Light, fast, incredibly manageable both with her centreboard up or down, this wheel steered, twin ruddered 32 footer is precisely what we had hoped for. We are delighted.

The weather may have been freezing but the J/95 is a little hottie! Check out the photos below.

The J/80 is fastest selling sportsboat in Europe and with this in mind, marine electronics specialists Tacktick have agreed title sponsorship for the UK Nationals.

James Hewitt, Sales Manager for Tacktick Suunto said ‘We are delighted to kick start what we hope will be a long standing association with the UK J/80 Class. We see the Tacktick Race Master as the perfect product for this performance sportsboat. Of course the Suunto range of watches also hold massive appeal across all J Boat sailors from the J/80 to the J/133, as does our entire range of wireless, self powered marine electronics.’

This is the second time the J/80 National Championships have been fought in the waters of Cardiff Bay. The racing is extremely tactical, tidal considerations are clearly important and racing here on short windward-leeward courses presents a real challenge and reaps it’s own rewards for the clever sailor. Facilities at Cardiff Bay Yacht Club are superb for sportsboats and the Class is very pleased to be back. 

Thirty plus UK boats are expected at the event in June, along with visitors from Italy and elsewhere in Europe. The growing domestic fleet welcomes many new owners in 2010 and the spring date for the Tacktick Suunto J/80 UK Nationals means that this is the first time most teams will be lining up against each other in advance of the Euros on Lake Garda in June and the Worlds in Newport at the end of the summer. 

Tacktick wireless by Suunto: Besides giving you reliability and performance, Tacktick displays are unique. They are wireless and use “micro-power” solar technology which means they are lightweight and reliable. Tacktick wireless displays take marine instruments to a new level of usability and precision. For more information check out www.tacktick.co.uk

Tacktick Suunto J80 UK Nationals & 1720 Regatta 2010 Notice of Race

Tacktick Suunto J80 UK Nationals & 1720 Regatta 2010 Entry Form

The 9 boats in IRC class 1 were first away and the fleet soon split into two groups with Mike Henning’s ‘Alice’ taking the lead hotly pursued by ‘Njos’ and ‘J Dream’. ‘Alice’ took line honours and the class win with ‘J Dream’ second and ‘Njos’ third. Race 2 saw a repeat performance by the three lead boats but after 90 minutes of racing there was only 90 seconds between first and third. 

Next away was the J92 fleet with 7 of the 8 entered boats lining up for the start which was hotly contested. ‘Jammin’ was called back for being OCS as the rest of the fleet made hast towards the first mark. ‘Jarrow’ got a good start and stayed at the front of the fleet for the whole race to take line honours and the win. The rest were close behind with ‘Java Lite’ taking second and ‘Black Jack’ third. The second race had everyone closer together with only 2 minutes covering the fleet after 90 minutes of racing. ‘Jaya’ took line honours & the win just 6 seconds ahead of ‘Java Lite’ second and ‘Jungle Fever’ third. 

In Class 3 RSYC ‘Vader’ the Cork 1720, enjoyed the conditions and together with ‘Arcadian’ and ‘Me Julie’ took an early lead. Although ‘Vader’ took line honours the lower handicap of Peter Slimming’s Hunter 30 ‘Anne Louise’ gave him the class win with ‘Escapade’ second and ‘Vader’ third. Race 2 allowed ‘Vader’ to take a big lead on the water with ‘Arcadian’ again in second but the handicap finish had ‘Anne Louise’ in first with ‘Vader’ second and ‘Escapade’ third.

The next pair of races in the series is on 31st January when it is hoped that more boats will join in. 

For details contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80 223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk

Report by Andrew Campbell

Driving rain and vicious squalls marked the final day of the 2009 Garmin Hamble Winter Series on Sunday 29th November, and with around twenty five percent 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. With the J/80 and SBR classes already started, White Fleet PRO Jenny Wilson abandoned the Laser SB3 start and sent all boats safely back to Hamble.

