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RESULTS for the 2010 J Class NCR:

Hosted by the Chicago R/C Model Yacht Club, the event was held September 25th/26th at Vernon Hills in North Chicago.

Place Skipper Name Sail Hull Points
1 Gerhard Kelter 181 Ranger 22
2 David Brawner 18 Shamrock 24
3 M. Rinehart/G. Mueller 81 Ranger 35
4 Rick West 94 Shamrock 37
5 Jack Wubbe   Ranger 49
6 Rob Hill   Ranger 50
7 Eric Reno   Endeavour II 60
8 Wick Smith   Endeavour II 73
9 ? Garvey   V. Whirlwind 83
10 ? Grimes   V. Whirlwind 86
11 ? Wisner   Shamrock 87
12 ? Grimes   V. Whirlwind 92
13 ? Schulze   V.Whirlwind 103

Thirteen boats makes for a  great event and reinforces that the J Class is growing all over the country.  Chicago's famous winds were present and made the event all the more exciting as skippers were tasked often to the top of the "A" rigs.  50 degree temperatures made for a brisk day with those winds whipping up to almost 20 kts in some cases. John Conley stepped up to act as the R.D. for the event and as always everyone appreciates that job and the difficulties that come with it.  Both of the Endeavour II boats of Wick Smith and Eric Reno both of Detroit were brand new boats, what a way to break in your new model than a National event.  They were sailing and scoring well but there were some new boat problems that gave them more points. At the end of the first days racing it was extremely close between Jack Wubbe, Gerhard Kelter, and Dave Brawner.  Even though Sunday's winds abated somewhat, the damage was done for several boats, and the fleet was dropped from 2 to 1 as fewer boats were able to answer the call.  The Ranger hulls once again proved too strong for the Shamrocks as 2 of the top 3 and 4 of the top 6 went to Ranger.

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the results for the 2009 J Class NCR in Sacramento, CA held October 3-4. 

Hosted by the Elk Grove Model Yacht Club

Place  Skipper Name  Sail Number  Hull Points
1st Rick West 94 Shamrock 26
2nd Bob Eger 45 Endeavour 43
3rd John Hanks 24 Ranger 70
4th Brian Beck   Endeavour II 85
5th Harvey Micklesen   Weetamoe 146
6th Jordan Eger 42 Shamrock V 157
7th Darren Thigpen   Whirlwind 185

2009 NCR Regatta Report

Eight J’s were scheduled to sail in the regatta. One J, Endeavour II, from Tucson, AZ, had to drop out at the last minute due to personal issues.

The course was set up and open for practice on Friday at noon. Five J’s were in attendance for the practice day.

The course was not ideal. The winds were from the north creating a reaching course. The weather reports predicted winds out of the southwest for Saturday and Sunday. This proved not to be the case and the winds remained out of the north for the whole weekend.

The J’s represented in this regatta were: Shamrock V (1930) (2 Boats), Weetamoe (1930), Endeavour (1934), Endeavour II (1937), Whirlwind (1930) and Ranger (1937).

Twenty four heats were run over the two days. The winds at the start of each heat varied from 1.5 to 9.0 with areas of calm all over the course. Even though the course was a reaching course, it was very challenging due to the many wind shifts during each heat.

Due to attrition, four boats were still sailing at the end of racing on Sunday. One retired due to rudder issues and two boats had winch issues. Bob Eger’s Shamrock V created the most entertainment with an on-board fire!! The drive servo on the winch shorted and started a fire. The damage was confined to the servo and the rest of the winch lives to sail another day. The Coast Guard did not respond.

Approximately 60 spectators were on hand for the regatta. People traveled from the Bay Area, Fresno, and British Columbia to watch the J’s in action. Many spectators expressed interest in model sailing and four are interested in building J’s. From a PR standpoint, this regatta was very successful.

This was a great sailing event due much in part to the race committee (Mark, Stephanie, Linda, Barbara, Chris, John, and Mike.). I would like to once again thank the Elk Grove MYC for sponsoring the event. All awards and the site insurance were donated. After food expenses, all profits went to the club treasury.

Robert (Grumpus) Eger

AMYA 3462

Region-6 Director

 

 

 

 

These are the official 2008 Mystic NCR J Class National Championship results.

I have a few pictures posted in the 2008 NCR Gallery, and possibly some video coming as well... so keep checking back.

