Bayview Mackinac Preview

(Port Huron, MI)- Starting July 14th 233 boats will be sailing from Port Huron, Michigan north up Lake Huron to finish at the fabled summer resort known as Mackinac Island.  The Bayview Mac is comprised of two courses, one is known as "the short course" and takes those classes up the Michigan shoreline on the western side of Lake Huron for 204nm.  The bigger, faster boats sail the "Cove Island course" (e.g. the big course) and from the start head in a northerly course towards a buoy off the Canadian coastline called the "Cove Island Mark", whereupon the fleet then heads WNW towards Mackinac Island for a total distance of 254nm, just 45nm less than its "sister" race, the Chicago-Mac which runs 289nm.

Sailing the Division I Cove island course in PHRF B is the J/145 VORTICES sailed by Chris Saxton, they finished 2nd in class and 4th overall last year and hope to aim even higher!  Sailing the same course in PHRF C will be two J/111s, NO SURPRISE skippered by Dave Irish and UNPLUGGED sailed by Tim Clayson (last year's winners overall in the Cruising Division) and the J/33 SHENANIGAN sailed by Dick & Dan Synowiec.

On the short course, the eight J/120s are sailing one-design with many familiar teams going for the gold!  Included are the top three finishers from the 2011 race-- the famous CARINTHIA sailed by  Frank Kern, FLYIN IRISH skippered by Bill Bresser, HOT TICKET sailed by Bob Kirkman and Don Hudak's CAPERS.

In the Level 35 Class, a record number of eight J/35s are racing, including the famous MR BILL'S WILD RIDE sailed by Bill Wildner, of course!  Remarkably, Meme Carter's SPECIAL K will be sailing this year's race for the 19th consecutive year!  Also sailing is FALCON is owned by Ed (43 PH Macs)and John Bayer (37 PH Macs) and brother in law Jim Barnes.  Falcon was the 2005 and 2006 and last year's (2011) J-35 North American Champion and has won its J-35/T-35 One Design Class in the last two Mac Races. Falcon's experienced crew has over 250 Bayview Mac Races between them. This race will mark Ed Bayer's 44th Mac, John Bayer's 36th, Mike Welch's 29th and Ron Rossio's 27th! Newcomers WHIPLASH sailed by Gregg Whipple are on their second Mac Race and hope to have some fun in the Level 35 Class!

In PHRF D Class is a J/100 and five J/105s.  The J/100 BLUEJAY is sailed by John McVeety.  She is normally rigged as a single handed daysailer on Alpena's (Ontario) Thunder Bay. Twice a year they add crew and go racing. She has participated 7 times in the Huron Double handed Challenge.  Challenging them will be the fleet of J/105s with top boats like Mark Symonds PTERODACTYL, GOOD LOOKIN sailed by Dean Walsh and SORCERY sailed by Larry & Brian Smith-- the top three finishers from 2011 hoping to repeat their performances again!

In PHRF E, the J/44 SAGITTA will be sailed by its co-owners/skippers, both past Commodores of Bayview Yacht Club, Com. Larry Oswald (1990) and Com. Jon Somes (2000).  They've been racing Port Huron to Mackinac races together for nearly 15 years. Previous to year 2000, they raced on Com. Oswald's NA 40 Disruption and since year 2000 on Sagitta, a J-44. While racing together, they have won their class two times on Sagitta and five times on Disruption.

For PHRF F Class, the J/35 RAGTIME is skippered by Allan Schmidt and the J/36 POLARITY will be sailed by Murphy Palmer.  POLARITY has a rich history with its beginnings on the East Coast and is the last of its breed as hull #55 which was the last J-36 built.

PHRF G Class has the beautiful, classic J/34 IOR boat sailed by an incredibly experienced Mac Race team, led by Den Balcirak and Tom Burleson from Grosse Point Woods, Michigan.  This is Commodore Balcirak's 49th Mackinac and Tom's 36th. It is sailed by a crew of family and close friends. Their Mackinac Race highlight was a clean sweep in 2004 when they won their class, overall, and the Yacht Club Challenge. This year grand-daughter Mackensie Balcirak and daughter-in-law Susie Balcirak will be doing their first Mackinac!

