Month: October 2024

As autumn breezes settle in, we’re bringing you stories in J/Newsletter of amazing competition and camaraderie worldwide amongst J/sailors. This issue highlights thrilling wins, from the newly crowned J/22 World Champions on the Chesapeake Bay to the nail-biting races of the Hamble Winter Series sailed on the Solent in the southern United Kingdom. In Annapolis, Travis Odenbach and his HONEYBADGER crew clinched their second world title in just three weeks—a truly remarkable and impressive feat! Meanwhile, San Diego Yacht Club has celebrated a noteworthy four-peat victory in the Lipton Cup, leaving competitors stunned and in awe.
Whether you’re joining the festivities of the Great Pumpkin Regatta on northern San Francisco Bay, or gearing up for world-class championships in Texas and France, there’s a race for everyone. Grab your coffee or warm cider & rum, and get ready to set sail through the latest updates from the sailing community. Enjoy the ride!

HONEYBADGER Crowned J/22 World Champion!
(Annapolis, MD)- “Mr. October” may be a name known for Major League Baseball’s World Series, but Travis Odenbach’s HONEYBADGER has earned the name this year for sailing. Only three weeks after winning the J/24 World Championship, Odenbach won the 2024 J/22 World Championship hosted by Eastport Yacht Club in Annapolis, Maryland. With crew Geoff Becker and Justin Damore, the Rochester, NY team outlasted 48 teams representing 15 states and four countries. 
Read more here.

Hamble Winter Series Reports

(Hamble, So’ton, England)- The 43rd running of the Hamble Winter Series started with two completely contrasting days of weather. Saturday, day one of the Hamble One-Design Championships, had glorious sunshine and a steady breeze. But, when the PRO Peter Bateson announced “We have passed the wind test” on Sunday morning everything was grey and dank. So grey was it on Sunday, that a couple of J/70 competitors said they had trouble spotting the black tetrahedron marks at the top of the course!! Read more here.

San Diego YC 4-Peats J/105 Lipton Cup Regatta!!
 (San Diego, CA)- San Diego Yacht Club has won the 2024 Sir Thomas Lipton Cup Challenge for the fourth consecutive year. San Diego YC’s Jake La Dow’s strong start established an early lead, leaving New York Yacht Club and Newport Harbor Yacht Club vying for the remainder of the podium over the next two days. But, it was ultimately to no avail, as San Diego YC held onto first place.  Read more here.

NRV Seniors Win J/70 DSL Pokal Cup
(Hamburg, Germany)- The end-of-season finale for the J/70 Deutsche Segel-Bundesliga has been the Pokal Cup invitational regatta. This year, twenty-seven teams from all over Germany attended the fun event in Hamburg, Germany with sailing taking place on the gorgeous Alster Lake. Over the two-day regatta, all teams sailed a total of nine of the fast-paced short-course races.   Read more here.

Fun-loving Great Pumpkin Regatta

(Point Richmond, CA)- The Great Pumpkin Regatta is held every Halloween weekend by the Richmond Yacht Club in the northeastern part of San Francisco Bay. There’s course racing on Saturday with a big social event, band, and food & drinks on Saturday night. Then, on Sunday it was the “great pursuit race” that had over 100 boats participating. Read more here.

 

Upcoming Events

 

World-class Competition for J/70 US National Championship

(Ft. Worth, TX)- From November 7th to 10th, the Fort Worth Boat Club on the gorgeous Eagle Mountain Lake in Ft. Worth, TX will be hosting the 2024 J/70 US National Championship. Currently, twenty-one teams will be participating on this shifty, puffy, challenging lake to the west of downtown Ft. Worth and Dallas.
Read more here.

French J/80 Nationals Preview

(Saint-Cast, France)- From November 8th to 10th, the Club Nautique de Saint-Cast will be hosting the French J/80 National Championship. The entire team at the Saint-Cast Nautical Center is dedicated to making this event an unforgettable experience, both in terms of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Saint-Cast Le Guildo is a renowned resort on the Emerald Coast, boasting a stunning body of water and excellent port facilities. Notably, this club was a pioneer of the J/80 class in France and has a fleet of J/80s that frequently participates in events. The CN Saint-Cast is recognized for its expertise in organizing J/80 competitions. Read more here.

J/Gear Holiday Specials
(Newport, RI)- There are multiple awesome items available for the 2024 J/Gear Holiday Special! Here is the list for you to consider:- J/Extreme 1/2 Zip- J/Typhoon Jacket- J/Flexfit cap- J/Reach Polo- J/Puma Performance Ziptop- J/Embroidered T-shirt- J/Cotton Polo shirt
The J/Class logo is embroidered and you may customize it for the whole crew. Browse and order here:

J/111 FIREBALL Wins PHRF Overall and Division!

