News of Madeleine's National's victory reaches the U.S!

http://jboatnews.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/madeleine-crowned-j24-uk-national.html

A great write up on 'J Boat News' about our local J24 National and European Champions, Madeleine!

J24 Parkstone

Whilst I await the results from Yarmouth, Taittinger Champagne Trophy, this is where we stand with regard to the Parkstone Monday evening series.

Unfortunately Vinyl Solutions is still grounded awaiting her new cap shrouds, and my right knee is only slowly mending, so I am not expecting to be out tomorrow either.

Regards

William

mobile tel no. 0782 552 8413

email: william.lack@hotmail.co.uk

Parkstone Monday Summer Series 2015

It is now Friday 24th July, and , unfortunately, an injury to Vinyl Solutions followed by an injury to me (too much Laser sailing in strong winds last weekend) has curtailed our involvement in the J24 Summer Series for a couple of weeks.

Vinyl Solutions is awaiting new cap shrouds but, hopefully, will be back on the water next Monday.

In the meantime best of luck to those taking part in the Taittinger Regatta in Yarmouth this coming weekend. Sorry we couldn't join you but family commitments put paid to that idea.

On Monday 13th July I was pleased to join William Pollock's team on board Flying Colours competing with four other J24s in some quite strong winds. A windward/leeward course made place changes frequent. Crackerjack started the first upwind leg like a train, but gear failure prevented their use of a spinnaker. Andrew Hill and team on board Wijit got away from the fleet on the second downwind leg and never looked back, registering their first win of the season.

Result:

1st 4235  Wijit

2nd 4270  Jolly Roger

3rd 4266 Flying Colours

4th 4263 Jobs for the Buoys

5th 4074  Crackerjack

William  

 

mobile tel no. 0782 552 8413

email: william.lack@hotmail.co.uk

Monday 6th July

First at the start is not as important as first at the finish ! Vinyl Solutions' false dawn was soon quashed as the five other J24s, all carrying genoas in the decreasing breeze, overhauled the initial leader, carrying a smaller jib, before even exiting the harbour! The fierce outgoing tide provided thrills and spills, and plenty of foredeck squeals, on our way to rounding Swash Channel buoy no.2. The spinnaker run return was placid in comparison as the fleet hugged the Training Bank. Flying Colours did well to lead most of the race whilst Jolly Roger swapped places once in a while but could not hold on, so Flying Colours took the final honours.

Result:

1st 4266  Flying Colours

2nd 4270 Jolly Roger

3rd 4265 Madeleine

4th 4263 Jobs for the Buoys

5th 4239 Zaphod

6th 4067 Vinyl Solutions

William 

Parkstone Yacht Club J24 Monday Evening Summer Series
		8th June	15th June	22nd June	29th June	6th July	Points
4270	Jolly Roger	DNC 9	1	2	1	2	15
4263	Jobs for the Buoys	1	3	5	5	4	18
4074	Crackerjack	3	2	4	4	DNC 7	20
4266	Flying Colours	DNC 9	DNC 9	3	2	1	24
4265	Madeleine	DNC 9	DNC 9	1	3	3	25
4239	Zaphod	4	4	7	7	5	27
4235	Wijit	2	DNC 9	DNC 9	6	DNC 7	33
4067	Vinyl Solutions	DNC 9	5	6	8	6	34

Round the Island Race on a J24

It was billed as a Lad's weekend so we weren't going to take the Round the Island Race too seriously; well that depends on what you mean by seriously!

Two of the four owners of J24 Jobs for the Buoys were away, one in Gothenburg welcoming his daughter, and yacht SCA, at the conclusion of the Volvo Round the World Race. The remaining two, Bob and Wade, needed three Likely Lads to join them on a much shorter circumnavigation. So along came Pat, Craig and me, and I was the lucky one to be given the helm, at least for the start.

After a beautiful 4 hour spinnaker run from Poole to Cowes on Friday, it was early to bed and up at 05.30 on Saturday morning.

A gentle breeze was steadily increasing and by start time, 08.20hrs, the gusts were increasing handsomely. A genoa was chosen, and, despite misreading our watches, our start proved to be perfectly acceptable. Ducking and diving, finding lanes and clear air, minimising tacks (it's a marathon, not a sprint!) and just generally trying to avoid the bigger boats, was the order of the day, as we carried the ebb tide down towards the Needles.