Finally, in the Double-handed Division IV group, the J/29 PATRIOT will be sailed by David and Lyndon Lattie and the J/105 PIRANA will be sailed by the team of CJ Ruffing and Chris Ongena.  For more Bayview Mackinac Race sailing information

J/One-Designs Sailing Rolex NYYC Week!

(Newport, RI)- The upcoming Rolex NYYC Race Week promises to be a fun event for the thirty-six J/Teams participating in the regatta, representing about 44% of the total fleet of 82 sailing off Newport.  J sailors will be racing one-design in J/109s, J/105s and J/111s while others are sailing in IRC handicap class.

The J/109s will be hosting their 2012 J/109 North Americans and with eighteen teams sailing the competition is sure to be tough.  There are familiar names amongst the entries that may be factors on the overall leader board, featured amongst them are former champions like Ted Herlihy's GUT FEELING from South Darmouth, MA, Bill Sweetser's RUSH from Annapolis, MD and Rick Lyall's STORM from Wilton, CT.  Challenging them will be teams like David Rosow's LOKI, Don Filippelli's CAMINOS, and Rob Salk's & John Sahagian's PICANTE, the top "local" Newport boat that sails often on Narragansett Bay.

The J/111s will be having their first one-design event in New England, with six boats participating.  Dave & Mary Ellen Tortorello's PARTNERSHIP, Doug Curtiss' WICKED 2.0, Henry Brauer's FLEETWING, Sedgwick Ward's BRAVO, Rod Johnstone's JAZZ and Paul Strauch's ANDIAMO will surely have a great time racing while simultaneously learning how to get their boats going ever faster.  By way of example, lots of dock chatter regarding tuning/sailing tips during the recent Block Island Race Week saw a number of teams sailing there improve their performance considerably over the course of the week.  It should prove to be an exciting three days of sailing for these teams.

The J/105s are having their top New England event and the nine teams represented include amongst their ranks a number of past 105 champions, including some familiar names like Kevin Grainger on GUMPTION34, Nelson Weiderman on KIMA and Joerg Esdorn & Duncan Hennes on KINCSEM.  This trio alone are highly competitive and it looks like there may be some new teams sailing that may upset the proverbial "pecking order" at the top of the fleet.

Sailing in IRC Class are some of the most competitive J/Teams on J/122s and J/44s.  In the J/122s will be the Rolex New York YC Annual Regatta winner Mike Bruno on WINGS; a new J/122 owner from Annapolis, Don Shea, will be racing DOLPHIN and George and Carol Shaw from Denver, Colorado will be sailing TUMBLEWEED.  Amongst the J/44s, Jim Bishop will be racing his IRC-optimized J/43.5 (sawed-off transom with carbon rig and modded keel) called WHITE GOLD and Bill Ketcham will be sailing his standard J/44 MAXINE.  For more New York YC Race Week sailing information

J/111 J-DREAM Wins Epic Round Island!

(Cowes, IOW, England)- The post-race atmosphere in the sunny town of Cowes was mainly one of relief and immense pleasure after competitors enjoyed a challenging, lively and memorable day of racing, organised and run by the Island Sailing Club.  The 81st Round the Island Race, the biggest yacht race in the world, this year attracted an entry of 1,647 boats across 25 classes.  Of these, 1,198 crossed the finish line within the 10pm deadline; 247 retired, giving a 73% finish rate which is precisely the same percentage of finishers as in 2011 when the 80th Anniversary Race attracted a record entry of 1,908 yachts and welcomed home 1,345 finishers.