(Greenwich, CT)- Last Columbus Day weekend was the infamous “Gearbuster Race” run annually every fall by Indian Harbor YC. It’s a long day race around various government buoys in western Long Island Sound. It’s a popular event as the “grand finale” of fall sailing on the Sound. It is quite popular with J/sailors. There were 25 J/Teams sailing (50% of the 51-boat fleet!). Lots of silverware was garnered by the various J/Teams! Here is how it all went down by division.
PHRF Doublehanded DivisionIn this fleet of half-dozen boats, the J/teamms nearly swept the podium. Winning was Christian Uecker’s J/120 HOUND DOG, with Thomas Sa’s J/33 GUN DOG in second place, and the two other J/120s rounding out the top five- Sara & Josh Reisberg’s ABILYN in fourth and Richard Wests’s CHARLOTTE in fifth position. 
PHRF A Division. (

(San Francisco, CA)- Recently, the South Beach Yacht Club on the southern part of San Francisco Bay hosted its annual Red Bra Regatta. The event was all about fun and supporting other women. Specifically, the regatta supported “Girls United” for the sixth year this September! 

Girls United is an amazing organization that organizes clubs and student-led advocacy for girls in Kenya, as well as training female teachers to be role models for these girls. 
United Girls for KenyaRun out of Flying Kites Academies, Girls United empowers young women in many ways, including skill-building workshops as well as providing access to information on important topics like reproductive health. The aims of Girls United are clearly aligned with those of the Red Bra Regatta and its motto- “Empowered Women Empowering Women.”
This year, we ask that you give any amount that feels meaningful to you- no amount is too small. If you want to further increase your impact, you can share this on your page. Let’s keep empowering each other!  Please consider a donation here
Many passionate women J/sailors participated in the event and while having fun they also managed to win some silverware! 
PHRF F Divsion- Spin

With autumn in full swing, the world of sailing is bringing some incredible action to waters around the globe. From the picturesque Chesapeake Bay to the iconic coastlines of Sicily in the Mediterranean, and the lively offshore courses of Hong Kong in the South China Sea, this past week has showcased both fierce competition and stunning seascapes.
In this week’s issue, we’re diving into the latest updates from renowned regattas, such as the J/22 World Championship in Annapolis and the Rolex Middle Sea Race in Malta, where crews are challenged by fierce competition and awe-inspiring views of “live” volcanoes!
We’ll highlight exciting events like the German J/70 Sailing League Finale on Lake Starnberg and the ever-popular J/105 Lipton Cup Regatta in San Diego. Plus, we’ll give you a glimpse of what’s coming up, including the J/Fest Southwest Regatta in Houston, TX, and the French J/80 Nationals off their beautiful “Emerald Coast,” where sailors worldwide are preparing to make waves.
So, grab your Mt. Gay rum & tonic (or Gin Sul & tonic) and settle in for the latest updates from our sailing community!

Fall Boat Shows Calendar!
(Newport, RI)- It’s time to dream about the future! Here is the fall boat show highlight for you to consider.
J/45 Video by Mike Coe- Experience the Performance & Luxury!In Annapolis, MD, Mike Coe and 410 Films take us on an informative tour of the J/45 luxury performance offshore cruising yacht. Enjoy and watch it here on YouTube.
EUROPE
Valencia Boat Show- Valencia, Spain- October 23rd to 27th, 2024At this spectacular marina that was significantly updated for the America’s Cup back in the AC75 days will be the 2024 Valencia Boat Show. On display will be the J/99 offshore shorthanded speedster that has been the stuff of legend in its short history of sailing across the world’s oceans. Learn more about it at the show!  For more Valencia Boat Show information

J/22 World Championship Update
(Annapolis, MD)- From October 21st to 27th, forty-eight teams from around the world have been sailing the 2024 J/22 World Championship, hosted by the Eastport Yacht Club in Annapolis, MD. Currently, leading the regatta is Travis Odenbach’s HONEYBADGER (current J/24 World Champion as well!). The teams have been treated to two gorgeous days of fall sailing on Chesapeake Bay, with six races completed. Here are the first three days’ reports. Read more here.

