J/Boats News & Reviews

(Buenos Aires, Argentina)- The 2022 Argentine J/70 Championship took place over the November 19th to 21st weekend,…

(Sydney, Australia)- The latest race in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Ocean Pointscore Series was the Sydney to Port Hacking Race (approx. 45.0nm round trip) last Saturday.
In the Two-Handed division, CYCA Director Jules Hall’s J/99 DISKO TROOPER- CONTENDER SAILCLOTH won the race on IRC and ORCi, while Andrew Butler’s J/122e RUM CHASER won on PHS and is leading the PHS series. 
Jules Hall from DISKO TROOPER- CONTENDER SAILCLOTH commented, “interesting racing on Saturday. A classic building NE breeze. We were the second two-handed boat on the water at the Port Hacking turning mark (largely due to errors with kites on other boats approaching the mark), rounding just behind the Shearwater 57.
We had a good beat back, bouncing off the shore and swapping places with the two Sydney 36s (Salt Shaker and Philosopher), Rum Chaser (J/122e), and Crystal Cutter (Beneteau 40 – crewed). Through the Sydney Heads a few boat lengths behind Salt Shaker and Philosopher. Crystal Cutter is behind us. We lost a bit down the harbor due to a lack of practice sailing the A3.5 in 25 knots so should have been a couple of minutes closer at the finish. Managed to snag the win on IRC and ORCi! Plus, great news for newcomer Ian Smith on J/99 JUPITER finishing third on ORCi.”  Sailing photo credit- Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

(Sydney, Australia)- At 10:00 am on Saturday 12th November 2022 a fleet of 49 yachts started the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia 83.0nm Bird Island race where competitors sail from Sydney Harbour to Bird Island (approximately 3nm northeast of Norah Head), before returning to Sydney Harbour to finish. 
In light breeze conditions, the fleet headed north out of Sydney Harbour with Jules Hall in his J/99 DISKO TROOPER- CONTENDER SAILCLOTH leading the way out the heads in the Two-Handed Division followed closely by Ian Smith in his J/99 JUPITER, Andrew Butler in his J/122e RUM CHASER and Shane Connelly in his J/99 RUM REBELLION They were joined by a good fleet of Sunfast 3300’s. 
In total 11 Two-handed yachts were competing in the race representing 20% of the total fleet. A light south easter of about 6 to 8 knots kicked in about four hours after the race start which finally got the fleet moving. This prevailed to just south of Bird Island with the entire Division 2 fleet including most of the Two-handed boats very close together.  The fleet rounded Bird Island in fickle conditions which prevailed as the fleet commenced its slow trek home. 
Shane Connelly’s RUM REBELLION was able to find whispers of breeze around dawn on Sunday morning which got RUM REBELLION moving and climbing through and ahead of most of Div 2 fully-crewed fleet.  
“The J/99 is an amazing little boat,” said Connelly. “I was able to keep up with many well-sailed and much longer crewed boats sailed by very good sailors.”  Connelly won’t give up his light wind secrets, saying only “we had the right sail up at the right time and persevered when the wind dropped or changed direction radically!”  
The results speak for themselves.  Amazingly J/99 RUM REBELLION was 1st IRC Two-handed, 1st IRC Div 2 Overall, 2nd ORCi Two-handed, and 2nd IRC Corinthian overall. That is a lot of silverware to haul home!
Congratulations to all who competed, with a special shout out to J/99’s DISKO TROOPER- CONTENDER SAILCLOTH and JUPITER, and J/122’s JOSS and RUM REBELLION (another one!).  We look forward to the Cabbage Tree Island Race (172nm) which commences on the 2nd of December.
Thanks for this contribution from Shane Connelly, owner of the J/99 RUM REBELLION.  Sailing photo credits- Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.  For more J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster sailboat information

As the northern hemisphere is ever so slowly meandering its way through the fall and heading into the winter months, it is cause for celebration in America to give “Thanks” to those that helped the early settlers to the “New World” survive their first bitterly cold winter in 1621. 
Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday and occurs this Thursday, November 24. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists (aka “the Pilgrims”) and the Wampanoag native Indian tribe shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. Coincidentally, Governor William Bradford of the Massachusetts colony presided over the feast, a distant relative of the Johnstone family!
Meanwhile, our colleagues “Down Under” in the southern hemisphere have been busy planning their summer 2022/2023 sailing campaigns! In Australia, the Sydney Harbour to Port Hacking Race was hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, it was the next event in the summer-long Ocean Pointscore Series. The 45.0nm race saw some amazing performances from two J/99s and two J/122s.
Off to the east across the Pacific to South America, staying away from the infamous Roaring Forties, of course, we find that Club Nautico Olivos (a northern suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina) hosted the Argentinean J/70 National Championship. The three days of competition produced six races for the twenty-seven-boat fleet that had teams from Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Brazil. Notably, the “international” turn-out was strong because the 2025 J/70 World Championship will also be sailed in the same waters on the Rio de la Plata, hosted by Yacht Club Argentino in downtown Buenos Aires!
While sailing activity is picking up quickly Down Under, the warmer parts of the USA are now seeing quite a bit more activity as that region rolls into its winter sailing season- principally across Florida and southern California.
Out west, the ICYRA College Match Race Championship was sailed in San Diego, CA. Hosting the event was the San Diego Yacht Club with eight teams racing on a fleet of matched J/22 one-design sailboats. 
Simultaneously, the San Diego YC was also hosting its Hot Rum Series, a very popular PHRF “pursuit race” that takes the fleet offshore. The second race in the three-race series just took place for the 128 participants. The “Top bananas” in the whole fleet are a pair of J/105s… not surprising considering they’ve won this series many times. Nevertheless, a number of other J/Teams are having fun, too, like J/145s, more J/105s, J/109s, J/111s, J/122s, and J/120s.
Jumping across the continent to the southeast coastline, two very cool events took place on Tampa Bay, hosted by the St. Petersburg Yacht Club in St. Petersburg, FL. One was the fifth annual J/70 US Youth Championship, with nine teams competing from across the country. The other was the inaugural J/70 Mixed+ Championship for a fleet of eighteen teams.  The format and concept were well-received with very enthusiastic participation by women sailors. The format was the teams had to have at least 50% of the team as women. Anyone could steer, and over half the boats had women’s helms. 
Up in the northeast the annual awards were held for the Buzzards Bay Trophy series. It’s a series of eight races, starting in June and ending in September, that is hosted by all major yacht clubs on Buzzards Bay. A J/120 and J/121 collected a LOT of silverware…as there were trophies for the individual events as well as the overall series!
Hopping across the Big Pond to the United Kingdom, we find the Hamble River Sailing Club continues to host its famous fall sailing event- the Winter Series. After 10 races, it’s clear there is a historical performance taking place in IRC 2 Division by J/109s, as well as an ongoing, epic battle between a J/80 and J/92s in the IRC 3 Division. 
J/Community Finally, in the J/Community section below, the world-famous woman offshore sailor- Pip Hare- is putting together a series of videos on “How to sail doublehanded offshore” on a J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster, sponsored by YACHTING WORLD and Key Yacht Group. 