We missed the family waving from Hurst Castle whilst endeavouring to get to the faster tide adjacent to the Shingle bank. The Needles were viewed a little too closely for some but that enabled us to put in the shortest port tack before setting off towards St. Catherine's. Leg One complete.

A two sailed reach or a tight spinnaker reach? OK let's go for it. It is a race after all.  A few broaches but many smiles and a few good sleigh rides down the waves ensued, and then a fabulous view of the lighthouse at St. Catherine's, as we bore away from the increasing SW wind. Wind over tide conditions can cause some steep waves, but these can be avoided by staying close in along to Ventnor, so not a difficult decision.  

A pleasant run down to the Bembridge Ledge, drop the spinnaker and turn back into the wind. Initially it would have seemed that a jib would have been a good call, but once Ryde Sands was negotiated, once again ducking and diving to avoid the bigger boys, the breeze eased and only a couple of tacks were necessary before we found ourselves trapped under the hills surrounding Osbourne Bay. In there one can avoid an adverse tide. Steady wind and adverse tide out in the Solent versus flukey breeze and a slack tide in the Bay.

The latter often proves to be the best option and at last, at 16.30hrs, we crossed the finishing line and were looking forward to that first beer, 8hrs 10minutes after our start.

The J24 proves to be a very capable boat in strong wind conditions and Jobs for the Buoys certainly looked after five slightly older gentlemen on a great "Lad's weekend". A couple of beers and an Indian dinner, a perfect recipe for the beginning of a great night out? You might think so, but for us it was bedtime by 9.30!!

We might even pick up a trophy as the other J24s finished a little later than us.

William Lack

Monday 22nd June

A quite blustery NW wind greeted the 7 J 24s to the start line on Monday, with a windward / leeward course between Stanz and NC2 being set. The start of the ebb tide encouraged some to sail into Parkstone Bay immediately after the start, which seemed to pay off. Madeleine and Jolly Roger set the pace with Flying Colours, Crackerjack and Jobs for the Buoys in hot pursuit. However, an audacious tactic by Vinyl Solutions to sail into the Wytch Channel, brought her back into contention.

A long beat against the tide ensued and a second lap, full of mishaps, one lost halliard, one grounding, and a few sandy bumps followed. However Madeleine held on to win with Jolly Roger not far behind. Vinyl Solutions just managed to pip Zaphod at the last !!

Result:

1st Madeleine

2nd Jolly Roger

3rd Flying Colours

4th Crackerjack

5th Jobs for the Buoys

6th Vinyl Solutions

7th Zaphod

William 

mobile tel no. 0782 552 8413

email: william.lack@hotmail.co.uk

Monday 1st June

Congratulations to Jolly Roger. As soon as the N flag was raised on Monday on the Club flagstaff, Roger Morris and his crew were declared winners of the Parkstone Monday evening Spring Series.
The wind was far to gusty, even though the Laser fleet did venture out, no doubt for several dunkings all round.

So the series results which are on the results board read like this:

1st Jolly Roger 6 points, six straight wins!
2nd Madeleine. 16 points
3rd Wijit. 28 points
4th Jobs for the Buoys 31 points
5th Zaphod 32 points
6th Flying Colours 34 points
7th Pheonix 40 points
8th Vinyl Solutions. 46 points
9th Crackerjack. 47 points

Next Monday start of the Summer Series.

William,


Sent from my iPad

Update from Parkstone Monday Evening Spring Series

A very gusty and strong breeze on Monday 18th May left several J24s firmly attached to their pontoon berths, whilst Madeleine, Jolly Roger, Wijt and Pheonix proved to be the brave ones.

The following Monday, the penultimate race evening of the Spring Series, again saw the breeze coming from the NorthWest and, whilst fickle in direction, was gentle enough for six boats to take to the course. What should have been a windward / leeward course around Stakes and Glovers eventually turned into a spinnaker reach and a one sided beat.

Now with only one race tp go in the series Jolly Roger would appear to have an unassailable lead, but a second discard will come into play if the race is run.

