Welcome to another thrilling edition of the J/Newsletter with sailing updates from around the world! The competition on the water has been intense over the past few weeks, with sailors from around the world vying for top honors. From the stunning shores of Palma Mallorca in Spain, where the prestigious Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds is underway, to the iconic San Francisco Bay, which played host to the 60th edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series, J/Teams have shown their prowess across a variety of challenging conditions. As we sail into the next few weeks, we’re looking ahead to the much-anticipated ORC World Championship in Newport, RI, and the exciting announcement of the inaugural J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship in 2025. With world-class venues and fierce competition, the spirit of sailing is alive and well— so let’s dive into the latest results and preview what’s on the horizon!

Fall Boat Shows Calendar!

(Newport, RI)- Amazingly enough, the summer is coming to a close in the northern hemisphere. This summer seemed to simply fly by! Kids are back in school, family back to work. But, it’s also a time to dream about the future! Fall boat shows are about to begin in both Europe and the USA. Here are the highlights for you to consider in both places.

USA

Annapolis Sailboat Show- Annapolis. MD – October 10th to 14th, 2024
This show will mark the USA debut of the extraordinary NEW J/40 performance cruising yacht. An exciting collaboration between J/Boats design team, J/Composites in France, and an inspired interior design influenced by French designer Isabelle Racoupeau. In addition, there will be the J/9 daysailer, and the J/45 offshore performance cruising yacht.

J/45 Video by Mike Coe- Experience the Performance & Luxury!
In Annapolis, MD, Mike Coe and 410 Films take us on an informative tour of the J/45 luxury performance offshore cruising yacht. Enjoy and watch it here on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVNkSvCt6bs

For more Annapolis Sailboat Show information.

EUROPE

Grand Pavois- La Rochelle, France- October 3rd to 6th, 2024
The La Rochelle boat show is one of the most enjoyable events for various reasons. First, La Rochelle is a famous French seaport renowned for its culture and amazing variety of restaurants, pubs, shopping, and nightclubs! Like Annapolis, this show will mark the European debut of the new J/40 offshore performance cruising yacht. In addition, the J/99 offshore shorthanded racer, the J/112E offshore performance yacht, and the J/45 offshore performance cruising yacht will be on display.. For more Grand Pavois La Rochelle boat show information

Valencia Boat Show- Valencia, Spain- October 23rd to 27th, 2024
At this spectacular marina that was significantly updated for the America’s Cup back in the AC75 days will be the 2024 Valencia Boat Show. On display will be the J/99 offshore shorthanded speedster that has been the stuff of legend in its short history of sailing across the world’s oceans. Learn more about it at the show! For more Valencia Boat Show information

Americans Leading Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds!

(Palma Mallorca, Spain)- The Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds, currently being held in Palma Mallorca from September 13th to 22nd by the Real Club Nautico de Palma has seen extremely competitive sailing over the first few days.

97 boats are sailing in the competition, from 25 different countries: Argentina (4), Australia (5), Austria (1), Bermuda (1), Brazil (6), Canada (1), Cayman Islands (1), Denmark (1), Spain (12), Estonia (1), Finland (2), France (3), Great Britain (7), Germany (2), Italy (5), Mexico (2), Monaco (4), Netherlands (2), Norway (2), Portugal (4), Switzerland (5), Sweden (4), Turkey (3), Uruguay (2), and USA (17).

The early favorites in the competition, such as Charles Thompson’s BRUTUS II from the Royal Southern Yacht Club in Great Britain, and the American team Richard Witzel’s ROWDY from the Chicago Yacht Club, past J/70 World Champion Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT from the Wayzata Yacht Club, Douglas Rastello’s GOOD TO GO from Newport Harbor Yacht Club, and Brian Keane’s SAVASANA from Beverly Yacht Club are all in the top 15 places.

There are several surprises for those J/70 aficionados who participate worldwide and have a good understanding of the top teams. First, the Brazilians are killing it! They have three teams in the top 12: Ralph Vasconcellos Rosa’s MINDSET in 2nd place, Haroldo Solberg’s OCEANPACT in 7th place, and Bruno Bethlem’s ARETE in 12th.