J/99 and J/122E Silver @ Port Hacking Race
(Sydney, Australia)- The latest race in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Ocean Pointscore Series was the Sydney to Port Hacking Race (approx. 45.0nm round trip) last Saturday.
In the Two-Handed division, CYCA Director Jules Hall’s J/99 DISKO TROOPER- CONTENDER SAILCLOTH won the race on IRC and ORCi, while Andrew Butler’s J/122E RUM CHASER won on PHS and is leading the PHS series. 
Jules Hall from DISKO TROOPER- CONTENDER SAILCLOTH commented, “interesting racing on Saturday. A classic building NE breeze. We were the second two-handed boat on the water at the Port Hacking turning mark (largely due to errors with kites on other boats approaching the mark), rounding just behind the Shearwater 57.
We had a good beat back, bouncing off the shore and swapping places with the two Sydney 36s (Salt Shaker and Philosopher), Rum Chaser (J/122E), and Crystal Cutter (Beneteau 40 – crewed). Through the Sydney Heads a few boat lengths behind Salt Shaker and Philosopher. Crystal Cutter is behind us. We lost a bit down the harbor due to a lack of practice sailing the A3.5 in 25 knots so should have been a couple of minutes closer at the finish. Managed to snag the win on IRC and ORCi! Plus, great news for newcomer Ian Smith on J/99 JUPITER finishing third on ORCi.”  Sailing photo credit- Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

NILDO Wins Argentine J/70 Championship
(Buenos Aires, Argentina)- The 2022 Argentine J/70 Championship took place over the November 19th to 21st weekend, with sailing taking place on the famous muddy giant river of the Rio de La Plata. Hosted by the Club Nautico Olivos on the northern shore of Buenos Aires, the fleet of twenty-seven boats was finally able to complete six races over the three-day regatta. 

The regatta started well enough with just two races on the first day. Then, an impending huge storm front struck the fleet on the second day, permitting just one race to be sailed. After the first race, it was survival of the fittest as races were canceled and 25 to 35 kts wind buffet the fleet- true “blowing dogs off chains” conditions or in the Argentinean Pampas version “cows flying across the prairie”. Thankfully, the final day of sailing on Monday enabled three more good races to be sailed in benign northerlies. 

In the end, it was the Paradas (Guillermo and Miguel) and the Engelhards team on NILDO that won the regatta with a 2-4-1-6-2-1 to win the six-race, one discard event with just 10 pts net. Second went to Ezequiel Despontin’s team of Borgstrom, Calabrese, and Crouse on 707 with a 7-6-4-1-1-2 tally for 14 pts net. Rounding out the podium was Jose Figueroa’s crew of Pereyra, Giamona, Marino, and Figueroa on TREINTA Y NUEVE with a 15-7-2-2-6-3 record for 20 pts. net. 
Rounding out the top five in this very competitive fleet was Fernando Gwozdz’s PRINCIPADO with 21 pts net in fourth place and Franco Campero’s AMIGO VII team taking 5th place with 33 pts net.  Sailing photo credits- Flo Gonzalez Alzaga FOTOS  For more Argentinean J/70 Championship sailing information 

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS Crowned J/70 U.S. Youth National Champions!
(St. Petersburg, FL)– Nine teams participated in the fifth annual J/70 U.S. Youth National Championship, hosted by St. Petersburg Yacht Club in St. Petersburg, FL. Over the  November 18th to 20th weekend, thirteen races were completed in a fresh breeze on Friday and Saturday. However, Sunday’s blustery, nasty cold front brought a bit too much wind and waves for the youth teams. After several hours of postponement, the StPYC PRO posted an “AP over A” to signal racing was canceled for the day.  

It was great racing for the teams, with everyone getting their “slice at the apple”, so to speak, to post podium finishes. No team dominated the event. Nevertheless, in the end, one team did start to gain consistency in the starts, boat speed, and most importantly in their boat handling capabilities. Winning was Emery Diemar’s RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS team with 43 points total. His Coral Reef Yacht Club youth team consisted of Griggs Diemar, Kit Harmed, Freddie Parkin, and Tom Whidden.

By contrast, it was a full-on battle for the balance of the podium, with five teams separated by just six points! Winning that 13-round fight by a single point was Pearse Dowd’s CORINTHIAN YACHT CLUB team from Marblehead, MA. His team consisted of Matt Caplan, Max Dressel, and Tom Spencer. 
J/70 Youth Champions- Red Hot Chili Peppers 
J/70 Youths 2nd place- Corinthian Yacht Club youths
The final step on the podium went to Callen Burnett’s SUSS BUSS team from host St. Petersburg Yacht Club. His crew included Ian Brown, John Hartney, and Ian Iles-Lee. 

