J/Newsletter- August 3rd, 2022
August 3rd, 2022 
The Sun Never Sets on J’s Sailing Worldwide
This past fortnight may have elicited a bit of nostalgia for J/Lovers around the world familiar with how the company started back in 1977. Remember that little 24-footer that Rod J drew, made a half-dozen wood 1/2 models of, and finally made a “stick-built” prototype covered in Airex foam in his famous Stonington garage? The first J/24 Midwinters was in 1978 down in Key West, Florida for a fleet of twenty-one teams. Soon after, the first J/24 World Championship was hosted in 1979 by Ida Lewis Yacht Club in Newport, Rhode Island. That was forty-three years ago! The 2022 edition was held in a pretty special place in J/24 folklore- Corpus Christi Bay in Corpus Christi, Texas. 1979. 1982. 1988. Three J/24 North Americans in the first ten years of the class were held there. The legend fulfilled itself again for the 2022 J/24 Worlds. Yes, it does “blow dogs off chains” by midday- in fact, it blows like hell from the southeast at 15-25+ kts nearly every day in bathtub-warm waters. Thirty-eight boats returned to those hallowed waters a stone’s throw from the Mexican border and did battle for five straight days…it was hard to erase the smiles off sailors’ faces as they savored some cold “cervezas” pulling their boats from the water when all was said and done.
Perhaps the pinnacle of summer cruising for fans of the larger J/Cruisers has always been the hallowed cruising grounds of “Down East” Maine. Many experienced sailors consider the most hallowed cruising grounds of all may be the somewhat mythical Penobscot Bay, a bay surrounded by pine and spruce scented mountains, punctuated by the gorgeous islands of North Haven, Vinalhaven, Isleboro, Great Spruce Head, and Isle Au Haut, amongst hundreds of others. Nearly every rock with wild grass, a small blueberry patch, or stunted tree on it has a name! Most sailors who’ve cruised there simply refer to it as “God’s Country”.
It’s not surprising that a regatta in Penobscot Bay would be created to satisfy those who love the craftsmanship of Maine-built boats, as well as “modern classics”. Started by Lyman-Morse in Camden, Maine, the Camden Classics Regatta has become increasingly popular since the first edition nearly ten years ago. Sailing this year were fleets of J/46s and J/42s! Needless to say, they had fun and, more importantly, were significant contributors to “LifeFlight of Maine”- a charitable emergency flight service for those in need all over Maine.
South of their cruising colleagues, those three famous yacht clubs in Marblehead, MA (Eastern, Boston, Corinthian) hosted the Marblehead Sailing World Regatta, this year featuring one-design fleets of J/70s and J/105s.
In a similar scenario in the American Midwest, the Little Traverse Yacht Club in Harbor Springs, Michigan hosted their tongue-in-cheek-named “Ugotta Regatta”. Huge fans of J/World in general, the Little Traverse YC members hosted one-design fleets of J/70s, J/88s, and J/111s (their Great Lakes Championship). Plus, they held round-the-bay races for ORC/ PHRF classes that included J/122s, J/105s, J/35s, J/32, and J/99.
Then, out on the west coast, an annual rite of passage for Southern California offshore sailors has been the 81.0nm dash down the Pacific coastline from Santa Barbara to King Harbor, leaving Anacapa Island to port. Hosted by Santa Barbara and King Harbor Yacht Clubs, sixty-one boats sailed this year’s near tortoise-paced race, including J/125s, J/111s, J/109s, J/99, J/100, J/105, and J/92.
Across the “big pond” (e.g. the North Atlantic), European and United Kingdom sailors were enjoying some highlights of their annual summer seasons. The “big daddy” of them all (besides Kieler Woche and Travemunde Week) is Cowes Week in England, hosted by the Cowes Combined Clubs on the Isle of Wight. Hundreds of boats. Thousands of sailors. Pimms. Gin. Guinness. Huge marquees. Lots of music. Sailing anyone? LOL. Of course, why not? The Solent in 2022 has seemingly benefited from all this global warming stuff. Who knew? Shorts, shades, bikinis. 10-20 kts, sunny, westerlies on the Solent? That seems to be the story of the U.K. summer this year. Cowes Week is getting more than its fair share of good weather in recent years. Sailing in mostly “planing-mode” conditions, the J/70 Mini-Series concluded for thirty-two teams. Like their J/24 colleagues in Corpus Christi, more grins from ear-to-ear!
Before Cowes Week, the Royal Southern Yacht Club hosted the Women’s Open Keelboat Championship in Hamble, UK for a fleet of nine women-only sailing teams. The two days of racing on the Solent followed that sunny theme, with women’s J/Teams enjoying sailing a J/111 and two J/92s.
Down in the Mediterranean, the Regatta Copa del Rey MAPFRE has been taking place in Palma Mallorca, Spain. Renown as a fabulous place to sail in clockwork-like sea breezes, mild temps, and plenty of sun, the fleets of one-design J/70s and Women’s J/80 fleet are enjoying close racing. Plus, the ORC fleet includes J/99s, J/109, and J/122 sailing the Bay of Palma.
Finally, in the J/Community section are some interesting reports and stories. The Australian J/99 DISKO TROOPER had another successful outing in the 384.0nm Sydney to Gold Coast Race! Then, a quartet of J/145s loved the San Diego Wet Wednesday Summer Series! Perhaps, the J/World story about how a couple learned to sail, dreaming of sailing around the world, maybe the most poignant and inspiring story of all. Enjoy.
Buzzards Bay Regatta Preview
(Dartmouth, MA)- Summer 2022 has shown some great weather and amazing winds. The 49th Annual Buzzards Bay Regatta hosted by New Bedford Yacht Club will be taking place from August 5th to 7th. Join racers from Narragansett Bay, Buzzards Bay, Vineyard Sound, Mass Bay, and all over New England, for a great 3-day event both on and off the water. Prepare for the legendary Buzzards Bay Sou’Westers on the racecourse and friendly conditions on shore!
Great race management will be on hand for both Friday’s Dick Fontaine PHRF Distance Race and the weekend fleet racing for both spinnaker and non-spinnaker PHRF divisions along with our one-design fleets.
