J/122 LOST HORIZON Cruises to Victorious Tie?

How to Have Fun and Eat The Cake Too @ Rolex St Thomas
(St Thomas, USVI- Mar 27) – Living up to its reputation as "Crown Jewel of Caribbean Racing", and topping off three days of sun-drenched racing in the Rolex Regatta, the fleet was treated to yet another nearly "postcard perfect" Sunday on Pillsbury Sound.  The fleet completed distance courses that explored the cays and islands off St. Thomas, where the event has been hosted for 38 years by St. Thomas Yacht Club.  "This has been one of the best groups of boats and sailors we've ever had," said Regatta Director Bill Canfield.  "Sailors came from around the globe, and each class had a good number of boats with impressive depth of competition." 

The regatta started on Friday, the racing started with a lovely trip to town down around the southern side of St Thomas. The first of two “town races” went from the eastern end of St. Thomas, where the regatta’s host St. Thomas Yacht Club is located, to Charlotte Amalie Harbour, giving spectators an eyeful as they watched from scenic overlooks and other vantage points along the island’s hilly coastline. After a rainbow of spinnakers graced a downwind finish, the fleet turned around and headed back from where they came, counting the return trip as their second race.

As cliche as it sounds, the Rolex Regatta delivered on Saturday another round of sailing in paradise. And while for some that conjures up images of cloudless skies, azure blue water and brisk trade winds (the exact conditions that prevailed), for more serious racers it meant well planned race courses and exceptional execution by the race committee for some thrilling racing. The first race was a twice-around windward-leeward course that lasted an hour, while the second showed off the scenic south coast of St. John (USVI) on a 22-mile windward/leeward course that used Leduck island as its windward turning mark.

“It was really interesting,” said one big boat crew member. “There were rocks in the middle of the course that had to be avoided, so you didn’t have full use of the race course, but the entire fleet was pretty much side-by-side the whole time.” He praised the race committee for the courses they had designed, noting their ability to lay marks in shallow water and keep the course square to the wind, which some other Caribbean events are unable to do because of natural constraints.

By winning Saturday's single 19-mile race in the 10-boat CSA Non-Spinnaker class, Jim Dobbs’ (Antigua) J/122 LOST HORIZON moved into second place from third Friday while Tony Sanpere’s (St. Croix, USVI) J/36 CAYENNITA GRANDE replaced Friday's leader.  Dobbs, who lives aboard LOST HORIZON in the winter and races the boat throughout the islands, normally sails in spinnaker class and has sailed almost every International Rolex Regatta to date. He was short on crew this year and made a last-minute change to the non-spinnaker class, which Sanpere, last year’s winner, welcomed. “It’s nice to be in the same class to see how we compare to a very competitive boat,” he said. “Dobbs is one of the winningest skippers in the Caribbean.”

In the 10-boat CSA Non-Spinnaker class, James Dobbs' (Antigua) J/122 LOST HORIZON turned in a 1-2 Sunday to tie on point score (10) with Tony Sanpere's (St. Croix, USVI) very well-sailed and highly competitive J/36 CAYENITTA GRANDE, who scored a 3-1, but LOST HORIZON won the class after tie-breaking rules were applied.  LOST HORIZON was definitely the sleeper of the regatta, arriving with an incomplete crew to finish third overall after the first day of racing. On the second day, the team managed to rise through the ranks to second overall behind CAYENITTA GRANDE then top them in the finale.

 Sailing Photo/ Rolex Cup Regatta credits- Ingrid Abery and Leighton O'Connor for Rolex.  For more International Rolex Cup Regatta sailing information.

