J/111 Adelaide Winter Series Champion!

(Adelaide, Australia)- South Australian based J/111 HOROPITO scored an impressive 1st in the Royal South Australia Yacht Squadron Nautilus Marine Winter Series and 2nd overall in the combined series with their close neighbors The Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia.

From the owner Mark Robertson- "We have just completed our second winter series here in Adelaide in our J/111, HOROPITO that was launched in 2012. This 6 race series is a PHS format with a mix of windward leeward and fixed mark races that saw 10-15 combined RSAYS and CYCSA Division One boats turn out fortnightly for some keenly contested racing.

Our crew had been getting progressively more comfortable with the systems on HOROPITO through the summer IRC racing and, with that confidence, had begun to extract more speed and consistent performances as we headed into the winter racing. Our competition was a competitive mix of Sydney 38’s, First 40’s and 45’s and a couple of 47.4 foot Benetaus to name a few, drawn from the combined fleets of the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron (our club) and the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia. Winter sailing in Adelaide can be challenging from a wind perspective. The normally reliable sea breezes depart and are replaced by either 2 knots or 25 knots depending on the weather systems that roll in from the Great Australian Bight.

We had a great series and were first equal on handicap as we headed into the penultimate 3 lap windward leeward race held on Sunday the 11th August. The day turned out to be a cracker with an 8-14 knot breeze out of the North a sign that spring is just around the corner. After a conservative start we were second around the top mark and gave little away as we worked down-wind to the bottom gate. The longer boats started to eat into us upwind  on the second and third legs as the breeze built but we held on to third across the line after sailing a pretty much flawless race in terms of positioning the boat on the course and executing transitions. It turned out that we were giving too much time to a couple of the bigger boats but came away really happy to have secured 1st place in our own club results by 5 points and 2nd place by one point for the overall combined club series series.

It is a credit to the J/111’s great design that an inexperienced group can quickly get up to speed and extract the obvious potential that the boat has. Sailing HOROPITO has been fun and always rewarding. We are now looking forward to summer racing with the Adelaide – Port Lincoln race firmly in our sights."

The Port Lincoln Race is South Australia’s premier ocean racing event.  Nearly eighty boats leave Outer Harbour to compete in a 156 nautical mile race that takes them south west to Marion Reef at the foot of York Peninsula along the foot to the spectacular Cape Spencer then North West past Wedge and Thistle Islands and Dangerous Reef to the welcome of Port Lincoln nestled on Boston Bay.   For more Royal South Australian Winter Series sailing information

J/111 JAKE Wins Sydney Ocean Series

(Sydney, Australia)- The amazingly long summer series that are sailed Down Under have no peer "Up North".  Remember, Aussie/Kiwi sailing seasons in the southern hemisphere are much, much longer than any experienced up north-- "summer" lasts over six months!  As a result, any sailboat that goes the distance over the course of the summer in these long, testing sailing seasons is deserving of any championship silverware they win.  It just so happens that one of those teams is the J/111 JAKE that has been turning heads off the Sydney Heads for several months.  Here's their report of their final race of the season series:

"With the start close to Potts Point in beautiful Sydney Harbour and the wind edging either side of south, it made for a spectacular spinnaker start heading down the harbour. As with all of this season since our J/111 JAKE was launched, our competition consisted of much larger, more expensive boats. We really feel like a dinghy on the start line however with kites set through the start in the 13 -14 knot breeze we were amongst the leaders towards the Lady Bay mark at South Head. We managed to hang onto our kite longer than most and made up some ground on the 45 and 50 footers. Kite finally down to get out of the harbour and the 80 footer BRINDABELLA already storming out the heads and heading north before the freshening southerly.

