charleston and across the US. I am fired up to join the Sailing Inc. / Evolution Sails team effort to support all of Charleston’s sailing community!”

Fisher has been active in the sailing industry for over 40 years, starting with his own brand, Fisher Sails, in the late 1980s, and using that early success as a springboard to an accomplished 20-year career with North Sails One-Design.

Fisher spent 8 years as the Director of Sailing at the College of Charleston, where his teams collected Four Fowle Trophies for the “Best all-around sailing team in the Country”. He also presided over 39 All-Americans and Honorable Mentions and 10 Academic All-Americans.

He has long been supportive in the development of One-Design sailing within the United States and served on the Board of US Sailing and was chair of the One Design Class Council. Fisher was the former Chief Operating Officer of Olympic Sailing for US Sailing.

“We are, of course, very excited to have Greg joining the team,” said Rob Ruhlman (owner of the J/111 and J/88 SPACEMAN SPIFF). “Having literally grown up with Greg on and off the race course, I know his competitive spirit, work ethic, and knowledge of the industry. That experience combined with Sailing Inc/ Evolution Sails commitment to excellence will be a great benefit to the sailing community.”

Please reach out to Greg and welcome him to our team! Contact Greg here- email: greg.fisher@thesailinginc.com / cell: (410) 212-4916.Add to Flipboard Magazine.