Month: April 2025

(La Trinite sur Mer, France)- The largest sailing event in France, the SPI Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest, brought together its partners on Thursday, January 30, at the Ouest-France group headquarters to launch the 47th edition, which will be held from April 18 to 21, 2025, in La Trinité-sur-Mer (56). Hosting the epic regatta is SN La Trinite sur Mer, with nearly 200 volunteers to support the organization and actively participate in welcoming the nearly 2,500 expected sailors.
For decades, J/sailors have religiously flocked to the regatta always held over Easter Weekend. Again, a large fleet of J/80s will be participating as well as a growing fleet of J/70s. In addition, a large offshore contingent of J’s will be sailing offshore in IRC and Osiris handicap divisions.
Day 1- Rain & Wind to StartThe 47th edition of the SPI Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest began under very rainy skies.As predicted, the wind conditions (20 knots established from the southeast) and a rough sea gave race management a hard time. The first starts were given at 11:00 for the majority of the fleet. However, the start of the J/70 class was delayed until 12:30. The sailors took the opportunity to share a friendly moment in the Spi village before facing a heated Quiberon Bay. Due to these very strong conditions, the Hansa and Miniji were forced to stay ashore without being able to take any starts. The day unfolded under incessant rain and a constantly strong wind. The one-designs raced two races while the J/99 class completed three races. At the end of the day, several sailors had been washed out and boats with minor damage among the 461 competing crews.
Day 2- Less Wind, Beautiful DayThe second day got off to a flying start with the traditional Voiles et Voiliers grand parade.
Under the Morbihan sun, the many spectators were able to admire the fabulous ballet of the 461 boats under full sail, in the channel of La Trinité-sur-Mer. The very light conditions forced the sailors to wait in Quiberon Bay before the wind picked up. A test of stoicism that ended at 12:30 p.m. In a 6 to 10-knot westerly wind, the race committees were able to launch two to three races for all series. The J/80s made their debut with three races.
Day 3- Easter Egg Hunt On this Easter Sunday, while the ritual egg hunt at the town hall of La Trinité-sur-Mer was in full swing in the village, the crews headed towards Quiberon Bay for their third day of racing.
Despite cloudy skies and a fresh breeze, all series benefited from the optimal wind conditions, which remained between 10 and 15 knots all day.
Day 4- Strong Steady BreezeOn this final day, the sailors set sail early in the morning to make the most of the weather conditions. With races underway and competitors fully fueled, the ingredients were there to round off the 47th edition of the benchmark regatta for amateurs and professionals in style.
All series completed one final race before packing up their gear and closing this enchanting interlude. Gilles Bricout, the new race director, along with the race committees and their teams, managed to get the 2,345 sailors sailing in all conditions: wind, sun, rain, and calm.
J/70 ClassTwenty teams participated in this year’s edition, a significant jump over last year’s entries. The battle for class supremacy came down to two teams; Phillippe Gzuigne’s SAILING IMPACT and Beatrice Joyaud’s D-DAY. In the end, it was Guigne’s SAILING IMPACT crew of Cedric Pouligny, Damien Scelo, and Cedric Meunier that won class honors with 16 pts net. Just one point shy of the gold was the top woman helm- Beatrice Joyaud. Her team on D-DAY included Eliot Merceron, Nicolas Dore, and Ben Amiot. Between her team and Guigne’s, they took most of the top two finish positions in the nine-race series. Rounding out the podium taking the bronze medal was Richard Fromentin’s LECLERC SPORT HENNEBONT and his crew of Elorri Golhen, Pierre Louiset, Valentin Massu, and Theau Guilcher.
The balance of the top five included Tangi Le Goff’s HYDRO SAILING TEAM in fourth and Herve Leduc’s JIBE SET/ PIERRE OCEANE in fifth place.
J/80 ClassThis fifty-five-boat fleet featured many top veteran teams from past battles in the largest one-design keelboat class in France. Not surprisingly, it was the multiple past French J/80 Champion- Simon Moriceau on PL YACHTING/ ARMEN HABITAT- that took class honor with just 7 pts net in seven races! Moriceau’s team consisted of Julien Augereau, Vincent Guillarm, Simon Bertheau, and Alice Bigot. The silver medal went to Pierre Laouenan’s CV AILEE ECOLE NAVALE team of Morgan Rio, Jean Queveau, Damien Ieh, and Tiphaine Ragueneau. Rounding out the podium was a top Spanish team- Jaime Piris’s MERCURY AVATOR and his team of Antonio Piris, Alfredo Portilla, and Jesus Gonzalez.
The rest of the top five included Julien Plessis’s OUROBOROS in fourth place and Luc Nadal’s veteran crew on GAN’JA in fifth position.
J/99 ClassA large contingent of eleven J/99s sailed as a one-design class for the first time at SPI Ouest. The fleet was treated to a full-blown “schooling” on how to sail a J/99 fast and smart. With four bullets in their seven-race scoreline, Julien Bentz’s WHIMJY 99 team (Baptiste Roynette, Jerome Samuel, Romain Troube, Vincent Fertin, Rose Bentz, Tessa Bentz, and Nemo Trouble) sailed away from the fleet, tossing a 3rd place (!!), to win with just 8 pts net! Not to be too outclassed was the Spanish team on Emigdio Bedia’s GORILON that won three of seven races to take the silver medal with 14 pts net. The GORILON crew consisted of Alvaro Lopez-Doriga, Daniel Martini, Jaime Salcines, Javier Sanchez-Barcaizteg, Juan Bedia, and Victor Gonzalez. Rounding out the podium with the bronze medal was the famous Swedish team of BLUR, led by Peter Gustafsson. His crew consisted of Mattias Bodlund, Simon Kindt, Jens Allroth, and Fredrik Rydin.
The balance of the top five included Eric Kerscaven’s PL YACHTING in fourth place and Herve Bihan-Poudec’s LEONARD in fifth position.
For more SPI OUEST France regatta sailing informationhttps://spi.ouest-france.fr/