Some J/Crews will be sailing in the PHRF Fleet. Returning to defend their title in the recent past is Doug Curtiss’ J/111 WICKED 2.0, one of the top offshore teams sailing on Buzzards Bay. Taking them on will be a rogue’s gallery of talented teams, like Ted Herlihy’s champion J/109 GUT FEELING, Ed Lobo’s J/015 WATERWOLF, Ira Perry’s J/29 SEEFEST, and Mark Verville’s J/120 ISURUS. Sailing photo credits- Fran Grenon/ Spectrum Photo For more Buzzards Bay Regatta sailing information
J/70 Nordic Championship Preview
(Mariehamn, Finland)- A fleet of twenty-two J/70 teams from across Scandinavia are looking forward to the J/70 Nordic Championship, hosted by Åländska Segelsällskapet in Mariehamn, Finland from August 8th to 11th, 2022. Teams from Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Great Britain will have the pleasure of sailing in the “land of the Midnight Sun” where the sun, even in the first week of August, just dips below the horizon for near everlasting light!
Notably, there are three women skippers from Finland in the fleet; Lotta Virtanen’s BS Women’s Team, Marja Jaatinen’s FIDELIO Team, and Helena Skogman’s HSK Team. Because of the enormous influence of the growing J/70 sailing leagues in Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, several top Swedish J/80 crews have converted over to J/70 sailing, those teams participating in the Nordic Championship include Mikael Lindqvist’s HAPPY YACHTING, Hans Liljeblad’s SWEET ALICE, and Jan Bjornsjo’s ACE OF BASE. The loan Norwegian team from the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club is Per Kristian Ervik’s TEAM PENT. For more J/70 Nordic Championship sailing information
Chester Race Week Preview
(Chester, Nova Scotia)- For the first time since the pandemic hit, the Chester Yacht Club is back in action again with its famous Chester Race Week, sailing from August 10th to 13th. It is a gorgeous body of water to sail amongst the bay and the archipelago of islands…hopefully, you can see them as fog can often “throw a curveball” at the fleet… a region notorious for heavy, thick fogs off the eastern coast of Nova Scotia. Looking forward to the start of the regatta with great enthusiasm is a small J/Navy.
In the nine-boat PHRF 1 class are two J/133s (Ray Rhinelander’s BELLA J & Matt Stokes’ BLUE JAY III), Keith Amirault’s J/130 DRAGONFLY, Richard Calder’s J/120 BRILLIANCE, and Chris Campbell’s J/44 SPICE.
A quartet of J/100s is racing in PHRF 2 class, those teams are Paul Rafuse’s CROWS, John Rankin’s WINK, Larry Creaser’s YOUNGBLOOD, and Terry McKenna’s DOG PARTY. Joining them are a pair of J/35s (John Traves’ CRACKERJACK & Todd Wilson’s FALCON).
A quintet of J/29s is racing PHRF 3 class, they are notoriously good sailors and have swept the podium in the past. Will they be capable of repeating that performance this year? Time will tell. The 29 teams are Terry Schnare’s HEAD GAMES, Chris Power’s JAEGER, Paul Fillbee-Dexter’s PAINKILLER, Chris McDonald’s SCOTCH MIST IV, and Don Williams’ PARADIGM SHIFT. Joining them are Collin Mann’s J/92 POOHSTICKS, Bernd Hackstein’s J/27 BUZZ, and Mitch Horn & Randy Stevens’ J/70 GREAT WHITE.
The lone J/24 BARE LEG, skippered by Sarah Flanagan, will be taking on the ten-boat PHRF 4 class loaded with a bunch of old C&C 27s.
A pair of J/30s will be taking on all comers in the PHRF Inshore 1 class of eight boats. Those teams are Jordan MacNeil’s FLUX and Jesleine Baker’s JUST ADD WATER.
Finally, a five-boat J/105 one-design class will always look forward to spirited racing amongst friends and family off Halifax. Those teams include Carl Davis’ JAHMON, Sean McDermott & Rory MacDonald’s McMAC, Jim Mosher’s MOJO, John Sapp’s VTACK, and Capt. Bradison Boutilier’s SHIPYARD J105. Sailing photo credits- Tim Wilkes.com. For more Chester Race Week sailing information
NEW J/Gear August Special- 20% off!
(Newport, RI)- Handsome J/performance zip top. 100% synthetic for moisture management and quick drying. Wind resistant. Contrasting collar color for added detail. Perfect for your crew when a versatile lightweight garment provides needed options. Customize with boat name and sail number. The shirt color is listed first and the collar contrast after the slash. For more information and to order.
Sailing Calendar
Aug 1-6- Regatta Copa del Rey- Real Club Náutico de Palma- Palma Mallorca, Spain
Aug 5-7- Buzzards Bay Regatta- New Bedford YC- Dartmouth, MA
Aug 6-11- J/22 Sneekweek- Koninklijke Watersportvereniging Sneek – Sneek, Netherlands
Aug 8-11- J/70 Nordic Championship- Åländska Segelsällskapet- Mariehamn, Finland
Aug 10-13- Chester Race Week- Chester YC- Chester, Nova Scotia
Aug 12-14- Safe Harbor Race Weekend- Newport, RI
Aug 16-19- Swiss J/70 Women’s League Davos- Davos, Switzerland
Aug 18-20- Ida Lewis Distance Race- Ida Lewis YC- Newport, RI
Aug 19-21- Offshore Verve Cup- Chicago YC- Chicago, IL
Aug 19-21- Ted Hood Regatta- Eastern YC- Marblehead, MA
Aug 19-21- Phyllis Kleinman Swiftsure Regatta- St Francis YC- San Francisco, CA
Aug 20-21- J/24 Florida States- Coconut Grove SC- Miami, FL
Aug 26-28- J/Jamboree- Lake Winnipesaukee Sailing Assoc.- Gilford, NH
Aug 26-28- Inshore Verve Cup- Chicago YC- Chicago, IL
Sep 2-5- Vineyard Race- Stamford YC- Stamford, CT
Sep 2- Tri-State: Chicago- St. Joe- Columbia YC- Chicago, IL
Sep 4- Bi-State: St. Joe to Chicago- Michigan City YC- Michigan City, IN
Sep 4- Tri-State: St. Joe to Michigan City- Michigan City YC- Michigan City, IN
Sep 5- Tri-State: Michigan City to Chicago- Jackson Park YC- Chicago, IL
Sep 3-4- Red Fox Regatta- Charlevoix YC- Charlevoix, MI
Sep 10-11- J/80 East Coast Championship- Beverly YC- Marion, MA
Sep 13-17- J/22 North Americans- Tawas Bay YC- Tawas Bay, MI
Sep 14-18- Rolex Big Boat Series- St. Francis YC- San Francisco, CA
Sep 19-25- J/70 North Americans- Port Credit YC- Mississauga, ONT
Sep 21-25- J/88 North Americans- Chicago YC- Chicago, IL
Sep 23-25- J/30 North Americans- Eastport YC- Annapolis, MD
Sep 23-25- Great Lakes College J/105 Regatta- Columbia YC- Chicago, IL
Sep 23-25- J/22 Northeast Championship- Lake George Club- Lake George, NY
Sep 23-25- J/80 North Americans- Sail Newport- Newport, RI
Sep 24-25- Red Bra Regatta- South Beach YC- San Francisco, CA
Sep 26- Oct 1- J/111 North Americans- Lakeside YC- Cleveland, OH
Sep 26- Oct 2- J/105 North Americans- San Francisco YC- Belvedere, CA
Sep 30- Oct 1- Changing of Colors J/24 Regatta- Lake George Club- Lake George, NY
Oct 1-8- J/80 World Championship- Sail Newport- Newport, RI
Oct 14-22- J/70 World Championship- YC Monaco- Monte Carlo, Monaco
Oct 26-30- J/24 North Americans- Severn Sailing Association- Annapolis, MD
Oct 29-30- Fall Brawl- Eastport YC- Annapolis, MD
2023
Jan 16-20- The Southernmost Regatta- Sailing Inc- Key West, FL
For additional J/Regatta and Event dates in your region, please refer to the on-line J/Sailing Calendar.