The balance of the top five was determined by a tiebreaker at 56 pts each. Winning on countback to take fourth place was Emily Allen’s StPYC Youth team and Trip Wagner’s LITTLE TRAVERSE SAILORS team from Harbor Springs, MI ended up in 5th place.
The goal of the event is to help develop and build leading-edge junior keelboat sailing programs across America. Youth teams representing sailing clubs from as far away as Minnesota competed on provided J/70s with class sails. Boats were identically rigged and tuned at base settings recommended by the sailmaker.  For more J/70 US Youth National Championship sailing information 

Yale Wins College Match Race Championship
(San Diego, CA)- Ten college sailing teams from across the country participated in the 2022 College Sailing Match Race National Championship, sailing the San Diego Yacht Club matched fleet of J/22 one-design keelboats. The teams were treated to good sailing conditions for all three days of the event this past weekend, managing to get through two round-robins, then the quarter-finals, semi-finals, petit finals, and the final rounds on Sunday. 
On Friday, the majority of the first stage’s round-robin was completed. Conditions were 6-8 kts out of the West Southwest. Stanford University and Yale University both led after day one with a record of 6-0. 

“Going into the day our goal was to get comfortable in the boat and nail the basics,” said Stanford sailing coach, Augie Dale. “The breeze was fairly shifty so being in phase was super important around the marks.” 
On Saturday, conditions were 7-9 kts out of the West. The round-robin and quarterfinal rounds were completed. Yale, Brown, Charleston, and Georgetown made it to Sunday’s semi-finals. 
“The Brown sailors have been getting stronger as the event has progressed,” said Stu McNay, coach of Brown University. “We prepared as well as we could before arriving, but there is no way to fully replicate the peculiarities of a given fleet of boats that will be used for the competition. Today, our sailors demonstrated their teamwork and grit in the quarter-final elimination round with two come-from-behind wins against the Coast Guard Academy. Those wins advance our team to the semi-finals which will be raced tomorrow.”

On Sunday, the semi-finals, petit finals, and final rounds were completed. Conditions were 7-9 kts out of the West. Yale and Charleston battled it out for the national championship while Georgetown and Brown competed in the petit finals for third and fourth place. Yale beat Charleston and Brown was able to outduel Georgetown. 
Jack Egan ‘25, Nicholas Davies ‘24, Megan Grimes ‘24, and Christophe Chaumont ‘23 of Yale University took home the title for the Bulldogs for the second year in a row! 
“The team kept their cool under pressure today,” said Thomas Barrows, coach of Yale University. “In the semi-finals, we had a close final race with two lead changes. I was proud of how they kept their heads down and kept on improving on little things. In the finals, the team did a great job with their down speed maneuvers in the pre-start and were able to start ahead.”
The second-place College of Charleston sailing team included Axel Stordahl, Lawson Levine, Lucy Klempen, and Garrett Grenauer. The third-place Brown University sailing team included Liam O’Keefe, Hunter Zonnenberg, Hannah Sellers, and Thomas Styron.  Sailing Photo Credits: Mark Albertazzi   For more College Sailing Match Race Championship sailing information

LEVEL 5 Crowned First J/70 Mixed+ Champions!
(St. Petersburg, FL)- The inaugural 2022 J/70 Mixed+ Championship was hosted by St. Petersburg Yacht Club from November 11-13, 2022 with sailing taking place on Tampa Bay. The Mixed+ concept is a new format that requires 50% or more women per team. This year eighteen teams took on the challenge, coming from all across America. 

The regatta enjoyed three great days of sailing after the effects of Hurricane Nicole rolled through. The rain didn’t dampen spirits but allowed event organizer Ed Furry to run many chalk talks with the help of J/70 World Champion crew member Willem Van Waay and other pro sailors. There was plenty of sharing of knowledge throughout the event. Doug Wake from Vakaros provided data for debriefs and photos for the event. PRO Todd Fedyzen and his team ran nine great races over the three-day event. 
Starting in the lead on the first day was Miranda Bakos and her LEVEL 5 team from Corinthian YC in Marblehead, MA. They proved to be the dominant team, winning four races on their way to becoming the inaugural J/70 Mixed+ Champions. Astonishingly, they counted only all podium finishes in the nine-race, single discard series… they tossed the 3rd place for a total of just 14 pts! Her five-person team consisted of two College All-Americans (Greiner Hobbs and Will Felder) and two women crew (Emmy Digiacomo and Janey Powell).

The balance of the podium was determined by a tie-breaker at 24 pts each. It was a see-saw battle between these two teams all weekend long. In the end, winning the countback to take second place was Laura Sigmond’s NORBOY Chicago YC team from Chicago, IL with a crew of Leif Sigmond, Bridget Groble, Marty Kullman, and Collin Kirby. 
Losing that countback to take third place was Telmo Basterra’s MERMAN team from the Jacksonville University Sailing team. His crew consisted of Kaitlyn Liebel, Grace Benzal, and Ian Hunter. 
Rounding out the top five was Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE team from Fort Worth Boat Club in Fort Worth, TX, and Katherine Gluskin’s SAM’S DECAPITATED DOLLS team from the host St. Petersburg YC, finishing 4th and 5th, respectively. 

Sailing on the WILD CHILD Team were Nikki Bruno and Ashley Love (see her video highlights below). Nikki offered some insights on her experience in this first-ever regatta:
“As one of the very few women involved in pro classes (I sail a lot of Etchells, J/70s, and other boats) I see a lot of value in bringing more women into the pro sailing world. Some guys think that we’re not strong enough for some jobs and sure, me at 5’ and 105 lb will have a tough time trimming an Etchells spinnaker in 18kts! LOL! But, I sure as hell can hoist and jibe it on the bow (assuming everyone else does their jobs right… hahaha)! It’s also important for more women to be around just for solidarity and I think it keeps some of the guy’s antics (ie. un-reciprocated flirting, unwanted touching, etc) at bay when there’s power in numbers. And, for what I might lack in strength, I certainly can make up for in tactical and strategic knowledge, and most importantly, attitude. I wouldn’t say that staying calm under pressure is more of a male or female trait. However, I often find myself as the only one on board who is encouraging everyone else to focus forward on the race and not about what we just screwed up. I think as women we are just conditioned to be more tuned to the emotional needs of others, and any great skipper can tell you that when a team gets along well and stays focused, performance soars.” 