Spring Sailing Season Bursts to Life Across the Globe
As spring takes hold in the Northern Hemisphere, sailors worldwide are diving headfirst into a packed calendar of iconic regattas and thrilling offshore races. From Italy’s boisterous PasquaVela to the vibrant SPI Ouest-France in Brittany, and across the Atlantic to the challenging Southern Straits Race in Canada and the sun-soaked waters off Antigua, J/Teams have been making waves and stacking up impressive performances. Whether shaking off the winter rust at training events like the RORC Easter Challenge, or gearing up for legendary contests like the Newport to Ensenada Race, the Fastnet Race, and the Transpac Races, the energy, passion, and camaraderie of the sailing community are on full display. Here’s a look at the highlights from a fast and furious start to the 2025 sailing season.

New J/40 Dominates ORC @ PasquaVela 2025!
(Porto Santo Stefano, Italy)- The thirty-eighth edition of PasquaVela, organized by the Yacht Club Santo Stefano, was held despite the boisterous weather conditions. The winds averaged above 15 knots and gusts up to 27 knots were accompanied by rough seas.  Gianluca Lamaro’s new J/40 PALINURO won its racing debut at the PasquaVela 2025. Read more here.

Challenging SPI OUEST France 2025

(La Trinite sur Mer, France)- The largest sailing event in France, the SPI Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest, brought together its partners on Thursday, January 30, at the Ouest-France group headquarters to launch the 47th edition, which will be held from April 18 to 21, 2025, in La Trinité-sur-Mer (56). Hosting the epic regatta is SN La Trinite sur Mer, with nearly 200 volunteers to support the organization and actively participate in welcoming the nearly 2,500 expected sailors.
For decades, J/sailors have religiously flocked to the regatta always held over Easter Weekend. Again, a large fleet of J/80s will be participating as well as a growing fleet of J/70s. In addition, a large offshore contingent of J’s will be sailing offshore in IRC and Osiris handicap divisions.  Read more here.

Fun, Educational RORC Easter Challenge

(Cowes, England)- The RORC Easter Challenge wrapped on the 20th of April with two final races in the Solent for all four IRC Classes. With no discard to the scoring in the six-race series, all class winners were decided in the final race. After two days of intensive coaching on and off the water, the final day was all about putting into practice what had been learned and ultimately getting into the Easter chocolates to boost team morale for a big season of racing with the RORC. 
The competitors experienced a full range of wind conditions over the regatta. On the final day, with a light north-easterly breeze, PRO Stuart Childerley and the RORC Race Team delivered a windward-Ileeward race course with pin-point accuracy for two races for all classes. Read more here.

J/Domination in Southern Straits Race 
(Vancouver, BC, Canada)- The annual Southern Straits Race took place this past weekend, hosted by the West Vancouver YC in British Columbia- the Canadian side of the infamous Straits of Juan de Fuca that separate the wild and majestic Olympic Peninsula from the Canadian Maritimes to the north.
The race is a popular one in the Pacific Northwest for the offshore racing fraternity.  Like the Swiftsure International Yacht Race that sails later in the year, the West Vancouver YC has also evolved the race over time to be more accommodating to the reality of today’s lifestyles.  The participants have the choice of three courses- the Long Course (140nm), the Medium Course (106nm), and the Short Course (73nm). A majority of the J/Teams participating sailed the Long Course (mostly 35 footers on up), while the smaller J’s did the Medium Course.  Read more here.

