St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

Successful J/95 Caribbean Racing Debut

(Simpson Bay, St. Maarten- March 7)- There can be few events in the world that match St. Maarten Heineken Regatta’s unique cocktail of fun and serious racing. Under the leadership of Robbie Ferron – St. Maarten Yacht Club commodore – who set up the regatta 30 years ago, this Caribbean classic continues to go from strength to strength and, if the positive buzz on the street is anything to go by, next year’s event is going to reach record levels.

With some of the world’s most talented sailors including the likes of many J/24 and J sailing veterans like America’s Cup legends Peter Isler, Peter Holmberg, round the world PUMA sailor Kenny Read and Olympic/America’s Cup skipper Andy Beadsworth, among the many high profile sailors competing here this week, it’s not surprising this event is fast becoming a Mecca for seriously fun winter racing.

The final race of the three-day St. Maarten Heineken Regatta may have lacked one special Caribbean ingredient – sun – but there was certainly no shortage of action for the 240-boat fleet in the extremely lively northerly breeze which allowed the big raunchy yachts the opportunity to really strut their stuff on the 27nm race from Marigot Bay back to Sint Maarten Yacht Club.

In what was arguably one of the most competitive fleets at the regatta, Spinnaker 5 class saw two J's vying for class honors, the J/120 EL OCASO and the J/122 LOST HORIZON.  The first day of racing was an auspicious one for Jim Dobbs J/122 LOST HORIZON.  Starting off with a 1-3 on the water, Jim later find out the first turned into an OCS.  Nevertheless, Jim and the LOST HORIZON crew dominated the rest of the regatta with three straight firsts over the next two days to get third overall.  Rick Wesslund's veteran Key West Race Week winning J/120 EL OCASO sailed a remarkably consistent series, with a 2-2-3-2-3 record, to finish second overall, just two points out of first.

Two J's sailed very well in Spinnaker 6 class to finish third and fourth respectively.  David Cullen's J/109 POCKET ROCKET finished third and the new J/95 SHAMROCK VII saw its Caribbean racing debut with Tom Mullen and crew sailing to a very respectable fourth overall in this large class-- not bad for a shoal-draft cruising and day sailing boat that draws only 3.5 feet!

Bob Armstrong's red-hot J/100 BAD GIRL that has been winning a number of the Caribbean events over the past few years managed to finish third in this year's St. Maarten regatta in Spinnaker 7 class.  Rumor had it the gang on BAD GIRL were really enjoying the festivities and reggae bands in apres-racing during the evenings.

After a relaxing afternoon prize-giving on Sunday at St. Maarten Yacht Club, competitors and guests were treated to an exuberant evening dancing the night away on the beach in the presence of International Reggae superstar Maxi Priest and his band who played classic hits of the last three decades, concluding yet another successful St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.  For more St Maarten sailing and regatta information.

J/95 Owners Profile- Gerry & Trudie Ficks

* Gerry and Trudie Ficks are moving into their SEVENTH J/Boat.  This photo shows Trudie Ficks checking out Rod Johnstone's J/95 no. 2 outside Gordon Pass in Naples, Florida yesterday. Onboard also were Tom McFadden and Craig Crossley of CrossCurrent Marine, our J/Boat Southeast dealer. Trudie has previously sailed on hull #1 and used the sail on #2 to finalized specifications on their own hull #11 to be completed this May -- just in time for a summer vacation with friends on Buzzards Bay prior to the boat going south to the Ficks home port in the Florida Keys. The Ficks have owned, cruised, raced J's from the littlest J/22 all the way up to the J/44 and think the new shoal draft J/95 is their perfect and (lucky!) seventh J to sail and race.

J/95 Sailing Swiss Lakes

J/Lane, the J Dealer based in Strasse, Switzerland has its J/95 just about ready to roll on the gorgeous Swiss lakes, starting with the HallwillerSee (Lake Hallwiller).  Peter Bangerter is quite excited about the enthusiasm they're seeing for the revolutionary shoal-draft J/95.  The fact that it can be towed on European Community roadways ensures  that J/95 will have broad appeal to those who wish to explore not just remote reaches of their own lakes and shorelines but to take it far afield to the Med, the Atlantic or to the Adriatic Sea-- it will be interesting to see how far European J/95 sailors push the limits of its capabilities- the ultimate in sailing freedom.  Take it anywhere you wish to sail in complete comfort and with remarkable performance.