Fall - J/22 Class Website

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Letter from the President
President
Chris Doyle
Kenmore, NY
classpresident@usaj22.com
716-874-0605
First Vice President
Chris Princing
Saginaw, MI
1stvicepresident@usaj22.com
989-781-2640
Second Vice President
Kelson Elam
Rockwall, TX
2ndvicepresident@usaj22.com
972-771-3421
Chief Measurer
Tom Linville
Weems, VA
measurer@usaj22.com
804-438-6038
Treasurer/Secretary
Terry Schertz
Lakewood, CO
secretary@usaj22.com
720-394-9951
Even after repeated chants from the Class membership of “four more years,” our
President Chris Doyle elected to rejoin the ranks of the Class and concentrate on learning
to sail upwind with his hat on backwards. We thank Chris for his hard work and steady
leadership.
Someone tripped me on the rush to the door, and I got nominated for the vacant position.
The Corinthian sailing spirit doesn’t seem to exist when it comes to Class politics. I am,
however, proud and honored to serve the members of the Class and fill Chris’s topsiders
as best I can.
The 104 entries at the World Championships in Rochester this year is a sign our Class is
still strong. We, however, have plenty of room for growth and improvement. As a Board,
we plan to work on a few key areas in the coming year:
Technical Committee Chair
Lars Hansen
Golden Valley, MN
technical@usaj22.com
763-529-6551
Remember the Customer: The Class exists to serve the entire membership. We will look
for ways to help and grow at all levels. Regatta guidelines help race officers provide a better
product on the water. As a member group of US Sailing, we need to increase our voice and
presence in that organization. For those members that aren’t addicted to racing, we need
to provide products and services to meet your needs.
Nominating Committee Chair
Joe Gibbs
Madison, MS
nomination@usaj22.com
601-856-1086
One-Design: It’s not just a set of rules, it’s an attitude. We need to ensure our rules can
be understood and enforced. Digital versions of old drawings and a clear hiking rule are
on the list. Protecting a single design helps keep our boats affordable and valuable.
Executive Secretary
Christopher Howell
Cleveland, OH
execsecretary@usaj22.com
440-796-3100
Get New, Get Young, Get Better Looking: As always, we want to find ways to attract new
boat owners and members. The average age of our members goes up every year so we
better attract some kids to push the wheel chairs. Having 41 women at a recent Road to
Rolex clinic in Texas shows we have lots of interest from the prettier side of the species.
More would be even better.
International President
Christopher Doyle
USA
j221026@adelphia.net
International President
John Den Engelsman
The Netherlands
emeraldtrading@planet.nl
Class Office
P.O. Box 391095
Solon, OH 44139
440-796-3100
classoffice@usaj22.com
Webmaster
Suzie Wulff
Cleveland, OH
webmaster@usaj22.com
Keep it Clean and Fun: It’s OK if we don’t give the protest committees a lot of practice.
On-the-water policing by competitors is everyone’s job. We have a great reputation for
sportsmanship in our Class, and we need to guard it closely.
Get More Members Involved: If you want to help with anything from marketing to
measuring to taking a turn on the Class board, please come forward. I’ve made many new
friends just by getting involved.
2009 promises to be an economically challenging year. Many will be making new decisions
about how to spend time and money. Sailing and racing J/22s is still one of the best values
in our sport. We should be able to weather the storm.
Newsletter Editor
Julie Howell
Cleveland, OH
On behalf of the J/22 Class Association, I would like to wish all a happy holiday season
and best wishes for the new year.
International Class Office
12900 Lake Ave., Suite 2001
Lakewood, OH 44107
440-796-3100
classoffice@usaj22.com
Kelson Elam
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3
Some Assembly Required
By Will Harris
A new USWatercraft J/22 actually began life as a dinosaur, millions of
years ago. But we’ll skip ahead a bit and pick up the story when the
materials to build the boat actually arrive at our facility. As you can
tell from the photos, there is some assembly required. In this article,
I will give you a quick tour of our facility and give you an overview
of the process of transforming rolls of fiberglass and barrels of resin
into a race-winning J/22! For the purposes of this article, we are
going to simplify the process a bit and present things a little bit out
of order. In reality, making a boat is a little like making a movie—it’s
not shot in sequence!
Production Planning and Scheduling
This is the least photogenic and not all that exciting part, but in
fact may be the most important for us from a production standpoint. First, we need to check the availability of all the components
and raw materials. Some items are easier than others to purchase!
Fortunately, Rhode Island is at the center of the boat-building community, and many of our suppliers are local. Some components
however have pretty long lead times. Currently the mast and booms
come from Sparloft in New Zealand. Also, keels are not an “on the
shelf item” and, contrary to popular belief, we don’t keep a gross of
them in stock. Karl’s tillers also have a long lead time. Fortunately,
we know it’s worth the wait in cases like this and plan accordingly.
In an effort to control our inventory, we try to arrange deliveries just
in time.
The other challenge is production scheduling. Our shop is large,
but it is still finite. We only have so much room for so many molds,
hulls, decks, etc. We build many different One-Design boats including the Farr 40s, M-30, J/105, J/24s and of course, our favorite, the
J/22. There is a lot of competition for the available space. Juggling
everything to keep the process flowing is a real art. If the scheduling
breaks down, our productivity slows, and we get really unhappy customers and dealers who want their boats!
Prefab Glass
The key to keeping our products
consistent, controlling weights
and ensuring quality, is the prefab of the fiberglass, core and
wood parts. For this, we have
exact templates and patterns for
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everything we use in the hull, deck and interior components. The
fiberglass is patterned and cut out in multiple layers on this table.
As the material is cut out, it is
assembled into kits and laid out
in the exact sequence that it will
be utilized. Every piece must be
made very precisely. When things
fit properly, there is no excess,
which eliminates added weight.
In addition, it ensures the mold
room team can work efficiently. As each kit is assembled, each piece
is weighed and checked against a master list with target weights.
Laminating
We are finally to the point where it looks like we’re making a boat!
There are several different molds including the hull, the deck and
three interior components (rudder, seahood and hatch slide).
Before we utilize them, we need to prep them. First, they must be
cleaned and checked for any nicks, dings or other imperfections. A
scratch in the mold means a scratch in the part. Next, they need to
be polished and waxed to ensure
the molded part releases from
the mold. We really need the part
to come out of the mold.
Outer Skin
Next, gelcoat is sprayed on to the
mold surfaces (using a special
gelcoat gun) to a thickness of
22mils. This gun mixes a precisely metered amount of catalyst with
the gelcoat, just as it leaves the gun. Getting the mixture exactly
right is critical and varies based on temperature, humidity and other
factors. Molding gelcoat will not fully cure until covered with the first
layer of fiberglass mat.
The next step in the process is to laminate the outer skin. The outer
skin is made with the mold separated into its two halves. The main
advantage to this method is access. This layer is what you will see.
Good access to the entire mold surface makes this easier and better.
When the outer skin is complete, the mold is bolted back together
and the seam is dealt with.
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When you lay-up glass, you probably mix up a batch of resin and
pour it out on the material and squeegee it out—the “bucket and
brush technique” as that process is known in the business. Not the
most accurate, but in a small repair, probably not a big a deal. To
make strong, consistent and light components, we need to be a lot
more careful and precise with our resin-to-glass ratios. We achieve
this through the use of a laminating machine.
The laminating machine consists of a series of rollers that wet out
the cloth with resin, then squeeze most of it back out in a very controlled way. The pre-cut glass pieces are fed into the machine and
come out on a roll. They are then precisely laid in the mold and
consolidated with ridged rollers. Any air bubbles are rolled out, and
the layers are monitored to ensure the fibers are straight and in the
proper orientation. Since the glass is pre-cut to the exact shape and
wet out accurately, we get very repeatable results.
It’s important to note that the laminate schedules and construction
methods are strictly defined in the builder’s specifications. We could
make a 22-foot boat that would be lighter and stronger and look just
like a J/22…it just wouldn’t be a J/22! Our challenge is to build the
very best boat we can within the tolerances of the builder’s specifications.
