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03 Nov 2011 - J/105s in Chile Five J/105s sailed in the official debut of the J/105 Class in the Valparaiso Regatta in Chile. The J/105s were the second most important class after the Soto 40s. The J/105s sailed over two days in light winds from 5-10 knots. Here's the report from Juan Eduardo Reid on the J/105's development in Chile, on South America's Pacific coastline: "On Friday, one race was scheduled and the fleet was not able to race due to lack of wind. On Saturday the condition were unstable during the morning with winds getting to 5 knots. The first race started at 3pm after 2 hours of delay due to light wind conditions. During the second race of the day the wind died and re-built from the ocean with a big split in the fleet. The PRO provided the fleet with windward-leeward courses. For Sunday the wind was more stable, the races were postponed until 13:30 hours and 2 races where finished for a final program of 5 races. Windward/leeward courses with 5-8 knots of breeze and flat water provided good, fair sailing for the fleet. Daniel Gonzalez and Claudio Leon's Tricalma won with a family crew (3 of Daniel's daughters). Second overall, with a family crew as well was Arquimides sailed by Vernon Robert. Third was Rodrigo Gumucio/Pablo Cisternas'; Spin Off. A mostly woman crew on-board Tri Calma and also Antonio Gonzalez's Plan B showed the great potential of the class in Chile to include excellent sailors from different ages and experiences-such as 420, Laser and the active base of J/24 sailors with a lot of family sailing experience (all amateurs compared to the professional Soto 40 crews). The annual calendar of the J/105 class continues with the Interclub Regatta on November 12-13 in Algarrobo Bay. 10 boats are expected for that event as some of the boats are still getting to Chile in October/November this year. By the end of the year, 14 boats are expected in Algarrobo Bay and 20 in the central coast of Chile as Higuerillas/Recreo is starting to develop local fleet as well."
 01 Nov 2011 - New Officers Elected At last week's J/105 Annual Meeting, new officers were elected, including: President Vic Forsyth, Vice President Ian Farquharson, Secretary/Treasurer Joe Colling, Chief Measurer Walt Nuschke, At-Large #1 Carter Williams, At-Large #2 Bee Bednar and Technical Committee Member Robert Baker. Also appointed by the Copyright Holder: Technical Committee Member Pat Benedict and Fleet At-Large James MacDonald. For their contact information, visit the Officers\' page.
31 Oct 2011 - J/Fest in Texas The second annual J/Fest was held under the auspices of Lakewood Yacht Club from October 29-30 on Galveston Bay. Some 49 boats participated and raced on two different lines. Line A included the J/22s and J/24s, while line B included the bigger PHRF boats along with the J/105s and J/80s. Cool Texas 10-15 knot North breezes began a perfect fall day but, unfortunately, quickly gave way to 5-10s and finally 3-4s resulting in only two races on Saturday. Although the forecast for Sunday was for winds no higher then 5-6 knots, spectacular 15-17 knot East winds greeted all the competitors and made for some first-rate racing. Competition on the 7-boat 105 line was extremely competitive, but as has become the custom, Bill Zartler and crew on Solaris schooled the rest of us to take first place with 2 seconds and 2 firsts. He was closely followed by Mark Masur from Dallas Corinthian Sailing Club on Two Feathers. Matt Arno out of Forth Worth Boat Club took third after losing the tie-breaker to Mark. The party afterwards on Saturday saw everyone filling up on good Texas hot sausage and creole shrimp along with new potatoes, corn on the cob and all the beer one could drink. (Photo by John Lacy, www.lacyphotos.com) Lakewood YC website
31 Oct 2011 - J/105 Annual Meeting The J/105 Annual Meeting took place last Friday at Annapolis Yacht Club. New President Vic Forsyth was elected, as the torch was passed from Bernie Girod. Thank you, Bernie, for your guidance, time and wisdom! (Minutes from the meeting will be posted soon.)
31 Oct 2011 - East Coast Championship 16 J/105s braved the winter-like conditions in Annapolis, MD for this weekend's J/105 East Coast Championship. Racing was cancelled on Saturday due to high winds, low temperatures and a rain/snow mix. Three races were completed Sunday in sunny but cold surroundings, as Pete McChesney on Mystery Machine tallied 6 points to edge out James Rathbun's Hey Jude (8 points) and Jim Konigsberg's Inigo (12 points). Complete results
27 Oct 2011 - Flawless J Wins INEOS Solent Circuit Following the previous week's abandoned races due to lack of wind, the third weekend of the Lymington Town Sailing Club INEOS Solent Circuit saw plenty of wind to keep competitors on their toes. True to the forecast, a steady 18 to 20 knots SSE breeze, with gusts to 28 knots greeted the fleet in the West Solent on Sunday morning. All classes were set courses taking them to the Island shore, where they experienced lulls in the wind and considerable wind shifts, only to sail out of the lee of the Island into some significant gusts. For Class 1 the race committee set a course of 15 nautical miles. Flawless J, James Heald's J/105, sailed a "flawless" race, making the most of the reaching legs with her big, black asymmetric spinnaker to take line honours and first place on handicap. Lymington Town Sailing Club website
23 Oct 2011 - Kincsem Takes Manhasset Kincsem became the sixth different J/105 to win a Fleet 6 regatta in 2011 when it captured the Manhasset Bay Fall Series. The boat, co-owned by Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes, has been a top competitor on the East Coast for more than a decade. But it hadn't won an event this year until it cinched the Manhasset regatta when racing was called on Sunday for lack of a wind. The absence of a breeze was hardly unusual on Western Long Island Sound, but the calm sunny day certainly contrasted with the blustery gusts of up to 40 mph that shaped racing the previous weekend. Kincsem showed it could excel in both types of conditionseven with a jet-lagged tactician (Fred Walters commuted to the event from his new home in London). The nine points it accumulated over five races easily topped that of second-place finisher Paul Beaudin on loulou, with 12 points. Norm Kilarjian on Tolo finished third in the 14-boat field. Complete results
20 Oct 2011 - Greenport Ocean Race The Greenport Ocean Race is held every year in the fall as the final offshore event for Long Island Sound racers on the eastern end of Long Island. It's hosted by the Chinese YC and the Old Cove YC. This year, winds blew 15-30 knots for basically four days. When the racing started on Saturday, the PRO on the RC decided to shorten course and keep the fleet inside Long Island Sound. Mike LaChance and the crew of Dark'n'Stormy led the sweep of PHRF 3 with the other J/105s. Second was Tim O'Brien on the Ropeburn, and third was Alliance sailed by Steve Guyer. As a result, the oval Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup was awarded to Team Dark'n'Stormy for the fourth year in a row. Greenport Ocean Race website
17 Oct 2011 - Harvest Moon Regatta On an absolutely spectacular afternoon, three J/105s joined with a Viper 830 and a J/109 to hold down the F Class at Houston's Lakewood Yacht Club's 150 nm annual Harvest Moon Regatta from Galveston to Port Aransas. 15-18 knot North winds produced incredible downwind surfing starts. As dusk turned to night, a giant Texas Harvest Moon provided unbelievable ghostly images of a Santa Cruz 50, J/44, J/40, C&C 115, Aerodyne 38, King 40, two very fast J/120s and 180 cruisers of every type and description. After the smoke cleared, the five boats finished with the Viper 830 in first, J/105 in second, J/109 in third, and J/105s in fourth and fifth. Regardless of finish position, it would be difficult to not have enjoyed this race. Regatta website
17 Oct 2011 - Manahasset Bay Fall Series Tied on points at the Manahasset Bay Fall Series in Port Washington, NY, Norman Kilarjian (Tolo) and Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes (Kincsem) both have 5 points after two races. Damian Emery on Eclipse sits in third place with 8 points. Fourteen J/105s are registered for the series, which encompasses two weekends (October 15-16 and October 22-23). Results
11 Oct 2011 - Sausalito Cup The weekend couldn't have been more gorgeous for sailboat racing, although Sunday saw the breeze show up late enough that it caused some abandonments in the various regattas around the Bay. One of the regattas that did make it through its full schedule was the Sausalito YC's Sausalito Cup. The club hosted six J/105s over the weekend for a double round robin match racing regatta. Bruce Stone came up big, nearly running the table with nine wins. John Horsch finished in second with eight. Sausalito Cup YC website
10 Oct 2011 - World's Largest College Sailing Regatta The Storm Trysail Foundation (STF) and Larchmont Yacht Club teamed up to run the world's largest college regatta over the Columbus Day weekend, with 400 collegiate sailors racing on 47 offshore boats ranging from 35-44 feet. Schools came from across the country to compete in the placid waters of Long Island Sound off Larchmont, NY. Three light-air races were sailed on Saturday, and the race committee started two races on Sunday but had to abandon each after the wind shifted too much. After the second abandonment the wind died away to nothing and never returned. First-time participant University of Southern California, which traveled the farthest to attend the regatta with their coach Mike Segerblom, won the 15-boat J/105 class in a tie-breaker with last year's overall winner, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY. Complete results, pictures and video
07 Oct 2011 - J/105 video Check out the J/105 video from the Marblehead NOOD at Sailing World.
02 Oct 2011 - Damian Emery Wins American Yacht Club Fall Regatta Damian Emery's Eclipse won a close-fought three-boat battle for first place in the American Yacht Club Fall regatta in Rye, NY, winning the final race to narrowly snatch victory from Paul Beaudin's loulou. Emery and Beaudin ended the series tied with 22 points each, but Emery won the tiebreaker to claim first place. Kincsem, co-owned by Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes, finished in third, with 24 points, just two behind the leaders. The next closest competitor was former Collegiate Sailor of the Year Sean Doyle on Kestrel with 41 points. The three-boat battle was one of the most exciting in recent Fleet 6 memory, with the outcome coming down to the final race. Emery, in fact, was in third with one race to go and needed to beat Esdorn and put at least one boat between himself and Beaudin to claim victory. That's exactly what he got as Eclipse finished first, loulou crossed the line third and Kincsem finished fourth. Doyle's Kestrel was the spoiler for Beaudin in the last race, placing second. In the often shifty and spotty conditions over the final weekend, both Eclipse and especially Kincsem found themselves repeatedly having to dig themselves out of huge holes in order to remain in contention. Beaudin on loulou had more consistent starts and rarely had to fight his way past as many boats as his two other competitors. But frequent wind shifts of up to 30 degrees rewarded both patience and skill. It was not a time to let temporary setbacks cascade into a series of errors. Rather, resiliency and persistence were continually rewarded. In addition to exciting racing in a field of 19 boats, the AYC regatta also featured some unusual race committee behavior, including enormously long starting lines (which actually encouraged bunching at the favored end) and a start that appears to have invented a new form of recall. In the fourth race of the series, the committee took the unusual step of announcing over the radio that every boat EXCEPT the ones whose sail numbers it called was over early and needed to return. Making matters worse, the committee hoisted the general recall flag...and then quickly took it down when it realized its error. Whether or not this behavior produced a fair contest is open to question. Had the results of that race been tossed, loulou would have won the Fall Regatta by four points. Yet no boat challenged the official result and some even apologized to the committee for informally questioning their race management. (Note: Had there been no throw out in the series, loulou would have finished third and Kinscem would have been only one point behind Eclipse.) Whatever complaints were produced were easily offset by the exciting racing over the final weekend, with five races completed on Saturday and three more on a gorgeous fall Sunday. (Only one race was held the previous weekend, which was all but windless except for one two hour period.) American Yacht Club website
29 Sep 2011 - LIS IRC/PHRF Championship At the Long Island Sound IRC/PHRF Championship hosted by Riverside YC and Storm Trysail Club this past weekend, Randy Bourne's J/105 Strange Brew won class honors, scoring a 1-1-2 for 4 points in PHRF 80-115. LIS sailing information
29 Sep 2011 - J/105 Fall Championship In this year's J/105 Fall Championship in Santa Barbara, CA, the competition was tight. Racing Rockin & Grrovin, John Demourkas sailed to a 2-4-1-1 record for 8 points. Local Larry Harteck took Repeat Offender into second overall with a solid 1-5-2-3 tally for 11 points. Rounding out the podium was Mark Noble on Escapade, sailing a 6-1-4-2 record. Fourth was John Ziskind steering Perfect Timing 2 to 15 points. After sailing both the J/105 Marblehead NOOD (which he nearly won) and the J/105 North Americans (where he finished ninth), Bernie Girod on Rock & Roll collected a 3-6-3-5 to finish fifth. Santa Barbara Yacht Club Racing website
29 Sep 2011 - AYC Fall J/Fest Series The J/105s showed up with the largest fleet in the regatta with 19 boats. Damian Emery on Eclipse pulled off a first in the first race. George and Alex Wilbanks on Revelation were second, and Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes snagged third. Nathan Boylan on Joysea was fourth, and fifth was Jordan Mindich on Shakedown. Due to the weather, only one race was conducted. American Yacht Club website
27 Sep 2011 - J/Fest San Diego Last weekend J/Boats from all over Southern California convened at the San Diego Yacht Club for J/Fest. In light but steady conditions, the RC was able to get 5 races in over the weekend. 13 J/105s competed, and Bennet Greenwald's Perseverance topped the fleet with 18 points. Steve & Lucy Howell's Blink! came in second with 20 points, followed by Dennis & Sharon Case's Wings in third with 21 points. Complete results
23 Sep 2011 - Summer Newsletter Members should have received the Summer edition of the J/105 newsletter via e-mail. It is also posted on the Newsletter page.
22 Sep 2011 - HOOD Regatta At last weekend's HOOD Regatta (Houston Offshore One-Design), it was extremely tight competition for top J/105 honors. At the end, the top three boats finished just three points apart after five races. Emerging in the last race was Bob Brann's Radiance, winning with a 3-2-2-1-1 for 9 points. Uzi Ozeri's Infinity started with a 1-1-1, then fell back on Sunday with a 3-4 for 10 points to drop into second. With a solid regatta was Malcolm Brenner's Babe, sailing to a 2-3-3-2-2 for 12 points to snag third place. Complete results
13 Sep 2011 - 2011 Rolex Big Boat Series <p><object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_-cHiTvEDLM?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_-cHiTvEDLM?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
12 Sep 2011 - J/105 Canadian Championship The 2011 J/105 Championship, the premier racing event of the J/105 Fleet 4 season was awarded to Dave Shaver's Retern, also winner of the 2007 edition. This year's Championship war flag was well earned in one of the closest events for the season and of past record. Second place went to Jamaica Me Crazy, last year's winner, whilst third place went to Hey Jude.
Complete write-up and results
11 Sep 2011 - Rolex Big Boat Series After enduring Saturday's high wind survival conditions, the hundreds of sailors on 81 teams at the 47th annual Rolex Big Boat Series would no doubt agree that handling Sunday's 14-17 knots on San Francisco Bay was a piece of cake. A single "Bay Tour" distance race showed seven classes (IRC A, B, C, D J/105, J/120, Express 37) the four corners of San Francisco Bay, visually anchored by the Golden Gate Bridge to the west, Alacatraz Island in the middle, and Treasure Island and Bay Bridge to the East. Spectators, too, were treated to the true beauty, emotion and power of sail when, before racing, all boats paraded in honor of 9/11 victims, and for the finish, a colorful lineup of spinnakers roared past the stretch of land closest to Crissy Field, triggering cannon fire from the uppermost decks of nearby St. Francis Yacht Club where later six perpetual trophies as well as Rolex Oyster Perpetual Stainless Steel Submariners would be awarded to winners in six of the classes. In the J/105 fleet, Scooter Simmons' Blackhawk topped 20 other J/105s for the Class victory and the Commodore's Cup with 22 points. Jason Woodley & Scott Whitney on Risk were runner-up with 29 points. Donkey Jack rounded out the top 3 with 34 points, trailed closely by Jam Session and Godot (tied with 35 points). Seven total races were completed. (Photo By: Rolex/Daniel Forster) Complete results
09 Sep 2011 - Tri-State Race The last offshore race of the Lake Michigan sailing season had its first leg from Chicago to St Joseph, MI in very light shifty winds. The next day of racing, everything changed when a powerful northerly breeze 25+ knots made getting into the dredged entrance channels with long breakwaters a dangerous proposition for many. In fact, Jackson Park YC said they couldn't guarantee boats could get out of Michigan City on Monday. As a result, many boats elected to not sail the Tri-State, but sail the Bi-State and sailed back to Chicago. The consequences were an abbreviated race for many. The J/105s all sailed the Bi-State race. First was Sealark with a 2-1 to win with 3 points. Second was Tom Petkus' Vytis with a 1-5 for 6 points. And, third was Here's Johnny with a 4-4 for 8 points.
08 Sep 2011 - Annapolis Race Week Fifteen J/105s competed in last weekend's Annapolis Race Week, and 8 races were held for the fleet. Carl & Scott Gitchell raced Tenacious to the top spot with just 17 points. The team never scored out of the top five, including four bullets and two second-place tallies. Jim Konigsberg on Inigo placed next with 20 points, and Andrew Kennedy on Bat IV finished third with 32 points. Complete results
02 Sep 2011 - Sarcoma Cup After only four years in the running, the Sarcoma Cup is looking like a race weekend to match the veteran races in the San Francisco Bay Area. Comprised of buoy racing on Saturday and a pursuit race on Sunday (or more buoy racing for a couple of one design fleets), the format is familiar but different enough to attract 77 boats this year. Berkeley YC hosted the event for the second year in a row on August 27-28 with lots of on-the-water assistance from Richmond YC. The J/105 Blackhawk, owned by Scooter Simmons, squeaked ahead of Bruce Stone's Arbitrage by one point to secure the win (16 points to 17). Adam Spiegel's Jam Session came in third with 23 points. Sixteen J/105s competed, and five races were held. Event website and results
02 Sep 2011 - Fleet 4 EYC Open Thunderstruck's lead after the single race of Saturday, and her consistency on Sunday with great finishes for race 2 and 4 enabled Andrew Moor and crew to be the sixth different boat to claim weekend winner status. Sunday's race was characterized by high wind conditions, sustained 20+ knots, veering to the left for the first two races. The wind continued building as hurricane Irene induced gusts topping beyond 30 knots. Wind lanes were evident on certain areas of the course and efficiency of boat handling won the day for the winning crews. Whilst Saturday's only race started with 7-8 knots, both diminishing wind and wild wind swings meant racing conditions deteriorated considerably to complete more than one race before the time limit. Fleet 4 website
26 Aug 2011 - J/105 UK National Championship The 2011 J/105 UK National Championship took place as part of the Taittinger Royal Solent Yacht Club Regatta in Yarmouth from August 20-21. The first three races of the Championship were sailed on Saturday in a very light and extraordinarily shifty breeze from 4-12 knots. The Committee Boat was anchored off Lymington and was delighted to welcome an extra J/105 to the fleet just 30 minutes ahead of the first warning signal: James Heald's Flawless J raced from the Fastnet finish (double-handed division) straight to the startline of the National Championship! Races 1 and 3 belonged to William Newton's Jelly Baby, a team from Lymington so racing here in her 'home' waters. Another local helm, Malcolm Thorpe of Yarmouth racing King Louie won the second race of the day. Professor Roger Williams racing Jos of Hamble stole the first bullet of the day on Sunday morning in Race 4. Race 5 was won by James Heald, fresh from the Fastnet. So five races, four different winners and some really close and exciting racing, meaning that just one point separated the first four boats in the fleet as the J/105 UK National Championship drew to a close on Sunday afternoon! After several re-counts, copious checking of discards, count-backs and of the final points scores, William Newton's team on Jelly Baby emerged as the new J/105 UK National Champions. Jos of Hamble was second and King Louie was third. All in all, a great regatta, in a beautiful venue and with a superbly generous sponsor: Team Jelly Baby were presented with a magnum of Taittinger Champagne to accompany the J/105 UK National Championship Trophy. UK Nationals website
26 Aug 2011 - Rolex Fastnet Race Veteran J/105 campaigners Niki Curwen and Alex Adams finished 16th on their J/105 Voador. Just behind them in 17th was Nick Martin's Diablo-J, currently fourth in the RORC Offshore Season Points Championship in the Doublehanded Class (Voador is up to fifth). Rolex Fastnet website
25 Aug 2011 - Retern wins 2011 Royal Weekend Experience trumps participation, it appears, for Dave Shaver and crew as they were flawless in Saturday (only day of racing) in the 2011 Royal Weekend at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto. Shaver and crew won the Royal Weekend regatta with an impressive 5 points on three races, one point ahead of Planet B. The RCYC was attended by the largest number of J/105's this year, with excellent race management, fair wind conditions, albeit shifting winds raging between 7-11 knots on Saturday. Sunday's racing was cancelled for lack of wind. Fleet 4 website
22 Aug 2011 - Verve Cup Regatta The three-day Verve Cup Regatta hosted by Chicago Yacht Club saw 123 entrants compete in ORR and one-design on three course circles. While changing winds, rain and thunderstorms limited racing on day two, the other two days saw quality conditions to allow all fleets to complete six races. The J/105s had 12 boats registered, and Clark Pellet raced Sealark to victory with all top-three finishes and 12 points. Dorin Candea's Messy Jessy followed with 19 points, then Richard & Lori Stearn's Crash Test Dummies with 21. Complete results
18 Aug 2011 - 2012 Key West Race Week Notice of Race Now is the time to make plans to be at Key West Race Week for the 25th anniversary of North America's premiere winter regatta--also the J/105 Midwinter Championship. Quantum Key West 2012 is scheduled for January 15-20. View the Notice of Race.
14 Aug 2011 - Henry Brauer and Stewart Neff on Scimitar Triumph at J/105 NAC Henry Brauer and Stewart Neff on Scimitar were victorious on their home turf to win the 2011 J/105 North American Championship in Marblehead, MA. With crew Stuart Johnstone, Julia Langford, Will Walters and Steve Cucchiaro, Scimitar never scored worse than a 16 in the 11-race series, including three bullets and two runner-up tallies. With a total score of 68 points, the team finished 13 points ahead of its closest competition in the 42-boat fleet. Brian Keane, J/105 Midwinter champion for the past three years on Savasana, followed Scimitar with 81 points, then Texan Bill Lakenmacher on Radiance with 86 points. Conditions on the final day of the four-day event allowed two more races in breeze starting at 6-8 knots, building to 8-10. Racing was delayed just under an hour as the winds filled in. The top 10 are: Henry Brauer/Stewart Neff, Scimitar (68 points), Brian Keane, Savasana (81), Bill Lakenmacher, Radiance (86), Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes, Kincsem (104), Ken Colburn, Ghost (112), Damian Emery, Eclipse (121), Bruce Stone/Julian Croxall, Jouster (135), Kevin Grainger, Gumption3 (146), Bernard Girod, Rock & Roll (158), Matthew Pike, Got Qi (161). Visit the event website for complete results plus links to recorded racing through Kattack. Photos are available at www.PhotoBoat.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/J105CA. Thank you to the staff and Race Committee at Eastern Yacht Club for a great event! Event website and results
13 Aug 2011 - Scimitar Retains Control on Day 3 of J/105 North American Championship Henry Brauer and Stewart Neff on Scimitar opened up their lead on day 3 of the J/105 North American Championship in Marblehead, MA. Scoring a 10, 1, 2 in Saturday's three races, the local team heads into the final day of the regatta with 47 points, 20 ahead of Brian Keane's Savasana. Texan Bill Lakenmacher moved up to third, and has 70 points after solid results of 1, 2, 11. The fourth and fifth place positions are only separated by two points. Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes on Kincsem registered 86 points, and Ken Colburn's Ghost is just two points back. Racing was delayed shortly as the breeze settled in at 6-8 knots. Racing concludes Sunday. Visit the event website for complete results plus links to live and recorded racing through Kattack. Photos are available at www.PhotoBoat.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/J105CA. Event website and results
12 Aug 2011 - Scimitar Maintains Lead on Day 2 of J/105 North American Championship Henry Brauer and Stewart Neff on Scimitar narrowly maintained their lead on day 2 of the J/105 North American Championship in Marblehead, MA. The local team scored a16 in Friday's first race but rebounded with a first in the day's only other race to finish with 34 points so far. Brian Keane's Savasana trails by a mere one point, after finishing with an 11,6 tally. In third place is Ken Colburn on Ghost (52 points). Damian Emery on Eclipse won the day with first and second place tallies, respectively. Racing was delayed until 1:20 p.m. as the breeze filled in at about 6 knots. Racing continues through Sunday. The event website also features links to live and recorded racing through Kattack. Photos are available at www.PhotoBoat.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/J105CA. Event website and results
12 Aug 2011 - Day 2 of J/105 North American Championship Watch the 42 teams participating at the J/105 North American Championship on day 2 here.
12 Aug 2011 - AHYC Blue Water Regatta Five J/105s competed in the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club Blue Water Regatta from August 6-7. Dennis Meichel's Bigamy topped the fleet with just 4 points over 3 races, scoring two firsts and a second. One point back was David Spence's Synergy (5 points) and then Paul Zajac's Skal (12 points). Complete results
11 Aug 2011 - J/105 North American Championship begins with tight racing and perfect condition Henry Brauer and Stewart Neff on Scimitar hold a narrow lead over Brian Keane on Savasana after the first day of racing at the J/105 North American Championship. Scimitar started the event brilliantly with a 2, 1, 4, followed by a 10 in the day's last race for a total of 17 points. Savasana's second in that last race brought them to 18 points after previous scores of 4, 9 and 3. Bill Lakenmacher on Radiance rounds out the top three with 31 points. Conditions were gorgeous for the 42 teams competing in Marblehead, MA. Winds started at 8-12 knots, and built into the teens in the afternoon out of the WNW. It was shifty and blustery with plenty of sunshine. Racing continues through Sunday. Complete results
11 Aug 2011 - J/105 North American Championship starts TODAY In Marblehead, MA, a westerly breeze of 8 to 10 knots and clear skies greet competitors on the first day of the J/105 North American Championship. 42 boats are on the line. Watch live racing
10 Aug 2011 - Surviving without pros The term one-design usually conjures up visions of a pack of Lasers banging it out in the harbor or 130 J/22s converging on Annapolis for a World Championship. Normally, these are small trailer-able boats driven by road warriors who drag their rides from one end of the country to the other. Unfortunately, those road warriors grow up and many times move on to more stable platforms that suit their lifestyle. That usually means accepting the dreaded handicap sailboat racing. But for those who refuse to spend their time on the water with a stop watch and a calculator, there are still a few options. This year, in the height of a sputtering economic recovery, the J/105 will have 42 boats on the line for their North American Championship in Marblehead, MA. Full Scuttlebutt story
10 Aug 2011 - The Usual Suspects win 2011 LYRA Regatta The 2011 LYRA Regatta at PCYC attracted eight J/105s for three days of course racing. The conditions were challenging for both the competitors and the race committee, and the sailors had to keep their wits about them to deal with the shifts and wind ranging anywhere from 27 knts in a squall, to drifting in 5 knts. Two races had to be abandoned before the weather mark--one due to a 65 degree shift after the start and another when the breeze shut down. In all, eight fair races were sailed in, with seven to count. Other than the first race on Friday, the racing was tight with lots of close action and multiple lead changes. In the end, Gavin Disney on The Usual Suspects (12 points) edged out Stuart Kilpatrick on Planet B (13 points) and Peter Hall on Jamaica Me Crazy (16 points) to take the top spots. Complete results
10 Aug 2011 - NOR posted for 2012 Key West Race Week The 25th anniversary of North America's premiere winter regatta--also the J/105 Midwinter Championship--Quantum Key West 2012 is scheduled for January 15-20. Check out the Notice of Race.
07 Aug 2011 - Lakewood Yacht Club's Bay Cup II First gun of the second race in Lakewood Yacht Club's Annual Bay Cup Series was fired at 13:00 hours on Saturday, August 6 in 98+ heat. Some 30 boats competed in this regatta including everything from a C&C 121 to a Melges 32. Just after the sea breeze of 12-16 knots filled in, four J/105's squared off at the start of the 17.5 mile distance race in Galveston and Trinity Bay. Bee Bednar's Stinger took first closely followed by Uzi Ozeri's Infinity in second, and Bill Zartler's Solaris in third. Returning after a long layoff, Scott Jacobsen's Marian V rounded out the 105 fleet with a very respectable fourth. The overall results were topped off by a Catalina 36 in first, Stinger in second, and a J/109 in third. The 109 was followed by a C&C121, Infinity in fifth and Solaris in sixth. To say the racing was tight would be a major understatement. After 17.5 miles, the second through sixth place boats were separated by just 1:26. Lakewood Yacht Club website
02 Aug 2011 - A Star Shines in Marblehead Bill Lynn and the crew of the J/105 Shooting Star took first place overall at the Sperry Top-Sider Marblehead NOOD. Read the full interview here.
01 Aug 2011 - Southern California Championship Thirteen J/105s competed at the Southern California Championship over the weekend--Fleet 8's most important race of the year. The event was sailed in south San Diego bay where the water is smooth and the breeze is up. The conditions were great, and the first five boats were trophied in the five-race series: Dennis & Sharon Case, Wings (15 points), Tom Hurlburt & Chuck Driscoll, Blow Boat (17), Dave Vieregg, Triple Play (21), Rick Goebel, Sanity (26), Chris Logan, Pholly (27). Remember, the 2012 J/105 North American Championship will be held in San Diego from October 17-21 (www.j105nac.com)! Complete results
31 Jul 2011 - Marblehead NOOD Congratulations to Bill Lynn and the crew of J/105 Shooting Star, who edged out Matthew Pike's Got Qi? and 29 other teams to win their class. For their hard-fought victory in this highly competitive class, Lynn and company earned the regatta's overall prize, which includes an invitation to compete against the winners of the other NOOD regattas at the Sperry Top-Sider Caribbean NOOD Championship, taking place this November in the British Virgin Islands. The J/105 fleet took the opportunity at the NOOD to tune-up for the rapidly approaching North American Championship which kicks off August 11 in Marblehead. Shooting Star finished the six-race series with 23 points, just one ahead of Got Qi? Bernie Girod of Santa Barbara, CA took third, again just one point back (with 25) on Rock & Roll. Henry Brauer & Stewart Neff on Scimitar were, yes, just one more point back in fourth place with 26 points. Complete results
28 Jul 2011 - Fiesta Cup This year, the 11-boat J/105 fleet had two great days of racing with westerlies blowing down the shoreline from 5-15 knots. The four teams that made the migration north from San Diego YC were more competitive this year but were still no match for the local Santa Barbarian teams that swept the top three. The racing was remarkably close for the top of the leader-board with the winners ultimately determined in the last race. Four boats had a shot at winning, including three SBYC teams: Alex Rasmussen's Free Enterprise, John Demourkas' Rockin & Groovin, John Ziskind's Perfect Timing 2 and one SDYC team (Rick Goebel's Sanity). After the first three races on the first day of sailing, the top three were Rockin & Groovin with a 2-1-2, Free Enterprise with a 1-3-4 and third Perfect Timing 2 with a 4-6-1. Sunday saw a fast turnover in the standings. After the first two races, Johnny D's team sailed to a 6-2 and Johnny Z's team sailed to a 2-3. In the sixth and final race of the regatta, Demourkas got the better of the two, finishing seventh and Ziskind snagging a ninth. Winning not only the last race and the regatta was Alex Rasmussen and Ted White's team on Free Enterprise. Losing the tie-breaker to Alex was Demourkas' Rockin & Groovin team. Third was Ziskind's Perfect Timing 2 with 25 points. Rick Goebel's Sanity team nearly pulled off third place, just missing despite being the only two race winner in the regatta with a 1-1-4 on the last day to finish fourth with 27 points. Event website
28 Jul 2011 - Bayview-Mackinac Island Race The J/105s sailed as a sub-class in PHRF C and swept the top three places, led by Mark Symond's Pterodactyl, winning class by nearly an hour. Dean and Lana Walsh's Good Lookin finished second, just beating Larry & Brian Smith's Sorcery by four minutes. In the PHRF Doublehanded Class finishing second in class was the J/105 Pirana sailed by CJ Ruffing and Chris Ongena. Event website
27 Jul 2011 - Loulou Takes Larchmont RW Paul Beaudin won four of five races on loulou at Larchmont Race Week to best a fleet of nine boats over two weekends. Beaudin's score not only gave him first in the J/105 class but won the vote for Best Overall Performance at LRW. George and Alex Wilbank's Revelation finished in second place, while Jermey Henderson's and Harald Edegran's Conundrum finished third. Conundrum won the last race of the series, ending loulou's string of 8 straight J/105 race victories. Fourth went to Larchmont Commodore Dr. Carl Olsson on Morning Glory and fifth to Glenn Marck on Bottle Rocket. Full story
27 Jul 2011 - Whidbey Island Race Week The 29th Annual Whidbey Island Race Week attracted 109 keelboats from the West Coast. 12 races were conducted (with one discard) in 8-22 knot breezes. Attendance was up roughly 10 percent over last year. The winner of the J/105 class was Jerry Diercks on Delirium with 15 points, including seven bullets. Jim Geros on Last Tango and Lorenzo Migliorini on Allegro Vivace tied for second and third with 21 points. Four J/105s competed. Complete results
26 Jul 2011 - Level Regatta The Youngstown Level Regatta was held July 23-24 with 10 J/105s competing. Stuart Kilpatrick sailed Planet B to victory with 12 points over 6 races, and never finished out of the top three. Peter Hall on Jamaica Me Crazy wasn't far behind with 14 points. James Rathbun on Hey Jude came in third with 23 points. Complete results
26 Jul 2011 - Pro Team Challenge Cup The Detroit Red Wings hockey team are winners, but not on the ice. They won on the high seas when their adopted boat, Sorcery, crossed the finish line first in the second annual Pro Team Challenge Cup, during the 87th sailing of the Bell's Beer Bayview Mackinac Race. Sorcery, a J/105 owned by brothers Larry and Brian Smith, of St. Clair Shores, MI, flew the Red Wings' colors during the three-day race that began Saturday in Port Huron, along the southern shores of Lake Huron. The Pro Team Challenge, sponsored by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association, included all four major sports teams in Detroit: Red Wings (NHL), Lions (NFL), Pistons (NBA), and Tigers (MLB). Sorcery crossed the finish line in Mackinac Monday at 3:13 am EDT. Event website
26 Jul 2011 - West Passage Regatta For the second year, Wickford Yacht Club hosted the WPR out of Wickford on Narragansett Bay, RI. The wind was light both days. On Saturday, after postponement, racers got three short races. On Sunday, when no wind was predicted, they managed four races. This was a tune-up for many boats for the North Americans in Marblehead, MA in a few weeks. And Damian Emery's Eclipse team showed its dominance by winning five of the seven races with eight points. Joerg Esdorn was second with 16 and Bruce Stone won the tiebreaker for third from Fred Darlington. Bruce Stone also garnered the three-regatta Narragansett Bay Championship series with a rotating half-hull model trophy and also spearheaded the sponsorships and prizes for that series as well as for the WPR. Complete results
21 Jul 2011 - Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge Regatta Cedric Lewis & Nils Salvese took top honors in the J/105 fleet at the Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge Regatta from July 17-19 in Solomons, MD. Scoring three bullets and all top-three finishes in seven races, the Mirage team ended the event with 15 total points. Bob Reeves on A Train followed with 22 points, then Scott Gitchell on Tenacious one point back. Eight J/105s competed. Complete results
20 Jul 2011 - Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac In the J105/Mackinac Cup Division, Mark Symonds topped the fleet on Pterodactyl, followed by Mark Gurney on Buzz then Clark Pellett on Sealark. In the three J/105s in the double-handed division, Och! (Brendon Docherty and Patrick Lindenhurst) won the class, followed by Gonzo (Ken Ganch, David Pikowitz) in second overall and Phantom (Scott Vukovich and John Kalanik) was seventh. Complete results
20 Jul 2011 - Solomons Island Invitational It was a perfect night for a sail down the Bay. Bright moonlight flooded the sky and water, and a fairly steady southerly breeze at 10 to 18 knots sped the fleet of 119 starters on their way from the Severn to the Patuxent in the 31st Annual Solomons Island Invitational Race. Hosted by Eastport Yacht Club (Annapolis, MD) and starting in the river in front of its clubhouse on Friday evening, July 15, the race ended for most in the predawn hours of Saturday, July 16, on the Patuxent near Solomons. The always-competitive J/105 fleet proved itself worthy of the designation once again when the team led by brothers Scott and Carl Gitchell on Tenacious took the Zahniser Award as the winners of the class judged most competitive, based on the closest margin of time between first place and fifth. Event website and results
19 Jul 2011 - Minutes posted Minutes from the 7/11/11 Executive Committee meeting are posted. Class Business page
15 Jul 2011 - Chicago-Mackinac Island race This weekend is the Chicago-Mackinac Island race. The OD fleet and the double-handed combined have 18 boats--a great showing for the race. The distance to be sailed is 289.4 nautical miles from Chicago, starting just off Navy Pier, to Mackinac Island, MI. It is the oldest annual freshwater distance race in the world. The boats cross the finish line between the lighthouse on Round Island and the race committee trailer on Mackinac Island. 2011 marks the 103rd running. There are 355 boats and approximately 3,500 crew members in this year's race. The race will begin for the J/105s at 12:35 Saturday. A high pressure system will be hanging over the starting area and the lower part of Lake Michigan. The boats that get North quickly will have a huge tactical advantage. There is a low pressure system and storm that will move in Sunday night. That should allow the boats to blast North and arrive late Monday to the island. Event website
14 Jul 2011 - Newport Regatta In the J/105 class at the Newport Regatta, Brian Keane's Savasana team won all four races to finish with just 4 points. Sean Doyle on Kestrel sailed a 2-3-2-5 for 12 points and second place. Damian Emery on Eclipse came in third place with a 5-2-4-2 scoreline for 13 points. Fourth was Joerg Esdorn on Kincsem with a 4-4-3-4 for 15 points, and Bruce Stone's team on Jouster finished fifth with a 3-6-6-3. Other than Savasana, it was very close competition for the balance of the top five. Ten J/105s competed. Complete results
14 Jul 2011 - Port Credit Regatta Doug Bullock's Trident won last weekend's regatta at Port Credit Yacht Club in Ontario with 15 points. James Rathbun on Hey Jude took the runner-up position (21 points), trailed closely by Peter Hall's Jamaica Me Crazy (22 points). Eleven J/105s competed in 5 races. After Saturday, The Usual Suspects led by two over Trident and Planet B. Sunday, two races took place with diminishing shifty winds, veering right all day. The final race was shortened as the wind diminished in the hot and humid conditions. Complete results
13 Jul 2011 - Southern Chesapeake Leukemia Cup Regatta The 13th annual Southern Chesapeake Leukemia Cup Regatta held in Deltaville over the weekend of July 8-10 was another huge success with 77 registered yachts and enthusiastic crowds at the auction and galahelping to raise $112,000 in cash and $20,000 of in-kind donations to support patients with blood cancers. First in the J/105 fleet was Mike Karn's Inevitable, followed by R. Strother Scott's Loose Cannon. Complete article
12 Jul 2011 - Red Grant Regatta--Raritan Yacht Club, New Jersey Eight J/105s turned out for Raritan Yacht Club's 65th Annual Red Grant Regatta. A two-day event with great weather, over 60 boats, and free Painkillers served to crews coming ashore after racing. Though the forecasts called for the typical dead summer air, the actual 8-14 kts of winds made the event one of the more memorable regattas in recent history. Paul Beaudin's Loulou all but secured a first place on Saturday winning 3 out of the 4 races and eventually won the regatta with 3 more bullets on Sunday. Planet Claire's consistent performance moved John Koten and his team up from third place into second on Sunday, knocking David Spence's Synergy down one step on the podium into third. Fleet 10 president and fourth place finisher, Paul Zajac of Skal, thought his race strategy worked perfectly; by "letting" the visiting Long Island Sound boats win the top two spots, as perhaps they will come back next year and bring more Fleet 6 members with them. Though first place was pretty much a done deal, it was the smaller battles within the regatta that were talked about back at the yacht club. Lower tier positions constantly changed from race to race, making the event exciting for everyone, even if they did not end up on the podium in the end. Race tracking will be posted on http://www.kattack.com and photos of the regatta will also be posted on http://www.pimvanhemmen.com. Event website and results
04 Jul 2011 - Azores and Back Race Chris Tibbs has taken overall victory in the Azores and Back Race (AZAB), a double-handed endurance race from Falmouth, UK, to the Azores and return. Racing the J/105 Taika with Don 'Jawsie' Wright, Chris convincingly won the IRC 3 class on both the outward and return legs of the race, and secured the overall race win on corrected time. Complete article
03 Jul 2011 - West Passage Regatta and Narragansett Bay Championship Along with several highly competitive local boats, three of the top J/105 teams-Eclipse, Kincsem and Jouster-will be racing in the West Passage Regatta (Wickford, RI) on July 23-24 as their warm-up for the North Americans a few weeks away in Marblehead. Many skippers said that last year's event was their best regatta of the year, with 8 short-course races and no waiting. West Marine, Waterline Systems and Samson Ropes will award valuable marine gear, sheets and halyards to the top boats in this regatta, as well as to the Narragansett Bay Champion. Brewer Wickford Cove Marina will provide highly discounted launching, haul-out and dry storage and facilitate shipping to Marblehead after the regatta. Wickford Yacht Club has just extended to July 10 the highly attractive early entry discount. Notice of Race
01 Jul 2011 - Around Island Race The famous Around Island Race in Cowes, Isle of Wight, England is an epic 50 nautical mile adventure. This year saw nearly 2,000 entries from all over the world. In IRC 2 overall, the J/105 Neilson Redeye sailed by Pip Tyler was winner of IRC 2B and 19th overall in IRC 2. J/105 Jelly Baby sailed by William Newton was second in IRC 2B and third in IRC 2 overall. Event website
27 Jun 2011 - He Hit the Ground Running Bruce Stone really, really likes racing J/105s. On Saturday morning, he flew from Rhode Island, where he'd just spent the week competing at Block Island Race Week, to San Francisco, where he had just enough time to zip down to St. Francis YC and lead his Arbitrage team out to the racecourse for the first start of the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta. Read the Sailing World article
27 Jun 2011 - Long Beach Race Week Racing was as tight as could be for the 9 J/105s competing in Long Beach Race Week over the weekend--only 1 point separated the top three. Gary Mozer's Current Obsession 2 won the tie-breaker to give his team the top position. Also with 25 points was David Gould's Air Boss, and just one point behind was Ed Sanford's Creative in third. Seven races were completed. Complete results
27 Jun 2011 - San Francisco NOOD The J/105s boasted the largest fleet at the San Francisco NOOD over the weekend with 17 boats. Bruce Stone's Arbitrage dominated the five-race series with an impressive 2,1,2,1,2 for a total of just 8 points. Rolf Kaiser's Donkey Jack finished second with 19 points, and Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk rounded out the top three with 20 points. Complete results
25 Jun 2011 - Block Island Race Week Damian Emery is the winner of the 2011 edition of Block Island Race Week. On a soupy Block Island day, Emery piloted Eclipse to a first and a seventh in moderate winds, a performance good enough to leave him with a four-point lead over his nearest rivals at the end of the regatta. Emery demonstrated superior speed throughout the event, winning four of the six races in the 13-boat fleet. His victory in the fifth race on the final day of racing all but guaranteed a regatta victory. The two boats immediately behind Eclipse in the standings were Jouster, sailed by Bruce Stone and Julian Croxall, and Shakedown, sailed by Jordan Mindich. Jouster and Shakedown both finished the regatta with 18 points, with Jouster's victory in Thursday's Around the Island race giving it the edge in the tiebreaker. Stone's team had a 2 and a 7 on the final day. Mindich had a 4 and a 3. Carl Olsson's Morning Glory had a 3 and 4 on the final day, giving it fourth in the regatta. Fred Darlington's Tonto won the final race of the regatta, moving him into fifth in the final standings. To view the racing on Kattack, go to Kattack.com and click on the J/105 Block Island banner. Complete results
25 Jun 2011 - AYC 75th Annual Regatta 10 J/105s raced in the Annapolis Yacht Club 75th Annual Regatta last weekend. Fred Salvesen & Cedric Lewis on Mirage continued their excellent season by topping the fleet, followed by Robert Reeves on A Train and Peter Schellie on Freedom. Complete results
21 Jun 2011 - Spring Newsletter Members should have received the Spring edition of the J/105 newsletter via e-mail. It is also posted on the Newsletter page.