Next, the somewhat shocking performance and the biggest surprise for everyone is the current leader, the American team of Doug Newhouse & Jeremy Wilmot on YONDER! They are enjoying a 15-point lead going into the penultimate day and have led the regatta since the first day!

Another shocker is the lack of performance at the top of the leaderboard by the top Italian and Spanish teams.. all with multiple World Champions sailing their boats! The top Spanish team is Luis Albert’s PATAKIN in 13th place! And, no Italians in the top 20 places!

The provisional top five on Friday includes Newhouse/ Wilmot’s YONDER in first with 44 pts, the Brazilian MINDSET in second with 59 pts, Bryce Kalow’s KID’S TABEL team from USA in third with 63 pts, Rich Witzel’s ROWDY from the USA in fourth with 66 pts, and the British team of Charles Thompson & Tom Mallindine on BRUTUS II with 67 pts. No doubt, it’s going to be a shootout at the “OK Corral” for the podium between these four teams on the final day separated by just 8 pts. Considering that all teams have had “rollercoaster” scores since the start of the regatta, it does present the possibility of a USA clean sweep of the podium!

Currently, winning the provisional standings in the Corinthian Division and hoping to achieve his stated goal about a year ago is Bermudian Alec Cutler on HEDGEHOG sailing with his US Naval Academy sailing teammates from decades ago!

And, winning the provisional standings in the One Pro Division is the Australian VAMOS team led by Tim Ryan.

Day 1
With the first two races completed, Douglas Newhouse and Jeremy Wilmot’s YONDER team from Newport, RI USA was leading the overall provisional results ahead of two Brazilian teams: Bruno Bethlem’s ARETE and Ralph Vasconcellos’ MINDSET.

It was a great start for the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds. With a 1-7, the Newhouse/Wilmot team on YONDER was the first leader overall during a day that was marked by extremely inconsistent finishes for most of the fleet.

With about nine knots of wind from the northeast, the race committee blew the first starting horn just fifteen minutes late, at 11:45 am. After nearly an hour and a half of intense competition, it was YONDER from the New York Yacht Club that took the win ahead of Douglas Rastrello’s GOOD TO GO from Newport Harbor YC. Third place in this first race of the World Championship went to a Spanish team, Luis Albert’s PATAKIN from the Real Club Náutico de Palma.

The second and last race of the day started around 1430 hrs with a wind that, although more unstable, was increasing in intensity up to twelve knots in the race course of the Bay of Palma.

Charles Thomson’s British BRUTUS II, sailing under the Royal Southern YC flag, and coming from 23rd place in the opening race, did not forgive and managed to score his first victory in the second race. The current class world champion was followed by Brazilian Bruno Bethlem’s ARETE from the IC Rio de Janeiro and American Laura Grondin´s DARK ENERGY of the New York Yacht Club, second and third, respectively.

With these results and after a day marked by the irregularity of the fleet, YONDER became the first provisional leader. The provisional podium was completed by ARETE in second place after scoring 14-2. The third goes to the Brazilian MINDSET with a 15-4.