We found ourselves 2 sail reaching between “About Time” the  Cookson 12 and “St Jude” the Sydney 47 as our line to clear the rocks at North Head came into view. Up with our 120 sq.m. reacher. ‘Bang!’ the kite filled with around 20 knots in it. JAKE leapt out of the water with the crew on "About Time" cheering and clapping at the sight.  The skipper from "About Time" said afterwards, (“JAKE flew past us going to the Island - she almost lifted out of the water - we could see her keel.”). Our J/111 accelerated at such a pace exploding over the waves - we had soon left "About Time" and "St Jude" behind with one of our crew commenting we were 5th boat on the water and what a sight behind with around 15 much larger boats already in the rear-view mirror. We had not sailed in this breeze since the very first offshore race and coincidently the same course at the beginning of the season in October. This time we were ready. We had learned much about the J/111 since then and with rig tweaked for the conditions we were off. The speedo rapidly clicking, 8 to 15 knots almost instantly, then 16, 17 we were flying, the boat was on rails – solid, comfortable and so easy to steer, the crew elated we finally have JAKE in some breeze again. We wanted to keep close inshore so prepped for our first gybe, a little nervous but wait for the next wave, hitting 16 knots nooo problem, sweet as with only a few knots wind speed to boat speed difference - the gybes are so easy. Nervousness gone, the crew are playing spinny tweakers to try and get even more out of JAKE.  Breeze building slightly and now in the mid to upper twenties, confused sea but we’re making the most of the available waves. The tip of the sprit buries a few feet, no problem, crew a little further aft. Four behind the helm know and JAKE picks up another few tenths, then 18, 19, 19.1 knots....

Long Reef, just over halfway to Pittwater is looming fast so we gybe again to give it plenty of clearance. Behind us some boats are having trouble. A 50 footer ‘Never A Dull Moment’ living up to its name kite affray and struggling to get it down, off our port quarter the Sydney GTS 43 looks in trouble, they broach a few times and are soon heading back to safe harbour waters. Our friends on "About Time" have a little Chinese gybe but soon recover. JAKE is solid and the ride is surprisingly dry, water squirting out from under the mast area of the boat 10 feet either side as we nonstop plane north to Lion Island. The speedo starts doing crazy things as it exits the water. ’We are creeping up on Merlin’ calls one of the crew, she’s a fifty footer, ‘19.6’ someone shouts through the spray. Hedgy who is on his second only sail in JAKE says the top speeds are impressive but more impressive is that we are not dropping below 16 knots for many minutes at a time, the last  run was almost  5 minutes doing over 16 knots. Lion Island in Pittwater is soon in sight and we must be careful not to get under the high cliffs too early and into the wind shadow. So we throw our final gybe back toward the land absolutely screaming down the front of wave (back at the club a crew member says he saw 21.4 just before the gybe). We don’t want the ride to end and wish it was the Newcastle race we did a few weeks ago, being another 40 or so miles further north.

We are soon under the wind shadow which is unavoidable and recognized that we probably went a little too far out on the last gybe. The crew trim the boat forward again and comment we feel like we have stopped. Only doing 9.5 knots now as we head into the Lion Island mark. Merlin the 50 footer goes around it a minute ahead of us. We are 4th or 5th boat around the top mark. It’s hard to tell as the Pittwater fleets are now sailing in the same area.  It’s also an amazing site as our 36 footer settles into the long beat back to Sydney to see boats like DK 43s, Beneteau 45s, Sydney 47s and other 40 to 45 footers still sailing towards us with spinnakers set. The breeze has freshened and we see 28 knots of wind often. The J/111 is sweet to windward, very stiff and hardly slams in the building waves. We concentrate hard as some of the bigger boats begin to claw a few minutes back on us during the long beat home but checking our watches we know we have done some significant damage to them on time already. A few larger boats pass us close to Sydney, but JAKE triumphs with a third on IRC and second place overall in Sydney’s division one Ocean Pointscore Series.