Ashley Love’s highlights of the J/70 Mixed+ Regatta For J/70 Mixed+ Championship sailing information

San Diego Hot Rum Series Report
(San Diego, CA)- The San Diego Yacht Club’s incredibly popular Hot Rum Series started on time again on November 5th with races scheduled on November 19th and December 3rd, 2022. With 128 entries, it proves the event is as popular as ever for Southern Californians. It’s one of the most popular “pursuit style” races in America, where the slowest boat starts first hours ahead of the biggest and fastest boats, and whoever crosses the line first wins! Starting and finishing just off the western end of Shelter Island, the fleet heads out en-masse through the Point Loma passage to two buoys offshore and returns to the same start line to finish the race just off Shelter Island.
Since it is consistently one of the world’s largest PHRF “pursuit races”, the little boats know they almost always have no chance of winning overall and simply enjoy the parade of beautiful large sailing yachts gliding past them in all their glory. The smallest, slowest boats (J/22s & J/24s) start well over an hour before the biggest boats- the spectacularly fast fleet of four J/145s, for example.

After the first two races, two J/105s are dominating the top of the overall standings. Leading is Jim Dorsey’s J-OK with a 3-2 tally for 6 pts. Second is Rick Goebel’s SANITY with a 2-4 for 6 pts. Sitting in 7th place is Dave Vieregg &  Bennet Greenwald’s J/105 PERSEVERANCE with a 6-10 for 16 pts. 

In the 19-boat PHRF 1 “big boat” division, the J/145s are doing well. The top 145 is Ernie Pennell’s MORE MADNESS with a 4-5 for 9 pts and sits in 4th place. Rudy Hasl’s PALAEMON is next with a 2-8 for 10 pts to sit in 5th place.
In the huge 27-boat PHRF 2 division, the top teams are John Laun’s J/120 CAPER with a 12-1 for 13 pts and sit in 5th place. The next J/120 is Chuck Nichols’ CC RIDER in 8th, with Brian Ganz’s J/111 ZOOM sitting in 9th and Ed Sanford’s J/111 CREATIVE in 10th place.  

In the huge 38-boat PHRF 3 division, the podium is occupied by all J/105s. Leading is Jim Dorsey’s J-OK with a 2-1, but is tied on points with Rick Goebel’s SANITY with a 1-2. Third is Vieregg/ Greenwald’s PERSEVERANCE with a 3-4.  For more San Diego YC Hot Rum Series sailing information

Hamble Winter Series- Week VII Report
(Hamble, England)- The Hamble River Sailing Club Winter Series continues unabated with some great sailing for the intrepid racers. The fall season has so far provided a good mix of weather conditions, from light airs, sunny, and warm to “blowing dogs off chains”, cloudy, with temps hovering in the high 40s F. This past week saw the 11th race completed on the always capricious Solent. 
With everyone’s thoughts slowly starting to focus on Christmas and perhaps the possibility of some skiing, the Race Team decided to help by introducing some downwind slalom turns into the courses this week. The CV Wetwheels Hamble, anchored at Yacht Data Bank (4N), whilst Kathy Smalley and Peter Bateson worked out which twelve marks the yachts could slalom around. Navigators then had to work hard recording and translating them onto charts and into GPS plotters and computers. 

“Most seemed to think it was worth it, with some great sailing and racing,” commented RO Peter Bateson. “The breeze was westerly, about 12 knots, and it was cooler, 10-11 C. degrees, though sunny with cloudy intervals.”
The first windward mark was West Knoll (3Y) and IRC 1 & 2 then zig-zagged down to Howden Fastnet (40), before returning upwind to Jane (4E), followed by a slalom down to Hamble Yacht Services (4V) and then closing out the race with final windward/leeward – involving Paul Heys (48), a laid leeward mark and the finish at (4J) hamblewinterseries.com, some 12.8 miles.
IRC 3 had an almost identical course except that the Paul Heys buoy was replaced by the John Fisher buoy (4Q) and the course length was 11.8 NM. 

IRC 2 Division In IRC 2, Mike Yates’ J/109 JAGO won their 10th race in a row by over 2 1/2 minutes on IRC corrected time..a pretty stunning result. Their outstanding performance is surely unprecedented in the annals of HRSC Winter Series history! After discarding two 1st, JAGO is sitting on just 8 pts net! Fellow J/109 owner Chris Burleigh, sailing JYBE TALKIN’ has also sailed well, but has dropped down into 3rd place after posting a 6th in their last race to be sitting just one point from 2nd place with a total of 31 pts net. Still sitting comfortably in 5th for the series is Rob Cotterill’s J/109 MOJO RISIN with 49 pts net.

IRC 3 Division In IRC 3, the battle continues for the third step on the podium between David Greenhalgh’s J/92 J’RONIMO and Russ Bowdler’s J/80 JUSTIFY. With their 1st place this past weekend, J’RONIMO continues the race up the standings and still has a mathematical chance of winning the 2022 HRSC Winter Series in IRC 3. J’RONIMO now has 22 pts net, just 6 pts out of 1st place and only 5 pts from 2nd position. Meanwhile, Bowdler’s J/80 JUSTIFY posted a 5th in their last race to sit in fourth place with 28 pts net.   Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth/ PWPictures.com  For more Hamble Winter Series sailing information 

J/Teams Win Buzzards Bay Trophy
(Marion, MA)- J/Teams went 1-2 in the competition for the season-long Buzzards Bay Trophy this year.  The summer series consists of eight races each hosted by one of the various yacht clubs on Buzzards Bay in southern Massachusetts. 
The races ranged from 15.0nm pursuit races sailed around the buoys to the 105.0nm Whalers Race which rounds Block Island. Over forty boats participated in at least part of the series.   

In the end, Butch Joy and his J/120 KINDRED SPIRIT edged out Jim Coggeshall and his crew on the J/121 CEILIDH. Both boats represented the Mattapoisett Yacht Club.  Ted Herlihy won two races in the series with his venerable J/109 GUT FEELING, sailing for the New Bedford Yacht Club. Thanks for this contribution from Jim Coggeshall.

J/Community
What J/sailors, friends, and family are doing worldwide each week

World famous woman offshore sailor- Pip Hare- is putting together a series of videos on “How to sail doublehanded offshore”. Sponsoring the series is Key Yachting’s J/99 in coordination with YACHTING WORLD magazine.