Day 2
Rastello’s GOOD TO GO was the best of the second day of competition and Newhouse’s YONDER held the lead for the second consecutive day.
After finishing the first day of competition, the race committee decided to bring forward the start of Wednesday’s races by half an hour. They set the first starting signal for 1100 hrs with the expectation that the wind would diminish as the hours went by. The decision was correct, and with conditions between eight and twelve knots from the northeast, the third round of the racing program began on time.
The wind held out long enough to complete a single and complicated race in which the fleet had to do its best to take advantage of every gust and try to make as few mistakes as possible. Rastello’s GOO TO GO from Newport Harbor YC was the best, achieving a first place that allowed him to move up to fourth place with a 2-29-1 record on his scoreboard.
In Rastello’s words, “We’re feeling pretty good, but in this regatta, you can get a first, a second, or a 29th and that’s the essence of sailing in big fleets, that when you think you’ve got it mastered you get a 20th. So who knows, we’re 30% of the way through the regatta and there’s still a long way to go, it’s going to be interesting.”
Behind, a great performance of Spaniard Albert’s PATAKIN to cross the finish line in second position. A brilliant result with which the boat of the Real Club Náutico de Palma climbs seven positions and is sixth in the provisional overall, waiting to be able to discard a 34th score yesterday to enter the fight for the podium.
Meanwhile, the third place in today´s race went to another USA team, Dick Kalow’s SUPERIOR 1 of Wayzata YC in Minnesota.
“Today has been a complicated day with a wind from the shore that was dying little by little,” said the Mallorcan Joan Cardona, a crew member of PATAKIN, on his arrival at the pontoons of the RCNP. “After a good start, we have been able to sail well and get a solid result that brings us up to sixth place, so we are looking forward to continue fighting this week, which is still a long way to go.”
With these results, the overall ranking continues to be led by Newhouse/Wilmot’s YONDER, which continues to be the most consistent of the fleet. With a 1-7-7 record, the New York YC crew has a thirteen-point lead over the second-placed crew, which is now Thompson’s British BRUTUSU II of the Royal Southern YC after a fourth-place finish. They are fifteen points ahead of Brazilian Vasconcellos’ MINDSET of IC Rio de Janeiro, which is in third place.

Day 3
The Newhouse/ Wilmot team held the top of the leaderboard after the discard had been applied, just one point ahead of second-placed Brazilian MINDSET, and five ahead of third-placed USA team Rich Witzel’s ROWDY.

A long day in the bay of Palma for the almost one hundred boats competing in the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds. Although the wind didn’t make it easy in this third round of the event organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP) and the J70 International Association, the fleet was able to add two new races in their scoreboards that allowed one discard and leaves the fight for the title red-hot.
It was time to wake up early on the third day of the World Championship. To make the most of the early morning breeze, the fleet docked out the RCNP after 0900 hrs with the first start scheduled for 1030 hrs. After canceling the first race just after the start due to an abrupt change in the wind direction, the teams were able to tackle the third round of the championship shortly after 1100 hrs with eight knots of north-easterly breeze.
As in the previous races, the fleet was once again irregular and the first three places were shared by three teams that were outside the top ten: Laura Grondin’s USA DARK ENERGY, Swedish Flip Engelbert’s ELVIS, and Brazilian Haroldo Solberg’s OCEANPACT.
With the first race of the day concluded the race committee was forced to raise the postponement flag and wait for the arrival of the longed-for thermal wind from the Bay of Palma. After repositioning the race course and with conditions now between 11-14 kts from the south, the fleet was back in action with the starting gun at 1515 hrs for the second race.
On this occasion, the victory went to John Heaton’s EMPEIRIA. Fellow Chicagoan Rich Witzel’s ROWDY was second, followed by the Brazilian MINDSET in third place.
With a total of five races on the scoreboard, the third day’s leaderboard changed dramatically, since the discard race came into play.

The Newhouse/ Wilmot YONDER team had a 23-17, but held onto their lead. They led by one point over second-placed IC Rio de Janeiro’s MINDSET and five points over Witzel’s ROWDY in third place. Behind them, four other teams were in the hunt for the win, with only nine points separating the top six teams.
Day 4
The American YONDER team, led by Newhouse/ Wilmot continued leading the championship and increased their advantage by 15 points over the second-place team.

The penultimate and exciting day with all eyes on the final classification. The fleet has begun to line up given their final assault on the final day.
A prediction of southerly winds with an intensity building from ten knots meant that the Race Committee once again gathered the fleet on Friday at the initial time of 1130 hrs. The teams left the dock punctually and after a first postponement on the race course, waiting for the wind to stabilize, the penultimate day of competition kicked off on the Bay of Palma for the challengers for the title.
Ritzel’s ROWDY, who yesterday achieved a podium position in third place, was able to take command and claim victory in the first race. Consequently, that relegated the Newhouse/Wilmot YONDER team to second place after they finished 10th!