20 Jun 2011 - Morgan Cup Race The RORC Mainseries IRC Three Morgan Cup Race, which started on June 17, saw two J/105s in the top spots--Nikki Curwen on Voador in first and then Nick Martin on Diablo-J in second. Complete results
15 Jun 2011 - Annapolis Leukemia Cup Lack of wind made for a tough day on the water for participants in the Annapolis Leukemia Cup, co-hosted by Eastport Yacht Club and Annapolis Yacht Club last weekend. Only two classes--the combined PHRF A0/A1 and J/105--were able to complete a race. Andrew Kennedy sailed Bat IV to victory in the J/105 fleet, which had nine boats. Donald Santa on Santa's Reign, Dear finished second, trailed by Chris Groobey's Java. Leukemia Cup website
13 Jun 2011 - Keyport Yacht Club's Bill Volk/Leukemia Cup Regatta Seven J/105s eventually found their way to a foggy starting line at the Bill Volk Leukemia Cup Regatta in Keyport, NJ on June 10-11. Each day presented very different sailing conditions with 25 kt. winds, rain and heavy fog on Saturday and much drier and clearer 8-10 kt. winds on Sunday. Five races were completed, giving competitors one throw-out. Synergy, skippered by David Spence, dominated the fleet with five bullets giving them a total of 4 points; followed by Gareth Gaston's Fairhope with 8 points; and rounding out third with 14 points was Circe, skippered by Mark van Schalkwyk. Synergy also won the perpetual Bill Volk Award for best performing yacht in the most competitive class. Complete results
13 Jun 2011 - Chicago NOOD 11 J/105s enjoyed extremely close racing at the Chicago NOOD over the weekend. The regatta winner was determined by just one point, as Dorin Candea's Messy Jessy narrowly beat Blane Shea's Striking (21 points to 22 points). Clark Pellett on Sealark finished third with 28 points. Eight races were completed. Complete results
13 Jun 2011 - NYYC Annual Regatta Eight J/105s made up the fleet at the 157th NYYC Annual Regatta presented by Rolex from June 10-12 in Newport, RI. In lots of wind and gorgeous weather, six races were completed with Brian Keane's Savasana putting up an impressive score of 1,2,1,2,1,1 for a total of 8 points and the regatta victory. Bruce Stone and Julian Croxall raced Jouster to second place with 12 points, followed by Mark Lindquist on Sterling (13.9 points). Complete results
09 Jun 2011 - NAC deadline approaching The Regular Entry Fee of $700 for the 2011 J/105 North American Championship in Marblehead, MA has a deadline of July 1. As of this post, 40 J/105s are already registered! Save some money by registering now for the August 10-14 event. Event website
09 Jun 2011 - Cedar Point One-Design Regatta The J/105 class showed up in force with an excellent turnout of nine boats at the Cedar Point One-Design Regatta from June 4-5 in Westport, CT. Kevin Grainger's team on Gumption3 narrowly beat Damian Emery's team on Eclipse. Kevin took the top honors with a 2-1-2-4-1-5 record for 10 points. Damian started out slowly but finished with a flourish, earning a 6-2-5-1-2-1 scoreline for 11 points. Third was Paul Beaudin on Loulou with a consistent 3-3-1-3-3-3 for 13 points. Complete results
09 Jun 2011 - Cal Race Week Gary Mozer's team on Current Obsession 2 dominated Cal Race Week from June 4-5 with four firsts and a third for 7 points to win by 8 points. The contest for second went into the final two races for four teams. Rick Goebel's Sanity, John Howell's Blink!, Don Poppe's Rock & Roll and Ed Sanford's Creative had a great series racing one another. In the end, Rick's Sanity team squeaked ahead to finish with a 3-3-6-2-1, coming on strong at the end to finish with 15 points and get second overall. Third was determined by a tie-breaker, with the nod going to John's Blink! crew due to a 4-2-2-4-6 record for 18 points and Don's Rock & Roll crew got the short-end of that stick with a 2-4-3-5-4 record also for 18 points. While starting out slowly, Ed's Creative team nearly pulled off a third, ending up fourth with a 6-5-4-3-2 tally for 20 points. Complete results
09 Jun 2011 - RORC North Sea Race The 2011 North Sea Race had more wind than had been forecast and turned into a tough cold beat to Scheveningen. Finishing fourth in IRC 3 was Stan Fenton's J/105 Fay J, a great performance considering the less than ideal conditions for this veteran offshore campaigner. Sailing both IRC 3 and Double-handed was the J/105 Diablo-J sailed by Rear Commodore of RORC Neil Martin, finishing sixth in IRC 3 and first overall in IRC Double-handed. For the RORC Season Offshore Championship, Neil's Diablo-J is winning both IRC 3 and Double-handed Divisions overall. RORC website
09 Jun 2011 - Colors Regatta The Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago, IL hosted the Colors Regatta from June 4-5. Local Tom Petkus sailing Vytis won the first three races in a row and added a 5-3 on the last day to hang on for the win with 11 points in the 6-boat J/105 fleet. Tony Bowker on The Asylum pulled off a 2-4-4-3-2 for 15 points to narrowly secure second by one point over Sealark sailed by Clark Pellett (they had 6-3-2-1-4 for 16 pts).
Complete results
07 Jun 2011 - Revised Rules Interpretation posted RI-11-01 "Clarification of hollow leech requirement in CR 6.5.5" has been revised since its original post last week. Go to Racing, then Rules Interpretations at left.
07 Jun 2011 - San Francisco YC Spring Invitational The San Francisco YC hosted its Spring Invitational from June 4-5 including a 17-boat J/105 fleet. Bruce Stone's Arbitrage was the top J/105 with 11 points over six races. Two points behind was Scooter Simmons racing Blackhawk, then Phillip Laby on Dogot in third (21 points). Complete results
07 Jun 2011 - Southern Bay Race Week Five J/105s competed at Southern Bay Race Week in Hampton, VA, with Marty Hublitz & Eddie Hornick racing Veloce to victory with just 5 points overall. After the six races, Mike Karn on Inevitable finished second (10 points) and Strother Scott on Loose Cannon in third (15 points). Veloce scored a perfect series with the throw-out factored in: 1,1,1,1,1,(2). Complete results
06 Jun 2011 - Detroit NOOD Five J/105s competed in the Detroit NOOD over the weekend. Seven races were completed with Mark Symonds racing Pterodactyl to the win. The team scored bullets in the first five races and ended the regatta with 12 points overall. In second place was Dean Walsh on Good Lookin' (17 points), and in third was Brian Smith on Sorcery (20 points). Complete results
06 Jun 2011 - SDYC One Design Weekend San Diego Yacht Club hosted its June One Design Weekend on June 4 with 3 J/105s competing. Mark Mitchell on Straight Edge won all three races for the victory, followed by Sean O'Keefe's De Colores (7 points) and Stewart Cannon's J-OK (8 points).
Complete results
02 Jun 2011 - Myth of Malham Race The RORC's Myth of Malham Race is a qualifying race for this year's Rolex Fastnet Race, and 125 yachts braved a windy forecast to compete in the race. The race to the Eddystone lighthouse and back was a giant windward-leeward race course of 230 miles. With a WNW wind between 15-25 knots and yachts experiencing gusts of over 30 knots, it was a tough test and an excellent warm-up for the fleet who had to beat all the way to the Eddystone lighthouse off Plymouth and experience a fast run back to the Solent. One of the most remarkable performance came from a J/105 sailing double-handed. Sailing Flawless J was James Heald, getting scored in both IRC 3 and IRC Doublehanded. For the two-handed division, Flawless J was third overall, missing first by only 30 minutes on corrected in IRC. In IRC 3, Flawless J finished second overall, losing out to the overall race winner. On IRC Overall, Flawless J finished seventh. Behind Flawless J were Nikki Curwen's J/105 Voador in sixth (and fifth in IRC Class 3) and veteran campaigner Nick Martin's J/105 Diablo-J in ninth (ninth in IRC Class 3). RORC website
01 Jun 2011 - New Rules Interpretation posted RI-11-01 "Clarification of hollow leech requirement in CR 6.5.5" has been posted. Go to Racing, then Rules Interpretations at left.
31 May 2011 - Double-handed J/105 Team Turns in Best Overall Performance in Block Island Race The Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race is a 186 nautical mile race, a Long Island classic that has been held annually for 66 years. It started on the Friday afternoon of Memorial Day Weekend and sent 59 boats in eight classes on a course from Stamford, CT (where host Stamford Yacht Club is located), down Long Island Sound, clockwise around Block Island (RI), and back. Peter Rugg (New York, NY) on his J/105 Jaded, saw the advantage of going to the Long Island shore right away, but since he started first in the 11-boat double-handed class (sailing with Dudley Nostrand of Hamilton, MA), he had no other classes to follow there. In the end, Jaded won not only the Gerold Abels Trophy for the best performance by a double-handed team but also the Harvey Conover Memorial Overall Trophy, awarded to the boat that has won her class and, in the judgment of the Flag Officers and Race Committee, had the best overall performance. Read the entire press release
24 May 2011 - Narragansett Bay Championship The Narragansett Bay Championship will once again be awarded to the cumulative winner of the races held in the New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta on June 10-12, the Newport Regatta on July 9-10 and the West Passage Regatta on July 23-24. The lovely half-model was won last year by Eclipse, skippered by Damian Emery. Last year, during the final prize-giving at Wickford Yacht Club, sponsors awarded over $6,000 in gear including a substantial quantity of hi-tech Samson sheets and halyards, West Marine VHF radios and binoculars, and coupons for spare parts from Waterline Systems, and they are back again this year! Many J/105 owners commented that the West Passage Regatta was the best racing they had all year-8 quick races with two sausages, and no waiting. Brewer Wickford Cove Marina will once again offer deeply discounted haul-out and dry storage for boats wishing to stay in Rhode Island during the June/July period as well as facilitate the packing and trucking of boats up to Marblehead for the North Americans. See the three items below for direct links to each regatta's website.
24 May 2011 - New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta June 10-12 New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta website
24 May 2011 - Newport Regatta July 9-10 Newport Regatta website
24 May 2011 - West Passage Regatta July 23-24. Make this event your final tune-up for the North American Championship in Marblehead, MA! West Passage Regatta website
23 May 2011 - Shoe Regatta Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook, TX held its 29th annual Shoe Regatta on May 21-22. Five J/105s competed in 15-25 knot winds over the two-day six-race affair. Competition was tight with lots of close finishes. Uzi Ozero on Infinity finished first, Mark Masur sailing Two Feathers took second and Bee Bednar on Stinger finished third. Lakewood YC website
23 May 2011 - Seattle NOOD The Seattle NOOD, which began Friday, is the fourth of nine events in the 2011 Sperry Top-Sider NOOD series. More than 150 teams in 22 divisions converged on the Emerald City for three days of racing. Six J/105s represented the fleet, and they ran nine races. Lorenzo Migliorini's Allegro Vivace took top honors with 19 points, trailed by Jerry Dierck's Delirium (22 points). Erik Kristen on Jubilee rounded out the top three with 28 points. Complete results
19 May 2011 - Larchmont YC Edlu Distance Race The 56th Annual Edlu Race started on May 14 for IRC and PHRF boats. The course was 32 miles from Larchmont Breakwater to Gong 11B off Eaton's Neck and back. IRC 2 was won by Carl Olsson's J/105 Morning Glory, winning by just 5 minutes corrected over a J/109. Event website
17 May 2011 - Frank Stone Cup Invitational The Frank Stone Cup Invitational took place at St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, CA from May 14-15. In the 20-boat J/105 fleet, four races were completed, and Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk claimed first place with 15 points. Following with 19 points each were Bruce Stone's Arbitrage and Jason Woodley & Scott Whitney's Risk. Complete results
16 May 2011 - Gumption3 Wins Inaugural Manhattan Regatta Kevin Grainger's Gumption3 won the inaugural Manhattan Regatta, posting finishes of 1-1-1-2 in the four-race series. Nine J/105s signed up for the event, which took place in 11-15 knot winds in New York Harbor under the watchful gaze of the Statue of Liberty. Fairhope, skippered by Gareth Gaston, captured second in the event; Dave Spence finished third on Synergy. The J/105-only event was run by Fleet 10 and the Manhattan Sailing Club, located in North Cove harbor just above the Battery. Complete results
13 May 2011 - New York YC Annual Regatta The 157th Annual Regatta presented by Rolex will be held June 10-12 at the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport, RI. Six J/105s are entered so far. The plan is to have a one-design series on Sat/Sun. Anyone there on Friday is welcome to join the Around-the-Island Race. The Alofsin Pier is available for dockage (contact Kim Cooper at Sail Newport--kim.cooper@sailnewport.org--to arrange). First held in 1845 off the NYYC's first clubhouse in Hoboken, America's longest running regatta continues to evolve to offer more opportunities to more sailors. Racing starts on Friday, June 10, with the Around-the-Island Race. This classic 19 nautical mile race around Conanicut Island offers the sailors many challenges and beautiful scenery. Teams of two yachts can also enter the competition for the Rolex Cup. There is no entry fee for this race, and it is scored separately from the racing over the weekend. IRC, One-Designs, 12 Metres, 6 Metres and Classics will compete in a two-day series on Saturday and Sunday, June 11-12. Several races are planned each day. Event website
10 May 2011 - Bermuda International Invitational Race Week Four J/105s competed in last week's Bermuda International Invitational Race Week. Chuck Millican & Dave Brining racing Elusive took the six-race series with just 6 points. The team scored four bullets and two second-place finishes (dropping a 2). Rounding out the fleet was James MacDonald (8 points), Ed Faries (14 points) and Michael Tucker (20 points). Event website
05 May 2011 - AYC Spring Series Fourteen J/105s comprised their fleet in the American Yacht Club Spring Series. Starting off with two firsts, George and Alex Wilbanks' Revelation added an 8-2-1-8 to win with just 5 points. Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes sailing Kincsem settled for second place with a 3-2-6-1-3-6 for 9 points, and Kevin Grainger on Gumption 3 hung on for third place with a 2-4-4-5-7-7 for 15 points. AYC website
05 May 2011 - Key West Race Week Update The fans of Key West Race Week have much to celebrate. With its future in question following the 2011 edition, event organizer Premiere Racing has attained a new Title Sponsor, early one design class and sponsor commitments, and exciting grand prix news to ensure its 25th anniversary will occur on January 16-20, 2012. Press release
03 May 2011 - HYC Offshore Race The Houston Yacht Club's Offshore Race, previously known as the Freeport Triangle, was defined by a 100+ nm triangle course anchored by the Buccaneer Platform (180 degrees), the Freeport Texas Outer Sea Buoy (267 degrees) and the Galveston South 5A jetty marker (45 degrees). The unusually small spinnaker fleet consisted of a King 40 (Hot Ticker), a 1D35 (Tres Hombres), an Express 37 (Milleniumm Express), a J/109 (Surprise), a J/105 (Stinger) and a Catalina 36 (Island Time). Both the Catalina and the J/109 were forced to withdraw due to rig problems. Wind forecast was for 15-20 knots out of the South building to 25+ after midnight, but a more accurate prediction would have called for ESE winds ranging from 12-30+ knots. The start at the Galveston Channel 11 marker came off exactly as predicted at 13:00 with the J/105 hitting the line first about two boat lengths ahead of the 1D35. Stinger rounded the 5A marker first on her way to the Buccaneer platform and held her own with the 1D 35 for several hours. At approximately 7:30, she rounded Buccaneer in third (25 minutes behind the lead boat) and hoisted her 110 sq mt spinnaker in a surprising 12 knots of breeze. Running toward Freeport the wind began to build (20+) providing ample power for 13-14 knot surfs with steady 10-12 knot runs. The Freeport Outer Buoy saw Stinger within view of at least one of the lead boats and in good position to take over first in PHRF. After a beautiful douse in 23 knots of breeze, she rounded the mark with a excessively large 155% genoa on the furler. Unfortunately this sail was far too powerful for the 24+ knot breeze. Great crew work produced an almost perfect douse followed by a very fast head sail change. The 40 mile fetch back to 5A saw speeds in excess of 9 knots with gusts to 31 knots. For most of this fetch, the winds averaged 24 knots. After rounding 5A, Stinger finished under main and jib at 03:19:28 to take first place in the regatta. While the seas were rough and the spray was very wet, the awesome crew work made the win possible. The 24 nm run back up the Houston Ship Channel was done under main alone with a following 3+ knot current and average speeds between 8 and 9 knots. Houston Yacht Club website
02 May 2011 - Annapolis NOOD The J/105 fleet was well represented at the Annapolis NOOD from April 29-May 1 with 28 boats registered. Conditions allowed eight races to be completed, and just 2 points separated the top two J/105s. Cedric Lewis on Mirage finished in the top position with 29 points, compared to Peter McChesney on The Mystery Machine with 31. The final four races were all won by Lewis and McChesney. Rounding out the top three were Carl & Scott Gitchell on Tenacious. Complete results
02 May 2011 - SD Yachting Cup 89 teams were competing at San Diego's Yachting Cup last weekend, divided in to 12 one-design and handicap fleets. The J/105-the largest fleet with 16 boats-was won by Rick Goebel. Complete results
27 Apr 2011 - Minutes posted Minutes from the 4/18/11 Executive Committee meeting are posted. Class Business page
18 Apr 2011 - Charleston Race Week At Charleston Race Week last weekend, three J/105s competed in PHRF C where five races were completed. Joe Highsmith racing Dead on Arrival was the top J/105 (8th in division). Joe Pitcavage on Big Booty placed 11th, and Billy Bremer III on High Visibility finished 13th. Conditions ranged from heavy breeze on Friday to light and shifty on Sunday. Complete results
16 Apr 2011 - J/105 Class Store Looking for some J/105 gear to prepare for the summer sailing season? J/Boats and the J/105 Class have partnered to offer a wide array of J/105-specific shirts, hats, outerwear and accessories. Check it out through the link at the top of the merchandise page.
13 Apr 2011 - J/105 in Doublehanded Farallones Race At the 32nd annual Doublehanded Farallones Race on April 9, Kenneth Ganch (Chicago, IL) racing Gonzo took second in Division 4. Conditions were gnarly, and almost half of the boats retired due to big seas and wind. The race was organized by the San Francisco Bay Area Multihull Association. Event website and complete results
11 Apr 2011 - J/Fest San Francisco St. Francis Yacht Club hosted J/Fest San Francisco from April 9-10, and the J/105 fleet boasted 22 boats. Taking the top position was Jeff Littfin & John Case on Mojo with 16 points over five races. Following them with 21 points each were Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk and Adam Spiegel on Jam Session.
Complete results
08 Apr 2011 - J/105s in Double-Handed Series The 2011 Molson-Coors Double-Handed Series in England started with close racing in all five classes at the Royal Southampton Yacht Club. Saturday's race was the first of an eight-race season comprising four inshore races and four offshore races. Entrants compete for individual races, the Inshore Series, Offshore Series and Main Series--each with their own prizes and trophies for each Class. Sixty-two boats were on the start line off Hillhead, and at the attention signal the conditions were near perfect. Courses were set with long legs. They took the fleets on upwind legs to Stanswood Bay and West Bramble, then back downwind to marks along the North Channel. All classes had a reaching finish from their last marks to Coronation. In IRC Class 2A, the J/105s seemed to have the run of the place. Andy Hill and Mathieu Lathoud on Only Just won the race handily while Trans-Atlantic veteran (and winner) Oscar Mead teamed up with Laurence to take third with Juneau. RSYC Racing
05 Apr 2011 - HYC Elissa The Houston Yacht Club's annual Elissa Regatta was held April 2-3. While the turnout was disappointingly low, the weather and the winds were of Chamber of Commerce quality. Three J/105s match-raced through five races over the two-day affair. Bee Bednar on Stinger took first, followed by Uzi Ozeri on Infinity in second, and Alan Bates on Zippity in third. The racing was very tight with several quick lead changes at each mark. There was rarely more then 25-30 seconds between the boats at the finish. An absolutely great time was had by all. HYC website
27 Mar 2011 - GBCA Spring Regatta This year's Galveston Bay Cruising Association (GBCA) Spring Regatta was held on March 25. Shifty high-teen south winds made for excellent sailing with tremendous opportunities for onboard tacticians. This single day regatta started at 11:00 am and culminated after the completion of five races for the spinnaker classes, four races for the non-spinnaker classes and three races for the GBCA Club Handicap Class. Four J/105s competed in the spinnaker class with Bee Bednar and crew on Stinger taking first place with five bullets. Ozi Uzeri and crew took second, and Malcolm Bremer and crew on Babe rounded out the top three. GBCA website
23 Mar 2011 - Manhattan Regatta Fleet 10 and the Manhattan Sailing Club in Battery Park City, NY have jointly organized a J/105-only weekend regatta from May 14-15. The fleet is trying to create a common middle ground where NJ boats and LIS boats can race together. The delivery is about 3 hours from either end and is a unique experience with tides, tugs and the Statue of Liberty as your starting pin range marker. For the NOR and additional information, visit the event website.
21 Mar 2011 - NAC deadline approaching The early entry fee of $625 for the 2011 J/105 North American Championship in Marblehead, MA has a deadline of April 1. As of this morning, 23 J/105s are already registered! Save some money by registering now for the August 10-14 event. Event website
21 Mar 2011 - San Diego NOOD Gary Mozer racing Current Obsession 2 won all three races at the San Diego NOOD over the weekend. The LBYC team beat out 17 other J/105s, including Tom Hurlburt on Blow Boat in second place (8 points), and Chris Logan on Pholly (14 points). Complete results
21 Mar 2011 - Spring One Design 18 J/105s competed at the Spring One Design at St. Francis Yacht Club from March 19-20. The top spot was determined by a tie-breaker as Bruce Stone on Arbitrage claimed first. Rolf Kaiser on Donkey Jack also had 14 points, but landed in second. Walter Sanford racing Alchemy secured third place with 22 points, trailed closely by Jason Woodley & Scott Whitney on Risk (24 points). Five races were held. Complete results
14 Mar 2011 - Winter Newsletter Members should have received the Winter edition of the J/105 newsletter via e-mail. It is also posted on the Newsletter page.
08 Mar 2011 - Inspection Checklist A revised Inspection Checklist is now available. This document is a valuable tool for Class Measurers and all J/105 owners. To view, visit the Measurer Resources page.
24 Feb 2011 - Wings Wins SDYC One-Design Weekend Over the Valentine's Day weekend, San Diego YC held their one-design weekend for J/105s and other classes. A very competitive fleet of J/105s turned out for the event. While the Cases were not sailing their boat, Jim Dorsey took over Wings and dominated the fleet with straight bullets for a total of 3 points. Second was Chuck Driscoll on Blow Boat getting an equally impressive record of three seconds for 6 points. Behind these two was a battle for third place. Going into the last race it was wide open for the top five. Getting the better of the group was Mark Mitchell on Straight Edge with a 7-4-3 record for 14 points to grab third overall. Lying fourth after the fight was Rick Goebel on Sanity with a 3-6-9 record for 18 points and fifth was the Majemik/O'Connell team on Speedplay with a 6-9-4 record for 19 points. Complete results
16 Feb 2011 - Bermuda International Invitational Race Week International J/105 skippers interested in competing in the Bermuda International Invitational Race Week should contact the J/105 BIIRW representative Chuck Millican at 505@ibl.bm. The event will feature a J/105 class for three days of fleet racing from May 1-3 at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.
Event website
14 Feb 2011 - SDYC One-Design Weekend At the San Diego Yacht Club's One-Design Weekend, 12 J/105s competed over three races. Jim Dorsey racing Wings won all 3 matches, followed by Mark Mitchell on Straight Edge and Chuck Driscoll on Blow Boat. Complete results
03 Feb 2011 - Single Handed Sailing Society's annual 3 Bridge Fiasco In the J/105 One-Design Division 19 class, Rich Pipkin sailed Racer X to first in class and fifth keelboat overall out of 267 boats. Just behind him was Doug Bailey's Akulain second and 10th keelboat overall. Third was Richard Butts in Melilani, fourth Richard Craig in Lightwave and fifth Adam Spiegel in Jam Session. Singlehanded Sailing Society website
03 Feb 2011 - Minutes posted. Minutes from the 1/26/11 Executive Committee meeting are posted. Class Business page
01 Feb 2011 - Rules updates online The updated Class Rules and Key Rules are now available online for viewing under the "Racing" link at left (then click "Rules"). You can also review the Rule Submissions for February 2011 on the same page under the "Links" section. This document is the second one under that section (History of the rule changes).
26 Jan 2011 - Key West Race Week race replays Take a look back at each J/105 race from Key West Race Week through the Kattack tracking system.
21 Jan 2011 - Savasana 3-Peats as Key West Race Week Winner Brian Keane of Weston, MA sailing Savasana is the 2011 J/105 Midwinter Champion and winner of Key West Race Week for the third consecutive year. The fleet completed 10 races, and Savasana was the victor in six of those--including the final three of the regatta. The team finished with just 26 points. Damian Emery on Eclipse is the runner-up with 41 points, followed by Adam Rosen/Jeff Marks on Wasabi (55 points). 14 J/105s raced the week-long event. Complete results
20 Jan 2011 - Key West Race Week - Day 4 Brian Keane on Savasana held onto the lead in the J/105 fleet, as two more races are in the books at Key West Race Week. With solid finishes of 2, 4 on Thursday, Keane goes into the final day of racing with 23 points--seven ahead of second-place Damian Emery on Eclipse. Gerrit Schulze on Max Power moved into third overall with a bullet in the day's second race, and lies with 35 points. Eclipse won Thursday's first race. Competition concludes Friday, when the J/105 Midwinter Championship will be determined. Remember to follow live racing and/or view all previous races through the Kattack tracking system link below. Complete results
20 Jan 2011 - Finding Room to Breathe Fanatical devotion to keeping clear air at all times has propelled Brian Keane's Savasana team to the top of the J/105 class and earned Boat of the Day honors. Sailing World article
19 Jan 2011 - Key West Race Week - Day 3 With light winds, only one race was completed on day 3 of Key West Race Week. Brian Keane on Savasana stayed hot winning his second race in a row. He now leads the 14-boat J/105 fleet with 17 points. Adam Rosen & Jeff Marks on Wasabi continued their solid performance with a third-place finish today, putting them in second overall with 21 points. Damian Emery on Eclipse is just a tick behind with 22 points. Racing continues through Friday, and remember to watch live racing through the Kattack link below. Complete results
18 Jan 2011 - Key West Race Week - Day 2 Tom Coates on Masquerade is hanging onto his lead by just one point after day 2 of competition at Key West Race Week. And the top four boats are only separated by one point each. Following Coates are Brian Keane on Savasana in second (16 points), Damian Emery on Eclipse in third (17) and Adam Rosen/Jeff Marks on Wasabi (18). Eclipse was the victor in today's first race, and Savasana the second race winner for Tuesday. Racing continues through Friday, and be sure to watch live action through the Kattack tracking system (link in news story below this). Complete results
18 Jan 2011 - Thank you to J/105 competitor Travis Weisleder on Lucky Dog for being a sponsor of the J/105 meet-and-greet on Monday evening at Key West Race Week. Travis is also the owner of Layline and presented each owner with a specially embroidered Henri Lloyd jacket. Be sure to support those who support our Class. Layline website
18 Jan 2011 - Follow live racing at Key West Race Week through the Kattack tracking system.
17 Jan 2011 - Key West Race Week - Day1 With a prediction of storms that never materialized, 14 J/105s kicked off Key West Race Week by completing two races. Tom Coates from San Francisco, CA on Masquerade returned to the evnt with a bang--scoring a 2, 1 to lead the fleet with 3 points total. Floridians Adam Rosen and Jeff Marks on Wasabi lie second with 6 points, followed closely by recent Key West winner Brian Keane on Savasana (7 points) from Weston, MA. Winds started around 12 knots with waves chopping 3-5 feet. The breeze lightened throughout the days and shifted often as skies cleared. Racing continues through Friday. Complete results and regatta information
15 Jan 2011 - Key West Race Week starts Monday 14 J/105s begin a week of competition on Monday at Key West Race Week. Conditions are pristine as the teams prepare over the weekend--breeze, sunshine and temperatures around 70 degrees. Follow live racing all week through the Kattack tracking system.
13 Jan 2011 - Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race The 36th Annual Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race was another classic, fast race; taking advantage of a strong front blowing east over the Bahamas Banks leaving in its wake a strong NNE wind flow. David Bond's J/105 Loki made the most of it to win PHRF A and 4th in PHRF Fleet Overall. Started on Wednesday, January 12, the international fleet of 29 boats had teams hailing from Hong Kong, Greece, the Netherlands, Canada, and several states outside of Florida. The early indicators were for a powerful cold front to wash over Florida and leave trailing in its wake a powerful Northeaster of 20-25 knots blowing the fleet down around the Keys to Key West. It was not to be. Dawn on Wednesday greeted the fleet with a beautiful NNE breeze that slowly clocked Eastward in the 10-15 knot range and built back up again towards Wednesday night/Thursday morning for a fast dash into Key West. While the big boats finished the course in just over 11 hours, well shy of the 10 hour record, the middle of the fleet benefitted from solid breeze and better wind angles to take all top overall spots. As expected, most of the fleet hugged the Florida coastline and the Keys to stay out of the fast-flowing, northbound Gulf Stream current. Hot gybing angles were the rule of the day and those who played them smartly did well. Event website
12 Jan 2011 - Charleston Race Week Race organizers for the South's biggest multiclass keelboat regatta have the kind of problem everyone wishes they had: there are more boats registering for 2011 Charleston Race Week than anyone expected! This year's event runs from April 14-17. The deadline for the early registration discount is January 31. Register on the event website.
12 Jan 2011 - St. Pete NOOD approaching It's not too late to plan J/105 racing for this winter! The St. Pete NOOD will be held at the St. Pete Yacht Club in St. Petersburg, FL from February 18-20. Classes shall meet eligibility requirements no later than February 7, and entries will be subject to a late fee of $50 if received or paid after January 31 at 5 p.m. EST. St. Pete NOOD website
09 Jan 2011 - SDYC New Year's Day Regatta Dennis and Sharon Case racing their J/105 Wings won their division at the San Diego Yacht Club's New Year's Day Regatta. 17 boats competed in this division, including J/80s, Etchells, Olson 34s and Col 50s. Complete results
28 Dec 2010 - 2011 Miami Grand Prix announcement After very careful review, Premiere Racing has determined that it is in the best interest of the event and prospective competitors to have a one year hiatus with their Miami Grand Prix regatta. Announcement
27 Dec 2010 - 2011 J/105 calendars Are you ready to change your calendar to 2011 on Saturday? You can still receive your 2011 J/105 calendars for the new year by ordering from the merchandise page.
22 Dec 2010 - Fall Newsletter Members should have received the Fall edition of the J/105 newsletter via e-mail. It is also posted on the Newsletter page.
21 Dec 2010 - Big Changes, Big Names and Big Classes at Charleston Race Week For regatta changes and deadlines (resort discount available for only 2 more weeks) at Charleston Race Week, please visit the event website.
14 Dec 2010 - 2010 Sails It's not too late to buy sails and have them count against your 2010 quota. Most of the major sailmakers are offering discounts ranging from 10%-20%. The Fleet 6 website recently has published interviews with the leading class development experts at North, Ullman, Quantum, and Doyle. UK coming soon. Fleet 6 website
09 Dec 2010 - Key West Race Week deadline approaching The entry deadline is 1700, December 17, 2010. A completed entry (form or online), a signed waiver form and the entry fee must be received by Premiere Racing by December 17, 2010 to avoid the late fee of $200. No entries will be accepted after December 30, 2010 without an additional surcharge. Entry acknowledgment will be sent to valid entrants shortly after entry receipt. Premiere Racing website
09 Dec 2010 - J/105 calendars Check a few friends and family off your holiday shopping list by purchasing the 2011 J/105 calendars on the merchandise page.
07 Dec 2010 - Garmin Hamble Winter Series 2010 - Weekend 8 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. Vernon Bradley's J/105 Jackpot in IRC2 took her first win of the series. Complete article and results
03 Dec 2010 - Garmin Hamble Winter Series 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 the one-design victory. In the fray are Jackpot sailed by Vernon Bradley in 7th, Jos of Hamble skippered by Professor Roger Williams in 8th, Journeymaker5 sailed by Chris Jones in 9th and Jolene with Ivan and Peter Trotman leading the charge lying 10th. Garmin Hamble Winter Series website
25 Nov 2010 - Hot Rum Series The SDYC PRO had to keep the fleets around the inner San Diego Harbor for last weekend's continuation of the Hot Rum Series. After two races, the J/105s again proved they're hard to beat in these "pursuit-style" races, where the slowest start first and the fastest last. First boat across wins. By virtue of where they start, the J/105s often get launched on the rest of the fleet, and this is reflected in their consistent placings near the top of the fleet. The J/105s are 3rd, 5th, 7th and 11th. Leading the J/105s in Class 3 is Wings sailed by Dennis and Sharon Case. Second is Dave Vieregg's Triple Play, and third Blink! sailed by Steve and Lucy Howell. Regatta information
23 Nov 2010 - HYC Turkey Day The Houston Yacht Club's annual Turkey Regatta was host to some 37 boats. Only 3 of Fleet 17's J/105s showed up but that was enough for a class. The Chamber of Commerce weather provided a wonderful backdrop for some very close racing. Malcolm Bremer on Babe easily took first with five bullets. Bee Bednar on Stinger held off Alan Bates on Zippty to take second.
Houston Yacht Club website
22 Nov 2010 - Bacardi National Keelboat Championship in Bermuda The Bacardi National Keelboat Championship was completed this weekend for the J/105 class. The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club was the host club for the annual Bermuda Sailing Association (BSA) event. Winds eased throughout the day on Saturday forcing the sailors to continue to change gears and adjust equipment to deal with the constantly changing conditions. Defending National Champion Jon Corless and the crew of Mayhem prevailed by a slim margin and were re-crowned National Champions. Sailing with Corless were Jen Quinn, Rebecca Roberts, Craig Scott, Jeff Roach and Jordan Smith. All six of Bermuda's fleet of J/105s made it out to the Great Sound. Mayhem edged out her nearest rivals by two points, leaving a tie-breaker to determine second place. James Macdonald's Passion ended up taking second while Chuck Millican and his crew onboard Elusive were third. Fleet 21 website
19 Nov 2010 - Congratulations Team it Sail Magazine announced the winner of the Best Around the Buoys Contest, and the recipient is J/105 Team it - Jim Sminchak from Cleveland, OH. Congratulations!
Announcement and details
18 Nov 2010 - 2011 J/105 calendars Give thanks to your 2010 crew and supporters from by giving them a 2011 J/105 calendar! Merchandise page
18 Nov 2010 - Interview with J/105 Class President Bernie Girod Fleet 6 conducted an interview with J/105 Class President Bernie Girod. Read it on the Fleet 6 website.
11 Nov 2010 - San Diego Hot Rum Series The first weekend of the four weekend Hot Rum Series, hosted by San Diego YC, began last weekend. Class III was dominated by J/105s with Steve and Lucy Howell's Blink!, Bill Logan's Pholly, and Rick Goebel's Sanity in the top three spots.
Regatta information
09 Nov 2010 - 2011 J/105 calendars Introducing the fifth J/105 wall calendar (and the 2011 regatta schedule along with it). This high-gloss calendar measures 11" wide and hangs 17" tall. Each month includes a unique, dynamic, and full color photo from this sailing season. Photography has been contributed by professionals Allen Clark, Scott Diamond, Leighton O'Connor, Heike Schwab, and Tim Wilkes. Treat your entire crew for the holidays. Merchandise page
03 Nov 2010 - J/105 Chesapeake Bay Championship Twenty J/105s completed five races at the Chesapeake Bay Championship over Halloween weekend. Frederik Salvesen & Cedric Lewis on Mirage with 8 points took the top spot, trailed by Carl & Scott Gitchell on Tenacious (25 points) and Chris & Carolyn Groobey (26 points). Complete results
03 Nov 2010 - Annapolis Yacht Club Fall Series Strong winds and a revised format highlighted the Annapolis Yacht Club Fall Series, which concluded in October. The J/105s welcomed 19 boats. In first was Jim Konigsberg on Inigo (18 points), followed by Will Tate on The Auction Block (20.5) and Carl & Scott Gitchell on Tenacious (24). "It was an interesting series this year because of the changes. A lot of the sailors had been pushing for a distance race and that was certainly a nice addition," said Konigsberg. "I think everyone came away happy because the wind has been fantastic this fall and we were able to get in some very good racing during the series." Complete article
01 Nov 2010 - Minutes posted Minutes from the 10/22/10 Annual Meeting are now posted. Class Business page
24 Oct 2010 - Eclipse Wins Manhasset Bay Fall Series It only took one race on the final day of the season to decide the champion of the Manhasset Bay Fall Series. Sailing in a fresh easterly breeze, Damian Emery's Eclipse picked off Planet Claire on the second weather leg and Jaded on the final downwind leg to capture victory in both the race and the series. There was still another race to sail, but with Eclipse holding a throwout of 5 points, the win gave it all the margin it needed to assure first place in the Fall championship. Then, almost as if performing a victory lap (or two), Eclipse went on to comfortably win the eighth and final race of the series--leading from the favored pin end all of the way to the finish. The regatta completed an exceptional season for Emery, who entered more East Coast J/105 events than any other boat and who won four of them: Cedar Point, Block Island, the West Passage Regatta and the J/105 East Coast Championships in Newport. Second place for the Manhasset Fall Series went to Kinscem, sailed by Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes. Third went to Josh Burak on Peregrina; fourth to 2009 winner Kevin Granger on Gumption, and fifth to Paul Strauch on Andiamo. Eleven J/105s participated in the event, but the competition was tight as the entrants were all among the area's top performers in 2010. Complete results
22 Oct 2010 - J/Fest Southwest The first J/Fest Southwest took place on Galveston Bay last weekend, hosted by Lakewood Yacht Club. On Saturday, the fleet awoke to a beautiful, sunny, crisp fall morning with a light northerly. By afternoon, the sea breeze filled in for some great racing on Galveston Bay. Sunday, a similar scenario played out for the weather. Special J/Fest guest Rod Johnstone was brought aboard Scott Spurlin's J/105 Ragtime-JTeez. Winning the J/105s was Bill Zartler from Lakewood Yacht Club sailing Solaris to straight firsts after five races. Scott and Rod managed to sail well to finish second--10 points back with a 3-2-2-5-3 score. Giving them a run for the money was Matt Arno from Fort Worth Boat Club sailing Blue Flash into third with a 2-5-3-2-5 record. Lakewood Yacht Club website
13 Oct 2010 - BBVA Compass Bank Regatta The Galveston Bay Cruising Association (GBCA) held its annual BBVA Compass Bank Regatta. Five J/105s competed in light to moderate winds and beautiful Chamber of Commerce weather. Bill Zartler on Solaris took first with five bullets, Bee Bednar on Stinger took second, and Malcolm Bremer on Babe got the tie breaker for third. Except for the spectacular show put on by Solaris, the racing was extremely close. Galveston Bay Cruising Association website
12 Oct 2010 - Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta Teams from 30 schools competed at the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta at Larchmont Yacht Club in NY from October 9-10, including 11 J/105s. In the top spot was SUMMA at KP/Damian Emery on Eclipse with 16 points. Following them were Bowdoin/Dr. Carl Olsson on Morning Glory (20 points) and Coast Guard/Kevin Grainger on Gumption (21 points). Six races were completed. Complete results
10 Oct 2010 - American YC Fall Series The American YC Fall Series concluded with some strong breezes and waves. For the one-design classes, the two-weekend event was especially challenging as tight fleet racing often brought about large changes in positions at each mark rounding. In the 20-boat J/105 Class, Joerg Esdorn's Kincsem won with Damian Emery's Eclipse in second. Lying third was a good performance by Paul Strauch's Andiamo.
