Month: October 2024

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

(Rye, NY)- The American Yacht Club’s annual Fall Regatta marks the close of the summer offshore sailing season on Long Island Sound. It’s always a well-attended event and it attracts dozens of J/Boats owners up and down the Sound for racing in one-design classes of J/44s, J/105s, J/70s, and a half-dozen PHRF handicap classes. The fleet was treated to great sailing and good breezes for the two-weekend event, enabling racing all four days and the one-design classes to have nine races! 

J/44 ClassThe five-boat fleet was yet again treated to a “schooling” by former New York YC Commodore Bill Ketcham’s MAXINE. After a “slow start” of a 2-4-2, Ketcham’s team peeled off six straight bullets to win by a country furlong with just 10 pts net!
Learning quick and good students of the sport of racing sailboats has been the women duo of June & Amanda Kendrick’s PALANTIR 5. This year they started well with a 1-2-3, then ripped off straight deuces to take the silver medal with 15 pts net. Rounding out the podium on the bronze medal step was Willets Meyer’s BEAGLE with 25 pts net. 
J/105 ClassGetting back to his old form after sailing J/105s for 30+ years was Damian Emery’s WARLOCK. Emery’s WARLOCK team dominated the J/105 fleet with five 1sts and four 2nds en route to solid performance for 11 pts net. Not to be outdone, veteran J/105 skipper Paul Beaudin and his LOULOU team also counted all podium scores to take the silver medal with 13 pts Net. Then, the balance of the podium was David Owen’s ECHO with 30 pts net. 
J/70 ClassJean Marc Papin/s PEN SEGAL simply wiped the slate clean with straight bullets for all seven races in this fleet. Caelan McMichael’s USA 1725 took second with 15 pts net, while Lucas Swain’s USA 1747 took the bronze medal.
Coastal PHRF 1 DivisionLoving the conditions and courses for their four days of sailing was Len Sitar’s beautiful blue J/160 COUGAR. They posted a blistering scoreline of 1-1-1-3 for 6 pts total to handily win their fleet.
Coastal PHRF 2 DivisionIt was a clean sweep for J/crews in this fleet. Winning was Ron Richman’s J/133 ANTIDOTE with a 2-2-2-1 tally for 7 pts. Second was last year’s division winner, Erik Asgeirsson’s J/45 ACADIA with a 3-3-1-5 scorecard for 12 pts. Then, taking the bronze medal was Bill Klein’s J/120 SPECK with a 4-4-3-2 record for 13 pts. 
Coastal PHRF 3 DivisionThe top five was dominated by J/crews. Taking the silver was Steve Landry & Derek Soohoo’s J/100 SANGUINE. Third was Todd Aven’s J/99 THIN MAN, fourth went to Ray Warner’s J/99 AGENT 99, and fifth was Robert Schwarz’s J/109 NORDLYS. 
Coastal PHRF 4 DivisionThe top two podium steps were determined by a tiebreaker at 7 pts each. Winning the countback was Jason Viseltear’s J/80 UPSETTER, followed by JC Zucconi & Jim Townsend’s J/92 EASY RED. 
PHRF J/100 ClassThe J/100s on western Long Island Sound have been enjoying a renaissance in this beautiful 33-foot “eye candy” of a daysailer. Winning again was the trio of Tom Boyle, Bob Clyatt, & Doug McKiege ono BLUEFIN. Second went to William Hennes’s LIBERTY and third was the duo of Drew Fung & Pat Jakobson’s FREEDOM.  For more American YC Fall Regatta results and sailing information.

