J/Newsletter- September 4th, 2024

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As we wrap up another exhilarating week of sailing, this newsletter brings you highlights from some of the most prestigious regattas around the world. From thrilling offshore races to iconic island circuits, sailors have faced it all – challenging weather, tactical battles, and the ultimate tests of skill and endurance. Kicking things off was the Vineyard Race, a 238-mile offshore classic that saw J/Teams sweep the PHRF Overall division in this Labor Day weekend tradition. Over in Europe, the Breskens Sailing Weekend showcased a spectacular display of J/Boat talent in the Netherlands, while in Marseilles, France BRAFOURGNE claimed victory at the J/70 SEMAC Trophy Regatta, part of the J/70 Coupe de France series. Back in the USA, the iconic Around Jamestown Race provided fast and exciting action for over 70 boats in Narragansett Bay, as sailors navigated scenic but challenging waters. The Red Fox Regatta in Charlevoix, MI also delivered two days of fun, family-friendly racing, marking a fitting end to the Great Lakes summer racing season. And, nineteen women’s teams enjoyed sailing the J/105 Women’s Regatta in Annapolis, Maryland! Looking ahead, there’s plenty to be excited about with upcoming regattas including the 40th Anniversary J/35 North American Championship in Michigan, the J/70 USA Corinthian Nationals in Cape May, and the prestigious RORC Vice Admirals Cup in the United Kingdom. The second edition of the J/CUP Ireland is also on the horizon, promising competitive racing and lively shore-side celebrations just north of Dublin. |
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 Newport Boat Show- Newport, RI – September 12th to 15th, 2024 Annapolis Sailboat Show- Annapolis. MD – October 10th to 14th, 2024 EUROPE Grand Pavois- La Rochelle, France- October 3rd to 6th, 2024 Valencia Boat Show- Valencia, Spain- October 23rd to 27th, 2024 |
J/Teams Sweep PHRF Overall @ Vineyard Race!(Stamford, CT)- Hosted by Stamford Yacht Club, Labor Day weekend’s Vineyard Race is a classic American offshore yacht race. The 238.0nm course stretches from Shippan Point in Long Island Sound to the Buzzards Bay Light tower at the entrance to Buzzard’s Bay, and then a return to the finish in Stamford Harbor. Begun in 1932, it has attracted the finest sailors and fastest boats. Those who are successful nearly always credit local knowledge of these tricky waters, particularly at the notorious “The Race” and “Plum Gut” where currents can flow up to 5 kts, and a good deal of luck. The Vineyard Race was described in Yachting Magazine as the following; “The greatest distance races of the world have several things in common – a challenging course, competitive fleets, and an interesting array of famous yachts. By those standards, the Stamford Yacht Club’s Vineyard Race rates close to the top. Like a miniature Fastnet, the Vineyard has a combination of coastal racing, where currents play a big role, a stretch of ocean sailing, and a mark to round – the Buzzards Bay tower – before returning.” The race has proven popular with J/sailors over time, with many returning yearly as part of their end-of-summer sailing ritual to complete their summer sailing season. The teams have a choice to sail the classic 238.0nm race or the shorter “Seaflower Reef” race inside Long Island Sound. VINEYARD RACE PHRF 6 Doublehanded PHRF 8 Division PHRF 10 Division PHRF 11 Division PHRF Overall PHRF 14 Division ORC 12 Division ORC 13 Division CORNFIELD POINT RACE PHRF 3 For more Vineyard Race sailing information. |
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Tight Competition Hallmark of J/105 Women’s Regatta(Annapolis, MD)- With nineteen entries and 132 sailors, the 2024 Annapolis J/105 Women’s Regatta featured tight competition throughout the largest cruising one-design women’s regatta. Eliot Caple led PATRIOT to victory with two second place finishes followed by a bullet. In addition to a tie for second and third place, multiple positions were separated by a single point. PRO Sandy Grosvenor noted the close racing: “On two of the three races, we had at least two boats that were not OCS but were within 1 meter of the line. And in the