Month: December 2024

(Fort Worth, Texas)- After winning the first USA J/70 Nationals on HESTIA, Jim Murry was interviewed about why he loves sailing and why, in particular, he loves sailing in the International J/70 Class around the world.
He describes what it means to keep sailing lighthearted and competitive in the competitive J/70 class. Sailing with a “one pro” setup, HESTIA took on some of the toughest competition in the sport, holding strong by prioritizing enjoyment on the water.
Murray shared, “We’re lucky just to be able to go sailing… we try to focus less on the outcome and more just on the vibe.” This uplifting mindset has brought Murray, Zeke Horowitz, Will Howard, and Steven Leuck to the top. Cheers to HESTIA for keeping the adventure alive!
Thanks for this interview by Hannah Lee Noll
Enjoy watching Murray’s interview here on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN1AdYDR1Hw

(Miami, FL)- The J/70 Bacardi Winter Series kicks off on December 14-15, 2024 at Shake-A-Leg Miami, with the second event unfolding from January 24-26, 2025. 2024/2025 marks the seventh edition of the J/70 Bacardi Winter Series which has been strongly and enthusiastically supported by the J/70 class since its inception.
The J/70 Bacardi Winter Series events lead into the season finale at the renowned Bacardi Cup Regatta from March 5-8, 2025.
The first event will see a stellar turnout from the J/70 class, which attracts top teams from around the world. A contingent of thirty-three international teams from five nations (USA, Canada, Caymans Islands, United Kingdom, and Brazil) will be pointing their bows across the line for the first race.
Amongst the J/70 fleet are several World, North American, European, and National champions. Sure to factor at the top of the leaderboard will be Dan Goldberg’s BAZINGA, Paul Wollman’s BRUTUS from England, Cate Muller-Terhune’s CASTING COUCH, John Heaton’s EMPEIRIA, Bryce Kalow’s KID’S TABLE, Maggie McKillen’s MAGATRON, Peter Cunningham’s POWERPLAY from the Cayman Islands, Peter Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY all Pro team (Willem Van Waay, Victor Diaz de Leon, and Jud Smith- familiar names?), John Brim’s RIMETTE, Brian Keane’s SAVASANA (last year’s series winner), Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE, Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT, Jim Murray’s HESTIA, Ralph Vasconcellos Rosa’s MINDSET from Brazil (recent J/70 South American Champion), Peter Vessella’s PULSE “rookie” crew (Karl Anderson, Mark Mendelblatt, and Max Lopez.. yikes!), and Mike Goldfarb’s WAR CANOE.
For more J/70 Bacardi Cup sailing information & resultshttps://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eid=16828
For more J/70 Bacardi Winter Series sailing informationhttps://bacardiinvitational.com/winterseries1/

(Sydney, Australia)- Over the past 78 years, the ROLEX Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has become an icon of Australia’s summer sport, ranking in public interest with such national events as the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Open tennis, and the Boxing Day cricket test. No regular annual yachting event in the world attracts such huge media coverage as does the three starting lines on Sydney Harbour.
The 628.0 nm course is often described as the most grueling long ocean race in the world, a challenge to everyone who takes part. From the spectacular start in Sydney Harbour, the fleet sails out into the Tasman Sea, down the southeast coast of mainland Australia, across Bass Strait (which divides the mainland from the island State of Tasmania), then down the east coast of Tasmania. At Tasman Island, the fleet turns right into Storm Bay for the final sail up the Derwent River to the historic port city of Hobart.

People who sail the race often say the first and last days are the most exciting. The race starts on Sydney Harbour and attracts hundreds of spectator craft and hundreds of thousands of people lining the shore as helicopters buzz above the fleet, filming for TV around the world.
The final day at sea is exciting with crews fighting to beat their rivals, but also looking forward to the traditional Hobart welcome. Plus, looking forward to having a refreshing drink to relax and celebrate their experience.
Between the first and last days, the fleet sails past some of the most beautiful landscapes and seascapes found anywhere in the world. The New South Wales coast is a mixture of sparkling beaches, coastal townships, and small fishing villages. Nevertheless, for most of the race south, the yachts can be anywhere between the coastline and 40 miles offshore.
During the race, many boats are within sight of each other and crews listen closely to the information from the twice-daily radio position schedules (“skeds” as they are called). In more recent years, crews have been able to pinpoint the entire fleet’s whereabouts and follow each boat’s progress against their own using onboard computers and the YB yacht tracker on the official race website.