The wind conditions were as forecast with most of the fleets starting in a moderate south-westerly breeze.  However, the forecast for the wind to increase dramatically meant a number of fleets would not start, including the J/80s.  As a whole, the J/Teams faired well in this classic 60nm+ race around the fabled island.  David & Kirsty Apthorp’s J/111 J-DREAM reveled in the conditions planing down the south side of the island after St Catherines Pt in 3-5 meter seas and 20-25 kts of wind to take the overall hours in both IRC 1A class and IRC Group 1, completing the course in just 6 hrs:21 min:54 secs!  In fact, they were first J/Team home and led an enormous contingent of J sailors to honors in a number of classes.  The double-win is a repeat of last year’s victory by fellow J/111 SHMOKIN JOE.

"We are absolutely delighted to have won and the J/111 is proving her versatility whatever the wind strength as we had 13-26 knots.  My crew complained that they missed the spectacle of watching the spinnakers stretching as far as you can see in both directions, because we rounded the corner at Bembridge too quickly - there is no pleasing some!  However to see Actual do a ‘flypast’ and to watch Eleanora was apparently consolation and particularly for crew member Herbie Harford (16) who was on his first trip round the island," said David Apthorp.

In IRC IA class alone, J teams were 8 of the top 20, an amazing achievement in the incredibly challenging conditions.   After J-DREAM, the J/111 MANIC was 8th, the J/122 JOULOU was 11th, the J/111 OJE was 12th, the J/122 JOLLY JELLYFISH was 13th, the J/111 MUNKENBECK was 14th, the J/122 GHOST was 16th and the J/122 MINT JULEP was 18th. Were it not for a DSQ, the J/111 JEEZE LOUISE would have been 7th!  In IRC 1B Class, the J/122 NUTMEG IV from France finished 3rd in class were 7th overall in IRC Group 1! A fabulous performance for all these J/Crews!

A similar scenario played out in IRC 2A Class with J's taking 9 of the top 20!  Leading the group home was a classic and incredibly well-sailed J/35 KNIGHT BUILD LTD, finishing 4th overall but just missing overall honors to win by just six minutes!  Amazing for a 25+ year old design.  Next up on the board were a slew of J/109s, with OFFBEAT (6th) leading home the rest of their colleagues- JAHMALI (7th), BASIC INSTINCT (8th), BLUE JAY (9th), HIGH TENSION (14th), JUMUNU (16th), JOUSTER (18th) and JOLENE (19th).  A good show for 35 foot J's in this class!  But, it was IRC 2B Class in Group IRC 2 that took home the overall honors in the group. Nine of the top 15 were J/Teams, led home by the J/105 JELLY BABY taking a 3rd in IRC 2B class and 5th overall in IRC 2 Group.  The J/105 KING LOUIE was next with a 4th in class and 8th in the group.  The J/109 JIBE was 5th in class and 11th in the group.  The balance was filled out by J/105 NEILSON REDEYE (7th), J/109 JAGERBOMB (9th), J/105 JOS OF HAMBLE (10th), J/109 JUKE BOX (11th), J/109 J'TAIME (12th), J/109 JUMPING JELLYFISH (14th) and J/109 J2EAU (15th).

In the highly competitive 30 footers division, IRC 2D, there were a strong mix of J/97s and J/92s participating in "class" configurations.  Most of them found the conditions to their liking and the results speak for themselves, with J/Teams taking 13 of the top 20 places!!  Holy smokes.  Finishing 3rd was the J/97 JJ L'AMOROSSO, followed by the J/97 MCFLY (5th), the J/92 JUST ENOUGH (6th), the J/92 WHO'S TO NO (8th), the J/97s INDULJENCE, INJENIOUS, JIKA JIKA and JEOPARDY 2 in 10th, 11th, 13th & 14th, respectively, the J/92s BOJANGLES in 15th, the J/97 JACKAROO in 16th and the J/92s JAMMIN, BLACK JACK & MOBY J in 17th, 18th and 19th respectively.  Incredible.  For the 30 footer J teams this was quite a dominant performance as a group, no other brands or boats were even close.