Complete results
08 Oct 2010 - Summer Newsletter Members should have received the Summer edition of the J/105 newsletter via e-mail. It is also posted in the Members area of this website. Newsletter page
01 Oct 2010 - Maycroft Cup Sag Harbor Yacht Club's annual regatta, the Maycroft Cup was raced September 25 in and around Shelter Island Sound and Gardiners Bay. Twenty-three sailboats competing in six divisions came to the starting line in the yacht club's 14th annual regatta. Starting against the Shelter Island shore with winds blowing 8 to 15 knots from the Southwest, all classes sailed around marks set in Shelter Island Sound, then raced past Cedar Point into Gardiner's Bay. Division 5 sailed to Crow Shoals. Against an ebbing tide, all divisions then returned past Cedar Point Light back into Shelter Island Sound through the South channel, finishing at the Sag Harbor Breakwater. Wayne Morse, a Sag Harbor YC member took line honors in One Design Division 5 on his J/105 Roxanne. Complete article
30 Sep 2010 - J/Fest Newport Beach Balboa Yacht Club in Newport Beach played host to this year's J/Fest Newport Beach. Mark Wyland's Lucky Star was top J/105 with a strong score of nine points. Chuck Spear's Twelve Bar Blues followed with 11 points. The Aquabella crew skippered by Dan McGanty managed 18 points to just beat rivals Off The Porch for the bronze. Balboa Yacht Club website
30 Sep 2010 - AYC Fall Series In the 20-boat J/105 fleet, the leaders emerged with just two points separating Joerg Esdorn's Kincsem in first from Damian Emery's Eclipse. Lying third is Paul Strauch's Andiamo. Racing began on September 25-26 with 6 races in the J/105 fleet, and continues on October 2-3. American Yacht Club Fall Regatta
30 Sep 2010 - Sealark is CYA's J/105 Boat of the Year Clark Pellet and the crew of Sealark wins top honors in this coveted cumulative season series with a season score of 29. Fleet 5 website
29 Sep 2010 - Key West Race Week 2011 - Getting Closer Make your plans for winter's first and best in beautiful Key West. Join IRC, One Design, PHRF, and Multihull sailors from across the country and around the world. Just a few days until October 1 and the opportunity for early entry savings. Race dates are January 17-21. Premiere Racing website
27 Sep 2010 - Planet B wins the 2010 J/105 Fleet 4 Championship Planet B won the 2010 Lake Ontario Fleet 4 J/105 Championship by a single point over Jamaica Me Crazy. Hey Jude, Sonic Boom and Thunderstruck round up the top 5 boats for this year's Championship. Planet B is skippered by Robert Baker, Stuart Kilpatrick (tactics and foredeck), Jamie Bateman (pit), Barry McSherry (main), Graham Hicks (trim) and Manuel Meneses (spinnaker). Alternates for these year were Alan Jones and Lori McKee. Fleet 4 report and results
26 Sep 2010 - Hospice Cup Light air and strong current proved challenging for the competitors in Hospice Cup XXIX on Saturday in Annapolis, MD. The J/105 Fleet welcomed 7 boats, and sailed two relatively short windward-leeward races. The Hospice Cup, awarded for consistent high performance in three consecutive Hospice Cup Regattas - and the accompanying invitation to compete in next year's National Hospice Regattas Championship - went to Cedric Lewis and Mirage, winners of the highly competitive J/105 class. Sailing with Lewis were Fredrik and Missy Salvesen, Molly Wilmer, Vernon Sheen, and Greg Larcher. The team also won the Sajak Family Foundation Trophy, for best performance in a Cruising One Design class. Following Lewis (3 points) were Carl and Scott Gitchell on Tenacious (4 points) and Jay Corcoran on Hiawatha (5 points). Event website and results
19 Sep 2010 - Rolex Big Boat Series Saint Francis Yacht Club hosted the Rolex Big Boat Series from September 16-19. The J/105s were well represented with 24 boats. Bruce Stone on Arbitrage topped the fleet with 27 points over seven races. Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk followed six points behind in second place. Jeff Littfin and John Case on Mojo round out the top three with 41 points. Complete results and event website
19 Sep 2010 - Don Wilson Triumphs at J/105 North American Championship Don Wilson on Convexity never gave up his hold on first place through four days and eight races at the J/105 North American Championship. Sailing with Nathan Hollerbach, Milosz Mogilnicki, Hans Pusch, Mauro Matias and Tod Reynolds at the Chicago Yacht Club, Wilson concluded the event with five bullets, two second-place finishes, and a ninth for a total score of 18 points. Following Convexity in the overall standings are David Wagner on Gigi (26 points) and Jim Rathbun on Hey Jude (35 points). Twenty boats competed. The regatta saw a wide variety of conditions, starting with strong winds up to 30 knots and large waves on day one, and concluding with a light day Sunday with breeze mostly 5-8 knots and flatter seas. As the event came to a close, local Clark Pellett won the day's first race, trailed by Rathbun's Hey Jude and Bernie Girod's Rock & Roll. In the closing match, Wagner's Gigi took the top spot, with Wilson's Convexity and Girod's Rock & Roll in second and third respectively. The top five overall all are: Don Wilson, Convexity (18 points), David Wagner, Gigi (26), Jim Rathbun, Hey Jude (35), Carter Williams, Creative Destruction (60), and Blane Shea, Striking (67). Complete results
18 Sep 2010 - North American Championship update Don Wilson on Convexity continues his commanding performance at the North American Championship in Chicago. With five first-place finishes and one second-place finish, the team has just 7 points going into the final day of racing. David Wagner on Gigi is in second overall with 21 points, followed by Jim Rathbun on Hey Jude with 29 points. Twenty J/105s are competing. Current results
16 Sep 2010 - North American Championship Day 1 Don Wilson on Convexity dominated day 1 of the J/105 North American Championship at Chicago Yacht Club with first-place finishes in each of the day's two races. Windy conditions greeted the 20 teams on Lake Michigan, with breeze ranging from 16-30. Following Convexity are James Rathbun on Hey Jude (6 points) in second, Blane Shea on Striking and David Wagner on Gigi (tied with 9 points). Racing continues through Sunday. Current results
15 Sep 2010 - J/105 North American Championship starts Thursday 20 J/105s are conducting their final preparations at the Chicago Yacht Club for this year's North American Championship. Racing starts Thursday and continues through Sunday. Check back often for race updates! And see photos/video from regatta headquarters on the J/105 Facebook page.
13 Sep 2010 - Larchmont NOOD The J/105s were mixing it up as usual, and when it was all said and done, Joerg Esdorn's Kincsem, eeked out the class win again with a single point to spare to Kevin Grainger's Gumption3. Kincsem's win is solid proof that consistency is no easy accomplishment in the J/105 class, no matter how long you've been at the helm. Damian Emery on Eclipse was a very close third with 27 points. 16 J/105s competed in the 6 races. Complete article and results
09 Sep 2010 - Key West Race Week savings Participants at Key West Race Week 2011 can save $100 if their entry is received by October 1! See additional discounts at the event website.
09 Sep 2010 - New Rules Interpretation posted RI-10-01 "Replacement of damaged or defective sails" has been posted. Go to Racing, then Rules Interpretations at left.
08 Sep 2010 - Annapolis Race Week Over Labor Day weekend, the 44th annual Annapolis Race Week was held on the Chesapeake Bay. In the 15-boat J/105 fleet, Jack Biddle on Rum Puppy led the pack with 21 points over 8 races. Carl & Scott Gitchell on Tenacious followed with 32 points. Chris & Carolyn Groobey on Java rounded out the top 3 with 37 points. Complete results
06 Sep 2010 - Java Team Gill regains J/105 National Championships at Dartmouth The J/105 Class's UK National Championships was held concurrently with the 166th Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta over 26-29 August. Local boats Mary Sturgess' Jaldi and David Sheehan/Peter Sandouni's Jacana welcomed the Solent fleet for the a series of 8 windward-leeward courses in the Western end of Start Bay, and a coastal race. Racing commenced in the traditional way for a bank holiday weekend with grey skies, rain and a blustery 12-20 kts from the northeast, and after a long day on the water, Class Captain Chris Jones in Journeymaker 5 showed the best form with 2 wins out of 3. Day 2 bought the coastal race, variously viewed as either an opportunity for a shorter day and an early return to the hospitality of RDYC, or an eccentric intrusion on the normally ordered world of the one-designs. Shifty and gusty conditions again from an unstable northerly airstream gave plenty of opportunities for gains and losses, but after almost 3 hours of racing James Heald in Flawless J took the gun by 3 seconds to Journeymaker 5, putting Journeymaker 5 in front of the series with only 4 points separating the top 4 boats for the start of Day 3. Saturday bought fine weather at last and an oscillating northwesterly 15-20 kts, which rewarded boats that found space to use the shifts. Lymington-based reigning National champion William Newton in Jellybaby found consistency with two 2nds, but was thwarted by an OCS in the last race. It was Hamble-based Warsash Spring Series and J Cup winners Rob Dornton-Duff's Java Team Gill, however, that found pace and took 3 wins and the series lead overnight. That evening the class hosted other Dartmouth Sailing Week J boat crews on a boat on the River Dart, for dinner and a prime viewing location for the regatta fireworks. Sunday dawned with similar conditions to the previous day and the top place still open. A 2nd place by Java Team Gill however sealed their win, and left Jellbaby, Flawless J and Journeymaker 5 to fight out 2nd and 3rd. A tightly fought final race between Java and Jellybaby gave Java Team Gill its 5th win of the series, Jellbaby overall runner up and Flawless J 3rd. Complete article and results
06 Sep 2010 - Diablo J wins the Cherbourg Race Nick Martin cleaned up in the 2010 RORC Cherbourg Race sailing his J/105 Diablo J with his Irish co-skipper Barry Hurley. Not only did they win the RORC trophy for the Two-Handed Division, but took home the Yacht Club de France trophy for IRC 2 and the Cherbourg trophy for IRC Overall. Complete article
02 Sep 2010 - New England Championship The PHRF New England Championship is one of New England's premiere sailing competitions and one of the largest, offshore East Coast sailing events of the entire 2010 season. The 21-boat J/105 one-design class were sailing their New England Championship. Leading the pack was Fred DeNapoli's Allegro Semplicita with a remarkably consistent score of 1-1-9-3-4-4 for 12.5 points. A group of five boats were vying for second place and after the smoke cleared, it was Matt Pike's Got Qi that wrestled themselves into second place followed by Peter Morgan's Steel Away in third, Mike Royer's Blown Away in fourth and the Brauer/Neff team aboard Scimitar in fifth.
Regatta website
01 Sep 2010 - JFest Southwest The first annual JFest Southwest will take place at Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook, TX from October 16-17. Crane facilities will be provided for easy in-and-out, and the J/105 Class will race one-design. There will be a team of on-the-water coaches available, and after Saturday's racing Bob Congdon will be presenting "How to Maximize Your Instrument Data." The presentation and discussion will focus on systems from simple speed, depth, and wind through advanced performance packages. A steak dinner will be offered on Saturday night (poolside) followed by a Steel Band. Lakewood Yacht Club website
01 Sep 2010 - CORK Offshore Regatta At the CORK Offshore Regatta in Kingston, Ontario from August 27-29, 12 J/105s were entered for the event which sailed 9 races. Peter Hall on Jamaica Me Crazy topped the fleet with 22 points. Following in second was David Shaver on Return (28) and then Stuart Kilpatrick on Planet B (31). Complete results
31 Aug 2010 - Sarcoma Cup Seventeen J/105s constituted the largest One-Design Class at the Sarcoma Cup at Berkeley YC from August 28-29. Five races were completed, and Adam Spiegel on Jam Session took the top spot (9 points), trailed by Bruce Stone on Arbitrage (14) and Phillip Laby/ Richard Pipkin on Racer X (19). Photo courtesy of Heike Schwab. Complete results
26 Aug 2010 - Affordable Key West Race Week Options Check out the link below for lots of information on affordable arrangements for Key West Race Week. Now is the time to plan! Key West Race Week 2011
23 Aug 2010 - Gary Mozer wins SoCal Championship with solid team After posting three first-place finishes in a row on Saturday, local favorite Gary Mozer's J/105 Current Obsession 2 hung on Sunday to take first place honours in the second annual J/105 SoCal Championship hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club and sponsored by Ullman Sails, North Sails, West Marine and JK3 Nautical Enterprises. Complete article and results
23 Aug 2010 - Sealark Wins Overall Verve Cup Shocked is the word to describe how Clark Pellet, owner of Sealark, looked upon realizing he'd not only won first place in the J/105 fleet, but also the prestigious honor of the Overall Verve Cup trophy. The Overall Verve Cup trophy is awarded to the winner of the most competitive fleet in the Verve Cup Offshore regatta, which was held at Chicago Yacht Club August 20-22. Complete article and results
17 Aug 2010 - San Francisco Yacht Club Summer Keelboat Regatta 15 J/105s raced for the San Francisco YC's Summer Keelboat Regatta in winds from 11-25 kt, with Adam Spiegel's Jam Session starting the regatta off with a pair of bullets before being gradually ground down by Bruce Stone's Arbitrage. Stone started with a 3-3 before putting up a 2-2 and finishing off with a bullet to win with 11 points. Second was Jam Session with 15, and third was Rolf Kaiser's Donkey Jack with 24 points. (Photo by Heike Schwab) San Francisco YC website
09 Aug 2010 - Eclipse Blasts Through Damian Emery's Eclipse blew away the competition in both the West Passage Regatta and the Narragansett Bay Championship series. Damian got the best of 10 other J/105s in the inaugural WPR with 12 points in the eight-regatta series. The weather cooperated with moderate (12-16 knot) breezes from the S and SW which allowed eight races to be sailed in two days. The second and third place boats for the WPR were Tonto (Fred Darlington, 18 points), and Power Play (Bruce Stone and Scott DeWeese, 24 points). For the three-regatta Narragansett Bay Championship, Eclipse had .913 to Kincsem's (Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes) .790 and Power Play's .746. There were 24 total participants in this series. You may view the West Passgae Regatta results at http://fleet14.j105.org/racing/results/WPRResults.pdf and the 2010 Narragansett Bay Championship Standings here.
05 Aug 2010 - Squan Tri-Sail Offshore Regatta Big boat sailors raced last weekend in the 31st annual Squan Tri-Sail regatta, sailed in the ocean outside of the Manasquan Inlet. Race divisions included a J/105 fleet, won by John Pearson on Red Sky (3 points). David Spence on Synergy followed with 7 points and Austin Fragomen on Warlock with 8 points. Four J/105s competed in 3 races. Complete results
04 Aug 2010 - Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race In the 81-mile Santa Barbara to King Harbor (Redondo Beach) Race raced last weekend, Charles Spear won the J/105 division aboard Twelve Bar Blues. Trailing him were Scott McDaniel racing Off the Porch and Mark Noble on Escapade. Complete results
04 Aug 2010 - Announcement from WCMR Committee on Postponement of 2010 Windy City Match Race Due to circumstances beyond our control, the organizing committee of the Windy City Match Race has made the difficult decision to postpone the 4th Windy City Match Race. The event, scheduled for September 10-12, 2010 in Chicago, will be rescheduled for Spring 2011. We hope that you understand how difficult this decision was for our committee and that it was not made lightly. We believe postponing the event is the fairest course of action for our competitors, our charity partners, our spectators, and our generous hosts, the Chicago Match Race Center (CMRC). An event in Spring 2011 will help us guarantee a successful event both on and off the water. We will announce the new date shortly. If you have any questions, please contact WCMR chairman, Bow Lingle at bow@windycitymatchrace.org.
03 Aug 2010 - Aldo Alessio Perpetual Trophy Regatta The Aldo Alessio Perpetual Trophy Regatta was held at the St Francis Yacht Club over the weekend. The J/105 fleet boasted 16 boats. Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk came in first, winning the tie-breaker over Bruce Stone on Arbitrage. After 4 races, each team scored 11 points. In third was Phillip Laby and Richard Pipkin on Racer X (14 points). Complete results
01 Aug 2010 - A Little Friendly Competition on the Water Read the The Sag Harbor Express coverage of the J/105 racing and fun happening at Breakwater Yacht Club here.
01 Aug 2010 - New England Solo Twin Nelson Weiderman and Jim Heagney won Class 1 of the New England Solo Twin aboard Kima, defeating 11 other boats in their class including two other J/105s, Dark & Stormy (winner in 2009) sailed by owner Michael LaChance and Eric Irwin and Jaded, sailed by Joe Cooper and Emmet Todd. The double-handed race took the entrants 94.1 miles around Block Island's R4, to Nomans Island's R2, to the Racon off Newport and finished at Castle Hill Light. The predictions were for light wind, but the wind kicked up and held throughout the night. The second place boat finished just 37 seconds behind on corrected time, and boats were still overlapped at the second mark after sailing 62 miles. The race started at noon on Friday, July 30 and finished in the early hours of Saturday morning. Final Results
29 Jul 2010 - Fiesta Cup Saturday had a slow start in light air but the breeze continued to build all day. Because of the fickle conditions off the yacht club, the whole course was moved up by the point were there was better wind. Steve Howell's Blink from San Diego YC had a great day in the J/105 Class with 8 points followed by 3 Santa Barbara boats with 10 points each. Not an ideal racing day but the RC did a great job of shifting marks with the shifts. By Sunday, after the breeze settled in, the standings flip-flopped with Blink taking a beating, getting a 7-8-6 to drop down to sixth overall. The locals ran the table, with the Santa Barbarians taking the top three positions on the podium. Last year's winner, Rasmussen's Free Enterprise nearly pulled off a repeat of last year's win. However, two sixths mid-series hurt Free Enterprise's chances (with a 4-1-6-6-1-2 record), losing by a point to Larry Harteck's Repeat Offender which managed to get a more consistent tally of 5-4-1-2-4-3 for 19 points. Third was J/105 Class President, Bernie Girod, sailing his well-traveled Rock & Roll to a 1-2-7-4-7-1 record, winning both first and last races to happily finish off a well-sailed series. Santa Barbara YC website
28 Jul 2010 - Level Regatta From July 24-25, the Youngstown (NY) Level Regatta fielded a fleet of 177 boats including six J/105s. After seven races, Peter Hall racing Jamaica Me Crazy won with 11 points, followed by Stuart Kilpatrick on Planet B (14 points), and Terry Michaelson on The Usual Suspects (21 points). Hall finished all races in the top three, including four bullets. Complete results
28 Jul 2010 - Women's Open Keelboat Championship Women's Open Keelboat Championship 2010 saw Louise Morton's Espada beat 16 other teams to win the event. It's the third time Louise has claimed the trophy, but this year the competition was hot on her heels. In a closely contested championship, Pip Hare came second, with Elaine (Elan 37), and in third was JOS of Hamble (J/105), skippered by Clemency Ives. Complete article
27 Jul 2010 - Race to Mackinac The 102nd running of the 333-mile Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac has wrapped up for the 17 J/105s regsitered. Mark Nichols on Certare finished in the top spot, followed by Clark Pellett on Sealark and Tomas & Gytis Petkus on Vytis. Event website and results
26 Jul 2010 - Marblehead NOOD Peter & Doug Morgan racing SteelAway III won the J/105 division at last weekend's Marblehead NOOD. The team finished with a total of 8 points over 5 races (one discard). In the battle for second and third place, Fred DeNapoli on Allegro Semplicita (15 points) edged out Kevin Colcord on Circe's Cup (16 points). 22 J/105s were registered. Complete results
23 Jul 2010 - Minutes posted. Minutes from the 7/13/10 Executive Committee meeting are posted. Class Business page
20 Jul 2010 - Pure Michigan Bayview Mackinac Race A total of 206 sailboats in 22 classes raced in the 2010 Pure Michigan Bayview Mackinac Race, starting from Port Huron, MI on July 17 under blue skies and a light 12 knot breeze and ending with a rainstorm and 20-knot gusts on Saturday in Lake Huron. Six J/105s raced, with Matt Haglund on Rampage leading the fleet, followed by Brian Smith on Sorcery. Results
20 Jul 2010 - New York Yacht Club Race Week The first half of the biennial New York Yacht Club Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex, has finished up for seven classes, and has also concluded for five more one-design classes that have been racing since Saturday. The catch, however, was that the finla day's first race had to be abandoned and then competition cancelled when severe thunderstorms passed over Rhode Island Sound, leaving winners to be determined by cumulative standings posted Sunday. The circumstances left J/105 skipper Damian Emery (Shoreham, NY), sailing Eclipse in the largest class here (20 boats), very happy. He is now the 2010 J/105 East Coast Champion, a title he also won in 2008 at this regatta, coincidentally under similar circumstances when a storm aborted racing on the last day. "The difference was that then, we shredded all of our sails because we didn't get them down fast enough," said Emery at the early afternoon Rolex Awards Ceremony where the sky had returned to sunny blue. "This time, we could see the front coming through and we were the first to drop our sails." According to Robin Wallace, the principal race officer for the White Course, where the J/105s and the Beneteau First 36.7s sailed, "It had looked as if the initial storm cell would track north of the course, but then a knuckle developed right across the sailing area, with heavy, heavy rain and winds up to 27 knots." Since the Race Committee had forewarned everyone to keep their radios on, both fleets--which by then were approaching the first leeward mark on a twice-around course--knew to change course for home. Eclipse's tactician Dan Neff (Manhasset, NY) explained that his team only needed an eighth or better in both races to win. "Based on our previous performance (victories in four of six races), we felt reasonably comfortable that we'd do that," said Neff, "but the stress was still on." Joerg Esdorn's (Katonah, NY) Kincsem, which finished second overall, "was capable of posting two bullets if we weren't there." Following Eclipse (11 points) and Kincsem (25) was Brian Keane on Savasana (Weston, MA) with 29 points. Six races were completed. (Photo courtesy of Dan Nerney) Complete information and results
18 Jul 2010 - Red Grant Regatta The 2010 Red Grant Regatta was a huge success. Thousands of dollars were raised for New Jersey Hospices. Eight J/105s registed for the July 10-11 regatta, with John Pearson taking the top spot on Red Sky with 6 points. Paul Zajac on Skal came in second (7 points), and Marcus Wunderlich on Stratos third (11 points). Three races were completed. Event website
15 Jul 2010 - San Diego YC One Design Weekend 12 J/105s competed in last weekend's One Design event at San Diego Yacht Club. Dennis & Sharon Case racing Wings took the top spot with 4 points. They were trailed closely by Doug & Pam Warner on Javelin (5 points), then Mark Mitchell on Straight Edge (7 points). Two races were completed. Complete results
14 Jul 2010 - Deadlines for 2010 J/105 North American Championship This year's biggest J/105 event--the North American Championship--hits Chicago from September 13-19. Please make note of the following deadlines! Eligible boats may enter by completing the Entry Form available on the Chicago Yacht Club website at www.chicagoyachtclub.com or at www.yachtscoring.com and paying the required fee(s) to Chicago Yacht Club, 400 E. Monroe, Chicago, IL 60603. The entry closing date is 2300 hrs on Friday, August 20. A copy of the boat's weight certificate, the list of sails and sail tag numbers that will be used in the regatta, the crew list and the Proof of Insurance must be submitted in writing prior to 1800 hrs on September 6 in order for an entry to be complete and to avoid a late processing charge of $100. Late entries will be accepted until 1800 hrs on September 13 under the following conditions: Completion of the Entry Form and its delivery along with payment of the entry fee and the late registration entry fee together with all required documentation, including but not limited to a copy of the boat's weight certificate, the list of sails and sail tag numbers that will be used in the regatta, the crew list and the Proof of Insurance. Entries will not be accepted after September 13. Regatta website
12 Jul 2010 - Coastal Living Newport Regatta Bruce Stone & Scott DeWeese on Power Play defeated 13 other J/105s at the Coastal Living Newport Regatta last weekend. The team scored 4 points over 2 races. Chris and Carolyn Groobey on Java took the silver position with 5 points. Nelson Weiderman racing Kima came in third--in a 9-point tie with Harald Edegran and Jeremy Henderson (Conundrum) and Duncan Hennes and Joerg Esdorn (Kincsem). Complete results
06 Jul 2010 - 2010 Windy City Match Race Scheduled September 11-12 New things come in threes for the 2010 Windy City Match Race (WCMR), an annual charity event scheduled for September 11-12 in Chicago: a new boat, a new organizing authority and new charity partners. For the first time, the charity sailing event whose mission is Chicago sailing helping youth, will sail in J/105s. WCMR will serve as a terrific tune-up opportunity for those competitors planning to participate in the J/105 North American Championship, scheduled for September 1319 and also in Chicago. Chicago Match Race Center will serve as the event's organizing authority; and requests for invitation are currently being accepted for the ISAF Grade 3 event. Interested participants should contact Sarah Renz at srenz@experient.com. Please note--all boats need to be supplied to the competitors, but charter boats are available. The two new charity beneficiaries are both Chicago-based organizations. The first, Jobs for Youth, helps young men and women from low-income families become part of the mainstream. The second, Near North Health Services Corporation, is one of the largest community health centers in Chicago. Chief Umpire Steve Wrigley will oversee this year's WCMR, and racing will be held near the entrance to Belmont Harbor, with starts each day intended for 10 a.m. Shore-side activities will include post-racing briefings, umpire debriefs, awards ceremony and WCMR's silent auction. Website and NOR
06 Jul 2010 - Eastern Yacht Club Annual Regatta In Marblehead, MA, Eastern Yacht Club's Annual Regatta welcomed 10 J/105s on July 4. Laurie Willard on Shooting Star topped the fleet, trailed by Jim Flanagan on Achiever V and Charlie Garrard on Merlin.
Complete results
06 Jul 2010 - Shearwater Sailing Club Twilight Race There are some years when the annual Shearwater Sailing Club Twilight Race is a painfully slow drifter in sticky hot conditions. In other years, the regatta has been spoiled by the evening thunderstorms that tend to predominate during this time of the summer. Much to the delight of organizers and competitors alike, this year's Twilight Race featured the fabulous scenery and sailing conditions that make this one of the most fun and unique events on the Chesapeake Bay. Five J/105s competed. Chris & Carolyn Groobey racing Java came in first, followed by Donald Santa (Santas Reign Dear) and Michael O'Toole (Varmint). The Capital article
02 Jul 2010 - J/105 Featured in Sailing Magazine The July issue of Sailing Magazine provides an impressive look at the J/105 in its monthly feature 'Used Boat Notebook' by John Kretschmer. Read the Feature
30 Jun 2010 - NOOD Champs "Lose It" to Win It J/105 partners Scott Whitney and Jason Woodley keep their summer winning streak rolling at the San Francisco NOOD. Read the Sailing World article here.
30 Jun 2010 - Cleveland Race Week Cleveland Race Week's 30th year just finished on June 27 after 10 days of racing at Edgewater Yacht Club in Cleveland, OH. The first weekend was devoted to one-design racing. In the 4-boat J/105 fleet, Doug Moose & Jim Sminchak won the division with 13 points. Following It, was Joe Colling on Ja2 (17 points) and then Colin Mills on Wish (18 points). Seven races were completed. CRW's second weekend is referred to as the Offshore Division weekend. In PHRF F, Doug Moose & Jim Sminchak on J/105 It again took top honors. Five races were completed in this series. Results
28 Jun 2010 - HYC Leukemia Cup Light, consistent, but very shifty winds prevailed in brutally hot Texas conditions to provide some interesting tactical opportunities for four J/105s entered in the Houston Yacht Club's annual Leukemia Cup. Bee Bednar's Stinger managed to take the day with 6 points followed by Bill Lakenmacher's Radiance in second with 11, Malcolm Bremer's Babe in third with 16, and Alan Bates' Zippity in fourth with 18 points. Stinger also took class honors in the fleet's contributions. Fleet 17 contributed $3,330 to Leukemia and Lymphoma Research. Leukemia Cup website
27 Jun 2010 - San Francisco NOOD 12 J/105s competed at the San Francisco NOOD from June 26-27. Jason Woodley & Scott Whitney on Risk won the 5-race series with a total score of 11 points, including three bullets. Bruce Stone on Arbitrage followed in second (13 points), and in third was Adam Spiegel on Jam Session (17). The 2010 Sperry Top-Sider San Francisco NOOD marked the series' return to the Bay area after a six-year absence. Complete results
27 Jun 2010 - Long Beach Race Week Gary Mozer racing Current Obsession2 won Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week with 12 total points. Held from June 25-27, nine J/105s competed over seven races. Mozer and team finished first in five of the races, and never placed below fourth. Tricky conditions prevailed, with the moderate, shifting breeze from the south stirring a few whitecaps. In second place was Jeremy Davidson on Sanity (20 points); in third was Doug & Pam Werner on Javelin (27). Complete results
26 Jun 2010 - Block Island Race Week After five days and nine races, Damian Emery on Eclipse won the J/105 division at Block Island Race Week. Emery's team finished with 13 points in the 6-boat fleet. Following Emery were Carl Olsson on Morning Glory (20 points) and Andrew Kennedy on Bat IV (22). Complete results
24 Jun 2010 - J/Fest Northwest Eight races were completed over two days (June 19-20) in the waters off Shilshole Bay Marina, sponsored by Seattle J-Boats dealer Sailboats Northwest, with Corinthian Yacht Club running the racing and hosting post-race parties. Erik Kirsten's team sailing Jubilee were not only winners of the J/105 class, but got Top Performance Award for best regatta in biggest fleet at the event. Second was Petersen racing Last Tango and third was Pinkham's USAWI.
Website
22 Jun 2010 - Spring Newsletter Members should have received the Spring edition of the J/105 newsletter via e-mail recently. It is also posted in the Members area of this website. Newsletter page
16 Jun 2010 - Risk Wins J/105 Invitational at San Francisco Yacht Club Read the race report courtesy of Jason Woodley on Risk here.
13 Jun 2010 - NYYC Annual Regatta Known as the longest running regatta in America, the New York Yacht Club's 156th Annual Regatta presented by Rolex also has the distinction of kicking off the sailing season in New England. This past weekend, June 11-13, over 1,000 sailors on 111 boats gathered from across the U.S. and Europe for three days of racing on Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound. In the J/105 fleet, Michael Mountford on Live Edge came in first with 13 points, followed by Dudley Nostrand on Jaded (19 points) and Chris Beane on Vixen (20 points). Nine J/105s competed over 5 races. Event website and results
13 Jun 2010 - Chicago NOOD Donald Wilson and his team on Convexity dominated the 16-boat J/105 fleet at the Chicago NOOD. Finishing first in 4 of the 6 races, they scored just 15 total points. Following Convexity, Tomas Petkus on Vytis (26 points) edged out Dorin Candea sailing Messy Jessy (27 points) for the second and third positions. Complete results
11 Jun 2010 - Sprit Fest Regatta Breakwater Yacht Club in Sag Harbor, NY on the end of Long Island played host to yet another fun start for the summer sailing season. The J/105s saw Wayne Morse on Roxanne win with a 1-1-2-1-2 record over Bruce Tait's Buckaroo with a 2-2-4-2-1 score. Lying third was Sedgwick Ward's Mambo. Event website
09 Jun 2010 - Narragansett Bay Championship There are three exciting events being held in Rhode Island this summer with sponsorship from Samson, Waterline Systems, North Sails, West Marine, and Brewer Wickford Cove Marina. View the next 3 news topics below for information on each event. The top three boats in each event will win the newest hi-tech running rigging from Samson. Brewers is offering half-price haul-out and power wash, and deeply discounted dry storage. The cumulative winner will be crowned the Narragansett Bay Champion and receive a half-model, a valuable prize from West Marine, and a gift certificate for spare parts from Waterline Systems.
09 Jun 2010 - Coastal Living Sail Newport Regatta The first event of the Narragansett Bay Championship is the Coastal Living Sail Newport Regatta from July 10-11. Website
09 Jun 2010 - East Coast Championship at NYYC Race Week The second event of the Narragansett Bay Championship is the J/105 East Coast Championship at NYYC Race Week from July 17-19. If 25 or more J/105s enter, the winner will be awarded a Rolex watch. Website
09 Jun 2010 - West Passage Regatta The third event in the Narragansett Bay Championship is the West Passage Regatta at Wickford Yacht Club from August 7-8. North Sails is conducting a free on-the-water clinic for all comers at Wickford YC on Friday afternoon, August 6. On Saturday evening, August 7, a North Sails raffle will take place for a new Light Air VMG Spinnaker optimized for racing in lighter winds. Proceeds go to the Wickford YC Junior Program (must be present to win). Website
08 Jun 2010 - J-Cup 2010 at the Royal Southern Yacht Club Having already had two days of awesome racing at the J-Cup 2010, the 74-boat fleet were postponed ashore for a short time on Saturday until 10-12 knots of breeze filled in from the southeast. The J-Cup 2010 was hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club. The J-Cup series comprised eight races in total. Andy Dennis and his team on the J/105 Orijin travelled all the way from Helford to compete at the J-Cup 2010 and the final day of the regatta was their best, having got used to the Solent and working the boat on boat one-design racing to their advantage. If the regatta had been just a day longer, the top slots might have looked a little different, but in the end it was Hamble based Java, owned and raced by Rob Dornton-Duff who took the top slot, just a point ahead of William Newton's Jelly Baby in second place overall with Richard Watney's Jeopardy in third. Jeopardy also won the North Sails Boat of the Day prize on Saturday. Royal Southern Yacht Club website
07 Jun 2010 - 156th NYYC Annual Regatta this weekend This is the last chance to sign up for the 156th NYYC Annual Regatta this coming weekend. Weather is looking good! The event includes an Around-the-Island Race on Friday, June 11 and a 2-day event on Saturday/Sunday June 12-13. Entries close tonight. Website
06 Jun 2010 - Detroit NOOD Jim Sminchak racing It won the 7-boat J/105 fleet at the Detroit NOOD with 14 total points. The Ohio team scored 4 bullets over 6 races from June 4-6. Don Harthorn on Snake Oil finished second (17 points), followed by Mark Symonds on Pterodactyl (21 points). Complete results
04 Jun 2010 - Class Scale rental The J/105 Class Office will rent a Model S-10 scale to Class members and fleets to weigh their J/105s. It is a seven-day rental, and the $250 fee includes two-way shipping within the continental United States. (Reference the Racing link from the J/105 homepage to review the process of weighing and signing of weight certificates.) Upon your rental request, the Class Office will contact you to schedule the rental period. Merchandise page
03 Jun 2010 - Figawi Race The 39th Annual Figawi Race from Hyannis to Nantucket was held on May 29, which saw 15-20 knot southwest winds and a steep Nantucket Sound chop of 3-5 feet. In Division S-Sprit Boats, the J/105 Vixen skippered by Chris Beane placed first by just 1:40 over Wagner Reservitz's J/105 Dark'n'Stormy. Figawi website
21 May 2010 - Stone Cup Regatta Under grey skies and blustery winds, the St. Francis Yacht Club's Stone Cup event was held May 15-16. Typical San Francisco Bay weather greeted the Stone Cup sailors for two days of racing hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club. The Marine Layer that had been missing all year showed its presence over the weekend ensuring the fleets would have plenty of wind for racing. A strong flood tide provided flat water, and 15-25 mph of wind. The 16-boat J/105 class was missing local scratch boat Good Timin' but the competition was still fierce in this hotly contested one design class. Three different boats each won one of the four races held, but it was Adam Spiegel's Jam Session that came out on top. Bruce Stone's Arbitrage took second and Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk took third. Each of these two boats also won races individually with Blackhawk winning race 2 and 4 and Arbitrage winning race three. St. Francis Yacht Club website
17 May 2010 - Shoe Regatta The Lakewood Yacht Club, Banks Sails, Mount Gay Rum and Bay Access Inc. 28th annual Shoe Regatta was held the weekend of May 15-16 in Houston, TX. Heavy thunderstorms, wind and rain caused abandonment of Saturday's racing, while light air and high temperatures made for some brutal conditions on Sunday. Some 60 boats--including J/122, Melges 32, Viper 640, J/109, 1D35, Mumm 36, J/22, J/80, J/105 and various cruising class boats competed for shoes for each crew member. The J/105 class, along with a set of shoes, was won by Bill Zartler and crew on J-Teez with 5 points. Bee Bednar and crew on Stinger squeezed out a second with 7 points. Malcolm Bremer and crew on Babe finished third with 8 points. The most interesting race had all the 105s crossing the finish line within seconds of each other. Lakewood Yacht Club website
17 May 2010 - Seattle NOOD It was a busy weekend of racing in the Northwest as 14 races were completed at the Seattle NOOD. In the 7-boat J/105 fleet, Gerald Hirschler's Jaded edged out John Peterson's Last Tango by one point (28 points to 29 points). In third was Erik Kristen's Jubilee (42 points). Complete results
14 May 2010 - Cedar Point One-Design Regatta J/105 Fleet 6 invites you to attend the Cedar Point One-Design Regatta, part of their season series. Every year, this is a great event with good racing, solid RC work by an all-out racing club, lobster dinner, fun band, great trophies and just plain fun for two days. Many boats from Western Long Island Sound use it as a convenient stop-over point on the way up to Block Island Race Week, and CPYC is accommodating those wishing to do so at favorable dockage rates for the interim time. The event is June 5-6. CPYC put in a 5-ton hoist last summer which nicely launches 105s and can step masts as well, if anyone wants to come by land. Website
11 May 2010 - Irish skippers share top slots Irish skippers dominated the first two races of the brand new Coastal series for the Solo Offshore Racing Club, held on May 8-9. The races to Poole and back were specifically designed to attract new skippers and give the more experienced shorter races to hone their techniques early in the season. Irish skippers Paddy Cronin sailing Rod Knowles's J/105 Juliette and Peter Olden on his Archambault A35 Solan Goose of Hamble won the out and return races respectively with port hoist spinnakers the whole way to Poole and a beat from start to finish on the return. Complete article and results
05 May 2010 - AYC Spring Series Completion The AYC Spring Series concluded with a fairly light and streaky weekend of winds with sunny skies and warm weather. The American YC Race Committees and PROs provided the sailors with great racing in challenging conditions over the two weekends of sailing. The J/105 fleet continued its very competitive racing, where it all came down to the last day to determine who would be the top three on the leader-board. Despite the difficult conditions, Bruce Stone and Scott DeWeese's Power Play prevailed over their 17 competitors, winning by three points over Damian Emery's Eclipse. Redeeming themselves nicely after the first weekend were Kevin Grainger on Gumption 3, getting on to the podium for third overall with a late charge in the last four races. Harald Edegran and Jeremy Henderson on Conundrum started off well the first weekend, but the last two races hurt their chances to a podium finish to come in fourth. In fifth was George and Alex Wilbanks on Revelation. Website
03 May 2010 - San Diego YC's Yachting Cup The 15-boat J/105 fleet comprised the largest one-design fleet participating in Yachting Cup. Most of the fleet is from San Diego, and they take no prisoners when they play. Three different boats won races during the regatta, and Doug and Pam Werner's Javelin came out on top with 11 points. Everyone worked hard throughout the weekend, and Blow Boat moved into a solid second on Sunday. Sanity, Wings and Current Obsession finished 3rd, 4th and 5th with only four points separating them. Javelin is on a roll, as they also won the San Diego NOOD sailed in March. Complete article
02 May 2010 - Annapolis NOOD Regatta Peter McChesney from Annapolis Yacht Club dominated the 27-boat J/105 fleet at the Annapolis NOOD regatta from April 30-May 2. Scoring just 21 points over 8 races, he finished in the top 5 in every race including 3 bullets. James Rathbun of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club came in second with 42 points, followed by Jim Konigsberg of Annapolis Yacht Club with 47 points. Complete results
29 Apr 2010 - Not Mine wins Bermuda Race Week J/105 Class Not Mine skipper Allan Williams shared the glory of his fourth consecutive J/105 Class first place finish with co-skipper Glenn Astwood this week at Bermuda International Invitational Race Week. The duo won on a tiebreaker that put Chuck Millican's Elusive into second. Both boats finished with 8 points. After dropping a fourth place finish each, Not Mine had scores of 1,1,2,1,3 and Elusive scored 2,2,1,2,1. Not Mine wins with three firsts over two for Elusive. Third place in the five-boat class went to James MacDonald in Passion. Because of high winds early in the week the J/105s only sailed six of the nine scheduled races. Thursday and Friday were "No Race" days, so the competition ended there. Event website
28 Apr 2010 - Windy City Match Race The Chicago Match Race Center is hosting the Windy City Match Race from September 11-12. The website will be updated shortly with the NOR and other information. This event could be a tune-up for the North American Championship. Event website
27 Apr 2010 - Winter Newsletter Members should have received the Winter edition of the J/105 newsletter via e-mail recently. It is also posted in the Members area of this website. Newsletter page
27 Apr 2010 - Warsash Spring Series - Day 6 At 0830 when the committee boats left the Warsash Sailing Club pontoon for the final day of racing in the Warsash Spring Series, the day was grey and drizzly with poor visibility. It seemed very unlikely that the superb conditions of the Spring Championship the day before would be repeated but slowly, as the first start time approached, the rain died and by 1000 the south-westerly breeze was starting to fill. By midday, the Solent was basking in sunshine and the breeze was up to 15 knots--a perfect way to finish the country's premier early season racing event. The first three boats in the J/105 class had been separated by a single point so Rob Dornton Duff's second consecutive win in Java ahead of Journeymaker 5 (Chris Jones) was sufficient to take the series win. Paul Griffiths' Fay-J did not compete on the final day but finished third overall. Event website
26 Apr 2010 - AYC Spring Series 81 teams competed in the first weekend of the 2010 American Yacht Club Spring Series, with classes including one-design, IRC and PHRF. The series will conclude May 1-2. Damian Emery on Eclipse leads the J/105 division with 7 points, followed by Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes on Kincsem (9 points) and Harald Edegran/Jeremy Henderson on Conundrum (11 points). 17 J/105s competed. Results
26 Apr 2010 - Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race The J/105 Lucky Star, raced by Mark Wyland of American Legion Yacht Club, finished first out of 6 boats in the Sprit B Class of the Newport Ocean Sailing Association's 63rd Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race. Complete results
24 Apr 2010 - Minutes posted. Minutes from the 4/13/10 Executive Committee meeting are posted. Class Business page
15 Apr 2010 - J Fest West J/Fest sailors were greeted by stormier than normal weather and with breeze directions that were nowhere near the norm for San Francisco Bay. Here's an account of what it was like to race in the J/105 fleet from the winner, Bruce Stone, sailing his boat Arbitrage, "It rained and was cold and gusty, up to 25 knots, out of the southeast, so they put the starting line between Harding Rock Buoy near Angel Island and Alcatraz, and ran us to the south near Aquatic Park, a routing I have never done before, across the shipping lanes and across the tide...and the wind near the shore was in the 8-11 range so setting the rig tension was tricky. Needless to say it was our kind of cockamamie race. We had a good start, duked it out with 4-5 boats who also sailed well, and ultimately won the race. It rained quite hard toward the finish, the front went through and they sent us home. The wind died after we hit the dock!" In the 22-boat strong J/105s, it was a donnybrook as usual for the top five sailors. Who won was determined by the finish of the last "cockamamie" race with St. Francis YC's Arbitrage avoiding a bad race and just beating Tiburon's Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk, getting a first to Scooter's ninth. Stone's team won, beating Simmons by four points. Lying third was Phil Laby and Rick Pipkin's Racer-X from Alameda just two points back....again with a mathematical chance to win in the last race despite their 9th place in the third race. Website
13 Apr 2010 - 2010 J/105 North American Championship website and NOR Fleet 5 has gone live with their website and Notice of Race for the 2010 J/105 North American Championship at Chicago Yacht Club (September 13-19). You can link to the website directly through the logo at right, the countdown at left, the racing schedule page, and right here: Event website
13 Apr 2010 - Warsash Spring Series Week 4 Back after an Easter break, the Warsash Spring Series continued on April 11 with the entries topping 200. There were challenging conditions for Week 4 with the wind ranging between 9-14 knots. The general mean direction was from the northeast, but local conditions prevailed on the three separate race tracks. IRC3 and the combined J/105 and J/92 starts were subject to individual recalls. As the wind lightened towards the Island shore, rounding Prince Consort buoy against the tide caused a few problems and the fleet became very spread out. The J class was finished early at the last windward mark. Rob Dornton-Duff in Java ended a run of third places with the J/105 win. Things are extremely tight at the top of the leaderboard. Anyone who can put together two more good results over the remaining two weeks could change things dramatically. Complete results
11 Apr 2010 - Charleston Race Week Jackson Benvenutti racing Little Booty won the tie-breaker with Damian Emery on Eclipse to win the J/105 Fleet at Charleston Race Week (both with 12 points). Eight races were completed, and Little Booty won half of those. Bill Zartler on Solaris came in third (15 points). Six J/105s competed. Complete results
08 Apr 2010 - BVI Spring Regatta In Racing F-Racer/Cruiser, Julio Reguero from Puerto Rico sailing J/105 Umakua finished 3rd. Reguero was winning class until they got DSQ'd in race 6. The other J/105 Abracadabra, raced by another crew from Puerto Rico and Carlos Camachio finished 4th. Event website
05 Apr 2010 - 3rd Annual Mudhead Benefit Cup for Hospice Southeastern Connecticut The Mystic River Mudhead Sailing Association will hold its annual charity regatta July 17 on the waters of Fisher's Island Sound. The organizers are very interested in providing a first-class racing event for one-design classes. For more information, visit the website.
