J/111 Wins SW Boat Of The Year

(Middletown, RI)- Sailing World magazine recently announced this year's winners of their annual Boat-Of-The-Year contest.  This year, the J/111 won the SW BOTY "Best One-Design Keelboat" Award.  Selections were based on extensive inspections and sea trials of all the boats.  Comments during the review process were prophetic: "Excellent sailing," said each judge afterwards. "That’s definitely a contender. Maybe the best boat from J Boats yet— even better than last year’s J/95. It’s definitely a frontrunner..."  

See the gallery here.    For more Sailing World Boat of the Year information

  

J/111 ISAF Offshore Certification

(London, England)- All new monohull yachts with a age and series date after January 2010 participating in a Category 0,1,2 race under the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations (OSR) now require an ISAF plan review certificate.  J/111 gains first production plan review certificate that meets or exceeds ISO and old ABS Standards for "Offshore Racing" certification.

The backbone of the new scheme is the newly published parts of the International Standard ISO 12215, these are used as the minimum structural standard to which boat designs are reviewed against. The standard is gaining increasing international acceptance as it replaces the previously used, but no longer supported ABS guide. The review is undertaken by ISAF recognized notified bodies, these are organizations that are able to carry out assessments and issue CE certificates for the European Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) and have also been recognized by ISAF.

Jason Smithwick, Head of ISAF Technical & Offshore Department comments "It is a significant step forward in the program now ISAF have issued it first custom certificate to the TP-52 built for TEAM ORIGIN and its first production certificate to the J/111."

The scheme is gaining acceptance with the first certificates being issued by notified bodies; Germanischer Lloyd (GL) and International Marine Certification Institute (IMCI) respectively and ISAF is aware of other Notified Bodies with further boats in the process of achieving OSR plan review.

ISAF have been taking an increasing role in the development of ISO standards and have for the last couple of year been a consultative member within the ISO organization. ISAF in partnership with the European Boating Association have been especially involved in pushing the development of part 9 of the standard related to keel structure. ISAF will continue to work with its members nations and classes who are users based membership organization in the development of International Standards and Regulations.

Foe more ISAF Offshore certification information.

  

J/111 & J/97 At London Show

(London, England)- The new J/111 and the J/97 will be starring on the Key Yachting stand (H69) at the London Boat Show which runs from Friday January 7th 2011 to Sunday January 16th. The J/80 Sportsboat will be on berth M15 of the indoor boardwalk feature.  The new J/111 makes her European debut at the London show and you can expect this new 36 footer to be one of the biggest draws. The momentum behind the launch of the J/111 has been astonishing, with 50+ boats ordered just 6 weeks after hull number 1 was launched! For the UK and Ireland things look promising with six boats already sold and there is tremendous interest from prospective owners and their crews. The J/111's first North American Championship will be held at Key West in January 2012 and the first European championship at Cowes in August 2012.

In the two seasons since the launch of the J/97 she has proved herself, time and time again. Fifteen J/97s have been sold in the UK in just under a year and 2011 will see the launch of the J/97’s UK Class One-Design Regatta Series, with the inaugural J/97 UK National Championships scheduled to be held during the 2011 J-Cup in Guernsey in July. Full standing headroom, a proper galley, chart table and every other creature comfort one would need and all in a J with a proven track record! BTW, the forepeak is a "romper room" for those so inclined!   For more information contact Paul or Becci at Key Yachting at +44(023)-8045-5669, info@keyyachting.com or visit www.keyyachting.com.

  

J/111 Owners Having Fun!

San Francisco Bay Debut + The Ultimate 111 Sailing Experience (So Far)

(San Francisco, CA)- First, Erik Simonson reports, "Sometimes good things come to those who wait. In this case, the arrival of hull number 4 off the J-Boats Production line to the West Coast has proven to be the case. Frank Slootman has enjoyed his J-90 immensely, it’s lines, rating and performance did all he could have hoped. What it was lacking was accommodations and a little luxury which would make his better half happy....The rumors of a newer production racer-cruiser from J-Boats had begun, which were right in the target range of 36-38 foot. After talking with J-Boats and reviewing the drawings, Frank was convinced the boat would "provide the thrills of a pedigree along with some of the creature comforts" he sought. Soon, SANTA delivered a new sleigh to the Slootman residence in the form of INVISIBLE HAND fresh from Bristol R.I."   Read more, see more photos and watch the video here on Erik's H2OShots.com site about Frank's INVISIBLE HAND interview.