For Black Fleet the committee laid a start line near Fastnet Insurance buoy and with two separate courses 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, with IRC0, 1, and 2 finishing at DAKS after a series of runs and beats, while the J109, J105, IRC3 and IRC4 classes had a slightly shorter 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. One regular campaigner in the Garmin Hamble Winter Series, Neville Hodkin, was unfortunate to lose his rig aboard ‘Extra Djinn’ just after finishing the race.

With seven races completed in the Black Fleet series, one race result could be discarded, and except for some minor place changes due to retirements on this dramatic final day all but one of the leading boats maintained their winning positions. The exception was in IRC3 where John Rainger’s Sigma 38 ‘Light’ finished 2nd to secure the overall win ahead of ‘Persephone of London’ and ‘With Alacrity’.

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. An added treat will be courtesy of the Sigma 38 class which is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year, and they will be presenting a bottle of bubbly to each of the class winners.

For full results of the 2009 Garmin Hamble Winter Series, plus Hamble Big Boat Series and Autumn Championships, go to www.garminhamblewinterseries.co.uk

Overall Results:

Black Fleet:

IRC 0
1st ‘Tangent Minus 1′ Paul and Julia Aisher, 13pts
2nd ‘Paragon’ Michael Blair, 18pts
3rd ‘Biela’ Richard Barnes, 19pts

IRC 1
1st ‘Puma Logic’ Sailing Logic Ltd., 20pts
2nd ‘Jaguar Logic’ Sailing Logic Ltd., 22pts
3rd ‘Premier Flair’ Jim Macgregor, 28pts

IRC 2
1st ‘Elaine’ Mike Bridges, 9pts
2nd ‘Starspray’ Bateson Family, 22pts
3rd ‘Malice’ Mike Moxley, 29pts

IRC 3
1st ‘Light’ John Rainger, 14pts
2nd ‘Persephone of London’ Nigel Goodhew, 17pts
3rd ‘With Alacrity’ Chris and Vanessa Choules, 25pts

IRC 4
1st ‘Menace’ Derek & James Morland and Tim Rees, 10pts
2nd ‘Catch 22′ David Rider, 27pts
3rd ‘Crakajax’ Ursula Bagnall & Richard Hollis, 30pts

J/105
1st ‘Fay-J’ Paul Griffiths, 11pts
2nd ‘Voador’ Simon Curwen, 14pts
3rd ‘Journeymaker 5′ Chris Jones, 15pts

J/109
1st ‘J Dream’ David & Kirsty Apthorp, 6pts
2nd ‘Aria’ Luca Rubinelli, 15pts
3rd ‘Outrajeous’ Richard & Valerie Griffith, 17pts

White Fleet:

J/80
1st ‘Oil!’ John Cooper, 19pts
2nd ‘Boats.Com’ Ian Atkins, 31pts
3rd ‘Elle Sappelle’ Thor Askeland, 44pts

SBR Sportsboats
1st ‘Touchdown’ Oliver Hemming, Anthony Vollmer, & Lucien Farrell, 19pts
2nd ‘X-Static’ Tim Grisgby, 31pts
3rd ‘Finn M’Coul’ Tom Clay, 57pt

Key Yachting Ltd will be exhibiting three yachts at the Tullett Prebon London International Boat Show at ExCeL from the 8^th to the 17^th of January 2010.

The new J/95

The brand new, lifting keeled J/95 will make her European debut at the show. The J/97, winner of the Black Group at Cowes Week and Dartmouth Regatta earlier this year will also be at ExCel, and from Italy, the beautiful Grand Soleil 54.

The team from Key Yachting and all three yachts will be on the Sailboat Walkway at the rear of the North Hall at ExCel.

For more information please contact Key Yachting on 02380 45566

After gale force winds on Saturday and rain squalls early on Sunday morning, the weather settled down to a picturesque day of sunshine and cloud for the sixth round of the Garmin Hamble Winter Series.