30 Mar 2010 - Warsash Spring Series - Day 3 The third week of Warsash Sailing Club's Spring Series saw the first south-westerly breeze of the season. The wind stayed true in direction with the strength varying from 10 to 14 knots, providing near ideal sailing conditions if still cold. The standings are tight in the J/105 class. Paul Griffiths helming Fay-J won his second race but is tied with Rob Dornton-Duff (Java) in the series just one point behind leader Chris Jones' Journeymaker 5. Roger Williams on Jos of Hamble won the first race of the series and is a further one point adrift overall. The Warsash Spring Series now takes a break for Easter and reconvenes on April 11. The final weekends of April 17-18th and 24-25th lead up to a grand finale with the addition of Saturday racing for the Spring Championship. New entries are welcome. Complete results
24 Mar 2010 - Challenging Conditions for Warsash Sailing Club's Spring Series The sunshine continued for the second week of Warsash Sailing Club's Spring Series on March 21, but in stark contrast to week one, the breeze was often elusive and tricky. The weather forecasts varied, with wind speeds ranging from 4-15 knots, but in the main agreed a north-westerly was due to back to the southwest or south. For the J/105s, there's a three-way tie for first place--Roger Williams on Jos of Hamble, Chris Jones on Journeymaker 5 and Rob Dornton-Duff on Java. The Warsash Spring Series runs on Sundays until April 25, with a break for Easter. New entries are welcome. Complete results
23 Mar 2010 - Puerto Rico Heineken International Regatta Puerto Rico Heineken International Regatta sailors from throughout the northern Caribbean converged at the new 162-slip full-service Palmas del Mar Yacht Club & Marina for the Puerto Rico Heineken International Regatta and Puerto Rico International Dinghy Regatta, held March 19-21. "The attendance has exceeded our expectations for an international regatta in Palmas," said regatta director, Angel Ayala. Forty-two racing boats, with skippers hailing from Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Thomas and St. Croix, the Dominican Republic, British Virgin Islands, and St. Maarten, sailed in six classes. Winds gusting to near 20 knots on the last day which followed two days of sunny skies, moderate chop and winds that rarely dipped below 10 knots made a fitting finale to the regatta and allowed several boats to shore up and solidify class wins. The Performance Cruising class saw Puerto Rico's Carlos Camacho, on his J/105, Abracadabra, finish in first with nothing lower than a first place. "Light winds are tough, but today we saw gusts to 18 knots, and they ran us on windward-leeward courses, which is what we like," says Camacho. Complete results
22 Mar 2010 - San Diego NOOD The Sperry Top-Sider San Diego NOOD regatta covered the county with 169 boats competing on four courses between Coronado and Mission Beach on March 19-21, with race management provided by San Diego Yacht Club and Mission Bay Yacht Club. The largest fleet was the J/105 with 18 teams dominated by Doug and Pam Werner and their crew onboard Javelin. The team scored bullets in races 1 through 4, and came in second in the final race for a total of just 6 points. Dennis and Sharon Case on Wings finished second overall with 20 points, followed by Gary Mozer on Current Obsession 2 (25 points). Complete results
15 Mar 2010 - Warsash Spring Series - Day 1 Glorious sunshine and a steady breeze made for a perfect first day of this year's Warsash Spring Series on March 14. The Black Group was comprised of four IRC classes plus one-design starts for J/109, J/105 and J/92. The committee boat set up station between East Bramble and Universal Marina buoys. IRC1 had a laid windward mark near Calshot cardinal buoy with windward/leeward legs cascading to a finish at West Knoll. The family of J/Boats in Black Group has increased this year by J/92s joining the J/105 start. In first for the J/105s is Roger Williams (Jos of Hamble). The Warsash Spring Series runs on Sundays until April 25, with a break for Easter. Warsash Sailing Club
13 Mar 2010 - Charleston Race Week Register for Charleston Race Week by Friday, March 19 to avoid the $150 late fee. Racing begins in less than a month. Remember to purchase your party passes for the weekend. Shoreside passes are available online for $60 each until Wednesday, March 31 only and will be available again onsite for $75. Check out the updated entertainment lineup online. Each pass includes full access to the event village for the entire weekend, including live entertainment, food and drinks. Event website
07 Mar 2010 - Survey Says Thank you to everyone who participated in our recent Member Survey. We had 133 responses. Of the most significant results related to national championships: nearly 70% feel that major regattas should end on a Sunday, 52% support three races per day, and more than 67% favor a throw-out race. Log-in to view complete results on the Class Business page.
25 Feb 2010 - Corinthian Midwinters Last weekend marked the final installment of the Corinthian Midwinters in San Francisco, and much like last month's, featured a wet day and a dry day. The rain held off on Saturday, and in its place was breeze reported to be in the 15- to 18-knot range. Sunday was wet, wet, wet. The winner in the J/105 division was Shannon Bonds on Donkey Jenny. Corinthian Yacht Club
23 Feb 2010 - Yanmar Service Manuals No owner should be without this essential reference whether you do your own maintenance or not. This manual explains the operation and maintenance requirements for all aspects of the Yanmar engine in plain English with lots of ilustrations. Order yours in the Merchandise section.
18 Feb 2010 - Narragansett Bay Championship Tour Fleet 14 (Southern New England) is pleased to announce the J/105 Narragansett Bay Championship Tour consisting of three closely-spaced regattas that typically draw competitors from Marblehead to Annapolis: Coastal Living Sail Newport (July 10-11), NYYC Rolex/J-105 East Coast Championship (July 17-19), Wickford Yacht Club West Passage Regatta (August 7-8). To make it easy for out-of-towners, Brewer Wickford Cove Marina, adjacent to Wickford Yacht Club, will haul, power wash and store visiting boats during the Tour at deeply discounted rates. During the West Passage Regatta, Sampson Rigging will award the top boats their choice of its newest hi-tech sheets and halyards, West Marine will spice up the Saturday night dinner with some exciting product giveaways, and Waterline Systems, the Portsmouth, RI-builder of the J/105, will award the overall Tour winner the J/105 Narragansett Bay Championship half-model perpetual trophy along with gift certificates for spare parts (anyone need new floorboards, some stanchions or a pushpit?). Along with these generous product contributions, North Sails will provide mark set boats during the West Passage Regatta as well as offering on-the-water coaching for all comers on Friday, August 6, followed by a debrief and welcome party at Wickford Yacht Club. Fleet 14 website
17 Feb 2010 - Rules updates online The updated Class Rules are now available online for viewing under the "Racing" link at left (then click "Rules"). This document is at the top of the page. You can also review the Rule Submissions for February 2010 on the same page under the "Links" section. This document is the second one under that section (History of the rule changes).
13 Feb 2010 - Regatta Coming The Lloyd Harbor YC and the Masthead Cove YC have announced the Race for the Case on Saturday and Sunday, May 22 and 23, in Centerport, NY. The Flyer
03 Feb 2010 - 2011 North American Championship J/105 Fleet 2 is proud to announce the dates for the 2011 North American Championship! The dates are August 10-14, hosted by Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Wednesday is reserved for measurement and a practice race, followed by racing from Thursday through Sunday. Ken Legler is confirmed at the PRO. Check back for more information throughout the year! Eastern Yacht Club website
28 Jan 2010 - CRW: Early Registration Discount Available for Only Four More Days Today's times require boat owners to squeeze as much fun out of every racing dollar they spend, and Charleston Race Week's staff works hard to help, including an early registration discount that expires this Sunday, January 31. Racers can take advantage of early registration and save $50 by going to the official registration page. The event has maintained entry fees at 2007 levels for three years now, and provides block discounts for hotels. Book a hotel room at Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina where all the festivities will be taking place and ensure a place to call home each night after the races and beach parties. Book now and use the CRW code, SCMARACE. Event website
27 Jan 2010 - Video from KWRW Friday action taken by the brother of a Melges 24 sailor.
26 Jan 2010 - Miami Grand Prix (March 47) Miami Grand Prix has had a competitive IRC 2 class in recent years. So far, one J/105 owner has committed to compete this year if Premiere Racing adjusts the lower end of the handicap range. After looking at VPPs, Premiere Racing will indeed be posting an NOR Amendment making that adjustment because the J/105 is close in speed to some of the boats that competed in IRC 2 last year. Those of you who are interested in racing at this superb venue, please submit your entry this week. With the event not quite six weeks away, it would be good for the event and potential entrants to now list those who will be competing in Miami Beach.
Event home page
23 Jan 2010 - Minutes posted. Minutes from the 1/12/10 Executive Committee meeting are posted. Class Business page
22 Jan 2010 - Key West Race Week - Final results Congratulations to Brian Keane and his Savasana team for their second Key West Race Week victory in as many years! After dominating racing all week, the team scored two bullets in Friday's races to close out the event with just 20 points in 10 races. Ken Colburn on Ghost took the silver position with 42 points, and Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk came in third with 46 points. Complete results and event website
22 Jan 2010 - St. Petersburg NOOD deadlines The class formation deadline is February 1, and each class needs a minimum of six boats for a class to remain eligible to race. The late fee starts January 25 at 5pm EST, which is a tagged-on $50 fee if you register or pay after this date and time. The last day to receive a refund or cancel your entry is February 8. Racing takes place February 12-14. Get signed up to race! Website
21 Jan 2010 - Key West Race Week - Day 4 Two more races are in the books, but the top 3 remain unchanged. Brian Keane on Savasana stretched his lead to 18 points as he looks to repeat as the Key West Race Week J/105 champion. Keane scored two second-place finishes on Thursday for a total score of 18 points heading into the final day. The battle for the second through fourth place positions heats up, as Ken Colburn on Ghost has 34 points, Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk has 35, and Damian Emery on Eclipse has 36. Teams have enjoyed beautiful Key West conditions and have completed each day's scheduled races. The regatta concludes Friday. Complete results and event website
20 Jan 2010 - Key West Race Week - Day 3 Brian Keane continues to thrive in the waters off Key West as he looks to repeat as J/105 champion. Steering Savasana to a first and a fourth on Wednesday, he has a 12-point lead over second-place Ken Colburn on Ghost (Keane with 14 points, and Colburn with 26). Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk holds the bronze position mid-way through the week (31 points). The other race winner of the day was Travis Weisleder on Lucky Dog. Six races are now complete, and racing contiunes through Friday.
20 Jan 2010 - Bermuda International Invitational Race Week The Notice of Race is now available for the 2010 Bermuda International Invitational Race Week here.
19 Jan 2010 - Key West Race Week - Day 2 Brian Keane on Savasana continued his dominance at Key West Race Week. As the 2009 winner, Keane remains on top this year after scoring a 4,2 on day 2 for 9 points total. Two races were again completed Tuesday with terrific conditions continuing--warm temperatures, sunshine, flat water and good breeze. Ken Colburn from Southport, ME leaped into second place with a solid day. Ghost scored a 2,3 which leaves them with 15 points. Patrick Eudy on Big Booty holds the third spot (17 points). The day's race winners were Bill Zartler on Solaris from TX and Damian Emery on Eclipse from NY, both with 24 points. Complete results and event website
18 Jan 2010 - Key West Race Week - Day 1 Brian Keane leading Savasana topped the first day of the annual championship. From Marion, MA, Savasana dominated the 14 teams with second- and first-place finishes to end the day with a mere 3 points. Following them are Patrick Eudy on Big Booty from Charleston, SC (6 points), and Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk from San Francisco, CA (8 points). Two races were completed in beautiful conditions--warm temperatures, winds in the 6-9 range and flat water. Competitors experienced unstable air and big wind shifts. The other race winner was Travis Weisleder on Lucky Dog from Fishing Bay, VA. He currently sits in fifth place with 11 points. Compete results and event website
14 Jan 2010 - Key West Race Week Racing starts Monday the 18th in Key West! Check here for daily updates, and note the event website.
07 Jan 2010 - Congratulations Mike Schiltz's Money Shot took one of the top two spots in 48 North Magazine and Harken's annual Pacific Northwest Top 25 Sailboats of 2009. Money Shot tied for first after dominating on the race course all year. During 2009, 10 major events were tracked, and the Top 25 list includes boats that sailed in at least four of those events. Money Shot won four events and had an equal number of class starts for an unbreakable tie!
07 Jan 2010 - Charleston Race Week Discounts Extended January 22 is the deadline for a 10% hotel discount added to the CRW group rate, and January 29 is the deadline for the early registration fee discount. Event website
23 Dec 2009 - New Year countdown It's almost 2010! Have you ordered your J/105 calendar? If not, go to the Merchandise link at left.
18 Dec 2009 - Don't Miss These Upcoming Deadlines for Charleston Race Week December 31, 2009 is the eadline for a 10% Hotel Discount Added to CRW Group Rate. You'll be glad to call the hotel "home" after the nightly beach parties! And January 29, 2010 is the deadline for the Early Registration Fee Discount. If you know you're coming, why pay more than you have to? Event website
08 Dec 2009 - Making a list, checking it twice Remember your fellow sailors this holiday season by purchasing a 2010 J/105 calendar. Makes a perfect gift for your skipper, crew, fleet members, family members, and yourself (of course!). Go to the Merchandise link at left to place your order.
03 Dec 2009 - Online registration is up for the St. Petersburg NOOD Go to the event website below, then click NOOD Regattas, then click St. Petersburg under the list of locations. Under the St. Petersburg Info Center, you will see Online Registration along with some other informative links. More information will be added over the next few weeks. The Notice of Race is located on the Regatta Info Center. Class formation deadline is February 1; each class needs a minimum of six boats for a class to remain eligible to race. The late fee starts January 25 at 5pm EST, which is a tagged on $50 fee if you register or pay after this date and time. Please keep this is mind when sending registrations by fax or mail. The last day to receive a refund or cancel your entry is February 8. Racing takes place February 12-14. Get signed up to race! Event website
02 Dec 2009 - Charleston Race Week Getting a jump on the holiday season, the Organizers of 2010 Charleston Race Week are pleased to announce that online registration for this event is now open for all competitors, with the Notice of Race available online. "We know that sailors are anxious to plan their winter and spring schedule as soon as they can," said Event Director Randy Draftz. "And with an expected 200 boats in town for 2010 Charleston Race Week on two busy inshore courses and two action-packed offshore circles, the more time we have to prepare, the better!" Event website
01 Dec 2009 - Key West Race Week The first entry deadline for Key West Race Week is December 18. As of December 1, 15 J/105s are registered for the January 18-22 event, so put your name on the list too! Event website
30 Nov 2009 - Garmin Hamble Winter Series - Weekend 8 Driving rain and vicious squalls marked the final day of the 2009 Garmin Hamble Winter Series on November 29, and with around 25% of retirees it was clearly a demanding day. A rapidly changing low pressure system had made for a tough early morning call, and with both Black and White Fleets cleared for racing in what initially seemed acceptable conditions, it soon became clear that the sportsboats could not race safely in the increasing gusts. For the Black Fleet, the committee laid a start line near Fastnet Insurance buoy and two separate courses were set for the seven IRC and one-design classes. With a wind direction of 200 degrees and a west-going tide the DAKS race buoy was chosen as the first windward mark for all classes. The J/105 class had a short course finishing at Air Canada. Visibility was changing constantly as each rain squall hit the fleet, and but for some spectacular broaches and spinnaker failures the day was a testament to the good seamanship displayed throughout this competitive series. Even if some were hating the conditions, there were others who called up the race committee with thanks for a great day out as they crossed the finish line. With seven races completed in the Black Fleet series, one race result could be discarded. Overall results in the J/105 fleet: Paul Griffiths on Fay-J is first with 11 points, followed by Simon Curwen on Voador (14) and Chris Jones on Journeymaker 5 (15). The end-of-series prize-giving is next weekend, where the overall class winners will receive their awards, and the Garmin Yacht of the Year and Sportsboat of the Year will be announced. Complete article and results
24 Nov 2009 - 2010 J/105 calendars Introducing the fourth J/105 wall calendar (and the 2010 regatta schedule along with it). This high-gloss calendar measures 11" wide and hangs 17" tall. Each month includes a unique, dynamic, and full color photo from this sailing season. Photography has been contributed by professionals Charles Bergstedt, Allen Clark, David Mathias, Leighton O'Connor and Tim Wilkes. Treat yourself and your crew for the holidays by clicking on the J/105 Merchandise link at left.
23 Nov 2009 - Fleet 17 Turkey Day Regatta, plus season standings The Houston Yacht Club's annual Turkey Day Regatta concluded Fleet 17's (Galveston Bay) annual series of nine class regattas. The regatta was run in 55 degree temperatures, light rain, and 12-16 knot winds on Saturday. A lack of wind made racing on Sunday impossible. Bee Bednar on Stinger was first (6 points), Malcolm Bremer on Babe second (6) and Bill Zartler on Solaris third (8). The trophies for winning the Turkey Day Regatta are actual turkeys. The winner receives a big one, then a smaller one for second, a still smaller one for third and a game hen (if awarded) for fourth. Stinger took the overall 2009 Fleet 17 trophy (32), with Solaris in second (31), and Babe in third (24). With a high of 7 and a low of 3 boats, Fleet 17 managed to average 5 boats per regatta this year. Regatta results
17 Nov 2009 - National Keelboat Champions crowned at Royal Bermuda Yacht Club 25 keelboats from the J/105, Etchells and International One Design (IOD) classes hit the water Saturday morning with the intent of completing five races on the Great Sound to ultimately crown the Bacardi National Keelboat Champions in the three classes. Royal Bermuda Yacht Club race officer Jay Hooper and his team were constantly tested (along with the sailors) with winds shifting as much as 80 degrees between southeast and southwest throughout the day. Sailors experienced all types of wind conditions ranging from 10 knots to the mid-twenties. The highest wind conditions were seen during the fourth race in the middle of a 'whiteout' rain squall. A number of boats, slighlty worse for wear, elected to retire before the fifth and final race. The hottly contested J/105 Class saw five boats on the line with Jon Corless and his crew sailing Mayhem showing the most consistent form with four first place finishes and a second, posting a total of 6 points. Glenn Astwood sailing Ockham's Razor and James Macdonald's Passion battled it out for second place with Glenn prevailing with 13 points. Complete article and results
16 Nov 2009 - Garmin Hamble Winter Series - Weekend 6 After gale force winds on Saturday and rain squalls early on Sunday morning, the weather settled down to a picturesque day of sunshine and clouds for the sixth round of the Garmin Hamble Winter Series. With the 10am high water coinciding with the first starts of the day, courses for Black Group were set from the vicinity of Fastnet Insurance buoy across to West Ryde Middle. The moderate to fresh southwesterly breeze and strong west going tide required an offset reach leg to the east followed by cascaded windward leeward legs for the whole fleet. Chris Jones on Journeymaker 5 won the J/105 class. Next Sunday's racing (November 22) continues with the full Winter Series programme for White and Black Group racing. Complete article and results
09 Nov 2009 - Headstay templates Looking for a holiday gift for your J/105? You can buy an inexpensive template to repeatably set your headstay to a given length. Click the J/105 Merchandise link at left and scroll down to the item.
09 Nov 2009 - Garmin Hamble Winter Series - Weekend 5 The second half of the Garmin Hamble Winter Series 2009 kicked off with a cold northerly breeze gusting to 20 knots, marking a turn in the weather for this eight weekend long series. In the J/105 fleet, class leader Simon Curwen on Voador won again. Racing continues next Sunday.
Complete article and results
05 Nov 2009 - Chesapeake Bay Championship Peter McChesney and the Magic Mystery Machine (24 points) won the Chesapeake Bay Championship by one point after a magical mystery last leg that brought them from deep in the pack to finish 3rd in Race 5 and edge out Marty Hublitz and Eddie Hornick on Veloce (25 points). The top five was rounded out by Jim Konigsberg on Inigo (28 points), Andrew Kennedy on Bat IV (33 points), and Carl and Scott Gitchell on Tenacious (35 points). The 5 races over two days featured a mix of wind strength in the 10-20 knot range, strong currents in both directions, a 40 degree left shift in Race 4, and lots of lesser shifts in every race. The pivotal 5th race had the windward mark on the edge of the Severn River entrance (at heading of 0 from the start), where a band of left shifted breeze formed in line with the river. Boats that got on the upwind port layline in the upper 1/4 of the course were treated to a high pressure lift going to the mark. Boats who got on starboard layline were bonked on the head by a header going to the mark and many had to double tack (or spin a jibe) to make the mark. Downwind there were dead spots to the south but boats who immediately jibed at the mark were lifted on good breeze and made big gains on boats that did a bear away down the wind starved western side of the course. Individual races were won by Bat IV, Mystery Machine, Mirage, Inigo, and Veloce. In photo: Magic Mystery Machine team of (left to right) Peter McChesney, Mary Lynne Schultz, John Morrison, Julie Sitzmann, Stan Welle, and Jay Sterne have the look of joy resulting from their second straight victory in the Chesapeake Championship. Susan Taylor wasn't available for this photo but was part of the team for the three races on Saturday. Complete results
02 Nov 2009 - Power Play Congratulations to the Power Play team on their North American Championship! They are Nicole Breault, Bob Dearborn, Stuart Johnstone, Mark Lindquist, Dave Marshall and Bruce Stone.
01 Nov 2009 - Bruce Stone on Power Play Wins Subaru J/105 North American Championship Bruce Stone racing Power Play secured victory at the Subaru J/105 North American Championship at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY. The San Francisco-based team finished with 55 points over 11 races, beating their closest competitor by nine points overall. Stone and crew launched into the lead after winning four consecutive races from Races 6-9. The regatta runner-up is James Rathbun on Hey Jude, hailing from Toronto, Ontario. The bronze medal place goes to the Katonah, NY team of Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes on Kincsem with 73 points. Two races were completed on the final day of the championship. Jeremy Henderson and Harald Edegran on Conundrum ended the regatta on a perfect note, winning both contests. Kincsem followed Conundrum in Race 10, then Kenneth Colburn on Ghost. In the concluding race, Damian Emery on Eclipse came in second, trailed by Hey Jude. Competitors benefited from four days of solid breeze on Long Island Sound. The top ten are: Bruce Stone, Power Play (55 points), James Rathbun, Hey Jude (64), Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes, Kincsem (73), Josh Burack, Peregrina (74), Damian Emery, Eclipse (83), Jeremy Henderson/Harold Edegran, Conundrum (101), Brian Keane, Savasana (105), Kenneth Colburn, Ghost (111), David Greenhouse, Skipperdee (113), Kevin Grainger, Gumption3 (136). Complete results
31 Oct 2009 - North American Championship photos Check out the official regatta photos from the North American Championship at PhotoBoat.com
31 Oct 2009 - Power Play Rules Day 3 of the Subaru J/105 North American Championship Bruce Stone and Scott DeWeese racing Power Play won all 3 races on Day 3 of the Subaru J/105 North American Championship at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY. Including a win in the final race on Day 2, the San Francisco-based team on Power Play now has 4 consecutive victories. The current leaders of the overall regatta are pending protests. Following Power Play in Race 7 were Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes on Kincsem and Damian Emery on Eclipse. In second place in Race 8 was George Wilbanks racing Revelation, then Kincsem in third. Trailing Power Play in the day's final contest were Kevin Grainger on Gumption3 and Paul Strauch on Andiamo. Competitors saw increasing winds on Long Island Sound, starting around 12 and growing to 18. Nine races have now been completed, and racing concludes Sunday. Complete results
31 Oct 2009 - NAC Photos on Facebook Become a fan of the J/105 Class Association on Facebook, and view some daily photos from the North American Championship. Fan Page
30 Oct 2009 - Kincsem Dominates Day 2 of J/105 North American Championship Day 2 of the Subaru J/105 North American Championship belonged to Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes on Kincsem who scored a 1,1,3. After 6 total races, the Katonah, NY team sits with 17 total points, a 20-point lead over their closest competition. James Rathbun on Hey Jude (Toronto, Ontario) dropped to second place overall. Josh Burack on Peregrina (New Rochelle, NY) rounds out the top 3 with 40 points. Following Esdorn/Hennes in Race 4 were Rob Marsh on Blowboat! and Bruce Stone and Scott DeWeese on Power Play. In Race 5 after Kincsem's second consecutive bullet were Burack, then David Greenhouse on Skipperdee. In the day's final race, Stone/DeWeese came out on top, trailed by Rathbun and Esdorn/Hennes. Competitors enjoyed brisk fall conditions on Long Island Sound. Winds blew between 10-14 knots, and temperatures remained in the 50s. Racing continues through Sunday. Complete results
30 Oct 2009 - Manhasset Fall Series Weekend Blowout The Manhasset Fall Series concluded with a wild and woolly weekend on Western Long Island Sound. True to the forecasts, Saturday blew hard with 20-35 knot winds from the Southwest with driving rain and uncharacteristically warm weather. Sunday dawned bright, cool and clear with 10-20 knots shifty and puffy from the northwest, dying as the day wore on and shifting more north. Amongst the 15-boat J/105 One-Design Class, Kevin Grainger prevailed against all competitors to win overall with 14 points on Gumption3. Strong Long Island Sound sailor Damian Emery onboard Eclipse finished with 18 points. And, Nathan Boyle sailing his Joysea finished third with 28 points. More information and results
29 Oct 2009 - James Rathbun Leads Day 1 of J/105 North American Championship James Rathbun of Toronto, Ontario leads 28 other teams after day one of the J/105 North American Championship. The team, racing Hey Jude, finished with 8 points for the day at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY. Brian Keane from Weston, MA sailing Savasana lies in second with 11 points. One point behind are locals Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes on Kincsem with 12 points. Josh Burack on Peregrina won the event's first race, followed by Rathbun and Keane. In the second race, Kevin Grainger on Gumption3 came out on top, with Keane in second and John Koten on Planet Claire in third. Rathbun closed out racing with a bullet in race three, trailed by Damian Emery on Eclipse and Esdorn/Hennes. Competitors were greeted with blue skies, temperatures in the 50s and winds between 8-12 knots that diminished throughout the day. Racing continues through Sunday. Complete results
29 Oct 2009 - Racing underway at North American Championship 29 J/105s are racing at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY for the North American Championship. Sunny skies greeted competitors, along with temperatures in the low 50s and winds about 8-12 knots. Check back for results at the event website.
27 Oct 2009 - J/105 North American Championship this week The North American Championship kicks off racing on Thursday at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY. Be sure to follow the daily action here and at the event website.
26 Oct 2009 - Garmin Hamble Winter Series - Weekend 4 The Garmin Hamble Winter Series, run by Hamble River Sailing Club, remains on track after delivering another full programme and excellent day's racing in the Solent on Sunday. MDL's Port Hamble Marina was the day sponsor. In contrast to last weekend's drifting conditions in bright sunshine, Sunday delivered typical Winter Series conditions above forecast with a constant 20-25 knot south Westerly across both Black and White fleet courses. Amongst the Black fleet one-designs, Journeymaker 5 scored a win in the J/105 fleet as two of her competitors were scored OCS. Next weekend (October 31-November 1) sees the traditional weekend break in the series with racing resuming for all competitors on November 8. Event website
24 Oct 2009 - Minutes posted. Minutes from the 10/15/09 Annual Meeting are now posted. Class Business page
23 Oct 2009 - Fall Newsletter The Fall edition of the J/105 Class newsletter is currently being printed. Members should look for their copy in the mail soon or may view an advanced copy in the Members area of this website.
15 Oct 2009 - 2010 J/105 North American Championship dates announced Fleet 5 is proud to announce the dates of the 2010 J/105 North American Championship--September 15-18 at Chicago Yacht Club. They have two yards providing package deals for boats traveling in and out. Plan for 3 races each on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, for a total of 9 races. A two-day regatta the weekend prior is also planned. A Notice of Race and further information will be available soon. Fleet 5
13 Oct 2009 - Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta Forty college teams participated in the 2009 Storm Trysail Club - Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta, hosted by Larchmont Yacht Club in Larchmont, NY. Teams competed in five classes: IRC 40, IRC 35, J/44, J/109, and J/105. Bowdoin/Carl Olsson sailing Morning Glory won the J/105 Division with 20 points, followed by US Coast Guard Academy/Kevin Grainger on Gumption3 (22 points) and Trinity/Barry Gold on Warhorse (25 points). 13 J/105s competed. Complete results
13 Oct 2009 - Garmin Hamble Winter Series - Weekend 2 The Garmin Hamble Winter Series remains on track after two more days of good sailing conditions in the Solent. The one-design action is tight: in the J/105s, Jeopardy beat Fay-J by 23 seconds. Next weekend sees the the conclusion of the Hamble Big Boat Series, with more Winter Series racing on Sunday.
Event website
09 Oct 2009 - Rigadoon wins wet, windy Humphrey Race Neither wind nor rain kept 42 boats from racing around Prudence Island in honor of the late Bud Humphrey on September 25. William J. Riggs Jr. sailed the J/105 Rigadoon to victory in the staggered start race, with Lars Guck and Kestral, a Fishers Island 31, coming in second. Sailors had to deal with a fresh southeast breeze gusting to 30 knots at the south end of Prudence, a strong incoming tide. "All in all made for a very fast race which was greatlots of smiles on sailors' faces," said organizer Tom Scott. 77 boats signed up; 42 started and 40 finished. The race is hosted by the Barrington Yacht Club.
Complete story
08 Oct 2009 - Wilson Trophy With a forecast of 20-30 knots, gusting higher, a small band or hardy souls ventured forth and survived the Santa Barbara Channel this past weekend. Larry Harteck from Santa Barbara YC sailed his J/105 Repeat Offender to first place in the 20 mile race. It was a 10 mile beat around the westernmost oil platform off Santa Barbara Channel with a long run home. As Larry reported, "We did the 10 mile run in about 45 minutes which included 3 jibes, one of which resulted in a knockdown. Wind peaked at about 30 knots, and we hit a top speed of 20.4 knots. This was a PHRF event with only five boats finishing. We finished first overall, second was Dr. Laura's J/125 Warrior and
third was a Santa Cruz 52."
Santa Barbara Yacht Club website
06 Oct 2009 - Garmin Hamble Winter Series - Weekend 1 October 3rd and 4th was the opening weekend of the annual Hamble River Sailing Club's Winter Series, sponsored by Garmin. On Saturday, a strong but steady 250 degree wind produced exciting conditions for the first day of the Hamble Big Boat Series. With a few broken halyards, some crew injuries, and a collision between two yachts, the IRC fleet dwindled from seven starters to three by the third race. Demanding conditions perhaps, but spinnakers were flown throughout as the gusts topped 30 knots. On Sunday morning, a more moderate and shifty westerly breeze provided a perfect opener for the main Garmin series, with the midday high water providing an ideal scenario for the race committee. Black Group racing was set along the Brambles Bank with windward marks at the Air Canada and Flying Fish buoys, while the White Group set up closer to the mainland shore. With more breeze than forecast, the windward leeward courses set for the Black Fleet races produced tight racing, with a gain for those on the left in Race Two as the breeze gradually swung from 265 to 230 degrees. This popular two races per day program will reduce to one race after the mid-series break based on competitor feedback, while for the sportsboats three races per day continues throughout the series. Results in the J/105 division: Race 1, Simon Curwen on Voador and in Race 2, Paul Griffiths on Fay-J. Website
04 Oct 2009 - Harvest Moon Regatta The 23rd annual Harvest Moon Regatta from Galveston to Port Aransas, TX started at 2:00pm on Thursday, October 1. 214 boats entered, and 200 started. Classified as a Cat 3 offshore event, the race usually has nearly 300 starters so this year's total was down considerably relative to years passed. The race is divided into four classes--Cruising with spinnaker, Cruising without spinnaker, Multihull, and ORC. This year's event was characterized by moderate (14-16kt) winds from the South resulting in the potential for a relatively long beat of 150nm. The arrival of a Texas sized cool front with winds backing from South to North at 37 knots caused several boats to broach. The 39-boat PHRF Cruising with spinnaker class was won by Bee Bednar on the J/105 Stinger. He was followed by the C&C 121 Parrot Tales skippered by Larry Blankenhagen, and the J/35 Liquid Courage skippered by David Weakly. Website and results
03 Oct 2009 - 2009 J/105 One-Design winners entered in the North Americans as of 10/1 2009 East Coast Champion and winner of Key West Race Week, the Annapolis & the Larchmont NOOD--Brian Keane of Beverley Yacht Club will be racing SAVASANA / 2009 Canadian Champion, James Rathbun of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club will be racing HEY JUDE / 2009 Block Island Race Week winner, Bruce Stone of St. Francis Yacht Club will be racing POWER PLAY / 2009 Marblehead NOOD winner, Michael Royer of Jubilee Yacht Club will be sailing BLOWN AWAY / 2009 Charleston Race Week winner, Patrick Eudy of the Happy Bottom Yacht club will be sailing BIG BOOTY / 2009 Longest & Closest Match Race winner, Kevin Grainger of American Yacht Club will be racing GUMPTION3 / 2009 Cedar Point One-Design winner, Nathan Boylan of Glen Island Yacht Club will be racing JOYSEA / 2009 Goose Island Long Distance Series winner, Clark Pellett of Chicago Yacht Club will be racing SEALARK / 2009 American Yacht Club Fall Series winner, Joerg Esdorn of AYC/NYYC will be racing KINCSEM / 2009 Bermuda Mid-Winter Regatta winner, James MacDonald of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club will be racing DISTANT PASSION Event website
02 Oct 2009 - Women's Sailing Seminar Slated Island Yacht Club offers its 17th Annual Northern California Women's Sailing Seminar, where women learn about sailing from other women October 10-11. The seminar starts with an inspirational keynote speaker, Theresa Brandner-Allen, skipper of an all-women crew on a premier J/105. She says she "kicked her husband off the boat years ago." She and her crew recently competed in the Big Boat Series on the San Francisco Bay. On Saturday, students participate in a curriculum they build themselves, for courses taught in classrooms and on the water. On-the-water courses include basic and advanced sailing, spinnaker, crew overboard rescue using a Lifesling, docking and anchoring. Classroom courses are offered on navigation, engine repair/maintenance, basic sailing, advanced sail trim and racing basics. After a day of education in the classroom and on-the-water, a reception at the yacht club includes appetizers, camaraderie and raffle prizes, which include sailing gear and boat equipment. On Sunday, students again choose their curriculum; either one-design racing on the Oakland-Alameda Estuary or cruising on the Bay watching the Blue Angels during the Fleet Week celebration. WSS is made possible by donations of volunteers, instructors, boat owners and sponsors. More information
02 Oct 2009 - Maycroft Cup Regatta 32 boats in five divisions competed in the Sag Harbor Yacht Club's 13th annual Maycroft Cup Regatta last Saturday. Starting along the North Haven shore with winds blowing 10-12 knots and oscillating from the east to southeast then south, all classes sailed windward, then leeward legs in Shelter Island Sound and raced past Cedar Point Light out into Gardiner's Bay. With wind speeds building into the 10-15 knot range, Divisions 1, 2, 3 & 5 sailed to Crow Shoals and Division 4 sailed to Three Mile Harbor against a flooding tide. All divisions then returned past Cedar Point to Sag Harbor finishing at the Breakwater. In Division 5 (One-Design J/105), Bruce Tait on Buckaroo came in first, followed by Wayne Morse on Roxanne, Sedgwick Ward on Mambo, Eric DeMarchelier on Moana and Raymond Pepi on Sovereign. The Ron Lowe Cup went to Bruce Tait for best finish in One-Design division. Complete results
01 Oct 2009 - AYC Fall Series Second weekend of the American Yacht Club's 2009 Fall Series was a lot more fun with wind both days. Long distance travelers, Creative Destruction and Two Feathers were unable to attend but will be back for the North American Championship. The greatest comeback was achieved by Paul Strauch and the crew of Andiamo ending up sixth overall after a weak first weekend. Eclipse got a seventh on Saturday and an eleventh on Sunday so Kincsem won overall even though they got a thirteenth on Sunday. Bruce Stone and crew of Power Play won the last race and ended up third. Revelation, Gumption3, and Andiamo won the other races. Strange Brew and Peregrina each scored a second and third place over the weekend. Joysea and Warhorse missed the races on Sunday. Planet Claire and Woody held steady. All the boats above will be competing in the North American Championship at American Yacht Club the last weekend in October. Results
29 Sep 2009 - J/Fest Dennis and Sharon Case, racing Wings, defeated 18 other J/105s at J/Fest. Held from September 26-27, J/Fest is a major big boat sailing event on the West Coast. Competitors come from up and down the coast, with the primary attendance coming from Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Ventura Counties. Wings finished with 10 points over 5 races. In second place was Bennet Greenwald on Perseverance (16 points), and in third were Doug & Pam Werner on Javelin (17). Complete results
29 Sep 2009 - Hospice Cup Mirage was the big winner at Hospice Cup XXVIII, placing first in the 12-boat J/105 class and taking home a slew of special awards. Co-owners Fredrik Salvesen and Cedric Lewis sailed Mirage to victory in two of three races and to edge Robert Reeves and the A Train team by one point. It came down to the third and final race with Mirage winning and A Train taking second. Visit the event website at http://hospicecup.org and read the complete article here.