Of note, in ISC Division 4, the J/120 ASSARAIN III loved the powerful reaching and running conditions on the south side of the island, St Catherines Point and east in particular, and pulled of a well-deserved 2nd in class and 4th in ISC 4 overall.   Sailing Photo credits- Patrick Eden and Tim Wright/ Photoaction.com.  For more Round Island Race sailing information

CORK Week Sailing Preview

Large J Contingent Sailing
(Cork, Ireland)- From 7th to 13th of July, a highly competitive fleet of eleven J/Teams are participating in this year's biennial CORK Week sailed in the large bay off Cork, Ireland.  The regatta, which is hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, County Cork, is a Grand Prix sailing event which is renowned, world wide, for exciting and challenging racing. Boats from all over the world participate and come from as far away as South Africa and Hong Kong.  This year's fleet is significantly reduced from past years, with just 109 boats sailing, a far cry from the 400+ seen in some past events.

In addition to top-class racing, the fabled on-shore tented village lets all crews interact socially in a fun way, and it has become one of the main ingredients in the success for Cork Week.  Bodega-by-the-Sea features some of the country’s best live bands and DJs, combined with the unique atmosphere of Cork’s Club Bodega in a setting like no other.

Cork Week 2012 Event Chair Pat Lyons said, “Cork Week comes along every two years and offers an occasion to celebrate all that is best about how we can enjoy the wonderful facilities that our environment has placed on our doorstep. In Cork Harbour, we have a world class maritime playground and by hosting a sailing event of international quality, the Royal Cork provides an opportunity for both sailors and spectators alike to meet old friends, engage in a top class sailing competition, and enjoy the waterside hospitality and entertainment for which Crosshaven is renowned.”

Featured in this year's event will be another strong turn-out of J/109s sailing in what amounts to be the Irish J/109 Championship.  Returning from the 2010 J/109 Europeans Championships will be third-place finisher Ian Nagle & Paul O'Malley on their champion JELLY BABY from the host Royal Cork YC.  In the IRC classes will be the new Irish J/111 WOW sailed by George Sisk from Royal Irish YC, the J/122 MINT JULEP skippered by David Cule, the J/92 VAGABOND sailed by Simon Fox Davies & Giles Stanely from Dovey YC and two J/24s, Aidan MacSweeney's MAXIMUS and David Lane's An t'Oileanach both from Royal Cork YC.  Sailing photo credits- Ingrid Abery.com  For more CORK WEEK sailing information

Gorgeous Sailing Block Island Race Week

J/111s & J/29s Sweep Classes
(Block Island, RI)- During the "off year" Block Island Race Week (every even year), the fleet may be smaller since so many boats in the Northeast sail the Newport-Bermuda Race, but the racing and the camaraderie is no less fun.  In fact, the sailing is quit a bit more challenging and intimate since the boats that do participate are often well-sailed and have top teams aboard.  This year the fleet was greeted with spectacular weather, with shifty northerlies on the first day changing to classic S-SW winds for the balance of the week.  Most all fleets managed to sail nine races and "kudos" must be given to the Duck Island YC PRO, Susie Miller and her RC team for getting in some excellent racing.  The classic Around Block Island Race was won overall by the J/111 WICKED 2.0 sailed by Doug Curtiss and team from Buzzards Bay.

The J/109s were sailing their East Coast Championship and this year past champion Bill Sweetser and crew aboard RUSH managed to dash off eight 1sts and two 2nds for 10 pts to dominate their class and be crowned East Coast Champion.  Second was another past champion, Ted Herlihy sailing GUT FEELING to a record of two 1sts and seven 2nds and two 3rds for 16 pts.  Third was Hugh McLean on SHEARWATER.