Core
With the outer skin now complete, we move on to the balsa
core. The core has all been
carefully pre-cut so it will fit
perfectly. Getting the core
perfectly bonded without adding extra weight requires some
seriously skilled hands. Having
the core pieces fit exactly goes a long way to making this possible.
There are some areas where there is no core in both the hull and
deck. Along the centerline of the hull and around the keel sump is
solid glass (many layers). In other areas where hardware is attached
(like the transom for rudder hardware and on deck in the winch and
bow cleat locations), we replace the balsa core with a high density
product called Penske board. This product will never absorb water.
Managing these transitions is a very important step.
Once the core is installed and fully cured, we proceed to lay up the
inner skin. This is done in the same way as the outer skin with careful attention paid to orientation of the fibers and overlaps on the
edges. Careful preparation of the materials ensures consistent overlaps which translates to less weight. We finish-off the inside skin with
an air dry gelcoat to leave a nice finish. The hull typically stays in the
mold for about week until materials are fully cured.
This picture of a Farr40 being
demolded shows how we split
the mold to release the hull.
The deck and interior moldings
are built in much the same way.
Just as we weigh everything in
the prefab stage, each component
is weighed when it comes out
of the mold before and after the
flanges are trimmed off. Through the many years of building the J/22,
we have target weights for each molded component. Throughout
the process we always have an accurate picture of how we are doing
in regard to our weight budgets. If any component is over target
weight, it never makes it into the boat!
Assembly
Some of you will have wrestled
with a bulkhead replacement
or other project in the cramped
confines of your J/22. We have
the distinct advantage of doing
our work with the lid off! The
interior moldings and bulkheads
are built with flanges, and precisely positioned and bonded
to the hull with a super-space
age structural adhesive. This is
a great deal stronger than oldschool fiberglass tabbing. It’s
lighter too!
J/22s are fairly simple from a
plumbing and electrical standpoint. A couple of cockpit drain
hoses and some ground wires
round out these systems. Deck
hardware is attached to the deck
before it is bonded to the hull.
One man can install almost everything this way. As I know you all
can appreciate, this is far easier done with the deck off. Hanging
upside down and sideways inside the boat is not an efficient or fun
way to install the hardware! You will notice blue stuff all over the
deck in the pictures. This is a latex masking that we roll on to protect the deck surface during construction. The last thing we do is
peel it off as the boat leaves the shop, leaving a clean surface!
With the deck hardware on and
the interior completed, we can
now bond the hull and deck.
Prior to permanent attachment,
we dry-fit the deck. This entails
a lot of careful alignment and
adjusting before the deck is
bonded to the hull flange with structural adhesive.
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With the deck on, we install the compression post, mast step and
connect the cockpit drains. Measurements are taken, and slots are
cut for the chain plates. The chain plates, toe rails, slider and seahood are now installed. It is really starting to look like a boat now!
Final Fit
The boat moves to the finishing area for the homestretch. The keel is
placed in a keel cart and is leveled. The cart can be rolled under the
boat for installation.
The hull mold is really two parts that fit together on the centerline.
We split it apart to get the hull out. This leaves a ridge all along the
center seam. It gets cleaned up and repaired as needed.
The boat is then lifted and placed
on boat stands for keel fit and
rudder installation. We use a
template of the top of the keel
to transfer keel bolt pattern to
the sump. The holes in the sump
are drilled slightly oversized to
allow some flexibility during the
installation process. Next we level
the boat and hang plumb bobs fore and aft. The rudder hardware is
then installed and the keel dry-fit. The top of the keel gets a layer of
epoxy bedding compound and caulk around each bolt. It is aligned
as the boat is lowered. The nuts are not final torqued until the bedding compound is fully cured the next day. The fairing team comes
in and adds a bi-ax tape to cover the keel/sump joint and fairs the
keel in epoxy fillers.
Bottom Prep
At this point, we basically have
a J/22. But, to be a world-class
USWatercraft race boat, it needs
the attention of the fairing
department. Due to the limitations of the molds and the fact
that we are required to use polyester resin, we need to perfect
the bottom.
The boat gets rolled over to the fairing area. We locate, mark and
tape off the waterline, and then cover the topsides and deck with
plastic. Next, the entire bottom is dyed blue with a special industrial
dye meant for machine shops. The dye ensures that everything has
been sanded and makes any remaining low spots jump out.
Now for some (a lot) of sanding. All the work on a Waterline bottom
is done by hand. Knocking off the center seam ridge is the only time
we let a power tool touch a bottom. The first pass with 120 prepares the bottom for epoxy and shows us where the low spots are.
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The lows are filled with epoxy filler and carefully checked to ensure
a fair, symmetrical bottom. After an overnight cure, the bottom is
re-sanded and the filler faired in. There is another check for fairness
and symmetry, and any problem areas are filled again. This process
continues until the bottom is truly fair and symmetrical.
When we are satisfied, the waterline is retaped again, and spraying
can start. The boat is hung so we don’t have any poppit marks to
deal with. We begin with three coats of Interprotect 2000 as a barrier coat and follow up with four to five coats of epoxy primer. When
that cures, all surfaces are again dyed. Once again, the entire bottom
is hand sanded with 120 grit. Sanding seems pretty mindless, but in
reality is an art. There are many more ways to sand the bottom unfair than fair!
At this point, the bottom is fair and symmetrical. The guys do a close
check for pinholes, and fill any they find. Another round of dye, and
the bottom is sanded to the grit required by the finish paint. After
sanding, everything is re-masked again, and the boat is wiped and
tack ragged to the paint manufacturer’s specification.
Finally, we can spray finish paint. The boat is hung again, and six
to seven coats of final finish are applied. I bet you can guess what
comes next. Yep, more dye and lots more sanding. Now however,
it is wetsanding. For an epoxy bottom, we start with 320, moving
to 400, then 600. Anti-fouling paints are softer, so we start with 400
moving to 600.
Finally we get to check our work. We have already weighed every
component and have a really good idea of how much corrector
weight the boat will need. The final check is the “Builder’s Weight.”
We hang the boat on a calibrated load cell and record the all-up
weight on the Builder’s Certificate. Loose gear is checked and loaded. The boat is loaded onto the trailer, the mast is loaded, everything
is secured and out it goes to proudly represent the combined efforts
of the staff of Waterline Systems & USWatercraft!
Shreveport Southwest Circuit Regatta
October 18-19 By Jeff Progelhof
Ever wonder what to do with leftover mayonnaise? The J/22 Southwest Circuit came to Shreveport for a weekend
of great light air sailing and a great time. Race Committee and J/22 veterans Wiley and Amy Pollard and Louis
Conger led the race committee. After the Skippers’ Meeting on Saturday morning and “make your own lunch”
bar, the fleet headed out on the lake. Kelson Elam won the first race with Jeff Progelhof in second and Eric
Kownancki (2008 Tuna 20 National Champion) in third. Eric was the guest skipper for Keith Zars and had the
pleasure of sailing with Keith’s sons Brian and Charles. Winds continued to be light and very shifty, and those
who could master the next “steps” could really make huge gains. Find one of the holes, or be a few boat lengths
away from the lane, and you could watch the others freight-train by. Eric did a horizon job in the second race,
and Kelson won the third race with Bill Mitchell from Austin in second. PRO Wiley decided to run a fourth race
since the weather forecast for Sunday was for calm winds. Kelson won the fourth race with the teams coming
off the water around 5:30 pm. Team Hoss’ foredeck, Erin Calk, had put some mayonnaise in a baggie for the
make-your-own sandwiches and near the end of the day, the mayo was not looking so good. Somehow it ended
up in Kelson’s winch handle pocket.