Parkstone Yacht Club J24 Monday Evening Spring Series											Total
											including
		6th April	13th April	20th April	27th April	4th May	11th May	18th May	25th May	1st June	1 discard
4270	Jolly Roger	DNC 9	1	O	1	1	1	2	1		7
4265	Madeleine	1	5	N	2	2	2	1	DNC 9		13
4263	Jobs for the Buoys	4	3	R	4	6	4	DNC 9	5		26
4266	Flying Colours	2	7		3	3	3	DNC 9	DNC 9		27
4235	Wijt	DNC 9	DNC 9	S	5	4	6	3	2		29
4239	Zaphod	DNC 9	4	E	6	5	5	DNC 9	3		32
4067	Vinyl Solutions	3	8	U	8	7	8	DNC 9	6		40
4222	Pheonix	DNC 9	6	L	7	8	7	4	DNC 9		41
4074	Crackerjack	DNC 9	2	T	DNC 9	DNC 9	DNC 9	DNC 9	DNC 9		46

William Lack 

mobile tel no. 0782 552 8413

email: william.lack@hotmail.co.uk

Parkstone YC 11th May 2015

A slightly gusty SW breeze, but one of sufficient strength, to allow the Race Officer to set a course out of the harbour. Nine J24s crossed the start line, with me being invited to helm Jobs for the Buoys, in the two David's absence greeting Annie Lush in Newport, Rhode Island, on her Volvo Round the World Yacht Race marathon, on board SCA.
A short beat to No26, a spinnaker run to Glovers, and another after North Haven Beacon, on down to Poole Head off Shore Road and then a beat back to the entrance, a spinnaker hoist before being headed after Brownsea and then a short beat home. There was close sailing throughout with Madeleine, Jolly Roger and Hitchiker sailing around the leeward mark inches apart, followed by Jobs for the Buoys and Flying Colours doing likewise. Vinyl Solutions match-raced Matchmaker from class 1whilst keeping a watchful eye on an ageing and wobbly winch.
The wind shadows off Brownsea caught out Hitchiker with Flying Colours benefiting by squeezing into third place. Jolly Roger, once again, proved too hot to handle. Vinyl Solutions started and finished under the helmspersonship of Jenna and, but for an indifferent spinnaker hoist would have fared much better.

Result:
1st 4270 Jolly Roger
2nd 4265 Madeleine
3rd 4266 Flying Colours
4th 4263 Jobs for the Buoys
5th 4239 Zaphod
6th 4235 Wijit
7th 4222 Pheonix
8th 4067 Vinyl Solutions
DNF 4242 Hitchiker

Unfortunately the race results for 20th April have been voided so the Series Results are as attached.

William

Parkstone J24 Monday evening series 4th May

Jolly Roger romped away again !!  " It's the classy team uniform that makes them go so quickly" according to the team on board Vinyl Solutions.

A couple of tacks into the easterly breeze, as the rain steadily increased in density, took us against a strong incoming tide, along the North Channel. Then spinnakers up before the Royal Motor YC. At the North Haven Beacon the tide took us sideways until the sanctuary of Stoney Island was reached. A tack around Amy Group buoy left some wishing they had achieved a windward drop. We tried but failed miserably and nearly ran the buoy down!  Viscous gusts past Brownsea  almost caused wet feet to windward!! and after running downtide to buoy 28 a beat inshore to the finishing line proved the undoing of some and a few place changes, with Zaphod capitalising on one.

Result:

1st 4270 Jolly Roger

2nd 4265 Madeleine

3rd 4266 Flying Colours

4th 4235 Wijit

5th 4239 Zaphod

6th 4263 Jobs for the Buoys

7th 4067 Vinyl Solutions

8th 4222 Pheonix

I am still awaiting a decision on the result of the race on 20th April to post the series positions

William

Sent from my iPad

Fwd: J24 Parkstone Results

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: William Lack <William.Lack@musto.com>
Date: 3 May 2015 20:48:43 BST
To: "william.lack@hotmail.co.uk" <william.lack@hotmail.co.uk>
Subject: J24

Monday 27th April

Eight J24s came to the start line last Monday in a consistent SW breeze. The race officer chose a windward / leeward course of four laps of Buoy 28 to Northshore Homes to keep the sail handlers on their toes throughout the evening.

Jolly Roger was on top form with Madeleine and Flying Colours leading the chasing pack.
Jobs for the Buoys recovered from an indifferent start to finish fourth, whilst we on Vinyl Solutions need to sharpen up our sail handling skills to compete favourably.