Bass Strait (nicknamed the “paddock”) has a dangerous personality. It can be dead calm or spectacularly dangerous. The water is relatively shallow, there’s a south-easterly flowing 2-3 kts current, and the winds can be strong out of the south-southwest. These counter-manding elements of wind against current often create a steep and difficult breaking sea for yachts.
The third leg after the “paddock”- down the east coast of Tasmania takes the fleet past coastal holiday resorts and fishing ports with towering mountains in the background. Approaching Tasman Island, the coastline comprises massive cliffs known as the famous “Organ Pipes” spectacular rock formations, sometimes shrouded in fog.
The winds are often fickle and can vary in strength and direction within a few miles of the island. Sailing becomes very tactical.
After turning right at Tasman Island, sailors often think the race is nearly completed. But, at this point, there are still 40 miles of often hard very difficult sailing to go. Yachts can be left behind in the maze of currents and wind frustrations.
Even when they round the Iron Pot, a tiny island that was once a whaling station, there is still a further 11 miles up the broad reaches of the Derwent River to the finish line off Hobart’s historic Battery Point, with Mount Wellington towering over the city.
Hundreds of people crowd the foreshores of Sullivans Cove to cheer the yachts and their crews while volunteers from the finishing club, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, meet the weary crews with open arms and famous Tasmanian hospitality, and escort them to their berth in the Kings Pier marina.
It’s an event that Tasmanians love to host in the middle of Hobart’s “Taste of Tasmania Festival”.
Then it’s time to celebrate or commiserate, swap yarns about the race with other crews over a few beers in Hobart’s famous waterfront pubs, such as the Customs House Hotel, or the Rolex Sydney Hobart Dockside Bar right on the waterfront.

For this year’s ROLEX Sydney Hobart Race edition, the IRC Doublehanded Division is fielding the largest fleet of J/Teams ever. At the top of the pack are Grant Chipperfield & Peter Dowdney’s J/133 JOKERx2 and Andrew Butler & Peter Just’s J/122E RUMCHASER.
Then, a quintet of J/99s is also sailing IRC Doublehanded, including the previous Sydney-Hobart winners- Jules Hall & Jan Scholten’s DISKO TROOPER- CONTENDER SAILCLOTH! Joining them will be Shane Connelly & Tony Sutton’s RUM REBELLION, Chris O’Neill & Michael ‘Tom’ Johnston’s BLUE PLANET, Ian Smith & Lincoln Dews’s JUPITER, and Paul Beath & Teresa Michell’s VERTIE.
IRC DivisionSailing amongst the “big boys” will be Steve Watson’s J/130 RAGTIME. Isn’t that a familiar name to J/Boats aficionados? Indeed it is! This was Rodney Johnstone’s original J/130 RAGTIME bought in the USA and shipped to Australia!
For more ROLEX Sydney Hobart Race sailing informationhttps://rolexsydneyhobart.com/

SRM Leads Sweep of Overall Podium- including two J/105s!(San Diego, CA)- There is an old wise tale about the three-race Hot Rum Series. One of the races will feature one ‘”perfect weather” day with sun, no clouds, flat seas, and a perfect westerly breeze that boats can reach/run around the course. Then, another race will have stormy conditions, not limited to blustery southerly winds, significant swell/waves, and maybe some rain to make it truly miserable. Then, another race that has little to no wind! Hot Rum Series races 1 and 2 were nearly identical featuring the most desirable “perfect weather” conditions. Winds were in the mid to high teens from that sweet westerly direction. Consider the finish times for Jim Madden’s J/100 STARK RAVING MADE with consistent top-level performance: Race 1 finished at 14:11 and Race 2 finished even faster at 14:07. Race 1 enjoyed 110 finishers in about 32 minutes, while Race 2 clocked 114 finishers in about 1 hour. And so, while the morning of Race 3 dawned bright, it was also warm and dry, suggesting light Santa Ana conditions — and so it was. The Race Committee administered a 20-minute AP (postponement) due to the absolute lack of wind across the start area and a flood tide that would have caused boats attempting to start to pile up within the first few hundred feet of the course. By 12:30, there was enough wind to get boats moving down the course toward mark 1, with marginally better wind outside the harbor. But, there wasn’t enough for most sailors. By the time the race clock ran out at the 4:30 PM time limit, 34 boats had finished in the preceding 30 minutes with Jim Madden’s third place STARK RAVING MAD crossing the line at 15:58. Even subtracting the 20-minute postponement, his finish time would have been 15:38, around an hour and a half longer than his Race 1 or Race 2 elapsed time. PHRF OVERALLIn the overall series scores – Class 6 was the huge winner. The top 3 boats were J/Teams that do well, especially, on a powerful reaching course. Third place was awarded to J/105 J-ALMIGHTY skippered by Mike Hatch. Second place went to the J/105 PERSEVERANCE owned and driven by Bennet Greenwald and Dave Vieregg. And first place went to defending Overall winner, Jim Madden and crew aboard his J/100 STARK RAVING MAD.
PHRF 2 DivisionIn this thirteen-boat fleet, it was the story of the trio of J/145s. All well-sailed teams. In the end, it was Rudy Hasl’s PALAEMON that took third, followed by Steven Ernest’s AIMANT DE FILLE in fourth. Alec Oberschmidt’s ARRGH took seventh place.

