J/Newsletter- December 7th, 2022

sunset over the Pacific

This past week marked the end of one famous sailing series in Southern California as well as the conclusion of a famous Jamaican J/22 regatta sailed in Montego Bay. Plus, we got a report from our Australian friends “Down Under” about more offshore victories… seems like they never stop down there, do they?!

First off, the amazingly fun and hospitable 33rd annual Jammin’ J/22 Jamaica Regatta was yet again hosted by the gorgeous Montego Bay Yacht Club. Eleven teams from across Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Texas sailed in spectacular, extremely epic, and windy, “blowing dog off chains” sailing conditions. The report by the MBYC Commodore is entertaining… enjoy.

Then, hopping west across the continent to southern California, we find the San Diego Yacht Club in San Diego, CA completed the third and final race of their notoriously fun-loving Hot Rum Race Series, a series of PHRF pursuit races held over three weekends over 6 weeks. While the pair of J/105s didn’t hang on to win the PHRF Overall, they did clean house in PHRF 3 Division. In PHRF 1 Division the trio of J/145s sailed well, given that they were up against the hottest TP 52s on the West coast. Then, in PHRF 2 Division, the usual suspects of hot J/120s and J/111s were having a hard time this year cracking the top three.

Going still further southwest across the Pacific Ocean to Sydney, Australia, we discover that our HOT J/99 and J/122 teams continue to dominate the offshore fleet in Sydney Harbour. This time, it was the latest race in the Bluewater Point Score Series. The event was the 172.0nm Cabbage Tree Island Race, hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

Finally, there are two important announcements down in the “Upcoming Events” section. The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club are hosting the IRC Middle East Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from December 17th to 18th, 2022. Forty boats are expected to participate in the regatta. Many J/Boats owners are quite active in the Middle East, with the possibility the fleet will include J/22s, J/24s, J/80s, J/92, J/105s, J/111, and a J/122.

The RORC combined with UNCL Pôle Course du YCF and La Société Nautique de la Trinité Sur Mer (SNT) is hosting the inaugural IRC Two-Handed European Championship at the beginning of July 2023. The Championship will be decided by the combined results from two RORC offshore races: La Trinité – Cowes (350.0nm) starting on the 2nd of July and Cowes – Dinard – St Malo (150.0nm), starting on the 7th of July.

J/45 Wins CRUISING WORLD 2023 Boat of the Year: Best Performance Cruiser Award!

(Newport, RI)- This division truly lived up to its name, with a solid lineup of five nominees that lit up under sail.

J/45 Cruising World award winner The Johnstone family business has certainly evolved in the 45 years since the company launched with the J/24 back in 1977. But, the common denominator in the boats it has built since then is pretty straightforward: they’re all terrific sailing craft. Over time, J/Boats pivoted from one-design classes to ocean racers and full-fledged cruisers, and all that experience has culminated with this sleek, slick, dual-purpose 45-footer.

“As expected, this boat sailed beautifully,” judge Ed Sherman says. “Its 75 hp Volvo Penta Saildrive gave us ample speed when motoring, and was quiet too. I see this boat as an answer to the hardcore racer who wants to scale back a bit and enjoy cruising with the family in comfort while not sacrificing the performance they’re used to.”

Fellow judge Mark Pillsbury explains what put the boat over the top in his mind: “During Boat of the Year sea trials, we’re usually accompanied by builders or dealers who tell us what a boat’s intended to do, and we’re left to determine how successfully they hit the mark. In the case of the new J/45, we got to hear directly from an owner himself, who wanted a boat that he could seriously race with his mates, and then take his family of four young daughters off cruising. After a summer of doing both, the verdict was in: He loved his new J/45. And after our sail, so did we. ‘Rides like it’s on rails,’ I jotted in my notes. ‘Very smooth.’”

The arrival of the cold front could not possibly have been more surreal. At precisely 5 p.m. this past October 17, coinciding exactly with the official pronouncement that the annual US Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, had concluded, a fierce thunderstorm rolled over the Chesapeake Bay, generating sideways rain and powerful gusts. Chaos ensued. Exhibitors on land breaking down tents and packing up displays were left doused and scrambling. The crews on boats untying lines to depart the docks ducked for cover. It was a mess for everyone.