SAFE
Regatta Chairman Bill Jennings had prepared an excellent Saturday
evening with thick “cook-your own” steaks and chicken prepared on
the club outdoor grill. Many of the teams hung out for the free beer,
great food, and the Texas vs. Missouri and LSU vs. South Carolina
football games on TV. I believe a number of teams went on for
further flocking at local bars and the gambling boats.
Sunday morning, the teams headed out on the water with more
wind than expected, but still very light. The bag of mayonnaise was
tossed from boat to boat, and trying to avoid being close to the boat
with the mayo added complexity to the starting process. The fifth
and final race was about two hours long (and seemed much longer).
Huge gains and losses continued. Eric mastered the race and won,
with Jeff passing Kelson by banging the right shoreline to the finish.
Local Thistle expert Chris Laborde, sailing on Hoss, had seen the
move many times before, and the team leveraged a little local
knowledge.
The top three overall for the event were Kelson Elam, Jeff Progelhof
and Eric Kownacki. Thanks again to Wylie, Amy and Louis for
running the races; Bill for pulling the regatta together; and Tracy
Lanagan, Mike Wolcott, Marcus Clements, Richard Eglin and all the
other Shreveport Yacht Club members who hosted us. We had a
great time and plan to be back again next year.
•
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and
Sound
Protects bottoms
Chemical and solvent resistant
Extremely durable
Will not rot
Does not hold moisture against boat
U.V. resistant
Saves time and money
Includes stainless steel mounting hardware
Non marking
Non scratching
Fits most existing stands and trailers
Easy to install
ATLAS
BOAT
PAD
Atlas Boat Pad
P.O. Box 515
Sturbridge, MA 01566
1-508-347-8212
www.atlasboatpad.com
johnja@gandf.us
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Rush Creek Yacht Club to Host
2009 J/22 North American Championship
The North American Championship is once again coming to Dallas! Rush Creek Yacht Club, located
on Lake Ray Hubbard, will host the North Americans from September 28–October 2, 2009. RCYC
hosted the Midwinter Championship in 2008 and the North Americans in 2000, and is looking forward to another fantastic event. The end of September is a perfect time of the year to come to Dallas.
Temperatures are typically in the mid-80s, and winds can range for 5 to 25+ with a good chance for a
variety of conditions. Lake Ray Hubbard is built on open prairie, and there is minimal influence from
the surrounding shoreline. The water temperature will still be very pleasant, and RCYC has excellent
facilities including two cranes for launching,
an open area for boat preparation and parking,
and plenty of dock space.
Although the weather conditions always vary,
we can guarantee fine Texas hospitality! Past
experiences for J/22 events include the Turkey
Fry for the Midwinters, the Blues Brothers
Tribute Band and the now famous annual
Texas Hold ‘em Poker tournament during the
Southwest Circuit stop. You can be sure that
the creative minds will find more outstanding
ways to have fun on and off the water.
Rush Creek looks forward to hosting the 2009 North American Championship, and we promise to
provide excellent racing and a great time for you, your teams and your guests.
Jeff Progelhof, Co-Regatta Chairman
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2008 Lake George Open / Northeast Championship
L a ke Ge org e
September 20-21 By Rex Moon
As chairman of this year’s Northeast Championship at Lake George,
more than once I asked myself how could we put together a regatta to
equal the fantastic experience created by Mark Sertl, Jim Barnash and
Flip Wehrheim in August at the 2008 Worlds in Rochester, NY. They
are to be congratulated on a world-class regatta that was fun for all.
So I just figured invite them, and they will come. And they did—38
boats this year from the north, east, south and west. Boats from
Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut,
Rhode Island, New York and Ohio came to race and enjoy each other’s
friendship. That was a start, but I knew there was more.
All these boats were on the way, and the weather forecast was for light
and variable for Saturday and 0-3 on Sunday. They couldn’t blame me,
could they? They arrived Friday night, many old friends and some new
friends. We partied, renewed our friendships and prepared for racing
on Saturday.
On the way to the club on Saturday morning, I was surprised to be
boating across the lake in a nice 5-6 knot breeze out of the south, our
prevailing wind direction. I was thinking this is great—a southerly usually holds. It not only held, but built during the day up to 8-12 by the
afternoon.
Saturday morning, we finished two races and headed in for lunch at
the club with sailors, crews and spectators together. Coming in for
lunch is fun, and it gives us a chance to look at scores. Oh the stress of
it all. After two races, Chris Doyle, Adam Burns and Will Harris were in
front with a first and a third for four points. Flip Wehrheim was next
with nine points, followed by Kevin Doyle with 10 points, Ron Harris
with 12, and Jared Wallin with a first in the second race along with Bill
Dutcher from Lake George at 13 points. The racing was competitive
with boats finishing in lots of different places.
There were two additional races Saturday afternoon, finishing just after
4:30 with nice winds still out of the south. Again an interesting afternoon with hard choices upwind and down—go left, go right, go up the
middle? At the end of day one, Chris Doyle was in first place with 15
points (1, 3, 3, 8); Flip, Scott Kinsella and Jim Barnash were two points
behind Chris in second with 17 points (4, 5, 2, 6). Then there was
Dave Kerr from Rocky River, OH in third with 22 points, Peter Doyle
in fourth with 22 points and Bill Dutcher in fifth with 39 points. There
were three more races scheduled on Sunday so all of these crews were
calculating what they had to do to move up in the scores.
Cocktail hour Saturday evening was at 6:30 with dinner scheduled at
7:30 at the Lake George Club. Chef Tony outdid himself as usual, and
the band was playing a long list of great dance music. Thanks to a
tradition started in 2002 by Chris Doyle, all of the men (no matter the
age) arrived in ties and blue blazers. The stories abound! There was
continued talk about which side of a Lake George course is favored,
and everyone danced on. Our traditional grab bag positions
(28th and 35th) were picked out of the hat by Erin Badcock. Bill
Finnen called “last call” just before 1:00 am. Breakfast the next morning had some hung-over, but very happy, sailors.
Sunday started with NO wind. There wasn’t any wind predicted, and
true to the weatherman’s prediction, there wasn’t any to be had. The
race committee thought they would try to get one in and headed out
to see what they might set up. A number of boats got part way out and
then headed for the hoist. Then it came—first a zephyr out of the east,
just enough to tease us a little. And then the northerly came in. The
weathermen still are scratching their heads, and all the boats at the lift
headed for the course.
The race committee set a course, and the wind kept building through
short first and second races. By the end of the third race, the wind had
built to 20, with gusts to 25, and waves out of the north that made for
some real fun downwind. We headed in with a total of seven races and
a throw-out. It was a wild two days with something for everyone—light,
calm, wind and waves.
When we came in for lunch and to pack up, things had changed a
little. Flip ended the two days in first with very consistent finishes
(4, 5, 2, 3, 4, 4; discarding a 6) totaling 22 points. Flip accepted the
Northeast Championship trophy donated by Waterline Systems and
promised to return next year to defend his title. Chris Doyle’s team
was second with 24 points (1, 3, 3, 8, 8, 1). Dave Kerr with Lee
Sackett and Bill Brower was third with 30 points (6, 4, 1, 9, 1, 9); Peter
Doyle from Youngstown, NY with Pat Whelan and Jason Suitor was
fourth with 33 points (10, 2, 5, 5, 9, 2); and Kevin Doyle fifth, sailing
with Vic Snyder and Aaron Snyder with 43 points (2, 8, 1, 21, 5, 6).
The best local boat award went to Bill Dutcher with his crew Chris
Connoly and Joe Glennon in 11th place with 61 points. The grab-bag
prizes were donated by our friends at North Sails. The first, a North
Sails mast bag, went to Jason Goscha with Stacey Anderson and Paul
Quinn from Baltimore, MD in 28th place. Our second grab-bag prize,
a North Sails rudder bag, went to Rick Provenzano sailing with John
Tarrant and Matt Bailey in 35th place.