Despite the windward going tide that might be expected to benefit the smaller boats, most of the class leaders maintained their form. In IRC Zero Michael Blair’s ‘Paragon’ won again, as did Michael Bridges’ ‘Elaine’ in IRC2, the Sigma 38 ‘With Alacrity’ in IRC3, the Quarter Tonner ‘Menace’ in IRC4, and ‘J-Dream’ in the J-109 class. Meanwhile in IRC1 the Elan 410 ‘Great Scot IV’ made her way back to the front beating the Beneteau 40.7 ‘Encore’ by just three seconds on corrected time, and Chris Jones’
‘Journeymaker 5′ won the J-105 class.

One small boat team that came close to grabbing a win was Robbie and Lis Robinson aboard their Humphreys 30 ‘Hot Rats’. Sailing hot angles downwind while some chose to sail deep and avoid gybing, they finishing second in
IRC2, missing their target by 14 seconds.  

The White Group classes were as usual closer to the mainland shore, and sailing in a 250 degree breeze. All three races went off without mishap, but to the frustration of the committee and probably the competitors the wind backed by 10 degrees during the final race start sequence.

In the SBR class the Hunter 707 ‘Touchdown’ won two of the three races, as did ‘Oil!’ in the J-80’s. John Cooper and his crew slipped up with an OCS in race three, with Cressida Robson and Allan Higgs’ ‘Juicy’ winning this one by four seconds from Patrick Liardet’s ‘Aqua J’. In the Laser SB3 Mark Rushall scored three firsts ahead of ‘Rumbleflurg’ in the first two, while ‘Team Novae’ climbed to second place in the third race.

Next Sunday’s racing (22nd. Nov) continues with the full Winter Series programme for White and Black Group racing. — Jonty Sherwill

Full details of the 2009 Garmin Hamble Winter Series, plus Hamble Big Boat Series and Autumn Championships results are available at http://www.garminhamblewinterseries.co.uk

Garmin Hamble Winter Series – Day 5 Results:

Black Fleet Race Winners:
IRC 0 ‘Paragon’ Michael Blair
IRC 1, ‘Great Scot IV’  Eurof Phillips and Barbara Mackam IRC 2, ‘Elaine’ Mike Bridges IRC 3, ‘With Alacrity’ Chris and Vanessa Choules IRC 4, ‘Menace’ Derek & James Morland and Tim Rees J/105, ‘Journeymaker 5′ Chris Jones J/109,  ‘J Dream’ David & Kirsty Athorp

White Fleet Race Winners:
Laser SB3
Races 1, 2, & 3 ‘MarkRushall.net’ Mark Rushall

J/80
Race 1 & 2, ‘Oil!’ John Cooper
Race 3, ‘Juicy’ Cressida Robson and Allan Higgs

SBR Sportsboats
Race 1 ‘Finn M’Coul’ Tom Clay
Races 2 & 3, ‘Touchdown’ ‘Oliver Hemming, Anthony Vollmer, & Lucien Farrell

J/80s Oi!! and Hoolinkazan on Sunday

For the Big Boat Series entrants, sponsored this weekend by Wight Vodka, it was the second half of their twelve race schedule that began in tough conditions a fortnight ago. Racing this Saturday commenced in a 15 knot northerly breeze that gradually reduced, and with a falling tide the course had to shifted to the northern side of the Brambles Banks for the last two of the four scheduled races.

In the IRC class Neil Martin’s J/133 ‘Jammy Dodger’ maintained her domination with two more firsts, with Ian Matthews J/122 ’Jinja’ grabbing also grabbing a win in Race 4.

While Saturday had been overcast and chilly, Sunday was the epitome of high pressure October weather, with brilliant sunshine and only just enough breeze to get racing underway. It soon turned into a drifting match, and with only three finishers in the first White Group races, and the bigger boats with little prospect of finishing, racing was abandoned for the day. Even so it had been a beautiful sight, with the brighter coloured spinnakers transforming the normally grey Solent.