Marshall Crowned 2022 J/24 World Champion
(Corpus Christi, TX)- The J/24 Class began in 1978, and in 2022 it still attracts nine nations to its World Championship. This year’s edition was hosted by Corpus Christi Yacht Club in Corpus Christi, Texas with thirty-eight boats representing Argentina, Chile, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Trinidad, and the United States. The weather was simply spectacular, with the Bay delivering the famous, hot, southeasterly sea breezes that ranged from 12 to 28 kts over the five days of racing.
Day 1- Perfect Conditions
In the two races, Paul Foerster’s GRAND SLAM 2 went two for two in pristine conditions of 14-16 knots to begin the Championship. The crew includes Rob Johnston, John Skiles, Stephen Andre, and Mike Brown. Reigning J/24 World Champion Keith Whittemore on FURIO was four points back in second place (6 points), and John Mollicone’s NEW ENGLAND ROPES held third place with 8 points. Foerster also led the robust 27-boat Corinthian division, followed by Nobuyuki Imai’s SIESTA and James Freedman’s LOL.
PRO Mark Foster summarized, “In Race 1, the first start was a P Flag general recall. The second attempt was a U Flag but another general recall. So the third start went to a Black Flag, and all clear. They sailed five legs at 1.4-mile leg length. In Race 2, we started with a Black Flag and again all clear. The course was five legs at 135 at 1.4 nautical miles. The winds increased up to 18 knots in the last race.”
Trailing Foerster in the initial contest was Whittemore and Aidan Glackin’s MENTAL FLOSS. And in the next battle were Mike Marshall’s AMERICAN GARAGE and Mollicone.
Day 2- Breezy Day Delights Sailors
The standings tightened up on day two. Foerster’s GRAND SLAM 2 added a third consecutive bullet in Race three, but with a seventh in Tuesday’s next scheduled race, finished with 10 points overall. Mollicone’s NEW ENGLAND ROPES dominated the day with a 2-3, moving them into second place with 13 points. The next three positions are separated by only three points: Whittemore’s FURIO (15), Marshall’s AMERICAN GARAGE (16), and Imai’s SIESTA (17). Foerster also leads the impressive 27-boat Corinthian division, ahead of Imai’s SIESTA and James Freedman’s LOL.
Race three began under a Black Flag and was all clear. Winds were blowing 17-19 knots, and most boats had their small jibs up. As with Day 1, the course was five legs at 1.4 nautical miles. Race four also started under a black flag (all clear) with the same course five at 1.4 nautical miles. The breeze picked up to 19-22 knots in choppy waters.
Following Foerster in the day’s opening match were Mollicone and Imai. Marshall’s AMERICAN GARAGE cracked the top spot in the next race, as Travis Odenbach’s BOGUS got in on the action and Mollicone was again in the top three.
Day 3- Gusty Middle Day
After the first race on Wednesday (Race 5), Foerster’s GRAND SLAM 2 and Marshall’s AMERICAN GARAGE were tied for the top position. But in Race 6, Foerster nailed a bullet, giving him 10 net points. The discard race has now come into effect, allowing Foerster to drop a 7. Marshall’s AMERICAN GARAGE is in close range with 14 net points for second place. Imai’s SIESTA moved up to third overall with 17 net points. The fourth and fifth spots are still quite tight: Mollicone’s NEW ENGLAND ROPES (19 points) and Whittemore’s FURIO (20 points). Foerster continued to lead the 27-boat Corinthian division, ahead of Imai’s SIESTA and James Freedman’s LOL.
The racecourse was reduced Wednesday to four legs, but still at 1.45 nautical miles. The Black Flag was out again with an all-clear start for Race 5. Winds were 18-22 knots, gusting to 24. Code flag Yankee was displayed onshore and on the signal boat, requiring all competitors to wear life jackets. Race 6 continued under Black Flag at 1.5 nautical miles, with one boat BFD. The breeze held at 18-22 knots as gusts increased to the mid/upper 20s.
Marshall’s AMERICAN GARAGE earned his second consecutive victory in the day’s initial contest, with Imai’s FIESTA and William Fastiggi’s FAWN LIEBOWITZ rounding out the top three. Foerster’s GRAND SLAM 2 won the race to the dock, trailed by Fastiggi and Odenbach’s BOGUS.
Day 4- Anxious Penultimate Day
Four points separate the top four boats heading into the final day. Foerster’s GRAND SLAM 2 remains atop the leaderboard with 21 points, after posting a 4-7 on Thursday. Marshall’s AMERICAN GARAGE and Imai’s SIESTA are tied at 24 points for second and third, respectively. Mollicone’s NEW ENGLAND ROPES is only one point further back with 25 points. Foerster still leads the 27-boat Corinthian division, ahead of Imai’s SIESTA and James Freedman’s LOL.