Italian J/24 Cup Starts off home of Carrera Marble!
(Marina di Carrara, Italy)- The first regatta of the nine-stage Italian J/24 Cup just took place off the famous home of Italian Carrara marble- Carrara, Italy. Hosted by Club Nautico Marina di Carrara, the first victory of the season went to JAMAICA, skippered by the Italian J/24 Class President- Pietro Diamanti.
Four races were completed over the weekend for the fifteen-boat fleet. On Saturday, the lack of wind prevented the scheduled races from being carried out; just one start, then everything else was canceled. However, on Sunday it was possible to complete four races with winds between 6 and 12 knots. Read more here.

Newport to Ensenada Race Preview

(Newport Beach, CA)- The 77th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race will take place on Friday, April 25, 2025. With more than 800 competitors and 128 yachts registered, this iconic event has always been considered to be one of the largest and most challenging sailing races on the West Coast. 
Competitors are broken into 5 different classes according to the boat’s performance and class of competition. Eighty yachts are in the PHRF divisions; eighteen of them are J/Teams (23.0% of the fleet)!   Read more here.

Antigua Sailing Week Preview

(English Harbour,    Antigua)- The 56th edition of Antigua Sailing Week will start next week in spectacular fashion, with strong tradewinds forecast to provide adrenaline-packed sailing across nine classes. Competitors range from family crews to some of the most successful sailors on the planet.
“Whatever their background, every sailor will share the thrill of racing with carefully tailored courses for each class,” says Race Manager Jaime Torres. Teams from 17 nations, including Australia, France, Germany, Switzerland, the UK, the USA, and several Caribbean Islands, are set for thrilling racing and sensational parties in one of the sailing world’s most beautiful settings.. Read more here.

J/Gear- Island 1/4 Zip- April 20% Special
(Newport, RI)- The J Island Zip is a comfortable companion that is perfect for UV protection and wind barrier. Handy for layering. Quality fabric for Marine element management.
Material:

8.7 oz/yd² / 295 gsm, 86% polyester, 14% spandex jersey
Moisture-wicking
UV protection performance

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Center front coil zipper with decorative grosgrain zipper pull
Comfort and performance in one

Comes with the J Class logo of your choice. You may customize with yacht name and regatta information. Select from light Island colors.The Ladies companion is item 9151. Customize with your yacht name and sail number for the entire crew.
Order the J/Island 1/4 Zip here.

(La Trinite sur Mer, France)- The largest sailing event in France, the Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest, brought together its partners on Thursday, January 30, at the Ouest-France group headquarters to launch the 47th edition, which will be held from April 18 to 21, 2025, in La Trinité-sur-Mer (56). Hosting the epic regatta is SN La Trinite sur Mer, with nearly 200 volunteers to support the organization and actively participate in welcoming the nearly 2,500 expected sailors.
For decades, J/sailors have religiously flocked to the regatta always held over Easter Weekend. Again, a large fleet of J/80s will be participating as well as a growing fleet of J/70s. In addition, a large offshore contingent of J’s will be sailing offshore in IRC and Osiris handicap divisions.
J/70 ClassTwenty teams will be participating this year, a significant jump over last year’s entries. Top teams that are sure to feature on the leaderboard include Herve Leduc’s JIBE SET- PIERRE OCEANE, Francois Roques’s POLLUX, and Patrick Torfou’s JIMINY CRICKET.
J/80 ClassThis fifty-five-boat fleet features many of the top veteran teams from past battles in the largest one-design keelboat class in France. Those crews include Patrick Bot’s ECOLE NAVALE LOCAPONTON, Eric Brezellec’s ENBATA 80, Ludovic Gilet’s NUMERO J, Pierre Laouenan’s CV AILEE- ECOLE NAVALE, Simon Moriceau’s PL YACHTING/ ARMEN HABITAT, Luc Nadal’s GAN’JA, Sylvain Pellisier’s INTUITIVE SAILS, and Maxime Rousseaux’s CN ST CAST- GRAND OUEST. From Spain is the champion J/80 sailor Jaime Piris on MERCURY AVATOR.
IRC/ Osiris OffshoreOf note in this large fleet is that four J/112Es are racing (Christian Lehir’s ABACAXI, Pascal Petit’s MAGIQUE, Phillipe Baetz’s MUSIX, and Jean-Marie Patier’s JOIE DES ILES). In addition, a large contingent of eleven J/99s will be racing. Notable teams in the J/99s include Marc Vogel’s LE K, Eric Kerscaven’s PL YACHTING, Didier LeMoal’s J-LANCE, Peter Gustafsson’s BLUR from Sweden, Alain Malmy’s BLUE MAJ, and Robin Daniel’s JAFFA.
For more SPI OUEST France regatta sailing informationhttps://spi.ouest-france.fr/