Pip has been a professional sailor since leaving school at 18 and has a career spanning close to 30 years. As well as a sailor, Pip is a journalist, author, and a compelling speaker on topics such as overcoming challenges to achieve, authenticity, risk management, and gender equality. Her vivid anecdotes bring the drama of solo ocean racing to life – whether you’re a seasoned mariner or an armchair adventurer. She continues to write for sailing magazines, produce coaching materials, and regularly blog.
Here is a “teaser” video of Pip introducing her series to our J/Boats readers worldwide 

Learn more about Pip Hare Racing here.

J/111 BLUR.SE Launched- Fort Lauderdale, FL
Peter Gustafsson’s J/111 BLUR.SE just arrived from her long trans-Atlantic Ocean crossing. Originating in Malta in the middle of the Mediterranean, she was plucked out of the water, and put on the deck of the UNITED HEAVY LIFT ship. Then, upon arrival in Fort Lauderdale, FL, she was dropped back into the water. 
This particular J/111 BLUR.SE is famous in Europe. She’s won the Gotland Runt Race in Sweden. Won several famous single and doublehanded races on the Baltic Sea. And, most recently won her class in the ROLEX Middlesea Race on the Mediterranean. 
Soon, BLUR.SE will be headed up the East Coast for winter storage and some work to prepare her for two major events in 2023. First, is the famous Bermuda One-Two Race in the first week of June that sails the 635.0nm from Newport to Bermuda singlehanded. Then, returns from Bermuda to Newport sailing doublehanded. Thereafter, she gets transported out to Chicago for the famous Chicago to Mackinac Island Race in July. Read about Peter Gustafsson’s BLUR.SE blog here.  Learn more about the J/111 offshore speedster here
                         

NEW J/Gear Holiday Special- 20% off 
(Newport, RI)- The Holiday J/Gear Special is 20% off EVERYTHING on the J/Gear website (except 1/2 models and custom prints). The discount code is- JB2022HS.
The discount will run from November 1st through December 15th. Nevertheless, we encourage early ordering to meet custom requests.
The J/Class logo is embroidered and you may customize it for the whole crew.  For more ordering information 

Sailing Calendar
Boat shows 2023: Jan 21-29- Boot Dusseldorf Boat Show (J/45 debut)- Dusseldorf, Germany
Regattas: Dec 1-3- Jammin’ J/22 Jamaica Regatta- Montego Bay YC- Montego Bay, Jamaica Dec 17-18- BACARDI J/70 Winter Series I
2023 Jan 16-20- The Southernmost Regatta- Sailing Inc- Key West, FL Jan 18-23- Barbados Sailing Week- Bridgetown, Barbados Jan 27-29- BACARDI J/70 Winter Series II- Coconut Grove (Miami), FL Jan 29- Feb 3- Grenada Sailing Week- St. Georges, Grenada
Feb 14-18- RORC Caribbean Series- English Harbour, Antigua Feb 20-24- RORC Caribbean 600 Race- English Harbour, Antigua
 Mar 2-5- Heineken St. Maarten Regatta- Simpson Bay, St. Maarten Mar 9-11- BACARDI J/70 Regatta- Coconut Grove (Miami), FL Mar 24-26- St Thomas Regatta- Red Hook Bay, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands Mar 27- Apr 2- BVI Spring Regatta- Nanny Cay, British Virgin Islands
Apr 6-10- SPI Ouest France Regatta- La Trinite sur Mer, France Apr 16-22- Voiles de St Barth Regatta- Gustavia Harbor, St. Barths Apr 20-23- Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC Apr 29- May 5- Antigua Sailing Week- English Harbour, Antigua

(Gzira, Malta)- The profile and reputation of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, organized by the Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC), has risen continuously since it was first held in 1968. Today, it habitually draws a diverse fleet of more than 100 yachts from close to 30 countries, including cutting-edge MOD 70 multihulls. For many sailors around the world, it has become a “bucket list” event in the annual yachting calendar. Rolex’s partnership with the event and its organizers stretches back to 2002.   

The J/99 CALYPSO drifting past Sicily, Italy in the Straits of Messina
The 606-nautical mile (1,122 kilometers) race course is both beautiful and challenging. Rumbling volcanoes, wild islands, and seas imbued with legend are just a few of the highlights. The geography encountered along the way places significant demands on the crews. At each corner of the course, wind and sea conditions can change dramatically. In an instant, flat calm waters can become giant swells, gentle breezes transform into punishing gusts, and vice versa. 

This year’s weather forecast?? No one wanted to hear it. And, in fact, many dreaded it… in short, the same weather that had been bedeviling the J/70 World Championship in Monaco the past week was slowly, ever so slowly, blanketing the middle to eastern Mediterranean Sea as well. Basically, a big, wide, flat pancake of a High-pressure system with near-zero isobars spread widely over hundreds of miles, e.g. the prognosis was “no wind”, or very little of it.

October 27th- 1600 hours- webcam off Pantelleria Island (a mark of the course)- any wind in sight??
So far, in five days of racing (the start was on Saturday, October 22nd), Seb Ripard’s J/99 CALYPSO and a pair of J/109s (both Jarhead Sailing Youth Teams) are barely past the halfway point of the race, around a 3.5 kts average so far… ugh!! The J/122 dropped out, as did over 60% of the fleet so far… that’s the most significant attrition rate in the history of the race, so far. For many boats, getting low on water and food was cited as a significant safety issue. For more ROLEX Middle Sea Race sailing information

(Hamble, England)- The second weekend of this year’s Hamble Winter Series, was a two-day affair, to incorporate the Hamble IRC Autumn Championship. Forty-six teams had entered the five races which, were programmed over the two days, with a mix of windward /leeward and round the cans. The three races planned for Saturday looked very ambitious with a forecast of lovely sunshine and 2-4 knots from the NW. Indeed, some competitors stayed ashore expecting there to be no racing at all. The Race Team, led by Peter Bateson, are made of sterner stuff though, and armed with their SPF-30 sunscreen, they left the Hamble on time to “give it a go.”