Race 7 started on time with legs of 1.5 nautical miles. Wind speeds were 19-22 knots with peak gusts in the high twenties. Notable BFDs were Marshall’s AMERICAN GARAGE, Keith Whittemore’s FURIO, and Odenbach’s BOGUS. Race 8 was also course four at a distance of 1.5 nautical miles. The Black Flag start was all clear. Wind speeds averaged 22 knots with a top gust of 33.
Imai’s SIESTA gained their first victory of the Championship to kick off the day, while Fastiggi’s FAWN LIEBOWITZ stayed on a hot streak in second and Mollicone’s NEW ENGLAND ROPES placed third. Odenbach’s BOGUS rebounded in Thursday’s second race, as did Marshall’s AMERICAN GARAGE. Mollicone repeated a third in this contest as well.
Day 5- Grand, Smokin’ Hot Finale
Marshall’s AMERICAN GARAGE may have never been in first place overall during races one through nine, but he was after the tenth and final race to claim the title of 2022 J/24 World Champion. With crew Dave Hughes, Allan Terhune, Jeffrey Hayden, and Rod Favela, the Newport, Rhode Island-based skipper overcame a Black Flag in Race 7 to finish with 29 net points. Foerster’s GRAND SLAM 2 compiled a stellar week of racing, but a 10th in the last race became their discard, and they finished a mere point behind Marshall for second place. Nobuyuki Imai’s SIESTA always impresses, and this Championship was no different as they placed third with 32 points. John Mollicone’s NEW ENGLAND ROPES was in the hunt all week and ended just a notch behind Siesta for fourth place. Foerster’s GRAND SLAM 2 won the strong 27-boat Corinthian division, ahead of Imai’s SIESTA and James Freedman’s LOL. This year is the inaugural presentation of the Corinthian perpetual trophy, generously donated by long-time J/24 sailor Jim Farmer.
Race nine started at Corpus Christi Yacht Club in Texas USA as scheduled under a Black Flag and was all clear. It was a four-legged course at a distance of 1.6 nautical miles for the first leg and 1.5 following. West wind speeds were 12-14 knots. Race 10 was similar: black flag all clear, course 4 at 1.55nm. Friday’s race winners were Keith Whittemore’s FURIO and Mollicone’s NEW ENGLAND ROPES.
Regarding the team mood following the BFD, Marshall said, “It’s always hard waiting for the race to finish out. You know you put yourself in a bad start.” From Race 8 on, he continued, “We needed to be perfect, and we weren’t, but in the last race we rounded the top mark in first. Paul was behind us, and we knew we had to be in front of Siesta. (Friday) was the lightest day, but we liked the big breeze all week.” Marshall finished second in Race 10.
The J/24 class also awarded its perpetual trophies:
• Jaeger Women’s Trophy- to Beatriz Agusti on MERMAID RESCUE
• Youth Turner Trophy- to James Thurlow on FORTITUDE
Sailing photo credits- Emily Stokes
A list of all J/24 World Champions can be found here. For more 2022 J/24 Worlds sailing and scoring information
Spectacular Ugotta Regatta
SITELLA Crowned J/111 Great Lakes Champion
(Harbor Springs, MI)- The Little Traverse Yacht Club’s Ugotta Regatta sailed off Harbor Springs, MI, was blessed with three straight days of gorgeous sailing conditions from July 29th to 31st. For the hundreds of sailors that had endured the extreme weather of both Mackinac Races (Chicago- windy & storm & rainy, Bayview- hot, sunny & no wind), it was a welcome reprieve to get out on the water in “shorts & shades” and simply enjoy a beautiful day on the water.
For the thirteen-boat J/111 fleet sailing their 2022 Great Lakes Championship, the LTYC PRO managed to run five races, including the “round the bay race” on Sunday. Not surprisingly, the competition at the top of the leaderboard was fast and furious between the two protagonists, Ian Hill’s SITELLA from Hampton, Virginia, and Scott Sellers’ NO SURPRISE, the hometown hero from Harbor Springs. Sailing with a star-studded team that included multiple World Champion Terry Hutchinson onboard calling tactics, SITELLA just squeaked by for the win with a 1-3-1-1-2 tally for 8 pts. Determined to give them a strong run-for-the-money, Seller’s NO SURPRISE team peeled off four deuces in four races and won the finale to take the silver medal with 9 pts. Rounding out the podium was Brad Faber’s UTAH with a record of 6-1-3-3-5 for 18 pts. The rest of the top five was Steve Young & Brad Kimmel’s DIABLO in fourth and Roland Rayment’s ROWDY in fifth place.
The winner of the J/111 Corinthians division was the Young & Kimmel duo on DIABLO, followed by Rayment’s ROWDY in second, and Tom Dickson’s WARLOCK in the third position.
The five-boat J/88 class had a nice mix of teams from Chicago, Michigan, and Minnesota. The unexpected first-time winner was Dave Dennison’s PIRANHA with an amazing record of four bullets and a deuce for 6 pts! Past winner Andy Graff on EXILE has his hands full taking on the smart and fast PIRANHA crew, but his 2-1-3-3-2 tally for 11 pts was good enough to earn the silver medal. Rounding out the podium was Scott Sorbie’s LEGACY with scores of 4-4-2-2-4 for 16 pts.
With eighteen boats, the J/70 class was the largest and most competitive class in the regatta. After eight races, no team had established any dominance as virtually every boat in the top five had at least one double-digit score. In the end, John Evans’ AIRPLANE team of Reed Baldridge, Chris Busch, and Abie McLaughlin counted three bullets and two 3rds in their scoreline of eight races for a total of 32 pts. After starting with a lack of local knowledge, Tim Finkle’s JUNIOR crew of Andy Green, Bryan Mackey, and Morgan Paxhia were quick learners of the nuances of the Bay. They started with a 13-6, but closed with a 2-1-1 to race up the leaderboard and onto the podium in second place! Conversely, Bob Willis’ team on RIP RULLAH (Matt Clark, Will Holz, Ned Turney) started fast with a 2-1 but closed with a 5-13-4 to drop into the bronze medal position on the last day. Rounding out the top five were Don Glover’s MISS KILLER and Martin Johnsson’s AQUAHOLIKS in 4th and 5th, respectively.
In the J/70 Corinthians division, winning was Finkle’s JUNIOR, followed by Willis’ RIP RULLAH in second and Johnsson’s AQUAHOLIKS in third place.
The ORC C class of seven boats was treated to a sweep of the podium by two J/122s- Matt Songer’s EVVAI with the gold medal followed by Matt Schaedler’s BLITZKRIEG with the silver.
