J/105 Fleet and Strong J/Navy Ready for Chester Race Week

ByStuart Johnstone

(Chester, Nova Scotia, Canada)- The Chester Yacht Club is back in action with its famous Chester Race Week. Framed by the Tancook Islands to the southeast and the archipelago of islands to the west, the fleet enjoys gorgeous vistas while racing in the bay. The biggest issue is that fog can often “throw a curveball” at the fleet… a region notorious for heavy, thick fog off the eastern coast of Nova Scotia. Looking forward to the regatta with great enthusiasm will be a small J/Navy racing in the J/105 class and PHRF handicap fleets. Here’s how that all breaks down for the regatta.

J/105 Class
This ten-boat fleet should enjoy spirited competition. The teams vary considerably in one-design racing experience; notable teams include Carl Davis’s JAHMON, James Mosher’s MOJO, Evan Oulahen’s BEAR, Ryan Morris’s FACTOR, Harry Fitzgerald’s GRYPON, and Sean McDermott & Rory Macdonald’s McMAC.

PHRF Division
This 42-boat fleet has yet to be separated into divisions. Nevertheless, 15 J/Teams will participate in the three-day event. As usual, there’s a large contingent of four J/29s (Terry Schnare’s HEAD GAMES, Chris MacDonald’s SCOTCH MIST IV, Steve Binder’s JOY RIDE, and Chris Power’s JAEGER). A significant J/100 group is racing (Terry McKenna’s DOG PARTY, Paul Rafuse’s CROWS, and Larry Caesar’s YOUNGBLOOD). Two J/120s are sailing (Mike Hardy’s BEJOULED and Jordan MacNeil’s HELIX). Also sailing are Colin Mann’s famous J/92 POOHSTICKS, Chris Campbell’s J/44 SPICE, and Andrew Childs’s J/122 ORION.

PHRF Pursuit Division
Sailing in this nineteen-boat fleet are Keith Amirault’s J/130 DRAGONFLY, Don McAlpine’s J/9 OUT’N’ABOUT, Paul Downing’s J/24 MORRIS CODE, and Dawn Carey’s J/30 CAREY ON.

For Chester Race Week race results
https://yachtscoring.com/emenu/50638

For more Chester Race Week sailing information
https://chesterraceweek.com/