28 Sep 2009 - Canadian Championship Jim Rathbun on Hey Jude staged a comeback to win the J/105 Canadian Championship over the weekend. The team scored 41 points over 9 races. Glen Malcolm and Arthur English, racing Starcross, came in runner-up with 43 points, followed by Dave Shaver on Re:Tern (45 points). 18 boats competed. Jim Rathbun will also be crowned as this year's Fleet 4 champion, over Robert Baker's Planet B and Peter Hall's Jamaica Me Crazy. Fleet website and results
27 Sep 2009 - Houston NOOD Bill Zartler and Malcolm Bremer duked it out until the final point at the Houston NOOD, with Zartler emerging as the winner with 9 total points. Sailing Solaris, Zartler scored 3 firsts and 3 seconds over six races. Bremer, sailing Babe, finished with 3 bullets, 2 seconds and 1 third (10 points). Bee Bednar, racing Stinger, came in third (23 points). Very light to light air was the rule of the three-day event. Six J/105s competed. Complete results
22 Sep 2009 - Key West Race Week With January only 4 months away, Key West Race Week planning is now in full swing. Make sure to get this winter regatta firmly fixed on your racing calendar. Key West 2010, presented by Nautica, will continue to deliver what you have come to expect from Premiere Racing--top-tier competition, professional race management and unique shore-side fun. Ten races over five days for IRC, PHRF, Sportboat and One-Design programs from across the country and around the world make for a truly great start to the winter sailing season. The logistics and planning pages on the event website are continually updated, and the Notice and Conditions of Race is available via the link below. Please submit your entry as soon as possible, as a strong entry list sets the stage for great competition and builds enthusiasm. The Race Committee and Shoreside Team are prepared to once again bring you the high quality event you have come to expect from Premiere Racing. Event website
22 Sep 2009 - AYC Fall Series first weekend Saturday was a gusty northerly and clear air was hard to find, but the shifts and leverage made climbing the ladder pay off. With the Z flag flying, three races were completed on Saturday of the first weekend of the American Yacht Club Fall Series. The J/105s are once again the "big fleet" with 23 entered (twice as big as any other). Therefore the start line was short, similar to the Larchmont NOOD Regatta. And the gusts were curling across the sound so that by the time of the start sequence, the line was no longer square to the wind. Outsiders might think that the J/105 fleet was a wild posse of bumper boats. Yet when 20 big boats are trying to win the start on a short line with a highly favored end, even the gentlest men and women are tested. Sunday unfortunately was a dud, with no wind or races. There is a seven-point tie for first place between Revelation (hull #64) and Kincsem (hull #324). Understanding that there will be a throw-out after five or more races are completed, then Eclipse (hull #50) becomes the clear winner of the weekend with two first-place finishes. Results
20 Sep 2009 - Great Lakes Championship Jim Sminchak and Doug Moose racing 'it' won the J/105 Great Lakes Championship at Mentor Harbor Yachting Club in Ohio. The team finished with 17 points over 8 races. Ed Palm and Richard Listwan on Tenacious came in second with 31 points, followed by Michael Morin and Duane Rose on Junto. 12 boats competed. Event website
16 Sep 2009 - 2009 Rolex BBS Regatta photos Follow the link to Charlie Bergstedt's photo album showing over 100 photos of the J/105 fleet during the 2009 Rolex BBS Regatta. Charlie has high resolution versions of all of the photos on the website and would be happy to share them with participants free of charge if they contact him. Photos
14 Sep 2009 - Larchmont NOOD It was impossible to outsmart Joerg Esdorn's Kinscem, which aced the final day with a pair of bullets. Their collision on the opening day, and subsequent retirement, was too much to make up, so the real battle was between Damien Emery's Eclipse and Brian Keane's Savasana. Savasana, the overall winner from the Annapolis NOOD put in a solid effort match racing Eclipse and keeping the right amount of boats between them. Following Keane (24 points) and Emery (28) was George & Alex Wilbanks in third (30). 21 J/105s were registered. Complete article and results
14 Sep 2009 - Rolex Big Boat Series The Commodore's Cup, which was established in 2004 to be awarded to the largest one-design fleet, was awarded to the winner of the J/105 class, Chris Perkins' Good Timin'. "Honestly, Bruce Stone sailed a great series," said Perkins of the fleet. "He only had one bad race and won three out of seven sailed. His Arbitrage is clearly one of the quickest boats. Everyone would agree he is quicker than us." So what would Perkins credit his team's win to? "The challenge in a 25-boat fleet is consistency," he continued. "We didn't have any big mistakes and that is what made the difference for us." Event website
13 Sep 2009 - Rolex Big Boat Series Day 3 After a large area of thunderstorms moved through in the morning, the over 1,000 sailors competing in day three of the Rolex Big Boat Series were given a new challenge: light wind and minimum visibility through the dense fog hanging low on the water. As locals are apt to exclaim - 'It's never like this in San Francisco' - a theory confirmed by spectators lined along the sea wall and second-story viewing bleachers at St. Francis Yacht Club. Chris Perkins and Good Timin' lead in the J/105 class.
Event website
12 Sep 2009 - Rolex Big Boat Series Day 2 J/105 Class stalwart Chris Perkins (San Francisco) and his Good Timin' lead the 25-boat class, the largest competing, despite doing very little racing this past year. "It was really fun for us since our last race was last year's Rolex Big Boat Series," said Perkins. "It was interesting. In the second race, the fleet split. Some went to Alcatraz and some went to the City Front. It was after max flood where you would usually go to the City Front, but all our comp went to Alcatraz. We had a nervous 30 minutes or so until we came back together. We didn't lose a lot of ground even though going out to the middle (of the course) was the way to go." Perkins went on to credit his crew, Pete Scott, Tom Purdy, Melissa Purdy and his brother Jon Perkins, who calls tactics. "We're tickling the boat, and it all came back to us. These boats have a sweet spot and when you're sailing all year you find it. The local fleet really stepped up, of course we're missing Scott Sellers, but Jam Session (Adam Spiegel's boat in second place) and Arbitrage (Bruce Stone's boat in fourth) are quick." Jeff Litfin & John Case's (San Mateo, CA) Mojo is in third overall. Event website
11 Sep 2009 - Rolex Big Boat Series Day 1 The largest one-design fleet is the J/105 class with 25 boats. Returning champion Donkey Jack, owned by Robert Conrads, took 13-6 in two races and is now eighth overall. Bruce Stone's Arbitrage won the day's first race, while Adam & Guillemette Spiegel's Jam Session won the second, putting them into second overall behind class leader, Jeff Litfin & John Case's Mojo. Event website
09 Sep 2009 - Stingray Point Regatta The third and final event of the 2009 Southern Chesapeake Bay J/105 One Design Series was conducted September 5-6 at Fishing Bay Yacht Club's Stingray Point Regatta. Regatta organizers had hoped to conduct three races Saturday and two races Sunday, and conditions allowed all five races to be sailed. Although boats coming up the Bay from Hampton on Friday bucked a 17-knot north wind, and sped home Monday on a 20-knot east wind, conditions over the weekend were more moderate, in the 8-10 knot range on Saturday, and in the 10-12 knot range on Sunday. Six of the eight boats in Fleet 15 were on the start line, with Eddie Hornick's Veloce and Cyane Crump's She Crab Soup opting to compete in one-design at Annapolis Race Week. Complete story
09 Sep 2009 - J/105 NAC featured on Scuttlebutt Forum American Yacht Club is hosting the 2009 J/105 North Americans sponsored by Subaru from October 29-November 1 in Rye, NY. The Organizing Committee is expecting over 50 boats representing both coasts, the Midwest, South and Canada. Several past winners of premiere racing venues such as Key West, Annapolis and Block Island have already signed up to compete this year. "This is a very competitive fleet. New teams are entering each year, which helps to raise everyone's game. We expect this year to be another memorable competition," commented Joerg Esdorn, Event Co-Chair. American Yacht Club has excellent facilities to handle a large regatta; they ran 84 race days in 2008, including their annual, Spring and Fall Regattas each over two weekends, attracting over 100 boats racing in 10-12 divisions in two circles, with over 90 starts. October and November are among the best months for sailing in Long Island Sound. Wind speeds of 20-30 knots and beyond can be expected on frontal boundaries. AYC is located on the tip of a peninsula, overlooking Western Long Island Sound with the New York City skyline in the background. Entry fees increase after October 16, and the deadline for entry is October 23 (http://www.2009j105northamericans.com). Forum
09 Sep 2009 - Annapolis Race Week 19 J/105s fought it out at Annapolis Race Week with Jim Konigsberg's Inigo coming out the victor with 27 points over 8 races. He was followed by Denis Seynhaeve on Mopelia (32), Andrew Kennedy on Bat IV (42), Marie Klok Crump on Royal Danish YC (43), and Hugh Bethel on Jester (53). Mopelia entered the last day in first place but Inigo pulled out the victory on the last downwind leg when a new breeze formed down the middle of the course and allowed them to move from the back of the fleet to finish 4th. The series was affected by a coastal low that created a shifty easterly wind in combination with a strong ebb current. Full results
03 Sep 2009 - PHRF New Englands at Marblehead, August 27-29 The most competitive of all the fleets was the 22-strong J/105 fleet. Henry Brauer and Stewart Neff and their crew aboard Scimitar won the J/105s in the most impressive fashion--winning four of five races and scoring just seven points. Taking second was Peter & Doug Morgan's Steel Away. Third was Ken Colburn's very well sailed Ghost from Portland, ME with local hotshot Bob Slattery aboard.
Brauer and Neff sailed in a local one-design keelboat fleet in Marblehead for 15 years and just this past July started racing in the J/105s. Their results have been nothing short of remarkable. "We felt it was time for a change so we sold our old boat and moved to a bigger boat," Neff said. "In our debut J/105 regatta, we were third overall at Marblehead Race Week and first place here. It was fun to have a fellow Tufts Jumbo classmate, Stuart Johnstone, aboard to help on speed and tactics." The J/105 is one of the most dynamic racing fleets out of Marblehead today. "We have a lot more one design sailors coming into the New England J/105 fleet who really know how to work their way around a race course," said Fritz Koopman of Salem who raced with fifth-place finisher Mike Royer of Beverly. "I think the J/105 fleet has a lot more talent coming in and this has made the racing really interesting and far more challenging," Royer added. Event website
03 Sep 2009 - Rolex Big Boat Series at St. Francis YC starts September 10 The largest one-design class is the J/105 Class with over 20 entries. Defending Class champion Scott Sellers' Donkey Jack, the 2008 J/105 North American champion, returns and faces competition from Bruce Stone's local J/105 Arbitrage, which won its class in Richmond YC's Sarcoma Cup, in August, the Buzzards Bay Regatta and Block Island Race Week. "Blackhawk and Jam Session have moved up to the top of the J/105 fleet this year, and should be leaders, along with the usual standouts Good Timin, Aquavit, MoJo and RacerX," said Stone. "We have been racing in all of the local J/105 fleet events leading up to Big Boat Series, and have replaced sails, halyards and so forth to get prepared." Event website
25 Aug 2009 - J-Cup Grand Finale In the J/105 Class, going in to Race 7, Rob Dornton-Duff's Java was leading the Class on 8 points with William Newton's Jelly Baby in second on 12 points and Chris Jones' Journeymaker 5 third on 16 points. While Java was able to keep her hold on the Class with a third in race 7 and yet another bullet in Race 8, the other top slots were set for change. Richard Watney's Jeopardy scored a 1, 2 scoreline on Saturday morning; their first race win of the series, and enough to push them up in to second place overall. Journeymaker 5 scored a second and a third. So at the end of eight races, the Class win went to Java, Jeopardy had fought through in to second place and Jelly Baby and Journeymaker 5 were tied on 22 points, with Jelly Baby just clinching it, having had a race win earlier in the series. Jeopardy's race win secured her the North Sails Boat of the Day prize for the J/105 Class. Complete report
24 Aug 2009 - Stamford Overnight Race A scheduled Fleet 6 J/105 one-design season qualifier, turn-out for the Stamford Overnight Race was crushed by Hurricane Bill. But it became a great match race among J/105 Hall of Fame skippers (Kevin Grainger and Damian Emery) and their boats (Gumption 3 and Eclipse) under extreme conditions--both highs and lows with clear sky, clouds and squalls. For an all-night endurance race of boat handling and tactics in which two thirds of the race was sailed in unfavorable tide, the passing, crossing and wind changes kept the race on edge. No phrf boat rated 90 or higher finished before the time limit expired except Gumption 3 and Eclipse (finished 2nd and 3rd overall). Also Gumption 3 & Eclipse finished 4 minutes before a King 40, American Girl (phrf rating 6 sec/mile) and defeated an X41, Pendragon (phrf rating 15 sec/mile) on corrected time. Fleet 6 website
24 Aug 2009 - SoCal Title In the first annual J/105 Southern California Championship Sunday, co-owners Chuck Driscoll and Tom Hurlburt, San Diego YC, drove their boat Triple Play to first place honors in the event hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club. The 19 mostly San Diego area teams were greeted with light shifty winds of anywhere between 5-8 knots throughout the weekend. Of the five races in the regatta, Triple Play only had two first-place finishes, getting two fourths and one third-place finish in the last race of the day. But consistency paid off as they picked off competitors one by one, race by race. Posting second place for the regatta was local favorite Gary Mozer, LBYC, and his team onboard Current Obsession 2. Third place went to Bennet Greenwald, SDYC, and his crew on Perseverance. Praise came from many sailors for the event organizer, Dennis Case, SDYC, who also competed on his J/105, Wings. In photo: Chuck Driscoll (holding trophy), Tom Hurlburt (blue shirt) and crew of Triple Play. (Photo courtesy of Rick Roberts.) Complete article and results
22 Aug 2009 - J-Cup The five classes racing at the J-Cup completed four races on day 2 in a gusty and extremely shifty breeze from the west, which regularly topped the 24 knot marker. Rob Dornton-Duff's crew on Java continued to excel in the J/105 fleet, and now have a seven-point lead over the UK National Champion, William Newton on Jelly Baby. Jelly Baby did however score her first race win on Friday, and this secured them the North Sails Boat of the Day Prize. Event website
21 Aug 2009 - J-Cup Racing at the 2009 J-Cup commenced on Thursday in Torquay under the management of the Royal Torbay Yacht Club. The 63 boat fleet revelled in bright sunshine and a pumping westerly breeze that ranged from 18 to 35 knots, with most of the two races sailed in a blustery 25 knots plus. The J/105s just love the breeze and this Class saw thrills, spills, some fantastic racing and impressive sportsmanship. Race 1 belonged to Rob Dornton-Duff and the boys on Java who pressed Richard Watney's Jeopardy in to second place with William Newton's Jellybaby in third. Java had pressed in to the lead again on Race 2 before making an unscheduled detour to pick up a crew member who had fallen overboard from another J/105. Whilst this effectively lost the race for Java, redress was granted by the protest committee with the full support of the rest of the J/105 skippers. Java leads the class with a 1-1 scoreline with Jellybaby in second. Event website
17 Aug 2009 - Verve Cup Testing the boat handling skills of the crews, the morning winds were the strongest of the regatta, blowing about 15-20 knots. But it was the afternoon storm cell that really shook up the regatta, with puffs up to 30 knots. In the extremely competitive J/105 division, Tomas Petkus on Vytis was able to pull out the win. Vytis was one of a few boats awarded redress for their aid to Sociable, who had a crew member injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. Jon Weglarz on The Asylum finished second with 36 points, followed by David Wagner on Gigi with 41 points. Eight races were completed. Event website
15 Aug 2009 - Verve Cup Saturday Race Report Sunshine and a steady lake breeze at 5-10 knots made for another great day on the water in the Verve Cup Offshore Regatta, hosted this weekend by Chicago Yacht Club. Winds were out of the southeast for most of the afternoon, however a few tricky wind shifts kept the competitors on their game. Three races were again completed Saturday. Tomas Petkus on Vytis maintained his first-place position with 25 total points, followed by Brian Danaher on Gargoyle and Jon Weglarz on The Asylum (both with 31 points). Event website
15 Aug 2009 - Verve Cup Offshore Friday Race Report At Chicago YC, winds were light but steady throughout the afternoon, at about 5-10 knots from the south and southeast. All three circles were able to get in three races for a beautiful day on the lake. In Circle B, Tomas Petkus on Vytis leads the J/105s, but the competition is tight. Right behind Vytis' score of 16 is Brian Danaher on Gargoyle and Nancy Glover on Tempest, both with scores of 17. Fourth and fifth place are just as close, with Karl Brummel on Kashmir and Steve Dambrowski on Patriot each scoring 18. It was a great day of racing, but there were some big shifts. I think everyone who won a race, lost a race too, said a crewmember of J/105 Gigi. 14 J/105s are racing. Event website
13 Aug 2009 - Buzzards Bay Regatta The J/105s had a very closely fought event between Brian Keane racing Savasana and Bruce Stone sailing Power Play. The regatta between these two competitors came down to the last race--whomever beat whom would win the regatta. In this case, Bruce Stone won the last race and Brian Keane took a third to finish tied on points overall but lost on who had the most first places. In third was Charlie Shumway racing Sea Shadow. New Bedford YC hosted the annual event from August 7-9. Complete results
13 Aug 2009 - Santa Barbara-King Harbor Race A solid breeze built all day, sending the fleet off on a fast reach most of the way down to King Harbor. The J/105 fleet was won by Mark Noble from Santa Barbara YC aboard Escapade. In second was Scott McDaniel from SBYC racing Off the Porch, and third was David Gorney from AYC aboard No Compromise. After the 81 miles, the top three only finished ten minutes apart. Complete results
13 Aug 2009 - Aldo Alessio Perpetual Trophy Regatta St. Francis Yacht Club hosted 19 J/105s in beautiful conditions. Phillip Laby and Rich Pipkin, co-owners of Racer X, won the J/105 fleet. Finishing second was Jam Session co-owned by Adam Spiegel and Guillemette Brouillat. Third on the podium was Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk. Four races were completed. Complete results
11 Aug 2009 - Verve Cup The Verve Cup is gearing up at the Chicago Yacht Club. 14 J/105s are registered. Visit the regatta website.
10 Aug 2009 - Rolex Fastnet Race Follow the progress of the J/105s racing in the Fastnet at the event website.
30 Jul 2009 - Whidbey Island Race Week The Pacific Northwest was the scene for the five-day Ohana Harbor Coffee Whidbey Island Race Week regatta. Nine J/105s battled each other throughout the week. Mike Schiltz on Money Shot claimed first place with five bullets. JP Peterson's Last Tango and Erik Kristen's Jubilee followed. Results
30 Jul 2009 - Fiesta Cup at Santa Barbara YC The J/105s had the largest class with nine competitors showing up from as far south as San Diego Yacht Club and others from the Los Angeles area. The fleet was greeted with two gorgeous days of sailing on July 25-26--the local thermal developing each day late morning and building into a fairly steady WNW wind 8-18 knots. The winner of this year's event was Alex Rasmussen's team racing Free Enterprise. Just three points back in second was local hotshot Larry Harteck racing Repeat Offender, and third overall seven more points down the ladder was Peter Lufkin on Short Skirt. Results
30 Jul 2009 - J/105 loss With regret, Storm Trysail Club Chesapeake Station announces the loss of its youth training vessel, the J/105 named Team STC. Happily, no one was injured or lost when the boat grounded in the surf on the New Jersey coast. The volunteer crew, all adults, were rescued. STC-Chesapeake fleet captain Kevin McNeil found the boat in disrepair two years ago. Several STC members helped restore it to racing trim. Last summer it joined another Annapolis youth-sailed J/105, Team Tsunami, in races around Annapolis. The program is overseen by the 501-C3 organization Chessie Junior Racing; youngsters compete on Wednesday nights, some weekends and a few overnight races. The STC program stepped it up a notch this year by taking a youth team to Block Island Race Week. The racing was a success but the aftermath was devastating. Four veteran sailors who volunteered to deliver the boat back to the Chesapeake ran aground trying to go ashore at Absecon Inlet near Atlantic City in the wee hours of July 10. They were plucked off by Coast Guard helicopter but by daybreak the boat was a total loss. "We're just glad no one was hurt," said McNeil. "After that, it's just fiberglass and metal." The mishap severely impacts the Chessie Junior program, which has trained scores of young big-boat sailors. "We lost half of our fleet," said director Lorie Stout, who already had more applicants than spaces on two boats. The popular program is designed to augment local dinghy training and help kids learn the ropes on keelboats. It serves youngsters from all backgrounds, including at-risk youth. STC-Chesapeake is reaching out to STC members and the J/105 Class Association for a suitable replacement. Donations to Chessie Junior are fully tax deductible. Anyone know of an under-used J/105 out there that could be put to this important purpose? If so, please contact Kevin McNeil at Kmcneil@fleettransit.com.
28 Jul 2009 - To Merge Bike Racing With Boat Racing The Tour de France is the most well known and prestigious race in cycling. Just recently, the San Diego J/105 fleet honored the Tour. Here is the story from bike racer and J/105 owner Joseph Dagostino: "You combine the best aspects of bicycle racing into a format for yacht racing? The SoCal J/105 fleet experienced the sensation when the race committee decided to shake things up in honor of Le Tour de France. Twelve boats came together on an ultra short course, taking a mere four minutes to complete a leg. Combined with the fact that two laps constituted a race, and with only two minutes between races, you have the makings for close racing and some very tired crew." Read on in Scuttleblog
28 Jul 2009 - Pure Michigan Bayview Mackinac Race Nine J/105s competed, but Larry Smith on Sorcery took the top spot followed by Dean Walsh on Good Lookin' in second, and Con Ruffing on C-Jem in third. Results
26 Jul 2009 - Marblehead NOOD Jon Samuel, Mike Royer and Robert Mann on Blown Away emerged victorious at the Marblehead NOOD with 14 points, winning the tie-breaker with the second-place Jon Wales on Bantry. The team on Blown Away notched 3 bullets over the 5 races. Henry Brauer and Stewart Neff on Scimitar finished third with 17 points. 20 J/105s competed at the regatta. Event website
23 Jul 2009 - Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge Mirage, co-owned by Cedric Lewis and Frederik Salvesen, scored a resounding victory in the J/105 Division--the largest one-design class in the regatta with 11 boats. Salvesen steered Mirage to three bullets on Sunday then turned the helm over to Chip Carr for the final two days as the family-based boat placed first in five of seven races. Pat Donnelly (bow) and John Meiser (trimmer) joined tactician Lewis aboard the boat for all three days as Mirage totaled 12 points, 13 better than runner-up Veloce (co-owned by Marty Hublitz and Eddie Hornick). The race was held from July 19-21 on the Chesapeake Bay.
Complete results
22 Jul 2009 - 101st Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac Jon Weglarz on The Asylum not only won the Mackinac Cup Division, but also netted the fastest adjusted time of the five division winners. The Asylum's elapsed time was just under 62 hours. With handicap adjustments, the boat's finishing time was 54 hours 35 minutes 39 seconds. Fifteen J/105s competed in the annual event, which is being described as the "flukiest" ever. Following Weglarz in the J/105 top three were Clark Pellet on Sealark and Peter Fray on Pronto II. Event website
22 Jul 2009 - Red Grant Regatta John Koten of the Manhattan Sailing Club dominated the J/105 Class of the Red Grant Regatta hosted by the Raritan Yacht Club. Team Warlock won all 5 races to finish with just 5 points. Following them were Paul Zajac on Skal (15 points) and David Spence on Synergy (19 points). Nine J/105s competed. Held from July 18-19, crews enjoyed 12-18 knot winds Saturday, and then lighter breezes on Sunday. Event website
22 Jul 2009 - J/105 Wins Doublehanded Competition Peter Rugg on Jaded topped the PHRF Doublehanded Competition at the 2009 Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race that began July 5. Congratulations Peter! Event website
16 Jul 2009 - Coastal Living SailNewport Regatta From July 10-12, Newport hosted its annual SailNewport Regatta. In the J/105 Class, Brian Keane from Boston, MA raced Savasana to another class win. Challenging Keane was Bruce Stone from San Francisco, CA sailing Power Play, ultimately losing by only one point as a result of the closely fought last race. Between the two, they won six of the eight races. Nelson Weiderman sailed a beautiful last day to win the last two races. Third overall was Charlie Shumway from Newport. Complete results
16 Jul 2009 - OSTAR Opens Doors for Oscar In June, 18-year-old Oscar Mead became the youngest competitor to complete the world's oldest solo ocean challenge. Read the Sailing World article.
15 Jul 2009 - Call for Charters for J/105 North American Championship Fleet 6 is hosting this year's J/105 North American Championship October 29-November 1 at American Yacht Club in Rye, New York. Entrants are expected from around the U.S. and Canada, but not all will be bringing their own boats. If your boat is either still in the water or on land close by to Rye, it would be terrific if you would consider chartering it out so we could attract the largest number of participants. Jordan Mindich and Byron Callan are responsible for matching charterers with charterees for this year's NAC. Additionally, they can answer questions about insurance, charter terms and conditions and any other queries you have.
Jordan Mindich (516-383-3254 or telemon1@aol.com)
Byron Callan (203-655-7320 or bcallan@pwpartners.com)
15 Jul 2009 - Leukemia Cup: Fleet 15 competition heats up on an unseasonably cool weekend From July 10-12, Fishing Bay Yacht Club hosted the Southern Chesapeake Bay Leukemia Cup Regatta. Read the regatta report on the Fleet 15 website.
09 Jul 2009 - J/Fest Northwest in Seattle, WA In the J/105s, the largest and most competitive fleet with ten boats, Schlitz's Money Shot won on a nail-biting finish based on results of the last race...they had to at least tie or beat by one boat over Diercks' Delirium in order to win. Finishing third just off the pace but coming on strong in the last four races was Kristen's Jubilee only three points back. The event took place from June 20-21. Event website
08 Jul 2009 - J/105 UK National Championships at Hamble The J/105 UK Class Association held their 2009 National Championship over the weekend of July 4-5. Nine J/105s took part over eight windward/leeward races, with race organization superbly managed by Race with Condor.com. After an early morning shower on both Saturday and Sunday, the weather was fantastic--mostly sunny with a building southeasterly on Saturday from 6-14 knots and a southwesterly on Sunday, peaking at 20 knots in the final two races of the day. The racing was close--classic, unbeatable one-design racing at its best. Overall Results: 1st Jelly Baby, William Newton (13 points); 2nd Fay J, Paul Griffiths (17); 3rd Java, Rob Dornton-Duff (17).
More information
05 Jul 2009 - NAC NOR The Notice of Race for the 2009 J/105 North American Championship at American Yacht Club is now posted. Notice of Race
30 Jun 2009 - Free sailing program draws crowds At first the words were foreign: jib, spinnaker, mainsail, windward, leeward, tack, keel. But after three hours on the water, the rookies were speaking fluent sailor-ese, even helping trim the sails and guide a large and fast J/105 sailboat down the Severn River. Complete story
29 Jun 2009 - Long Beach Race Week The winds blew light, building to brisk the first two days, but Sunday the fleets were greeted by a carpet of whitecaps as they sailed out of the Alamitos Bay jetty to the race courses. Gary Mozer on Current Obsession2 excelled in the conditions, winning the J/105 Division with just 11 points. The team came in first in 5 of 7 races. Following Mozer, Doug & Pam Werner on Javelin came in second (24 points, 2 bullets), and Bill Logan on Pholly finished third (32 points). 13 boats raced for the 3-day event. Complete results
27 Jun 2009 - Block Island Race Week Bruce Stone/Scott DeWeese on Power Play took home several trophies after gaining victory in the J/105 Division of Block Island Race Week. The team also took the Everett B. Morris Memorial Trophy for Best Overall Performance, and the Justin Wasley Memorial Trophy for the overall winner of the one-design class with the largest number of entries. Stone said his biggest drama this week, however, was that his team sailed Saturday and Sunday in San Francisco and still made it for Monday's start. "We traveled by plane, taxi and sportsfishing boat to get to our borrowed boat here with seconds to spare." Stone, originally from Providence, R.I., says he loves Block Island Race Week, where the race management is superb and the venue is beautiful. "Ours was a tough class," he added. Following Power Play in the Top 3 were Brian Keane on Savasana and Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes on Kincsem. Event website
26 Jun 2009 - Block Island Race Week - Day 4 Only one race was completed on Thursday at BIRW, and it un-seated the weeklong top-place boat Savasana (Brian Keane) who dropped to second with 26 total points. Power Play (Bruce Stone/Scott DeWeese) moved into first with 22 points. Kincsem (Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes) remains in third with 28 points. Racing concludes Friday. See Nelson's daily feedback at http://j105.org/BIRW2009/commentary.php or view the link for complete results.
26 Jun 2009 - New J/105 Incentive Available J Boats is pleased to announce that US Watercraft is offering a complimentary Waterline Systems Club Racer bottom job (in epoxy or anti-fouling) for the first three J/105 orders placed between June 18 and August 1, 2009. This is a $6k+ value and provides you with a boat ready to launch out of the box. Please contact J/Boats or your nearest J dealer for details.
J Boats website
24 Jun 2009 - Block Island Race Week - Day 3 Brian Keane on Savasana finished the middle day of BIRW still firmly placed in the top spot with 13 points. The team has scored a bullet in 4 of the 6 races. Bruce Stone/Scott DeWeese on Power Play returned to the runner-up position (19), as Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes on Kincsem follows (24). See Nelson's daily feedback at http://j105.org/BIRW2009/commentary.php or view the link for
complete results.
23 Jun 2009 - Block Island Race Week - Day 2 After 2 days of racing, Brian Keane on Savasana maintains his lead and now sits with 7 points. The second and third place teams have flipped from Day 1 with Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes on Kincsem in second (9) and Bruce Stone/Scott DeWeese on Power Play next (14). Nelson Weiderman's daily comments may be found at http://j105.org/BIRW2009/commentary.php or view the link for complete results.
23 Jun 2009 - Congratulations to Tom Petkus and team Scoring two bullets on Sunday, Tom Petkus' Vytis team won the J/105 Class and claimed overall victory. Sailing World article
22 Jun 2009 - Block Island Race Week - Day 1 20 boats are racing in the J/105 Division. After the first day, Brian Keane on Savasana leads the fleet, followed by Bruce Stone/Scott DeWeese on Power Play and Joerg Esdorn/Duncan Hennes on Kincsem. Nelson Weiderman's blog may be found at http://j105.org/BIRW2009/commentary.php and view the link for complete results.
22 Jun 2009 - Chicago NOOD Tomas Petkus and his crew on Vytis were selected as the overall champions of the Chicago NOOD. 17 J/105s competed in their division. Following Petkus was Dorin Candea on Messy Jessy in second and Brian Danaher on Gargoyle in third. Complete results
17 Jun 2009 - Oscar Mead The 18-year-old completed the 2009 OSTAR and became the youngest ever finisher in this classic race. When he started the 3,000 mile OSTAR as the youngest ever competitor, Oscar Mead had already set his goal out as being the youngest ever finisher. In his own words, "It doesn't mean anything to be the youngest ever starter, that's do-able; racing the Atlantic, and finishing, that's harder!" Full Story
12 Jun 2009 - 2010 Key West Race Week While January may seem far off, Key West Race Week planning is well underway. Key West 2010, presented by Nautica, now in its 23rd year, will continue to deliver what you have come to expect from Premiere Racing--top tier competition, professional race management and unique shore side fun. Ten races over five days for IRC, PHRF and One Design programs from across the country and around the world make for a truly great start to the winter sailing season. Logistics and planning pages on the event website will be updated in the coming weeks, and expect to the have the Notice and Conditions of Race in the mail and posted on the website no later than mid-August. Premiere Racing website
31 May 2009 - Detroit NOOD Regatta Jim Sminchak on It won the J/105 Division of the Detroit NOOD Regatta by 10 points over the next closest competitor, Harry Bloom on Dirty Harry. 10 boats competed in 8 races. Event website
29 May 2009 - J/105 in OSTAR A J/105 is racing in the OSTAR, the world's oldest solo ocean challenge. Follow the progress online of Oscar Mead aboard King of Shaves. Website
26 May 2009 - Great Lakes Championship Bring your J/105 to Lake Erie for some late season fun! Mentor Harbor Yachting Club is hosting the 2nd annual Great Lakes Championship, and Fleet 22 is making it easy! It’s affordable--free launching, on-sight trailer storage and dockage at one of the most comfortable clubs on the lake. MHYC has 26 acres and beaches on Lake Erie. Talk about getting to the race course fast! That also means getting back to the dock to party fast! A top notch hotel is only 10 minutes away and offering discounted rooms starting at $99.00. The club is only 5 minutes off I-90 and just 24 miles east of Cleveland. This is an excellent opportunity to find out if other fleets have been getting faster, and an ideal stop-over with free storage at nearby Sailing Inc. should you be traveling on to the North Americans in New York. The winner takes home a half-hull perpetual trophy to keep for the year until the 2010 event in Chicago. Hope to see you there! Website
21 May 2009 - Southern California Lipton Cup The 98th sailing of the Southern California Lipton Cup was completed May 16-17. The San Diego Yacht Club boat "Wings" skippered by commodore Andy La Dow took first place with 16 points. Balboa Yacht Club "Perseverance" skippered By Chris Nisbett was second with 17 points. Cortez Racing Association boat "Sanity" skippered by Rick Gobel was third with 18 points. The event was hosted by last year's winner Southwestern Yacht Club. The J/105 has been chosen each year since 2002 as the event boat. The quality of the boat, availability of charters and the high compliance to one-design rules make it a natural choice for yacht club challenge events like this. The exposure of the J/105 in this high profile events has helped grow fleet 8. (Photo at left courtesy of Ullman Sails) Photo Gallery
19 May 2009 - Frank Stone Cup Invitational 23 J/105s raced at St. Francis Yacht Club on San Francisco Bay with Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk winning the Fleet (8 points). Rolf Kaiser on Donkey Jack followed (14 points), and Jason Woodley, Scott Whitney and Jon Titchener on Risk came in third (20 points). Four races were completed. Complete results
18 May 2009 - Jerry Diercks Wins Seattle NOOD J/105 Division Jerry Diercks on Delirium came in first (4 points), followed by Mike Schiltz on Money Shot (7 points) and John Peterson on Last Tango (8 points) at the Seattle NOOD Regatta. Nine J/105s competed in 2 races. Complete results
06 May 2009 - New Rules Interpretations posted RI 09-01 "10Kg Tolerance Specification in Exhibit 7.3A Item F" and RI 09-02 "Impact of new weight certificate in Exhibit 7.3B" have been posted. Go to Racing, then Rules Interpretations at left.
04 May 2009 - Leukemia Cup Rick Goebel on Sanity defeated 44 other teams to win the overall title at the Leukemia Cup at San Diego Yacht Club. Two other J/105 teams also placed in the top ten--Bernie Girod on Rock and Roll (6th place) and Jon Dekker on Air Boss (10th place). Complete results
04 May 2009 - The Yachting Cup San Diego Yacht Club hosted The Yachting Cup this past weekend. The J/105s were the largest class with 17 teams. Bill Logan on Pholly won the 5-race event with 11 points, followed by Tom Hurlburt on Triple Play (16 points) and Dennis & Sharon Case on Wings (19 points). Complete results
03 May 2009 - Eclipse wins AYC Spring by 1 point over Kincsem Racing on the second weekend was very tight again. With a forecast for winds of 5 knots or less, the RC had a tough time getting races off, but luckily, conditions were generally sailable. Team Eclipse got the best of it and showed great recovery skills, pulling off passes in the last few yards of most every race. Way to go, Damian & co! Congratulations, too, to Peter Rugg on Jaded who pulled off a third place, beating out a number of long timers in the class! The top five were rounded out by Revelation and Shakedown. Great sailing also from Bruce Stone from SF, who showed the locals how to master the light stuff, pulling off two firsts and a second. Had it not been for a late delivery resulting in a missed first day, who knows what Team Powerplay would have done? Fleet 6 website
02 May 2009 - Bermuda International Invitational Race Week The 2009 B.W. Walker Memorial Trophy was awarded to Allan Williams and Buddy Rego on Hull #888. The team finished with just 17 points in 11 races, followed by Chuck Millican and James McDonald (each with 27 points) in the top three. Jon Corless and Theresa Brandner-Allen completed the standings in the 5-boat fleet. Complete results
27 Apr 2009 - Keane named Annapolis NOOD winner Brian Keane of Weston, MA was named the overall winner of the Annapolis NOOD Regatta. Keane and his crew on Savasana will be invited to participate in the NOOD Regatta Championship in the British Virgin Islands in November (aboard Sunsail 39s) against the overall winners from each stop in the NOOD regatta series. Congratulations Brian!
27 Apr 2009 - Eclipse leads by 12 points after the first weekend of AYC Spring Twenty J/105s were out for this last weekend, a recent record. Damien Emery's team on Eclipse sailed brilliantly on the first weekend, finishing with only 7 points in 4 races. Kincsem, Peregrina, Jaded and Woody round out the top five. Conditions were challenging--more like Larchmont Race Week than the traditionally cool and windy AYC Spring Series. Long Island Sound served up races with wind speeds between 6-22 knots in one race on Saturday. On Sunday, it was very light and at times, redefining "shifty." Good fun was had by all nonetheless; everyone enjoying the warm and sunny conditions. Fleet 6
26 Apr 2009 - Annapolis NOOD Regatta Brian Keane on Savasana won the J/105 Division at the Annapolis NOOD Regatta with 23 points. Cedric Lewis/Fredrik Salvesen on Mirage came in second (39 points), and Arthur Libby on Dog House rounded out the top 3 (47 points). 30 J/105s were registered, and seven races were completed. Complete results
21 Apr 2009 - Charleston Race Week Patrick Eudy and team aboard Big Booty won the J/105 Division at Charleston Race Week (April 16-19). With nine points overall, Big Booty edged out Joe Highsmith on Dead on Arrival (11 points) and Billy Bremer III on High Visibility (14 points). Junius Grimes and John Demere rounded out the 5-boat fleet. Conditions varied from strong winds to kick off the regatta and also featured milder winds and beautiful sailing conditions for the 174 teams from 13 divisions. Results
14 Apr 2009 - Spring newsletter The Spring edition of the J/105 Class newsletter is currently being printed. Members should look for their copy in the mail soon or may view an advanced copy in the Members area of this website.
13 Apr 2009 - Minutes posted. Minutes from the 3/30/09 Executive Committee conference call are now posted, including the final 2008 budget. Class Business page
09 Apr 2009 - J/Fest John Horsch from Oakland, CA led his team on Business Socks to victory in the J/105 Division at J/Fest in San Francisco. Held from April 4-5 at the St. Francis Yacht Club, three races were completed, with Horsch finishing at 13 overall points. Adam Spiegel on Jam Session came in second with 15 points, followed by Scooter Simmons on Blackhawk who also had 15 points. The Class welcomed 24 boats for the weekend of racing.
Conplete results
24 Mar 2009 - No Excuse to Lose for Wings Dennis Case isn't the most famous D.C. that sails out of the San Diego YC. But with a consistent crew and a well-run program, he's had Dennis Conner-like success in the J/105 fleet. This year, Case and his team, including wife Sharon, won the overall trophy at the 2009 Sperry Top-Sider San Diego NOOD Regatta. Full Sailing World interview
22 Mar 2009 - San Diego NOOD The winner of the San Diego NOOD Regatta were locals Dennis and Sharon Case. "Wings" finished with just 11 points over 5 races, followed in the J/105 fleet by Gary Mozer on "Current Obsession2" with 20 points and Thomas Hurlburt on "Triple Play" with 30 points. Dennis and Sharon were also declared the overall winners of the entire San Diego NOOD event. Congratulations! The J/105s were the regatta's largest fleet with a total of 19 boats. Final Results
12 Mar 2009 - New Championship for Fleet 8 From August 22-23, Fleet 8 will race in the first Southern California J/105 Championship. It will be sailed out of Long Beach Yacht Club as a stand-alone event. This will be the fleet's premier event of the year and will have a grand perpetual trophy. The winner will be awarded a gold J to be carried in perpetuity on her mainsail to signify the Southern California Fleet Champion. 25 to 30 boats are expected. Out-of-town boats should expect good sailing with smooth water inside the breakwater and strong winds. The NOR and other pertinent details will be coming out soon. Fleet 8 website
11 Mar 2009 - Spring Newsletter The Class Office is currently preparing the J/105 Spring newsletter. Do you--or your fleet--have any news, photos, etc. to share with other Class members? E-mail the Class Office at howell@j105.org.
11 Mar 2009 - San Diego NOOD update 18 J/105s are registered for the San Diego NOOD Regatta from March 20-22. Check back next weekend for regatta updates. NOOD website
20 Feb 2009 - 2009 Charleston Race Week sets all-time attendance record While regattas around the world suffer significant drops in participation, the organizers of Charleston Race Week announced that the April 2009 running of this southern classic has already set an attendance record of 157 registered teams. Organizers will also bring back the popular 'chalk talk' given by local professional sailor Michael Miller. The seminar will be held at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina at both 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm on Thursday, April 16, immediately before the Skippers Meeting.
Regatta website
02 Feb 2009 - Rules updates online The updated Class Rules and Key Rules are now available online for viewing under the "Racing" link at left (then click "Rules"). The revised Weight Certificate is also udpated and online under "Racing" then "Measurer Resources."
28 Jan 2009 - Fleet 17 annual trophy standings Malcolm Bremmer on Babe came in first with 26 points, followed by Bee Bednar on Stinger with 24 points and Bill Zartler on Solaris with 14 points. Due to Ike, these were based on 8 races. The Fleet expects to again have at least 10 boats this year: Aftershock, Stinger, Babe, Solaris, Double Dare, J Teez, Zippity, Exlir, Marion V, Xcitation, plus a new-comer--Hull 649.
23 Jan 2009 - KWRW Final Congratulations to Brian Keane and his team on Savasana who were victorious at the J/105 Midwinter Championship at Key West Race Week 2009. Brian finished with 26 total points over 10 races. In second, Damian Emery on Eclipse ended with 29 points, and in third was Gerrit Schulze/Patricia Santelle on Max Power with 30 points. Premiere Racing results
22 Jan 2009 - KWRW Day 4 Brian Keane on Savasana regained the lead on Day 4 of Key West Race Week. With 20 total points, he is 3 ahead of Damian Emery on Eclipse and 4 ahead of Gerrit Schulze/Patricia Santelle on Max Power. Eight races are now completed, heading into a showdown on the final day. Premiere Racing Results
21 Jan 2009 - KWRW Day 3
Gerrit Schulze/Patricia Santelle on Max Power took two bullets on the middle day of Key West Race Week and are now tied in points with Damian Emery on Eclipse at 14 to lead the J/105 fleet. Brian Keane on Savasana is currently in third, just one point behind.
Premiere Racing reults
20 Jan 2009 - KWRW Day 2
The J/105 and other fleets completed 2 more races at Key West Race Week with a 15-20 knot north-northwesterly. Brian Keane on Savasana is currently leading the 105 fleet, followed by Damian Emery on Eclipse and Gerrit Schulze/Patricia Santelle on Max Power.
Premiere Racing results
19 Jan 2009 - KWRW Day 1
A few rain drops didn't dampen the spirits of 12 J/105 teams at Key West Race Week. Damian Emery on Eclipse won the day, with Gerrit Schulze/Patricia Santelle on Max Power close behind and Brian Keane on Savasana in third after the first day of racing.