Looking back, the answer to the question I posed became a lot clearer
as the weekend progressed. It’s leadership from people like our
outgoing Class president Chris Doyle who has done so much to move
our Class forward over the last several years. It is of course the venue,
and I’m fortunate to work with a fantastic club manager and staff who
really make it easy. And it’s the committees, the local sailors from our
fleet and our J/24 fleet who come out to support the sport of sailing.
Of course, I must mention our PRO Ried Stave who, with RCC Roger
Voss, set courses that kept us moving all weekend long. But most
of all, it’s the sailors. I had the privilege again at the 2008 Northeast
Championship to sail and trade stories with some of the nicest ladies
and gentlemen I have sailed with in my 55 years of sailboat racing.
So many thanks to all, and we will see you next year on September
26-27 in Lake George, NY when we will meet and do it again.
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Has it REALLY been 25 Years?
By Carolyn Freeman
When Galen and I were approaching our 25th wedding
anniversary, we were discussing all that had happened
in our lives to that point. You know, all the ups and
downs, highs and lows that every marriage goes through.
We were marveling at it all ‘cause every one at our wedding knew it wouldn’t last six months. Anyway, I finally
said, “Has it really been 25 years?” Galen shook his head
in disbelief and said, “No, it just seems like 24!” He still
makes me laugh now that we are approaching our 40th
on March 1, 2009!
Back in 1983, we were four years into our
love affair with the hottest one-design around,
the J/24. One day a friend in Nashville, Doug
Anderson, called and said, “Galen, you’re a J
Boat dealer aren’t you? I want to order the
new J/22 that’s advertised in this month’s
Sailing World for $8,995.” Galen was mortified pointing out that we had a very active J/24
Southeast Circuit, and it would be the logical
choice. Doug was adamant. When we took
his Hull #90 for a test drive later that year, we
immediately put our J/24 on the market and
put our order in for this great new boat. After
Mobjacks, Sunfish, Thistles, San Juan 21s and
J/24s, we had finally found the boat that perfectly fit our needs.
So what about the J/22 Class? It really started very innocently when
Bob Johnstone of J Boats called his dealers to tell them of the first J/22
Nationals to be held in September of 1984 at the prestigious Eastern
YC in Marblehead, MA. We packed up our new Hull #319 (Goody 2
Shoes and the Filthy Beast), our young teenagers Ladd and Shea, along
with a new board game called Trivial Pursuit and headed east. On the
way I tried to caution Galen, “Now don’t go in there and volunteer for
anything!” Even then I knew I was wasting my time. The 16-boat fleet
met to organize the Class and, with me kicking him under the table, of
course Galen volunteered to put out a newsletter. It was a natural since
we had a publishing company and, of course he said Carolyn would be
happy to organize the Class Office. It was the “beginning of a beautiful
friendship.”
We got the first yearbook together and met at Doug Anderson’s house
to apply mailing labels. Doug was the first president of the Class. From
there, the Class grew. Obviously this was long before the internet so we
did things the old fashioned way. We spent a lot of time on the phone
with new owners putting them in touch with others to form fleets, then
districts, then regional and national events. Along the way we found
many whom we referred to as “spark plugs” to become the leadership
of the Class. Galen spent years on the phone with owners who needed
sailing tips, rigging tips, repair tips, trailering tips. You name it, he was
always eager to talk J/22s. His enthusiasm was boundless. Twice in
1987 and 1988, the United States Yacht Racing Union (now US Sailing)
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awarded us the One-Design Class of the Year. I don’t think they even
do that anymore. Eventually, in 1991 (I think), the Class achieved
International Status by ISAF through years of efforts on the part of many
like Chief Measurer Chip Carpenter, President Bruce Burner, Jerris
Miller of the Caymans, Tom Tutsch of Canada and others too many to
mention in Jamaica, South Africa, Holland, Italy and Germany. It was
quite a journey from the original 16-boat fleet to over 1,600 worldwide!
Our World Championships have become some of one-design’s premier
events, but those Wednesday night series and club races remain the core
of a great class of sailors who all love the performance of the boat and
the camaraderie it brings.
We have been blessed with participation from world-class sailors who
generously share their expertise. But everyone knows there is only
one first place so Galen always got a kick out of awarding special trophies that distributed the silver throughout the fleet. He wanted the
average guy to have achievable goals. So Midwinters and Nationals
had “Longest Distance Traveled,” “Highest
Finish by All Family Crew,” “Old Goat Highest
Finish by Skipper over 50,” “All Female Crew”
and “President’s Award for Last Place” with
all races completed. The emphasis was on
FUN and participation. But his favorite was
the “Sportsmanship Award” voted on by the
competitors themselves. Ballots were passed
out at the beer keg after the final race while
waiting for results. It was always great fun,
and the trophy kept the competitive spirit
during the event on a very Corinthian level.
In many ways, it was the “Oscar” of the Class
and was coveted by all. I’m proud to say
Galen was the recipient on more than one
occasion. We must take this opportunity to
thank the Canadian Class for donating the new
annual “Galen Freeman Sportsmanship Award” at the recent Worlds. He
was overwhelmed at the honor, and I’m sure it will have the status it
deserves in the eyes of the competitors for it denotes a great deal more
than just sailing prowess. It is the spirit of the Class and the sport.
Over the years, we have owned and raced seven J/22s from Goody 2
Shoes and the Filthy Beast to the red boat Tru Blu; Cheap Sunglasses
which now resides at Annapolis YC; to Hull #222 Triple Deuce Coup,
Cheeky Monkey, Hot Ruddered Bum, and the latest Helen Back. We
can count among our friends hundreds of sailors from literally around
the world. The J/22 Class is intricately entwined with our family’s history
and memories. It is the source of hundreds of GREAT cocktail party stories as anyone who knows Galen, only he can tell. It is a great source of
pride for us to see the Class flourish under its current leadership. Our
hats are off the Chris and Julie Howell for the dedication and talent they
have brought to it. Galen can now enjoy going to a regatta to simply
sail and have fun and not be burdened with the weight of responsibility.
I can smile with a lot of affection at the times when some in the Class
called me the “Mutha” of the J/22s. In a way, I felt as if they were my
children!
Has it really been 25 years? To put it all in perspective, now that Galen
and I are approaching our 40th anniversary, it’s interesting to note than
nearly half that time (18 years) was spent with the wonderful people of
the J/22 Class. It was a real hoot! Thanks for the memories! We look
forward to more!
J-22
2004 World Championships 1st
2005 World Championships 1st
2006 World Championships 1st & 3rd
2007 World Championships 2nd
2006 Europeans 1st
2007 Europeans 1st, 2nd, 3rd
2008 Europeans 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th
What do the sailors
on these J-22s’
have in common?
Great crew work, the
desire to win and
Ullman/Skelley Sails.
How do we do it?
Hard work! We spend
more time developing
and testing sail shape
and rig tune.
Learn more about what
Ullman/Skelley can do
for you.
East Coast
Max Skelley
Cleveland
Greg Koski
max@skelleysails.com
www.skelleysails.com
ullmancleveland@aol.com
410-939-9261
216-486-5732
Florida
Doug Fisher
941-951-0189
West Coast
Bruce Cooper
714-432-1860
Gulf Coast, Miss.
David Bolyard
985-626-5638
ulfl@mindspring.com ullman@ullmansails.com westwindsails@bellsouth.net
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11
Rolex Internation
Organizers of US Sailing’s Rolex International
Women’s Keelboat Championship (IWKC) have
announced a change in venue and dates for the next
running of this biennial regatta. Due to the
impact of September’s Hurricane Ike on
the greater Houston area, including
the Galveston Bay communities of
Clear Lake, Kemah, La Porte and
Shoreacres, where the Houston
Yacht Club (HYC) is situated, the
organizing committee made the difficult decision to pass the helm to another
club and not host the 2009 regatta. The new host is
Rochester Yacht Club (RYC), NY, and the new dates for
the event are October 7-10, 2009.