(San Francisco, CA)- The battle-hardened, hard-core sailors of San Francisco Bay, accustomed to the worst their Bay can dish out, were pleasantly surprised to contend with a very sybaritic weekend of sunny weather and light to moderate wind conditions! Hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club, their Spring Fest regatta had one-design fleets of J/24s, J/88s, and J/105s.
J/105 ClassWith twenty-four boats, the J/105s were again the largest class by far participating in the event. After five races, there were many familiar teams at the top of the leaderboard. Winning was Tim Russell’s NE*NE with a 6-7-2-1-1 tally for 17 pts. Ten points behind to take the silver medal was Ryan Simmons’s BLACKHAWK with a 4-14-1-5-3 record for 27 pts. Then, rounding out the podium garnering the bronze medal was Ian Charles’s MAVERICK with a 2-3-3-6-16 scoreline for 30 pts.
J/88 ClassThe winner of this tightly-fought class was determined on a tie-breaker at 8 pts net each. Winning the regatta on the tie-breaker countback was Dave Corbin’s BUTCHER with a 4-4-1-2-1 tally. Losing that battle to earn the silver medal was Tom Thayer’s SPEEDWELL with a 2-3-2-1-4. Rounding out the podium on the bronze medal step was Christos Karamanolis’s PELAGIA with a 1-2-3-3-3 record for 9 pts— close racing!!
J/24 ClassThe half-dozen J/24s had fun, close racing amongst the top of the leaderboard. Winning was Brandon Mercer’s TENACIOUS CUTTLEFISH with a 2-2-4-1-1-1 record for 7 pts net. Taking the silver medal four points back was Jasper Van Vliet’s EVIL OCTOPUS with a 1-3-14-3-3 scoreline for 11 pts net. The final bronze medal step on the podium was determined by a tiebreaker at 13 pts each. Winning that battle on the countback was Darren Cumming’s veteran crew aboard DOWNTOWN UPROAR with a 6-1-2-2-4-4 scoreline for 13 pts net. Losing that countback to take fourth place was Robin Van Vliet’s LITTLE WING.
For more St. Francis Yacht Club’s Spring Fest sailing informationhttps://www.stfyc.com/racing

(Scheveningen, Netherlands)- After three days of sailing in very different weather conditions from the RZV Naarden, it was the DON JUAN team sailed by the De Zeeuw brothers that were declared the 2025 J/80 Dutch Champions! The past two years they were close to victory, which made the team extra keen to stay ahead of everyone. There were many exciting battles due to the fierce opposition from the JOYRIDE and FUN Jr. teams.
“We did it! We feel like champions, because we had to fight for it, and at certain moments we tackled it tactically,” says Wouter Köllmann, skipper of the DON JUAN team. At the end of the first day, DON JUAN was five points ahead of Bob Jansen’s FUN JR team and Torsten Nullmeier’s JOYRIDE crew. On day two, FUN JR and JOYRIDE swapped places. The difference between DON JUAN and JOYRIDE was only five points at the start of the last day.
Both DON JUAN and JOYRIDE had a difficult time on Sunday (with fourth place as the highest score in four races). There were also some anxious moments due to a protest between the two. On the other hand, FUN JR had a good day with first place, two second places, and a drop race. Although FUN JR closed in on JOYRIDE to only a two-point difference in the final standings, the podium remained as it was, with the big winner being DON JUAN – with an eight-point lead.
All kinds of weather and windThe weather played a major role in the tension on the water. The winner Köllmann explained, “We had all kinds of weather. Fortunately, it was sunny every day, but the wind varied enormously.”
On Friday, the matches took place on the Gooimeer. The wind concentrated mainly on one side of the playing field with 3-4 Beaufort. On Saturday, the fleet moved to the Markermeer where it could count on wind up to a strong wind force 5 with the necessary waves. On the final day, the wind changed from 2 to a strong wind force 4 within a few minutes, accompanied by enormous wind shifts. Explained Kollmann, “That meant chess on Friday. Saturday was full-throttle racing and Sunday was a bit of a gamble, but that was challenging racing! That also made it a complete event in terms of weather.”
For team DON JUAN, the Dutch Championship meant a return to the J/80 after a winter break. The priorities were elsewhere during the past Frostbite Cup season. But, according to Köllmann, it was nice to sail in the J/80 again, together with the De Zeeuw brothers and Wick Hillege.
“The J/80 is just a great boat! As a team, we have a good connection in terms of sailing and the competitions were always exciting.” Looking back at history, that can certainly be said. In 2023 and 2024, the DON JUAN team was the favorite for the title of Dutch Champion, after winning the Frostbite Cup. But, they just missed out with a fourth and second place, respectively.
Strong southern neighborsWhat also stood out in this edition of the J/80 Championship was the large number of Belgian and French teams. No fewer than seven of the 23 participants came from outside the Netherlands. “That of course has everything to do with the J/80 World Championship that will take place in Nieuwpoort in July,” says Bernard Holsboer on behalf of the J/80 class organization Benelux. “We have now seen again how strong our southern neighbors are. Fortunately, we also have a nice J/80 field during the WAC (Wednesday evening competition) that we sail from Naarden. That will mean a lot of training in the coming months!”
For J/80 Dutch Championship results:https://rzvnfiles.blob.core.windows.net/2025/day3.htm
For more J/80 Dutch Championship sailing informationhttp://www.j80.nl

