The near perfect week ended with an exciting
finish in which the regatta was decided by less than half a boatlength and a single point.
Friday's wind was a little stronger than was seen during the week, with 12-14 knots of breeze
from 140 degrees. The RC set another "L" course at 2.0 miles to get the fleet home early to
pack up. The first beat saw PLUM CRAZY and ECLIPSE fighting for the leeward end with ECLIPSE
taking the leeward position and PLUM eventually getting the edge by powering by to weather.
TERN V found a good position in the middle of the line. PLUM and TERN led a closely spaced
pack around the first weather mark. At the leeward mark, they went off to the left while FLAME
decided to go right for more breeze, which they found. The last downwind leg was a classic
with PLUM needing to catch FLAME while staying ahead of TERN for a tiebreak victory. It was not
to be. PLUM was a third of a boatlength behind at the finish. Jim Doane's FLAME
claimed their first victory and moved up from fourth to third after a bad Thursday. Andy
Skibo claimed second for the day and second for the regatta, having a 14 on Monday after
accepting an I-flag penalty. Robert Johnstone's TERN V won no races, but was always in single
digits to win the regatta. Damian Emery's ECLIPSE had a couple of bad races along with their two
bullets, second, and two thirds, for fourth. Harris/Baggett's chartered HEART THROB performed
very well during the week to earn fifth.
It was a very successful Race Week. Very little in the way of damage and good breeze every
day of the week. Make you plans for next year now!
No more tomorrow :-(.
The wind shifted today to the southeast which sent the boats further offshore. The RC again ran two "L" courses in conditions which saw about 8-10 knots of breeze. At the end of the day it was ECLIPSE (Damian Emery's boat with four owners aboard) that won daily honors and the regatta went into the final day with three points separating the top three boats. In the first race, ECLIPSE started late at the boat end and went right into the persistent righty. They led after the first two marks, but on the third beat Robert Johnstone in TERN V found a left shift in the center and pulled out ahead. They forced ECLIPSE past the layline and allowed Andy Skibo's PLUM CRAZY to beat them both to the weather mark. Andy held off both for his third win of the regatta with TERN second and ECLIPSE third. In the second race ECLIPSE wanted the right again and led MASQUERADE off to the right. The Harris/Baggett HEART THROB team took the middle and established an early lead at the top. At the end of the first run they still led, but ECLIPSE passed them on the second beat and held them off on the final downwind leg. It was ECLIPSE, HEART THROB, and TERN V at the end. After three days the top five are TERN V 30; PLUM CRAZY 33; ECLIPSE 33; FLAME 38; HEART THROB 43. More tomorrow.
Today was our light air day. It was sunny and beautiful. Winds still from the northeast, but at about 5-7 knots this time. The RC set the "L" course at 1.5 miles. The fleet got off clean and MASQUERADE got off smartly in the middle. ECLIPSE took the leeward end and went left. At the top mark, however, it was HEART THROB that found the secret by going furthest left. By the second top mark it was HEARTTHROB, MASQUERADE, PLUM, and ECLIPSE, but ECLIPSE passed two boats and MASQUERADE lost three with BABE slipping in for fourth. FLAME and TERN V were further back today and the standings tightened considerably. The RC decided that they would wait for better breeze tomorrow and did not hold a second race. If a protest against MASQUERADE is held up they will fall out of the top four with ECLIPSE taking their place. After three days the top five are FLAME 20; TERN V 25; PLUM CRAZY 26; ECLIPSE 29; HEART THROB 33. More tomorrow.
We had a little more variety today. Racing started in a small squall where the wind blew 15 knots, but then the wind calmed down to the forecast 10 knots. It was again out of the northeast and the race committee set two more "L" courses. In the first race MASQUERADE moved out smartly and never looked back. In the second race, PLUM CRAZY ruled the roost. FLAME and TERN continued to be the most consistent of the fleet. By the end of the day, the sun was shining once again. At the end of the day (and the halfway point of the regatta) those four had secured the top four slots at the halfway point of the regatta. More tomorrow.