They set up just inshore of 4V, Hamble Yacht Services buoy, laying a short course to the NW, ready to start on time. However, a 20-degree wind shift, just as the start sequence was about to get underway, led to a postponement and re-set of the course. 4Q, John Fisher was one windward mark and a laid buoy was set for a shorter leg for classes 2-4. The course for Class 1 was for 3 miles, with the lengths scaling down to 2.2 miles for class 4. All classes got away cleanly but it wasn’t long before the very light breeze became even lighter. With the help of the NW going tide, everyone got to the windward marks and then turned to run back against the tide. Those who gybed inshore made gains. The Race Committee sensibly decided to shorten at the leeward mark and all boats eventually made it. The last finisher took just over two hours for the two legs of the course. The CV waited around until 15.00, but although the modest SW breeze arrived at Lymington and then Lepe, it never made it to the race area and racing was abandoned for the day.
Sunday was sunny too, but this time the predicted wind was 11-14 knots. Coming from just east of south and occasionally reaching 18-19 knots, the two planned races were completed in good time. 

In IRC Class 1, Louise Makin’s J/111 JOURNEYMAKER II proved that she could go in the light stuff and the breeze by scoring three first places. “A champagne day,” said Louise. Cornel Riklin’s J/111 JITTERBUG was second on 7 points.
In the sixteen-strong IRC Class 2, Mike and Susie Yates’ J/109 JAGO took second for the weekend. “Yesterday I got sunstroke,” laughed Susie, “and today I was blown away!”
IRC Class 3 was won by Becky Walford’s J/92 BRENDA’s J, while Simon Shillaker’s J/92S JAMBO took third place. 
Back in the HRSC Clubhouse, there was another well-attended prize-giving. Force 4 Chandlery was the official day sponsor, represented by Julian Cox. They were joined by Kingfisher Ropes and B&G in giving away vouchers and goodie bags to those on the podium. Commodore Serena Alexander presented the glassware. Thanks for this contribution from HRSC’s Trevor Pountain.  Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth/ PWPictures.com  Follow the Hamble Winter Series on Facebook here   For more Hamble Winter Series sailing information

(Gzira, Malta)- The profile and reputation of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, organized by the Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC), has risen continuously since it was first held in 1968. Today, it habitually draws a diverse fleet of more than 100 yachts from close to 30 countries, including cutting-edge multihulls and maxi monohulls. For sailors around the world it has become a “must do” event in the annual yachting calendar. Rolex’s partnership with the event and its organizers stretches back to 2002.   
The appeal is obvious. The 606-nautical mile (1,122 kilometre) racecourse is both beautiful and challenging. Rumbling volcanoes, wild islands and seas imbued with legend are just a few of the highlights. The geography encountered along the way places significant demands on the crews. At each corner of the course, wind and sea conditions can change dramatically. In an instant, flat calm waters can become giant swells, gentle breezes transform into punishing gusts, and vice versa.    
Rolex MSR participant and ocean race winner- Paul Cayard- is one of the many elite sailors to have been captivated by the event:   
“The Rolex Middle Sea Race, with all its history and rugged beauty, is one of the most impressive offshore races in the world. The event has all the qualities and characteristics that define the world’s great 600-nautical mile challenges, including the Rolex Fastnet Race and Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.”  
The 43rd edition commences on Saturday, 22 October. The start is considered one of the most striking in sailing, the Grand Harbour of Valletta providing a natural amphitheatre as competitors depart to the crash of the Saluting Battery’s cannons.   
Following their departure from the historic port, the fleet tackles a long, counter-clockwise circumnavigation of Sicily, taking in narrow straits, open water sections and iconic moments, such as rounding the island of Stromboli, the race’s emblematic landmark that features an active volcano. The circular course of the Rolex Middle Sea Race is considered unique in offshore yachting.   
Ahead of the competition, meticulous preparation is vital. Once under way, constant attention to the changing circumstances becomes the priority, as Rolex MSR participant and five-time Olympic medallist Robert Scheidt, another past competitor, explains:   
“The race breaks down into various different legs and you need to excel in each and every one. The demands are total and unrelenting. You need to be alert throughout the race. Planning the next move is crucial, as is being ready to adapt.”   
The fastest yachts will endeavour to complete the course in less than 48 hours. Last year’s once-in-a-lifetime conditions resulted in the course record being broken for the first time in 14 years. The maxi trimaran Argo set a new outright benchmark of 33 hours, 29 minutes and 28 seconds, while the100-foot (30.48 metre) Comanche established a new monohull record of 40 hours, 17 minutes and 50 seconds.   
Finishing first on the water is only one facet of the Rolex Middle Sea Race. The more significant contest is the battle to claim overall victory on corrected time. The democratic nature of this prize is demonstrated by the diversity of winning yachts over recent editions. While the professionally crewed Comanche added the overall win to monohull line honours in 2021, the previous 11 recipients of the magnificent Rolex Middle Sea Race trophy have measured less than 60 feet (18.28m), and include several all-Corinthian teams.   
Yachting Malta Coastal Race- J/99 Crushes Fleet!
The Yachting Malta Coastal Race is the traditional curtain-call for the Rolex Middle Sea Race. This year’s race was a light wind affair with the fleet enjoying a gentle 12-mile race to Comino Island. 
The overall winner after IRC time correction was the Maltese J/99 CALYPSO, skippered by Seb Ripard. That result bodes well for this hot local team of very knowledgeable offshore racers… they’ve won the ROLEX Middle Sea Race overall before in their J/122.  
Joining them will be the Jarhead Young Sailors team on the J/109 JYS JARHEAD and Wayne Zittel’s J/122 NOISY OYSTER. 
The passion for the race is keenly felt in Malta. Equally, the event garners huge international enthusiasm. As each year passes, more and more sailors participate, widening the appeal and legend.   
Just as the crews continually develop their skills, and the designs of their yachts evolve to embrace the present in thinking, technology and materials, so too the RMYC challenges itself to ensure the contest meets the demands of a modern-day offshore race. As a supporter of several of the world’s leading 600-nautical mile epics, Rolex is proud to include the Rolex Middle Sea Race in its yachting portfolio.  For more ROLEX Middle Sea Race sailing information

Wisconsin Badgers Dominate J/109s, College of Charleston Women’s Team Wins on J/112e!
(Larchmont, NY)- After the 2020 Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta was canceled due to COVID, hopes were high for 2021 but were dashed when the racing was called off due to strong wind and waves. Fortunately, 2022’s rendition of the co-hosted event between Storm Trysail Club and Larchmont Yacht Club ran in absolutely perfect conditions, allowing the race committee to get off seven windward-leeward races over two days. 