(Hong Kong, China)- JUICE, the only J/99 currently in Hong Kong, continued her winning ways with victory in the IRC 2 category of the Aberdeen Boat Club opening regatta last weekend. Comprising of three races over two days JUICE faced stiff competition from the fleet of seven boats. 
Saturday ChallengesSaturday dawned light and somewhat westerly forcing a reverse course into Lamma Island for the first windward leeward. This provided unusual and close racing with JUICE and ZESSt finishing 45 seconds apart after an hour and twenty minutes, having taken differing sides of the track. Thereafter, a thunderstorm and lightning show over Hong Kong Island created a change of wind direction through the southerly quadrant and then back again to an easterly direction where the wind finally settled. After a lengthy delay, the course was relaid, and a more familiar route was taken. As the breeze had come up JUICE had changed to a J2 jib, which proved very costly as the wind faded in the start sequence. Given that now there was a 3-lap race, the team had to change back to the J1 jib on the first run and cope with a stuck kite halyard on the drop. ZESST was gone and INTRIGUE as well, leaving JUICE in 3rd and work to do on Sunday.
Sunday Island TourIslands races are long and, in light breeze, there are plenty of restarts in the wind shadows. Good job as JUICE ran into some plastic and lost a lot of time on the first beat. Going hard into Beaufort Island and finding a familiar breeze line brought JUICE back into the race only to lose ground again rounding Fury Rocks. JUICE stayed very high on the run and squeezed around Po Toi island to find ZESST trapped in a wind hole on the other side of the channel. Meanwhile, veteran yacht GAMBIT was hard on our tail. The three boats finished 40 seconds apart after three and a half hours of racing giving GAMBIT the Islands Race win and JUICE the regatta win!

(Macatawa Bay, MI)- The Macatawa Bay Yacht Club on Lake Michigan hosted the 2024 J/88 North American Championship for a fleet of eleven very competitive teams. The four-day regatta took place from September 25th to 29th on Macatawa Bay. 
After the nine-race one-toss race series over the four days of sailing, it was apparent there was a “new sheriff in town”; a new champion emerged from the clouds of battle on Lake Michigan. Starting with an impressive 1-1-6-1 to lead the regatta after the first day, there was no turning back for Lindsey Duda’s SIN DUDA team, finishing the regatta with just 19 pts net! Behind them, it was a real battle for the balance of the podium and the top five for four other teams. Taking the silver medal was Ben Marden’s BANTER with 26 pts net. The bronze went to Dave Tufts’s GAUCHO with 31 pts net. Then, rounding out the top five was Dave Dennison’s PIRANHA with 33 pts net and Andy Graff’s EXILE with 38 pts net, finishing 4th and 5th, respectively. 
CORINTHIANS DivisionWinning Corinthians was Dennison’s PIRANHA, followed by Graff’s EXILE in second, and John Leahey’s DUTCH in third place.  For more J/88 North American Championship sailing information

(Key West, FL)- The SAILING INC. company in Cleveland, OH is once again hosting their popular and fun-loving Southernmost Regatta @ Key West this coming winter from January 20th to 25th, 2025 in Key West, FL. Based out of the Galleon Resort’s awesome Tiki Bar on the waterfront, you cannot imagine a more fun, laid-back place to host and run a regatta in the only Caribbean-like setting in the USA!

Invited is the J/111 Class for its 2025 J/111 North American Championship. Already, eight teams are entered including multiple J/111 North American Champion Peter Wagner’s SKELETON KEY. 
Also invited is the J/70 Class and any J/Teams wishing to sail an ORC handicap division! So far, a half-dozen J/70s have entered! And, in the ORC Division entered are the J/45 SPACEMAN SPIFF and the J/122 DIRE WOLF! For Southernmost Regatta registration information   For more Southernmost Regatta sailing information.

(Macatawa Bay, MI)-  The Macatawa Bay Yacht Club on Lake Michigan will be hosting the 2024 J/88 North American Championship for a fleet of eleven very competitive teams. The four-day regatta is taking place from September 25th to 29th on Macatawa Bay. 

Several perennial class leaders are participating including Lindsey Duda’s SIN DUDA, Ben Marden’s BANTER, John Leahey’s DUTCH, Andy  Graff’s EXILE, and Iris Vogel’s DEVIATION. All of those teams have won major J/88 events from Chicago to Long Island Sound and past J/88 North Americans! For more J/88 North American Championship sailing information

(San Francisco, CA)- One of the best sailboat racing venues in the world, iconic San Francisco Bay, is ready to turn it on for the 60th edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series at St. Francis Yacht Club, September 11-15, 2024. 