third race, all but one or two of the fleet. ‘gated’ within a minute of the leader.” Marie Klok Crump and Ashley Love, winners of the 2022 and 2023 regattas, finished with ten points each. Crump on 4-TEENZ won the tiebreaker over Love’s MAYHEM. Placing fourth was Molly Wilmer’s MIRAGE team just two points behind and Beth Schmidt’s SMOKE N’OAKUM placed fifth. Caple, a former member of the US Sailing team, skippered at College of Charleston, and has been racing on PATRIOT for three seasons. Serving as tactician on PATRIOT was Maddy Ploch who sailed in that role on last year’s second place finisher and competed on the offshore team at the US Naval Academy. According to Caple, their consistency came down to two factors: “We sail very, very flat upwind. And then downwind, I sail very low, max on the windward side. And I could drive lower than anyone.” Crump was previously ranked number two in the ISAF Women’s World Match Race circuit, was crowned twice as Danish Match Race Champion, pursued an Olympic campaign in Ynglings in 2004, and was part of the winning J/80 World Championship team in 2021 after also having won it in 2013. Love represented the USA at the Women’s Radial World Championship in 2009 and has recently been making a name for herself on the team racing circuit, leading a team to multiple podium finishes in the invitational Thayer. Trophy and the New York YC Women’s Invitational. The top three finishers all included juniors on their teams, with Crump sailing with four juniors and four mentors. “I have always respected this event for the tight racing and this was an amazing opportunity to include teenagers, who otherwise don’t get on big boats, for a great learning experience.” At the awards, Love challenged all boats to bring a junior for the 2025 regatta. In addition to juniors, the talent included a crew of women all over 50 on Sandra Libby’s GO NIL-DOGHOUSE, at least one sailor over 70 on Amy Harris’ BREAKAWAY, multiple military veterans, and a team of midshipman women from the US Naval Academy on AVENGER. Two Canadian teams participated- a crew from Toronto, ONT Canada on Heather McCann’s SANTA’S REIGN DEAR and a crew from Victoria, BC on Alexandra Clary’s RUM PUPPY! Katy Zimmerman’s team on FIREBRAND won the inaugural Maggie Flanigan Perpetual Trophy for the “Best Dressed Crew.” The trophy was dedicated remembering the spirit of J/105 racer Maggie Flanigan, who died on August 17th. The perpetual trophy inspired a variety of outfits across the race course, and “costume changes” for the awards party. Daryl Weinstein Cooke from CHESSIE said, “I never thought I’d hear, ‘Make sure your tutu doesn’t get caught in the block’ while racing.” Flanigan was a member of 2023 winner of the Best Dressed Crew, a trophy that did not exist until they arrived on the race course, to the delight of the race committee, in their bright pink and white attire. A self-proclaimed “Seamstress, Fiber Artist, Costumer, Sailor” the trophy remembers the joy, light, and humor which she brought to her serious pursuits. As Caple said, “It was a fitting tribute to Maggie, and I can’t wait to do it again next year.” Scott Nixon of Quantum kicked off the weekend with a practice session Friday evening attended by more than ten teams. Several teams raced in the Annapolis Labor Day regatta on Saturday as practice. The skipper’s meeting Saturday evening was hosted by Sandra K. Libby. Love noted, “The multitude of successful events make the experience of the J/105 Women’s Regatta much more than just the one day of racing on the water. The event, the practice and the on-land events have increased my interaction with the J/105 class ten-fold. The talent pool is growing with the new influx of crew and the sailors who were already in the class are embracing and mastering more roles on the water, but also behind the scenes. Planning the event together on land builds our friendships and ABOUT J/105 Fleet 3 is the largest fleet in the J/105 class, and the largest cruising one-design fleet in Annapolis. This women’s regatta is part of an overall J/105 class initiative to get more women involved. Multiple J/105 women’s events have been held in 2024, including in Toronto, San Francisco, Seattle, Galveston Bay, and Charleston. The Sailing Club of the Chesapeake (SCC) altered the J/105 rules for this regatta to encourage all women teams. The SCC specializes in hosting “signature” regattas that each have their own personality, like the EWE Spirit Regatta, the J/105 Women’s Regatta, and the Hospice Cup, to be held on September 14. Sailing photo credits: Wilbur Keyworth Photos. Dan Phelps Photos. |