  

Antigua J/122 LOST HORIZON Ready for Rolex

(St Thomas, USVI)- As it has proven for 38 years, the International Rolex Regatta is a racing getaway that is as much about serious competition as it is about the festive yet relaxed Caribbean experience that host St. Thomas Yacht Club has created around it. The three-day event is scheduled this year for Friday, March 25, through Sunday, March 27, and features race courses that accentuate the coastal beauty of the U.S. Virgin Islands as well as shore-side gatherings - including a reggae music concert and uniquely staged Rolex Awards Ceremony - that remind visitors why "tropical" and "paradise" go so well together.  The sailing includes three days of weaving through the visually arresting cuts, cays and islands of the U.S. Virgins. Teams from the U.S. and Europe are always among those to beat, but no one dismisses the home-grown talent from St. Thomas and islands farther afield such as Puerto Rico and St. Martin.

"With dependable trade winds, great racing is assured, and we work hard to make it easy for sailors and their families to participate," said Regatta Co-Director Bill Canfield, explaining that the St. Thomas Yacht Club is the central meeting place for breakfast each morning and socializing after racing, with the exception of Saturday night’s party at Yacht Haven Grande for which transportation is provided.

"One of our traditions is the ‘town race’ on Friday, where the entire fleet races from the east end of St. Thomas right to the heart of the bustling commercial harbour of Charlotte Amalie," added Canfield. "Once the fleet is finished there, we start them again for the race back home. It gives us a chance to share the spectacle of a mass of colorful spinnakers with the people who live on St. Thomas and others who are visiting, and it gives the racers an opportunity to see St. Thomas’ beautiful and historic capital. Racing is rounded out on the weekend by a high caliber mix of island races and windward/leewards designed to test skills and showcase the stunning shoreline."  Just for fun, check out the Rolex Cup sailing instructions here, wonderful "chamber of commerce" friendly courses taking you on a tour of St Thomas and St John.

Amongst the top J's racing will be the J/122 LOST HORIZON sailed by Caribbean champion Jim Dobbs from Antigua.  Keeping Jim honest will be another champion crew aboard the J/120 EL OCASO sailed by Rick Wesslund from Miami, FL. Sailing Photo Credit- Tim Wright- Photoaction.com   For more Rolex Cup sailing information

  

J/122 LOST HORIZON Sailing St Barts Regatta

"Where are all the other J/122's!?," said Jim Dobbs aboard his J/122 LOST HORIZON.  After a great time at St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, Jim and gang are headed down to St. Barts.  Jim is secretly hoping the 122s have a World Championship "down island", perhaps it can start with Key West and simply travel down island and end up where he lives in Antigua-- now that would be one unbelievable and unforgettable event, eh?  Next up on the Caribbean "J/122 LOST HORIZON Island Tour" is Les Voile de Saint Barth-- not a bad place to drop the hook, hang out, and do some serious racing against the locals who are sure to show some good programs where NOT to go!  BTW,  Tom Mullen's J/95 SHAMROCK VI will be participating as well.

When the stage lights are switched on for the second annual Les Voiles de St. Barth, it is a sure bet that the production, set for April 4-9, will deliver an unforgettable experience for its participating sailors, their friends and families.  After all, what other regatta claims Jimmy Buffett as its “godfather” or the world-famous French fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier as one of its devotees?  And what other regatta reaps the benefits of being held on an unspoiled yet sophisticated island, during its off-peak tourist season, no less, when fine French food and wine are in abundance without the wait at popular harbor-side restaurants and where accommodations at boutique hotels and private villas—the most stylish of which are coveted by celebrities in the high season--are easier to come by and, better yet, less pricey?

“The Les Voiles de St. Barth is about the whole island of Saint Barthelemy in the shoulder season and how it represents a West Indian paradise like no other,” said Donald Tofias, a Newport, R.I. (USA) resident.  “It is about the island’s personalities, the local bands playing every night on the docks, the top chefs and wine cellars being involved, and the entire community being involved in the experience of a friendly, easy-going regatta.”

