J/109 UK & Ireland Class Dinner

Over 130 J/109 sailors and their loved ones descended on the Royal Thames Yacht Club on Saturday night for an evening of cocktails, dinner, a few prizes and much dancing.

With the start scheduled for 7:30pm, nobody wanted to be late and teams were seen pinging both port and starboard ends of the bar from 6:30pm. As the gun went, glasses of sparkling wine were scattered liberally amongst the fleet but their progress was impeded by a race course already choc a bloc with Dark ‘n Stormies, Estrella and London Pride.

The first mark was indicated by a loud sound signal from Austra, a member of the organising committee and the fleet proceeded upstairs to dinner where they were subjected to some brief notices before hoisting into the first course of coronation chicken. The breeze gradually built through the starters reaching the bottom end of a 3 as the main course of Sea Bream was delivered to the deck.

But it was not to last and as the lightly building sea breeze met the gradient wind, there was a brief quiet patch which allowed a few prizes to be awarded:

RORC Main Points Series 2018 IRC 3

1. Rob Cotterill, Mojo Risin’
2. Christopher Preston, Jubilee
3. Barry Byrne, Joker II

JOG Inshore Series (Cat 4) Class 4

1. David McGough, Just So
2. Tim Gabriel, Moontiger IV
3. Chris Burleigh, Jybe Talkin’

RTIR IRC

1. Chris & Victoria Preston, Jubilee
2. Rob Stiles, Diamond Jem
3. Mike & Susie Yates, JAGO

J/109 Solent Series

1. Chris Burleigh, Jybe Talkin’
2. Simon Perry, Jiraffe
3. Dave Richards, Jumping Jellyfish

J/109 Season’s Championship

1. Simon Perry, Jiraffe
2. John Smart & Chris Copeland, Jukebox
3. Rob Stiles, Diamond Jem

J/109 Autumn Championships

1. Dave Richards, Jumping Jellyfish
2. Roger Phillips, Designstar 2,
3. Simon Perry, Jiraffe

J/109 Winter Series

1. Simon Perry, Jiraffe
2. Mike and Susie Yates, Jago
3. Rob Cotterill, Mojo Risin’

All the time the sea breeze was gently gaining the upper hand and we were up to a promising 4 with a few headsail changes as many crews descended back towards the bar. Racing continued with an ever more competitive spirit as musical sounds were heard across the waves, gentle at first, but like the sea breeze, building strongly until, by midnight, we were in the face of a full gale with the wise prudently putting in a reef.

Those that failed to reef struggled in the stormy conditions with some being forced to retire early. But many soldiered on the the finish at 1:00pm and we suspect the arrival of dawn gave light to some quite serious damage.

Thank you very much to the Royal Thames Yacht Club for being splendid hosts. Thank you to all who made it for your enthusiastic support. For those that didn’t, we very much hope to run a second edition next year.