Premiere Racing website
19 Jan 2009 - 2009 Key West Race Week
KWRW kicks off this morning, with 12 J/105s on hand to race at the annual event. Class President Bee Bednar is pictured at left, and also visit the "Albums" section for more photos.
Premiere Racing website
08 Jan 2009 - St. Pete NOOD approaching Racing takes place February 13-15. The Class formation deadline is February 2, and each class needs a minimum of six boats to remain eligible to race. The late fee starts January 26 at 5pm EST...keep this is mind when sending registration by fax or mail. The last day to receive a refund or cancel your entry is February 9. After clicking on the regatta website link, click: NOOD Regattas, then click: St. Petersburg under the list of locations. Under the St. Petersburg Info Center, you will see Online Registration along with some other informative links. The Notice of Race is located on the Regatta Info Center.
Visit the website
21 Dec 2008 - Fleet 10 New Jersey/New York Harbor Fleet 10 has changed to New Jersey/New York Harbor. Last year, they organized four regattas where they had a J/105 Class start. This year, four new J/105s were added to the area, and more people are expected to buy 105s next year. The fleet currently has 12 boats, and is led by John Pearson (fleet captain), Paul Zajac (secertary/treasurer), and Marcus Wunderlich (measurer).
07 Dec 2008 - 2009 Class membership It's time to renew your Class membership for 2009. Dues are $35 for the first Owner/Co-Owner for every boat and then $25 for subsequent Co-Owners and for Associates. Pay here only if you do not pay National Dues through your local fleet. Visit the Membership page for easy renewal.
05 Dec 2008 - Calendars for the Holidays It's not too late to order a 2009 J/105 calendar for a holiday gift. You won't even need to battle the crowds! Merchandise page
05 Dec 2008 - Eight Bells The Class sends its condolences to the family of J/105 owner Barry Brown (Blue Max) from Texas who has passed away. Barry participated in Key West Race Weeks and North American Championships. He was involved in youth sailing, and at the Corpus Christi Yacht Club. The photo is from 2005 when Blue Max finished 18/40.
03 Dec 2008 - Key West Race Week deadline approaching Just a reminder that the first entry deadline is December 12th for Acura Key West 2009.
Premiere Racing website
30 Nov 2008 - J/105 with "Wings" Dennis and Sharon Case shared a photo of Wings 514 on the ragged edge. The photo was captured on November 15 in the San Diego Yacht Club Hot Rum regatta (147 boats). The Santa Ana-induced winds were gusting to 35 kts; these were the same winds driving the fires in Santa Barbara. Shortly after this picture was taken, the race was abandoned because the marks were blown away and drifting to Mexico.
Thanks to Da Woody.com for providing the photo.
20 Nov 2008 - Rolex on standby It was four days of racing in September, reveling in the conditions that San Francisco is famous for, but the region's hallmark event of the Rolex Big Boat Series had yet to hand out the trophies for its most populated class - the J/105. Amongst the 110 boats competing in ten classes (four IRC divisions and six one design events), one remaining Steel Submariner Rolex timepiece had been residing in the safe of the St. Francis Yacht Club for the past two months, and not on the winning skipper?s wrist. Complete story from Scuttlebutt
16 Nov 2008 - New J/105 Emergency Tiller Rudder Bearing To place an order for a new replacement bearing, please contact the Parts Dept. at Waterline Systems, LLC. They can be reached by phone at 401-682-1661, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM or you can e-mail the Parts Dept. at mike@waterlinesystems.com or info@waterlinesystems.com. They ship via UPS and accept both MasterCard or Visa for payment. The cost for the new bearing is $33.50 plus S&H.
11 Nov 2008 - 2009 Calendars. Show off your 2009 J/105 Calendar to your Thanksgiving guests. They'll want one too! Or thank your crew by purchasing a team appreciation gift. Merchandise Page
05 Nov 2008 - Minutes posted. The minutes of the 10/23/2008 Annual Meeting have been posted. After logging in, choose Members --> Class Business on the left menu.
05 Nov 2008 - Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup Joe Cooper shares a tale of the Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup, DH on a J/105. Cooper is a sail consultant with Hood Sailmakers in Middletown RI, president and founder of the Short handed Sailing Association and blogs on sailing at www.practicallysailing.com. Complete stoty
03 Nov 2008 - Chesapeake Championship Results The Chesapeake Championship was contested over three days and five races under Annapolis Yacht Club management. The racing was very tight with the typically challenging Chesapeake Bay Fall conditions ranging from 5 to 20 knots, in a multitude of directions, with wind driven tidal current. Peter McChesney and The Mystery Machine team came out on top with 13 points and two firsts. Fredrik Salvesen and Cedric Lewis on Mirage were second (17), Carl and Scott Gitchell on Tenacious were third (20), Denis Seynhaeve on Mopelia was fourth (26), and Jim Konigsberg on Inigo was fifth (32). Link to full results
29 Oct 2008 - Ian Charles top Leukemia Cup fundraiser Ian Charles of Fleet #1 was diagnosed earlier this year with multiple myeloma and recently underwent a successful stem cell transplant and personally raised an astounding $220,536. Charles was the top overall individual fundraiser and his J/105 INDEFATIGABLE was the top overall winner of the XOJET Leukemia Cup.
From SCUTTLEBUTT:
“THE MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE “ The Leukemia Cup Regatta started as an event held by the Pine Harbor Yacht Club for the benefit of the Society's Alabama Chapter in April 1988. The Eastport Yacht Club, in Annapolis, MD, pioneered the concept of competition among boats and crews to raise funds for the fight against blood cancers, with their June 1993 event raising $30,000. In 2008 there were 39 Leukemia Cup Regatta throughout the U.S., and while each of them made a significant contribution, none was greater than the XOJET Leukemia Cup Regatta hosted on October 4-5 by San Francisco Yacht Club. This event inspired participants and donors to a record-setting $662,000, breaking the all time record for top individual Leukemia Cup since the series began in 1993.
In just three years, the XOJET Leukemia Cup Regatta has raised $1.1 million in total donations and beaten all of the standing titles for the highest first-year gross, highest second-year gross, and highest third-year gross for a Leukemia Cup Regatta. This year’s winning combination was the result of the enormously dedicated committee led by Chairman, Ian Charles, and co-chairs David Joyner and Bill Nolan who are all members of the San Francisco Yacht Club. Ian Charles was diagnosed earlier this year with multiple myeloma and recently underwent a successful stem cell transplant and personally raised an astounding $220,536. Charles was the top overall individual fundraiser and his J/105 “Indefatigable” was the top overall winner of the XOJET Leukemia Cup. For Ian Charles this was a weekend he will never forget. He proudly said “It was truly the most rewarding experience of my life and I am eternally grateful for the support of my friends and family that made it all possible.” Complete report
29 Oct 2008 - Fall News. The Fall News just went to the printer and you should receive your paper copies in ten days or so. Members may read it on-line by choosing Members >> Newsletters on the left menu after logging in.
24 Oct 2008 - Annual Meeting The Class Annual Meeting was held yesterday at the Mentor Harbor Yacht Club in Cleveland, OH. President Robert Mock presided over the teleconference that included 13 members of the Executive Committee. We'll let you know when the minutes are posted, but significant events included the turning over of the reins for most of the administrative work to Chris and Julie Howell. You'll be hearing more from them and you can reach them directly using the e-mail address howell@j105.org. In the photo, seated (from left to right) are Colin Mills, Rob Mock, Nelson Weiderman, and Julie Howell. Standing are Chris Howell, Walt Nuschke, Don McCloud, Clay Mock, and Ed Crist. Click on the photo for a closer look.
24 Oct 2008 - The 2009 Calendars are ready to ship. We have received the 2009 J/105 Calendars and are ready to ship them. Photography has been contributed by professionals Bobby Alcott, Charlie Bergstedt, Karen Hirsch, Andrew Sims, and Tim Wilkes. Is yours a featured boat? Treat your entire crew for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Merchandise page.
14 Oct 2008 - Dozen J/105s used for Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta This year a fleet of 36 boats were sailed by 288 college sailors from 30 different schools. Some of the teams came from as far away as Ohio, Michigan, Maine, Maryland and Virginia. The boats were divided up into four one-design classes and a tight PHRF class. Twelve J/105s were donated by Fleet #6 & Fleet #24 owners. The top three J/105s were Dark ‘n Stormy #77, crewed by Cornell University, Gumption3 #59, crewed by the US Coast Guard Academy, and Warhorse #618 crewed by Drexel. Cornell University was also awarded third place overall for the best winning percentage across two days of racing in the fleet of 36 boats. More ...
06 Oct 2008 - Clear Lake after Ike. Bill Zartler sent this link of a slide show of the Lakewood Yacht Club and Clear Lake shortly after Ike went through. Slideshow
01 Oct 2008 - Chesapeake Bay Championships. The J105 Chesapeake Bay Championship will be hosted by Fleet 3 and the Annapolis Yacht Club 31 October – 2 November 2008. This three-day regatta offers big fleet racing (25-35 boats expected) on the same venue as the record breaking 2007 NAC. In addition to great sailing this regatta is the perfect stopping point for those J105s headed south for Key West Race Week. The NOR is posted on the AYC Racing website. Please contact the AYC Racing Manager or the Fleet 3 Captain for more information.
01 Oct 2008 - Minutes posted. The minutes of the Executive Committee's September 23 conference call have been posted. After logging in, choose Members --> Class Business on the left menu.
21 Sep 2008 - STARCROSS wins Canadians. Meanwhile, in nearby Toronto, there were another fifteen boats racing for three days. These racers got in nine races and there were also five different winners. In this case, owners Glen Malcolm and Arthur English got the best of the action with two firsts, three seconds and two thirds. Top three: 1. Malcolm/English, STARCROSS, 27; 2. Jim Rathbun, HEY JUDE, 37.5; 3. Dave Shaver, RE-TERN, 41. Full results.
21 Sep 2008 - C-JEM take Great Lakes Championship. Five out of fifteen boats in the J105 Great Lakes Championship registered first place finishes in three days of racing. That wasn't enough to unseat CJ Ruffing and the crew of C-JEM, which won the regatta. The last day of racing brought steady 8 - 12 knot breezes. "IT" -- owned by Jim and Mindy Sminchak closed the door on Phantom - owned by Jim and Cynthia Best with a second in the final race of the regatta. Next year's J/105 Great Lakes Championship is slated for the Mentor Harbor Yacht Club on Lake Erie. Top five: 1. C.J. Ruffing, C-JEM, 30; 2. Jim Sminchak, IT, 36; 3. Jim Best, PHANTOM, 44; 4.Richard Stearns, TYLISHAN, 47; 5. Harry Bloom, DIRTY HARRY, 59. Submitted by Harry Bloom. Complete results.
21 Sep 2008 - Rule proposals for your comments. The Technical Committee has posted six submissions for your consideration. Please read them and comment on the Forum. These are not the final proposals, just the preliminary proposals, so now is a good time to discuss them within fleets and more broadly. The final proposals are still about a month away.
18 Sep 2008 - Headstay templates restocked. You can again buy an inexpensive template to repeatably set your headstay to a given length. This is important whether we keep the current headstay rule or modify it. Click the J/105 Merchandise menu and scroll down to the item. We've reduced the total price (including shipping) by $5 this time around.
18 Sep 2008 - Photography. I'm putting together the 2009 calendar. It will be for sale in the Merchandise section in about a month. You'll want to get one for each of your crew. In the meantime, I want to give you the web sites of the photographers I've been prospecting for photos. Here they are (in alphabetical order): Bobby Alcott (Great Lakes Championship), Charlie Bergstedt (2008 NAC, Rolex BBS), Karen Hirsch (Chicago NOOD & Mac), Andrew Sims (NYYC Rolex, BIRW, Sail Newport), and Tim Wilkes & Jeremiah Tamagna-Darr (2007 NAC, KWRW). Great shots. Check 'em out.
16 Sep 2008 - At least three survive Ike in Houston. It looks like J-TEEZ, STINGER, AFTERSHOCK all survived Ike. If you look at picture number 4 in the page linked below, you can see J-TEEZ at the left. The black mast at an angle just to the right is the mast of Son of Boomer, a Cape Fear 38, that was just across from AFTERSHOCK. It has clearly sunk. The mast just to the right of the big boat is AFTERSHOCK. She is still floating and we are pretty sure she is okay. We can't say the same for HYC's marina, and nobody will be thinking of the planned NOOD this weekend. -- VP Bee Bednar [follow-up: ELIXIR, SOLARIS, BABE, BLUE MAX, MARION V, DOUBLE DARE, and XCITATION all made it through as well.] (more...)
15 Sep 2008 - GOOD TIMIN' wins Big Boats. Brothers Chris and Phil Perkins won San Francisco's prestigious Rolex Big Boats Series in the seven race, no throwout, thirty one boat regatta. Top three: 1. Phil & Chris Perkins, GOOD TIMIN', 26; 2. Tim Russell, AQUAVIT, 45; 3. Scooter Simmons, BLACKHAWK, 51. Complete results.
09 Sep 2008 - KINCSEM wins Larchmont NOOD. Perennial top guns, Joerg Esdorn and Duncan Hennes’ J/105 KINCSEM team, successfully defended the Long Island Sound Championship (which was sailed as part of the Larchmont NOOD regatta). In addition to Joerg and Duncan, the all-AYC crew included Fred Walters, Rich Hulit, Don Reeser and Chris Lange. The team has been racing KINSEM together for almost eight years. There were 19 boats and six races sandwiched around Hurricane Hanna, which proved to be a bust as far as enhancing the wind. Top three: 1. Esdorn/Hennes, ECLIPSE, 17; 2. Brian Keane, SAVASANA, 18; 3. Damian Emery, ECLIPSE, 24. Complete results.
29 Aug 2008 - NAC Photos. Charlie Bergstedt was the photographer for the NAC and you can see his photos either ordered by day or ordered by final finish position. Enjoy!
25 Aug 2008 - DONKEY JACK wins NAC. 
After four days and ten races, Scott Sellers and his crew on DONKEY JACK emerged victorious at the San Francisco NAC. The photo shows the crew (Scott Sellers, Rolf Kaiser, Eric Ryan, Geoff McDonald, Cam Geer and Ted Conrads -- not necessarily in that order). Top three: 1. Scott Sellers, DONKEY JACK, 22; 2. Dave Wilson & Chris Perkins, GOOD TIMIN', 45; and 3. Tim Russell, AQUAVIT, 51. Stuart's commentary and final results.
24 Aug 2008 - And after the third day ... Scott Sellers and DONKEY JACK solidified their top position with three bullets on the day. Top three: 1. Scott Sellers, DONKEY JACK, 19; 2. David Wilson & Chris Perkins, GOOD TIMIN' 2, 40; 3. Tim Russell, AQUAVIT, 41. Stuart's commentary and complete results (plus bonus video).
23 Aug 2008 - And after two days ... The leaders after two days and five races are: 1. Scott Sellers, DONKEY JACK, 16; 2. Tim Russell, AQUAVIT, 19; 3. David Wilson & Chris Perkins, GOOD TIMIN', 26. Five different boats have won races. Stuart's commentary and full results.
22 Aug 2008 - NAC underway with 36 boats. After a postponement and two races in, the top three were: 1. Scooter Simmons, BLACKHAWK, 6; 2. Tim Russell, AQUAVIT, 7; and 3. Kristen Lane, BRICK HOUSE, 10. Fleet Captain, Stuart Taylor, will be providing some commentary with a link to complete results. Stuart's commentary.
13 Aug 2008 - For those who plan ahead ... The 2009 North American Championships have been scheduled for October 29 to November 1 at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY. Also, the initial e-mails have gone out for Key West Race Week (January 19-23). If you are considering KWRW in 2009 and did not get "Update #1", please contact Nelson to get on his distribution list.
01 Aug 2008 - PRONTO II wins Chicago Mac Race. There were 27 J/105s entered and six trophies collected for the 100th running of the Chicago Mac. Weather was rainy, dense fog, and on the lighter side presssure-wise, with scattered thunderstorms and occasional clear skies. Roy Disney was the honorary race chairman. Top three: 1. Peter Fray, PRONTO II, 55:47:20; 2. Sellers/Ryan, DONKEY JACK, 56:01:48; 3. Morin/Rose, JUNTO, 56:09:13. Complete results.
01 Aug 2008 - STEELAWAY III wins Marblehead NOOD. A Thursday storm cut the four day regatta to three days, but Peter Morgan won the first two races on Friday and never looked back, winning the seven race, one-throwout regatta by 11 points. Seventeen boats participated at the Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA. That makes seven NOODs this year with two to go (Larchmont and Texas). Top three: 1. Peter Morgan, STEELAWAY III, 11; 2. Jon Wales, BANTRY, 20; 3. Brian Harrington, UPROAR, 24. Full results.
31 Jul 2008 - Minutes available. The minutes of the July 15 Conference call of the Executive Committee are now posted in the Members Area (Class Business). In other late July news, ECLIPSE (Damian Emery) won the Newport Rolex and East Coast Championship among 19 boats (complete results), STINGER (VP Bee Bednar) was second in class and second overall in the three day, hurricane enhanced Texas Race Week, and MIRAGE (Lewis and Salvesen) won the Screwpile Regatta among 15 boats. The ECCs were jointly sponsored by Fleets 3 and 6 with a new travelling half-hull trophy, while Texas Race Week was in Fleet 17 territory, and the Screwpile was sponsored by Fleet 3.
09 Jul 2008 - Great Lakes Championship Regatta. Everything you need to know about this regatta (September 19-21, 2008 at Grosse Pointe Yacht Club) can be found by clicking here: Everything.
02 Jul 2008 - Fleet #17 announces Mid-Continent Regatta. J/105 Galveston Bay Fleet 17 is proud to announce it is hosting a “Mid-Continent J/105 Championship Regatta” in conjunction with the 2008 Sailing World Houston, TX, NOOD Regatta, September 19-21, 2008. The J/105 fleet will be racing in its own Division, on its own line, under national class rules with special trophies and awards awarded to the top finishers. NOR will follow very soon. Watch the fleet #17 site.
01 Jul 2008 - FREE ENTERPRISE takes LBRW. Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week was won by Alex Rasmussen sailing FREE ENTERPRISE. Notable was that among the nineteen classes (including two PHRF classes), the J/105 class was the largest with 14 boats. Notable also was that two points separated the top three boats. The top three were: 1. Alex Rasmussen, FREE ENTERPRISE, 23; 2. Rick Goebel/Jeremy Davidson, SANITY, 24; and Bennett Greenwald, PERSEVERENCE, 25. Full results.
24 Jun 2008 - Single Handing the J/105. 
Oystein Thorup of Oslo, Norway sent in this photo by Lars Johansson. This was an early morning shot in a southwesterly gale on a reach going north off the coast of Sweden in the doublehanded Watski Skagerak. They were doing 18-19 knots when the photo was taken. Thorup and Johansson believe that the J/105 is "perfect for shorthanded offshore racing." Click on the photo for a larger version.
23 Jun 2008 - NAC On-line Registration Now Open. You may now register for the 2008 North American Championship, being held in San Francisco from August 21-24. The link below takes you directly. The link in the right column takes you to the NAC website. Register now.
21 Jun 2008 - Jeff Janov takes Chicago NOOD. There were 23 boats competing this year for the Chicago NOOD, which was won in a seven race, no throwout regatta by Jeff Janov of Fleet #8. Top three: 1. Jeff Janov, INVISIBLE, 29; 2. David Wagner, GIGI, 37; and 3. Dorin Candea, MESSY JESSY, 42. Complete results.
20 Jun 2008 - BIRW finals. It went down to the wire in the last race on Friday, but Damian Emery prevailed when he found a favorable rip on the last downwind leg to pass at least four boats. Finals: 1. Damian Emery, ECLIPSE, 23; 2. Brian Keane, SAVASANA, 28; and 3. Ken Colburn, GHOST, 48. For more see the links below. Final results.
18 Jun 2008 - ECLIPSE leads at BIRW. After three days and seven races including one throwout, the leaders at Block Island Race Week were 1. Damian Emery, ECLIPSE, 9; 2. Brian Keane, SAVASANA, 20; 3. Nathan Boylan, JOYSEA, 25.
15 Jun 2008 - Block Island Race Week. This is the week. For Nelson's commentary, click here. For daily results, click here.
05 Jun 2008 - C-JEM wins Detroit NOOD. They had an even dozen for the eight race Detroit NOOD and C.J. Ruffing won it by 14 points. The press called it "Wild and Wooly" for the first two days on Lake St. Clair, but then it calmed down a bit for the final day. Top three: 1. C.J. Ruffing, C-JEM, 14; 2. Harry Bloom, DIRTY HARRY, 28; 3. Colin Mills, WISH, 31. Full results.
05 Jun 2008 - ExCom Minutes Posted. The Minutes of the conference call of May 27 have been posted. Go to Members --> Class Business (login required).
05 Jun 2008 - Two Unusual Events. In Chicago they just wrapped up their 4th Annual J/105 Match Race event. The top three boats were CONVEXITY, GIGI, and STRIKING. This event was sailed with owner/drivers, but pros were allowed as a seventh man. See the Fleet #5 site (fleet5.j105.org) for details. Meanwhile, in the Southern Chesapeake, Fleet #15 attracted some boats from "up north" to complete a milestone regatta at their Southern Chesapeake Bay Race Week. Fleet #3's Carl and Scott Gitchell's brought TENACIOUS and strung together a perfect series of bullets to win the competition. For details read about it on the Fleet 15 site (fleet15.j105.org).
20 May 2008 - Schiltz takes first at new Seattle NOOD. The press release called it "three perfect days of sailing on Puget Sound" and Mike Schiltz came out the winner of the J/105 Class in the inaugural NOOD in Seattle. There were 10 boats sailing in the fledgling fleet's six race, one throwout regatta. The top three were: 1. Michael Schiltz, MONEY SHOT, 5; 2. Erik Kristen, JUBILEE, 12; 3. Michael Pearson, BIFROST 3, 18. You guys need to head south in August for the NAC! Full Results.
13 May 2008 - Jim Sminchak wins Hospice Regatta. The National Hospice Regatta was won by the J105 team from IT, led by Jim Sminchak out of Fleet 22 on Lake Erie. Jim was representing the Grand River Hospice Regatta. 2nd was taken by Tom Doran representing Jefferson County, NY, and 3rd by Gary Schwarting, representing Naples/Marco Island, FL. The teams all rotated through a different boat during the three day event, all donated by Fleet #3. (More ...)
12 May 2008 - BER 888 does it again. The Bacardi (Bermuda) International Invitational Race Week was won by Alan Williams and Buddy Rego, sailing BER 888, NOT MINE. While the other four boats in the fleet mixed up their positions, it was the second year in a row for NOT MINE. Top three: 1. Williams & Rego, NOT MINE, 24; 2. James McDonald, PASSION, 26; 3. Adam Barboza, HARLEQUIN, 32. The Race Week (in Bermuda fashion) ran from April 27 to May 1. Full results.
10 May 2008 - San Diego Yachting Cup. The San Diego Yacht Club's Yachting Cup turned out 24 J-105's on May 3-4 to battle larger than normal quantities of kelp and shifty winds. The winner and best kelp dodger was Bill Logan's "Pholly" (Hull #3!) followed by Dennis & Sharon Case on "Wings" and in third was Jeff Janov's "Invisible". Full results.
09 May 2008 - Attention History Buffs. I have finally scanned and uploaded my stash of old Newsletter and they appear on the Newsletters page (Members -> Newsletters). They started in 1992 and there are about 15 new ones on this page. I think I have the complete set, but if anybody has additional Newsletter, please let me know (e-mail Nelson.) There are useful tidbits, old results, cruising information, tips from owners, etc., etc, etc. Did you know that Class Dues started at $50 per year in 1993? Did you know that the weight limit was 882 pounds prior to 1995? All this and more. Reminder: you need to be logged in to visit this page. Direct link.
02 May 2008 - Taxes Filed. Our 990-EZ 2007 tax return (due 5/15/08) was filed today. The J/105 Class Association is a 501(c)(7) organization and must file annually even though we owe no taxes. You may see a copy by going to Governance --> IRS Documents. You may also review our 2007 final financial statement by going to Members --> Class Business. The numbers are presented a little differently because of IRS requirements.
30 Apr 2008 - Single Point Lifting (updated). Walt has revised his article about lifting boats from the aft keel bolt and added more photos. It's really a "piece of cake" once you know how. See it on the Measurer's Resource page. First choose Racing, then Measurer Resources on the left menu. Direct link.
28 Apr 2008 - Annapolis NOOD. The third NOOD regatta of 2008 is now in the books. Held in Annapolis with 31 boats on the line, the three day event was plagued with the normal fickle winds and vicious currents. In the end it was a Naval Academy Team that won the event. There were six different winners in six races. The top three: 1. US Naval Academy, DREADNOUGHT, 35; 2. Brian Keane, SAVASANA, 46; 3. Rob Marsh, BLOWBOAT!, 46. Complete results.
25 Apr 2008 - Southern Circuit Results. The Southern Circuit (KWRW, St. Pete NOOD, and Charleston Race Week) is now complete and there were 13 qualifiers for the President's Trophy (sailing in 2 or more regattas). The top three boats were: 1. ECLIPSE, Damian Emery, .823; 2. RUM AT SIX, Worth Harris, .7268; 3. SEA SHADOW, Bill Riker, .7099. The winner of the Sportsmanship Award was Jim Flanagan, whose ACHIEVER V sailed in all three regattas. The President's Trophy (a perpetual) will be engraved with the names of the winners, plus the current year Class President (Robert Mock) and sent to Damian for display in his trophy case. Complete results.
25 Apr 2008 - Charleston Race Week. Everybody that participates in this Regatta says that Charleston is a wonderful venue for racing, and the weather cooperated with three great race days last weekend. The top three boats in the seven race, one throwout, twelve boat regatta were: 1. BIG BOOTY, Patrick Eudy, 10; 2. MAX POWER, Gerrit Schulze, 14; and 3. RUM AT SIX, Worth Harris, 20. Complete results.
18 Apr 2008 - Retrofit for 12:1 Outhaul. You can either pay hundreds to have this done for you by a rigger or you can Do-It-Yourself for the cost of a Harken 304 block and a few feet of spectra. For the diagram go to our Resources page (J/105 Information --> Resources on the menu). Direct link.
12 Apr 2008 - The Spring News. Our Spring 2008 News has gone to the publisher. You should see it in you mailboxes in about 7-10 days. If we have received your 2008 dues, you may read it on-line by going to Members --> Newsletters. Included are articles on the new boats (Jeff Johnstone) and behind the scenes at the 2007 NAC (Walt Nuschke). Enjoy! Direct link.
10 Apr 2008 - Single Point Lifts. Now that weighing has become the "law-of-the-land", we've been fielding quite a few questions about how to weigh boats. Thanks to Walt Nuschke, we have a writeup and photos of what is entailed to pick up a boat from the aft keel bolt (a method used with success in Fleet #3 for some time). Go to Racing --> Measurer Resources on the left menu. The direct link.
28 Mar 2008 - East Coast Championships. Fleets 3 and 6 jointly sponsor a half-model traveling trophy for the East Coast Championships. This year they will be held in Newport, RI in connection with the NYYC Rolex, July 25-27. Next year back to Annapolis, probably in April. (more...)
17 Mar 2008 - New Rule Interpretation -- RI-08-01. The Technical Committee has answered a number of questions regarding when a boat must be reweighed after changes are made to the boat. (Racing -> Rules Interpretations)
17 Mar 2008 - Minutes Posted. The minutes of the Executive Committtee Conference call of 3/4/08 have been posted on the Class Business page. (Members -> Class Business)
17 Mar 2008 - San Diego NOOD. The second NOOD of the season was completed in San Diego this past weekend with 20 boats and five races completed. Top three: 1. Jeff Janov, INVISIBLE, 9; 2. Dennis and Sharon Case, WINGS, 15; 3. Bennett Greenwald, PERSEVERENCE, 27. Complete results.
05 Mar 2008 - Southern Circuit Scores Posted. All of the 37 boats that participated in either of the two Southern Circuit Events is still eligible for the Southern Circuit Trophy, but among those who have completed two of the events, the leaders are: 1. ECLIPSE, .8230, 2. J'MAKIN' WAVES, .6224; 3. GUMPTION3, .5841. The overall leader with one regatta under her belt is MASQUERADE with .9818. Full scores.
05 Mar 2008 - St. Pete NOOD. Sorry I missed this one, but the St. Pete NOOD was held a few weeks ago (February 15-17). We had a dozen boats participating and after a shaky start (a ten), Damian Emery's ECLIPSE came back to win by two points with 18 points. Five races were sailed. Top three: 1. Damian Emery (ECLIPSE) 18; 2. Adam Rosen / Jeff Marks (WASABI) 21; 3. Kevin Grainger (GUMPTION3) 26. Combined with his second at KWRW, that puts ECLIPSE in the catbird seat for the Southern Circuit Trophy. Next up is San Diego NOOD, a week from tomorrow. (more...)
08 Feb 2008 - Rules for 2008 have been posted. The new rules have been posted. You will note that because we no longer have a floatline rule, and a few formatting changes, the printable version of the rules has shrunk from 18 pages to 11. Only seven of those pages are the Rules and the other four being the Exhibits for the weight Rule. Rules page.
07 Feb 2008 - More new J/105s. JBoats has announce that more J/105s will be built and that US Watercraft will be the builder. Pass the word. You should see some more advertising and new boats at your local boat shows this winter. The Class still has legs! Press Release.
29 Jan 2008 - Final KWRW commentary. A review of the early-week prognostications and the tale of the sails. (more...)
26 Jan 2008 - MASQUERADE romps in heavy air KWRW. Top five: 1. MASQUERADE, 13; 2. ECLIPSE, 55; 3. KINCSEM, 57; SAVASANA, 64; 5. RUM AT SIX, 84.6. Full results here. Commentary.
24 Jan 2008 - MASQUERADE marches on. Two races after a late start. Top three: MASQUERADE 1,3,1,2,1-8; SAVASANA 5,1,2,5,2-15; KINCSEM 4,4,20,3,7-38. FUN award winners: EAGLES WINGS, ECLIPSE, GRACE O'MALLEY, SEA SHADOW, TENACIOUS, CONVEXITY, ACHIEVER V. Standings. (more...)
23 Jan 2008 - No racing at KWRW. No wind, so no updates today. Standings remain the same. (more...)
22 Jan 2008 - Three races today. Leaders after three races are: 1. MASQUERADE 1,3,1-5; 2. SAVASANA 5,1,2-8; 3. PERSEVERANCE 2,7,7-16. Only these boats avoided double digit finishes on the day. (more...)
21 Jan 2008 - Still tied for first. They held us back, then sent us into the teeth of the blow, then sent us back to the dock. Most thought this was a good decision. (more...)
18 Jan 2008 - Key West Race Week 2008. The regatta starts Monday. Here are a few links that you will want to follow: Nelson's commentary, the results, the fun award standings, and the Kattack races. If all goes according to plan, you will be able to follow the races day-by-day and mark-by-mark after downloading the player at Kattack. The results link may not work right away, but that's what I'm told it will be.
14 Jan 2008 - Rules are getting shorter. Only the submission on allowing the outhaul purchase to be 12:1 (was 6:1) passed this year. This does not change the Rules since it only appears in the Specifications for new boats. But starting February 1, Exhibits 7.3C and 7.3D on the floatline rule go away, thus eliminating five pages. Submissions 2 and 3, having to do with what we have loosely been calling "traveling sails", were not passed by the Executive Committee. The voting on these three submissions is posted on the Class Business page.
11 Jan 2008 - Moving again. Tomorrow, j105.org will be moving to a new server. We will have to shut down the FORUM briefly, but hopefully the only thing you will notice on Monday is quicker response times. In case you do find something strange, please report it to Nelson. Those who are ftp-ing to fleet sites will need new credentials.
08 Jan 2008 - ECC's at Newport, RI in 2008 The East Coast Championship will be held at the New York Yacht Club Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex. Our event runs from July 25-27 in Newport, RI. The Rolex is run on even years and we are looking to improve on our record of 28 entries in 2008.
11 Dec 2007 - Bermuda Bound. The Bacardi sponsored Bermuda International Race Week will be held April 26 to May 2, 2008. [Great regatta and surprisingly affordable -- NW.] (more...)
21 Nov 2007 - West Coast sailors vs. East Coast sailors. Andrew Campbell's blog explores the saying "West Coast sailors go straight better and East Coast sailors sail the shifts better." This is an interesting read that might resonate with those who watched MASQUERADE find the winning shift in the final race of the NAC. He and other USA Olympic sailors are also looking for your financial support. Thanks to Doug Werner for providing this link. (more...)
20 Nov 2007 - Calendars arrived today. If you haven't ordered your 2008 J/105 calendars, now would be a good time. It's a great way to say "Thank You" to all the crew that have been sailing with you this year. All the pages are displayed on the Merchandise page. Take a look at the sheet bags and hats while you're there doing your Christmas shopping. (more...)
15 Nov 2007 - GOOD TIMIN' returned. For a few moments on Monday there was an article here about GOOD TIMIN' being stolen from its slip in the San Francisco Marina. Well the whole incident was reported in Latitude 38's electronic edition. Some will be interested in this saga. Read the initial report and the follow-up report (scroll down).
09 Nov 2007 - More photos of the NAC. These are by Jeff Johnstone on Friday. Note that you can run a slideshow, download full photos, or order photos from your favorite provider using this link. (more...)
09 Nov 2007 - More professional photography of the NAC. You can find more professional photograpy by Andrew Sims and J.H. Peterson at www.wavelengthstudios.com. (more...)
09 Nov 2007 - Senator's Cup to be sailed in J/105s this weekend. A Who's Who of competitive sailing will face off tomorrow and Saturday at the Inner Harbor for the renewal of the Senator's Cup. The skippers are John Bertrand, a veteran of four America's Cup campaigns and a 1984 Olympic silver medalist; Terry Hutchinson, a three-time Cup sailor; Chris Larson, Rolex Yachtsman of the Year and a helmsman in the Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race; Dave Dellenbaugh, the helmsman and tactician aboard Cup winner America3; Cameron Appleton, a two-time Cup helmsman; and Dave Perry, a member of Sweden's 2007 Cup challenger. In addition, Gavin Brady, a four-time Cup veteran, will be on hand to help the race committee and act as an alternate. (more...)
07 Nov 2007 - Sailing World article and photos. Sailing World has a great article here and their photos by Tim Wilkes are here. For photos by boatname, go to Tim's Site.
07 Nov 2007 - Annual Meeting Minutes posted. The minutes of the October 25 Annual Meeting of the Executive Committee Meeting have been reviewed and posted in the Members section. Congratulations to the new officers, Rob Mock (Fleet #22) as President and Bee Bednar (Fleet #17) as Vice President. Walt Nuschke takes over from Joerg Esdorn as Chief Measurer, and Nelson Weiderman will again be Secretary/Treasurer. All Members are reminded to review the change submissions which are posted on the FORUM under the topic "Class Rules Proposals". Please make your opinions known to your representatives. (more...)
04 Nov 2007 - God giveth and Annapolis taketh away. The final day was shifty to say the least and some of the top boats took headers. The final results put Tom Coates on top for the second year in a row. Top five were 1. Tom Coates, MASQUERADE, 33; 2 Cedric Lewis & Frederick Salvesen, MIRAGE, 38; 3. Don Wilson, CONVEXITY, 49; 4. Damian Emery, ECLIPSE, 57; 5. Steve Phillips, LE RENARD, 59. The top five won silver in the Silver division: 1. CJ Ruffing, C-JEM, 75; 2. Steve Olinger, J'MAKIN'WAVES, 89; 3. Joseph Colling, JA2, 101; 4. Don Santa, SANTA'S REIN DEAR, 104; 5. Richard Leavitt, MACCABEE, 107. The races were won today by ECLIPSE in Gold and DARK STAR in Silver. Click here for complete results and here for commentary.
03 Nov 2007 - MIRAGE moves into first at NAC. In the Gold division it is MIRAGE, 26; LE RENARD 31; MASQUERADE 31. In the Silver it is C-JEM, 69; JA2, 77; J'MAKIN' WAVES 84. Two races were sailed in excellent conditions.
02 Nov 2007 - MASQUERADE, LE RENARD, and INIGO at the NAC. We got in three fabulous races today. The winners of individual races were MIRAGE, MAX POWER, MASQUERADE, CONVEXITY, PERSEVERENCE, and KINCSEM. At the end of the day 36 boats placed in the Gold fleet and 33 in the Silver fleet for the final two days of competition. Leading the pack are MASQUERADE, LE RENARD, and INIGO. For direct links, see yesterday's post.
02 Nov 2007 - Direct links. Here are the direct links to results and commentary for NAC 2007. I haven't gotten Kattack working yet, but when I do, I'll try to help with that as well.
01 Nov 2007 - MOPELIA and LE RENARD win first races. The first start of the series was won by MOPELIA (blue and pink fleets) and the second start was won by LE RENARD (white and green fleets). The second race was abandoned. For complete results and Kattack video, click the NAC icon on the right. For Nelson's commentary click (more...)
31 Oct 2007 - Practice Day at the NAC. About half the fleet turned out for a great practice day. Nelson's commentary today picks the fourteen boats that will most likely crack the top ten. (more...)
30 Oct 2007 - The 2008 Calendar is ready. The 2008 calendar is now complete and ready to send to the publisher. The merchandise section is the place to order them. You will certainly want at least one for every crewmember who has sailed with you this year. Featured boats include KINCSEM, WALLOPING SWEDE, BAT IV, WIANNO, ROE RAGE, CHILAXN, RISK, BLACKHAWK, STRANGELOVE, WASABI, RUM AT SIX, BLINK, TWO FEATHERS, BRICK HOUSE, ADVANTAGE, and UPROAR. Regattas include Key West, Big Boats, Block Island, J-Fest, MayFest, Sail Newport, and Marblehead NOOD. Some good fleet shots. Photographers donating their shots include Chris Ray, Andrew Sims, and Tim Wilkes. (more...)
17 Oct 2007 - Last day! Today is the last day to register for the 2007 NACs. Let's see if we can get it up to 70 boats!
16 Oct 2007 - Fall News on its way. The Fall News was sent to the publisher and you should have it in your hands in advance of the NAC (now with 68 entries). If you are a Member, you can access the electronic version by going to Members --> Newsletters and clicking on "Fall 2007 Newsletter".
15 Oct 2007 - GUMPTION 3 wins East Coast Championship. Kevin Grainger and his crew on GUMPTION 3 won the ECs with 13 points, beating out INDEFATIGABLE (Phil Lotz, 15 points) and KINCSEM (Joerg Esdorn 17 points). ANDIAMO (Paul Straub, 25 points) and PEREGRINA (Josh Burack, 29 points) round out the top five. Conditions were vintage Long Island Sound, with breeze from 6 to 25kn generally from the West but with severe shifts. The MBYC race committee did their best with the conditions, getting in 7 races over the two days. (more...)
10 Oct 2007 - Minutes posted. The minutes of the ExecComm's September conference call have been posted. Go to Members --> Class Business.
03 Oct 2007 - NAC 2008 dates. Fleet #1 has firmed up the dates for the 2008 NAC in San Francisco. It will be held August 20-24, 2008 at St. Francis Yacht Club. For their flyer, click (more...)
02 Oct 2007 - Lined up in SF.  This cover of the October issue of Latitudes 38 happens to capture Bruce Stone leading the pack. Guess you don't need to paint your boat flag blue to make the cover after all (but it helps to be chased by a passel of colorful kites).
01 Oct 2007 - RI-07-03: SAILS FOR CHARTERED BOATS. The Technical Committee has passed down interpretations on two questions related to the use of sails on chartered boats. (more...)
01 Oct 2007 - SOLARIS wins Texas NOOD -- runs J/105 NOOD consecutive string to 48. Nine J/105's entered and competed in the light air shortened Houston Yacht Club Texas NOOD regatta on September 21-23. The two races on the first day of the three day competition decided the outcome. The third race on day two was canceled on the last leg. No wind prevented racing on the final day. Three boats, STINGER, BABE, and AFTERSHOCK, were tied for second place. The tie breakers went to STINGER and then BABE. The top three: 1. Bill Zartler, SOLARIS, 2; 2. Kevin Bednar, STINGER, 6; and 3. Malcolm Bremmer, BABE, 6.
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01 Oct 2007 - And the winner is ... The winner of the Ullman jib raffle to support the NAC is Barry Brown, from Texas Fleet #17, owner of BLUE MAX. Ironically, Fleet #17 is one of the only fleets not represented in the 2007 NAC at present (now showing 65 entries!). Barry obviously wanted to show his support even though he could not attend in person. The winning ticket was chosen from a champagne bucket by Ron Ward, Senior International Judge, at the Annapolis Yacht Club yesterday.
27 Sep 2007 - More RBBS photos from Bruce Cooper. These aren't in the professional category, but pretty good nevertheless. (more...)
25 Sep 2007 - BBS Photography. Andrew Sims (Wavelength Studios) has take some great shots of the Rolex Big Boats Series in San Francisco. Not to be missed. (more...)
17 Sep 2007 - RE-TERN wins Canadians. Seventeen boats participated in the Canadians in Toronto, won by David Shaver. There was 15-20 knot winds and 4-6 foot swells on Lake Ontario for this Fleet 4 sponsored event. Robert Baker on PLANET B had a 2, 1 and was leading on the last upwind beat of the third race on the first day, but she was damaged in a collision and had to withdraw. Top three: 1. Dave Shaver, RE-TERN, 36; 2. Mike Mountford, LIVE EDGE, 37; 3. Peter Hall, JAMAICA ME CRAZY, 42. Nine race were sailed. (more...)