Since the late 1970s, Demarchelier has photographed covers for nearly every major fashion magazine in the world, including VOGUE and ELLE, and has—better than anyone perhaps--brought global attention to the island’s idyllic settings by his own through-the-lense infatuation with them.  “I have not too much time to do other regattas, so this is special to me,” he said about his upcoming get-away from his busy schedule and studio in New York.  “The conditions are always fantastic, with 15-20 knots, blue sky and beautiful waters.”

Jim Dobbs of Antigua, who races and lives aboard his J/122 LOST HORIZON in the Caribbean in the winter, will be one of Demarchelier’s main competitors, as he won his class here last year, and he has every intention of doing so again this year.  Even with only just one year under its belt, the Les Voiles de St. Barth is already a fixture on Dobbs’ competitive racing schedule.  “For me, it is on the way back to Antigua,” said Dobbs.  “I enjoy it because it has a different French flair to it.”

That is not to mention the intimate harbor of Gustavia serving as regatta central or the magnificent Caribbean Sea, which serves up dependable trade winds and stunning vistas with every new tack—those are at the very core of every racing sailor’s best dreams.

“The regatta got a great start last year, and you will see a whole range of sailors and boats that typically race in Europe, New England and the Caribbean showing up here,” said Donald Tofias.  “Word has gotten around, people love coming here, and all the right things are in place.  Soon it will be the size of some of the other Caribbean events; that is my prediction.”

And where will Jimmy Buffett be in all this? Suffice it to say, he owns a home in St. Barth, is an avid sailor, and often jams with local musicians.  His blessing of the regatta is inherent in his “godfather” title, so other than that, the organizers are being hush-hush.  Like fine wine, some things uncorked are better if they sit for a bit before being savored with the main meal.  For more sailing information on Les Voiles de Saint Barths.

  

J/122 North Americans @ Rolex Block Island Race Week

(Block Island, RI- June 20-24)- This year's Rolex Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race Week serves as both the 2011 IRC East Coast Championship and the J/122 National Championship. The event also will feature the debut of a new J/111 class and has eliminated former PHRF restrictions that will open up the event to more sailors.  Boats will be competing for individual class trophies daily and Rolex watches as overall prizes for top performances on each of the racing circles. A traditional around-the-island distance race will also be included, with a Rolex watch to be awarded to the top IRC boat.

The J/105 class, which is known for holding the longest one-design participation record in the history of the regatta, has always had a strong fleet and already six boats, out of an expected 24 or more, have signed up. 'There has been J/105 class racing at Block Island since 1996, and we have been there every year,' said Nelson Weiderman (Wickford, R.I.), owner of the J/105 Kima. 'It is a family vacation for us, and I’m hoping to have my daughter and two sons join us with their children. The family thing is big for me, and a week-long event is highly unusual, so there will be beach time for all who do not race.'

Weiderman, who sailed Kima to victory in the 2010 New England Solo/Twin, said he isn’t necessarily expecting to win at Block Island the year. 'Our best year at Block Island was when we came in second (1998),' said Weiderman. 'Coming in top half would be great, but having fun is of primary importance.'

Unlike the veteran J/105 class, the J/111 class will be testing out Block Island Race Week waters for the first time in history. 'There won’t be too many boats at Block Island, since it is the first regatta for the class and only around sixty hulls have been sold,' said David Tortorello (Fairfield, Conn.), owner of the J/111 PARTNERSHIP. 'We sold our J/122 of three years and are waiting on the new PARTNERSHIP, which is still in the box.'

Tortorello is no stranger to the regatta and has participated for many years, including in 2007 and 2009 aboard the J/122 PARTNERSHIP. 'It is more fun than you’ll ever have. The whole group is one big happy family, and Block Island is the best venue around here.'    For more Block Island sailing information.

  

J/122s Crush St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

J/122 OTRA VEZ and J/30 BLUE PETER Dominate
(Simpson Bay, St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles- March 6th)- It was a challenging year for the 31st St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.  The conditions were hardly the postcard, chamber of commerce conditions often associated with the event.  Instead, it took a dash of luck and skillful sailing to avoid the massive holes, navigate the shifty winds and not get buried under a flood of rain from the squalls that floated across the islands.