Almost as impressive is the 3rd overall in the Short Ocean Point Score Series which Jake had to miss 3 races due to Sail Expo and other commitments. This astonishing 36 footer has proved itself in the most competitive local fleets around in a wide variety of conditions from gale force winds to glass-outs and drifters. It’s been a tale of David and many Goliaths. JAKE will be on the market to make room for the new J/70.  However, another J/111 is on the cards afterwards, these boats are just too much fun.  Our very best regards to all our competitors, and our crew for another fantastic sailing season filled with thrills…"  Thanks to Bobby Joe and Marie.  :) 

Fast Sailing JAKE Snakes Sydney-Newcastle Race

(Sydney, Australia)- The longest race of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Ocean Pointscore Series (OPS) from Sydney to Newcastle, nearly 70 miles north of Sydney along the coast, was held on the 18th February 2012 . The J/111 JAKE was the smallest boat in the 26 boat fleet that lined up for the start at 9am Saturday morning. Here's the full-on race report from Ray and Sandra Entwistle from aboard JAKE:

"We certainly felt small during pre-start maneuvers amongst the smorgasbord of bigger boats which included the famous BRINDABELLA (a Jutson 80), MERLIN (the Cookson 50 footer), a Corby 49, Sydney 47, Rodgers 46, Beneteau 45, Sydney GTS43, Kerr40 and a pair of Cookson 12s, to name a few.

A 10 to 15 knot south westerly dictated a spinnaker start in Sydney Harbour and we were delighted when JAKE emerged out of Sydney Harbour Heads in 5th place on the water (e.g. boat-for-boat!). We settled down and concentrated on our race strategy of hugging the coast to keep out of the current and playing the 13 to 18 knots of breeze as it occasionally drifted either side of south. We knew we were doing well with some of the bigger boats still behind us and it wasn’t until Pittwater 25 miles north when one of our main competitors, ST JUDE (the Sydney 47) managed to pass us. After a mistake at the start AFL MIDNIGHT RAMBLER (the new Ker 40) also managed to creep by. There were still a lot of boats behind us that owed us time on IRC and we were having a great sail as the day progressed and miles slid effortlessly by. Thanks to some great asymmetric designs by Ian Short Sails we were going as deep and in some cases deeper and faster than conventional rigged boats.

One of JAKE's crew made a comment how good everything was going and the boat was simply flying as we saw our final headland in the distance-- "Nobby's Head"- now famous due to the grounding of the 76 thousand tonne “Pasha Bulka”  bulk carrier in 2007 when she ran aground during a huge storm. All was going to plan and JAKE's crew were looking forward to finishing in daylight, and few beers with dinner.  We were still ahead of many much larger boats and still crossing gybes with the larger Sydney GTS43 OCCASIONAL COURSE LANGUAGE. About 5 minutes later the breeze dropped to 5 knots, by 6pm it had  had petered out completely and we had a a complete "glass-out", much to our chagrin (we figured we may have been winning overall at the time).

Trying every trick in the book, we could not stop ourselves from slowly going backwards as the tide turned and darkness enveloped the fleet. We started to hear the retirements come through on the VHF an hour later and were surprised to hear how far back some the boats were. Between 7 and 8 pm, a slight whisper of a southwester began to filter through, only a few knots but enough to harness in JAKE's sails and make headway once again. With the spinnaker back up we ghosted past one of the Cookson 12s, as we completed our final gybe to head into Newcastle Harbour, we crossed with the Sydney GTS 43 for the last time and through the finish line at 9.30 pm.

With Newcastle yacht clubs staff and volunteers welcoming the finishing boats with a tot of rum as we tied up and quick calculation we knew we had done ok in the longest race so far in our potent J/111 rocketship.

Before we retired for the evening it was confirmed we were second on IRC to our friend and competitor Julian Farren Price who has sailed a faultless series. We were advised we were second on PHS to the famous Jutson 80 BRINDABELLA but a few boats were still at sea with a building breeze. The next morning we learnt our final position was a fourth in PHS.

The story doesn’t end there, however. With most of the crew having to drive back to Sydney due to family commitments, Sandra and I, just two up, had a fantastic sail back the Sydney the next day-- yet again proving how versatile and easy the J/111 is to sail shorthanded with husband and wife!   For more Sydney-Newcastle Race sailing results

JAKE Sails To Double Victory in Royal Sydney YS Event

(Sydney, Australia)-   Following the great success of the Sydney-based J/111 JAKE in the offshore summer series, JAKE headed back to the harbor to compete for the first time with Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.  In keeping with their remarkable performances to date, the Ray and Sandra Entwistle have this to report from their recent escapades flying around Sydney's gorgeous harbor.