“We are deeply saddened that Houston Yacht Club will not be able
to run the Rolex IWKC again in 2009,” said Taran Teague (Annapolis,
MD), chair of US Sailing’s International Women’s Keelboat
Committee, which oversees the Rolex IWKC. “The hospitality from
Ginny Garrett’s big Texas team was unbelievable in 2007! The highlevel race management and personal attention to details from Jim
Tichenor’s race committee was spectacular. He tells me that HYC
will be back again to host another Rolex IWKC and other high level
regattas. They will be missed as a host in 2009, but never forgotten.
We extend our sincere invitation to HYC and the other sailors from
Texas to join us in Rochester for 2009.”
Four days of racing on Lake Ontario will be preceded by the Next
Step to Rolex program, a developmental program for girls age 13-17
that seeks to offer keelboat training in a mentoring atmosphere,
and two days of boat measurement and registration on October 4-5.
Every day after racing, RYC will host a casual dockside happy hour
where competitors can debrief, rehydrate and relax, while parties
will take place each evening with the regatta culminating at the traditional Rolex gala and awards presentation where a Rolex timepiece
will be awarded to the winning boat’s skipper.
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Presenting the RYC bid was Cory Sertl (Rochester, NY), who will
serve on the local organizing committee and head up the Next Step
to Rolex program.
“The Rochester Yacht Club membership has always had an interest in
hosting the Rolex Women’s Keelboat,” said Sertl. “In fact,
Helen Ingerson from RYC is credited, along with Ann
Connor of Newport, with creating the concept of
an international regatta specifically for women.
It is in her honor that we made the bid and
accepted it. This area offers great racing conditions, especially in October. We look forward to
welcoming sailors, their families and supporters
to Rochester next October and carrying on the tradition of this tremendous regatta.”
Sertl, a 1988 Olympian, is well-known in international racing circles
for her competitive success as well as her long support of the administrative side of sailing. In addition to representing US Sailing at the
annual ISAF (International Sailing Federation) meetings, serving on
the ISAF Council and helping to successfully lobby for including
women’s keelboat racing in the Olympics, she has competed in the
regatta nine times, winning the inaugural Rolex IWKC in 1985 as
crew and again as skipper in 2001, which lead to her selection as US
Sailing’s 2001 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year (she also earned the
distinction in 1985).
The Rochester Yacht Club has named Anne Beadling (Rochester) as
the 2009 chair of the organizing committee. Known for her organizational skills and passion for sailing, she most recently served on the
committee for the 102-boat 2008 J/22 World Championship, held at
RYC, as treasurer/secretary and project manager. “We are proud to
be the home club of Cory Sertl, Annemarie Cook, Jane Mastrandrea
and Amy Moran, who represented RYC at the 2007 Rolex IWKC
and finished in second place,” said Beadling, who competed in the
Annapolis Yacht Club’s running of the Rolex IWKC. “Our local J/22
fleet, fleet #55, was established in 1983, and since then the J/22 has
grown to become the largest and most popular one-design at our
club. On behalf of the Rochester Yacht Club, I extend our heartfelt
sympathy to Houston Yacht Club and its members. Our planning and
organizing committees are staffed, and preparations are underway.
Coming on the heels of the IFDS World Championship in 2007 and
the J/22 Worlds, the organizing committee and membership are
excited to welcome such a prestigious event to our waters.”
al Women’s Keelboat Championship
Sets Sail to Rochester, NY in 2009
Soon after Hurricane Ike struck, US Sailing put out the word that
host club bids were being sought. “We were pleased to have such
substantial clubs, with excellent regatta and race management track
records, step up to the plate and submit bids at the recent US Sailing
Annual Meeting,” said Teague. “The four excellent yacht clubs that
submitted bids within 10 days of being notified included Annapolis,
Ida Lewis/New York, Southern and Rochester. I would like to extend
my sincere gratitude to the entire committee for its hard work and
long hours of discussion, which culminated in selecting Rochester
Yacht Club to host the 2009 Rolex IWKC. I would also like to point
out that the vote for Rochester was unanimous among the committee
members.”
Founded in 1985 by US Sailing and Rolex, the regatta is considered
one of the world’s pinnacle events for women sailors. The Rolex
IWKC utilizes the International J/22 Class keelboat, suitable for fourperson teams. Previous competitors have included Olympic medalists, America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race veterans, world champions
and US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtswomen of the Year, in addition to
women of all ages with varying levels of racing experience.
A Preliminary Notice of Race will be posted online in early 2009
at http://championships.ussailing.org/Adult/RIWKC.htm. Contact
Event Chair Anne Beadling by email at riwkc09@gmail.com or the
Rochester Yacht Club at 585-342-5511. For more information about
the 2009 Rolex IWKC or to subscribe to news updates, visit http://
championships.ussailing.org/Adult/RIWKC.htm.
Gowrie, Barden & Brett
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13
US Sailing’s 2009 Rolex International Women’s
Keelboat Championship
North Texas Road to Rolex Clinic
Graduates 41 Women Sailors
winds died for the day, we did some tacking-on-the-whistle drills.
After the morning sail, we spent the rest of the day in the clubhouse
discussing tactics, starting strategies and interpretation of the new
racing rules for 2009.”
From October 31 to
November 2 in Oak Point,
TX, 41 women sailors representing six US states, Canada
and Mexico took part in the
Road to Rolex Clinic at the
Dallas Corinthian Yacht Club
(DCYC). Coached by international competitor and coach
Elizabeth Kratzig (Corpus
Christi, TX/Miami Beach, FL) and designed to prepare women sailors
for US Sailing’s Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship
(Rolex IWKC), the three-day clinic featured drills on the water in
J/22s, as well as classroom learning about keelboat racing. At the
conclusion of the clinic, organizers held a short series of races where
Lynette Edenfield (Fort Worth, TX) and her team were victorious.
A three-time Rolex IWKC participant, Edenfield will receive a $200
credit toward her entry fee in the 2009 Rolex IWKC, scheduled for
October 7-10 at the Rochester Yacht Club in Rochester, NY.
Sunday was devoted to sailing and racing, from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30
p.m. “It was nonstop learning and drills,” continued Finster. “At midday, the wind started to ease up, so the Race Committee decided to
hold the mini-regatta early at 1:00.”
“We had 10 teams sailing
in J/22s generously loaned
by club members and local
Southwest Circuit racers,” said
Gayle Finster, DCYC’s Road to
Rolex Clinic organizer. “This
Road to Rolex Clinic was an
experiment of sorts as there
had never been one in which
individuals could sign up with borrowed boats provided. Most clinics are conducted with complete four-person teams, and participants
bring their own boat. It turned out to be a successful endeavor, and
many more women were able to participate and network with other
women interested in forming teams. More planning was involved in
matching up team members and rounding up boats, but everyone
agreed it was worth the effort.”
The weekend started on Friday with Kratzig leading a discussion with
assistant coach Bryan Calk on sail controls and the effects of each
adjustment on the shape and performance of the jib and main sails,
and how to adjust upper and lower shroud tensions for varying wind
conditions. Later that evening, the DCYC club members hosted the
group for a casual get-together.
Saturday’s schedule started with a chalk talk in the clubhouse by
Kratzig and Calk, and then the group hit the water for short windward/leeward legs to practice roll tacking and teamwork. “Elizabeth
hopped from boat to boat providing individual team coaching,” said
Finster. “She handily adapted to the varying levels of skill and the
variety of teams that were new to sailing with each other. Before the
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Although the group thought
they were done with drills,
Kratzig had one more trick up
her sleeve: she instructed the
fleet to do 10 rolling starts.
“The average age of our participants was 45, and everyone
hung in there and gave 150
percent,” said Finster. “The
many starts allowed us to
experiment with different types of start strategies in a group of 10
boats. Tired yes, but everyone gained new experience. After that,
we did downwind starts leading to big pile-ups at the leeward mark.
This drill tested our mark rounding skills in a crowd, and we all took
away some good lessons.”
