Introduction
The J-80 sailboat race is one of the most popular keelboats in North America. It’s a one-design boat, which means that all J-80s are made to the same specifications. The class was founded in 2001 and has grown rapidly over the last decade, with over 1,000 boats built worldwide. The J-80 is an ideal family racer because it’s easy to sail, yet still performs well enough for competitive racing at local regattas and international championships. In fact, this year marks the tenth anniversary of the first world championship held by the Yacht Club de Monaco; they’ve hosted every year since then! This month we’ll cover some highlights from each of these events so you’ll know what’s happening with these sailors’ lives at home while they’re sailing around Europe on their boats:
J/80 Class World Championship
The J-80 Class World Championship is an International Regatta for World Sailing’s Club Racing Fleet, organised by the Yacht Club de Monaco. It is held every two years. The 2019 North American Championships will be held at Larchmont Yacht Club in Larchmont, NY from June 1st through June 8th 2019.
An International Regatta for World Sailing’s Club Racing Fleet, organised by the Yacht Club de Monaco
The Yacht Club de Monaco is a yacht club based in Monaco and founded in 1906. It runs the J/80 Class World Championship and the J/80 North American Championship. In 2019, it’s holding the J/80 North American Championships from June 8-10 at Larchmont Yacht Club on Long Island Sound.
The event is open to all sailors who own or charter a J/80 (pronounced “Jay Eight Zero”), which is an international racing class designed to allow fleets of boats that can be sailed by amateur crews with limited skills and experience to race against each other on equal terms. The fleet consists of 930+ boats worldwide; 650+ of those are currently active.
2019 North American Championship
The 2019 North American Championship was held in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands from February 4th through March 2nd. There were 11 divisions with 12 races during this time period. The results are as follows:
- Overall Champion: Nicky Poole on board “Gator”
- J-120 Class Champion: Tom Allen on board “Naughty Kitty”
- J-80 Class Champion: Jim Gannon sailing “Flipper”
North American Championships in Larchmont, NY
The J/80 Class North American Championship, hosted by Larchmont Yacht Club in Larchmont, NY is a great way to see what your boat can do. The event is open to all J/80s and will be held from July 19-22, 2019. This regatta provides an opportunity for sailors of all levels to compete for points and prize money in multiple classes at one venue.
The racing will take place after two days of practice, so you’ll know what works on your boat before the competition begins. The course layout has been designed by US Sailor of the Year Nick Dempsey and follows the same principles that make him successful at international level sailing in small boats: short courses with lots of marks close together so that both tactics and training can play a part in winning races.
The J/80 Class is one of the most popular one-design keelboats in North America, with over 1000 boats worldwide.
The J/80 Class is one of the most popular one-design keelboats in North America, with over 1000 boats worldwide. The J/80 class sailboat is designed to be a fast and exciting singlehanded dinghy suitable for racing or cruising.
The J/80 features a light weight construction with an all fiberglass hull, custom built aluminum spars, and a carbon fiber blade rudder. She has excellent stability at rest and when heeled over, but also shows exceptional performance under sail at much higher wind speeds than many modern day 20 foot catamarans.
Conclusion
The J/80 Class is one of the most popular one-design keelboats in North America, with over 1000 boats worldwide. It is a high performance boat that can be used for racing as well as cruising, and has been around since 1977. The class is managed by ISAF and World Sailing (formerly known as ISAF)