"On Saturday the 4th February, JAKE was joined by two other casual entries to boost the Division One fleet to 19 boats. The fleet consisted of a wide variety of boats including a Sydney 60, Jutson 50, Lyons 49 to name a  few plus the regular spread of  Beneteau 45s, 40s, Sydney 36s, Elan 350 RP, Farr canting-keel and other high performance one-offs.

It was looking like a potential glass-out (no wind) just 30 minutes before the start but then the wind began to fill the course with a shifty 8 to 13 knot southeaster.  JAKE was buried on the start by some of the larger boats so took an early port tack out of the traffic into more favorable tide and wind heading up Sydney Harbor from Kirribilli to Neilson Park.  It was then a short run to Taylor's Bay followed by another beat to "Sow and Pigs" buoy.  We thought the criss-cross harbour course which included some legs which were simply power reaching under jib would be detrimental to the J/111 amongst the larger boats, but she held her own admirably with the much bigger boats in town.

It wasn’t until the last spinnaker reach the Jutson 50 “Braveheart” managed to ease past JAKE and went around the Kirribilli bottom mark for the last time, dropping spinnakers just 10 seconds ahead. The last beat back up the harbor was a case of keeping out of the 50 footers dirty air as he covered our every move. JAKE powered through the line just one minute forty seconds 40 behind him and enjoyed a wonderful sight behind as most of the fleet were still on the last spinnaker run.  It was amazing to see some 40 to 50 footers behind us on the water with some of the other similar sized boats up to 15 minutes behind, JAKE's crew knew they had done well.

JAKE scored a first on IRC by four minutes 22 seconds and a first on PHS by four minutes 34 seconds in its first harbor sail at Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, proving like here European and American sisterships the J/111 is as devastatingly quick inshore as she is offshore."   For more J/111 sailboat information

J/111 First Sailboat To Start New Year!

Mind-blowing Australia New Year's Experience  on-board JAKE
(Sydney, Australia)- New Year's Day. Australia.  One of first nations on Earth to celebrate the New Year.  It is a fact.  Peter Gustafsson flew down to Sydney, Australia to not only "test sail" the J/111 Down Under, but joined Ray and Sandra Entwistle and family on the J/111 JAKE for New Year's festivities.

Ray, Peter and the "JAKE family" were the first J sailors to experience the dawning of the end of civilization as we know it in the Chinese Year of the Dragon 2012.  After all, only one hour past the dateline, they celebrated New Year's Day in Sydney at 12 AM when it was 5 AM the day before in Southern California 19 hours later!  So, the Sydney J sailors can easily lay claim to be the first sailors in the world to start the New Year! OMG, looks like they had one helluva lot of fun!  Read more about it here on Peter Gustafsson's BLUR.se sailing website.

J/111 JAKE Thunders Down Under!

(Sydney, Australia)- The Australian J/111 JAKE owned by Ray & Sandra Entwistle has been busy competing in two offshore series since her launch at the Sydney International Boat Show in July.  The Short Offshore Pointscore Series is 7 race windward/leeward series held just off Sydney Harbour Heads.  The Ocean Pointscore series is a 6 race series of passage races north out of Sydney Harbour towards Pittwater and south towards Botany Bay and Cronulla of around 50nm.  Here's Ray's report about the thunder they're generating Down Under:

"The J/111 is one of the smallest boats in these highly competitive IRC Division 1 Sydney fleets.  The two fleets in the two events have included boats from Beneteau First 40s, 45s, 47.7s,  Cookson 12s, DK 43s, one off 50 footers, Corby 49, Transpac 52s, Kerr 40, Sydney Kerr 43, Swan 60, to name a few.  A Volvo 60 even joined in the fun for few races.

The weather was a real mix from drifters to over 30 knots, clear sunny days to complete fog "white-outs", but the J/111 showed no vices in any wind or sea state. She just reveled right through the range often beating much larger boats on the beat and on the water. Off wind she is an absolute dream and we have seen speeds of over 18 knots.