A similar scenario played out in the eleven-boat PHRF B Class, a full-on sweep by J/Crews. Winning was Richie Stearns’ J/105 HOKEY SMOKE (with team of Lori Stearns, Freya Olsen, Marci Grunnert, Annie Baumann, Linda Bradford, and Holly Davis- pictured here). They were followed by Robert Evans’ J/109 GOAT RODEO in the silver position, then Sam Rosenbaum’s J/99 RAMBLER earning the bronze. For more Ugotta Regatta sailing information
VAMOS & LITTLE J Winners of Cowes J/70 Mini-series
(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- After eleven races held in predominantly full-planing conditions, the J/70 UK Class Mini-Series at Cowes Week concluded after four days of top competition with thirty-two J/70 teams racing. It was “Aussie Rules” in the Open Division and a youth team winning the Corinthian Title (beating Dad, no less)!
Tim Ryan’s VAMOS team (Robert Greenhalgh, Jess Grimes & Charlie Gundy) from Sydney, Australia was the Open Division winner at Cowes Week. Sam Haynes’s CELESTIAL team (David Chapman, Lewis Brake & Lachlan Pryor), also from Sydney, Australia, was runner-up, with Charles Thompson’s BRUTUS just three points behind in third. In the Corinthian Division, Max Clapp’s LITTLE J was the winner with Jack Davies’ YETI as runner-up. Ole Bettum, Tim Simpson, Markus Bettum & Hector Simpson racing DADS‘N’LADS was third.
“We qualified out of Australia for the Worlds in Monaco later this year, so we have plans to compete at a few events including the Europeans, “ commented Tim Ryan. “Rob Greenhalgh is on the Vamos crew, he is from here and he said we should do Cowes Week. I have never been to the regatta before, but it has been great, we have loved it. Cowes Week is such a massive challenge with the tide and also the wind has been super-strong. The competition at Cowes Week has been very good, some of the boats are so quick. Although we got one OCS in the first race, we got the win by being consistent for the rest of the regatta. We are not the quickest in this fleet by any stretch (of the imagination). Sam Haynes is a good friend from Sydney, and he has got Celestial up to speed. It has been good fun racing Celestial here and they will also be at the Worlds. During Cowes Week we have not had a moment’s rest for four days. We have had a lot of fun; the whole thing has been just fantastic, and we will be racing for the next three days.”
The Corinthian team on LITTLE J are all 26 or under: Max Clapp, Mathieu Cadei, Horatio Sykes & Felix Trattner.
LITTLE J had a great final day of the Mini-Series scoring a 3-7-2 to win the Corinthian Division and top youth team and also placed fifth overall. But LITTLE J had another ambition that they fulfilled. “We also dreamed of beating dad (Graham Clapp racing JEEPSTER), so that was really cool, but I am not sure I should mention it to him too much!” commented Max Clapp. “We didn’t really change much on the final day, I guess we were just more focused, and the boat speed was up. It has been a great Cowes Week: racing in a big fleet with some top boats is what it is all about.”
Racing at Cowes Week continues for three days for the J/70 Class, but the next Grand Slam meeting will be the final of the seven-regatta 2022 program: Grand Slam #7 will be held as part of the One Design Championships held at the Hamble River Sailing Club 01-02 October. Watch J/70 Royal Yacht Squadron starting line video clip on Facebook
Sailing photo credits: Paul Wyeth/ PWPictures Full results for Cowes J/70 Mini-Series For more J/70 UK Class sailing information.
Epic, Sunny Marblehead Sailing World Regatta
Chicagoan Heaton Crowned J/70 New England Champion
(Marblehead, MA)- The Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series at Marblehead Race Week, it’s been said, is a regatta of mental endurance. With four days of races and no discards, every race and every point counts. There can be no quit until the final leg is sailed, especially in the waters off Marblehead Harbor where the local sailors know that the wind and weather conditions are never the same from one day to the next. And no lead is ever safe.
There were close battles across the fleet, and especially so in the J/70 division, which had two 2023 J/70 World Championship qualifying berths to play for: one for a pro team and one for an all-amateur squad. The latter was bagged by locals Charlie Pendleton, Jim Raisides, Abi Borggaard, and Wade Waddell on BAD HOMBRES after a roller coaster of a regatta. They struggled on Friday, recorded their best results on Saturday, and then almost lost it all on the final day.
“On Friday, we had our worst ever day at Race Week,” Raisides said, “but it speaks to the resiliency of the team that we went out and there on Saturday and had three top-10 finishes and were the third boat overall for the day—that shows a good team.”
The foursome on BAD HOMBRES was OCS in the first race of the final day, had to return to the start, and managed to climb back to score a 20th in the 30-boat fleet. With only one race remaining, they put their disappointment behind them and focused on getting back the points they’d given up.
“Our whole thing was to just keep playing forward and working for points,” Raisides said. Scoring an impressive 11th in the final race was enough to win the berth by a slim 2 points.
The other world-championship berth went to John Heaton’s team on EMPEIRIA, the top J/70 of the weekend, which stunned the fleet on Saturday by winning all three races.
“It was a beautiful regatta, with epic conditions for Marblehead,” said Heaton, whose team of Zeke Horowitz, Zach Mason, and Will Felder mastered the changing winds that spanned from south to west, to light and strong, especially on Saturday.
“A lot of it is due to the guys, and that the boat is set up so I can drive it without intervention,” Heaton said. “I was just driving and the whole time the crew was talking about where the wind was, the clouds, and the shifts. We had good starts and good speed, but these guys were banging the shifts perfectly. It was a proud day for me to watch the team click so well together.”
Rounding out the podium for the J/70s was David Hughes’ SMOKESHOW in second (with a crew of Chris Larson, Al Terhune, and Paul Sevigny) and Bruce Golison’s MIDLIFE CRISIS taking third (with a crew of Steve Hunt, Jeff Reynolds, and Erik Shampain).
The balance of the J/70 Corinthians behind Raisides’ BAD HOMBRES was Alden Reed’s EYC RESOLUTE in second with a crew of Alex Cook, Clinton Haes, and Hannah Lynn) and Eddie Keller’s KEY PLAYER in third place (with a crew of Chris Keller, Bill Lynn, and Petey Lynn).
Winning the J/70 Mixed+ division was Tyler Doyle’s CLOWN CAR with a crew of Elizabeth Eissner, Ronald Homa, and Jennifer Lambertz. Second went to Holly Fabyan’s ASTERIA with a crew of Miranda Bakos, Mark McHugh, and Nick Sertl. Rounding out the podium was Liz Dubovik’s WINTERWIND with the all-women’s team of Alix Israel, Shannon Lockwood, Katie Rodger, and Alexandra Romagnoli.