Though there was a sigh of disappointment when participants
learned the event will not be in Houston in 2009 due to damage
from Hurricane Ike. “We know the event will be exceptional at the
Rochester Yacht Club in New York,” said Finster. “We’re hopeful
there will be a good showing of these fine women who sailed this
past weekend.”
The Road to Rolex Clinic
in Oak Point, TX is the first
scheduled on a calendar of
clinics leading up to the 2009
Rolex IWKC. The Road to
Rolex Clinics were initiated by
US Sailing and Rolex Watch
U.S.A. in 1997 to provide
women sailors with additional
opportunities to hone their sailing skills. Locations where past clinics have been held include a dozen US locations, South Africa and
Holland. Each participant received a copy of the Road to Rolex Clinic
manual written by Betsy Alison, a five-time Rolex Yachtswoman of
the Year. Alison has won the biennial Rolex IWKC five times and is
the coach of the US Paralympic Team. Additionally, each participant
received a copy of a DVD from Kratzig featuring video analysis taken
during the clinic.
For more information about the 2009 Rolex IWKC or to subscribe to
news updates, visit http://championships.ussailing.org/Adult/RIWKC.
htm. Contact Rolex IWKC Event Chair Anne Beadling by email at
riwkc09@gmail.com or the Rochester Yacht Club at 585-342-5511.
Excitement Abounds
on the Bay of Pigs
Tawas Bay J/22
Fleet #44 2008 Report
By Chris Princing, Fleet Captain
2008 Champion,
Pigs R Us, USA 782
sailing upwind.
September 27, 2008
Hog Tide, USA 121 Sailing
downhill with Tawas Pointe
light in the back ground.
September 27, 2008
Photos courtesy of One rib Princing
Oh baby it is cold outside, but it is hot in fleet #44! 2008 was the most exciting and fun season in the history of Tawas Bay Fleet #44. We are approaching
our 10th year as a fleet…can you believe it?!
Our small town of East Tawas has seen sailboat racing decline over the past few
years, but this year that trend was reversed in our J/22 fleet. We actually gained
numbers.
2007 was a down year for Fleet #44. Our participation was at an all-time
low, and we only completed one race day. It did not look good and with the
economy softening, we all started talking about bowling…
In the late winter of 2008, we held our annual fleet meeting and party at the
Coberly’s. Turn-out was great, and we always try to encourage new sailors, our
team members and new crew possibilities to attend. It was a lot of fun and
good to see everyone, but it was the meeting that turned the tide. Somewhere
during the meeting, our future fleet champion puffed out his chest and stated
that “we all need to make a commitment to show up every race date.” We all
took this to heart. We then set a schedule with the fewest race dates we have
ever scheduled in eight years. We also put a couple of make-up dates on there,
and we used one of them.
A few weeks later, I got a phone call from one of our friends, Mark Olgaard,
who happened to be at the party. Dr. Mark called to tell me he bought a J/22
and was inquiring about advice on towing the boat back from Virginia. Well
if you know me and my track record with trailers, I am probably not the right
guy to ask, but I did volunteer to go get it for him if he ran into time problems.
So sure as heck, he drove all the way out there to find out it had a bad axle on
the trailer and came home empty handed. Not to worry as Tricky Dick and I
jumped in Dick’s van and dragged her home a few weeks later. Fleet #44 now
had seven boats!
We started racing on May 24. We sailed three races, and the day was won by
the future fleet champion USA 782, ‘Pigs R Us’, Matt Princing. Also winning
races that day were USA 538, Don Thwing and the crew on the AARP-sponsored
‘Pig Dirty’, and also USA 838, ‘Anti-Swine’, Jennifer Princing. What a great way
to start the year!
As the year continued, we sailed three races on all of our race dates. Four of
the seven boats won a race. The most consistent boat was probably USA 275,
‘The Other White Meat’. Mike Scott, Tim Scott and Dennis were on her most
often, and they were rapidly improving as the year went on. USA 538, ‘Pig
Dirty’ were also very consistent and had a chance to win the season going into
the last race date. Don, Bill Coberly and Pierre’s sister were sailing very well
and look to continue their success next year. USA 48 made its one and only
appearance of the year on the last date and won a race. She also got a new
owner—Sue Alexander is the proud new owner of ‘Porcine Accoutrements’. We
look forward to helping Sue sail her pig next year. USA 121, ‘Hog Tide’ made it
to almost all of the racing this year, sailing in the one design series and also the
club PHRF racing taking second overall in that series. ‘Hog Tide’ is owned by
Jenna’s grandfather, Dennis Princing, and she was sailed by him, his sons, his
daughter-in-law, his grandson, three of his granddaughters , Tricky Dick and a
few other questionable characters. USA 430, ‘Pygmallion’, made her way back
to Tawas after a five-year hiatus out east. Her new owners are Dr. Mark Olgaard
and Ryan Kruse. They sailed her well in their first year and purchased a set of
new sails for next season. We expect they will figure it out sooner rather than
later, and it was great seeing that old Pig spinnaker on the bay again. USA 838,
‘Anti-Swine’ had an abbreviated season. They sailed well early on, but missed
the last two race dates due to the juvenile behavior of her owner. After multiple x-rays, it was revealed that Will is no longer a teenager.
USA 782, ‘Pigs R Us’, won the season championship by seven points over ‘Pig
Dirty’. Sailing on her were Matt Princing, Gary Sowden and Zac Bowdish. They
won ½ of all of the races sailed in 2008. They excelled in all conditions and
prove once again that bottles do belong on boats.
2008 was a great year in Tawas. We did not host a regatta, but we had more
fun than ever before. There is some talk of others in the club that might be
interested in the J/22. We hope they are, and we look forward to this coming
winter meeting, when we will commit to our little pigs again!
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Southeast District Report
The Tennessean at Harbor
Island Yacht Club
April 12-13
The Ironman at Birmingham
Sailing Club
May 17-18
It was a windy day and Cousin Ed (a sunken
pole in the middle of the course) was enjoying the action. With his hair (it looked like
dried seaweed) blown back, short courses
and college-style racing (five on Saturday
and three on Sunday), we were all worn out
and unable to party Saturday night. The final
tally had Sean Clare in first with Julie, Wayne
Cassady second because his crew (Doug
Meyhoefer) sailed the wrong course, Carson
third due to too too too many people on the
boat (we apologize, but there isn’t enough
room to list all the names) and Dennis
fourth. We would like to say more about
Dennis, but he had a date Saturday night.
What? Yes, a date. See ya’ll next year!
The second stop on the 2008 Southeast
Circuit was the Ironman Regatta at
Birmingham Sailing Club with eight J/22s
competing. Racing got underway Saturday
with clear skies and a 4-8 knot breeze. Bill
Harshman jumped into the lead after a great
start and never looked back to take the bullet in the first race. Galen Freeman charged
back to take the next two bullets, but the
racing stayed tight. One of Galen’s bullets
came after he worked his way to the inside
of a 5-boat pinwheel at the last leeward mark
rounding. Galen made the rounding clean
as a whistle, while the rest of us felt lucky
just to escape without trading any paint.
Heading in after the racing, Galen inquired
about the availability of ice at the club. That
could mean only one thing—a two-cycle
blender creating frozen rum drinks! After
By Doug Meyhoefer
By Bob Blythe
dinner, “Juke Box Jim” (joined by BSC
member Terry Waldron) played guitar and
took requests. Intermittently, the sound of
the two-cycle was heard above the music. It
must have been a hybrid, because the gasoline lasted longer than the rum…and the
tequila…and the beer…and carrots (don’t
ask)…and several of the sailors. Those who
checked the standings Saturday night found
Galen alone in first by five points. Wayne
Cassady and his Kentuckians were in second,
with Bob Blythe and Team Shazaam tied
for third. However, only three points separated second from sixth so anything could
happen. On Sunday morning, the breeze
arrived bright and early with a steady 10-15
out of the west. The courses were longer,
but the racing stayed tight. In the two races
on Sunday, Wayne and Bob took the bullets,
but Galen finished near top in both races to
stay in first place overall. Remaining top five
finishers were: Wayne, Bob, Vincent Priola,
and Team Shazaam in fifth.