Bang for buck the J/111 has really gone head to head with much more expensive programs. She has proven beyond doubt this new 36 footer can mix it up with highly professional crewed boats. The crew and many visitors have complimented how easy she is to sail, and really enjoy that adrenalin rush that is missing from so many models these days.  The J/111 really responds to every tweak and change in trim.

JAKE finished 2nd on IRC in both series.  We know we still have a bit more to learn about her, and can’t wait for the next series to start so we can work to claim first prize."  For more J/111 sailboat information.

Australian J/111 JAKE Proves Good Design Matters

(Sydney, Australia)-  In what many sailors were reporting as a frustrating day on the race course with light winds and lumpy seas off Sydney’s North Head, Ray Entwistle’s new J/111 JAKE had a tremendous day out sailing. Here is Ray's report:

"Granted it was a light fickle day, with the wind swinging from north east to north west from 2 to 8 knots and a very lumpy seaway with 1.5 knots of current running south 3 miles offshore.  Despite the J/111 being one of the smallest boats in the 19 boat division you just know you are going to have a good day when you leave the Sydney Harbour start line in Watson's Bay and go around the top mark 4 miles offshore not far behind the TP 52 and just behind the new Ker 40 and Sydney Ker 43. The J/111 just sliced through the choppy water and pointed high!

After the first lap of the windward leeward course we were already leaving 44.7s, DK43s, First 40s and 45’s, A40’s, Cookson 12s, and large X yachts a long way behind.  We, like most, were hoping for a shortened course on the second lap as we could the see TP52 extending on every leg. However, unbeknown to us (due a last minute change of support boats because of a mechanical issue) the replacement support boat did not have an ‘S’ flag to shorten the course so the full 3 lap course had to be sailed.

On the last beat we heard the retirements coming in over the VHF radio as the boats a long way back began to realize they would time out and not finish the course.  We were surprised as some of the 38 to 45 footers behind us started to call it day....we were going to make it with ease. On the last rounding of the top mark, spinnaker flying and crew calling the angles perfectly to enter Sydney Harbour we still had many things to smile about. As we passed the bottom mark (which was no longer part of the course for us as we were on our way back to Watson's Bay and the finish line) we actually lapped a First 40 and an Archambault 40. Not surprisingly, they called it a day and followed us back into the harbour.

The J/111 finished 5th on the water and 2nd on IRC beating the new Sydney Ker 43 and Ker 40 by 7 and 8 minutes and a racing carbon/kevlar 51 footer by an astonishing 26 minutes.

We would like to thank our crew for their constant perseverance and Ian Short for yet another superb set of sails which have been devastatingly quick in all conditions, and of course to all the Johnstone’s for another stunningly designed boat!  Thanks, Ray"

  

J/111 JAKE Dazzles East Oz

(Sydney, Australia)- So far, so good.  JAKE has now taken the lead in Sydney’s Division 1 Short Ocean Point Score Series.  The second race of the SOPS was held last Saturday and the J/111 JAKE is cementing her position in this competitive fleet.

This was the J/111’s first windward/leeward race in light and variable conditions. The wind was only 8 to 10 knots from the south east so the light #1 jib and the class A2 running spinnaker were the order of the day. The winds were not strong enough for the J/111 to get up on the plane, however, we were able to run almost as square as the symmetric boats.  On the last homeward run back toward Sydney Harbour Heads we were unfortunate enough to be on the wrong side of a wind shift which came in from the south and cost us some time. When inside Sydney Heads we made a mistake and dropped the spinnaker into the water which cost us another 2 minutes!  Agh!  Despite this, JAKE finished 2nd on IRC and is now leading Division 1 in the Sydney Short Ocean Pointscore Series. Ray and Sandra Entwistle are delighted with the new J/111, remarked Ray, "she is proving to be a highly versatile, remarkably competitive boat in all conditions.  And, being the "baby-sized" boat in the fleet is proving no handicap."

