J/109 at Garmin Hamble Winter Series

by J109 Assoc on 19 Nov 2008 Races 7 and 8 of the Garmin Hamble Winter Series took place on Sunday 16 November for the J/109 fleet. A start out by RYA Yachtmaster saw a two lap windward/leeward course of laid marks, with a final beat to finish at Hillhead. The boat of the day was Johnny Blue II - Jeff Dakin, Bruce Jubb, Mike Flood - with a 1st and 2nd.

On the first start in 10 knots of breeze, Audajious (David Jobson) and Beth (Guy Knight/Five Star Sailing) led from the line and took the fleet hard right onto Hillhead plateau. Meanwhile J-Dream (David & Kirsty Apthorp) and Jumping Jellyfish (David Richards) chose the middle line to round the windward mark in first and second respectively.

Of the leading pack, J-Dream held the inside lane coming into the mark and rounded just in front of the Class 3 boats which held back Johnny Blue II and Outrajeous. The final beat to the finish saw J-Dream hold onto the lead to cross the line 22 seconds ahead of Johnny Blue II who in turn was 17 seconds ahead of Outrajeous.

Meanwhile J2EAU, Firestorm and Aria had been joined by Just So (David & Mary McGough) with all four boats crossing the line within 14 seconds of each other.

1st – J-Dream (David & Kirsty Apthorp)
2nd – Johnny Blue II (Jeff Dakin, Bruce Jubb, Mike Flood)
3rd – Outrajeous (Richard & Valerie Griffith)

The second race of the day and the PRO was taking no chances and used the Z flag. The majority of the fleet were well-behaved, although 3 boats were OCS, with one, J2EAU (Steve & Jody Maine) failing to return.

Johnny Blue II port tacked the fleet and were never challenged during the two lap windward/leeward race. Offbeat (David McLeman) and Jumping Jellyfish traded tacks on the first windward leg, together with Aria (Luca Rubinelli) and Juno (Tony Dawson). On the first downwind leg, Audajious and Aria moved up through the fleet, to be in a position to challenge Beth at the leeward mark rounding.

The second beat saw Munckenbeck (Alfred Munckenbeck) pass Design Star 2 (Roger & Astrid Phillips) and hold them off for the remainder of the race, crossing the line only 7 seconds apart. Munckenbeck were so delighted with their result, that they had a party on their new shiny J/109 which has been nicknamed by the Race Committee 'the stealth boat' due to its silver hull and sails.

1st - Johnny Blue II (Jeff Dakin, Bruce Jubb, Mike Flood)
2nd - Offbeat (David McLeman)
3rd - Jumping Jellyfish (David Richards)

The boat of the day was Johnny Blue II (Jeff Dakin, Bruce Jubb, Mike Flood) with a 1st and 2nd, with J-Dream (David & Kirsty Apthorp) in second place with a 1st and 4th and Beth (Guy Knight/Five Star Sailing) in third with two 6ths.