Monday, November 14, 2016

2017 J/70 Winter Circuit Update

J/70s sailing Worlds(Newport, RI)- The J/70 class continues its amazing momentum across several continents.  The J/70 South American Championship is expecting nearly two dozen boats in Algarrobo, Chile.  The advent of a new J/70 builder in Buenos Aires, Argentina is fueling that growth in South America.

Meanwhile, the 2017 winter circuit for J/70s in North America is ramping up with strong interest in all major events that range from December 2016 to May 2017!

Quantum J/70 Winter Series
For starters, the Quantum J/70 Winter Series will again be taking place in Tampa, FL and hosted by the Davis Island YC.  The same deal that was provided by DIYC will again be offered to J/70 sailors- on a first come/ first served basis, J/70 sailors may leave their boats at DIYC for the three events!  The schedule is as follows- December 10-11, then January 7-8 and the finale is February 4-5.  That means J/70 teams can sail just about all winter in Florida!  Register today here at Davis Island YC!

Quantum Key West Race Week
In between the Tampa events, a number of teams will also be participating in the Quantum Key West Race Week, hosted by Storm Trysail Club in Key West, Florida.  That regatta will take place from January 15th to 23rd, with boats having the option to dry-sail out of the Truman Annex or park in the harbor at the Galleon Marina.  If there was ever a destination event that is worthwhile to sail in spectacular Caribbean-type tradewinds and sunny skies- this one is it!  You can register now for Key West Race Week and enjoy a nice discount too.

J/70 Midwinters
After the Quantum Key West and the Winter Series, the J/70 Midwinters will be hosted by St Petersburg YC in St Petersburg, FL on Tampa Bay- an easy “commute” for those boats that have sailed at Davis Island YC.  The Midwinters will be run from February 23rd to 26th.  Register here for the J/70 Midwinters regatta!

Bacardi Miami Sailing Week
Next on the agenda in March is the very popular Bacardi Miami Sailing Week- co-hosted by the three famous sailing clubs on Biscayne Bay- Coral Reef YC, Biscayne Bay YC and Coconut Grove Sailing Club.  The “Bacardi” takes place from March 9th to 11th.  The J/70 class is again invited to participate and sail on their own circle!  By March, spring sailing conditions on the Bay are nearly perfect- 70s during the day, sunny, with seabreezes that often build to 10-15 kts by mid-afternoon!  You can register here for Bacardi Miami Sailing Week!

Charleston Race Week
While “April showers may bring May flowers” in New England, it’s still sunny and warm in the Deep South and there is no better way to spend a lovely weekend in April than to visit “the Belle of the South”- Charleston, SC.  Charleston Race Week will take place from April 20th to 23rd.  J/70 sailors seemingly keep setting records for this incredibly popular event.  For the last two years running, nearly 80 boats have showed up to test their skills criss-crossing sand bars, 2-3 kt currents, and 20-30 deg shifts.  Charleston is a rather unique sailing venue- a mix of lake sailing and river sailing all rolled into one.  Plus, the social activities are second-to-none on the beach at the Charleston Harbor Inn & Marina- the regatta HQ!  You can register here for Charleston Race Week- Charleston, SC.

Helly Hansen Annapolis NOOD Regatta
Finally, what better way to round out the spring sailing season than to close it with spectacularly fun sailing on Chesapeake Bay.    By then, the famous “cherry blossoms” are in full-bloom all across the Washington, DC region and along all the streets in Annapolis.  The mid-Atlantic climate is famous for this naturally occurring spectacle, plus you can take in a bit of history with all the museums in DC!  What is the occasion?  It’s the famous Helly Hansen Annapolis NOOD Regatta in Annapolis, MD!  From May 5th to 7th, the Annapolis YC and their clubs (Eastport YC and Severn Sailing Association) roll out the red carpet for all kinds of J/sailors! You can register for the Annapolis NOOD Regatta here!
For more J/70 information