Spring Winds Stir the Sailing Spirit Across the GlobeAs the northern hemisphere shakes off winter’s grip, sailors from San Francisco to Scheveningen and Charleston to the Solent are back in action, chasing breeze and silverware. April has delivered a spectacular start to the 2025 sailing season, with regattas showcasing everything from doublehanded offshore grit in the BAMA Farallones Race to sunny, champagne conditions at Charleston Race Week. J/Crews were in full stride around the globe—tuning up in Warsash, dueling in the Massilia Cup in France, and battling for national pride in the J/80 Dutch Championship. Whether you’re trimming on a J/70 in Cascais or bracing through San Francisco’s chilly winds, this spring is already shaping up to be a memorable one on the water.

Warsash Spring Series Report
(Warsash, England)-  The Warsash Sailing Club has been hosting its annual rite of spring- the Spring Championship for IRC Classes and J/70s on April 12-13 & 26-27, 2025.

It’s a very popular event for J/sailors to get themselves tuned up for the major summertime events on the Solent and for the RORC Offshore events that run all summer.
The larger J’s are sailing on the Black Group course; which includes a large IRC contingent of J/teams sailing J/111s, J/109, J/92, and a J/99. The J/70s are sailing on the White Group course. Read more here.

Spectacular Charleston Race Week 

(Charleston, SC)- The 29th edition of Charleston Race Week was held April 10-13 with entries spanning 18 classes across six courses. There was a robust turnout in several J/one-design classes- 29 boats in J/70s, 16 in J/105s, 14 in J/24s, and 10 in J/22s. In addition, there was a strong contingent of J/crews in the offshore PHRF and ORC Divisions. Here is how it all went down throughout the three-day regatta. .  Read more here.

DON JUAN Crowned J/80 Open Dutch Champions!

(Scheveningen, Netherlands)- After three days of sailing in very different weather conditions from the RZV Naarden, it was the DON JUAN team sailed by the De Zeeuw brothers that were declared the 2025 J/80 Dutch Champions! The past two years they were close to victory, which made the team extra keen to stay ahead of everyone. There were many exciting battles due to the fierce opposition from the JOYRIDE and FUN Jr. teams..  Read more here.

POLLUX Wins J/70 Massilia Cup- First Act of J/70 Coupe de France
(Lacydon, France)- The Massilia Cup took place from April 4th to 6th on the Olympic Games waters off Lacydon, France, hosted by the very capable RC/PRO team at Lacydon Nautique. Nearly 110 boats, including nine J/70s, participated in this first leg of the Coupe de France. Conditions were perfect for the three-day-long regatta. Friday started with 15-20 kts southeast winds, then slightly less for Saturday and Sunday’s finale.  Read more here.

Rocking & Rolling BAMA Doublehanded Farallones
(San Francisco, CA)- The Double Handed Farallones Race is BAMA’s premiere annual mixed-fleet race event. The course has racers starting in the early morning off Baker Beach inside San Francisco Bay, rounding the Farallones in either direction and then finishing off the Golden Gate Yacht Club race deck. Covering a total distance of 54.0 nm, the conditions for the DHF can be challenging, testing a double-handed crew’s stamina and seamanship. The race requires that participating boats meet the NCORC’s offshore safety requirements and requires that participating sailors study offshore safety topics and practice person overboard recovery before the race.
The imposing and foreboding Farallones Islands are, in essence, a line of granite rocks carved away from the California coast by the infamous San Andreas fault 26 miles West of the Golden Gate. On a clear day, the islands appear close, but it feels a long way if the Pacific Ocean has dished up sporty conditions. Read more here.