PHRF 3 DivisionThis eighteen-boat division had a very bizarre and eclectic group of boats racing against each other. Imagine, a J/122 or J/111 against a Cape 31, Melges 32, or Farr 30. Not exactly, a level playing field. Nevertheless, Mark Stratton’s J/122 CHEEKY won the bronze medal. Meanwhile, Erostino Dagfish’s J/122 DOUBLE HELIX took fourth place and Ed Sanford’s J/111 CREATIVE ended up fifth.

CLASS 4 DivisionIn this twenty-one-boat fleet, three J/teams faired quite well. Garnering third place was Eric Axford’s J/120 CAPER, They were followed in fourth place by a past multiple times winner of this division; Chuck Nichol’s and Kyle Clark’s CCRIDER. Then, rounding out the top five in fifth place was Jeff Shew’s J/121 RAVEN.
CLASS 5 DivisionAmongst the dozen boats sailing in this fleet, it was Jim & Scott Barber’s J/109 FELEENA that took fifth place.
CLASS 6 DivisionWinning with straight bullets in this large two-dozen boat fleet was Jim Madden’s J/100 STARK RAVING MAD. Second place went to Bennet Greenwald & Dave Vieregg’s J/105 PERSEVERANCE. Then, Mike Hatch’s J/105 J-ALMIGHTY ended up in fifth place.
CLASS 7 DivisionIt was a duel between two J/crew for the top of the leaderboard in this seventeen-boat fleet. Winning by a single point was Scott Bennett’s J/92 FANDANGO. Meanwhile, settling for the silver despite winning the last race was Chuck Bowers’s J/29 RHUMB RUNNER.
Thank you to perennial event supporter Mt. Gay Barbados Rum, and to the volunteers serving on the Protest Committee arbitrating knowledge and experiences on the race course, and to the Race Committee volunteers that manage the starts, mind the buoys, and score this winter hallmark event.
For more San Diego Yacht Club Hot Rum Series sailing and scoring informationhttps://sdyc.org/calendar/event/hot-rum-series-1-24

As we sail towards the end of 2024, the spirit of competition and camaraderie among J/Boat sailors worldwide remains vibrant. This week’s issue is filled with exciting updates, including the unveiling of the sleek and versatile new J/7 Daysailer—a boat designed to maximize your time on the water with family and friends.
We will also highlight recent regattas, such as the impressive performance of a J/100 at San Diego’s iconic Hot Rum Series, and another triumph by GERONIMO at the 35th Jammin’ J/22 Jamaica Regatta. Additionally, we’ll look ahead to thrilling upcoming events, including the legendary ROLEX Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the highly anticipated J/70 Bacardi Winter Series in Miami.
Don’t miss an inspiring story from our J/Community, where passion for sailing and perseverance shine brighter than any trophy. Read on to discover what makes the J/Boats community so special.