With eight boats, the J/105 class saw the only runaway winner in any class at the regatta. Starting in first place on day one, Charlie Garrard’s MERLIN team of Scott Alexander, Gretchen Fisher, Jack Garrad, Janet Quigley, and Alec Torrie never relinquished their lead, closing with a trio of bullets on the final day to win with just 12 pts total in 8 races!
While counting all podium finishes, Rob Marsh’s BLOWBOAT team could only muster a silver medal with 20 pts total. Rounding off the podium with the bronze medal was Tom Root’s EL JEFE with 31 pts total. The balance of the top five was Steve Hollis’ SIROCCO in 4th and Ric Dexter’s BROUHAHA in the fifth position. Sailing photo credits- Paul Todd/ OutsideImages.com For more Sailing World Marblehead Regatta sailing information
Fun-loving, Gorgeous Women’s Open Keelboat Championship
(Hamble, United Kingdom)- The 2022 edition of the Women’s Open Keelboat Championship will certainly go down in the record books as one of the sweetest in recent memories. Blessed with clear skies, good breezes, and warm weather, the all-women teams enjoyed two fabulous days sailing on the infamous Solent… fulfilling the mission for the event!
The Mission: Whether you are a seasoned round-the-world racer or you can’t tell a burgee from a gooseneck, you’re welcome at WOKC. Our mission is simple: provide a platform for women to get on the water, enjoy competitive racing with like-minded sailors and grow confidence in the company of those who have faced – and continue to face – similar hurdles.
In the end, it was radiant smiles all around for the 75+ women sailors that attended, sailing out of the beautiful facilities at Royal Southern Yacht Club on the Hamble River. Sailing the most consistent in the six-race series of all teams was Susie Moore’s J/111 JAGERBOMB team, posting all podium scores. Nevertheless, counting a bullet and four seconds (tossing the 3rd place!), they just missed the top step on the podium by a single point, having to settle for the silver medal. Nevertheless, Susie’s team enjoyed a fabulous, sunny weekend sailing with friends to support a great cause! Fellow J/92 sailors had their ups and downs during the two-day event. Becky Walford’s BRENDA”S J ended up in 6th and Penny Jeffcoate’s NIGHTJAR finished 7th. All told, it was a tremendous success for all women sailors and the “apres” sailing at the Royal Southern with great food and music was most appreciated by all. For more Women’s Open Keelboat Facebook photos For more Women’s Open Keelboat Championship sailing information
Slow Cruising For Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race
(Santa Barbara, CA)- The sixty-one boats sailing this year’s 81.0nm mad dash from Santa Barbara to King Harbor got quite a bit less than what they bargained for with the weather Gods! Starting light out of the traditional northwest building sea breeze down the Santa Barbara Channel, there was the usual boost of the breeze between the islands rounding Anacapa, but it then died off again to less than 6 kts on the way to the finish line off King Harbor.
Despite the less than stellar sailing conditions, the eighteen J/Boats participating (32.0% of the fleet) had some great performances. How about this remarkable achievement, five PHRF classes, and five podium finishes! In other words, 10 of 18 J/Boats sailing got silverware- 56.0% of the teams…e.g. more than half! That’s astonishing! And “bravo” to all of them for their fantastic efforts!
In the eight-boat PHRF A class, Dean Stanec’s J/130 NIGHTS WATCH took the bronze medal.
The ten-boat PHRF B class was swept by J/Teams taking the top six spots! Winning was Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s J/109 TRIFECTA, followed by two more J/109s on the podium- Jack Mayer’s ZEPHYR in second and Tom Cullen’s FUEGO in third place. Then, fourth was Stephen McMillan’s J/99 MERLIN, fifth was David Bew’s J/100 KANANI, and sixth was Jim & Scott Barber’s J/109 FELEENA.
In PHRF ULDB B class of a dozen boats, the two J/125s landed on the podium, with Ken Kieding & John Vincent’s ARGO 4 getting the silver and Standish Fleming’s NEREID earning the bronze.
A similar scenario played out in the ten-boat PHRF ULDB class. The J/111s also landed on the podium, with Bernie Girod’s ROCK & ROLL taking the silver pickle dish and John Staff’s OBSIDIAN earning the bronze plate.
Finally, in the seven-boat PHRF ULDB D division, yet again two J/Teams landed on the podium. Second place was David Newland’s J/92 DREAMLINE and third place went to Robert Kraak’s J/105 SOPHIA. For more Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race sailing information
J/Crews Love Camden Classics
(Camden, Maine)- The Camden Classics Cup is one of the world’s most beautiful regattas – sailed where the mountains meet the sea off the lovely harbor and town of Camden, Maine on west Penobscot Bay. The Camden Classics Cup aims to give sailors the time of their lives with terrific on-the-water racing, and stellar onshore events.
Presented by Lyman-Morse with support from the CYOA, the Camden Classics Cup is a celebration of both classic and modern yacht racing. It features two days of racing for sailboats and a panoramic backdrop for powerboats. Participants have access to Lyman-Morse’s facilities and a full weekend of events in the lovely town of Camden!
The event beneficiary is “LifeFlight of Maine”. LifeFlight services have been used by every hospital in the state, at emergency scenes in more than 330 communities, islands, and townships in every county in Maine. Eighty percent of LifeFlight’s missions are from rural, community hospitals to one of Maine’s three trauma centers, or specialty centers in Boston. Twenty percent of the flights are to accident scenes. If you wish, please consider donating today to LifeFlight Maine.
As they have done for the past ten+ years, the Camden Yacht Club and Lyman-Morse in Camden, Maine have done an amazing job hosting their fun-loving, laid-back event on western Penobscot Bay. Popular from the beginning, the classic yachts have enjoyed amazing sailing every summer with family and friends.
In recent years, “modern” yachts have been added to the mix, such as one-design classes for J/46s and J/42s, as well as classic PHRF classes for boats like J/32s, J/40s, J/28s, J/109s, J/100s, and so forth. As the event has grown in popularity, the clouds of sail along western Penobscot Bay have attracted throngs of “cheerleaders” as well, mostly in the form of powerboats taking hundreds of photos of the classic + modern spectacle.