Despite the difficult conditions, the J/122s led their fleet home to finish 1st and 5th.  Racing in the CSA 5 Division, first was the J/122 OTRA VEZ sailed by Bill Coates with a tally of 1-1-2-9 for 13 pts.  They were winning the regatta quite handily until a not so good last race, but hung in there to win!  Finishing fifth was the J/122 LOST HORIZON sailed by local favorite Jim Dobbs with a record of 2-5.5-8-13 for 28.5 pts.  Unfortunately, LOST HORIZON were easily in  second place until their 13th place on the last windless, goofy day.  Having a lot of fun and hanging in for ninth overall was Rick Wesslund's well-traveled J/120 EL OCASO, a previous Key West Race Week Overall PHRF Boat of the Week.  Finally, the team of Bultena and Hins on the J/105 NO RUBBER NO GLORY followed the pack around the course taking into account all the ambiance and fun one could have partying while sailing.

Another celebration was in store for the veteran local campaigner, the J/30 BLUE PETER sailed by Tanner Jones.  Their 1-2-1 record for 4 points dominated their CSA 8 class, winning triumphantly on their last day!  Just off the pace was the J/95 SHAMROCK IV sailed by Tom Mullen with a 4-4-12 tally for 20 points for sixth place-- they took a DNF in the last race, which was too bad since they were 3rd overall going into the last day!  A good show for a shoal-draft performance day-sailer, cruising boat.

Also participating in this year's Heineken Regatta in CSA 2 Division was a the J/125 AUNT JESSE sailed by Jordan Mindich to fourth place with a 5-3-3-9 scoreline for 20 pts-- like their sisterships, they too were in third overall until a bummer of a last race.  Always having a lot of fun in CSA 6 Division was the J/40 NEPENTHE sailed by Bob Read.  This year Bob was without either of his famous sons aboard, Ken Read or Brad Read.  They got a 6-9-16-16 score, seemingly starting out strong but after the reggae party night slowed down quite a bit…who can blame them, it was a FUN regatta.

For the first day of racing, it was clear the weather for this year's Heineken Regatta was going to be unusual in that the generous trade-winds were going to be squashed by a goofy weather pattern.  At the mid-morning start it was an east-southeasterly breeze of 6-8 knots.  The race committee sent the fleet on a short windward leg before everyone eased sheets for a downwind run to a mark off Basse Terre at the island’s westernmost point.  As the fleet sailed into the Anguilla Channel they were met by a squall, then the breeze faltered and then, for some of the trailing boats, died altogether. Off Marigot Bay, as a second squall sucked the wind out of the skies, right up to the next mark on the course, off Grand Case, the scene was reminiscent of painted boats upon a painted sea.  In CSA 5, it was a very good day for the J's— that is, a pair of J/122’s, William Coates’s OTRA VEZz and Jim Dobbs’s LOST HORIZON, which earned a first and second in the 15-boat class, respectively.  Other winners on the opening day of racing were Tanner Jones' J/30 BLUE PETER in CSA 8.

The second day is known by the Racing sailors as "Moving Day", the midpoint in a regatta when the time has come to make a move, either to solidify your place in the standings or, for boats that have not yet sailed to their potential, to elevate your position in the fleet. And on Day 2 in the 31st running of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, with a pair of contests conducted for the CSA racing classes 1-6, the opportunity to move up—or down—was at hand.  For CSA Classes 1-6, the second day of action brought two very different races, a morning windward/leeward affair around the buoys off the south coast of St. Maarten, and the traditional Saturday afternoon point-to-point destination race from a starting line off the Dutch harbor of Simpson Bay to a finish off Marigot on the Caribbean isle’s French side.  As on Day 1 of the proceedings, a light easterly breeze of 8-10 knots—with a brief rise in air pressure to around 15 knots in the morning racing—fueled the competition. But it was another challenging day for both the sailors and the race committees.