Introducing the NEW J/7 Daysailer for 2025 
(Newport, RI)- J/Boats is pleased to introduce the NEW J/7, a modern 23’ (7.0m) family daysailer with a huge, sit-in cockpit, easy-to-handle sail plan, and built-in stability that’s second to none in the size range. This is the perfect-sized daysailer – roomy enough to bring the whole gang and small enough to tow home behind a mid-sized SUV.  
Double Your Sailing DaysThere’s beauty in simplicity, and with the J/7, it couldn’t be simpler. With one hand on the tiller and the other on the mainsheet, one can happily sail all day. All sail controls are within reach of the cockpit, and an adjustable backstay allows instant flattening of the sails in puffy conditions. With the J/7’s exceptional stability, one can carry the main and small jib across various conditions. The J/7 also excels under mainsail alone, meaning more opportunities to sail when most others stay home. This versatility will double your days on the water next season. 
Sailing in Comfort and Style The J/7’s cockpit comfort rivals that of the larger J/9 (28’) – known to have the most comfortable cockpit of any J ever. On the J/7, five-plus can find comfy places to relax, and four adults can sit on the same side while sailing upwind. The walk-through swim platform is a bonus space – perfect for hanging out, dragging your feet in the water, or as a secure platform for teaching. Visibility from the helm (while seated) is excellent, thanks to the high boom and the sleek cabin profile that still provides protection from the elements for those sitting in the forward corner seats. 
For more J/7 Daysailer sailboat information-  Read more here.

J/100 STARK RAVING MAD Wins 2024 Hot Rum Series

SRM Leads Sweep of Overall Podium- including two J/105s!(San Diego, CA)- There is an old wise tale about the three-race Hot Rum Series. One of the races will feature one ‘”perfect weather” day with sun, no clouds, flat seas, and a perfect westerly breeze that boats can reach/run around the course. Then, another race will have stormy conditions,  not limited to blustery southerly winds, significant swell/waves, and maybe some rain to make it truly miserable. Then, another race that has little to no wind! Hot Rum Series races 1 and 2 were nearly identical featuring the most desirable “perfect weather” conditions. Winds were in the mid to high teens from that sweet westerly direction. Consider the finish times for Jim Madden’s J/100 STARK RAVING MADE with consistent top-level performance: Race 1 finished at 14:11 and Race 2 finished even faster at 14:07. Race 1 enjoyed 110 finishers in about 32 minutes, while Race 2 clocked 114 finishers in about 1 hour.. Read more here.

J/Teams Dominate SORC Wirth Munro Ocean Race Overall!

J/122 & J/125 Go One-Two Overall and J/122s Sweep ORC C Division!(Miami, FL)- In picture-perfect tropical conditions, Matthew Schaedler’s J/122 BLITZKRIEG from Toledo, Ohio was the overall winner of the Sailfish Club of Florida’s 68th Wirth Munroe Race from Miami to Palm Beach on December 6, 2024. This was the second event of the 2024-25 Islands in the Stream Series.
The 29-boat fleet representing 14 states included four ORC classes and a PHRF division racing on two courses — the Classic course starting in Miami and the Sprint course starting in Fort Lauderdale. Both courses finished off Palm Beach.  Read more here.  

GERONIMO Conquers Jammin’ J/22 Jamaica Regatta- the 35th “Coral Reef” Edition Report!

(Montego Bay, Jamaica)- The 35th running of the Jammin’ J/22 Jamaica Regatta was one for the history books. With six boats representing five clubs and four countries, it was a great mix of seasoned veterans and newcomers. The team from Cayman (Cayman Islands Sailing Club) included longtime Jammin’ veterans Bruce Johnson and Pete Bridge along with first-timers like Bill Menard and Shelly-Ann Davis. These sailors came to Montego Bay via their trusty J/33 – BLUE RUNNER. The conditions to get to Jamaica were far from ideal for them, but they managed!
. Read more here.

ROLEX Sydney Hobart Race Preview

(Sydney, Australia)- Over the past 78 years, the ROLEX Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has become an icon of Australia’s summer sport, ranking in public interest with such national events as the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Open tennis, and the Boxing Day cricket test. No regular annual yachting event in the world attracts such huge media coverage as does the three starting lines on Sydney Harbour.
The 628.0 nm course is often described as the most grueling long ocean race in the world, a challenge to everyone who takes part. From the spectacular start in Sydney Harbour, the fleet sails out into the Tasman Sea, down the southeast coast of mainland Australia, across Bass Strait (which divides the mainland from the island State of Tasmania), then down the east coast of Tasmania.  At Tasman Island, the fleet turns right into Storm Bay for the final sail up the Derwent River to the historic port city of Hobart.
People who sail the race often say the first and last days are the most exciting. The race starts on Sydney Harbour and attracts hundreds of spectator craft and hundreds of thousands of people lining the shore as helicopters buzz above the fleet, filming for TV around the world.
The final day at sea is exciting with crews fighting to beat their rivals, but also looking forward to the traditional Hobart welcome. Plus, looking forward to having a refreshing drink to relax and celebrate their experience. Read more here.

