15/11/10
The Royal Southampton Yacht Club and the J Class Association are pleased to announce details of the Regatta Programme planned for July 2012. With the possibility of six, or even eight J Class yachts racing, this is expected to be an outstanding regatta, both for the competitors and spectators.
David Pitman, Secretary of the J Class Association, explained: “The Royal Southampton Yacht Club (RSYC) was selected because of the Club’s deep experience of organising and running major racing regattas, it’s great onshore facilities and close historic ties to the J Class fleet. We are delighted RSYC is hosting the 2012 Solent Regatta and are looking forward to spectacular, close racing.”
A three-day competitive round the cans race Series is planned in and around the Solent on 18-20 July 2012, which can be viewed from the many vantage points along the shore and on the water. This Series will culminate with a prizegiving at the RSYC Clubhouse in Ocean Village, Southampton on Friday 20 July.
On Saturday 21 July, the fleet will assemble in the central Solent, again under the flag of the RSYC for the start of the Hundred Guinea Cup - a race around the Isle of Wight over the original course of the America’s Cup in 1851. Clockwise and without a time limit, this time it will include the Nab Tower!
Peter Armitage, Commodore, Royal Southampton Yacht Club, said: “With strong tides and complex navigational decisions, the 2012 Solent Regatta will be a great challenge to the Captains and crews. RSYC is looking forward to running the racing for the largest J Class fleet ever seen on their ‘home waters’ of the Solent and planning is already well under way. We also look forward to welcoming everyone at our Ocean Village Clubhouse – which will boast a fully-staffed media centre – and at our Gins Clubhouse on the Beaulieu River.”
Finding suitable deep-water berthing and appropriate shoreside facilities for such a large fleet is often a challenge. Solent Refit, the new superyacht base on Southampton Water, has been selected as it is ideal and importantly, can berth all the fleet together. For spectators, the yachts can be viewed from the seaward side, together with their many beautiful support vessels.
Allan Foot, Solent Refit, commented: “We are proud to be hosting the J Class fleet during their 2012 Solent Regatta. With more than 280m of deep water berthing just south of Hythe Pier, we are ideally located close to the Solent race areas. A regular shuttle for competitors between our base and RSYC in Ocean Village is also planned."
HISTORY
“The 1930s era saw the birth of the Js - one of the greatest sailing Classes ever created”
Just 10 yachts were constructed, six in the USA and four in England. There were other designs produced but not built. During this period there were never more than four J yachts racing together. Only three originals survived the Second World War - Shamrock V, Endeavour and Velsheda. They rested and rotted in mud berths, until their rebuild and rebirth as 21st Century racing superyachts.
With the formation of the J Class Association (JCA) in 2000, the possibility existed for replicas from history to be built and race again. New yachts have been launched and some are under construction. Most of these projects are expected to be completed by 2012, creating a fleet of the biggest, finest racing yachts the world has ever seen. Rainbow is expected to launch in 2011 and could line up against Endeavour, repeating the historic races for the America’s Cup of 1934.
Southampton, Shamrock Quay, the Hamble River, Gosport, Cowes and the Solent all feature prominently in the rich history of this Class.
ABOUT THE YACHTS
“No other class requires a crew 30 plus experienced sailors, handling more than 10,000 square feet of sail, driving a 200 ton hull at 16 knots around the course” In the 1930s they were the ultimate racing yachts. Now, with advanced rigging, hydraulics, carbon masts, composite ropes and electronic navigation systems, the new Js still represent the most demanding yachts in the world. Sailors just off TP52s, Volvo and America’s Cup yachts declare their awe at the power, loadings, size, skill and management required to race these monsters, which are around 40 metres (140 feet) long and have a draft of 5 metres (16 feet).
Changing a genoa on a downwind leg takes 10 minutes and commits almost all the crew to lift and reposition sails, making every tactical decision critical. Yet these yachts are incredibly manoeuverable, making them probably the ultimate racing yacht. And with no guard rails, spectacular to watch.
THE SOLENT “Probably the best known base for yachting in the world and the start of the America’s Cup”
The Solent was “home waters” of British J Class racing during the 1930s due to the varied weather and challenging tidal conditions. There will be several races but The Hundred Guinea Cup Race is the one race that probably best captures the true spirit of the J Class, testing the crew and navigational skills of each yacht.
The race is based on the 1851 course, clockwise around the Isle of Wight, over approximately 75 miles.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The Royal Southampton Yacht Club is one of the oldest established in the country, receiving its Royal Charter in 1875.
In 1885 a new and imposing Clubhouse was developed in the city’s Above Bar and remained until 1957 when the Club moved to Northlands Road , opposite the County Cricket Ground. In 1964, Gins Clubhouse, on the banks of the Beaulieu River , was built as a most welcome adjunct to the main Club building. In 1988 the Club moved from Northlands Road to the current purpose-built premises overlooking the marina in Ocean Village.
This modern clubhouse still maintains links with the past. The mahogany entrance doors came from the Northlands Road premises, whilst a carved armchair which stands in the foyer was presented to the Club in 1866, having been made from 600 year old timbers taken from the old Southampton Guildhall. Other traditional links in a high standard of quality, service and professionalism, also remain.
RSYC runs annual Frostbite; Spring and Winter Series racing for five IRC and Club classes, including multihull. The Club is also the home of the Double Handed Sailing Series, which was founded by Club Member Neil Cox 30 years ago. Each year the Double Handed Series proves a real test for short handed racers, who compete in an Inshore and Offshore Series, and a challenging Round the Island race.
As well as managing the Club’s own racing programme, members of the RSYC race management team help run the racing during the first three days of Cowes Week each year as part of the Triumverate with Royal London YC and Royal Thames YC. RSYC’s David Giddings was PRO for the first three days of Cowes Week 2010, a position he will also hold in 2011.
The calibre of our race officers is widely recognised and in addition to helping at Cowes Week, RSYC race management team members are regularly involved in RYA and international events.
ISAF International Race Officer and RSYC member, Robert Lamb has been nominated as Course Race Officer for the RS:Xs at the Olympic Test Event in 2011 at Weymouth. Rob and his team, which includes nine other RSYC members, among them Mike Garvey the current Captain of Racing, have been working towards this nomination for several years and have been on the water successfully running major events for many different classes in order to develop their skills to the full. With Rob, RSYC again ran the RS:X course at the Scandia Sail for Gold Regatta in Weymouth this year, one of the seven events that comprise the ISAF Sailing World Cup. Other events managed by members of this team in 2010 include the Laser Master Worlds in Hayling, Dart 18 Worlds at Weymouth, Edinburgh Cup at Cowes and Finn Nationals at Pwllheli.
website: http://www.jclassyachts.com