Second, what may surprise a few sailors out there, perhaps, is that a 72 year old Canadian (actually, a Nova Scotian) who's sailed a variety of J's over time is taking delivery of 111 #23, after an exhilarating, adrenalin-pumping, get yer "ya-yas-out", 20+ plus knot ride on 111 #5.  Really?  Skeptics be damned.  Anyone of any age can sail the 111 with finger-tip control and feel confident sailing it upwind or downwind, light air or with breeze on.  Check these videos out.  Real People.  Real Men.  Real Women.  Real Fun.  Exotic, too, in French and English!  The Ultimate 111 Sailing Experience in Nova Scotia.

  

J/111 Skating Into England

(Hamble, Southampton)- On a wing and a prayer, the J/111 arrived in Felixstowe on the NW side of England as deck cargo on a snowy, icy day.  Next step, go sailing in 3 days? Shades of the infamous launching of the famous J/44 J-HAWK a decade or so ago.  The 111 ARABELLA landed with some degree of both anxiety and anticipation.  It didn't take long to determine the 111 was one hot boat.  On its first time out on the Solent she didn't disappoint.  

On a shifty 10-15 knot breeze on the Solent, ARABELLA quickly made its presence felt.  ARABELLA (1.091 TCF), sailed by Niall Dowling and John Cunningham, won by 5 minutes corrected time in IRC 0 class over a Ker 11.3 (1.159 TCF), Arcona 430 and a Comet 41s on a shortened course!  

Here's the report from Paul Heys-  "J/111 #6 arrived here in Hamble, after dark on Thursday night, following a 7 hr road trip from the Liverpool shipping port, England was covered with 6" of snow.

First light Friday saw a small army at work on the boat in a snow covered boatyard: Desty Marine installed the keel and rudder, HME fitted the BG sailing instruments, Stuart Miller and Jerry Eplett dressed and stepped the mast. The hoist and crane guys at Hamble Point Marina gave us great service. The boat and rig went together beautifully, many thanks to the boatbuilders at CCF and the team at Hall Spars."

By 3 pm that afternoon having had the Yanmar engine PDI inspected, we were motoring up the river calibrating the instruments, with proud owner Niall Dowling at the helm. We met up with James Knight and Jeremy Robinson from North and bent on the main and checked the jib for fit, just as daylight ended.

Saturday saw us out sailing for 4 hrs in 2 sessions of light winds and very cold rain, all went well.  Sunday 8 am, off the dock for our maiden race, the final one of the Garmin Hamble winter Series.

Niall was on the helm and had brought 2 of his crew, the rest of the crew was from J/Uk and the sailmaking and commissioning team. Conditions were flat water, with a 6-8 knot Northerly breeze. Sailing around pre start we found that the wind was shifting through 40- 50 degrees.

The PRO set a 3 lap windward leeward. Off the start line the tide dictated an immediate tack onto port, we were one of the first to go. We could see that the J/111 was powering up earlier than the heavier Arcona 43, First 44.7 and Comet 41. The high aspect rig seems very efficient.  Scratch boat in the fleet is the Ker 11.3 Paragon that rates 60 IRC points more than the J/111. Paragon was the only other boat that seemed powered up in the 8 knot gusts. Paragon led us to the top mark, by a minute or so, this delta quickly reduced as the J/111 sailed faster downwind.  Thereafter, the Ker and J stepped away from the rest of the fleet, with the Ker’s lead extending and contracting dependent upon who had the best pressure.

With a mist rolling over the course and a softening of the breeze, the race was shortened at the 3rd windward mark.  The J was 1 minute 20 behind the Ker and a long distance ahead of the third boat. After IRC handicaps had been applied, ARABELLA had won her maiden race by 5 minutes.  In short, a bit of luck, plus it never hurts to have all the bits and pieces come together."