Challenging Rolex Middle Sea Race   

(Gzira, Malta)- This past week, the Royal Malta Yacht Club hosted its renowned Rolex Middlesea Race. Many consider it a must-do “bucket list” race due to the immense challenges it presents and the breathtaking, picturesque islands along the route. The race begins and ends in Malta, with participants circumnavigating the stunning volcanic island of Sicily, Italy. Covering a distance of 606 nautical miles, the journey starts from the Grand Harbour in Valletta, Malta, beneath Fort St. Angelo and the impressive medieval Saluting Battery. The fleet then heads northeast along the Sicilian coast, aiming for the Straits of Messina, where you can often catch a glimpse of Mount Etna, sometimes audible with its rumbling eruptions—it’s always “smoking,” that’s for sure! Read more here.

American ROWDY Eclipses Italian J/70 Cup Series!  

(Lerici, Italy)- For the first time in the ten-plus years the Italian J/70 Class has been running their famous Italy J/70 Cup Series, a “foreigner” from Chicago Yacht Club won the 26-race series over five regattas in the 2024 summer season! The series featured 130 entries in the Open Division and 67 entries in the Corinthian Division. In the end, it was Rich Witzel’s ROWDY team (Carlos Robles, Mortiz Spitzauer, & Tomas Dietrich) that won the series by a massive 34 pts margin, ending up at 66 pts net! Read more here.

BANGOR PACKET Dominates J/24 East Coast Championship!

(Annapolis, MD)- In the 47th year of the J/24 East Coast Championship at Severn Sailing Association, twenty teams from the northeastern seaboard of the USA gathered to compete in this fall classic on the Chesapeake Bay. Following a six-race series, with one race allowed to be discarded, a long-time J/24 class veteran from Portland, Maine—now residing in Georgetown, MD—emerged victorious by a significant margin of 12 points. Read more here.

Northerners Duel for German J/70 Sailing League Finale! 

(Hamburg, Germany)- As the finale of the German J/70 Sailing League Series championship approached, only three points separated the top two teams from northern Germany: the past winners, Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (NRV), and the Mühlenberger Sailing Club (MSC). The racing on Lake Starnberg was set to be intense and competitive, featuring skilled skippers. NRV had Olympic participant and former 470 world champion Luise Wanser making her debut, while MSC was depending on the experienced Magnus Simon at the helm. A total of eighteen teams were competing throughout the three-day regatta. Read more here.

 

Upcoming Events

 

J/105 Lipton Cup Regatta Update

(San Diego, CA)- The San Diego Yacht Club is hosting its annual Lipton Cup Trophy regatta sailing a fleet of matched J/105s supplied by their generous owners. Here is the first day’s regatta report. 
Day one of racing had out-of-towners wondering about the thick spooky marine layer that not very many people think of when they hear about sunny San Diego and the perfect year-round sailing conditions. Read more here.

14th J/Fest Southwest Preview

(Seabrook, TX)- The J/Fest Southwest Regatta is celebrating its 14th Anniversary and is becoming a popular tradition among the J/Boat owners throughout the southwestern region with over 70 J/Boats and avid J/Boat competitors from around the country.
Hosted by Lakewood Yacht Club from November 1st to 3rd, the regatta will feature one-design classes of J/22s, J/24s, J/105s, and ORC handicap divisions. Read more here. 

J/70 US National Championship Preview

(Ft. Worth, TX)- From November 7th to 10th, the Fort Worth Boat Club on the gorgeous Eagle Mountain Lake in Ft. Worth, TX will be hosting the 2024 J/70 US National Championship. Currently, twenty-one teams will be participating on this shifty, puffy, challenging lake to the west of downtown Ft. Worth and Dallas. Read more here. 

French J/80 Nationals Preview

(Saint-Cast, France)- From November 8th to 10th, the Club Nautique de Saint-Cast will be hosting the French J/80 National Championship. The entire team at the Saint-Cast Nautical Center is dedicated to making this event an unforgettable experience, both in terms of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Saint-Cast Le Guildo is a renowned resort on the Emerald Coast, boasting a stunning body of water and excellent port facilities. Notably, this club was a pioneer of the J/80 class in France and has a fleet of J/80s that frequently participates in events. The CN Saint-Cast is recognized for its expertise in organizing J/80 competitions. Read more here.

Hong Kong Round The Island Race Preview

(Hong Kong, China)- The annual Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Around the Island Race will take place on Saturday, October 26th. This event is one of the largest inshore races in Hong Kong, covering a distance of 26.0 nautical miles around Hong Kong Island. More than 200 boats are expected to participate, with over 1,500 competitors from various yacht, sailing, and rowing clubs across the region. The race features a significant J/80 one-design class, along with several J-class boats competing in the IRC handicap classes. Read more here.