Gold Sponsors
Gold Sponsors have contributed $100 to the U.S. Class
Peter De Beukelaer
Madison, MS
William Harshman
Stone Mountain, GA
Pat Kabris
Excelsior, MN
Drew Devitt
Media, PA
Christopher Howell
Lakewood, OH
Thomas Linville
Weems, VA
Christopher Doyle
Kenmore, NY
Fred Hunger
Rocky River, OH
Award & Sports
Saginaw, MI
Matt Dubois
Grosse Ile, MI
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Stephen Paidosh
Orono, MN
Billy Bowlegs at Ft. Walton
Yacht Club
June 14-15
By Galen Freeman
Ft. Walton Yacht Club hosted the first of what
we hope will become a regular “Southeastern Series” regatta—the 2008 Billy Bowlegs
Regatta. (Actually John found the real skinny
on “the pirate”…a scruffy Seminole Indian.)
While most of the country was complaining
about $4 gas, six intrepid J/22 teams broke
the kids’ piggy banks and traveled to Ft.
Walton for five races over two days. A good
time was had by all! In the spirit of being
fair to the oil companies, the Hot Ruddered
Bum team of John Robertson, Bruce Berner
(our honorary southerner from the fleet in
Indianapolis) and I did a cost comparison on
the amount of gas required to completely refill the gas powered blender (those heathens
at Birmingham Sailing Club had used up all
the gas at the Iron Man). The result—we
found the cost of the rum was much higher!
Other than that, I just remember the racing
was never over until it was over, the ribs on
Smack Point were great, and the sand was
the whitest in the world. If you were unable
to make it, we are sorry for you. Don’t miss
it next year!
Watkins Cup Regatta at
Kentucky Lake Sailing Club
September 13-14
By Wayne Cassady
Sean Clare mentioned that at last year’s
Watkin’s Cup, it blew the squirrels out of the
trees. This year, the event included winds
that just took out the trees. Saturday, the
winds were just about perfect for a challenging beat and then some downwind surfing
in the puffs that were occasionally a little
over 20. It was also hot (90+ degrees) and
sunny, so the spray and sometimes dunking felt good. Teams Carson, Freeman and
Cassady were the J/22s that showed for the
racing this year, and the real racing was
between Carson and Galen. Galen needed
a crew member at the last minute so we
got an unsuspecting, never-been-on-a-J/22,
victim from our dock to jump on board and
delivered him (Steve Smith) to Galen and
John Robertson. We hoped he would like it,
and we could tell at quite a distance that he
did after the first race when he gave us a big
grin and two thumbs up. The Kentucky Lake
Sailing Club did a good job getting in four
races on Saturday as the weather reports
were that Sunday might be a little unmanageable. Sunday before racing, we headed
to breakfast and crossed the dam to see real
good breeze coming up the lake, but nothing that we’d not seen before. On the way
back from breakfast, we decided to cross the
dam again, and now I was looking at some
breeze I’d never seen anywhere including
at the lake. It was a scene off of the Weather
Channel with people leaning into the wind
to hold firm. A review of the NOAA Weather
site for Paducah later showed that the
reported winds were 81mph at KY dam, 78
mph at Grand Rivers and 76 mph at Calvert
City. The racing was wisely called for the day
and awards were presented. Carson was first,
Galen second and, with three J/22s present,
we snagged the third.
Halloween Regatta at Augusta Sailing Club
October 11-12
By Eli Putnam
Two boats showed up for the Halloween
Regatta in Augusta. The wind cooperated
with us and kept a steady 15-20 mph all
weekend long, which made for some great
spinnaker runs and exciting mark roundings.
We raced against three J/24s, and it was good
to see Wayne Cassady out in front of not
only us but also all of the 24s. Wayne and
his crew did a great job with boat handling
and were able to stay ahead all weekend.
Saturday night featured a live band and a
wonderful dinner. Many people showed up
to the party in costume, and the band played
until a little after midnight. Overall it was a
great regatta and was run well both on and
off the water.
Equalizer at Percy Priest
Yacht Club
October 18-19
By Sean Clare
The Equalizer was held on Percy Priest Lake
in Nashville, TN. Six J/22s showed up for the
final regatta of the 2008 Southeastern Series.
Saturday morning was partly cloudy with a
nice north 12-15 knot breeze. Sean Clare
got off to a good start in the first race and
never looked back. Galen Freeman was second with Bob Blythe in third. Race 2 started
in the same conditions with Sean taking an
early lead, but the course was littered with
a large fleet of Catalina 22s causing problems at mark roundings which allowed the
Freeman boat to slip in at a leeward mark
rounding and win the race, followed by Sean
and Bob. Race 3 once again started off in the
same conditions. Due to a poor start, the
Freeman boat bailed out early, went to the
unfavored right side of the course, which
quickly turned into the favored side. Galen
was able to get ahead and stay ahead to win
the race, followed by Wayne Cassady, who
also went right and Sean in third. Race 4
started off in the same conditions but weather legs were a lot shiftier than the previous
races. Bob did a great job playing the shifts
on the weather legs and won race 4 followed
by Sean and Galen. At the end of the day,
Galen had a one-point lead over Sean; Bob
was three points back; Wayne three points
behind; followed by Brad Arnold and Ben
Ford. Sunday morning, everyone drifted to
the line for a 9:30 start, and drift we did for
three hours, waiting on enough breeze to
start a race. Race committee got off a race
with about 10 minutes to spare before the
cutoff time of 1:00 p.m. The wind was south,
very light and variable, and very shifty. Galen
rounded the weather mark first followed by
Sean and Wayne. The downwind leg quickly
turned into a close reach, with a course
change at the leeward mark. The third and
final leg turned into another close reach so
there were few passing lanes. Galen rounded
first and was able to keep everyone behind
for the win. Wayne stayed low and was able
to sneak in for second, followed by Sean
and newcomer Ben right behind for fourth.
Galen won the regatta with eight points,
Sean was second with 11 points, Bob broke
a tie with Wayne for third with 16 points,
Wayne was fourth followed by Brad and
Ben. It was great to see a new boat on the
course—#110 skippered by Ben Ford. We
hope to see him more next year. Thanks to
PPYC and the Race Committee for putting on
a great event on and off the water.
For more information on the Southeast
District, visit http://j22se.mystarband.net/.
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17
Fleet 19 and East Coast Championships
By Todd Hiller
Among the flurry of sailing activity on
the Chesapeake Bay November 1-2,
Annapolis Yacht Club played gracious
host to the J/22 East Coast Championship.
The original date set for the event in early
September was blown out due to Tropical
Storm Hanna making her presence in the
area. There were 18 boats registered for
the regatta.
Once again, Bobby Frey and the AYC
race committee crew performed
superb race management, reeling
off a five-race series in two days.
Conditions Saturday were fluky at
best and made for challenging
decisions. On Sunday, the breeze
was up to a steady 10-15 kts. from
the northeast and tapered to 8-10
by the last race of the series.
The second race on Saturday was
abandoned due to a 180 degree
wind shift which was a bit
disheartening for those five to
seven boats that made it to
the top mark. However, it was
equally understood to start
over again.
There were teams from outside
the Annapolis area. Two teams
from Riverton, NJ (Terry Rapp
and Bob Corney), Sandy Adzick
from Corithanian Yacht Club in
Philadelphia, PA, and Severn Sailing, the
US Naval Academy and US Coast Guard
Academy sent sloop team consisting of
their top dinghy sailor. For the furthest traveled team,
Travis Odenbach, all the way from the great white north of
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Rochester, NY, came to Annapolis. Odenbach’s team was excited for
the balmy temps south of the Mason Dixon Line as they arrived in
shorts and t-shirts. Odenbach admits to watching the temperature
gauge in his truck on their way down waiting for the opportune time
to change clothes. The top five finishers were Todd Hiller,
Brad Julian, Alon Finkelstein, Travis Odenbach and Sandy Adzick.