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J/Domination @ Breskens Sailing Weekend(Breskens, Netherlands)- This past weekend, the Jachthaven Breskens hosted the very popular end-of-summer sailing season regatta- the Breskens Sailing Weekend. It’s a popular event for a few J/Boats teams in the Netherlands and Benelux. The regatta format is simply windward-leeward races just offshore of the harbor entrance. ORC 1 Division ORC 2 Division ORC 3 Division |
BRAFOURGNE Wins J/70 SEMAC Trophy(Marseilles, France)- Last weekend the Union Nautique Marseillaise hosted its famous annual SEMAC Trophy Regatta in Marseilles, France. It was the fifth stage of the J/70 Coupe de France summer series. The regatta ended up with a four-way battle for the top of the podium. Winning this event was Dominique Stella’s BRAFOUGNE with a 3-3-5-2-1 tally for 9 pts net. Taking the silver medal was Fernando Alonso’s TRISKELL with a 4-2-1-DNC-4 tally for 11 pts net. Then, the third step on the podium to take the bronze medal was Phillippe Bonavita’s JUMP AROUND with a 2-5-3-4-3 record of 12 pts net! For more French J/70 Cup Series sailing information |
Fast, Grey Around Jamestown Race(Jamestown, RI)-The Around the Island Race (ATI) is the flagship sailing event of the Conanicut Yacht Club and the crown jewel of Narragansett Bay yacht racing. Held annually since 1927, the ATI sails the classic course around the scenic Conanicut Island, beneath the two iconic bridges (Jamestown & Newport), typically drawing close to 100 boats in both racing and cruising classes. Despite overcast skies and intermittent sprinkles, the 97th Annual Around the Island Race delivered a day of exhilarating competition on the water. With seventy-three boats participating across nine staggered starts, the challenging 18.1nm course around Jamestown tested sailors’ skills and strategy, making for a race to remember. The fleet featured a diverse range of sailboats, from J/22s to impressive 66-footers, each bringing its flavor to the competition. Reflecting on the day’s conditions, Race Chair Peter Schott noted, “We were fortunate with the weather! The heavy rain held off and the breeze remained steady. The Race Committee executed the starts with precision, resulting in one of the most dynamic finishes in recent memory as the fleet condensed under the Newport Bridge.” Schott also highlighted the introduction of a MarkSetBot, a robotically controlled pin, which ensured perfectly aligned starts, a vital factor in managing the strong outgoing tide during the first leg of the course. The race has always been popular with J/teams on Narragansett Bay, with dozens participating. Here’s how they faired in this fun, family-oriented face. PHRF C Division PHRF E Division PHRF F Division PHRF H Division |
Challenging, Fun Red Fox Regatta(Charlevoix, MI)- Treasured by sailors and their families, the two-day Red Fox Regatta hosted by Charlevoix Yacht Club was sailed over the Labor Day weekend with a race going east across the length of Lake Charlevoix to Boyne City. That evening, sailors enjoy a club-hosted party at the Veterans Pavilion on the waterfront, with family-friendly activities including the Rain Gutter Regatta. Sunday featured the race back to the western end of Lake Charlevoix, culminating in an afternoon Awards Ceremony at the Charlevoix Yacht Club. It was a fun-filled event that attracted sailors from all around the Great Lakes, marking the grand finale of the summer racing season. It’s quite a popular event for J/sailors. J/22 Class PHRF 5 Division PHRF 6 Division |
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Upcoming Events |