  

Foggy Hamble Winter Series Finale

JIKA-JIKA and J-DREAM Co-Winners Overall?

(Hamble, England)-  While some dry-sailed boats were trapped ashore after last week's snow and ice, those crews that ventured out for the final day of the 2010 Garmin Hamble Winter Series had not only to deal with fog, but also a gradually dying northerly breeze. Even the steadily falling temperature failed to dampen the enthusiasm of both Black and White fleet competitors, intent on securing a good result in the overall standings.

Poor visibility meant that Race Director Jamie Wilkinson and his team aboard Tony Lovell's 'Bonney' were unable to see the outer distance mark so a RIB was despatched to the midpoint to create a split start line for the Black Fleet. Meanwhile Philip Gage aboard 'Knight's Challenge' at the pin end had switched on his radar to detect OCS boats.

Thankfully these were few in number and all seven classes got away first time, with the Fastnet Insurance and East Bramble buoys as windward marks, before returning downwind through the fierce ebb tide to leeward marks on the Ryde Middle. Despite the tidal offset in the course some boats lost out by not making enough easting early in the run, and this was made worse by the light breeze that was sometimes down to 2 knots.

Responding to the slow pace of the racing, all classes had their courses shortened, and once more the technology aboard Knight's Challenge was being put to use. By then the fog had cleared but some boats were being identified using AIS as they approached the finish line and before their sail numbers became visible.

Although the overall winners of most classes had been settled the previous week, as expected the front-runners for the Garmin Yacht of the Year Award were out again to consolidate their results.  Of the other contenders David and Kirsty Apthorp's J-DREAM slipped to second place behind Richard and Valerie Griffith's OUTRAJEOUS in the J/109 class, while Mike and Jamie Holmes JIKA-JIKA in IRC3 took a 20% penalty dropping her to fifth, and providing an opener for others to gain on them.

Overall, J-DREAM won the J/109 class with 11 points.  David McLeman on OFFBEAT finished 2nd with 25 points, third was Richard's and Valerie's OUTRAJEOUS, 4th ARIA's Luca Rubinelli with 32 points and 5th ME JULIE's Dom Monkhouse.

As many of you know by now, IRC Class 3 was dominated by the J/97 JIKA-JIKA (seen here) sailed by Mike and Jamie Holmes, they finished with eight 1sts and a 3rd for 11 pts!   Sailing a nice series and not far off the pace lying 5th is the J/110 SHADES OF BLUE sailed by Ed Holton.  In the 12th and final race of the series, Bill Blain finally got his J/97 BATFISH IV rolling and sailed well to get a 3rd, sistership JIKA-JIKA won the race but was assessed a 20% scoring penalty.

In the White Fleet, despite the shifty breezes, the J/80s managed to behave respectably and get off 3 quick races.  Sweeping all three were John Cooper's OI!, thus affirming their grip on the top of the podium.   Overall in 2nd was AQUA J- Patrick Liardet and 3rd is SWALLOW- Gordon Craigen.

Over in IRC Class 2, there have been four J/105s racing and they are 7-8-9-10 in class dueling with one another for one-design "Top Dog". In the fray are JACKPOT sailed by Vernon Bradley in 7th, JOS OF HAMBLE skippered by Professor Roger Williams in 8th, JOURNEYMAKER 5 sailed by Chris Jones in 9th and JOLENE with Ivan and Peter Trotman leading the charge lying 10th.  In fact, in the 12th and last race of the series, the J/105s nearly swept the top 5, getting 1st- JACKPOT, 3rd- JOURNEYMAKER 5, 4th- JOLENE and 5th- JOS OF HAMBLE.

Given the fact that both the J/97 JIKA-JIKA and the J/109 J-DREAM both sailed solid series in two of the largest and most competitive classes, it will be hard to determine the Garmin Yacht of the Year at the overall prize giving on Saturday December 11th.  Report contributed by Jonty Sherwill.  Full sailing details of the 2010 Garmin Hamble Winter Series.  Sailing photos courtesy- Paul Wyeth/ PWPictures.com.