Over 260 college sailors came from all over the country to compete in one of the world’s largest intercollegiate big-boat regattas on yachts ranging from 29 to 44 feet. 28 colleges were represented amongst 34 entries divided into five divisions-  with five schools fielding multiple teams. The goal of the event is to expose college sailors to keelboat racing- a rare opportunity for most teams who only sail dinghies like 420s and FJs.  

Storm Trysail Club’s Ann Myer, the Event Co-Chair, was pleased. She commented, “we enjoyed absolutely perfect conditions, sunny skies, 10-15 knots with a few higher gusts, and with some challenging shifts in the northwest winds to keep things interesting.“ 

J/109 ClassThe Wisconsin Badgers, fresh off their victory a few weeks ago in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta (GLIOR), came out on top with straight bullets, taking home the Paul Hoffman Trophy for Best Overall Performance onboard the J/109 TBD. The team generally has little big boat experience, mostly sailing dinghies in their home lake, but used the Friday practice session to tune themselves up. Team Captain Nicole Giuliana, a junior, thanked Safety Officer and STC Member Ed “Buttons” Padin for the coaching on the Friday practice day. Safety Officers are not allowed to coach during the regatta. 
“We had an amazing practice session with him,” explained Co-captain Jack Schweda. “We practiced a lot of jibes, 30 or 35, and we knew the corners were going to be critical. We tried different sets and douses too.”  

Badger teammate Nicole continued, “we learned we had to stay in our box, focus on our roles, and dial in the communication front to back. This is such a great event for building confidence, networking with other sailors, and making lots of great sailing connections.  We really want to thank boat owner Julie O’Dowd for providing her boat and really prepping it for us.”
Behind the winning Badger team, it was the US Naval Academy team on VENTO SOLARE that took the silver with mostly second-place finishes behind the dominant Badgers. Third went to the University of Rhode Island on FREEDOM.  

J/105 ClassColeman Peppered, Captain of the USCGA crew who won the J/105 Class onboard GRAY MATTER, said “trusting each other, communication and endurance were the keys. We kept reminding ourselves to stay calm, drink water and pass around the Sour Patch Kids! We worked on defining everyone’s roles, communicating early, and having solid trust in each other, and that enabled us to overcome mistakes. As officers when we graduate, this racing experience translates really well to being on the ocean, under pressure, fighting exhaustion in high-intensity situations, it’s very relevant.”
The balance of the podium was comprised of the University of Toledo onboard BREAKTHROUGH in second and Webb Institute on INEVITABLE in the third position.  

PHRF Large DivisionCommunication and each crew member focusing on their job was a common theme among the winning crews.  Madelyn Ploch, helmsperson for the winning Naval Academy entry on the J/122 BLUE YONDER and who was aboard the 2016 Young American Newport Bermuda winner High Noon noted, “I’ve seen some good and bad leadership from boats I’ve sailed on. But, communications is really the difference maker.”  
The balance of the podium was determined by a tiebreaker at 17 pts between the US Merchant Marine Academy’s J/44 COMET and the University of Rhode Island’s J/133 RHIANNON. On the countback, it was the USMMA that took the silver over the URI Rams.  

PHRF Medium Division The College of Charleston Cougars have a well-developed co-ed inshore and offshore racing team but decided to field their first all-women’s offshore team, and this was also the first time the IOR has ever hosted an all-women’s team. Ann Myer, rode along as Safety Officer, on the J/112e REVIVER. Said Ann, “because there weren’t any boys aboard, they called the boat the “no-fly zone”! LOL! The girls really rocked it!”
C of C Captain Caroline Williams, explained they have a fair amount of big-boat experience. “We sail three times a week on a Melges 30 and a J/36, and we’ve done the Navy 44 events and the Catalina 37 Harbor Cup in LA. But, this was our first time competing together as this group.” 
Caroline is from Bayville LI and works at the Sterling Harbor Foundation in Oyster Bay, so had some local knowledge to boot, and Capt. Juliana Corso works on the vintage 12-meter Gleam in Newport.  Both are enthusiastic about continuing their big-boat passions. Caroline said, “this will always be part of my life.” 
And Julianna, the captain of the entire co-ed C of C Offshore squad, is considering a potential career as a sailing professional.  She said, “being on this team has taught me that understanding and connecting with each individual on the team makes a huge difference in the performance; it just runs smoother.”
Taking third place behind the girls was the Massachusetts Maritime Academy on the J/124 TENEBRAE. 
 

PHRF Small DivisionNadia Reynolds, skipper of the Ohio State winning crew on the J/100 GALATRONA agreed, “communication was the key and the crew really knew their roles. Teamwork and communication are what I will take away from these experiences when I graduate.”
In yet another class sweep, the US Naval Academy’s J/42 ATALANTA took second place, while the University of Vermont’s J/88 ONE TOO MANY took third. 
Jim Holland, co-chair from Larchmont Yacht Club, “I would like to thank the rest of the committee for all the hard work that went into making this event possible and the owners who donate their boats. This regatta is about providing a unique opportunity for these young sailors and seeing all their smiles in the tent made all the effort worth it. We want this to be a lifelong sport and are very happy to give them the opportunity to start this process. I hope to see them on the starting line of many more events in the future.” 
STC Commodore Ed Cesare stated, “Congratulations to all are well deserved, it was a superb effort by all the volunteers. This is a very complex undertaking and the IOR is now the STC event that has the highest number of volunteers – surpassing even our Block Island Race Weeks.  And special thanks to LYC for the use of their beautiful facility. Of course, this event would not be possible without our sponsors, especially ShopRite of Carteret who has been the title sponsor for several years now.” 
The Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta is further supported by ShopRite of Carteret, JPW Consulting, Carlsberg, Helly Hansen, Gowrie Group, McMichaels Yachts Sales, UK Sailmakers Northeast, Dimension-Polyant, and Gifted of Larchmont.  For more Intercollegiate Regatta sailing results   For more Sailing and Awards photo credits- Steve Cloutier 

(Hamble, England)- The Royal Southern Yacht Club Summer Series came to a spectacular conclusion with the Land Union September Regatta held 24-25 September. The final regatta of the four-event series was blessed with magnificent racing, superb shoreside entertainment, and outstanding prizes, including a holiday with flights, superb accommodation, and entry to the world-famous Munich’s Oktoberfest. Den’s Deck was transformed into Oktoberfest on Saturday with complimentary beer and sausages and an Oompah Band!

