2008 Yachting Cup.....San Diego

40% of the 117 boat fleet at this year’s Yachting Cup were J’s with the J/105 class leading the way with 25 entries. Bill Logan and his team aboard PHOLLY won the five race no throw-out series, ahead of Dennis Case on WINGS and Jeff Janov on INVISIBLE. John Laun was the winning skipper in the J/120 class aboard CAPER, and is pictured (on the right) accepting his award from SDYC Commodore Wayne Terry. In PHRF action, Jim Madden’s J-125 STARK RAVING MAD won the impressive 12 boat PHRF 2 fleet with a string of firsts and a second. And in a show of solidarity – the J/29 class, normally a few strong within the PHRF 5 class, put together 5 entries and enjoyed one design racing with Larry Leveille skippering RUSH STREET placing first.

“We peaked at 17.2 knots”

Hamilton, Bermuda....the Wednesday night mixed-racing fleet had quite the ride this week, as strong spring winds blew across the island. Jon Corless is captured here driving his J/105 MAYHEM in full control ahead of 3 other J/105s in the background. None of the other 32 boats in the fleet are in sight. "We peaked at 17.2 knots and sat steady at 14-15 all the way from the 99 Buoy to White Island.” Wow, that's FAST! We assume the photographer got out of the way.

J Owners on the Podium in Antigua

Nelson’s Dockyard, Antigua.... It was a week of great competition on the water and lively parties ashore - another fine edition of Stanford Antigua Sailing Week, the 41st annual. 17 classes competed for several prestigious trophies with J owners making many podium appearances.

David Cullen’s J/109 POCKET ROCKET won the Chippy Fine Yacht Woodwork Cup for the top overall boat in the Performance Cruiser III and IV ranks, plus the British Airways Trophy for supremacy in the Performance Cruiser III division over the J/133 SOLNES III owned and raced by Herman Bergshaven.

In the Racing IV, V and VI fleets, the overall winner in the combined rankings, for which they received the Global Bank of Commerce Cup, was James Dobbs' new J/122, LOST HORIZON. Dobbs was also presented with the Air Canada Cup for winning Racing V; the Beefeater Trophy as Best Caribbean Yacht in Division A; and the Hightide Trophy as the Best Antigua Yacht in Division A. Not to be outdone by the newer J models, Philippe Champion steering his J/120, PAULISTA, won the Antigua & Barbuda Investment Bank Trophy, for besting the Racing VI fleet. News & Results

First Launched for the Season

Is there a better display of the "Boats for People who Love to Sail" mantra at J Boats than this May 6th picture of the J/105 Fleet launched for the season in Marblehead, Mass. Doug Zurn captured the early morning scene from his design office. Doug is the bowman on Rich Hill and George Lowden's J/105 DARK HORSE.
The J/105 class is on a roll with attendance records being set across the country. Enjoy one-design at home or on the road at Key West, Block Island, the nine event NOOD Regatta series, St. Francis Big Boat, and the 2008 North Americans (SF Bay 8/20-24). New 2009 model J/105s are in production at US Watercraft and available for late summer completion!

J/122 Class debuts at AYC Spring Regatta

It was “spring” in name only at the American Yacht Club Spring Regatta as blustery, wet conditions forced sailors to keep out the winter frostbite gear for at least two more weekends. 100 boats competed in 12 one-design, IRC and PHRF classes in the annual event that kicks off the big boat racing season in the Northeast. 51% of the entries were J’s, including one-design starts for the J/105, J/109, J/120, J/122 and J/44 classes.

In the first J/122 one-design event held in the USA, American Yacht Club Commodore Michael Bruno and co-owner Tom Boyle skippered their new J/122 WINGS (pictured above doing 14.5 kts) to an impressive victory. Action was tight in the 7 boat class and is expected to ratchet up even further as more boats are slated to attend upcoming New England events including the East Coast Championship at NYYC Race Week in Newport in mid July.

“Having never sailed a sprit boat in the past, or competed in one design racing, it was particularly rewarding to do well in our Spring Series,” said Commodore Bruno. “The 122 is a superb boat with excellent build quality, awesome performance in all the conditions we have experienced to date, and great looks. The boat was totally in control on the days we saw 30kt gusts with steep seas, and was also very fast on the two light days. We already have three 122s at American and I suspect our fleet will grow quickly.”

Jeff Willis and his team on CHALLENGE IV were equally as impressive in winning the competitive J/44 class, as owners prepare for what will be a record J/44 fleet (14+ boats) in the Newport Bermuda Race. In J/120 action, Steve Levy on EAGLE won on a tie-break over PEREGRINE steered by Brian Giorgio. Al Minella skippered RELENTLESS to victory in the J/109 class, and in the largest, most competitive class in the fleet, Damian Emery on ECLIPSE edged out Joerg Esdorn on KINSCEM by one point to win the 17 boat, J/105 division.

In the handicap classes, J/133s swept the top 3 positions in IRC 3 with Tom Carroll on SIRENSONG winning 5 of 6 races. The Esposito family on the J/29 HUSTLER won the PHRF 5 division. Results