J/Soft Shell Vest- October 20% Off Special
(Newport, RI)- The J/Soft Shell Vest introduces new performance features welcomed under diverse sailing conditions. The soft shell offers warmth from bonded layers of microfiber and spandex for ease of movement while protecting from windy, rainy, and chilly conditions.
Features:- 1000 mm waterproof rating- 96% polyester, 4% spandex bonded to 100% polyester micro-fleece- Wind and water-resistant – Interior storm flap with chin guard- Open hem with dropped back bottom.
The J/Class logo is embroidered and you may customize it for the whole crew. Customize with your yacht detail as an option.  Order your J/Soft Shell vest top here.

 

About J/Boats
The story of J/Boats is a classic entrepreneurial tale. With a $20,000 investment and a speedy 24-foot sailboat that Rod Johnstone built in his garage, Rod and his brother Bob Johnstone went into business in 1977. The boat they built, the J/24, has become the most popular recreational offshore keelboat in the world. The Johnstone family has made an undeniable mark on the sailing world. In addition to the 5,500 J/24s cruising the waves, there are over 9,500 more J/Boats, ranging from the International J/22 to the J/65, that sailing enthusiasts have bought at prices ranging from $10,000 to $2,000,000.  Read more

You can read Bob Johnstone’s 2023 memoir, “MAVERICK MARKETER”, which Gary Jobson described as “A compelling, page-turner, with uplifting, fascinating stories.” The memoir includes background on how J/Boats got started and how many of its designs were created. It is available in ebook, softcover, hardcover, and audiobook formats on Amazon.

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(Athens, Greece)- This past week, the J/11s AIOLIA sailed the weekend-long Greece ORC Doublehanded National Championship and won their DH 1 Division and the ORC Doublehanded Overall. Sailing was owner/skipper Spiros Papantoniou and teammate Ermioni Oikoonomopoulou. Their boat is a modified J/111 with twin rudders, only three were ever made. 

The 138.0nm race started on Saturday morning and the 20-boat fleet all finished by Sunday afternoon. Spiros and Ermioni were extremely pleased with their performance, winning by over 48 minutes on ORC correct time! 

(Toronto, ONT, Canada)- It’s been eight years since the J/80 North American Championship came to Toronto, and again the National Yacht Club did not disappoint. Thirty teams competed in perfect warm Fall conditions on Lake Ontario from October 1st to. 6th. Tight racing and dynamic shifty winds ensured no one could relax, and every game plan was subject to continuous rewrite.

The National YC Race Committee got right down to business, and after three races on day one, LIFTED (Chris Hobbs, Samantha Webster, Kris Werner, Tyler Woodworth) topped the leaderboard, while Cristian Bieder’s CHIMICHURRI, returning NAs champion Conor Hayes’s MORE GOSTOSA, and Graham Philpott’s BLACK DOG completed the top 5 on the leaderboard. 
The day two forecast was for a light or dying breeze. That’s exactly what happened partway through the second race. Eight boats completed the race as a thermal flipped the breeze 180 degrees, stranding the rest of the fleet and causing all to score TLE. LIFTED survived and delivered three bullets to consolidate her pole position!
Sunday brought a bigger SW breeze and choppy conditions, with LIFTED fending off the competition to convincingly win the regatta overall. Second place was Graham Philpott’S BLACK DOG (with a crew of Ben Crosby, Emmet Todd, & Tom Wells), with third place to fellow Winnipesaukee stalwart Conor Hayes’s MORE GOSTOSA (with a crew of Joe Diller, Dan Jolda, & Catherine McLaughlin). 
CORINTHIANS DIVISIONThe Corinthian (fully amateur) honors went to Philpott’s Team BLACK DOG, with Hayes’s MORE GOSTOSA in second, and Thomas Kopp’s KOPP OUT) and team (Elizabeth Fisher, Ralph Fisher, and CJ Ruffing)from Grosse Point, MI in third.
Huge credit to all racers for making this a true North American Championship and a banner event. Boats traveled from Lake Winnipesaukee, Massachusetts, Annapolis, Newport, and, most especially, Seattle (Julian Croxall’s RECKLESS). Amazing commitment by teams to the Class – congratulations to all racers!
Fleet 20 is the fastest-growing J/80 fleet, now with 33 boats across five individual fleets: Toronto, Oakville, Port Dover, Ottawa/Nepean, Kingston, and Rochester. Canada also will host the 2026 J/80 World Championship in the Olympic sailing venue of Kingston, Ontario.  For more J/80 North American Championship scores and sailing information.