Result
1st Jolly Roger
2nd Madeleine
3rd Flying Colours
4th Jobs for the Buoys
5th Wijt
6th Zaphod
7th Pheonix
8th Vinyl Solutions.

Round four next Monday
William

Sent from my iPad

21st April Parkstone Monday Evening Series

Vinyl Solutions, helmed by a 13 year old, came 3rd! That will do. End of report!!

If only......After a great beat up to Glovers in a very narrow channel with plenty of sand and mud on view throughout Poole harbour, the breeze died and the fleet of eight J24s drifted on an ever increasing flood tide, which diminished the wind strength even more, all the way to Hutchins beyond Poole YC. Pheonix led the way, followed by Flying Colours, Madeleine and Jolly Roger. The beat back proved to be even more testing, with the mud being leant into on several occasions.
Then the controversy......the Race Officer shortened the course to finish to port of Buoy 28, but not everyone heard the change of course and, whilst Pheonix, Flying Colours and Madeleine made their way to finish at the box, the remaining boats went for the shortened course finish.
So Jolly Roger finished first, Jobs for the Buoys second and Vinyl Solutions third whilst Wijt and Zaphod finally gave up the ghost.
So what is the result? Perhaps Pheonix and Jolly Roger could be equal first and so on? Or the result stands as the Race Officer dictates? Or the places at Hutchins could be counted? Or the whole result is canned (hope not! ). I believe a protest is to be heard.
Over to you Race Officer or Fleet Captain.

Result.........?????

William


However

Sent from my iPad

A lovely evening on the water

J24s at Parkstone Mon 13th April

Another beautiful evening with a larger J24 fleet than the previous week; eight boats on the start line but a dying Westerly breeze meant a slow, tricky beat to Hutchins buoy, beyond Poole YC. The fleet spread across the harbour but the first six boats arrived at the windward mark almost at the same time. Jolly Roger led the spinnaker run with Zaphod and Crackerjack close behind.
Crackerjack got the better of Zaphod on the run and after a 180 degree wind shift, the latter was 
"mugged" ( not my word...ed) out of 3rd place by Jobs for the Buoys.

Result:
1st 4270 Jolly Roger
2nd 4074 Crackerjack
3rd  4263 Jobs for the Buoys
4th 4239 Zaphod
5th 4265 Madeleine
6th 4222 Pheonix
7th 4266 Flying Colours
8th 4067 Vinyl Solutions

The series results will be posted on the Club Results board each week.

William Lack

J24 at Parkstone Mon 7th April

Here is the first report of the season from William, and first results:

A beautifully warm evening, a gentle northerly breeze, very little water in the harbour, and a wind direction that made it difficult to achieve a meaningful beat. Four J24s set off despite a little confusion with regard to whether a race was supposed to happen. Northshore Homes was left to starboard and the North Channel was followed until spinnakers could be raised around Bell and on down to a port rounding at Amey Group buoy in South Deep. A strong incoming tide allowed Vinyl Solutions to squeeze past Flying Colours on the subsequent beat whilst Madeleine stayed well out in the lead. Meanwhile Jobs for the Buoys found the ground for too long and never recovered.
Flying Colours took advantage of uncertainty about crossing the start line on a downwind leg, and retook second place from Vinyl Solutions.

Result:
1st Madeleine
2nd Flying Colours
3rd Vinyl Solutions
4th Jobs for the Buoys

J24 - Poole Fleet

Poole J 24 2015

Welcome to the Poole J24 Fleet website, designed for members of the Poole fleet, and others interested in joining or crewing the best one design racing fleet around. 

Class Captain - Duncan Mcarthy - duncan@northshorehomes.co.uk

Vice Captain - Andy Taylor

Social - Sophie Pearson

Website - Nina Squire - ninasquire@me.com


Club racing Season starts

6th April - Parkstone YC 

23rd April - RMYC Start 


Match racing dates 

31st May
5th July
27th September 

J24 UK, 2014 Autumn Cup Report - 28 and 29th October

J24 UK, 2014 Autumn Cup Report

Day 1, Sunday 25th October

A blustery, cloudy forecasted weekend set the scene for a dramatic sailing event in Plymouth Sound. Following just one week after the re-scheduled Spring Cup, there was much expectation from the thirteen entrants to retain or improve places in the absence of Madeleine, the previous week’s winners.