We had a nearly perfect race day today. Winds were in the 8-11 knot range from the Northeast with little wave action. The sun was shining and the dolphins were sailing alongside the boats. The race committee ran two "L" courses (double sausages) and the large Melges 24 fleet got started ahead of us without any general recalls. In the first race, the boats that went left toward the Northwest picked up the incoming current and more wind and got the early lead. Among the leaders were ECLIPSE, WET LEOPARD, HEART THROB, and FLAME. The second race started in a marked right shift with the oscillations or around 20 degrees. Among the boats at the top of the fleet in this race were MASQUERADE, PLUM CRAZY, FLAME, and TERN V. At "press time" there were still some protests pending and the results of the second race were not final. See the premiere-racing.com for complete results. More tomorrow.
We had a nearly perfect practice day today. Winds were in the 8-10 knot range from the North. Most of the boats were out practicing and tuning. I was aboard ECLIPSE and we saw TERN V, OUT OF OPTIONS, CYAN, HEART THROB, C-JEM, HAZE II, and WET LEOPARD among others. The only casualty that I heard about was that the HOSS team was stranded in Texas when their flight was cancelled. But they were expected to arrive tonight and good ole Blake got stuck with putting the boat together and getting it in the water for the rest of the crew. The floatlines appeared on nearly all the boats with little hassle for the owners. More tomorrow.
1) To all competitors: If you happen to be in Key West on Sat., Jan.13th prior to the J/105 participants' meeting at 4:30 p.m., you can pick up your bow stickers from Premiere Racing Saturday afternoon. Registration starts on Sunday only.
2) All J/105 KWRW 2001 participants will place fore and aft floatmarks on their boats prior to the start of racing on Monday, Jan.15th. The details for the placement of floatmarks is shown on the diagram here. If assistance is needed prior to launching in Key West, please call Don Priestly at 508-776-0023 or Bob Taylor at 203-710-2475 or Nelson Weiderman at 401-965-8634. A template for applying the marks is available and it takes less than 15 minutes to do. The National Executive Committee would like to see 100% compliance with the application of floatmarks at Key West Race Week and will assist any boat competing with establishing a satisfactory floatation level. The draft procedures for achieving the correct sink HAVE NOT been approved, but you can read the draft here. For Key West, owners may use their discretion for locating weight in the boat. Owners are asked to have their floatation lines touching the water when the boat is at the dock with all gear and sails (excluding crew, personal gear and food) is stowed aboard. Competing boats will not be subject to protest from other J/105 competitors during the week with regards to floatmark discrepancies. Rather, competitors will be assisted in equalizing sink if needed!
The floatmark process has to start somewhere and placing the marks is easily done. Achieving fair competition for all will be done in the best spirit of the J/105 class.
3) Premiere Racing has announced the schedule of Panel Discussions and Seminars to take place during KWRW 2001. While all of them can be informative, for the J/105 competitors, the Panel Discussion on Monday, Jan.15th, starting at 5:15 PM, in the Big Regatta Tent, will feature several prominent members of the J/105 & J/80 classes. Panel members will include Jeff Johnstone, Will Keyworth, Jay Lutz, Chris Perkins, Andy Skibo, Jim Doane, Seadon Wijsen, and Bob Taylor. Make it a point to listen in after the first full day of racing and catch "Boat Speed-Tune and Trim to Win"!!!!
-- Bob Taylor J/105 Class Coordinator
The scratch sheet has been posted for Key West Race Week's 2001 version of this great southern classic. All participants should read through the posted information to make sure the details are correct regarding boatname's, sail #'s, etc. The Sailing Instructions have been posted as well, so it's not too early to give them a once over. The pre-regatta gathering for the J/105 fleet owners, owner's reps, designated crew persons, etc. will be at the Half-Shell Raw Bar, at 4:30 PM, Saturday, Jan.13th, located just a 100 yds. from the regatta tent. This will be an informal gathering and is not mandatory to attend. It will serve as a general informational meeting regarding the regatta, the planned regatta schedule, introductions of the attending owners, and chance to greet old friends. REMINDER: Please send in your crew and sail declaration forms prior to this meeting, if not, plan on bringing them to this meeting fully filled out....thanks.