  

J/111 JAKE Impressive in Sydney Offshore

(Sydney, Australia)- The boys (and girls) down under are full-on into their early summer Sydney Offshore Points Series with many of the top offshore boats in the greater Sydney/ Melbourne region participating.  Many use the Sydney Offshore series as a warm-up/ tune-up program for the boat, sails and crew for the famous Sydney-Hobart Race that starts on Boxing Day in December.

As owner Ray Entwistle describes, the "J/111 continues to prove her form even in light airs offshore!  In a stark contrast JAKE's first offshore race a few weeks ago, where it was gusting to 30 knots and JAKE's boat speed was up to 18 knots, JAKE  proves herself in complete opposite conditions.  In the Short Ocean Pointscore race a few race weeks ago we had big winds and a fantastic kite ride heading north. This week’s 30nm race headed south to Port Hacking with the wind only averaging 8 knots, 30 degree wind shifts and a sloppy seaway.  A mixture of beating and just cracked sheets really tested the boat and crew and being the smallest boat in this division in these conditions has to be the most challenging (we were up against the larger boats including Corby 49, Sydney  47 and other much larger boats in Division One).  However, we are delighted with the J/111’s performance. We were looking forward to the ride back to Sydney, planning to set the A2 asymmetric, heating it up and pulling some distance back on the 50 footers when mother nature changed the plans. The wind swung from ESE, to SW, then back to ESE again!  Due to the shape of the coastline we were back to beating and just cracked sheets again, it wasn’t until Maroubra 5nm south of Sydney harbour that we were able to just hang onto the code 0, then set a larger kite to get into Sydney Heads then drop it again to beat back into Rushcutters Bay for the finish line.

In summary, for the six hour long race we only had the spinnakers up for approximately 1 one hour!  We were the 4th boat over the line on the water and finished 3rd on IRC, leaving a bunch of 40 to 45 footers behind us!  For a 36 ft yacht this is one incredible boat."

  

J/111 JAKE Flying in Sydney Offshore Series

(Sydney, Australia)-  The day finally dawned for the start of the Spring racing series for the new J/111 JAKE  in Sydney.  For those of you who have been to this side of the world, the spring weather is usually glorious, with clear blue skies, temperate 23 degrees C, and gentle winds, and this is what we had been experiencing for the 2 weeks up to our first race. But as luck would have it, winter decided to take one last bite, and the Saturday race from Sydney to Lion Island (out the heads and 25nm up the coast and back), was held in 25-30knot cold SSW winds, with a sloppy 2-3m easterly swell rebounding off the coast line.

We had a pretty good start.  We were the smallest boat in Div 1 and with such a mix of boats up to 60foot on the start line a clean start was paramount.  Out of the heads and with the wind on our quarter we set the #3 asymmetric and had the time of our life!.  The J/111 just took off - she has such acceleration in the gusts it was exhilarating, and yet not overwhelming.  She rode the waves and skipped over the crests, the backstay humming along like a V8 engine.

The conditions took their toll on a number of yachts. The new Sydney GTS 43 did a remarkable maneuver for their maiden race, pirouetting next to us just as we got out of the Heads (we had been going boat-for-boat, if not faster than them most of the way to the Heads).  We figured they must have lost someone overboard, but in fact their rudder had snapped in half, and they had to be towed home. The J/111 just reveled in the conditions.

We wanted to leave the kite up and just keep going but we were heading too far east, so had to drop it and head up towards the Island under #4 jib and full main.  Even under just jib & main we were hitting 17.4 knots at times.  What a remarkable machine.  Around the Island, and back to Sydney.  We thought the bigger boats would have the advantage over us on the way back.  The wind had swung more south so it was one long tack with slightly cracked sheets all the way back home.  The J/111 held her own though, and no one took any time from us.  We came in 2nd on IRC in the Short Ocean Series.  Not bad for our first offshore against the large Division 1 boats.

  

J/111 JAKE Cruises Australia Debut

(Sydney Harbour, Australia- July 8th)- With clear blue skies and a gusty westerly wind averaging 13 to 16 knots, the first J/111 into Australia managed to fit in one of the last winter series club races before the season ends and still allows time to participate in the Sydney International Boat Show. There was time for a quick test sail during the week to make sure all was working after commissioning and tweak the rig with a superb set of sails from the Ian Short sail loft.