The Land Union Raffle for a complimentary city break to Munich for Oktoberfest was held on Sunday. The winners included the Royal Thames Academy J70, skippered by Bethan Matthew!
Antigua Sailing Week’s Rana Lewis awarded the regatta experience of a lifetime; an all-in trip to Antigua including; flights, Dream Yacht Charter, and boat entry to Antigua Sailing Week. North Sails Ian Walker joined the prize-giving team with North Sails prizes awarded to race winners and a timely reminder that September is a great time to order new sails for next season! 

Land Union has supported the September Regatta for three years and the hundreds of sailors who take part thoroughly enjoy the shoreside entertainment. After the first day of racing, sailors return to find Den’s Deck at the Royal Southern Clubhouse transformed into Oktoberfest with complimentary German Beer and Sausage supper.
In IRC Two, Mike & Susie Yates’s J/109 JAGO was third. 

In IRC Three, David Greenhalgh’s J/92 J’RONIMO scored three race wins to win the class. Three generations of the Greenhalgh family (above) attended the regatta including David’s wife Judith and their three professional sailor siblings Libby, Peter, and Robert, plus the Grandchildren!  

In the J/111 Class, Chris Jones & Louise Makin’s JOURNEYMAKER 2 edged out their friends and rivals Anthony & Sally Mack’s McFLY. JOURNEYMAKER 2 won the final race to win the class by a single point. Louise Makin was also awarded a Locman watch by Antigua Sailing Week as the best female skipper. 

In the J/70 Class, BOYSTEROUOS skippered by Ian Wilson was the winner. The BOYSTEROUS crew was without doubt the most senior crew in terms of age and experience. Past J/70 Corinthian World Champions are Ian Wilson and Marshall King, Past Corinthian National Champion Patrick Liardet, and none other than this month’s reigning Open European Champion, Johnathon Calascione. To add to the A-Team prowess multi-world champion Geoff Carveth also put in a shift on the first day! Second in the J/70 Class was Kai-Uwe Hollweg’s LIGHTFOOT, beating his friend and CEO at Land Union- Lutz Strangemann- racing GEISHA, which won two of the eight races and was third in class.
The J/70 UK Class introduced a new Mixed + Division at the Land Union Regatta, where at least half the crew must be women. The inaugural event winner was the Royal Thames Academy Team skippered by Bethan Matthew. Second was Ian Poynton’s POWDER MONKEY and third was Paul Wollmann’s Royal Thames Charter.
With the 2022 Royal Southern Summer Series now concluded, the Overall Series prizes and trophies will be presented at the prize-giving dinner on Saturday 12th November. Plans are in place for a superb celebration held at the Royal Southern Clubhouse on the banks of the River Hamble. Booking is strongly recommended to avoid disappointment. Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth/ PWPictures.com.  For more RSYC Land Union September Regatta sailing information

(Annapolis, Maryland)- The 2022 edition of the United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland will run from October 13th to 17th. J/Boats is excited to have one of its largest displays in years of our latest designs, with four boats on display.
All J/Sailors and J/Lovers are invited to join us on the J/Stand in Annapolis where we will be displaying the J/9 daysailer, the J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster, the J/112e performance cruiser/racer, and the magnificent, new J/45 offshore performance cruising yacht.
J/45SAILING Magazine’s 2022 October issue “cover girl”, the new J/45 offshore performance cruising yacht, will make its American debut in Annapolis. This gorgeous sailing yacht has garnered accolades across Europe and America since its debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival in Cannes, France. 

The beautiful, spacious yacht interior by Isabelle Racoupeau- a famous Parisian architect & interior designer of villas, private jets & yachts- has impressed the most discerning buyers with its open, elegant interior with vista windows. And, the cockpit is both spacious and comfortable, whether for sunset cocktails & hors d’oeuvres at anchor or sailing offshore in blustery weather.   Learn more about the J/45 offshore performance cruising yacht

J/112eThe “giant killer” of America’s and Europe’s offshore racing scene has the comfort of a living room? Indeed! Shocking, but true! It’s not a stripped-out racing machine.. unlike her European counterparts.

Nearly 80 boats strong, the J/112e continues to gain passionate believers in its ability to address the dual needs of a family cruiser and the ability to garner an extraordinary amount of silver; now two-times ORC World Champion, two-times IRC European Champion, and two-times ORC European Champion. And, in America the class winner of both the Chicago-Mackinac Race and Bayview Mackinac Race. Learn more about why this gorgeous sailboat is a family living room that wins silver!  Learn more about the J/112E performance cruiser/ racer

J/99When the J/99 was introduced, it was clear the European offshore doublehanded sailing elite were enthusiastic about its introduction. In short order, the J/99 eclipsed all of its French, German, Italian, and Danish offshore competitors in the doublehanded community in its debut in the famous French Duo Cat-Amania Regatta in Crouesty, France. 

Learn more about the J/99 shorthanded offshore speedster

J/9It’s not often that an introduction of a fun, comfortable, easy-to-handle, daysailer gets J/Sailors passionate about their next sunset sail or harbor cruise! Well… that’s pretty much what happened when the new J/9 daysailer was introduced. 

Imagine for a moment your favorite “living room couch” with a sailboat underneath it! Elegant, sublime, easy-to-sail, supremely comfortable. Why wouldn’t you want to enjoy sailing every day with loved ones, family, and friends on the divine J/9!  Learn more about the J/9 daysailer
Sailing photo credits- Onne van der Wal/ Billy Black  For more Annapolis Sailboat Show information and tickets