The most prestigious regatta on the West Coast has attracted 71 boats and nearly 700 sailors to the docks of St. Francis Yacht Club, to hear what classes will race for Rolexes and perpetual trophies on Wednesday night, and to start preparing for the first race on Thursday, September 12. With a strong turnout in J/88 and J/105 one-design classes and ORC divisions, organizers are thrilled to welcome members and guests to be a part of the action on the water and shoreside. 
“Having been involved in this epic West Coast regatta for some four decades, it is my honor and privilege as Commodore to welcome our members and guests to the 60th edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series,” said Chris Perkins, 2024 Commodore of St. Francis Yacht Club and a past winner of the event. “I wish the best of luck to our competitors who are here to compete in one of the world’s most spectacular racing venues. Sail fast and enjoy our outstanding hospitality.”
“Sailing smart the first couple of days is key, but Saturday and Sunday are really where the championship will be won,” commented Ryan Simmons from the J/105 BLACKHAWK.
Rolex Big Boat Series’ extensive history of champions is a tribute to the depth of talent that graces the event and this year, a solid fleet stacked with talented and tough competition is expected. 
“We have thirty J/105s starting again this year, which is great to see, and the ORC fleet is diverse and deep in talent with past winners returning to defend their titles,” says Felix Weidling, Race Director of St. Francis Yacht Club. “We always have our competitors’ best interests in mind and after taking in sailors’ feedback from last year, we continue to improve this important event which is a cornerstone of West Coast sailboat racing.”
Perennial Rolex Big Boat winner in the J/105 class, Ryan Simmons, and his well-seasoned team on BLACKHAWK are eager to see how the competition will play out in the competitive San Francisco-based J/105 fleet. BLACKHAWK took first in class in 2019, 2021, and 2023, and second in 2022. Simmons does not take for granted that his luck will bear out for another win, although he and his crew are talented enough—and hopeful. 
“We’re lucky, we have low turnover on our team—we’ve been sailing together a long time and it’s a big difference,” says Simmons. “Our competitive edge this year will be consistency. In the first two days of the regatta, you can’t lock in the win, but you can take yourself out of contention, so sailing smart the first couple of days is key, but Saturday and Sunday are really where the championship will be won.”
Hot to prevail against BLACKHAWK is NE*NE, owned and skippered by Tim Russell who has played bridesmaid many times, often finishing in the top three. He’s currently leading the local J/105 fleet in the class championship series, making him a serious podium contender. 
“A first place on NE*NE is eluding me!” says Russell. “You have to take chances and I usually approach every regatta being super conservative. On my starts, I’m trying to win one end or the other and let our boat speed take care of itself and minimize mistakes, but in Big Boat, you have to gamble.”
“Some of the best, most reliable, and most fun sailing conditions in the world are this time of year at this venue, the race management is second to none, and the social side is always spectacular,” explained Peter Wagner, owner/ skipper of the J/111 SKELETON KEY.
Peter Wagner won last year’s ORC-C division on SKELETON KEY, the J/111 he’s owned since 2015. Winner of the J/111 North Americans for two years in a row and St. Francis Yacht Club’s Sailor of the Year in 2023, Wagner is a tough act to follow. He’s been racing the Rolex Big Boat Series for almost 25 years and is looking forward to the solid competition, great conditions, and fun social gatherings.
“It’s always one of the highlights of our season and certainly the highlight of racing on San Francisco Bay,” says Wagner. “In this particular event, we’ve raced in various one-design classes as well as ORR and now ORC and we’re excited about the momentum around ORC. I think it will be a competitive event. Some of the best, most reliable, and most fun sailing conditions in the world are this time of year at this venue, the race management is second to none and the social side is always spectacular. There is always a great group of sailors that convenes around RBBS.”
Other boats returning to defend their 2023 titles include the J/88 PELAGIA owned and skippered by Christos Karamanolis and the J/109 REVERIE owned and skippered by John Arens.
“I’m excited to lead the Rolex Big Boat Series in its 60th anniversary year,” says Susan Ruhne, who chairs the regatta and is the 2024 Rear Commodore of St. Francis Yacht Club. “The event is such an important part of the StFYC’s history and a favorite for so many sailors and spectators to experience. There is nothing like watching 70-plus boats on three race courses duke it out on San Francisco Bay, including the classic downwind run from the Golden Gate Bridge back to the club. I am also very proud that we continue to maintain Rolex Big Boat Series’ status as a Clean Regatta, a foundation of the event.”  Sailing photo credits- Sharon Green/ UltimateSailing.com. For more ROLEX Big Boat Series sailing information and results.