J/70 Bacardi Winter Series Preview- Act 1

(Miami, FL)- The J/70 Bacardi Winter Series kicks off on December 14-15, 2024 at Shake-A-Leg Miami, with the second event unfolding from January 24-26, 2025. 2024/2025 marks the seventh edition of the J/70 Bacardi Winter Series which has been strongly and enthusiastically supported by the J/70 class since its inception. Read more here.

Cool Interview with J/70 HESTIA Owner- Jim Murray from Chicago

(Fort Worth, Texas)- After winning the first USA J/70 Nationals on HESTIA, Jim Murray was interviewed about why he loves sailing and why, in particular, he loves sailing in the International J/70 Class around the world. 
He describes what it means to keep sailing lighthearted and competitive in the competitive J/70 class. Sailing with a “one pro” setup, HESTIA took on some of the toughest competition in the sport, holding strong by prioritizing enjoyment on the water! 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:

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

(Miami, FL)- The J/70 Bacardi Winter Series kicks off on December 14-15, 2024 at Shake-A-Leg Miami, with the second event unfolding from January 24-26, 2025. 2024/2025 marks the seventh edition of the J/70 Bacardi Winter Series which has been strongly and enthusiastically supported by the J/70 class since its inception.
The J/70 Bacardi Winter Series events lead into the season finale at the renowned Bacardi Cup Regatta from March 5-8, 2025.

The first event will see a stellar turnout from the J/70 class, which attracts top teams from around the world. Thirty-three teams from five nations (USA, Canada, Caymans Islands, United Kingdom, and Brazil) will be pointing their bows across the line for the first race.

Amongst the J/70 fleet are several World, North American, European, and National champions. Sure to factor at the top of the leaderboard will be Dan Goldberg’s BAZINGA, Paul Wollman’s BRUTUS from England, Cate Muller-Terhune’s CASTING COUCH, John Heaton’s EMPEIRIA, Bryce Kalow’s KID’S TABLE, Maggie McKillen’s MAGATRON, Peter Cunningham’s POWERPLAY from the Cayman Islands, Peter Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY all Pro team (Willem Van Waay, Victor Diaz de Leon, and Jud Smith- familiar names?), John Brim’s RIMETTE, Brian Keane’s SAVASANA (last year’s series winner), Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE, Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT, Jim Murray’s HESTIA, Ralph Vasconcellos Rosa’s MINDSET from Brazil (recent J/70 South American Champion), Peter Vessella’s PULSE “rookie” crew (Karl Anderson, Mark Mendelblatt, and Max Lopez.. yikes!), and Mike Goldfarb’s WAR CANOE.
Hmmm…I don’t think anyone in Las Vegas would put odds on this event for a “win-place-show” on the podium! Wowowow… truly a “flip-of-the-coin” scenario depending on weather conditions and sheer discipline by the crews to avoid the “down-the-mine-shaft” bad race! Pull up your chairs, fire up the popcorn maker, and chill those beverages… should make for amazing entertainment!
For more J/70 Bacardi Cup sailing information & resultshttps://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eid=16828
For more J/70 Bacardi Winter Series sailing informationhttps://bacardiinvitational.com/winterseries1/

(Hamble, Southhampton, England)- The 43rd running of the Hamble Winter Series was completed this past weekend, thanks to the amazing volunteers at Hamble River Sailing Club. The series proved to be a somewhat drama-filled few weeks of sailing. Here’s what’s happened for the series in each division- J/111 and IRC handicap.
Robert Hillman’s EXUBERANT was the Race Committee vessel for Race Week 6 of the Hamble Winter Series, sponsored by Key Yachting. Indeed, exuberant was how everyone was feeling, with the prospect of two races for the second week running. You could feel the energy as the Race Team and competitors headed for 4S- Royal Southern buoy.

The forecast was for 8-12 knots WNW to W and that was pretty much what happened. The PRO Peter Bateson and his trusted sidekick, Kathryn Clark, decided on one very short windward/leeward race to get the crews warmed up – and to put another race score in the bag – followed by a “proper” round the cans race to finish off. The W/L was just over 3 miles for IRC 2.
The combined start for classes IRC 1 and IRC 2 saw the first general recall of the series, with around a third of the 20 boats over the line. With a Z-flag preparatory signal, they got away fairly cleanly on the second attempt. Alain Waha’s J/99 FURTHER WEST led the finishers home in IRC 2. Rob Cotterill’s J/109 MOJO RISIN was second over the line.