-- Bob Taylor J/105 Class Coordinator
Hello J/105ers,
As the entry deadline approaches for KWRW 2001, if you haven't already submitted your entry form , do so NOW....it's not too late and you can still enter, but the fee rises in a few days......if you're going and haven't made dockage reservations, that's probably more important than getting the entry in...again do it NOW.......our fleet numbers continue a slow and steady rise, with 24 names on my list (see updated list below).....it should be a great time in KW!! Keep checking the Premiere Racing site for any updates regarding the scheduling of registration or other shoreside events. The afternoon Panel Discussions can be quite informative and the ones early on can clue you in as to what to expect while racing in KW waters.
A downtown location near the Regatta Headquarters is nearly secured for our pre-regatta welcome get-together. The date will be Sat., Jan.13th at 4:30 PM..location to be announced with the next Advisory.Nelson is expecting an influx of crew declaration forms over the next few weeks, so if your's isn't in yet, get it to him..thanks...
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me (RTaylor985@aol.com) or Nelson (nhw@sei.cmu.edu)..Also, if there is enough interest in having a J/105 Performance Clinic Panel Discussion for our fleet possibly on Sunday morning, I will attempt to set that up as well (let me know)....don't forget to pack the sunblock...
-- Bob Taylor J/105CC
N.B. I know it says that the crew and sail declarations are due on January 14, but I will be leaving for Key West on January 10, so please fax them to me by January 9 or hand them to me at the meeting on Saturday January 13. Here are some forms you can use. Crew Declaration. Sail Declaration. Thanks.
You can find the Format information by clicking here.
-- Nelson
Hello J/105 Class Members,
With just a little over 60 days left prior to the start of the "Super Bowl of Sailing", this is the first in a series of periodic updates counting down to Premiere Racing's Key West Race Week 2001. I will have another update out at the 30 day countdown mark and then weekly after that if need be. Any "News Flashes" from Premiere Racing will be pasted along immediately here on the J/105 website.
1. Dates & Format: The official regatta dates for KWRW 2001 are Jan.15-19th, 2001. Most of the race days will have a two race/day format, weather permitting. Traditionally at Key West, Friday and one other day will have one race only, with eight races planned. Courses will be windward-leeward, with leeward gates, stand-off marks at the weather mark. The starting line may have a mid-line boat depending on the final J/105 fleet count, but more than likely, expect to see a mid-line boat. I have been in touch with Premiere Racing emphasizing the J/105's preference for order in any circle's starting sequence. Currently 3 racing circles are being planned.
2. Notice of Race and Entry Forms: If you haven't received these documents to date, please go to the official regatta website at www.Premiere-Racing.com. Note the NOR may be amended up until December 5th, and the entry deadline is December 8th, after which a $200 late fee applies. The on-time entry fee for our J/105s is $500.
3. Dockage: You have several choices here and they extend from Stock Island with Peninsular Marine, Oceanside Marina, or Robbie's Marina. Peninsular offers a low-cost raft-up, Oceanside has individual slips and Robbie's is very limited raft-up. Downtown Key West dockage is focused in the Key West Bight, where there is limited dockage, slip space, and 2 boat raft-ups. Best to call, fax , or e-mail Mark Tait at the Historic Seaport Marina NOW if you're thinking of being close to the event headquarters. tel-305-296-3838,,,fax 305-293-8369 e-mail kwcbit@aol.com. Before leaving the event, if you're thinking of returning in 2002, you should make your reservation at that time. I urge you to make your arrangements now for Jan.2001 regardless of where your preference is.