 

Skipper                 Sail#          Points        Place      Hull

Bruce Walton
2063
18
 1          Ranger
Jarl Wathne
88
24
 2          Shamrock V
Dave Brawner

18
25
 3          Shamrock V
Gary Mueller
81
28
 4          Ranger
Rick West
94
41
 5          Shamrock V
Biff Martin
6
50
 6          Endeavor
Bob Kjellberg
48
60
 7          Shamrock V
Doug Wotring
51
66
 8          Shamrock V
Hal Slentz-Whalen
03
68
 9          Shamrock V
Alan Kew

206
73
10         Endeavor
Bob Sennott
210
89
11         Endeavor
Chuck Luscomb
80
91
12         Yankee
Bob Rodkey
57
92
13         Shamrock V
Darren Thigpin
207
108
14         Whirlwind

Bruce Walton came for the EC-12 event (and did well) and stayed for the J Class event and did better! He learned of the generous offer of Alan Kew to loan out some of his spare boats, and took advantage of the opportunity to turn in an excellent performance. Dave Brawner said the fleet was absolutely unable to catch Ranger on Sunday. Darren Thigpen who just completed his Whirlwind in the San Francisco area flew out to Mystic and borrowed a boat from Alan as well, but radio problems/batteries proved to be an issue.

Speaking with Dave Brawner after the event on the drive home he proclaimed this as the most fun J Class event he had ever attended. Everyone had a great time and the J Class is thriving with many of the attendees being new boats racing for the very first time. The light air conditions at the event and the boats with larger sail plans doing well has caused some skippers with less than 100% rigs to proclaim that there will be some rig adjustments made over the Winter. The rumor is that Sacramento California will be the site of the 2009 NCR. There are quite a few new boats on the West coast with more under construction now, so it should be a great chance to get the West coast involved in some J Class racing.

 

Saturday, August 23:

I had a report from Bob Sennott from home this evening. He made it to Mystic for today only, and left his boat behind for another to sail. He was very complimentary of the event and staff for their organization and efficient operation, and as everyone does, commented on how nice the Mystic venue is for model sailing.

It appears that there are 15 boats entered and sailing. Darren Thigpen would appear to win the prize for coming the furthest distance as he flew in from San Francisco for the event, and is sailing one of Alan Kew's extra boats... a Whirlwind. Bob said they had some bad luck with a battery onboard and it cost Darren his chance to sail today, but that he did get some practice before it failed, and hopefully will have better luck tomorrow. Bob left his Endeavor there as an alternate just in case so Darren should have something to sail tomorrow.

Bob said that he did not have a list of the skippers, or the score sheet, but felt that the scoring was going fairly historical with Dave Brawner most likely on top. Jarl Wathne has his new Shamrock on the water... but I think he is barely edged out for having the newest boat by Bob Rodkey who just finished his Shamrock, or possibly Alan Kew's Whirlwind... as they were both completed only days before the event. Ned Lakeman's Yankee had some radio problems but was sorted out and was out sailing. Bruce Walton competed earlier in the EC-12 Region 1 event, and stayed on to sail Alan Kew's Ranger. 

 

 

Friday, August 22:

Boats were on the water today for practice at the same time as the Star 45's.

Mystic Seaport Hosts Championship Model Yacht Regatta

Mystic, Conn. – Four championship races are planned over the four days of the Model Yacht Regatta on Mystic Seaport’s waterfront from August 21 through 24, 2008. These races will feature radio-controlled (R/C) models from four to eight feet long in an event sanctioned by the American Model Yachting Association (AMYA) with support of the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group (VMYG). This event will mark the renewal of summer-time model yacht regattas at the Seaport.

A total of 60 R/C models and their skippers are expected to compete around race courses in the Mystic River laid-out with marker buoys to facilitate highly-honed racing tactics. These will include models based on well-known classic yacht designs: Star, 12-Meter and J boats, as well as Wheeler models based on ocean racing yacht designs from the 1990s. The Seaport’s fleet of AMYA RC Laser Class models will be available Thursday through Saturday for hands-on sailing so children and adults can experience the sport of model yachting. There will be an exhibit of sailing models to also provide visitors with further insights on the different designs being raced and others that are actively used throughout the country under the sponsorship of the AMYA.

