TRUE Wins J/160 Cruise!(Camden, Maine)- Last year's inaugural event was a smashing success! The 2012 Penobscot Bay Rendezvous, August 16-19 once again proved to be one of Maine's most exciting sail and powerboat regattas of the season. Super yachts, to classics to performance racers, passage-making power cruisers, Picnic Boats and lobster yachts all participated. The Penobscot Bay Rendezvous is a celebration of boating, featuring daily races for sailboats and a Poker Run and Photo Pursuit events for powerboats, the participants were treated each night to lobster bakes, barbecues, dancing and fireworks.
Rockland was the center of attention on Friday with the "Texas Flying Legends" airshow starting the event off the Rockland breakwater. Saturday’s destination was Camden Harbor where guests danced the night away to the seven-piece dance band "Groove Authority".
This year was the first ever J/160 North American Championship with five J/160s participating! The underlying premise for the J/160s was keep it simple and keep it fun. They had a one-design start with a simple but modest handicap of six seconds a mile given to the shoal draft boats. #3 jibs and mainsails were the full sail complement so two of the boats were easily handled with one couple sailing double-handed. The competition was spirited with fine 20 knot breezes on Friday, a challenging day of light air on Saturday and a bit more breeze on Sunday. Abundant sunshine, mostly blue skies, lobster pots, seals and the Camden Hills as a back drop made for a glorious sailing experience.
All
participants were treated to fabulous parties, an intimate (50 yards
away) fireworks display, a unforgettable half hour World War II era air
show amongst the fleet pre-start on Friday, live music and of course
great camaraderie.All of the 160s have been down island, Mexico, or across the "Big Ponds" (Pacific or Atlantic). Some skippers were in their second race ever-- and some had more extensive experience. The winner, Howie Hodgson is in his second year with his 160 TRUE, with a custom and elegant interior with three heads, three cabins and a massive nav station - perfect for this long legged Greyhound of a yacht!
The J/160 class order of finish was as follows- 1st TRUE (Howie Hodgson), 2nd ATLANTIC (Ben Blake), 3rd HERON (Jay Pasco-Anderson), 4th SEPTEMBER MORNING (Judy Jellinek) and 5th LADY HAWK (Steve Grigg).
PHRF 2 had a battle royal on Sunday with the J/80, J/29, and two J/100s all tied for first with five points. The J/100 skippers are both retired gentlemen with strong racing backgrounds and competitive juices still running in their veins. The J/29 was sailed by Larry Turner, a former America's Cup bow man who took delivery of his new but well used boat the day before the Rendezvous--- and a very well sailed local J/80 with owner Jesse Henry and Penobscot Bay Wizard and all-time J/24 genius, Jeff Dinse on board. Local knowledge won the day! Jesse's J/80 CHAISE LOUNGE won over Larry's J/29 RENEGADE.
In Double-handed, Tom Babbitt's laid back approach on his J/42 BRAVO (full cockpit cushions and dodger deployed, full bookshelves below, shoal draft, aluminum mast, grill on the stern rail, crew average age in the sixties ) proved victorious with grit on the windy day (refusing to reef with a 155 percent genoa in 20 knots) and intense concentration (for senior citizens) in the tricky light stuff.
Single-Handed saw Scott Miller on his J/122 RESOLUTE, veteran of a couple of short-handed races to Bermuda, take the top prize over Ron Hart on his J/109 for a J-sweep of the top two spots. Sailing photo credits- Billy Black