Second and third places in the race went to fellow Americans, Bryce Kalow’s KIDS TABLE, and the Brazilians on Renato Faria’s TO NESSA.
In the second race, the challengers for the podium, aware of running out of time for the finale, increased their efforts to place themselves as high as possible on the leaderboard. Triumph in this case went to the world title defenders, British team Charles Thompson and Tom Mallindine’s BRUTUS II ahead of YONDER in second and KIDS TABLE in third.
With these results, the penultimate day of the worlds finished again with YONDER leading. The boat from New York YC is without a doubt the favorite team to claim victory as World Champions on Saturday. They have increased their advantage by 15 points over the second-place team, the Brazilian MINDSET from IC Río de Janeiro. They are 19 pts ahead of the American KIDS TABLE from Wayzata YC, who are currently occupying the bronze medal step. So far, they had by far the best one-day record for the Worlds, a remarkable 2-3 to win the day!!
“We are competing well. It is proving to be very intense and competitive. Quite frankly, we are fortunate to be where we are right now,” explained Douglas Newhouse, skipper of the leading team. “Palma is incredible and the club even more so, really open to everyone. We have had a fabulous welcome here,” he added.
On Saturday, the 97 teams from 25 nations will face the finale with two races planned, with everything to be decided, and weather conditions predicting rain for practically the entire day. Given the “chutes & ladders” results experienced by every team in the regatta, don’t be surprised by unexpected outcomes for all teams in the top 10! For more J/70 World Championship sailing information

J/111s & J/109s Enjoy Excellent Racing at RORC Vice Admirals Cup!

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Solent racing season came to a conclusion with the Vice Admiral’s Cup with two days of windward-leeward and tight round-the-can races. High pressure dominated the weather conditions, with early autumn sunshine providing brilliant sunshine. On Both days the racing schedule was delayed allowing a sea breeze to fill and it was worth the wait. Five superb races were run for all classes in up to 15 knots of wind.

J/109 Class
It was Stephen Davis’ JEROBOAM that found their fifth gear and scored four race wins to win the class by three points from Rob Cotterill’s MOJO RISIN. Chris Burleigh’s JYBE TALKIN was third.

J/111 Class
The J/111 one-design class went right to the wire. Cornel Riklin’s JITTERBUG was the winner by a single point from Tony & Sally Mack’s McFLY. Louise Makin and Chris Jones’ JOURNEYMAKER II was third.

Thank you to all the Race Team for organizing a great regatta,” commented Cornel Riklin on JITTERBUG. “We had some incredibly close racing with a couple of races decided by one or two seconds and the whole class finishing within a minute or two.” For more RORC Vice Admiral’s Cup sailing information

Awesome, Epic Rolex Big Boat Series!

J/Teams Sweep Top Five- ORC C Division!
(San Francisco, CA)- One of the best sailboat racing venues in the world, the iconic San Francisco Bay, lived up to its reputation for the 60th edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series at St. Francis Yacht Club, September 11th to 15th, 2024.

The regatta attracted 71 boats and nearly 700 sailors to St. Francis Yacht Club. There was a strong turnout in the J/88 and J/105 one-design classes. And, a good turnout of J/Teams in the ORC divisions.

Breeze-on conditions brought out the best skills and tactics for podium winners.

Right on cue, San Francisco Bay rolled out the most demanding conditions for sailors at the 60th edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series at St. Francis Yacht Club. A steady 15-20 knots during the first race on Thursday continued to build through Sunday for pure thrills and some spills for the boats competing. Challenging windward-leeward courses allowed for ample tacking duels from the eastern end of the Bay to outside the Golden Gate Bridge, with plenty of opportunities to upset the leaderboard during the downwind to the finish line in front of spectators at St. Francis Yacht Club. Sailors got what they came for world-class racing in a world-class venue. As noted by Chris Perkins, the 2024 Commodore of St. Francis Yacht Club and eight-time winner— this is what the Rolex Big Boat Series is all about.