AMYA Wheeler and EC-12 Meter class models will race Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Skippers of America’s Cup J Boat and Star 45 class models have the weekend as their stage to fully display their skills in tightly-competitive national championships. The majestic J designs, dating from the 1930s, are by far the largest AMYA model – up to eight feet long with ten-foot masts. They will take to the water Saturday 9 a.m. to noon and Sunday noon to 3 p.m. Star 45 models, based on the one-design Star yacht, compete on Saturday 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Model yachting as an organized sport in America dates to the 1870s. It started as open-water racing using rowing skiffs and was transformed to free-sail racing from shore in the 1930s using natural and man-made ponds. Today’s R/C racing developed in the 1970s with the advent of miniature R/C components, allowing for model racing on closed courses under the auspices of the AMYA. This has brought the sport to a new height of popularity, given the thrills one can now experience through model racing are similar to those in full-size sailboat competitions. The AMYA has grown to over 200 clubs and 25 model classes, with the VMYG as its special interest group catering to those interested in older sailing designs and their history. More information on these groups and the sport can be found on their web sites: www.ModelYacht.org and www.usvmyg.org

 

 

 

Welcome to the AMYA J Class NCR 2007 in Live Oak, Texas

 

Well.. the J Class NCR has come and gone. It was held October 26-28.  A total of 7 boats made it onto the water and after 2 days sailing the National Championship for 2007 was awarded to Dave Brawner.  There has been a request for the raw scores, and I know that I have them, and will get them posted as soon as I can find them. The finishing order was:

  1. Dave Brawner
  2. Rick West
  3. Bob Kjellberg
  4. Doug Wotring
  5. Bob Eger
  6. John Hanks
  7. Larry Ludwig

The winds were up and down during practice on Friday, and started out reasonable on Saturday morning... but they quickly gathered strength and were testing the upper limits of everyone's "A" rig.  The course was varied to include the usual menu of windward-leeward as well as a triangle course thrown in for variety by the Race Director Ray Seta of the Woodlawn Sailing Club (the head pirate himself)

Protests were handled on the water and were too few to count. Damage and collisions on the other hand were common and every boat sat out atleast one heat except for Dave who managed as usual to make trouble come looking for him... but as with the other skippers.. was not fast enough to catch up to him.

Sunday handed out more of the same with some seasonable winds followed by some breezes with real power behind them. Dave took the lead on the first heat, and was never in doubt of the outcome from then forward. There was however a real fight for the remaining places between Rick, Bob and Doug and they were never more than a few points apart for the remainder of the match. John Hanks and Bob Eger had their own private battle going on which ended with a one point decision in favor of the 5th Shamrock making it complete dominance for that hull.

As this was the first of many firsts for the club, city, class, lake, and attendees, we were extremely pleased and grateful to all that attended to race, watch  or help. The host club RAMYA "Boat Monkeys"  Bill Rebmann and Andrew Forsche were a tremendous help as the boats were launched and retrieved after every 3rd heat, so they were on the spot getting the work done so that everyone else could enjoy the event.

 

 

 

 

Below is just a frame work of information regarding previous J Class NCR events. The class is woefully short of information regarding these events. If you have information that you would care to share as to the events listed or otherwise, please let me know.

Larry@LudwigRCYachts.com

2006 NCR was held in Sturbridge MA, Oct 7-8 of that year.

The attendees in order of finish were:

  1. Dave Brawner
  2. Bob Kjellberg
  3. Hal Slentz-Whalen
  4. Alan Kew
  5. Ned Lakeman
  6. Taylor Kew
  7. John Skerry
  8. Ben Martin
  9. John Snow
  10. Jim Reynard
  11. Tim Mason

 

2005 NCR was held in New Bern, North Carolina November 19,20

I only have partial information available at this time

Hal Slentz-Whalen was the event winner

8 skippers were on hand

 

2004 NCR

 

2003 NCR

 

2002 NCR

  1. Dave Brawner
  2. Bob Kjellberg
  3. Ben Martin
  4. Tom Kellner
  5. Ned Lakeman
  6. John Skerry
  7. Brendon Kellner
  8. John Snow
  9. Brian Kerrigan

2001 NCR

 

2000 NCR

  1. Dave Brawner
  2. Bob Eger
  3. Greg Worth
  4. John Garbarino
  5. John Hanks
  6. Tim Sullivan
  7. John Snow
  8. Jack David
  9. Jim Dolan
  10. Jim Linville
  11. Pete Maxson
  12. Tod Johnstone