Except, that is, for our team of judges for the 2023 Boat of the Year contest, the sea trials for which were scheduled to begin early the next day. For us, hiding out from the fray, the timing couldn’t have been better. We knew that the front was also bringing a fresh breeze—a couple of days of pumping northerlies before a welcome swing to solid southerlies. Game on.

Full disclosure: It’s not every year that every nominee in our yearly BOTY competition gets tested in superb conditions. Chesapeake Bay can be a fickle test bed in mid-October, particularly on flat-calm mornings, when it takes some time for the capricious sea breeze to fill in. Truthfully, sometimes it never does. But not this year. And while the winds did fluctuate somewhat over the next 72 hours when our panel conducted sea trials for this year’s fleet of 17 entries, overall the conditions were almost ideal—some of the best, most consistent pressure in the 20-odd-year history of the event. Each entry got a fair opportunity to strut its stuff.

And it was a great year for that to happen because while the fleet may not have been the largest ever, in terms of sailing prowess and performance, it was exemplary across the board. The sailing, quite simply, was outstanding.

But about those numbers: It’s safe to say that the effect of the pandemic on worldwide sailboat manufacturing is lingering. Last year in Annapolis, builders were inundated with orders, and for some companies, order books were full for the following two or three years or more. Which meant that if you laid down a deposit for a new boat in 2021, it was by no means unusual for delivery to be scheduled for 2023, or later. That trend is slowing, but it has not ceased. What seems to have been shelved for many brands is the R&D that goes into new models. It makes sense.

All that said, even in years with two dozen entries or more, it’s rare to be presented with a fleet with such a resounding international presence. The 17 boats that comprise the BOTY ’23 field were produced in nine different nations: Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, South Africa, Slovenia, Sweden, the United States, and shockingly, even Ukraine. Sailors by nature are known to be a resilient lot, but so too are those who create the craft we sail. We salute them.

There was one final, unique aspect to the Boat of the Year 2023 competition: the number of owners aboard the yachts that we tested for the sea trials. Manufacturers reps and designers are our usual presenters, but having the sailors who purchased and commissioned the vessels always adds a new and fascinating dimension. Hearing what they chose and why is valuable input.

J/45 Acadia girls

J/45 ACADIA
In that vein, we’d like to recognize Erik Asgeirsson on the J/45 ACADIA, a lifelong sailor who’s the very definition of a racer and cruiser. He enjoys competing aboard the boat, but also sailed it across the windswept English Channel in a full-on, rip-roaring gale Force 7 after taking delivery, and he cruises with his wife and four girls all over New England (seen above).

As always, the contest was conducted in two parts, with a series of dockside inspections of the overall build, systems, and layout preceding the sail trials. And, as always, we want to thank all the participants, who were gracious with their time and very accessible, even when we closed down their boats for viewing during busy periods during the Annapolis boat show.

Eventually, as they invariably do, the winds calmed and the Chesapeake Bay was placid. Which meant it was time to convene, deliberate, and choose some winners. This year, in particular, was the hard part. What follows is a roll call of the winners and a closer look at every nominee. For our team who puts it together, our Boat of the Year program is always some of the best sailing we ever get to do. And this year, breeze on, was special indeed. For more Cruising World Boat of the Year information. For more of the Cruising World J/45 offshore cruising yacht review

J/99’s and J/122’s on Form Leading Blue Water Pointscore Series

(Sydney, Australia)- The 172.0nm Cabbage Tree Island Race (hosted by Cruising Yacht Club of Australia) was held over the December 2nd to 3rd weekend with a combined fleet of sixty-nine yachts of which fifteen were sailed two-handed. Again, we saw more outstanding success from the J/99 and J/122 competitors. The growth of the two-handed fleet has been phenomenal and is a real credit to a remarkable bunch of sailors who band together to drive their sport.

The Cabbage Tree Island Race started in Sydney Harbour on Friday evening, heading north to the island (just north of Port Stephens) and returning to finish back in the harbor.

Shane Connelly from J/99 RUM REBELLION commented, “it was a great run up the coast to the island. I should have gybed closer to the island, but ended up going too deep. Rounding the island, we had about 3 hours of windward sailing before the wind swung east then northeast for a great run the rest of the sail home.”