In the afternoon racing, under crystal-clear blue skies, colorful spinnakers dotted the horizon as the racers flew downwind to a mark off Bass Terre and then into the Anguilla Channel.   In CSA 5, as the old Led Zeppelin song goes, “the song remained the same.” Bill Coates racing the J/122 OTRA VEZ retained their grasp atop the leader board with a first and second to go along with their victory on Day 1 of the regatta.  Just behind them in third was the J/122 LOST HORIZON skippered by Jim Dobbs.  The CSA 8 classes sailed a single race and when it was finished Tanner Jones’s J/30, BLUE PETER, from Antigua continued as class leader

The final day of racing was a strange, squally day where it rained early and often— and in many divisions, both skill and luck, sometimes in heavy doses, played a major role in the final results. The last race was an extremely taxing point-to-point race from Marigot to Simpson Bay. Every edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta takes on its own personality, and Number 31 in the annual series will be remembered as a largely light-air affair. Ironically, it’s been a very windy winter on the idyllic Caribbean isle, but for the most part this weekend, the usually reliable trade winds were fitful and elusive, and racing was conducted in breeze of ten knots or less. In nearly every class, those sailors adept at eking out every last tenth of a knot of boat speed; sniffing out every last zephyr, no matter how gentle or transitory; and capitalizing on the constantly shifting breeze, particularly in the wake of passing squalls, were the ones who topped the podium in their respective divisions.  Yes, there was a bit of everything: gusts, lulls, showers, shifts.  From a spectator’s point of view, it was also highly entertaining and at times almost unbelievable. For instance, it’s not every day you see an Air France Boeing 747 airliner alter course while approaching a runway— like one did in the afternoon— to avoid a 77-foot Swan (in this instance, Fred Smithers’ La Forza Del Destino) coursing through the water under spinnaker in front of the runway along the beach!

Due to the unstable conditions, it was remarkable that the race committee managed to get action started precisely on schedule the last morning at 10:30 a.m.  All classes got rolling, but were not moving terribly fast down the course.  In the wake of a grey squall with east-southeast winds registering a mere 4 or 5 knots, the fleet moved slowly on.  Then the breeze died altogether-- and not for the first time.  When the breeze swung into the east-northeast approximately a half-hour later in the 5-7 knot range action again resumed in the CSA racing classes. Once again, there were many opportunities to gain and lose places.  Then came the second squall. At the front of the pack, as the leaders closed in on a turning mark off Basse Terre, the fleet ran completely out of wind. Meanwhile, the fresh breeze filling in from the northeast, though not particularly strongly, allowed the trailing boats to close in on the front-runners as they wallowed in a windless hole. It was like pushing a reset button-- the classic "fleet compression puff"! Off Basse Terre, a new race began giving some tail-enders a new lease on life and forever frustrating the original race leaders.  As the boats rolled down the south coast of St. Maarten, they did so in exceedingly unbalanced breeze. Some boats managed to fly kites for a time while others resorted to jibs and genoas. A third squall at the second-to-last mark before the finish brought fresh breeze and it seemed as if the entire fleet converged together at the same time. Meanwhile, the boats that avoided problems close reached to the final turning mark and then hoisted spinnakers one last time before crossing the finish line off Simpson Bay. It had been one memorable race.

Once the results were finalized, a full slate of worthy victors were revealed.  The J/122 OTRA VEZ had enough in the bank (two firsts and a second) to triumph in CSA 5, but her sistership LOST HORIZON sailed by Antiguan Jim Dobbs got the short end of the lucky stick in the last two squalls to drop to fifth.  In CSA 8, Antiguan Tanner Jones’s BLUE PETER sailed his venerable J/30 to a well-deserved win in the 11-boat fleet.   Sailing photos by Tim Wright- Photoaction.com   For more Heineken Regatta Sailing results.
  