Sunday, the three races tightened up the top three contenders. Not
realizing there was a drop race, Brad Julian, Matt Schubert, Lori
Schubert (Saturday) and Dave Bonney (Sunday) were knocking
on the door to Todd Hiller and his team which consisted of Lynda
Hiller, Nicole Breault and Suzie Wulff. Julian dropped an eight in
the first race, and Hiller let go a fifth in the third race. The final
race proved worthy with Hiller winning and taking the title of
2008 East Coast Champion with Julian and Finkelstein as runner
ups, respectively.
Saturday evening’s dinner was
exceptionally nice. Annapolis
Yacht Club opened the third
deck with a dinner buffet for
the competitors. With Alon
Finkelstein’s son proudly strapped
to his chest, there was good
news to be seen and heard come
spring time. Let’s just say our fleet
is growing.
This regatta served a dual purpose
and that was to determine the local
yacht clubs fleet champion. Due to
the rescheduling of the East Coasts,
it was decided to combine the two
events. Each year the event alternates
local yacht clubs’ race committee to
host. This year, the top three from
Severn Sailing Association were
Brad Julian, Alon Finkelstein and
Sandy Adzick. The top three from
AYC were Todd Hiller, Aden King
and David Robinson.
pictures taken by Dan Phelps / Spinsheet
What are you doing from February 18-20?
A) Racing against the top J/22 sailors in North America
B) Laying by the pool
C) Drinking rum and beer
D) All of the above
Answer D,
and you’ll be among the participants of the J/22 Midwinter
Championship at Davis Island
Yacht Club in Florida! Now
doesn’t that sound better than
working and shoveling snow?
www.diyc.org
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19
Lake
J/22 Circuit Regatta at
Lake Canyon Yacht Club
When Dave Bray and I were walking the docks on June
5, my thoughts were that there would be no way we will
be able to have a J/22 regatta on the 7th and 8th if the
wind continued to blow so hard. The wind was blowing at a steady 30-35 mph with gusts to over 40mph. The
boats were really rocking and rolling, with white caps
inside the breakwater. It was difficult to walk on the
docks without danger of falling between the boats; it was
a little scary. The wind sock reminded me of the old flag
staff that was on the old tug boat moored at the L head
in Corpus Christi. This was the old Corpus Christi Yacht
Club before the present one was built. Each day, a man
in a white jacket would run up the CCYC burgee, which
consisted of a tape with grommet holes with about 3” of
the burgee remaining. That is what our wind sock looked
like, with just a few inches remaining from the horrible
spring winds we had the past few months. This was one of
the windiest springs that I can remember here at Canyon
Lake. Living at the lake, it starts to get on one’s nerves
with the day-in and day-out howling of the winds.
Saturday arrived with winds predicted to be 20-30 mph for the day,
as well as Sunday. Eighteen J/22s were registered, with sixteen actually sailing. I had a “Dream Team” to help run races. Dave Sanford
and Anita took care of the windward and offset marks, finishes, and
giving the first to finish the shotgun report. Lloyd Lindsey, Chris
Besch and Robert Downs took care of the starting line, and after the
start, setting the leeward gate. The RC Boat was manned by Bob
Taylor, Betty Rourke and Bill McVey. The rescue and photo boat was
manned by Charlie Dwyer and Sheri. By the way, check out Charlie’s
photos on our website(lcyc.net)…they are truly outstanding!
Race one started on time, with the first signal at 10:30 a.m. The wind
was blowing at 155 degrees and over 20 mph. The course was set
to a length of 1.0 NM, with a W-L-W-L-W to finish. Rob Johnston led
all the way, with our local boys Fred Lindsey in fourth, Keith Zars in
eighth and Commodore Wayne Peacock in 13th. Overall, Bruce and
Scott Dunn beat Wayne three out of five races, and they were actually tied on total points, but Wayne beat him overall in our scoring
system. All three races on Saturday were five nautical miles in length.
Keith thought that three races were enough and everyone agreed,
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By Bubba Horner
although we had the choice to go for four. We finished up nice and
early, and everyone welcomed the early retirement. Sunday morning,
it was more of the same with slightly less wind at the start, but it was
still very gusty. We had a 9:30 am start. The wind was blowing at 170
degrees. The course length was 1.0 NM, with a W-L-W-L-W to finish.
We had to do a general recall, as it was impossible to tell which boats
were OCS. A warning signal with the “I” flag was set for the restart,
which means that if you are on the course side of the starting line
or its extension during the last minute before the starting signal,
you would have to sail from the course side of the line around an
extension to the pre-start side before starting. It is best to be near
the pin end or RC boat if caught OCS during the final minute.
That way, you do not have to sail as far if you are close to one of
the ends of the line.
Cover up
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Keel Cover w Rudder Cover w Tiller Cover
Boom Tent Cover w Mast Cover
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Canyon
We got our fifth race started without any problems. All the sailors
really seemed to have a very good time and experience. It was a very
high-wind regatta, but those are the ones you remember. Talk about
parity. There was one point difference between third and seventh
place. Two racers tied for third place with 25 points. Three tied
for fifth place with 26 points. Rob Johnston from Rush Creek was
first, followed by Jeff Progelhof (also from Rush Creek). Our own
Keith Zars took third place, followed by Mark Foster from Corpus
Christi Yacht Club, who is their new Commodore. Congratulations
Mark! Kevin McConnell from the Fort Worth Boat Club was the last
trophy winner. The real winner in the regatta was Michael Lindsey,
who beat the big CA. Way to go Michael! He had plenty of family
members as crew. Keith Zars was all family, as his sons Brian and
Charles crewed. Fred Lindsey had Michael as crew. Bruce Dunn had
his son Scott. Wayne Peacock, our Commodore, had his son Wesley
as crew. A great meal was prepared by Mary Lindsey and Sue Radley,
with helpers Sandra Lindsey, Vanette Christian, Kellie, Mary Holmes
and Mary Bourgeois. Registrations were handled by Sandra Lindsey
and Vanette Christian. Kellie Keith presented a beautiful silver wine
cooler to the winners, with the first place trophy approaching washtub size. The registration gals received magnum-sized champagne.
Mary Lindsey and I received silver wine coolers, and Michael received
a special award. I really believe the out-of-town sailors all had a great
experience and seemed to enjoy LCYC, and they promised to return.
Waterline Systems has just completed a
major refit, fairing and paint job on Santa’s
Sleigh. Santa, like all our customers, has
a serious need for speed.
While Santa was in our shop, he agreed
to deliver J/22 parts in his annual roundthe-world trip.
He looks jolly, but he’s a tough old bird.
He demanded that we slash prices 15% for
the holiday season.
Knowing the list he keeps, we couldn’t
argue. So, until the end of the year, all
J/22 parts are 15% off.
Check your list and head for our
website:
www.waterlinesystems.com/Parts
Have a great holiday, hope to see you at the midwinters
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21
C a l e n d a r
February 18-20
J/22 Midwinter Championship at Davis Island YC,
Tampa, FL
May 16-17
Jackrabbit Regatta at Canandaigua YC,
Canandaigua, NY (www.j-22.windwhisper.org)
June 16-20
J/22 World Championship at Fraglia Vela Riva,
Lake Garda, Italy
June 20-21
Cleveland Race Week One-Design at Edgewater YC,
Cleveland, OH
September 26-27
Lake George Open at the Lake George Club,
Diamond Point, NY
September 29-October 2
J/22 North American Championship at Rush Creek YC,
Heath, TX
October 7-10
Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship
at Rochester YC, Rochester, NY
February 2010
J/22 Midwinter Championship at Southern YC,
New Orleans, LA (exact dates TBA)
September 2010
J/22 North American Championship at Buffalo, YC,
Buffalo, NY (exact dates TBA)
Submit your 2009 regatta
schedule to the Class Office
at j22@roadrunner.com.
22
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