Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Annapolis Boat Show Preview

J/70 sailing big boat series(Annapolis, MD)- With fall now officially upon us, having just passed the Autumnal Equinox on Tuesday, it’s high time to get your ducks in a row with family and friends and march on down to the US Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, running from October 9th to 13th along the downtown City Docks.

There will an exciting range of J’s on display at the traditional J/Boats location directly facing the Marriot Hotel & Pusser’s Rum Bar.  Featured will be the International J/70 One-design, the world’s fastest growing sportboat and keelboat class ever since the famous J/24! Learn more about the fun-times everyone had at the J/70 World Championship in Newport from many of the world’s top sailmakers that will be on-hand from North Sails, Quantum Sails, Doyle Sails and Ullman Sails, to name a few.

J88 sailing fast downwindThe “big brother” to the J/70 is the J/88 family speedster.  And, this boat is proving to be a rocketship, having sailed major events on virtually every coast (West, Gulf, Great Lakes, Chesapeake and East Coasts) and won or placed in various major offshore events.  Easy-to-handle by a family crew, goes like the greased lightning off-the-wind, stiff, stable and with a comfy weekending interior, it’s an awfully hard combination to beat. Plus, the simple “single-point lift” on a standard yacht club hoist (and simple, hinge-up ultra-light carbon mast) means you can trailer behind a mid-size SUV anywhere in the world.  In fact, Rich Stearns from Chicago calls it “my perfect boat!”  Find out more from Rich why he thinks so at the Annapolis Show.

J/95 shoal draft performance cruiser day sailorNext in line is the J/95, the quintessential all-around shoal-draft, performance cruising boat.  Perhaps one of the most versatile boats to ever come out of the J/Design office, the J/95 draws just “waist-deep” water, only 3.25 feet, enabling sailors to daysail/ cruise anywhere in Florida, the Bahamas, the Chesapeake or shoal bays in Maine or lakes in the Midwest!  Plus, it’s perhaps one of the most amazing “camper/ cruisers” you can buy!  Throw it behind a truck and take it anywhere for your vacation needs— a portable “caravan” that can sail anywhere with that legendary J/Performance!  Imagine this, sail all of America’s most awesome lakes, at least one per state. That’s the challenge, anyone ready to take it?

J/111 sailing upwind at WorldsHaving just experienced the inaugural J/111 World Championship in Cowes, England, the J/111 class continues to experience solid class growth in some of the world’s hot spots for offshore and buoy racing.  With growing fleets in Europe (UK, France, Benelux) and in the Americas (the Great Lakes, San Francisco/ West Coast, Northeast (Chesapeake to Boston)) and an upcoming 2015 J/111 Worlds in Newport, RI from June 17-21, interest is high for both one-design and offshore racing.  In fact, J/111s are expecting a one-design class start at Quantum Key West Race Week this coming January 2015!   For more US Sailboat Show information.