Results of the race:

J/99 DISKO TROOPER- CONTENDER SAILCLOTH- 1st Overall ORCi and 2nd Overall IRC, 1st Div 2 ORCi and 1st ORCi TwoHanded, 2nd IRC TwoHanded.
J/99 JUPITER- 3rd ORCi Two-Handed & 4th Overall ORCi
J/99 RUM REBELLION- 4th IRC TwoHanded
J/122 JOSS- 1st in the Wild Rose Trophy
J/122 RUM CHASER- 4th PHS Two-Handed

Remarkably, four of the top seven yachts in the combined ORCi fleet were J/Boats (three Two-Handed J/99s and one J/122)!

The Cabbage Tree Island Race was the fifth race in the CYCA Blue Water Pointscore (BWPS) and is the penultimate race before the 628.0nm Rolex Sydney to Hobart race which starts on Boxing Day, December 25th.

So far, the competitors have raced over 1,000nm in the five lead-up races since July.

Of particular note, results for the 5-race Sydney Bluewater Pointscore Series to date:

J/99 RUM REBELLION is sitting 1st IRC and 2nd ORCi in the two-handed division, 2nd IRC and 2nd ORCi in Div 2 (combined with the fully crewed yachts), plus 1st IRC in the Corinthian combined division.
J/122 JOSS is 1st overall IRC Wild Rose Trophy pointscore and equal 3rd Div 2 PHS.

Congratulations to all our J/Owners on their fantastic results in the Blue Water Pointscore Series. Next up ROLEX Sydney-Hobart! Sailing photo credits- Andrea Francolini and Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

Smokin’ Hot 33rd Annual Jammin’ J/22 Jamaica Regatta!

(Montego Bay, Jamaica)- “This year’s regatta was intense; both the competition and wind could only be described as fierce…. in other words, “blowing dogs off chains” sailing conditions! We saw 20+ knots of breeze consistently with gusts up to 30 throughout the two days of racing, Friday, December 2, and Saturday, December 3, with a few early retirements and some incredible boat handling. Safety being the number one priority, we decided to move forward with racing with caution and after much deliberation, as the scores will reflect, crews and skippers decided for themselves what was safe.

With 11 boats registered, including two shipped from the Cayman Islands with the generous sponsorship of SEABOARD MARINE, it was a great couple of days of racing. Without SEABOARD MARINE, getting the boats from the Cayman Islands Sailing Club to the port in Montego Bay, the final results would have looked very different. The Jamaican Customs was instrumental in the clearance of the two Caymanian vessels, YAHOO #9 and ADJUSTED #13, skippered by Bruce Johnson and Mike Farrington, respectively. We look forward to their support in future years for the continued comradery and growth of the sport on both islands.

Montego Bay Yacht Club dock

The Montego Bay Yacht Club, which has hosted this event since 1989, had six J/22s competing this year, including AWESOME! #0 skippered by Commodore and Jamin Chair Spencer May, NINA #1 skippered by Stephen Dear, ZIPPER #2 skippered by Denise Taylor, AYAHSO #4 skippered by the father/daughter combo of Michael and Emily Morse, OPEN WATER #7 skippered by Andrew King, and DEFENDER #10 skippered by Past Commodore and Chair of the Pineapple Cup Race Nigel Knowles. Kingston’s Royal Jamaica Yacht Club had two boats competing, TSUNAMI #3 skipped by Malcolm Hernould and PJ Gibson, and GERONIMO #11 skippered by Steven “Cookie” Cooke. Our defending champions from the Galveston Bay Cruising Association, Walter Caldwell, Karen Glass, Allie Cribbs, and Brett Allred, had the use of RENEGADE #6 through the generosity of Past Commodore and Past Jamin’ Chair Richard Hamilton.

Before getting into the nitty gritty race results, we MUST thank the MBYC team that makes this event possible every year. Dockmaster and Committee Boat Helm, Dawson Morrison, and 1st Mate Anthony Carty, who assisted with the start and finish line. The dutiful Heather Vernon, our MBYC manager, and Administrative Assistant, Zeirain Shaw. Our start committee was made-up of Maxine Garwan, Debbie Louw, Lyn Langford, and Jackie Hamilton. We also have to praise Evelyn Harrington as her “joke prizes” are a highlight of each year’s Jamin prize-giving, like giving AWESOME some spackle and a brush after a glancing blow on the committee boat’s beam before the start of race 5, or the carabiners for a crew member of NINA who ended up climbing one of the channel markers after going overboard! As we said, the wind made for some pretty wild sailing conditions.