“We’re extremely excited about how this week’s went. The weather was tremendous, and we’ve had three great days with a very windy fourth and final day. I am glad they only had one race today!” he said. “Long courses and strong winds are what the event is all about and the clubhouse has been full of spectators watching the racing. It’s been a fantastic regatta and a success on many levels. One of the special things about the past 60 years of this event is that it’s attracted some famous yachts from all over the world.”

J/105 Class
In the 30-strong J/105 class, considered by many to be the most competitive in America, Ryan Simmons and his long-standing crew on BLACKHAWK took home a Rolex Submariner timepiece to go with his sixth RBBS win and his fourth as skipper. 11-points behind was second place NE*NE, helmed by Tim Russell. Rolf Kaiser and Justin Oberbauer, owners of DONKEY JACK, took third.

“While there wasn’t really a defining moment, we did have really good starts and for the most part going the right direction which really worked for us,” said Simmons. “Conditions were exactly what you would expect for Big Boat Series— high teens to low twenties with ebb chop. While we may have won by a good margin, it has not taken away from the incredible competition in this fleet. On Thursday, we had an amazing photo finish with Randy Hecht and his team on NIUHI and a memorable gybing duel with Tim Russell on NE*NE on Friday. Racing was very tight and very fun. We’ve had a great regatta.”

J/88 Class
In the J/88 class, Mark Howe’s SPLIT WATER took first, a solid five points ahead of Tom Thayer and Robert Milligan’s SPEEDWELL. The third went to Brice Dunwoodie’s RAVENETTE.

“The combination of shorter windward/leewards in the morning and the Bay tours in the afternoon requires every aspect of tactics, boat handling, sail handling, and, most importantly, endurance,” said Howe. “Crisis management has been key; no boat has been without incident, but keeping a cool head and staying focused is important to overcoming challenges. I’m very proud of my crew; they’ve worked hard with heartfelt enthusiasm and stayed flexible and focused even when things went sideways.”

He and his crew were dually awarded the Pacific Yacht Club Association’s Jesse L. Carr Perpetual Captain and Crew Trophy, which rewards not just the skipper, but the crew as well, for excellence on the water.

ORC A Division
In this fleet of nine boats, Peter Wagner’s team on the J/111 SKELETON KEY finished third, just one point away from taking the silver medal. Andrew Picel’s J/125 ARSENAL finished in 5th place and Nesrin Basoz’s J/111 SWIFT NESS took 6th place.

ORC C Division- J/Teams Sweep Top 5!
In this eleven-boat fleet, Zach Berkowitz’s J/100 FEATHER won by a robust 13.5-point delta over BACHANNAL, a J/133 owned by Ron Epstein. Barry Lewis racing his J/120 CHANCE finished in third.

“I’m pleased with our result,” said Berkowitz. “I have put a fair amount of work into the boat this year. We cut the rudder off by four inches, we bought a new jib, put more rake in the mast, and added some weight to the boat. It all paid off and the boat is going fast.”

Berkowitz added, “The new MarkSet Bots that the event is using are fantastic. They are spot on, the starting line is great, there are no postponements— it’s revolutionizing race management!”

The balance of the top five included David Halliwill’s J/120 PEREGRINE and John Arens’s J/109 REVERIE in 4th and 5th, respectively. Camille Moussette’s J/99 LATENCY ended up in 7th place. For more ROLEX Big Boat Series sailing information

Upcoming Events

ORC World Championship Preview

(Newport, RI)- This year’s ORC World Championship will be the first time in nearly a quarter century that sailing’s offshore world titles are decided on American waters. The last time was in 2000 when the New York Yacht Club hosted the IMS World Championship. The regatta will be run from September 27th to October 5th. Notably, the only foreign entry is from Poland. Several J/Teams are participating and it will be interesting to see how they compete against a wide variety of designs.

ORC A Division
This nineteen-boat fleet has three J/Teams participating. There are two J/133s- Steven Brownlie’s ASSARAIN IV and a local Rhode Island crew on VAMOOSE led by Bob Manchester from Barrington Yacht Club. Also sailing is Trevor Roach’s J/121 TOUCH OF GREY from Stamford, CT.