J/122 Sailing Fast in Australia

(Sydney, Australia)- The J/122 MARTA JEAN recently sailed the Newcastle Race in Australia.  The report from the captain and crew follows:

"10 days prior to the race we had enough crew who were keen to do the Sydney to Newcastle race, and all that was holding us back was a higher level of safety compliance - so we decided to go for it. We had met all audit requirements one day before the deadline for race entry.  This was our first Cat 3 and Ocean Point Score race, following a season of Short Ocean Point Score races in Newcastle (Cat 4).

We sailed with 5 crew from LITHIUM (Sydney based J/122), and 5 of our own crew from MARTA JEAN (J/122 Newcastle based). Essentially we had a lot of generalist skills, and not too many specialists, but we prided ourselves on learning from each others objective feedback and everyones desire to improve boat speed beyond the targets (obtained from polar diagrams for the J122 posted on the web)

24 boats had entered the race, including 17 for IRC.  The race started at 9.00am off Point Piper in Sydney harbour, and would be a 66mn run up the coast(at 010 deg) to the entrance of Newcastle harbour.  The wind was close to forecast, with a norwesterly 15 - 20kn for the first half of the race, swinging around slightly to a northerly 20 - 25kn for the second half of the race, with some soft patches where the wind dropped to 10kn for short periods.  It was a very hot day, with temperatures over 35C so it was important to keep the sunscreen and water up to everyone, so we didn't have anyone suffering from heat stroke or dehydration.

Our J/122 sailed well to windward, and the crew enjoyed the first six hours on the rail on a single tack, making good progress at 7-8kn and maintaining a competitive position in the fleet. As the breeze moved more easterly in the afternoon, the race became more tactical with the impact of adverse currents and wind shifts, with the option to keep in close the coast, or to go further offshore.

We reached the entrance to Newcastle harbour for the final downwind run to the finish line after 9 hours of sailing.  We finished 2nd on PHS and 6th on IRC, which was a great result considering the level of experience and expertise in the fleet. It just goes to show how well you can do with a J?122, even with cruising sails, and a relatively inexperienced crew."  For more J/122 offshore racer-cruiser sailboat information. 
  

J/122 LITHIUM Wins Australia Day Regatta

J/35 and J/80 Win Honors, Too!
(Sydney, Australia)- On January 26th a number of racing events were held to celebrate the 175th Australia Day Regatta, where more than 160 harbour racing yachts, classic yachts, ocean racers and modern and historical skiffs celebrated this remarkable yachting anniversary on Sydney Harbour.

The regatta is the world’s oldest, continuously-conducted annual sailing regatta, a celebration of the arrival in 1788 of the British Admiralty's First Fleet to found the penal colony that eventually became the great Commonwealth of Australia (now you know why Ozzie's often-times proudly call themselves "convicts"- remember the Sydney-Hobart-Tazzie Race story in J/News?).

Despite a morning sea fog that blanketed the city and suburbs and the harbour, the misty conditions cleared somewhat and a light east to north-easterly breeze cooled conditions and provided close racing around fixed marks. A total of 56 yachts competed in the 30nm passage race to Botany Bay in tough beating conditions with the fog playing havoc as bowmen tried to keep a watchful lookout for other competing yachts. Brett Haywoods J/122 LITHIUM claimed 1st on PHS and 2nd on IRC Division 1 in the Grant Thornton Short Ocean Pointscore passage race.

John Amos, the new owner of the J/35 SOUNDTRACK continued the winning ways of this well known Sydney-based boat, not only by winning the spring series at Greenwich Flying Squadron but also an impressive 1st place at that club’s Australia Day regatta!

Ray and Sandra Entwistle’s new J/80 is off to flying start with its debut to Australia, by taking a 2nd in the twilight Australia day race followed by a 3rd in the mixed spinnaker division in the Australia Day Regatta.