In the hot, hot PHRF 1 Class, the J/111s swept the class taking the podium overall.  Leading the charge was Doug Curtiss's WICKED 2.0 with a 4-3-1-3-1-1-1-2-1 scoreline for 13 pts.  Second was Rod Johnstone's newly launched JAZZ sailing with a family team and scoring 2-6-2-4-3-2-2-1-2 for 18 pts.  Third was Paul Strauch's ANDIAMO sailing to a 3-2-4-2-6.5-4-3-6 for 27 pts.  Fourth 111 was Segwick Ward's BRAVO putting in a much stronger performance than last year, finishing just two points out of fifth overall!

In PHRF 2 Division, some of the strong J/29 rivalries continued with the MGHTY PUFFIN from Narragansett Bay taking on the "bad boys" from Long Island, the notoriously fun-loving "Espo" crew on HUSTLER. In the end, John & Tony Esposito on HUSTLER again proved they're a force to be reckoned with, winning yet another Block Island Race Week with seven 1sts and three 2nds for only 9 pts.  Second was Steve Thurston's team on the yacht MIGHTY PUFFIN, sailing their J/29 to an easy second place on the podium with two 1sts, five 2nds and three 3rds for 15 pts!  The J/105 SHE'S THE BOSS sailed by John Sutherland took fourth in class.  For more Block Island Race Week sailing information

The J-Cup 2012 Update

(Hamble, So'ton, England)- The J-Cup 2012 Driven by MIQ Logistics will be hosted at the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble, Southampton from Thursday 26th July to Saturday 28th July. The regatta will also include the inaugural Lombard J/97 UK National Championship. Lombard’s continued support of the J/97 Class reflects their recognition of the fleet’s rapid growth in the UK and of the standard of competition within the class. The regatta will also welcome the return of the J/109 UK National Championship 2012 Supported by Sebago. Both Championships will be raced according to the One-Design Class Rules.

2012 will mark the eleventh J-Cup, an event that has grown in size beyond all reasonable expectation, both in terms of the number of competitors involved and also by reputation. All J Boat owners are invited to compete; the racing is first class and the shore-side socials are legendary. This year a SailRacer results service sponsored by Wight Vodka has been launched which will allow live race blogging and live results directly from the regatta committee. The service was used at the recent J/80 World Championship in Dartmouth and was a roaring success.

Competitors will arrive for registration on Wednesday with three races scheduled for both Thursday and Friday. The final two races will take place on Saturday, followed by an extravagant prize-giving evening at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton to mark the end of what will no doubt be another extremely successful few days of racing. Competitors will not only be racing to win their classes but there will also be special prizes on offer to recognize exceptional performances on the water.  For more J/Cup sailing information

J/111 Cruising & Day-Sailing

(Annapolis, MD)- The J/111 continues to amaze those who've had the privilege to sail one.  Whether racing offshore in demanding conditions, dueling around the buoys on classic "sausage" courses, or simply daysailing and cruising with family and friends, J/111 may be one of the most versatile 36 footers ever to come off the J drawing boards.  Fast, fun, easily handled by women and children the J/111 can be sailed short-handed by a family crew. Recently, we discovered that an all ladies crew were more than up to the task!

Having fun with a number of their friends on the Chesapeake were Barb Whited and her friends on a weekend regatta.  As she described, "we sailed the ladies spring race series. We did win the series, but it was closely fought. Most of the other boats rated over 160, but we left them in the dust after we all practiced for the first 2 races. The first day we had 2 - 4ths (last) while crew learned to work the boat and I got better jibing the boat. After that, we were 1st. We had 5 ladies and took a penalty for a male crew member since we just didn't have quite enough power with just the 5 ladies. My male helper cost me 5 more seconds (34), but we still won with 2 - 1sts, 1- 2nd, and a 4th.  Threw out one race. Wind was blowing those 2 days, up to 20 on the second day. We had no problems handling the boat.  We had a GREAT time. I was shocked to win since I gave the other boats so much time, but we left them in the dust on 3 out of 5 races."  Read more of Barb's story here on the J/Blog.   For more J/111 sailing information