A perfect windward-leeward course was laid inside the breakwater by race officer Neil Dunkley and genoas were rigged for winds measuring around 14 knots. A hotly contested start showed no immediate leader but there was no room for errors given the competitive fleet. Correct tactics, including knowledge of the strong spring tide, allowed Nick McDonald’s team (sailing the Spring Cup’s third placed Cacoon) to cross the line first after a hard fought battle. They were followed by the visiting team of Roger Morris of Jolly Roger from Poole. Third place was earned by Adrian Bennett of Skilled Services. 

With the wind rising, a pre-start incident between guest helm Sophie Pearson of Hitchhiker and local boat Dogs Jorrocks unfortunately lead to the retirement of Torpoint stalwart Steve Wassell and his crew from the event after a single race, but the commotion continued throughout race 2. The hot contest to the windward mark provided enough congestion to cause the scraping and even complete missing of the buoy by numerous boats and the placings shuffled as penalty turns were taken. Those able to gybe quickly benefited at once however and the second lap lead gained by the underweight team of Skilled Services was enough to see them win through, narrowly before the consistent Roger Morris and his Jolly crew. Nick McDonald’s Cacoon completed the first three, ahead of Plymouth’s Jawbreaker and Hijinks.

The now numbering ten starters lined up once more for Race 3, with the lead changing hands several times before the previous event’s runner up Jawbreaker, coolly helmed as always by David Cooper, surged across the finish ahead of the dependable Cacoon. A strong performance from boat-borrowing father Darryl Conyers, who worked his way out of a McDonald sandwich, earned illuminator a deserved third place.

Despite the innocent faces of most helms, Race 4 quite understandably saw the use of the black flag for the first time in the cup. With overnight places at stake, nerves began to show as advantageous positions were thrown away time and time again. There were no clear leaders until the end of the first beat when Stig McDonald’s Jeli made the best tactical choices given the now incoming tide and wind shifts. They held their lead until the end, narrowly followed by Nick McDonald’s Cacoon and the husband and wife team of Austen and Claire Davies on Jam Too who completed the Plymouth Podium. The unshaken Sophie Pearson of Hitchhiker achieved a very notable fourth, but in a change of fortunes, the winners of the previous two races followed all of the other boats across the line.

Day 2, Sunday 26th October

An extra hour’s rest for daylight savings put the sailors in high spirits for the start of day 2, despite the predicted stronger winds and occasional regrets of sangria the night before. After much debate during rigging, 3 genoas ultimately stood out amongst the jibs as controversial choices in the mornings borderline wind conditions. At the start of Race 5, there wasn’t much difference in boat performance given the headsail, but gusts in different sections of the course caused some to suffer slightly more than others. Towards the end of the second beat, it felt like genoa conditions but it was too late because the pirates of Jolly Roger went steaming ahead and looked untouchable. They confidently lead home visitor William Pollock of Flying Colours whose team fought hard for their second place and Darryl Conyers’ Illuminator in third.

With an all genoa start to the penultimate race, a few boats were squeezed out of their lanes and forced to tack to the centre of the course. The port tackers were shortly followed by previous race winners Jolly Roger, although the far left of the beat proved the more popular choice. Another crowded windward mark ( at one point draped in the spinnaker of Skilled Services), left many boats scrambling for clear air in another tight contest, but the early “gybers” once again benefited with the inside line back to the leeward mark at the northern end of Plymouth Sound. At the end of the first run, an inspirational call by ultimate race winner David Cooper allowed the overtaking of four boats to make the first rounding of the leeward mark. A loose cover allowed Jawbreaker to hold onto the lead until the finish, with Jolly Roger, Jeli and Mark Lewers’ Hijinks completing the top four.

Throughout the weekend of some of the least forgiving racing seen by the J24s all year, mistakes by any boat cost dearly. Although the seventh and final two-lap race of the event began smoothly, it was still very challenging given that the race management team said it looked like the closest start of the whole event from their viewpoint on the committee boat. Holding course on starboard at first was favoured by most but tricky tides inside the breakwater made it easy to over stand when nearer the windward mark. Precise handling on both laps ensured local bastion Adrian Bennett’s second win of the event, followed by Jawbreaker and the most consistent boat of the event and overall winners, Jolly Roger.