J/22 Jammin Jamaica scores

The scores tell quite the story, and beyond that, there are anecdotal stories with a few broken boat parts and MOBs. Needless to say, all boats and sailors were still buoyant at the end of the weekend.

DAY ONE
After the first day of racing, there were clearly 2 boats in the lead ADJUSTED #13 (5 points) and YAHOO #9 (7 points), and a deadlock tie for 3rd with RENEGADE #6 and AYAHSO #4 both tied at 15 points. TSUNAMI was not far behind with 19 points. 5 of the 11 boats had early retirements or were not able to get to the start line with inexperienced crew and breakages were cited as the cause. The windward mark of the course was nestled up against Montego Bay’s Harmony Beach Park, which acted as a wind shadow and allowed for some great tactical maneuvering and quick spinnaker sets.

DAY TWO
The second day of racing was equally exciting and while there were a few early retirements, the most dramatic was a snapped spinnaker pole, everyone made it safely off the course. Joe Paolone AKA “Rooster” of ADJUSTED #13 received special appreciation and a sportsmanship trophy as he boarded another boat to assist with retrieving a MOB. For the rest of the crews, keeping the boat flat was the goal for the day. Due to the strong winds and wave action paired with some rain in the nights, the waters of Mo’Bay were not as crystal clear as they usually are, but it still beats swimming in most other places this time of year.

J/22 Jamaica party

On Friday evening we had a “Link-Up & Drink-Up” on the dock and we tested the buoyancy of one J/22 by having 22 sailors on deck! 2022 was one for the record books. Saturday served as our annual “Jamin’ Party” paired with this year’s prize-giving, “Jerk Pork and Chicken- Rice & Peas Festival” and steamed veggies from a local favorite “Scotchie’s” served as sustenance while the ever-refreshing combination of fresh coconut water and Jamaican rum along with ice-cold Red Stripes as adult beverages. Our videographer played some clips while we gathered and recounted the weekend.

J/22 Jammin winners
Winners- Mike Farrington and his Cayman Islands ADJUSTED crew

J/22 Jammin Jamaica 2nd
2nd place- Bruce Johnson and his YAHOO crew from Cayman Islands

J/22 Jammin Jamaica 3rd place
3rd place- Mike Morse and his AYAHSO team from Montego Bay YC

We had a great showing this year and greatly look forward to hosting Jamin again in 2023. The tentative dates are November 30 – December 3rd. Please reach out to our email- [email protected] to be kept informed!” Thanks for this contribution from Mo’Bay YC Commodore Spencer May!
For the best sailing video recap, please check out Dervon McKellop’s YouTube page Follow Jammin J/22 Jamaica Regatta here on Facebook For more Montego Bay Yacht Club sailing information

J/105s Podium in San Diego Hot Rum Series III Finale

(San Diego, CA)- The San Diego Yacht Club’s incredibly popular Hot Rum Series started on November 5th with races scheduled on November 19th and December 3rd, 2022. With 128 entries, 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.

In the end, the finale produced many surprises, much to the chagrin of the two leading J/105s. More on that in a moment.

In the 19-boat PHRF 1 “big boat” division, the J/145s sailed well, considering the odds were stacked against them in the “turbo” division. The top 145 was Rudy Hasl’s PALAEMON with a 2-8-9 record for 19 pts and fourth in their division. Ernie Pennell’s MORE MADNESS ended up with a 4-5-15 for 24 pts, dropping themselves out of contention for the podium and ending up in 7th place.

In the huge 38-boat PHRF 3 division, the top five were primarily occupied by J/105s. Winning was Jim Dorsey’s J-OK with a 2-1-2 for 5 pts. Second was Rick Goebel’s SANITY with a 1-2-7 tally for 10 pts. Fifth was Dave Vieregg/ Bennet Greenwald’s PERSEVERANCE with a 3-4-16 for 23 pts. For more San Diego YC Hot Rum Series sailing information

Upcoming Events

Dubai, United Arab Emirates waterfront and Dubai Offshore Sailing Club

Inaugural 2022 IRC Middle East Championship Preview

(Dubai, United Arab Emirates)- The inaugural IRC Middle East Championship, organized by the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, will be held from December 17-18, 2022. Forty boats are expected to participate in the regatta. J/Boats owners are quite active in the Middle East, with the possibility that the fleet will include J/22s, J/24s, J/80s, J/92, J/105s, J/111, and a J/122.