Next Sunday’s racing (25th Oct.) continues with the full Winter Series programme for White and Black Group racing.

Full details of the 2009 Garmin Hamble Winter Series, plus Hamble Big Boat Series and Autumn Championships results are available at www.garminhamblewinterseries.co.uk

Day 3 Results:

White Fleet Race Winners

J/80
‘Boats.Com’ Ian Atkins

Hamble Big Boat Series Overall Results:

IRC
1st ‘Jammy Dodger’ Neil Martin
2nd ‘Jinja’ Ian Matthews
3rd ‘Assassin’ Gary Shaffer and Peter Jackson

Whilst one would like to report that the seven races sailed were a jolly, a walk in the park etc, even with the benefit of journalistic licence, that  would be stretching the truth somewhat. Notwhithstanding the fact that conditions on the Saturday were relatively benign, with plenty of sunshine and an extremely shifty 10 to 15 knot breeze from the west (and just a little more on Sunday), your correspondent it seems, had forgotten a number of key facts since last racing in the J/80 fleet…

Start Line Transits: With eleven 26 foot keel boats pushing it on a relatively short start line, a vague reference to  ‘that slow moving yacht on the far shore with the kite up’ instead of a proper, noted transit will simply not cut it. A second rate start can lead to a third race position at the windward mark.

In fact, your correspondent also noted that a blinding port tack flyer on the whole fleet at the start can also lead to a third rate position at the top mark, but that’s another story…

Out on a Limb: It may well be that the BBC, Met Check and indeed Mystic Meg said that the breeze will go round to the right or the left, or build or drop, or pour down Mountgay and coke on the J/80 fleet. However, unless you have a specific insight in to when and where this is going to happen, and without the benefit of heightened senses or a crystal ball, it’s often far safer to cover (Ha! who am I kidding?) or at the very least try to stay in touch with the rest of the fleet in order to avoid getting hung out to dry when the breeze does swing round.

Sure, you need to work the shifts as they reach you and sail your own race, but remember the bigger picture. If the mark is off Calshot Spit it doesn’t make much sense to be headed for East Ryde.

What are the Good Guys Doing: It was very hard to call who to watch in this fleet: four different boats out of the eleven each won a race, and the competition was hot from the front of the fleet to the back. That said, looking at the other guys who were doing the same job on the boat as your correspondent, there were things that your correspondent got very wrong (and slow) on every single hoist and drop that others were getting very right (and fast) each time.

These J/80 guys are a friendly bunch and are mostly happy to share their learning. It’s worth asking the good guys a few questions in the bar after racing.

Fitness and Nutrition: By comparison with many other sportsboats, the J/80 is extremely well thought out in terms of the crew ergonomics and systems on board. Nothing on the J/80 tends to load up excessively and all of the systems are simple and usually work well. Plenty of small people sail the J/80 most effectively and you don’t need a team of four gorillas to get the maximum amount of fun or pace out of the boat.

Now it is certainly fair to say that your correspondent may not be quite at the peak of physical fitness, nor indeed the youngest hack on the race-track, but one was more than a  little surprised by just how quickly one became overtired and emotional after racing on Saturday night at the Toe in the Water J/80 Party. Now for sure, it’s probably unwise to rely solely on Addlestones Cider for rehydration after racing, and the carbs in rum and coke are certainly not the most useful kind, but good grief… one didn’t expect to feel quite that bad, and it showed in one’s performance on Sunday.

All in all, that was a fabulous weekend out, and thanks to all of you who turned out to play!

Congratulations to the 2009 J/80 Garmin Autumn Champions, Thor Askeland and his crew on Elle S’apelle. A new boy to the J/80 fleet, Thor sailed like an old hand and drank like a journalist on the Saturday night too.

Well done to Ian Atkins and his team on board Boats.com who finished second overall and the John Cooper and the squad on Oi!! who ended up third.

Signing off now; see you next Sunday.