In the second race, Mike & Susie Yates’s J/109 JAGO took second place, while Waha’s J/99 FURTHER WEST ended up third place.
Back in HRSC Clubhouse Key Yachting presented the prizes. Ian Handley summed up the day. “Overall, a fantastic day’s racing in 11-17 knots and a bit of sun. Our second prize, a bottle of Salcombe Gin, felt like a win and will be much appreciated by Charles’s Mum when we get home.”

Winter Series J/111 ClassChris Jones & Louise Makin’s JOURNEYMAKER II won seven races with 9 pts net total to take the class title! Second was Paul Griffiths’s JAGERBOMB counting three 1sts and five 2nds for 13 pts net. In third was the Jolene Syndicate’s JOLENE with 22 pts net.
Winter Series IRC 2 DivisionAfter twelve races, winning was Mike & Susie Yates’s J/109 JAGO in first with 10 pts net. Then, faltering a bit at the tail-end of the series, Rob Cotterill’s MOJO RISIN ended up taking the bronze medal.
Thanks for the contributions from Trevor Pountain
Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyethhttp://wwww.pwpictures.com
For more Hamble Winter Series sailing informationhttps://www.hamblewinterseries.com/

(Miami, FL)- The second of the SORC’s “Islands in the Stream Series” is taking place this weekend- the Wirth Munro Race from Miami, FL north to Palm Beach, FL. It’s a full-on sprint with the Gulf Stream just offshore offering up to 5 kts of boost going north in the swiftly moving current!
The SORC Islands in the Stream Series consists of four races. Here is the schedule:
2024November 21st- Sailors Choice RaceDecember 6th- Wirth Munroe Ocean Race
2025January 9th- Ft. Lauderdale- Key West RaceFebruary. 20th- Nassau Cup Ocean Race
The annual Wirth M. Munroe Ocean Race is among the oldest races in North America. First sailed in 1957 and named for the renowned Miami naval architect, the Wirth M. Munroe pits skippers and their crews against the vagaries of the Gulf Stream and the early winter frontal systems along Florida’s southeastern coast. The race, sailed the first Friday in December, is affectionately known by participants as the “Race to the Buffet,” a nod to the sponsoring Sailfish Club of Florida’s legendary seafood dinner, reception, and awards ceremony offered to all skippers and their crews.
The Wirth M. Munroe has a rich history. In 1957, members of the Cruising Club of America’s Florida Station, led by Dick Bertram (famous founder of Bertram Yachts powerboats), wanted to give racing yachts arriving from the north a shakedown event for the Southern Ocean Racing Conference series held in January and February. The Miami-to-Palm Beach event attracted large fleets and sailing superstars, quickly establishing it as a favorite on the big-boat southern swing. In the 1960s, the Sailfish Club of Florida became a co-sponsor, and the post-race seafood buffet at its Palm Beach clubhouse became a “must” for skippers and their crews.
In the early 2000s, to generate participation across a broader spectrum of boats, the original course was shortened to a 40-miler from Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach. In honor of the 60th anniversary of the race in 2016, the Sailfish Club, in partnership with the Storm Trysail Club, reinstated the Miami to Palm Beach course. Two years later, the current two-course format was introduced, drawing strong and diverse fleets, from ocean racing machines to racer-cruisers to coastal cruisers.
ORC B DivisionSailing in this seven-boat fleet is Chris Saxton’s J/125 VORTICES 2 from Detroit, MI. His team is hoping to continue their winning ways after their excellent performance in the first race of the series- the Sailor’s Choice Race.
ORC C DivisionA trio of J/122s are sailing the eight-boat fleet– watch out! Those three very experienced J/122 offshore teams are Andrew Clark’s ZIG ZAG, Constantine Baris’s DIRE WOLF, and Matt Schaedler’s BLITZKRIEG.
PHRF DivisionSailing the shorter course from Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach in this five-boat fleet is Alex Hill’s J/30 PAPARAZZI.
For more Wirth Munro Ocean Race sailing information & resultshttps://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=16848
For more SORC Sailors Choice Race sailing informationhttp://www.sorcsailing.org