The J/46 Class enjoyed one of its largest classes in years, with nine boats in attendance. Principal organizer, Tom Babbitt, had his hands full coordinating all the boats, their teams, dockage, moorings, etc. In the end, it was John Nolan’s AKAI that took class honors, followed by Babbitt’s BRAVO in second, Jim Bennett’s FINISTERRE in third, Scott Miller’s RESOLUTE in fourth, and Jeff Hamilton’s MEME CHUM in fifth place.
A recently added class has been the J/42 Division. This year, five boats showed up from across New England. Winning was a familiar name at the top of the J/105 one-design leaderboard in Marblehead, MA- Fred deNapoli. Now “cruising” in his early retirement, Fred has been decimating cruising class events everywhere sailing his J/42 FINEZZA VELOCE. Not surprisingly, as one of the top J/105 sailors for decades in New England, Fred ended up winning this year’s event. Second was Jay Pasco-Anderson’s CIRRUS, followed by Brent DeMichael’s DAENERYS in third place.
In the PHRF Cruising 1 division, Mark Schaeffer’s J/40 LEGACY took the class win, followed by Ronald Hart’s J/109 TRUE NORTH taking the silver medal. In the PHRF Cruising 2 division, Sandy Welle’s J/28 RABBIT took the bronze medal.
“Yesterday was the kind of day that sailors live for,” said Holly Paterson, event director of the 2022 Camden Classic Cup. “The chance to sail yachts of this caliber on Penobscot Bay in a good breeze creates the kind of memories that last long after the racing sails are flaked. The morning’s Parade of Sail was beautiful, and everyone was buzzing about yesterday afternoon’s conditions at last night’s party and awards ceremony.”
“It’s more than a race— it’s a gathering of friends and like-minded people,” said Phineas Sprague, Jr., the owner and skipper of a large schooner. “It’s about seeing your friends and having an opportunity to get together with and enjoy the people attending this wonderful event.”
Indeed, while there can only be one winner in each class, participating owners, sailors, and their guests got the opportunity to trade (racing) war stories and mingle with friends new and old at the well-attended post-racing dinner/dance party and awards ceremony. While it’s fair to say that sailors had a great time racing in yesterday’s breeze, it’s also fair to say that everyone walked away from last night’s gathering feeling like winners after enduring two long winters of singing the protest-room blues (read: social distancing)! For more Camden Classics Cup Regatta sailing information
Regatta Copa del Rey Update
(Palma Mallorca, Spain)- A very special edition of the Copa del MAPFRE, the 40th-anniversary edition, has been taking place from July 30th to August 6th on the Bay of Palma, off Palma Mallorca, Spain. Hosting the event and rolling out the red carpet for the 111 teams and 18 nations is the Real Club Náutico de Palma. The event features four divisions for the BMW ORC fleet and one-design classes for the Herbalife J/70 fleet and the Mallorca Sotheby’s J/80 Women’s Cup.
One-Design
In both the Herbalife J/70 and Mallorca Sotheby´s J/80 Women´s Cup classes, the pre-regatta favorites for victory were being put to a severe test so far. Here is how the first half of the six-day regatta is going for the protagonists and their pretenders to the top of the throne.
In the Mallorca Sotheby’s J/80 Women’s Cup, giving the pre-regatta favorite- Nuria Sánchez’s DORSIA COVIRAN (skippered by Natalia Vía-Dufresne)- serious competition is a surprise team- Mariva Bover’s BALERIA- TEAM RCNP. So far, Bover’s team has posted a blistering 2-1-1-1-5-1 record for 11 pts total. The DORSIA COVIRAN team sits in second with a 1-5-3-3-1-2 tally for 14 pts. Then, currently in the third position is Eva Gonzalez’s SOHO HOTELS with a 5-2-2-2-4-3 scorecard for 18 pts.
For the Herbalife J/70 class, it’s Luis Bugallo’s LES ROCHES- TRIP SST team that is leading with a 4-6-1-1-1-2 record for 15 pts. However, sitting just a 1/2 point back is pre-regatta favorite Gustavo Martinez Doreste’s ALCAIDESA MARINA with a 1-2.6-3-2-2-5 for 15.6 pts. Not far off the pace is Jorge Martinez Doreste’s BODEGA CAN MARLES’s team with a roller-coaster scoreline of 2-2-4-5-6-1 for 20 pts.
ORC Offshore
In ORC 4 division, much to the surprise and delight of Otto & Gabriele Pohlmann’s J/99 MEERBLICK FUN team from Germany, they are sitting atop the leaderboard! Starting on the right foot with a bullet, they amassed an enviable record of 1-2-2-2-2-2 for 11 pts total to lead the fleet by 2 pts. For more Regatta Copa Del Rey MAPFRE sailing information
J/Community
What J/sailors, friends, and family are doing worldwide each week
J/99 DISKO TROOPER Wins Race for the Gold!
(Gold Coast, Australia)- J/99 DISKO TROOPER adds another strong trophy to their victory list! They just won IRC Doublehanded Class in the 384.0nm Sydney to Gold Coast Race! Congratulations to Jules Hall & Jan Scholten.. winners, if you recall, of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race! When you are on a roll, just keep on rolling!! The Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race is organized by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia with the co-operation of the Southport Yacht Club. For more Sydney to Gold Coast Race sailing information.
J/145s Lovin San Diego Wet Wednesday Series
(San Diego, CA)- Wednesday, July 27th, was the last of the ten races comprising the San Diego Beer Can series (e.g. Wet Wednesdays), sponsored by the Cortez Racing Association. The last race proved to be much more challenging than expected, with relatively light and shifty winds. According to Rudy Hasle, skipper/owner of the J/145 PALAEMON,
“In the last race, the competition in Division A was fierce. Our J/145 PALAEM finished in second place in the nearly two-hour race, 5 seconds behind Staghound. However, coming in 3rd and 4th were two other J/145s- Robert Pace’s ANDIAMO 2 and Ernie Pennell’s MORE MADNESS, respectively!
As a result of this final race, PALAEMON secured a 2nd place finish for the whole series, with the 3rd and 4th positions secured by MORE MADNESS and ANDIAMO 2, respectively!
The J/145s continued to be very competitive in the Southern California racing scene, a testament to the excellent design of these boats! We love ours and plan to keep racing her for a long time. Great boat!”
Ed. note- they were missing Roger Gatewood’s J/145 KATARA that is also based in San Diego! Notably, all four of them sailed the 2021 Newport to Ensenada Race.