Gorgeous Sunny Spring Fest on San Francisco Bay!?

(San Francisco, CA)- The battle-hardened, hard-core sailors of San Francisco Bay, accustomed to the worst their Bay can dish out, were pleasantly surprised to contend with a very sybaritic weekend of sunny weather and light to moderate wind conditions! Hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club, their Spring Fest regatta had one-design fleets of J/24s, J/88s, and J/105s.  Read more here.

SPI OUEST France Preview

(La Trinite sur Mer, France)- The largest sailing event in France, the Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest, brought together its partners on Thursday, January 30, at the Ouest-France group headquarters to launch the 47th edition, which will be held from April 18 to 21, 2025, in La Trinité-sur-Mer (56). Hosting the epic regatta is SN La Trinite sur Mer, with nearly 200 volunteers to support the organization and actively participate in welcoming the nearly 2,500 expected sailors.
For decades, J/sailors have religiously flocked to the regatta always held over Easter Weekend. Again, a large fleet of J/80s will be participating as well as a growing fleet of J/70s. In addition, a large offshore contingent of J’s will be sailing offshore in IRC and Osiris handicap divisions. Read more here.

RORC Easter Challenge Preview

(Cowes, England)- Anticipation is building for the RORC Easter Challenge, taking place over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. This year’s edition is shaping up to be a thrilling opener to the RORC’s Cowes racing season, featuring a varied fleet of over 40 boats across three IRC classes. As a training regatta with PRO Stuart Childerley, the coaching is led on the water by Mason King supported by hand-picked coaches and a North Sails team of experts led by Ian Walker. 
Crews will get three days of intense training for the season ahead with invaluable video debriefs after racing action on Friday and Saturday. Easter Eggs are the prizes for the RORC Easter Regatta, but the real winners are the teams that improve their performance for the season ahead.   Read more here.

J/Gear- Island 1/4 Zip- April 20% Special
(Newport, RI)- The J Island Zip is a comfortable companion that is perfect for UV protection and wind barrier. Handy for layering. Quality fabric for Marine element management.
Material:

8.7 oz/yd² / 295 gsm, 86% polyester, 14% spandex jersey
Moisture-wicking
UV protection performance

Features:

Center front coil zipper with decorative grosgrain zipper pull
Comfort and performance in one

Comes with the J Class logo of your choice. You may customize with yacht name and regatta information. Select from light Island colors.The Ladies companion is item 9151. Customize with your yacht name and sail number for the entire crew.
Order the J/Island 1/4 Zip here.