17 Sep 2007 - GOOD TIMIN' prevails at BBS. There were 34 boats on the line for the Rolex Big Boat Series in San Francisco including five boats from outside Fleet #1. Seven races were sailed over four days. Chris Perkins got off to a slow start with a 4, 12, 11, but finished strong with a 1, 3, 1, and 5. The top three: 1. Chris Perkins, GOOD TIMIN', 37; 2. Scott Sellers, DONKEY JACK, 42; 3. Kristen Lane, BRICK HOUSE, 59. Scooter Simmons, Tim Russell and Tom Coates had the bullets not collected by the top three. (more...)
14 Sep 2007 - Annapolis NAC Update. The Annapolis Yacht Club and J/105 Fleet 3 are pleased to announce the support of these great sponsors for the upcoming North American Championship; Bombay Sapphire, Charles Schwab, North Sails, APS (Annapolis Performance Sailing), J/Boats Chesapeake, Hall Spars & Ullman Sails who is offering a great opportunity via a raffle for a new, Fiberpath Aramid jib. To buy a chance visit our Merchandise Page by clicking here. Forty four boats have already registered before the early deadline of Friday, Sep 21st. The entry fee for the 4 day event, including social passes for dining & drinks for Skipper and up to 5 crew is $650. After Sep 21st and through the entry deadline of October 17th, there is a late fee of $150. For more information check out the event site. (more...)
11 Sep 2007 - Two big regattas coming up. The Canadian Championship in Toronto and the Rolex Big Boat Series in San Francisco are both being contested this Thursday through Sunday. Should be a great week for the 105s. Good luck everybody!
10 Sep 2007 - KINCSEM wins Larchmont NOOD. There were 22 J/105s on the line for the two-day Larchmont NOOD in Larchmont, NY. There were seven races and after winning all three Saturday races, KINCSEM, cruised to an eight point victory with its six person team (none of whom is under fifty years of age). On Sunday second place boat SAVASANA won two races. ECLIPSE and MORNING GLORY won the other two, but REVELATION pulled out third place. Top three: 1. Joerg Esdorn, KINCSEM, 21; 2. Brian Keane, SAVASANA, 29; George Wilbanks, REVELATION, 38. This marks the 47th straight NOOD with a J/105 one-design start and an increase of five boats over the 2006 Larchmont NOOD. (more...)
07 Sep 2007 - After the NAC. The 2007 edition of the Senator's Cup Match Racing Regatta will be sailed in J/105s in Baltimore Harbor from November 8-10. Featured (pro) competitors include Gavin Brady, Chris Larson, John Bertrand, Terry Hutchinson, et al. (more...)
28 Aug 2007 - No Miami Race Week in 2008. We have been informed by Premiere-Racing that they are still constrained by transient slips at the Miami Beach Marina and will not be able to accommodate J/105s in 2008. Looks like it will be Farr 40, Melges 32, IRC, and NYYC 42 (or second IRC class). But we already have 18 confirmed for Key West, so we could hit forty again this year.
17 Aug 2007 - Larchmont NOOD. The 2007 Larchmont NOOD on September 8 & 9 will also be the Long Island Sound J/105 2007 Championship. Fleet 6 is expecting a significant number of out of town boats for this regatta and is sponsoring a J/105 half model as a traveling trophy for this regatta. Please go to the Fleet 6 website to register. This regatta will be the first in a series of great J/105 racing weekends in the Larchmont/Rye area, with American Yacht Club's Fall Series on September 22 & 23 and 29 & 30, followed by the J/105 East Coast Champs run by Manhasset Bay Yacht Club on October 13 & 14. This will give boats sufficient time to get down to Annapolis for the J/105 North Americans on November 1-4. Racing for all these weekends will be in the same area between Larchmont YC and American YC in Rye. If you have any questions regarding logistics, etc, contact Fleet 6 Fleet Captain Joerg Esdorn.
16 Aug 2007 - Key West Approaching. J/105 Central just got its copy of the NOR for KWRW 2008 (the dates are January 21-25). If you are planning on attending, you should get on your horse. There are only 153 days left (according to the countdown to the left). If you have not been on my e-mailing list in the past and would like to be, please send e-mail to Nelson at j105 dot org. I send out about a dozen missives between now and the event. To check on the NOR and other logistics issues, go to the premiere-racing.com site. This year they have a "Road Advisory" on their Logistics page. Premiere Racing
14 Aug 2007 - Wow! Get a chance to win a new Ullman jib for $100. Get (better) sheet bags for $40 apiece. Get a bow measuring template for $30. Have you visited our Merchandise page lately? (more...)
30 Jul 2007 - Marblehead NOOD. Local Peter and Doug Morgan took the 20 boat Marblehead NOOD over three days and six races. They were just two points clear of the second and third place boats who tied. Top three: 1. Peter & Doug Morgan, STEELAWAY III, 12; 2. Kevin & Dee Colcord, CIRCE'S CUP, 14; 3. Ken Colburn, GHOST, 14. (more...)
19 Jul 2007 - Fleet #3 takes top positions in Newport. Two boats from Annapolis (hosting the NAC later this year) were #1 and #2 at the Sail Newport Regatta last weekend. There were a mix of conditions varying from six to sixteen knots, mostly a seabreeze from the southwest. Fourteen boats from five fleets and eight states competed. Top three: 1. Andrew Kennedy, BAT IV, 14; 2. Carl & Scott Gitchell, TENACIOUS, 21; 3. Jay Schachne, COLTRANE, 21. (more...)
18 Jul 2007 - And then the wind died. They were off to a fast start on Sunday, but then the wind died. It turned into a 62 hour slog for the winner of the Race to Mackinac, Tom & Gytis Petkus on VYTIS, followed an hour and a half later by Clark Pellett's SEALARK and thirty minutes after that by Peter Fray's PRONTO II. VYTIS and SEALARK were also first and second in fleet (Macinac Cup) on corrected time. Fifteen of the seventeen boats finished. Congratulations to all the survivors! (more...)
13 Jul 2007 - Mackinac starts tomorrow. At 12:50 p.m. Central the Chicago-Mackinac race starts. That's 333 statute miles of sailing and there are 17 J/105s entered. Heavy southerlies are forecast so the fleet is hoping for surfing conditions all the way up the lake. You can follow their progress by going to trackinfo.fistracking.com/Mac2007/
11 Jul 2007 - Finally, a cover with a white hull!  This is the cover for the August 2007 issue of SAIL. The boat is BECKON, #402, formerly GREY EAGLE, owned by Peter and Barbie Horneffer. This shot is taken off Bear Island Light in Bass Harbor, ME by Andrew Sims of Wavelength Studios. Click on the photo for more detail.
11 Jul 2007 - More Venue Specific Sails Discussions. On July 5 the ExCom devoted an entire conference call to the topic of Venue Specific Sails (aka Travelling Sails). You may find the minutes of that meeting, as well as the analysis of alternatives by the Technical Committee, as well as the original TC white paper, in Members --> Class Business. You can also read Chris Perkins' analysis at J/105 Information --> Tips / Articles, and last year's submission on the topic on the FORUM (Class Rules Proposals --> Final Submission #13). This is an important issue for the Class, which has no "right" answer for every type of owner. Please us know what you think by posting on the FORUM or e-mailing any of the people on the ExCom (see Governance --> Officers or Fleets --> Captains for your representatives).
28 Jun 2007 - PERSEVERANCE perseveres at Long Beach Race Week. Fifteen boats participated in Long Beach Race Week (actually a long weekend). PERSEVERANCE not only won five of the seven races, but also was the regatta's Boat of the Week for winning the most competitive class. (The J/105s were also the largest class in the 17 class, 131 boat regatta.) Top three: 1. Bennett Greenwald, PERSEVERANCE, 16; 2. Jeff Janov, INVISIBLE, 20; 3. Alex Rasmussen, FREE ENTERPRISE, 22. Complete results. (more...)
28 Jun 2007 - HEY JUDE wins Toronto NOOD. There were 16 boats and seven races at the Toronto NOOD. Five boats won races in conditions described as "light to moderate". Top three: 1. Jim Rathbun, HEY JUDE, 20; 2. Robert Baker, PLANET B, 26; 3. Glen Malcolm, STARCROSS, 30. Complete Results. (more...)
28 Jun 2007 - BIRW Photography. Check out the great professional photography of Andrew Sims and Tim Wilkes.
27 Jun 2007 - Block Wrap. I've wrapped up the Block Blog with some startling revelations on the sails used as well as some juicy quotes. (more...)
22 Jun 2007 - SAVASANA, KINCSEM, and ARBITRAGE at Block. Race Week ended with a beautiful sailing day with westerly winds of 14-20 knots. The RC ran one ten mile race, making eight races with a throwout. ARBITRAGE and TENACIOUS were one and two for the day and for the week the standings had 1. Brian Keane, SAVASANA, 21; 2. Joerg Esdorn, KINCSEM, 23; and 3. Bruce Stone, ARBITRAGE, 32. So it took an average of third to win the regatta. Competition was tight. (more...)
21 Jun 2007 - Perfect sailing Thursday at Block. The conditions were perfect today at Block Island Race Week. The RC ran two races in reasonably stable 14-16 knot breeze out of the west under sunny skies. Four boats avoided double digits on the day (KINCSEM, ECLIPSE, ANDIAMO, DRAGONFLY). KINCSEM moved into second for the week after the throwout came into effect. SAVASANA held onto first with ANDIAMO was third. (more...)
20 Jun 2007 - SAVASANA still in the lead at Block. The top three boats for the day were also the top three boats for the regatta. SAVASANA (9 for the day, 15 overall) led, followed by ANDIAMO (10, 24), and WOODY (10, 27). It is still anybody's regatta. (more...)
19 Jun 2007 - BIRW holds the (Nearly) Around the Island Race. Today they sent us around the island in light breeze. The winner was ARBITRAGE, followed by SAVASANA and KINCSEM. (more...)
18 Jun 2007 - SAVASANA leads at Block. The first race was delayed three hours by light breeze, but they finally managed to get off two races on day one. Leading with Brian Keane (SAVASANA) with 4 points, Paul Strauch (ANDIAMO) with 5 points, and tied at 12 are Damian Emery (ECLIPSE) Larry Hennessy (WOODY), and Bruce Stone (ARBITRAGE). See complete cumulative results. and Nelson's Blog.
18 Jun 2007 - MESSY JESSY takes Chicago NOOD. In a three day regatta that was described as light and shifty, the top three after two days, dropped out of the money. In their place was: 1. Dorin Candea, MESSY JESSY, 23; 2. Marty McKenna, REDPORTLEFT, 29; and 3. David Wagner, GIGI, 30. Over 20 boats participated in the regatta.
18 Jun 2007 - RI-07-02 has been posted. The Technical Committee's ruling on what is allowed for cleating the outhaul has been posted. (more...)
17 Jun 2007 - NOOD and Block. Two big events upcoming. This weekend is the Chicago NOOD and next week is Block Island Race Week. Those who can't wait, can peek at the results using the left menu. Racing --> Event Information --> ... Nelson will continue with his Block Island Blog here.
05 Jun 2007 - Your opinions solicited. There are some important discussions going on in the FORUM about various topics that the Executive Committee must decide upon. Things like venue specific sails, outhaul purchase, swiveling outhaul cleats, sailor classification, etc. Mostly these are on the Class Association Business topic. We value your opinions and would like broader participation from owners in these discussions. (more...)
04 Jun 2007 - INVISIBLE wins Pacific Coast Championships. This weekend was also the Pacific Coast Championships, hosted this year by Cal Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey. They had five races over two days with three different boats winning races in a twelve boat fleet. The top three 1. Jeff Janov, INVISIBLE, 13; 2. Rick Goebel, SANITY, 15; 3. Bernard Girod, ROCK & ROLL, 20. (more...)
04 Jun 2007 - JUNTO wins Detroit NOOD. There were three races and the boats that won the individual races finished 4th, 7th, and 8th overall for the regatta. Two points separated the top three boats. Now that's close competition! The top three (amongh twelve) were 1. Michael Morin / Duane Rose, JUNTO, 11; 2. Brian Smith, SORCERY, 11; and 3. Rick Listwan / Ed Palm, TENACIOUS, 12. (more...)
31 May 2007 - Bacardi International Invitational Race Week. In six races over three days, NOT MINE won four of six in the five-boat Bermuda fleet to win the Bacardi International Invitational Regatta earlier this month. Top three: 1. J Brewin/A Williams, NOT MINE, 7; 2. Jon Corless, MONKEYSHINES, 14; 3. Jamie Lewis, HARLEQUIN, 17. (more...)
23 May 2007 - Minutes of the May 15 ExCom meeting posted. Members may review the Minutes of our last meeting by selecting Members, then Class Business on the left menu.
21 May 2007 - Need housing at NAC 2007? Linda Ambrose and Carl Gitchell have a list of houses that will be for rent in Annapolis for the NAC. You may contact them at eventinfo@j105fleet3.org.
18 May 2007 - J-DREAM wins UK Nationals. Sailed out of the Hayling Island Sailing Club over the weekend of 12/13 May, the UK J/105 National Championship was sailed in plenty of wind with eleven boats. The top three were: 1. David & Kirsty Apthorp, J-DREAM, 2. Andy Bird, JAMBALAYA, and 3. Mike West, JUNEAU. See the photos by Eddie Mays here. And Fleet #13 has a new website where you can pull up the complete results here.
17 May 2007 - National Hospice Regatta sailed (again) in J/105s, May 11-13. Since 2002, Annapolis YC has hosted the National Hospice Regatta, which brings in the winners from around the country. Since then the event has been run using J/105s supplied by Fleet #3. Linda Ambrose is National Hospice Regatta Alliance Director and Donor Boat Coordator and has kept this event rolling year after year. This year it had twelve entries and was won by a group from Niagra County, NY. For some fabulous photography, check out the slide show shot and assembled by Dave Dunigan. Regatta home. Dave Dunigan's slide show.
17 May 2007 - New Rule Interpretation. The Technical Committee has issued a new Rule Interpretation (RI-07-01) that says that takeup lines for travellers are not legal under our Rules. (more...)
15 May 2007 - Tax Day. Today is tax day for the Class Association. We're a 501(c)(7) organization (social club) and we file a tax return even though we don't pay any taxes. We get an extra month to file our 990-EZ return. For those who wish to see the details (and to see how the Treasurer spends some of his/her time), go to the Governance Tab and then choose IRS Documents. (more...)
08 May 2007 - MASQUERADE wins Yachting Cup. There were five races, 21 boats, great weather, and a consistent 14-16 knot breeze for the Yachting Cup in San Diego last weekend. Top three: 1. Tom Coates, MASQUERADE, 7; 2. Dennis & Sharon Case, WINGS, 12; 3. Gary Mozer, CURRENT OBSESSION 2, 26. (more...)
07 May 2007 - REVELATION wins AYC Spring. Jay Lurie's team on REVELATION made up an 8 point deficit yesterday to beat KINCSEM on the second tier of a tie breaker, with both boats ending up with 23 points total. The racing was tight in great conditions yesterday one more time - sunshine and 12 to 17kn from the East. A total of 10 races were completed in the series. Third was Tom Boyle on MERLIN (47 points). Full results below. (more...)
01 May 2007 - NOOD photos. Andrew Sims has posted his gallery. (more...)
30 Apr 2007 - Meanwhile in the AYC Spring Series ... The J105s, with 20 boats entered, were the biggest one design class again this year and enjoyed great conditions and tight racing during the first weekend of AYC Spring. Winds were up and down, but mostly up with solid teens and even gusts to the 20s for most of the racing. Six races were completed. The first five (after throw out) were Kincsem (7), Revelation (13), Conundrum (22), Morning Glory (26), and Merlin (28). See link below for full results. (more...)
30 Apr 2007 - FREEDOM rings! They only completed three races, but former fleet captain Peter Schellie won the 45 boat NOOD regatta with 7-7-3. The J/105 class was by far the biggest one-design class, besting the next largest J/22 class by eight boats. No other class had more than 16 boats (and that included Melges 24s, J/24s, J/80s, Beneteaus, Mumms, and C&Cs). The regatta was having the same problem as the America's Cup in Spain. The top three were: 1. FREEDOM, Schellie, 17; 2. VELOCE, Marty Hublitz, 21; and 3. SAVASANA, Brian Keane, 21. (more...)
23 Apr 2007 - Records in the making. It appears that this weekend's Annapolis NOOD will not only be the largest NOOD ever for J/105s, but will be the largest non-North American Championship regatta ever with 44 boats. The NOOD record stands at 36 boats for the 2006 Annapolis NOOD and the largest regatta other than a NAC is the 2005 Key West Race Week at 40 boats. Clearly this is the year to beat the two previous NAC highs of 52 boat in Marion in 2004 and 50 boats in Chicago in 2002. This year's NAC is November 1-4 in Annapolis. Be there! (more...)
19 Apr 2007 - The results are in! The winner of the President's Trophy for 2007 is Don Wilson and his crew aboard CONVEXITY for coming out on top in the Southern Circuit events (Key West, St. Pete NOOD, and Charleston Race Week). Don was three thousandths ahead of Tom Coates of MASQUERADE (the 2005 winner) with a score of .843, .027 ahead of Brian Keane of SAVASANA (the 2006 winner), and .032 ahead of Gerrit Schulze of MAX POWER (the 2008 winner???). Two boats sailed in all three regattas (21 races), RUM AT SIX and FORERUNNER. The Sportsmanship Award goes to John Mathis on FORERUNNER. Eighteen boats qualified by sailing two events and forty four sailed in one of the three events. The names of the 2007 Association President (Eden Kim) will be engraved along with the other two on the Trophy which will be held by Don Wilson until the completion of the Circuit in 2008. Congratulations to all. Complete results.
16 Apr 2007 - Charleston Race Week. The top four boats were separated by only two points in this year's running of Charleston Race Week. We had fourteen boats and six races over two days. The top four were: 1) Brian Keane, SAVASANA, 14; 2. Worth Harris, RUM AT SIX, 14; 3. Patrick Eudy, BIG BOOTY, 15; and 4. Don Wilson, CONVEXITY, 16. Racing was abandoned on day three (Sunday) due to tornado warnings and bridge closures. According to the press release "60-knot gusts rolled through Charleston Harbor while winners accepted awards." This was the second consecutive win for Keane, who also won the Charleston Race Week Cup for the "best performance of any One Design competitor." (more...)
06 Apr 2007 - Spring Newsletter available. The Spring Newsletter just went to press, but I understand that it will take ten days to a couple weeks to reach your mailboxes because of the printing and mailing process. If your dues have been recorded as paid in 2007, you can Login to the site and click Members and then Newsletters on the left menu to read it on line or print it now. It is being mailed to all 2007 members and to 2006 members in anticipation of receiving your 2007 dues.
02 Apr 2007 - Memberships rolled. We rolled the memberships over to 2007 over the weekend (no foolin'). Fleets #1, #4, #8, and #21 have a large portion, or all, of their members renewed. Other fleets have nearly none renewed. Let's get the renewals in so that we don't have to waste postage on renewal notices. Still only $25 per year. More on the all fleets page.
28 Mar 2007 - Minutes posted. Minutes of the Excom conference call of 3/15 have been posted in the Members Area under Class Business. (more...)
27 Mar 2007 - CURRENT OBSESSION 2 top boat in strong SAN DIEGO NOOD. Twenty three J105s raced in the 2007 San Diego NOOD, hosted by San Diego Yacht Club, March 17 & 18th. Once again the J105s were the largest fleet of the 150 boats in the regatta. Race conditions on the ocean course off the Hotel Del Coronado had temps between 55-60 F with 10 -13 knot winds and 2 foot swells Saturday under clouds and sun, and 6-8 knots of breeze and 1 foot swells on an overcast Sunday. San Diego's famous kelp did not miss the regatta either. Over five races, 10 boats scored at least once in the top three finish positions, underscoring the competitiveness of the fleet. Of the top five, Gary Mozer's Current Obsession 2 (Naples Island) and Doug & Pam Werner's Javelin (San Diego) each had 18 points, with the win going to Current Obsession 2 on 2 to 1 1st place finishes. Dennis & Sharon Case's Wings (San Diego) placed 3rd with 28 points, followed by Thomas Coates' Masquerade (San Francisco) with 29 points and Jim and Sue Baranski's Space Cowboy (Chicago) with 35 points. Final results.
26 Mar 2007 - Another cover.  This one happens to be Damian Emery's ECLIPSE at Key West. I'm afraid if you want to see your boat on a cover, you need to paint it Flag Blue. Fred Stone, Jr.'s PUFFIN, #472, trailing, just doesn't have what it takes.?
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26 Mar 2007 - Be the first ... ... to register for the 2007 NAC in Annapolis (November 1-4, 2007). (more...)
14 Mar 2007 - J/Rendezvous.  The 11th J/Rendezvous was held on Saturday, March 3, at the JBoats TPI factory in Warren, RI. I was happy to see three J/105s on the assembly line, the last of which, #665, is shown at the left. The Rendezvous is an annual affair which amounts to a mini-boatshow. Great to see how your boat is put together and meet some of the factory reps. I've made all but one of these shows. This year I learned that there is a coffee table book about the Johnstone family and the J/Boats company, published in 2005, called "J/Boats: Sailing to Success," by Anthony Dalton. From the first garage-built J/24 up to mid-2005, it looks like a fun book with plenty of interesting photos. The J/105 SIROCCO, sailed out of Massachusetts, made the cover! Saw WET PAINT, among others, as well. Link to JBoats News Item.
14 Mar 2007 - Minutes posted. The minutes of the ExCom conference call of 3/1 have been posted in the Members Area under Class Business. (more...)
12 Mar 2007 - 2007 North East Championiships. Fleet #6 would like to announce that on October 13 and 14, 2007 they will sponsor this regatta on the first weekend of the Manhasset Fall Series. It was be an ideal stop-over and tune up for the 2007 NAC in Annapolis that starts on November 1.
06 Mar 2007 - Southern Circuit Leaders. With two of the three regattas completed, the top three boats are MASQUERADE, .8791; 2. J'MAKIN' WAVES, .8692, and 3. CONVEXITY, .8562. None of these boats has sailed both regattas, so they will have to sail at Charleston Race Week to qualify for the trophy. The top boat that has sailed both regattas is GUMPTION3 with .7700. Scores.
27 Feb 2007 - GPS Tracking. For the 21.31% of you who have not seen GPS tracking in action (as a Flash video), click on the link below. From there you can see the first two races at Key West Race Week in their most fundamental form. The full viewer gives more controls. Kattack Race Video.
20 Feb 2007 - St. Pete NOOD. Worth Harris and the RUM AT SIX crew took top honors at the six race, eighteen boat St. Pete NOOD. Unlike last year when there was too little wind, the racing was cancelled on Sunday because of too much wind. Friday was heavy and Saturday light. Top three: 1. Worth Harris, RUM AT SIX, 15; 2. Steve & Dee Olinger, J'MAKIN' WAVES, 20; 3. A. Rosen & J. Marks, WASABI, 32. This runs the J/105 string of consecutive NOOD regattas with a one-design start to 40 and we were the third largest class (of 17) behind the Melges 24 (45) and J/24 (24) Classes. (more...)
07 Feb 2007 - Availability of new J/105s. Yes, J/105s are still being built. The most recent hull number coming out of TPI was #665. If you are interested in having a new J/105 built, see your JBoats dealer about pricing and availability. Or you can check out the used boats, which are holding their value very well compared to the new ones. Click on "Why Buy a J/105?" in the left menu or browse the Classified. (more...)
01 Feb 2007 - New Rules in Effect. The new Rules and Constitution (including the submissions that passed) are in effect today and have been posted. Please print off a copy using the .pdf versions. Use the menus at the left to access either the Rules (under Racing) or Constitution (under Governance).
25 Jan 2007 - The KWRW photos are up. Here are the direct links to four sets of photos: Nelson's action photos, Nelson's (and Walt's) venue photos, as well as professional photos by Tim Wilkes (sorted by boat), Andrew Sims and PhotoBoat. For my albums, you can click on the photo to get larger images (and note there are multiple pages of thumbnails). Not all my photos made it, so if you are looking for something specific ask me to search deeper into the archives. Enjoy! (more...)
23 Jan 2007 - Next up -- St. Pete NOOD. There are now ten entries and 5-10 more are probably for the NOOD next month. I am told by Steve Olinger that they are sailing by the "local Tampa Bay area crew weight rule", which means a maximum of six of any gender. If you have any questions or concerns about the regatta, Steve can be reached at solinger at kikorp.com. There's an electronic entry form on the regatta site. (more...)
22 Jan 2007 - Final KWRW blog. My summary of the event and the tale of the sails. Read it here.
19 Jan 2007 - MASQUERADE three-peats! MASQUERADE won the final race and KWRW for the third time in a row. This time she survived a 24 and averaged 6th place. Top five: 1. Tom Coates, MASQUERADE, 46; 2. Don Wilson, CONVEXITY, 53; 3. Gerrit Schulze, MAX POWER, 61; 4. Brian Keane, SAVASANA, 67; 5. Kevin Grainger, GUMPTION, 68. In the fun awards category, PASSION won Middling, TENACIOUS won Family, BLINK won Newbies, COLTRANE won Greybeard, JAVA won Mixed Gender, WASABI won Young Blood, and ECLIPSE won Five Aboard. Blog. and Fun final standings. Final standings.
18 Jan 2007 - MASQUERADE loses, regains lead. MASQUERADE lost the regatta lead with a finish in the twenties in the first race, but came back with a second in the second. Meanwhile, the second place boat for the regatta after the first race did even worse than MASQUERADE did in the first race. After four days and nine races: 1. MASQUERADE, 45; 2. CONVEXITY, 49; 3. GUMPTION3; 4. MAX POWER, 57; 5. SAVASANA, 64. For the day, winning silver (and losing fun awards) were 1. MAX POWER (4-2), GUMPTION (1,10), and RUM @ SIX (4,7). Blog. and Fun standings. Full results.
17 Jan 2007 - MASQUERADE pulls away. MASQUERADE had only a 3-4 on the day, but the close competition faltered and she now maintains a 13 point lead. Top five: 1. MASQUERADE, 18; 2. SAVASANA, 31; 3. CONVEXITY, 37; 4. GUMPTION3, 44; 5. PERSERVERENCE, 49. Please note that these are preliminary scores and may change. For the blog, complete standings, and fun standings, see entries below. Also winning daily silver were GRACE O'MALLEY (10-2) and MAX POWER (5-7).
16 Jan 2007 - Three within one after day two. Top five: 1. MASQUERADE, 11; 2. CONVEXITY; 3. PERSERVERENCE, 11; 4. SAVASANA, 18; 5. GUMPTION3, 28. The three daily winners were MASQUERADE, PERSERVERENCE, and CONVEXITY. For links see below.
15 Jan 2007 - CONVEXITY leads KWRW. Top five after day 1: CONVEXITY 3; PERSERVERENCE 7; MASQUERADE 8; SAVASANA 8; JAVA 9. See Nelson's Blog by clicking below. Direct link to full results.
11 Jan 2007 - Key West next week. Here are some of the links you can use next week for Key West Race Week. Nelson's Blog, and Premiere-Racing for results and fun award standings. Enjoy, and if you are not with us, consider coming down next year. (more...)
08 Jan 2007 - Voting on 2007 Submissions is complete. Seven of the thirteen submissions that went to ballot received some negative votes, but the only submission not passing was the "travelling sails" submission. To see the results of the ballotting go to the Class Business page on the Members tab. The changes go into effect on 2/1/2007. (more...)
05 Jan 2007 - Block Island Race Week 2007. Monday is an important date for those considering entering BIRW in 2007. It is the first day you can make your ferry reservations and book rental houses on the island. If you have not gone in the past and wish to be on Nelson's mailing list, please send your request to nelson@j105.org. This is the "high" year being sponsored by Storm Trysail Club. It will be the week of June 17. Let's get enough to beat our high of 33 boats in '03. Regatta link.
04 Jan 2007 - Happy New Year. Yes, Virginia, it is 2007. Sail fast in the New Year. For those in fleets that do not collect national class dues, please meander over to the Members tab and pay your 2007 dues before you forget. It will save your Class some postage to remind you later. Renew now!
29 Dec 2006 - Knowledge. Fleet #3 has a great "knowledge page". For example, do you know the trick for replacing all those little balls in your traveller? Or how to secure your mast chocks without resorting to Spartite? This and much more if you follow the link. (more...)
18 Dec 2006 - Last call for Christmas gifts. If you order calendars or hats from the Merchandise page today, you will probably have them by the end of the week. If you wait, you are rolling the dice. (more...)
11 Dec 2006 - NOR for NAC posted. Fleet #3 in concert with the Annapolis YC have posted the NOR for the 2007 North Americans. Best place to go is their home page and click "Documents". (more...)
29 Nov 2006 - Search Capability Added. Have you noticed the "Search" box that appeared a couple of weeks ago on the banner above? This is a "Google" feature that searches only this site (including the FORUM). For example, if you type "traveller" and then click "Go", you will find all the pages on j105.org that reference the traveller. This improvement was proposed by Matt Howell (BLINK, #434). Thanks, Matt!
25 Nov 2006 - New Page on Web Site. It was suggested at our Class Association Annual Meeting in October that we have a page entitled "Why Buy a J/105?" The result can now be seen and you are invited to refer prospective owners to this page. The link to it will appear shortly on the left menu. If we have forgotten any salient points, please let Nelson know. Click here.
22 Nov 2006 - Four Regattas draw 30+ boats. Four Regattas drew more than 30 boats in 2006: Annapolis NOOD (36), the North Americans (31), Big Boats (36), and the East Coast Championship (35). Two others just missed with 29 (Key West and the Pacific Coast Championships). This all bodes well for 40+ at the Annapolis NAC in 2007 and getting back above 30 at KW 2007.
09 Nov 2006 - Calendars and Hats Now Shipping. We have received the 2007 Calendars and a supply of hats for sale. We are now shipping out orders. See our merchandise section. (more...)
06 Nov 2006 - St. Pete NOOD 2007. Steve Olinger has sent some information on the logistics for the St. Pete NOOD in February. (more...)
06 Nov 2006 - Annual Meeting Minutes Posted. The Annual meeting of the class was held on October 26. The minutes of that meeting (and all the handouts) have been posted. On the left menu, choose Members, then Class Business.
31 Oct 2006 - Final Submissions Posted. The Executive Committee met on October 26 to finalize the 2007 Submissions. At that meeting, the Submission previously posted as #9 was dropped from consideration. Submissions #1, #2, #7, #8, and #11 were amended (some significantly). These submissions will be available for comments from the membership for 60 days and will then be voted on by the Executive Committee. Those that pass the final vote will be in effect starting February 1, 2007. Note that the dropping of Submission #9 means that backup jibs will still be permitted and that option #5 on the Weekly Poll is no longer an open option. For those wishing to see the proposals all together, the .pdf is here. For those wishing to see the markup of changes made since the last posting, the .pdf is here. Please post your comments on the FORUM.
30 Oct 2006 - Slingshot third in Rolex Middle Sea Race. Hasso Plattner's Morning Glory (the 86 foot maxi) won, but was almost overtaken by two smaller JBoats when the wind picked up at the end of the race. Two Brits, Shaun Murphy and Ric Searle sailed the 68 boat race doublehanded against fully crewed yachts. The course is 607 nm. sailed counter clockwise around the island of Sicily with start and finish at Malta. The course record is just under 65 hours. (more...)
30 Oct 2006 - Allianz Cup uses J/105s. 
The Allianz Cup (a stop on the World Match Race Tour) was held in San Francisco Bay, was hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club, and was sailed in J/105s. The prize purse was $100,000. In the finals, Ben Ainslie of Emirates Team New Zealand beat Ed Baird of Alinghi, 3-1. Our own Chris Perkins sailed in the first round of the competition and had a 2-5 record against the pros. To the left is the re-branded Larrikin (sans lifelines). For some daily video, go here and for complete results here.
30 Oct 2006 - INIGO takes ECC. The East Coast Championships were sailed in Annapolis this past weekend and gave a precursor of what to expect at the 2007 NAC. I was fortunate to be able to participate on Friday (after the Class annual meeting on Thursday). We had great sailing conditions with 10-14 for the three races with a little cold rain. In days 2 and 3 the wind picked up with steady 20s and blasts into the thirties (one correspondent reported surfing at 18.1 knots downwind on Saturday). Jim Konigsburg handled the heavy wind the best and staved off the about eight out-of-towners for the win in the 35 boat fleet. Top three: 1. Jim Konigsberg, INIGO, 26; 2. Joerg Esdorn, KINCSEM, 45; 3. Marty Hublitz, VELOCE, 49. A total of eight races were sailed. (more...)
24 Oct 2006 - The J/105 Store is Open! Some of you have already found the J/105 Merchandise section (new menu item on the left). Right now we have a 2007 calendar and hats for sale. I've just updated the graphic for the calendar to show all the photos that were included. This makes a great holiday gift for your crew and especially for anyone who is considering the purchase of a J/105. Order today for delivery in early November. (more...)
23 Oct 2006 - Rule Interpretations RI-06-01. This RI has just been posted and answers four questions about sail purchase limitations. Click Racing --> Rule Interpretations.
17 Oct 2006 - RUM PUPPY wins AYC's Fall Series. Jack Biddle's RUM PUPPY won the Annapolis Yacht Club Fall Series in a field
of 28 competitors. He was followed by Gerrit Schulze's MAX POWER, and Walt Nuschke's ZEPHYR. The AYC Fall Series is sailed on three consecutive weeks and this year involved a total of five races. (more...)
13 Oct 2006 - Newsletter on the way. The Fall News went to the publisher last week. You should be receiving it in the mail next week. If you can't wait, you can also read it on-line in the Members area.
10 Oct 2006 - Southern Chesapeake has own web site. Fleet #15 has re-energized itself and now has its own web site. Check it out at j105.org/fleet15/.
04 Oct 2006 - Submissions for 2007 Updated. Please go to the FORUM to see the latest list of 14 submissions for Rule and Constitution changes. Your comments now can have an effect on these preliminary submissions. After they are re-considered (and possible amended) at the 26 October annual meeting, they will be re-submitted for a 60 day formal review with only editorial changes permitted for a final vote early in 2007. (more...)
02 Oct 2006 - KINCSEM takes AYC Fall Series. There were 20 boats registered for the American Yacht Club Fall Series in Rye, NY, which took place over the last two weekends. With nine races completed and one throwout, KINCSEM scored eight points, besting her nearest competitor by 28. Top three: 1. Joerg Esdorn, KINCSEM, 8; 2. Damian Emery, ECLIPSE, 36; 3. Tom Boyle, MERLIN, 36. There were four other one-design classes. The closest of the rest in numbers was the J/109, which drew 12 boats for their East Coast Championship. (more...)
02 Oct 2006 - Quick Quiz disguised as Quick Poll. Apologies for not having a new poll last week. For those who would like to know the answer to the quiz, we have J/105s in more than 25 countries. If you have vacation plans to a foreign country, check our member list before you go.
27 Sep 2006 - SOLARIS wins Houston NOOD. Galveston Bay served up a healthy helping of breeze and waves to the eight J/105s entered in the Houston NOOD. In eight races over three days, Bill Zartler's SOLARIS placed no worse than second. This was the 39th consecutive NOOD regatta over five years that had a J/105 one-design start. Top three: 1. Bill Zartler, SOLARIS, 11; 2. Barry Brown, BLUE MAX, 33; 3. Vic Forsyth, AFTERSHOCK, 33. Full results.
22 Sep 2006 - NAC photography is up! Stacie McLean got some great photographs of the North Americans in Marina del Rey. Check them out here.
21 Sep 2006 - East Coast Championship Update (prep for 2007 NAC). Bert Jabin's Yard is offering discounts for loading, unloading, mast stepping, dry storage, wet storage, etc. Jabin's is a large full service yard that is convenient to the racing and easy to get in and out of. The web site is www.bjyy.com. Mears Marina has transient slips available at $87.50/day. The web site is www.mearsannapolis.com. Make sure to mention to Jabin's or Mears that you are coming to the J/105 East Coast Championship in order to get the best deal. Contact eventinfo@j105fleet3.org for personal assistance with any aspect of this event. NOR.
20 Sep 2006 - And the J/105 is RORC's Series Produced Boat of the Year You are going to be surprised how far the J/105 fever has spread around the world. (more...)
19 Sep 2006 - SLINGSHOT takes serious UK honors. Not only did Shaun "Spud" Murphy win the 2006 J/105 National Championship earlier this year, but he also won five other major awards for the 2006 season including the RORC 2006 Yacht of the Year for outstanding racing achievement. (more...)
18 Sep 2006 - GOOD TIMIN' wins Big Boats. Chris Perkins showed that it doesn't matter whether he is helmsman or tactician. As tactician he helped MASQUERADE win the NAC (and other majors). As helmsman at the Big Boat Series, sponsored by the St. Francis Yacht Club, he managed no worse than third in a seven race series in which he earned three wins. Nobody else avoided double digits in the 36 boat regatta. Top three: 1. Chris Perkins, GOOD TIMIN', 14; 2. Scott Sellers, DONKEY JACK, 32; 3. Tim Russell, AQUAVIT, 37. Photos by Andrew Sims at wavelengthstudios.com. Final results.
11 Sep 2006 - Kevin Grainger (CYAN) wins Larchmont NOOD. The headlines on the NOOD web site talked about "port tack starts and bizarre shifts", which apparently is not unusual for Western Long Island Sound. In the two day, four race regatta, there were seventeen 105s, the largest class in the nine class event. Some familiar names graced the leaderboard: 1. Kevin Grainger, CYAN, 17; 2. Damian Emery, ECLIPSE, 24; 3. Joerg Esdorn, KINCSEM, 25. (more...)
01 Sep 2006 - Rules Submissions on FORUM. The 2007 Submissions were posted on 8/16 and there has not yet been a single comment. Is this because of apathy, because they are all perfect, or because nobody reads the FORUM anymore?
30 Aug 2006 - Scoler family at the NAC. Fleet #20 (Northwest) was represented at the NAC by the Scoler family sailing the chartered J-OK. They made this a family reunion, as related in a post on the Scuttlebutt forum. Sounds like the ten of them had a bundle of fun! (more...)
28 Aug 2006 - NAC Video. Tucker Thompson of t2p.tv has video of the NA Championship on his site. You have to register with them, but access is free. Great stuff. There are also interviews of various people, including Tom Coates, Lowell North, and Tom Carruthers. Interviews here. Sailing videos here. It will help to have a fast link for the video.
28 Aug 2006 - GHOST wins PHRF New Englands. The name is deceiving since the PHRF group has embraced one-design for the purpose of this regatta. Seventeen J/105s started in this seven race series. Fleet #2 has ratcheted up the competition with three regattas making up their championship with 14 to 18 boats in each. Top three: 1. Ken Colburn, GHOST, 11.3; 2. Don Logan, KEEMAH, 18.8; P&D Morgan, STEEL AWAY, 19.5. (I guess they can't be PHRF if they don't come up with some kind of obscure scoring system.) (more...)
27 Aug 2006 - MASQUERADE wins NAC. From here in RI, it looks like MASQUERADE was covering her closest competitor, WINGS, in the final race on the final day when MASQUERADE took sixth to WINGS' seventh. Past President, Tom Carruthers, won his second race of the regatta. A total of seven races were sailed over four days. Top five: 1. Tom Coates, MASQUERADE, 30; 2. Dennis and Sharon Case, WINGS 37; 3. Mozer/McLean, CURRENT OBSESSION 2, 40; 4. Tom Carruthers, INVISIBLE, 48; 5. Brian Keane, SCARAMOUCHE, 48. (more...)
27 Aug 2006 - MASQUERADE leads NAC going into final day. I'm back from Alaska (Inner Passage cruise on the Norwegian Sun -- highly recommended). Walt has done a terrific job on the commentary and has provided far more technical detail than I ever could. Here are just a couple more links that may be of interest. The NAC program. and direct link to the series results.
24 Aug 2006 - The racing at this year's NA's is ready to begin. To follow the results and link to the video use the Cal Yacht Club link.
(Link to regatta site)
22 Aug 2006 - Daily Commentary on the NA happenings. Follow the link below to check out Walt's daily spin on the NA's.
(Link to Walt's commentary)
14 Aug 2006 - Distance racing, TX style. This past weekend marked the end of the Texas offshore race season and the overall winner was Bee Bednar on STINGER. This series consists of three different offshore races, the first two are both in excess of 100NM and the last set were shorter 25NM races covering three adjacent days. Bee and the STINGER crew bested a handicap class containing boats of the following type: 1D48, J/109, Tripp36, J/35 and J/44. This is quite a victory for Bee and for the J/105 Class, especially considering he was using the one-design configuration.
11 Aug 2006 - Mackinac. Sorry I missed this one. The J/105 class had 20 boats complete the Race to Mackinac sailing as a one-design class. The winners completing the race in a little over two days. The winning margin was three minutes 24 seconds over 333 miles (about 2/3 of a second per mile in handicap terms). Top three: 1. Mike Morgan and Duane Rose, JUNTO, 51:21:45; 2. Mark Gurney, BUZZ, 51:25:38; 3. David Wagner, GIGI, 52:48:28. Most of the boats finished on Monday, July 24. Complete results.
04 Aug 2006 - Morgans win Marblehead NOOD. There were 18 boats at the Marblehead NOOD this past weekend (a new record). Not only did Peter and Doug Morgan win the six race regatta (by nine points), but they also won the award for best performance and sportsmanship in the most competitive class. Top three: 1. Peter and Doug Morgan, STEELAWAY III, 12; 2. Vern Polidoro, VIGILANTE, 21; 3. Ken Colburn, GHOST, 21. This was the 37th consecutive NOOD with J/105 participation. (more...)
27 Jul 2006 - Canadian Championships. Scotia Securities is sponsoring the Canadian Championships on September 7-10 to include three days of great racing. Here's your invitation. Here's the website.