Our congratulations go to Roger Morris and his outstanding team for their efforts throughout the two days; They truly deserve this victory in Plymouth. It is also noteworthy that both the event winners and runners-up Cacoon included father and son duos, which is undoubtedly an optimistic sign of the continuing development of the class in the UK for years to come. 

Praise must also be given once again to race officer Neil Dunkley who provided us with seven excellent races and indeed to all of his onboard assistants, mark-layers and the administrative staff of the Royal Western Yacht Club.

On behalf of the Plymouth Fleet, I thank all visiting boats for making the journey and hope to see everyone back in the port again next year.

Nick Triscott
GBR 4271
Jawbreaker

Full results of the 2014 Autumn Cup may be found here:
www.halsraceresults.com/crs/crs.aspx?DSKey=1089&SeriesKey=126 

secretary: another promptly delivered race report thanks nick and congratulations to jolly roger.

J24 SPRING CUP PLYMOUTH RWYC 21st October 2014

J24 Spring Cup – 18th 19th October 2014 – RWYC Plymouth.

The Postponed J24 Spring cup and world championship qualifier, disrupted due to adverse weather, looked like it could be in jeopardy again as gusts of 35 knots were recorded in Plymouth sound on Saturday morning, but with the winds due to decrease throughout the day, a one hour delay was all that was needed to get the J24 fleet of 14 out racing.

Experienced race Officer Neil Dunkley (just returned from finishing 19th at the Laser World Master Championships in Hyeres) set an excellent windward leeward course in the 20 knot southerly breeze. Short legs made for close racing and with an emphasis on the start, there was no room for mistakes. The first two races saw the top two places continuously swapped between Madeline and Cacoon, each time Duncan McCarthy in Madeline coming out on top.

Race three with the change of tide, saw a determined Jeli go hard right into the waves and sail an outstanding first beat to then do battle with Madeline for top spot. The swell in the sound started to increase just as the breeze started to fall off, enabling a few genoas to be hoisted at the end of the race with Madeline victorious over Jeli and the ever consistent Jawbreaker holding off Jolly Roger.

Sunday dawned with a solid twenty knots but a forecast for it to rise during the course of the day. Race four produced the start of the weekend with Jam Too, Austin Davies, flying up the first beat, just going to show the depth of talent in the fleet and the benefits to be had when you hold your lane off the start. It took a long time for Jam Too to be caught by Jawbreaker, with David Cooper going hard left out of the tide to squeak in ahead of Jam Too, Jeli and then Madeline for what was eventually their discard.

With the wind starting to build, race five saw a return to the front of the fleet for Madeline and Cacoon, the bullet eventually going to Duncan McCarthy in Madeline to secure the regatta. Third place for the ever consistent Jawbreaker ahead of Jeli and an improving Jolly Roger, sailed by Roger Morris and his pirate crew.

The final race, breeze increasing past 23 knots, provided the opportunity for a port tack cross of the fleet by Madeline only to make their one mistake of the weekend in hitting the top mark. Hitchhiker escaped down the run with trimming speed from Jolly Roger pulling her through to second at the leeward mark. Hitchhiker, helmed by rock star Andrew Taylor dominated the final windward leg, with Madeline, Jolly Roger, and Cacoon fighting for second.

In the end it was Hitchhiker, Madeline, Cacoon and Jolly Roger across the line, but consistency won the race for second overall with Jawbreaker having a solid set of top four results taking ahead by a point from Cacoon carrying a sixth place.

The dominance of Duncan McCarthy and his no mistakes approach to the regatta showed in the final score of six points, from David Cooper in Jawbreaker on fourteen, then Cacoon (Nick McDonald), Jeli (Stig McDonald), Jolly Roger (Roger Morris), Hitchhiker (Andrew Taylor) and Jam Too (Austin Davies)

Johnny Allen

Cacoon – Second Runner Up, Third Place Author
http://www.halsraceresults.com/crs/crs.aspx?DSKey=1089&SeriesKey=44

Class Secretary: Well done Johnny, the new format for 3rd place finisher for writing a report worked well, the greatest of thanks.


Sunday race 5