(Charleston, SC)- Over the course of nearly three decades, Charleston Race Week has developed a proven reputation that brings sailors back year after year. While the location is an integral piece of the puzzle, well-run races in a unique venue as winter fades doesn’t hurt.
The 29th edition will be held April 10-13 with entries spanning 18 classes across six courses. Charleston Harbor, with its tricky currents, has a well-earned reputation as a challenging race course.
A robust turnout in several one-design classes has 29 boats in J/70, 16 in J/105, 14 in J/24, and 10 in J/22. Meanwhile, there will be offshore racing for the ORC A and B classes and offshore pursuit racing in three divisions (non-Spinnaker, A, and B). Also, a PHRF inshore fleet features five boats that call Charleston their home port.
“Exceptional racing conditions, a strong sense of community, and a unique blend of competition and celebration are what make this a regatta unlike any other!” reports longtime event director Randy Draftz.
For the third straight year, the daily post-race party will be held aboard the historic USS Yorktown, a floating museum berthed at Patriots Point. Participants and guests will have access to the entire ship while enjoying refreshments provided by Regatta Craft Mixers, Mount Gay Rum, and Mount Pleasant-based Westbrook Brewing.
Staying true to their mission of developing better sailors, Charleston Race Week organizers have brought in National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee and two-time America’s Cup winner Ed Baird to deliver the daily debriefs and assist meteorologist Shea Gibson with the morning forecasts. Baird will be joined for the debriefs by Marty Kullman, a seasoned professional with Evolution Sails.
“I’m looking forward to joining the racing activities in Charleston again this year,” Baird said. “It’s always challenging to get the strategy right in the current and with the geographical shifts, but it’s a ton of fun to be with so many sailors who are ready to be done with winter and get back on the water. I’m very excited to be part of the action.”
Additionally, Charleston local Greg Fisher, a longtime professional sailmaker, will be out on the water for practice racing and fine-tuning boats each day. Fisher, a current Evolution Sails pro, who was just announced as a National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee, has won 25 national, North American, and world championships in seven different classes.
J/70 ClassThe 28-boat fleet includes some class veterans looking forward to battling the insane currents on their course near Fort Sumter. Some of those teams include Alec Cutler’s HEDGEHOG, and Bryce Kalow’s. KID’S TABLE, Maggie McKillen’s MAGATRON, Michele Grau’s German crew on PAINT IT BLACK, Peter Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY, Brian Keane’s SAVASANA, Bruno Pasquinelli’s STAMPEDE, and Dick Kalow’s SUPPER CLUB.
J/88 ClassThe six-boat fleet has several class veterans dueling for the top of the podium. Amongst them are Chris & Liz. Chadwick’s CHURCH KEY, Iris Vogel’s DEVIATION, Andrew Graff’s EXILE, and Bill Purdy’s WHIRLWIND.
J/105 ClassWhat a great turnout for the J/105 fleet, with fifteen boats attending from across America. Leading contenders should include Matt Arno’s BLUE FLASH, Teddy Turner & Bill McKensie’s RUM FRONT, and Rob Ruhlman’s SPACEMAN SPIFF.
J/24 ClassThe fourteen-boat J/24 fleet will always enjoy spirited racing near the Charleston city waterfront. Amongst the potential teams at the top of the leaderboard should be Patricio Sly’s BITCOIN, Jasper Van Vliet’s EVIL TWIN, Mike Palazzo’s JO MAMMA, Tyler Benjamin’s ORANGE CRUSH, and Charlotte Myers’s REFLEX.
J/22 ClassThe ten-boat J/22 fleet should have some tight racing along the Charleton city waterfront, too. Some of the top teams include Pat Mooore’s BETTER JUDGEMENT, Darby Smith’s TASMANIAN DEVIL, and Scott Jensen’s VICTOR.
ORC DivisionThe offshore fleet of eight boats includes a cadre of race-winning J/Teams. There are three J/122 crews, Robin Team’s TEAMWOORK, Matt Schaedler’s BLITZKRIEG, and Constantine Baris’s DIRE WOLF. Joining them is Les Cabiness’s J/111 WIDE LOAD and Willy Schwenzfeier’s J/35 ARROW.
PHRF DivisionThis dozen-boat fleet features a trio of J/120s, Rick Moore’s KEELFORCE, John Keenan’s ILLYRIA, & Bill Hanckel’s EMOCEAN. Also in the mix are Ned Goss’s J/36 SOUL and Bob Musor’s J/130 SCEPTRE.
For more Charleston Race Week sailing informationhttps://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/16941

Over the past few weeks, global thrills, corinthian skills, and spring sailing have been heating up across the J/World! From the gusty breezes off Cascais, Porugal to the sun-soaked shores of the Caribbean, the J/70 and J/24 classes continue their high-octane march across continents this spring. The debut of the J/70 Corinthian European Championship marked a milestone for amateur racing, while seasoned crews battled boisterous breeze at BVI Spring Regatta and Seattle’s Center Sound Series. Across Miami and Texas, Midwinter titles were hotly contested, with family dynasties and international rivalries shaping the leaderboard. With Charleston Race Week on the horizon, spring sailing is proving to be anything but predictable—except for the fact that J/Teams are everywhere and in the hunt.

Spring is in the Air- New J’s Are Rolling Out!
(Newport, RI)- Spring is right around the corner and that means we are thinking about our 2025 sailing season. There are still summer/fall deliveries available for the J/99, J/7 and J/9. It’s not too late to enjoy the summer months on a new J! Contact your local dealer or info@jboats.com for more info!

Featured photos above are a J/7 with gorgeous hull wrap, a. J/9, and a J/99!
For more J/Boats information—-Read more here.

Spanish Sweep J/70 Corinthian European Championship

(Cascais Portugal)– The International J/70 Class continues to grow and evolve, debuting the Corinthian European Championship this year in Cascais, Portugal. Amateur racing in the J/70 is in high demand, evidenced by the fifty-four teams hosted by Club Naval de Cascais in this year’s event from seventeen nations: AUS, BRA, CHN, ESP, EST, FIN, FRA, GBR, GER, HUN, ITA, MEX, NED, POR, SWE, TUR, and USA.
Conditions were rocking and rolling for the entire weekend in Cascais Bay with a breeze often in the upper teens, plus huge swells, to challenge teams and equipment. In the end, it was a trio of dominating performances from the Spanish teams to swept the podium: Javier Padron’s HSN SAILING TEAM in first, Món Canellas Salas’s HANG TEN secured the silver, and Alejandro Perez Garcia-Duran’s BODEGA CAN MARLES took third place.  Read more here.