How one couple learned to sail (and caught the bug) in the Oakland Estuary
A J/World “learn to sail” article by Natalie Wages
Someday, my husband Matt and I are going to sail around the world. Or so we’ve been saying since the Fourth of July last year when he became inspired after reading the book Adrift.
It’s the story of the only man known to survive alone at sea for over a month (76 days to be exact). Never mind that his boat sank. When Matt closed the book at our favorite campsite in the Sierra, he said, “We should buy a boat!”
We’ve always been land people. Backcountry people. Van travel was everything. But by the end of that weekend, we were sailing around the world and allocating five years to it. We decided it’ll be just like camping, but at sea.
We had been on sailboats before—you know, the sexy catamarans that cruise the Bay at sunset while you sip Champagne on the trampoline—but we had never sailed one ourselves. We spent the next year reading stories of other people’s journeys around the world, learning to make tiki drinks (when in Rome!), and mapping our dream routes. When my husband quite seriously suggested we sell our Oakland home to buy a boat, I had to buy some time, so I suggested sailing lessons. What if we didn’t like sailing?
After exchanging a few emails with Wayne Zittel, owner of the Alameda-based performance sailing school J/World, I was more convinced than ever that sailors hold the keys to the good life: He splits his time between California and Mexico (J/World also has locations in San Diego and Puerto Vallarta). Ranked among the top sailing schools in the U.S., J/World offers several certification programs including bareboat cruising and coastal navigation.
We signed up for the basic keelboat course, a four-day series that would take place over two consecutive weekends. We would learn to “responsibly skipper and crew a simple day-sailing keelboat in familiar waters, in light to moderate wind and sea conditions.” We arrive on the first day to meet our instructor, Austin, a not-yet-thirty-something in flip-flops who taught himself to sail at the age of six and may or may not live in a converted ambulance. We like this sailor already.
We spend the first morning in lecture learning points of sail and boat terms and watching Austin push boat magnets around a whiteboard. He used to teach kids, and his speed is right up my alley. In the afternoon, he decides we’ve totally got this, so it’s out to the slip to test our knowledge on a sporty, 26-foot J/80 racing boat. Immediately I notice there is no electrical equipment on board and no motor, so it’s just us and Austin’s whiteboard teachings. He shows us how to check the lines, hoist the mainsail, and look for wind cues and potential obstacles before we leave the dock. With the tiller in hand, I manage to sail us successfully out of the marina and into the Oakland Estuary.
It’s here where things get real as we learn a series of maneuvers like tacking and chicken gybing, and trim and ease the main to ensure smooth sailing. As the boat begins to heel over, I glance at Austin who is cool as a sea cucumber, leaning casually against the lifelines and whispering his internal dialogue out loud: “Heck yeah.” He says this a lot, and his stoke for this is contagious. I ease my grip on the main sheet.
The following morning brings more classroom time and my textbook becomes crammed with notes. At times I feel as if my brain will capsize from information overload, but luckily there are no dumb questions here. When it’s time to get back on the boat, my husband and I take the lead because by now we know how to uncover the sails, slack the main sheet, secure the halyard to the head, raise the mainsail, organize our lazy lines and sheets in the cockpit, and release the dock lines to push off.
After some tacking and controlled gybing practice up and down the estuary, Austin demonstrates a man-overboard drill, using a cushion he casually calls Timmy, so perfectly that I instantly want to try it myself. My husband jokes that he better practice his swimming, but after a couple of tries, I successfully rescue Timmy. We finish the day with docking practice where my husband is two-for-two and we realize this sailing-around-the-world dream might not be all that far-fetched. We decide to celebrate over mai tais at Forbidden Island.
We spend the next week making sailing jokes—this foreign language is cementing now—and we treat ourselves to a sunset charter in Santa Cruz. We couldn’t wait to go sailing again.
On our second weekend, we begin to overthink things less and feel the boat more. We learn to sail downwind in a run with our feet kicked up. We find a new perspective on the coastline we’ve called home for more than 15 years. We practice heaving-to, which brings the boat to a nearly complete stop (Austin calls it the “safety and lunch” position), and once we’re underway again, he does something insane: He disables our tiller. You know, the thing that steers the boat.
Austin’s style of sailing is about feeling. He teaches us to know where the wind is coming from by feeling it on our faces and to know when it’s time to gently head up or bear away from the wind with our eyes closed. It’s good boatmanship to know how to steer a boat when your motor dies or your rudder is busted, but part of me knows he does this for fun. When it’s time to tack, we all sit on one side of the boat, using our weight to make it heel to port and effectively turn to starboard. Once we’re ready to straighten our course again, we all surf the center to balance the boat. It’s magic.
We do this a few times up the estuary, laughing together and feeling the breeze on our tanned skin. I dangle my feet in the water and know that we’d crossed a threshold. Austin makes us want to sail and to sail well.
To sail a 26-foot vessel through the water using only a couple of well-trimmed swaths of fabric, the wind, and the current is about as analog an experience as one can have in 2022. It wasn’t just fun, it was existential. I realize we can be land people and sea people. Heck yeah.
For more information to sign up for sailing school, go to J/World here. Thanks for article contribution from 7×7:
About J/Boats
Started in 1977, J/Boats continues to lead the world in designing fun-to-sail, easy-to-handle, performance sailboats that can be enjoyed by a broad spectrum of sailors. The International J/24 has become the most popular recreational offshore keelboat in the world with over 5,500 J/24s cruising the waves. The J/70 one-design speedster has become the world’s fastest-growing sportsboat ever!
Today, there are 15,000+ J/Boats, ranging from the International J/22 to the J/65 and ranging in style from one-designs to racers, cruisers to daysailers and, of course, the ubiquitous J sprit boats- J/Boats’ innovation in 1992 for easy-to-use asymmetric spinnakers and retractable carbon bowsprits.
J/Boats has the best track record in sailing for innovation and designs as evidenced by: 20 Boat-of-the-Year Awards; the SAIL Award for Industry Leadership; two American Sailboat Hall of Fame Designs; and five World Sailing International One-Design keelboat classes (J/22, J/24, J/70, J/80 and J/111).
Counting crew, every year there are over 100,000 friends to meet sailing J’s, populating the most beautiful sailing harbors and sailing the waters of 35+ countries around the world. Sailing is all about friends. Come join us and expand your social network everywhere! For more information on J/Boats. Read Kimball Livingston’s SAIL update on the J/Boats story- A Band of Brothers