IRC Rating is strong in the Middle East with the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club (DOSC) supporting the rating system and attracting competitors from across the region, including the popular annual Dubai to Muscat Race. Through this continued development and recognizing their support DOSC has been awarded the inaugural IRC Middle East Championship.

Five races are scheduled over two days with three inshore races on December 17th followed by an inshore race and a double point scoring Coastal Race on December 18th.

“In recognition of the continued growth in IRC keelboat racing both in Dubai and throughout the Middle East, the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the IRC Board have great pleasure in granting the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club rights to hold the IRC Middle East Championships in 2022,” commented Dr. Jason Smithwick, Director of Ratings. “This event will be a significant addition to IRC events around the world and we believe this is a good opportunity to mutually promote Dubai as the regional center for the sport of modern keelboat sailing. We wish the club, and all competitors, the best for the event.”

“We are very excited to be hosting the first IRC Middle East Championships and look forward to this growing in the years to come,” commented DOSC Rear Commodore Ed Shiffner. “We would like to recognize AGMC BMW for supporting the event, as well as the dedicated team at DOSC who are committed to hosting an enjoyable and successful Championship.”

DOSC was established in 1974 through the generosity of His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al Maktoum, who granted land along the coastline for the purpose of sailing. The impressive DOSC facility is in Central Dubai with a 150-berth marina on the Arabian Gulf. The renowned DOSC Clubhouse Restaurant is open all day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. An impressive turnout is expected from members of the host club. However, the AGMC IRC Middle East Championship is an open event, all teams are invited to contact DOSC for details. Follow the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club on Facebook here For more information about the IRC Middle East Championship visit the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club website

IRC Two-Handed European Championship Announcement

(La Trinité, France/ Cowes, England/ St Malo, France)- The inaugural IRC Two-Handed European Championship will take place at the beginning of July 2023. The Championship will be decided by the combined results from two races: La Trinité – Cowes (350nm) starting on the 2nd of July, and Cowes – Dinard – St Malo (150nm), starting on the 7th of July. The event is organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), in association with UNCL Pôle Course du YCF, and La Société Nautique de la Trinité sur mer (SNT).

Many teams race IRC Two-Handed in Europe

The inaugural IRC Two-Handed European Championship will take place at the beginning of July 2023. The Championship will be decided by the combined results from two races: La Trinité – Cowes (350nm) starting on the 2nd of July, and Cowes – Dinard – St Malo (150nm), starting on the 7th of July.

“The IRC Two-Handed European Championship results will be extracted from the two races with no additional entry fee,” commented RORC PRO Steve Cole. “The IRC rating band has been chosen to include similar boats racing in IRC Two-Handed. There will be a Prize Giving at the RORC Clubhouse following the La Trinité – Cowes Race, and the European Championship Trophy will be awarded after the St Malo Race. The attraction of the Rolex Fastnet Race, starting on the 22nd of July, means we are expecting a big fleet for the IRC Two-Handed European Championship.”

Legendary French skipper Géry Trentesaux is one of the driving forces behind the new IRC Two-Handed European Championship. After the merger of UNCL and the Yacht Club de France (YCF) in September 2022, Géry is the YCF Vice President and Racing President.

“With so many teams now racing IRC Two-Handed in France and the UK, it seems very natural to have a European Championship,” commented Géry Trentesaux. “La Trinité – Cowes is a 350-mile race connecting two famous offshore racing ports. Teams will have to manage Atlantic Ocean currents and land effects at the start, then there is the possibility of a fast reach across the Channel for a spectacular Solent finish in Cowes. The 150-mile Cowes Dinard St Malo race dates back over a century. I love the race and the finish in St Malo. I have won four times, as many as former British Prime Minister- Edward Heath!”

A Prize Giving will be held at the RORC Cowes after the La Trinité – Cowes Race.

The IRC Two-Handed European Championship is part of the RORC Season’s Points Championship the largest yacht racing series anywhere in the world. For Royal Ocean Racing Club sailing information

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