The crew met at the CYCA dock and interested sailors passing by delayed departure time for the race with Sydney Amateurs Sailing Club based in Cremorne across the harbour but we made the start line in Athol Bay close to Taronga Zoo just in time.

With a mixture of forty-plus footers to well sailed modified sport boats in the division before we knew it we were off.  Great start at the committee boat end and heading West up the harbour trying to spot the club top mark in Neutral Bay. We took a conservative middle lane while concentrating on trimming the boat and getting the feel of her. It was soon apparent we had great speed and height and were first around the top mark. Bear away set onto a starboard run down the harbour to Rose Bay and staying in the channel of wind we noted on the beat. Kite up and pulling then no wind, the channel of wind was moving  north, no problem lets gybe--- calamity, “we can’t gybe” comes  the call  from the bow.
The starboard  sheet has tangled and requires re running.  We stay on our current course sailing into an ever decreasing wind pattern  in the  shifty Sydney Harbour westerly and watch as the boats behind set spinnakers and power down the harbour in the new wind lane. A few minutes later we gybe and the race is well and truly on again.

Back in 6th place but in the same pressure as our competitors the J/111 starts to light up and we rapidly start to gain on the front runners.  Into the Rose Bay bottom mark dousing the spinnaker we find ourselves in 3rd place.

We settle into the beat back up the harbour and find the sweet spot of the J/111. Despite the gusty weather we are tracking between 7.1 and 7.5 knots and pointing high. By the second time around the top mark we are back in the lead and no mistakes on the run/ reach  back towards Sow and Pigs reef where a gust gave us a glimpse of 14 knots boat speed with the 130 sqm. running kite set.  We round the bottom mark and are close reaching towards the next mark at Shark Island.  Another potential calamity but this time in the form of a Flying Tiger on port tack in a wild broach coming down the run on its side but still scooting across the water.  Thanks to our extensive avoiding maneuvers it missed us by a few feet (barely!!). 

We leave Shark Island to starboard and look for the finish line close to the zoo. The next boat through is 6 minutes later. We’ve been racing for 88 minutes and wishing the race had another lap.

A resounding success for the J/111’s first race in Australia. Our warm glow and total enjoyment of the boat is fueled by the fact we know there is more performance to come as we learn this easy to sail 36 foot speedster.

If you would like to have a closer look at this exceptional boat she will be on the J/Boat stand in  the Sydney international Boat show alongside the J/80  in pen 35 & 36  on the Cockle Bay side of Darling Harbour.  Or alternatively call YachtSpot for a private viewing.

  

J/111 World One-Design Growth

(Newport, RI)-  Reports from the frontiers of sailing around the world indicate that interest for 111's is strong, with dozens of prospective sailors/ owners looking forward to their first experiences racing this new rocketship in the 2011 sailing season.  By summer, J/111 speedsters will be sailing in at least ten countries on four continents- USA and Canada for North America; Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand Down Under; Cartagena, Columbia for South America; and United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland for Europe-- a remarkably strong debut for the next generation international one-design off the J drawing boards and the first J to go global in less than twelve months!

Supporting this worldwide one-design roll-out is JB Composites in Les Sables'd'Olonne, France.  President Didier LeMoal is excited about the 111s' prospects for Europe and is looking forward to the launching of the first European-built J/111 in April.  With over a dozen boats ordered from the French facility alone, the fleets in both the UK and France are well on their way to having one-design events rolling in Europe for 2012.

For those of you who wish to see a 111 soon, they will debuting in Charleston Race Week, Strictly Sail Pacific show, Warsash Spring Series (UK) and BMW Auckland Race Week (New Zealand) all within the next month.  And, look for the 111 to debut in Australia at the Sydney Boatshow in July.  Other 2011 events the 111 will be sailing include Rolex STC Block Island Race, Rolex Block Island Race Week, Rolex Fastnet Race, Rolex Big Boat Series, Rolex Middle Sea Race and Rolex RORC Caribbean 600 in 2012.  For more J/111 sailboat information