J/122 Eclipses BVI Race Week

(Roadtown, Tortola, British Virgin Islands)- It was a wild & woolly several days of racing for this year’s BVI Spring Regatta hosted by the Royal BVI Yacht Club. Reveling in the rough and tumble sailing conditions that saw mid-teens breezes all three days, gusting to 25+ kts at times, were several J/Crews. Here is how it all went down.
Day OneMother Nature threw out another wild day on the water on Mount Gay Rum Race Day, day 1 of racing in the BVI Spring Regatta. Gusts to 30 knots and the occasional squall blasting through the three courses running eleven divisions made for lively racing.  Read more here.

J/111 Crowned ORC Overall Winner in Center Sound Series 
(Seattle, WA)- The Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle held its Center Sound Series for a highly competitive fleet of offshore sailing teams over the past three weekends. The event is comprised of three races held on successive Saturdays- the Three Tree Point Race, the Possession Point Race, and the final Blakely Rock Race.   Read more here.

Duncan Wins J/70 Midwinter Championship
(Miami, FL)- Hosted by Shake-A-Leg Foundation in Coconut Grove, FL, the 2025 J/70 Midwinter Championship on March 28-30 attracted fifty teams for the seven-race series. Posting five top-two scores Peter Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY (USA) earned the title by seven points over Ralph Vasconcellos-Rosa MINDSET (BRA) in the high-wind event. Garnering the bronze medal was another Brazilian team- Victor Hector-Demaisono’s OCEANPACT. 
Duncan’s team had tactician Victor Diaz de Leon, Jud Smith, and Willem Van Waay, the same crew that won the 2017 J/70 World Championship. “We got the band back together,” said Duncan. “It’s been a lot of fun sailing with this team again. We’re getting stronger every race.” Read more here.

BANGOR PACKET Takes J/24 Midwinter Championship

(Miami, FL)— Class veteran Tony Parker’s BANGOR PACKET stayed consistent through nine races to earn the 2025 J/24 Midwinter Championship in Miami, FL. With a crew including World Champion Will Welles as well as Will Bomar, Emmet Todd, and James Niblock, Parker never finished lower than sixth to win the title.  Read more here.

Doyle Family Crowned J/22 Midwinter Champions

(Heath, TX)- It was a family affair at the top of the leaderboard for the 2025 J/22 Midwinter Championship hosted by Rush Creek Yacht Club in Heath, TX. Chris Doyle led THE JUG 4 1 team including brother Peter Doyle and son Nick Doyle. They opened the event with a 6th, and only improved from there, ending the seven-race one-discard series with 16 net points. Local favorite Jeff Progelhof’s SCHITZEN GIGGLES with wife Erin and Eric Hemker claimed the runner-up position at 22 points. Alex and Mike Schwinn’s TILT took the bronze at 26 points. Read more here.

Charleston Race Week 2025 Preview

(Charleston, SC)- Over the course of nearly three decades, Charleston Race Week has developed a proven reputation that brings sailors back year after year. While the location is an integral piece of the puzzle, well-run races in a unique venue as winter fades doesn’t hurt.
The 29th edition will be held April 10-13 with entries spanning 18 classes across six courses. Charleston Harbor, with its tricky currents, has a well-earned reputation as a challenging race course.
A robust turnout in several one-design classes has 29 boats in J/70, 16 in J/105, 14 in J/24, and 10 in J/22. Meanwhile, there will be offshore racing for the ORC A and B classes and offshore pursuit racing in three divisions (non-Spinnaker, A, and B). Also, a PHRF inshore fleet features five boats that call Charleston their home port.   Read more here.

J/Gear- Island 1/4 Zip- April 20% Special
(Newport, RI)- The J Island Zip is a comfortable companion that is perfect for UV protection and wind barrier. Handy for layering. Quality fabric for Marine element management.
Material:

8.7 oz/yd² / 295 gsm, 86% polyester, 14% spandex jersey
Moisture-wicking
UV protection performance

Features:

Center front coil zipper with decorative grosgrain zipper pull
Comfort and performance in one

Comes with the J Class logo of your choice. You may customize with yacht name and regatta information. Select from light Island colors.The Ladies companion is item 9151. Customize with your yacht name and sail number for the entire crew.
Order the J/Island 1/4 Zip here.