24 Jul 2006 - MASQUERADE wins Newport Rolex. In what must have been a tuneup for the NAC in August, Tom Coates and his west coast crew won the 20 boat Rolex Regatta in Newport, RI. Tom had fellow-SF-owner Chris Perkins calling tactics. Conditions varied from windy and lumpy to light and flat over the three day regatta. Coates won the three races on Friday and the final race on Sunday to win the biennial regatta by 12 points in the eight race series. Final results: 1. MASQUERADE, Tom Coates, 18; 2. INDEFATIGABLE, Phil Lotz, 30; 3. KINCSEM, Joerg Esdorn, 30. Both Coates and Lotz are heading west for the North Americans. (more...)
15 Jul 2006 - Boats available for NAC. John Downing reports that there are still three excellent boats available for charter at the North Americans next month. Contact fleet 8 Captain John Downing (john@dfwines.com) or Tom Carruthers (tom@jworld-sailing.com).
12 Jul 2006 - Menu Reorg. Note that the main menu at the left has changed a little. We moved some items from the Members Area to the public area and labelled it "J/105 Information". No reason to hide this important information from potential buyers (as pointed out by a former owner who authored some of the documents -- thanks Stuart Burnett, ex LEGACY, #198).
01 Jul 2006 - Smuttynose Regatta. For those in Fleets 2, 23, and 14 there's a regatta called Smuttynose in Portsmouth, NH on August 12 and 13. There are already 17 J/105 committed, so the turnout already guarantees that it will be the biggest J/105 Regatta in New Hampshire history. For more information contact Brian Harrington: jh458 at comcast dot net. (more...)
29 Jun 2006 - KWRW 2007. Believe it or not, now is the time to start planning for Key West Race Week 2007. If you'd like to join my mailing list, send e-mail to Nelson. There are about a dozen e-mails leading up to the event and you should join the list even if you're just thinking about it or even just curious about it. If you need a jump start for a 2007 program, there are several class officers available to crew for you. Next year's event is January 15-19, 2007. The easy way to remember the date is that it always coincides with the Martin Luther King Birthday holiday. And Premiere Racing is already on the ball with a special one-design page. Let's get back to 40 boats this year for our MidWinter Championship! Link to Premiere Racing.
27 Jun 2006 - Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week. In the three day Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week this past weekend, newcomer Gary Moser won the first two races and held on for a two point victory over hard-charging WINGS. There were twenty boats entered and six races. Top three: 1. Gary Mozer, CURRENT OBSESSION 2, 14; 2. Dennis and Sharon Case, WINGS, 16; 3. John Downing & Jack Franco, CHILLI PEPPER 617, 24. (more...)
27 Jun 2006 - Toronto NOOD. In the 36th consecutive NOOD with a J/105 start, David Shaver's RETERN topped the fleet of eleven (curtailed by defections to the Bermuda Race) in the seven race, three day series. Top three: 1. David Shaver, RETERN, 19; 2. Steven Corbeil, ECLIPSE, 24; 3. Peter Hall, JAMAICA ME CRAZY, 29. (more...)
26 Jun 2006 - BIRW 2006 Final Commentary. For the final wrapup commentary and the link to my snapshots click here.
24 Jun 2006 - BIRW Photos. Andrew Sims of WavelengthStudios.com has posted some great photography from Block Island Race Week. We had wind! (more...)
23 Jun 2006 - BIRW. The final day of Block Island Race Week had moderate winds and the RC got in two final races for a total of nine. Brian Keane smoked the fleet and did not need to sailt the last race. Top three: 1. Brian Keane, SAVASANA, 15; 2. Joerg Esdorn, KINCSEM, 26; 3. Damian Emery, ECLIPSE, 32. Here for commentary. (more...)
22 Jun 2006 - BIRW. The sent us around the island today. We had 12-16 knots from the SSW. The winner was SAVASANA. After four days and seven races (with one throwout) the top three were 1. SAVASANA, 10; 2. KINCSEM, 22; 3. ECLIPSE, 23. Last day tomorrow. Commentary. (more...)
21 Jun 2006 - BIRW. Current was a big factor today as the left paid each time upwind. Top three after three days and five races: 1. SAVASANA, 13; 2. ECLIPSE, 29; 3. MOPELIA, 31.5. Commentary. (more...)
20 Jun 2006 - BIRW. After two days and four races: 1. SAVASANA, 8; 2. ECLIPSE 20; 3. GHOST, 20; 3. WOODY, 20. Commentary. (more...)
19 Jun 2006 - BIRW. After one day and three races: 1. SAVASANA, 4; 2. GHOST, 10; 3. WOODY, 15. Commentary. (more...)
19 Jun 2006 - Chicago NOOD. The Chicago NOOD had 20 boats and eight races over the weekend. John Huhn broke away from the rest of the fleet with four wins and was 21 points clear of the second place boat. Top three: 1. John Huhn, KATANA, 21; 2. Jon Weglarz, CARESS, 42; 3. Robert Smith, NEW WORLD, 44. This was the 35th consecutive NOOD with a J/105 one-design start.
15 Jun 2006 - Chicago NOOD and Block Island Race Week on deck. This weekend is the Chicago NOOD and next week is Block Island Race Week. For commentary on Race Week you can follow Nelson's Commentary. For daily posting of results here is the direct link.
14 Jun 2006 - Bermuda's Renaissance Reinsurance Challenge Cup. NOT MINE and MONKEYSHINES tied for the Renaissance Reinsurance Challenge Cup held on June 8. All five J/105s in Fleet #21 participated. For photos go to the Albums page. (more...)
06 Jun 2006 - GOOD TIMIN' again at the PCC. Phil Perkins and Dave Wilson were the best of 29 owners at the five race Pacific Coast Championships hosted by the San Francisco Yacht Club last weekend. With a worst finish of fourth, they were 8 points clear of their closest competition. Top three: 1. Perkins/Wilson, GOOD TIMIN', 12; 2. Tim Russell, AQUAVIT, 20; 3. Tom Coates, MASQUERADE, 24. (more...)
05 Jun 2006 - Fleet #20 gets a web site. Fleet #20 (Northwest) comes aboard as the 15th fleet with their own website. It's still under development, but they've got a great start. Check it out.
05 Jun 2006 - C-JEM takes Detroit NOOD. C.J. Ruffing & family finished a little stronger than their closest rival to win the Detroit NOOD by one point. There were six races for eleven boats over three days. This was the 34th consecutive NOOD with a J/105 class start. (The last one we missed was the 2002 in St. Pete.) The top three: 1. C.J. Ruffing, C-JEM, 20; 2. Richard Listwan, TENACIOUS, 21; 3. David Klassen, MACHO DUCK, 28. (more...)
01 Jun 2006 - East Coast Championships, October 2006, Annapolis. If you are thinking of attending the 2007 NAC in Annapolis, this Regatta is a must for you. It will be held at about the same time of year (October 27-29) in the same venue as the NAC. Click for the NOR. (more...)
01 Jun 2006 - ExCom Meeting Minutes Posted. The minutes of the May 22 conference call of the Executive Committee have been posted. In the left menu choose Members, then Class Business.
23 May 2006 - The Vindicator Challenge. Rick Bernstein has announced that VINDICATOR will be participating in six Leukemia Cups across the nation and has pledged $100 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for every entered J/105 that beats them. The schedule includes Carlyle, IL, Seattle, WA, Keyport, NJ, Annapolis, MD, Chicago, IL, and Savannah, GA. Give VINDICATOR a run for their money! (more...)
19 May 2006 - NAC News. Tom Carruthers has established a mailing list and will be sending our regular updates for this year's NAC (goal -- 65 boats). Charter boats still available for owners. To get on Tom's list or to get the latest, click (more...)
17 May 2006 - Rod Rigging. Have questions about your rod rigging, how to inspect it, and when to replace it? Then you should probably read what Navtec has to say. (more...)
17 May 2006 - Hospice in 105s again. For the seventh year in a row they sailed the National Hospice Regatta in J/105s in Annapolis using borrowed boats. It was won by former owner Bob Johnstone from Maine. Their web site has lots of good stuff, including photos. (more...)
12 May 2006 - Key West Survey Results. Nineteen of 29 boats responded. Despite the conditions, the boats and the owners held up pretty well and most will be back in 2007. (more...)
11 May 2006 - Getting the kids out. Team Tsunami not only has a website. Click here. They have a Junior Sailing program with the Annapolis Yacht Club's Wednesday night series. Great stuff. Here are some photos by Dave Dunigan: photos.
07 May 2006 - ECLIPSE wins AYC Spring. After three more races there was no change in the top three boats. After two weekends of racing and eight races the results were 1. Damian Emery, ECLIPSE, 16; 2. Joerg Esdorn, KINCSEM, 18; 3. Hennessey/Whitehead, WOODY, 33. All three boats are expected to participate in Block Island Race Week next month. (more...)
05 May 2006 - Tempesta in a teapot. I don't pay any attention to what goes up on Sailing Anarchy ... and maybe you shouldn't either. (more...)
03 May 2006 - Rules Changes. The Executive Committee will be meeting later in the month on possible rule changes for 2007. If you have a suggestion, please forward it to Joerg (jesdorn at gibsondunn dot com). It's even better if your suggestion comes with your fleet's endorsement.
03 May 2006 - Newsletter Errata. The season results for Fleet #21 (Bermuda) should read: 1. Ratteray and Astwood, PASSION, #541; 2. Mark Cloutier, ADDICTION, #74; 3. J.T. Thompson, MONKEYSHINES, #178. The season results for Fleet #6 (LIS) should read: 1. Kevin Grainger, Gumption; #59, 2. Joerg Esdorn, KINCSEM, #324. The 2005 results inadvertently got mixed with the 2004 results.
02 May 2006 - MONKEYSHINES takes Bermuda Invitational John Corless drove MONKEYSHINES to victory in the Bermuda International Invitational Race Week. Eight races were sailed over two days. Top three: 1. John Corless, MONKEYSHINES, 14; Mark Cloutier, ADDICTION, 22; James MacDonald, PASSION, 23. More.
01 May 2006 - Looking to NAC 2007.  Thirty six boats competed for the Annapolis NOOD. Not only was it the biggest NOOD ever for the 105, but the Class was the largest of 18 Classes (among them Etchells, Melges 24, Star, Mumm 30, J/22/24/29/30/35, and Beneteau 36.7 -- the J/22 had more entries, but fewer competitors). There were obviously boats getting ready for 2007 with half the boats in the top 14 from Fleets #1, #5, #6, #14, and #19 joining the boats from Fleet #3. MASQUERADE continued her KWRW dominance and was 15 points clear of the second place boat in the seven race, no throwout series. Top three: 1. Tom Coates, MASQUERADE 18; 2. Jack Biddle, RUM PUPPY, 33; 3. Jim Konigsberg, INIGO, 41. (more...)
01 May 2006 - ECLIPSE leads AYC Spring. Fifteen boats participated in the kickoff event for Fleet #6 at the American Yacht Club in Rye, NY. It wraps up next weekend, but the leaders after five races with one throwout are 1. Damian Emery, ECLIPSE, 9; 2. Joerg Esdorn, KINCSEM, 11; 3. Hennessey/Whitehead, WOODY, 12. (more...)
28 Apr 2006 - Rule Interpretation Withdrawn. RI-06-01 has been rescinded by the Executive Committee pending further study. To see the thinking that went behind the decision, you can find the minutes of their 4/25 conference call on the Class Business page in the Members section.
27 Apr 2006 - Taxes are filed! The J/105 Class Association needs to file a tax return every year by May 15 as a 501(c)(7) tax-exempt organization. Furthermore, these need to be "open to public inspection." Ours is here.
26 Apr 2006 - A whale of a tale from JUPITER. The Lightship Race was quite exciting for the crew of JUPITER this past weekend. (more...)
26 Apr 2006 - J/105 is "Yacht of the Year" Last weekend the San Diego Yacht Club named the J/105 as the "Yacht of the Year" at the club's opening day ceremony. This is an extremely prestigious award in the Club and the first time in the club's 120 history that this award has been given to a fleet rather than an individual yacht. A J/105 half hull plaque is now in the club trophy room right alongside of the plaques commemorating the club's America's Cup entries from the past. The J/105 class really rocks! -- Fleet #8 Capt. John Downing
13 Apr 2006 - Spring News. Our Spring Newsletter is off to the publisher and you should receive it in your snail mail box in a little over a week. If you enjoy reading off a screen (and if I have your 2006 dues) you can find it in the Newsletter page in the Members Area.
11 Apr 2006 - Entry form for NAC. Here's the direct link (discount applies until 8/1/06): Entry form.
10 Apr 2006 - SAVASANA wins CRW and Southern Circuit. Brian Keene broke his boom, but recovered nicely with four wins and a deuce for SAVASANA at the ten boat Charleston Race Week. Worth Harris in RUM @ SIX and Fred Stone, Jr. in PUFFIN tied for second at 12 points with Harris taking the tiebreaker. For the Southern Circuit, Brian participated in 15 races and had an impressive .862 score. No boats participated in all four regattas, so Worth Harris won the Sportsmanship award for participating in three regattas and 25 races. He also finished fourth with a .764 score. Forty boats participated in a Southern Circuit event and 17 qualified by sailing in two regattas. Southern Circuit scores. CRW scores.
05 Apr 2006 - New Rule Interpretation Posted. The Technical Committe has posted a new ruling, RI-06-01, which answers the question: May the hull of a J/105 (as opposed to its keel and rudder) be faired? Previously, the TC answered a similar question for the keel and rudder, RI-02-16. Rules page.
04 Apr 2006 - Dues again. You may have noticed that as of April 1 (no joke) our paid Association membership dropped from over 600 to about 300. Or you may have also noticed that your member access stopped working. I am aware that some of the big fleets (#1, #4, #6, for example) may have collected your national dues, but not sent it in yet. But if you are not in one of these fleets and still have not paid, try the easy on-line payment method under the Members menu. Still only $25. Fleet totals.
03 Apr 2006 - NAC NOR. The NOR for the North American Championship has been posted on the NAC site (click the NAC icon below the quickpoll results). Also, if you are planning to attend, please contact Karen Yingling at J Concierge (Karen at jconcierge dot com) for logistical information. (more...)
31 Mar 2006 - Fleet Newsletter. Ever wonder what an electronic Fleet Newsletter might look like? Well, thanks to John Downing, Fleet #8 has one and this is what Issue 3 looks like: (more...)
27 Mar 2006 - Want to sail in UK in June? Kirsty Apthorp is working on a list of possible UK boats available for charter for Deauville International Race week (7-11 June 2006). Please contact her (kirsty.apthorp at liverpool-victoria dot co dot uk) if interested. (more...)
21 Mar 2006 - SF also kicks off their 2006 Championship Season. On March 18-19 twenty-six J/105s hit the starting line at the StFYC Spring One-Design Regatta. The conditions were 10-18 knots with temperatures in the fifties and, for a change, no rain. After five windward-leeward races on the City Front the results were: 1. GOOD TIMIN'?- Phil Perkins and Dave Wilson (10 pts.) 2. AQUAVIT - Ted Wilson and Tim Russell (14) 3. NANTUCKET SLEIGHRIDE - Peter Wagner (18) -- PB (more...)
20 Mar 2006 - San Diego NOOD. John Downing and Jack Franco led CHILE PEPPER to a win in the 20 boat, 5 race NOOD. Top three boats: 1) CHILE PEPPER, 11; 2) Carolyn Hardy, MISCHIEF, 20; 3) Pete Lufkin, SHORT SKIRT, 29. With 18 OD classes from 5-0-5s to Flying Dutchmen to Beneteau 40.7s, the J/105 Class again had the most entries. (more...)
16 Mar 2006 - Class wins major US Sailing award. Tomorrow, I'm off to US Sailing's Spring Meeting in Chicago to accept, on behalf of the Class and its leaders over the years, the One-Design Service Award (John H. Gardiner, Jr. Trophy). We should all be proud of this award and what it means for our Class. Eligible are countless people across dozens of one-design classes from the Optimist, through all the Olympic Classes, to the Farr 40. Few (if any) keel boats of our size have achieved the bona fide status of one-design racers with fleets across the continent and the world. It is an honor to be able to accept this award for service to the Class. I am humbled by the nomination and proud to have served with many other national officers and fleet captains. -- N. (more...)
14 Mar 2006 - Southern Circuit Standings Posted. Of the twelve boats that qualified by racing two of the three regattas, the leaders are: 1. Phil Lotz, INDEFATIGABLE, .8532, 2. Kevin Grainger, GUMPTION, .7878, and 3. Worth Harris, RUM AT SIX, .7711. All thirty six boats are still eligible for the President's Trophy that will be awarded at the end of Charleston Race Week to the boat with the highest score. Complete standings.
14 Mar 2006 - ExCom Meeting. The minutes of the February 21 conference call have been posted. In the left menu choose Members, then Class Business.
13 Mar 2006 - Miami Race Week. Worth Harris brought RUM AT SIX to the top in the ten race, four day Miami Race Week. Kevin Grainger took second on GUMPTION and John Gottwald was third with EAGLES WINGS. Going into Charleston Race Week, twelve have qualified for the Southern Circuit Trophy, with 24 more capable of qualifying. (more...)
08 Mar 2006 - SPAM on FORUM The SPAM that was added to every thread on the FORUM was put there by a ?robot?(computer program) that has hit many of the Forums across the internet. Thanks to Cathy White this has been removed and temporary countermeasures have been established. Sorry about that. N.
07 Mar 2006 - Mexico. I'm in day 10 of a two week vacation in Nuevo Vallarta (a few miles north of Puerto Vallarta). Each day the fog burns off by 9, the land warms, and there's a sea breeze by 11. March is a big sailing month here and the last three days there have been regattas offshore. I saw a J/120 and today saw three J/80's of JWorld Sailing School sailing in. But the most amazing thing happened on Sunday when a woman came up to me an asked whether I was a 105 owner (I was wearing my 2004 NAC t-shirt). Seems she is the sister of an owner in Fleet #8 (MISCHIEF). Small world! Has this happened to any of you?
23 Feb 2006 - Southern Circuit. The scoring for the Southern Circuit has been updated with the St. Pete NOOD results here. Also, we have some snapshots of St. Pete from Walt Nuschke and Cliff Farrah here. Next up on the Southern Circuit is Miami Race Week. (more...)
22 Feb 2006 - St. Pete NOOD  They only raced one day (of three) and only sailed three races, but Phil Lotz came out on top with a 1-2-1 on INDEFATIGABLE. His nearest competitor was Rick Bernstein on VINDICATOR (his second regatta in #649), and WASABI was third after their dismasting at Key West. Fifteen boats participated. Full results.
02 Feb 2006 - New Rules. The Rules that went into effect yesterday have been posted in the rules section. No changes were made to the Constitution. Let me know if you notice anything amiss. Direct link.
26 Jan 2006 - KWRW Photography. Professionals Tim Wilkes timwilkes.com and Andrew Sims wavelengthstudios.com have great photos posted of the 105 action. If you won a "fun award" these are the places to buy a 5x7 to fill your frame as a reminder of your accomplishments. My modest (annotated) snapshots are here.
25 Jan 2006 - Bermuda International Race Week. April 28 to May 5, 2006. Surprisingly inexpensive to ship your boat there and back. The flyer.
24 Jan 2006 - Final Update. Here's the last words on KWRW 2006. Still have photos to post later. Commentary.
23 Jan 2006 - Yearbooks. Our second annual Class Yearbook was distributed at Key West. We will be sending out a paper copy with your class decals when we receive your 2006 membership dues. If you can't wait, you can find a .pdf at Members --> Yearbooks in the left menu. If you'd like extra copies for marketing purposes for your fleet, please e-mail Nelson.
20 Jan 2006 - Near perfect final day. Winds calmed down to a managable 12-15 today. Top five winning silver were MASQUERADE, ZUNI BEAR, SAVASANA, GUMPTION, and CONVEXITY. Full results. Winners of the "fun awards" were VINDICATOR, J'MAKIN WAVES, ALLEGIANCE, JAVA, GHOST, CARESS, and EAGLES WINGS. Full fun award results and commentary.
19 Jan 2006 - More heavy air. If it were not for the last two days, this would be considered a heavy air day. MASQUERADE continued to dominate. Full results. and (more...)
18 Jan 2006 - More wind today. There was more wind, but the results were the same with the CA boats in the lead. Full results. and (more...)
17 Jan 2006 - It was a "Gear & Advil" day. As in "foul-weather gear" and "gear-buster" and "Oh, my aching bones." MASQUERADE started building a lead with another 1-2 and ZUNI and SAVASANA stayed close with sixes for the day. Full results. and (more...)
16 Jan 2006 - MASQUERADE takes early lead. Two races were conducted in perfect sunny conditions. MASQUERADE had a 2-1 for first, with GRACE O'MALLEY and CONVEXITY tied for second at nine. Full results. and (more...)
15 Jan 2006 - Great practice day. Boats were practicing in moderate breeze today. (more...)
14 Jan 2006 - Front reeks havoc. A front rolled in last night and reeked havoc for the KWRW fleet. (more...)
11 Jan 2006 - KWRW 2006. Yes, the eighth edition of Key West Race Week for the J/105 as a Class starts on Monday. And for those who wish they were there, I will again be doing my daily blog. Starting with my guessing of who might be leading the way. This year we will have twenty nine racers from eleven fleets. Read all about it. Nelson's Blog.
09 Jan 2006 - New Orleans. Ever curious about what happened to our boats and owners in New Orleans (Fleet #9) when Katrina went through? I was. Friday, I got an e-mail from the owner of SYNAPSE. Read on.
08 Jan 2006 - Slam Dunk! All six rules submissions passed by votes of 34-0. There were 20 voters and everyone voted affirmatively on all items. The new rules will be posted and go into effect on February 1. In the meantime, you can see the changes on the FORUM.
05 Jan 2006 - Block Island Race Week. I've started updating the information for 2006 on the Block Island Race Week portion of the site. Click Racing --> Event Information --> Block Island Race Week. If you have not received "Update #0" and wish to be on my e-mail distribution list, e-mail Nelson@j105.org. Now is the time to get ferry reservations and housing. (more...)
05 Jan 2006 - Traveling Sails. What's all this talk on the Quickpolls about "traveling sails"? To find out, read the Technical Committee's White Paper on the topic. Please discuss this with your representative on the Executive Committee. In the coming months we will be discusssing the possibility of a rules change in this regard and your input is requested. If you'd like to make your opinions public, I've started a thread on the FORUM under the Rules topic. (more...)
19 Dec 2005 - New NAC 2006 Website. Southern California is gearing up for the 2006 NAC, scheduled for August 24-27 in Marina Del Rey. Check out the details and plan to attend. (more...)
13 Dec 2005 - New Interpretation on Barberhauling. The Technical Committee has clarified what is meant by the new barberhauling rule that goes into effect on January 1, 2006. See RI-05-05 of the Official Interpetations. (more...)
12 Dec 2005 - Class Calendar For those wondering about the December 11 Quickpoll, the idea comes from the J/80 Class, which is selling a 2006 Calendar. Here's the link.
15 Nov 2005 - Galveston Bay NOOD. "The winds were just about perfect -- blowing at 8 to 12 with just enough velocity changes and wind shifts for an alert crew to capitalize on." Postponed from September 23-25 because of hurricane Rita, the Regatta drew fewer entries than it would have earlier. But six 105s turned out and Bill Zartler won five of the six races. The top three: 1. Bill Zartler, SOLARIS, 6; 2. Barry Brown, BLUE MAX, 10; 3. Vic Forsyth, AFTERSHOCK, 15. (more...)
11 Nov 2005 - More flags! I've just received a new batch of these beautifully constructed seven foot square battle flag like the ones first sold at Key West. I've already sold 17 and have 8 left. These would normally retail for $150 or more and make great Christmas gifts. They are the same as what J/Boats buys and come in their own case. We are selling them at cost to promote the class and the fleets. $75 plus $5 for shipping.
Sorry, sold out (again).
08 Nov 2005 - Annual Meeting Minutes. The minutes for the Annual Meeting, along with the ten handouts, are now appearing in the Members area. Click Members -> Class Business on the left menu and then any of the links for the files you would like to read. It's almost as good as being there (but without the San Diego sailing).
03 Nov 2005 - Annual Meeting.  Here are some of the ExCom and guests after the meeting on October 27 at the San Diego Yacht Club. From left to right, Bob Smith, Nelson Weiderman, Elizabeth Paszkiewicz, John Downing, Walt Nuschke (photographer), Jaren Leet, Tom Carruthers, Stuart Taylor, Eden Kim, and Doug Werner. Nine others joined us on the conference call. Minutes of the meeting will be posted next week. In the meantime, the Rule Submissions have been posted on the FORUM and can also be accessed here.
Bob, Elizabeth, Doug and I had a harbor tour in Doug's J/105 JAVELIN after the meeting. Sweet sailing in San Diego in October! On Wednesday Bob and I were permitted to take out one of the J/80s belonging to JWorld. Not as sweet as a 105!
31 Oct 2005 - Chesapeake Bay J105 Championship. The Chesapeake Bay J105 Championship was contested this past weekend.??Saturday saw a fall cold front pass through with winds varying 10-20 and Sunday saw less wind but plenty of shifts.??Jim Konigsberg and his team on Inigo put on a boat speed and tactical clinic going 1-1-1-2-2 for the victory. The places were finished out by Cedric Lewis and Fredrick Salvesen on Mirage (18), Marty Hublitz and Larry Martin on Veloce (19), Kevin Grainger on Gumption 3 (39), and Steve Olinger on J'Makin Waves (42). Full results ...
18 Oct 2005 - Trailering Protocols. Andy Gillis has graciously shared his spreadsheets (and a photo of his butt rig) for taking his boat from the water to the trailer and vice verse. He includes the budgetted times, the manpower required, and notes. He has 67 steps and takes budgets 12.9 hours coming out and 47 steps and 10.0 hours getting back in. It's must reading for those on the go. Go to the Members menu and click Tips/Articles and then "JATO's protocols ..."
11 Oct 2005 - Fall News. The Fall J/105 News has been sent to the publisher. You will probably see it in your mailbox in a week to ten days if you are a 2005 member. If you want to read it on-line, select Members -> Newsletters on the left menu.
30 Sep 2005 - Texas NOOD. Bee Bednar reports that Fleet #17 survived hurricane Rita with no consequential damage. The NOOD has been rescheduled for November 11-13. Sailing World seems not quite sure whether to call this the Galveston NOOD, the Houston NOOD, or the Texas NOOD, but it is happening on Galveston Bay, TX in November. (more...)
27 Sep 2005 - Big Boats Photos posted. Andrew Sims of wavelengthstudios.com has posted tons of photos from Big Boats in San Francisco. (more...)
22 Sep 2005 - NAC Photos. I've posted my NAC snapshots of the venue and some of the racing (with captions). Click here. For the really good action shots check out Tim Wilkes' web site (searchable by boat name) here.
21 Sep 2005 - Rita and the Galveston NOOD. Hurricane Rita seems to have made an appointment with the Galveston NOOD coming up this weekend. Y'all in Fleet #17 keep your boats safe and don't fret about missing a regatta.
20 Sep 2005 - NOR for Chesapeake Bay Champs. The Chesapeake Bay Championship will be held October 29 & 30, 2005. Boats headed south for the regattas of the Southern Circuit are highly encouraged to attend. Water delivery from the Northeast is feasible. (more...)
19 Sep 2005 - Big Boats has new winner. The Big Boats Series in San Francisco managed seven races with 33 boats. There was a new name atop the leaderboard. The top three were 1. Scott Sellers, DONKEY JACK, 27; 2. Tim Russell, AQUAVIT, 33; and 3. Chris Perkins, GOOD TIMIN', 38. I think these are finals, but the stfyc site says preliminary. (more...)
18 Sep 2005 - They did it! Fleet #4 and the Royal Canadian Yacht Club completed ten races in four days for the North American Championship. The last day was perhaps the best day of all with the seabreeze filling in for two gorgeous races in 10-12 knots. Phil Lotz on INDEFATIGABLE won both races today and moved up. Final results: 1. GROOVADOR, Alex Baluta, 56; 2. INDEFATIGABLE, Phil Lotz 61; 3. STARCROSS, Arthur English and Ian Struthers 62; 4. SAVASANA, Brian Keane, 84; 5. HOT WATER, John McLeod, 87. So an average finish of 5.6 won the NAC in 2006. Click the NAC website for (more...)
17 Sep 2005 - Seven winners in eight races at NAC. After an hour delay because of light winds, the RC got one race in a northerly and one in a southerly. JESTER broke the string of unique winners by winning her second race of the series. RETERN became the seventh boat to win a race in the second race of the day. STARCROSS continued in first place after adding a 6-7 for a total of 39. GROOVADOR held second with a 4-11 for 43 and INDEFATIGABLE moved into third with a 19-4 and 61 total points overall. For more daily commentary on the Fleet 4 site click (more...)
17 Sep 2005 - NAC gets weather. Thursday started with light and variable. Friday we had wind and waves and rain and blown-out kites and Bubba Gumping. The top three remained almost the same, but the leader picked up 15 points in three races. GROOVADOR moved up to second while adding 13 and SAVASANA moved into third adding 13. After two days and six races: 1. STARCROSS, Arthur English and Ian Struthers, 26; 2. GROOVADOR, Alex Baluta, 28; and 3. SAVASANA, Brian Keane, 32.
15 Sep 2005 - STARCROSS leads after day one. The Commodore of the host Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Arthur English, took the lead after three races on day one on STARCROSS with 11 points. Second was Phil Lotz of Fleet 14 on INDEFATIGABLE with 14 points, and third on GROOVADOR was Alex Baluta, also of the host Fleet #4, with 15 points. It is shaping up as a wide-open regatta that could be won with over thirty points. (more...)
14 Sep 2005 - NAC in Toronto starts Thursday. There will be 35 boats lined up from ten fleets for the North American Championship starting tomorrow. For the posted results, click ... (more...)
13 Sep 2005 - GUMPTION3 wins Larchmont NOOD. The J/105 fleet tied the Shields fleet for the most entries with 18. Kevin Grainger sailed MACK DADDY under the name of GUMPTION3, which is laid up for repairs. After five races he won the tiebreaker with ECLIPSE with two wins to one for ECLIPSE. Top three: 1. Kevin Grainger, GUMPTION3/MACK DADDY, 15; 2. Damian Emery, ECLIPSE, 15; 3. George Wilbanks, REVELATION, 16. (more...)
02 Sep 2005 - Rule Change Submissions Posted. The Executive Committee has approved six rule submissions to be posted for owner review and comment. Comments posted between now and the third week in October have a reasonably good chance if being heard, considered, and acted upon. After the annual meeting on October 27, the submissions will be frozen and submitted to the membership once again. After the subsequent 60 day posting period the Executive Committee will vote them up or down with only minor editorial changes allowed. Click "FORUM" on the left menu and go to the topic "Class Rule Proposals".
31 Aug 2005 - Condolences.  Condolences go to Filippo Bovio who lost his beloved PAPERMOON to Katrina's 90 mph winds as she passed through Miami. PAPERMOON is a veteran of four Key West Race Weeks (once under an alias) and was planning to return in 2006. Filippo is planning to donate a portion of the insurance proceeds to those in Lousiana and Mississippi who suffered even greater losses.
Filippo was in CA on business when Katrina blindsided Miami. He wrote, "That's not the way that she deserved to go. I can't tell you how sad it was to take the last walk on the deck once she was back afloat. But that's what 90 mph could do to your boat if left at the dock. The starboard lines could not withstand the wind and 6+ ft waves. I had two giant fenders on the pilings that exploded, and once that happened it was all over."
We have two boats listed in the New Orleans fleet and the chances for their survival are not great.
29 Aug 2005 - UK Anomaly. You may be wondering why the number of votes in last week's Quick Poll was so high and why UK apparently soared past North and Ullman in market share. You may also wonder to what lengths sailmakers may go to sell their product. But you shouldn't wonder why we keep the sailmakers off our boats for most of our racing. And yes ... I know who you are and how you stuffed the ballot box.
26 Aug 2005 - Minutes of ExCom Conference Call. The minutes of the 8/15 conference call have been posted in the Members -> Class Business section of the website. Decisions were made on the submissions for 2006 (coming soon) and the Southern Circuit. Among other things, the St. Pete NOOD was added to the Circuit. (more...)
23 Aug 2005 - Marblehead NOOD. There were 16 boats at the Marblehead NOOD (up from 12 in 2004), held July 28-31. Peter and Doug Morgan dominated the event with four wins in six races in a new boat, #620. Top three: 1. P/D Morgan, STEEL AWAY III, 9; 2. Jim Flanagan, ACHIEVER V, 11; 3. Ernie Hardy, JAGUAR, 18. (more...)
22 Aug 2005 - NAC2005 Warm-Up Regatta, September 3-4, PJYC.  J105 North American Warm-Up Regatta - September 3 & 4 - PCYC, the home of the second largest fleet of J105's on Lake Ontario will be hosting a warm up regatta for the North Americans on September 3 & 4th. This will be a great time to tune up against the competition, get used to fresh water sailing and Lake Ontario winds. It will also be the first major regatta where Aramid jibs will be legal. PCYC is also offering a comprehensive launch and haulout package for boats doing the North Americans.
For the Warm up regatta, boats will be allowed to carry 2 jibs, for those that want to do testing with new aramid's. Regatta registration at $150 CDN includes racing plus 6 dinner tickets for Saturday night and 12 drink tickets for crew after Saturday's racing. Geoff Moore, from North Sails, and a highly regarded one design racer, will be having a post dinner presentation on J105 tuning and sail trim as well as a round table discussion on racing J105's. For more details go to the J105 NA web site or contact Bill Rourke at 416-200-3557 or brourke@salentica.com. (more...)
09 Aug 2005 - OpEd. Last week's Quickpoll was meant to illuminate the very first rule of the Racing Rules of Sailing -- "1. Safety: 1.1 Helping Those in Danger: A boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger." Those who stop racing are deserving of approbation and redress. Those who split hairs and continue racing are risking condemnation and penalties.
04 Aug 2005 - Key West Race Week 2006. It's time to start thinking about KWRW 2006. If you have not received "Update #0" from me, and you are considering attending in 2006, you should send e-mail to nelson@j105.org and ask to be put on the mailing list. I've started to update the KWRW page, which can be accessed on the left menu by going to Racing >> Event Information >> Key West Race Week. From there you can find a wealth of information about previous events including survey results from 2005 and 2004. It's a good way to start your campaign. We're hoping to top 40 boats (the number attending in 2005). (more...)
01 Aug 2005 - C-JEM wins the (254 nm) Port Huron to Macinac Race. In keeping with the family affair started in Chicago C-JEM owned by Con Ruffing and sailing with his two sons CJ and Eddie won the Port Huron to Mackinac Race in record time finishing Monday morning at 3:17:40 with an average speed of 6.6 knots. C-JEM was 52 seconds ahead of MACHO DUCK owned by David Claasen, sailing with his two sons Dan and Joe in second and 17:54 ahead of PHANTOM owned and sailed by Cynthia and Jim Best. They hit 17 knots surfing in big waves on Sunday.
01 Aug 2005 - Seven at Cowes. Seven J/105s are racing among the 1000+ boats at Cowes Race Week (with the J/92s). Look for them in the J-Sprit2 Class. Unfortunately, they are racing under the IRC rule which gives them five different ratings. The six J/92s have six different ratings. So much for one-design. Unfortunate also is that racing was abandoned today for this class and most others. (more...)
28 Jul 2005 - Save $150 CDN. Register for the Toronto NAC before August 1. (more...)
20 Jul 2005 - World's Best Regatta Ever. It's happening in Toronto in September and you can get a great deal if you sign up before August 1. To sign up go here. Or for the latest update, click here.
19 Jul 2005 - GIGI wins the Mac. Nineteen J/105s sailed the 300 mile Mackinac Race with much better conditions than last year, when most of the fleet retired due to lack of wind. David Wagner brought GIGI home four minutes ahead of Kevin Farrell's BANSHEE and 25 minutes ahead of Jon Weglarz's CARESS. Notably, David's boat had three Wagners aboard and Kevin's boat had five Farrells! PS: The Mac website has some great technology (largely through efforts of J/105 Past President Robert Smith) for tracking the racers -- looks like six of the 105s had transponders aboard and you can see each of their tracks. (more...)
12 Jul 2005 - Block Island Photography. Professional work by Andrew Sims here. Amateur (free) work by Jeff Johnstone here.
28 Jun 2005 - Slacker! I've been slacking in my duties and everybody has been too polite to tell me. Whilst worrying about BIRW, I missed posting results for four major regattas. So to make up for lost time, I will post all at once. Detroit NOOD, June 3-5, 7 races, 15 boats. 1. Colin Mills, WISH, 21; 2. Cynthia/Jim Best, PHANTOM, 29; 3. Harry Bloom, DIRTY HARRY, 30. San Francisco Yacht Club Summer Invitational, June 11-12 (when does summer start in SFO?), 5 races, 25 boats. 1. Tim Russell, AQUAVIT, 14; 2. Perkins / Wilson, GOOD TIMIN', 17; 3. Cooper / Deisinger / Thom, NATURAL BLONDE, 18. Chicago NOOD, June 17-19, 8 races, 18 boats. 1. Jon Weglarz, CARESS, 24; 2. Arthur Wong, CERTARE, 30; 3. Tom Edman, PRONTO II, 33. Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week, June 24-26 (how many days in a week?), 7 races, 23 boats. 1. Birnberg / McLean, INDIGO3, 27; 2. Carolyn Hardy, MISCHIEF, 39; 3. Case / Loysen, WINGS, 41. None of these regattas had throwouts, so you can see that there's no domination by a single boat in these fleets (no winner averaged better than 3rd place). For complete results, go to Racing -> Results on the menu.
27 Jun 2005 - Toronto NOOD. Fleet Captain Robert Baker prevailed at the second annual Toronto NOOD in some very tight comptition. Six races were sailed. Top three: 1. Robert Baker, PLANET B, 21; 2. John McLeod, HOT WATER, 22; 3. Chuck Clayton, NBX, 30. (more...)
27 Jun 2005 - BIRW Final. I've posted one last Block Island Race Week commentary. (more...)
27 Jun 2005 - Minutes Posted. The minutes of the June 13 conference call of the J/105 Executive Committee have been posted in the members area (Members --> Class Business). The primary agenda item was suggestions for rule changes for 2006. The Technical Committee will take these suggestions and draft submissions for further discussion on August 15, after which they will be posted for membership comments.
24 Jun 2005 - BIRW Final. Great breeze and two races on the final day. Final results (9 races, one throwout): 1. Tom/Charlie Enright, PRETTY SKETCHY, 35; 2. Brian Keane, SAVASANA, 40; 3. Damian Emery, ECLIPSE, 43; 4. SEA SHADOW, 52.5; 5. INDEFATIGABLE, 56.
23 Jun 2005 - Block Island Race Week. Leaders had a trying day. In fact, the top three boats from yesterday added a cumulative 74 points in two races (9,9,19,12,10,15). New leaders after seven races (and one throwout): 1. PRETTY SKETCHY, 25; 2 SAVASANA, 30; 3. INDEFATIGABLE, 35.
22 Jun 2005 - Block Island Race Week. Top three unchanged after three days and five races.
21 Jun 2005 - Block Island Race Week. They sent us around the island today. SAVASANA won, pulling them up to sixth, but the top three remained unchanged. PRETTY SKETCHY (10), INDEFATIGABLE (15), and ECLIPSE (18). For direct ling to White fleet cumulative results. Here for Nelson's commentary.
20 Jun 2005 - Block Island Race Week. After three races on day 1 at BIRW, it's PRETTY SKETCHY, INDEFATIGABLE, and ECLIPSE. For details see the links below.
16 Jun 2005 - Block Island Race Week. The second of two all-week Race Weeks starts on Monday with 21 boats on the line. Here are the links you will want to follow the action. Results at the Storm Trysail site here. All the J/105 information here. And Nelson's blog (Daily Commentary) here. Enjoy ... even if you can't be there in person!
01 Jun 2005 - Fleet #24. We have a new fleet -- Fleet #24: Eastern Long Island Sound. Covering Eastern Connecticut to Western Rhode Island and across the sound to Eastern Long Island in New York, this fleet is a spinoff from Fleets #14 and #6. They will be encouraging one-design racing among the sailors who find it a long trek to the racing in Western LIS and Narragansett and Buzzards Bays. They start off with seven boats and four class members, but will grow quickly. The new fleet captain is Greg Locke, owner of EXCALIBUR.
31 May 2005 - SYNERGY takes Block Island Race. Storm Trysail's 60th Block Island Race was held this past weekend. Racers
of this years 185 mile race faced challenging conditions with light winds
and strong currents. With that said, SYNERGY, skippered by David
Spence, came out on top of their division and in fact won by such a margin
as to be awarded the "Commodores Trophy," which is awarded to the yacht
which has won her class and beaten the 2nd and 3rd place boat by the biggest
margin. Complete STC results.
17 May 2005 - J/105 Gets High Marks If you haven't heard about US Sailing One-Design Survey, you should have a look. The J/105 class has the second highest growth in memberships since 1997 (up 512 members and second only to the 420 class with 765). We must be doing something right! Have you paid your 2005 dues yet? (more...)
03 May 2005 - Coates takes B.W. Walker Memorial Trophy Bermuda International Invitational Race Week ran seven races spaced over six days. Racing was cancelled on Thursday due to a storm and finished up last Saturday. Tom Coates improved on his 2004 performance (a second) by earning six bullets and a third on MASQUERADE. Canadian John McLeod, owner of HOT WATER, took second and the Brewin/Williams team was third on NOT MINE. Six boats participated. (more...)
03 May 2005 - Hall Updated After a hiatus of more than a year, the Hall of Fame has been updated with the winners of the major regattas. If you have any corrections or new categories, please let Nelson know. Select Members, then Hall of Fame on the left menu. (more...)
03 May 2005 - GUMPTION tops AYC Spring Series After two weekends and eight races, Kevin Grainger's GUMPTION3 came out on top with 16 points. Second was Damian Emery on ECLIPSE with 28 and third was the Harald Edegran Syndicate on CONUNDRUM with 37 points. (more...) | | |