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Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds set for an exciting line-up of 100 boats(Palma Mallorca, Spain)- The Sandberg. Estates J/70 Worlds, to be held in Palma from 13th to 22nd September, will be a landmark in the history of sailing world championships; not only due to the extremely high quality of the teams in the most numerous One-Design class in the world, but because of the starting procedure system used in each race. Therefore, to have a bonafide and trustworthy system of knowing immediately which team has started early, that information is directly transmitted to the fleet instantly. This year’s J/70 Worlds will be supported by the innovative “RaceSense” system from Vakaros. It’s the Vakaros Atlas 2 device that each boat will carry on board, enabling the precise position of the teams to be transmitted at the exact moment of crossing the line. In milliseconds, this information is transmitted to those boats that are “over the line”, so they can begin to exonerate the infraction as soon as possible. |
J/35 North American Championship Preview(Harrison, MI)- 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of hull #1 of Rod Johnstone’s J/35 design. The subsequent success with over 320 hulls built on this remarkable boat has left a lasting legacy in the sailing community. The design continues to be competitive and influential on race courses around the world. Multiple fleets continue to compete on the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay, southern California, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, and beyond. To celebrate the 40th anniversary, the North Star Sail Club, which boasts an impressive fleet of J/35’s will be hosting the J/35 North American Championship from September 5th to 8th on Lake St. Clair. This will be the second time the North Star SC has hosted this prestigious event having previously hosted the event out of Cheboygan, Michigan. A dozen boats have registered and are looking forward to a fun, competitive event! Amongst the fleet are past J/35 NA champions and Chicago Mackinac and Bayview Mackinac race winners. The leading teams may include Bill Wildner’s MR BILL’S WILD RIDE, Amie & Tim Ross’s BLACKHAWK, Mike Welch’s FALCON, Steven Briggs’s DEAN’S LIST, Sheri Dufresne’s FIREFLY, and Kimberly Isabell’s REDLINE. For J/35 NA results and documents. For more J/35 North Americans sailing information. |
J/70 USA Corinthian Nationals Preview(Cape May, NJ)- This coming weekend, the Corinthian Yacht Club in Cape May, NJ will be hosting the J/70 USA Corinthian Nationals off the amazing beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. Two dozen teams are registered from across the USA to enjoy three great days of racing on the open sea. Several top teams are participating; including past Corinthians champion Tod Sackett’s FM from Cleveland, OH; Cate Muller-Terhune’s CASTING COUCH from Annapolis, MD; Jim Golden’s DERECHO; Jack Lord’s HEY JUDE; Mark Hillman’s HILLMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT from Annapolis; Brian Keane’s SAVASANA from Boston, MA; and Alex Meleney’s TRUCKIN from Vineyard Haven, MA. For more J/70 USA Corinthian Nationals sailing information. |
RORC Vice Admirals Cup Preview(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- This weekend, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) will be hosting its annual Vice Admirals Cup regatta on the capricious Solent Water. With start/ finish lines using the Royal Yacht Squadron’s famous cannons on the waterfront, the fleet of Performance 40s, J/109s, and J/111s will be sent around a variety of the famous yellow ball-shaped marks all over the Solent going east to west. Performance 40 Division J/111 Class J/109 Class |
J/CUP Ireland Preview(Dublin, Ireland)- The 2nd edition of the J/Cup Ireland will take place 7th-8th September 2024 at the Royal Irish Yacht Club, which will be followed by the IRC European Championships the week after. The regatta gives Irish J/Boat owners the chance to get involved in the J-Cup! The regatta will include 2 days of racing, daily prize-givings, and shore-side entertainment for all owners and crews. The regatta features one-design classes for J/109s, J/24s, and J/80s, plus an IRC Division for handicap racing. J/109 Class J/24 Class J/80 Class IRC Division |
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:
Features:
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: |