4. Accomodation and Travel: Book it NOW, housing is tight already but can still be found with a thorough search with the help of local KW realtors. The Premiere Racing website has several links to aid you in your search. Locations in Old Town are ideal as you can walk to just about everything associated with the regatta, especially if you have your dockage in the Bight. If you have a car in Old Town, parking can be a problem during Race Week. There is a new parking garage across from the Conch Harbor area on Louisa Street. Book your flights now as well, as the shuttles needed to connect from Miami and Orlando or Tampa fill up fast. If the shuttles are booked, you can fly into Ft. Lauderdale, or Miami and rent a car. Plan on a 3 hour drive to Key West, usually lots of traffic, tag sales on Saturday, on the two-lanes leading to the Conch Repulblic. If you haven't done this road-trip before, it can be quite beautiful going over the long bridges leading south.
5. Commissioning: A couple of options here prior to Race Week. On Stock Island, Robbie's and Peninsular are the only choices. If you're bringing in your boat the last minute, Peninsular is probably your best bet. There's usually a launching list and a wait, but for the do it yourselfers, this is an inexpensive alternative. Robbie's offers pre-regatta boat storage well in advance of the regatta, as the first J/105 is due there on Nov.13th. The boats can be set up several days in advance of launching and launching has been orderly in the past. Within one week of the regatta, the downtown launch sites become available, the more experienced yard run by Fast Track USA (in Key West Bight) www.FastTrackUSA.com and the new provider, North Atlantic Marine (in Navy Basin/Truman Annex) www.N-A-Marine.com. These spots can be a little crowded and hectic and for boats with their own trailers only.
6. Registration: This process is scheduled for Sunday, Jan.14th from 1-5PM, but in the past they have done some registration on Saturday as well. Subsequent advisories will alert you to this, but if you're near event headquarters in Key West on Saturday afternoon, ask any Premiere Racing staffer. The J/105s will have no weigh-in, but crew declaration forms are to be submitted in advance. See elsewhere on our website for the KW format.
7. Class Pre-Regatta Meeting: I'm in the process of scheduling this now, most likely the Saturday, Jan.13th, late afternoon at a yet to be determined locale. It was nice this past Key West to introduce most of the participants and review the format. It was well attended and got things off to a good start. Stay tuned...
8. J/105 Weeknight Gatherings: These haven't even appeared on the radar screen just yet, but there usually have been at least 2 or 3 during the week hosted by one owner or another. If you're one of the entries, please contact me and we can schedule a weeknight and time at your place and make it known to the others.
9. Current list of those intending to go: Please contact me if you're going and not on this list, so that I can update at the next posting or sooner. It will also allow the event organizer to fine-tune our racing circle position and preferences.
Wet Paint---------------Don Priestley
(RI)
Masquerade----------Tom Coates (CA)
Phantom----------------Jim Best (MI)
Patricia Ann-----------Ken Mather (PA)
VALE---------------------P. Talbot Wilson (FL)
Absolutely--------------Rick Wieters (SC)
Attitude-----------------Geoff
A. Moore (MI)
C-Jem-------------------C.J. Ruffing (MI)
Odyssey---------------Dimitrios Spentzos (NY)
Out of Options------Doug Berman (CA)
CYAN-------------------Chris Groobey/Steve Olinger (MD)
HOSS-------------------GlenDarden/Rich Hillard (TX)
Tern V------------------Bob Johnstone (SC)
Curragh----------------Peter Tuite (SC/NY)
Wet Leopard--------Jim Sorensen (NY)
Plum Crazy-----------Andy Skibo (NJ)
Wonder Wagon----Brian Tedeschi (MA)
Eclipse-----------------Damian Emery (NY), John Coffey (CT), Nelson Weiderman
(RI), Tom Rolfes (OH)
HeartThrob-----------Harris (NC)
Flame-------------------Jim Doane (FL)
Cayuse----------------Hal Haltom (TX)
Babe--------------------Malcolm Brenner
(TX)
Haze II-----------------Dick Starita
(FL)
Southern Crescent---Dan Kerkhoff (FL)
Slam Dunk-------------Eivind Astrup, Oslo (NOR)
There are several others pondering the trek to the southernmost point, so this list is due for additions in the weeks to come. Bob J/105 CC