ORC B Division
In this eleven-boat fleet are four J/crews. Sailing are two hot J/122s; Tom Sutton’s bright red LEADING EDGE and Constantine Baris’s DIRE WOLF. Joining them are two highly competitive teams, Bill & Jackie Baxter’s J/111 FIREBALL and Al Minella’s J/112E THE ROCC.

ORC C Division
This five-boat fleet will have the J/105 SLEEPER sailing with the NEKA Sailing Foundation crew of six from Glen Cove, New York. For more ORC World Championship sailing information

Inaugural 2025 J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship Announcement!

(Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy)- Circolo Vela Torbole has been selected to host the inaugural edition of the J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship. The event will be held in Torbole on Lake Garda, Italy from June 26-29, 2025 for the fastest growing one-design Class worldwide, with close to 2,000 boats built in the past decade.

To understand what defines a Mixed-Plus team, it is sufficient to refer to Section I.11 of the J/70 Class Rules which specifies that “a crew shall consist of four or more persons and contain no more than two males over 18 years of age.”

In short, the only restriction is that a team may include no more than two men over the legal age. This allows a huge number of sailing team combinations.

The Rule was introduced to encourage more participation for women in sailing, and this is still an overall goal of the J/70 International Class. Additionally, one of the key aims of this Rule is to create more opportunities for families and young sailors to join J/70 events.

It is precisely the flexibility of the Rule, allowing for a wide range of team combinations, that has sparked the interest of numerous boat owners. They have begun to explore alternative crew line-ups in hopes of being contenders in this eagerly awaited event.

“We were delighted to accept the J/70 International Class request to organize this inaugural international event, much like we did when entrusted with launching the J/70 Corinthian World Championship, which has since become a staple for the International Class. I am confident that the Mixed-Plus format, with its focus on family-oriented crews and greater female representation, could be the key to further accelerating the success of what is already recognized as the leading one-design keelboat class,” said Federico Siragna, President of the J/70 Italian Class.

“The new Mixed-Plus World Championship seeks to promote yet another dimension of J/70 sailing by providing our community with a new exciting opportunity for international racing and another great sailing experience”, said Vittorio Di Mauro, President of the J/70 International Class. “As a truly global one-design keelboat Class, we aim to provide sailing opportunities for all demographics, budgets, and abilities. From regular weekend club racing to an unprecedented three J/70 World Championships per year, on alternating continents, where you can meet and compete with some of the best keelboat sailors in the world… only the J/70 can do it on a global basis.” For more information on the International J/70 Class Association

J/Puma Jam Zip Top- September 20% Off Special

(Newport, RI)- The J/Puma Jam Zip Top is your choice for 3-season’s sailing. Perfect for your cruising or competitive crew. Light wieght but comfortable when the breeze kicks in. Easily stored and layered under jacket or vest. Performance Puma throughout..

Material:

4.94 oz., 100% polyester
moisture-wicking

Features:

4-way stretch
ultra-lightweight
contrast covered reverse coil zipper
silicone Puma Cat logo on left sleeve

Perfect zip top when customized with your yacht name and sail number.

Choose your appropriate J/Class logo. Customize with your yacht detail as an option. Order your J/Puma Jam zip top here:

About J/Boats

The story of J/Boats is a classic entrepreneurial tale. With a $20,000 investment and a speedy 24-foot sailboat that Rod Johnstone built in his garage, Rod and his brother Bob Johnstone went into business in 1977. The boat they built, the J/24, has become the most popular recreational offshore keelboat in the world. The Johnstone family has made an undeniable mark on the sailing world. In addition to the 5,500 J/24s cruising the waves, there are over 9,500 more J/Boats, ranging from the International J/22 to the J/65, that sailing enthusiasts have bought at prices ranging from $10,000 to $2,000,000. Read more

You can read Bob Johnstone’s 2023 memoir, “MAVERICK MARKETER”, which Gary Jobson described as “A compelling, page-turner, with uplifting, fascinating stories.” The memoir includes background on how J/Boats got started and how many of its designs were created. It is available in ebook, softcover, hardcover, and audiobook formats on Amazon.

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J/Newsletter- September 18th, 2024