Bright sunshine and frigid cold (ok it was in the 60’s but at the scraping the ice off the windows end) was the order of the day. Crews arriving in shorts quickly put on layers of fleece and full foulies to stave of hypothermia.
Out on the racecourse a blustery 17 knots from the N gave a short chop, but the course being near shore by Greys bridge, the waves weren’t a problem.
Jay Hooper was RC and lost no time getting things moving. The three races were such a blur that I was convinced we’d only done two - after getting back to thebar I was then convinced that we’d done 9. Highlights were Erin and Siren in great shape at the top mark with boat after boat taking their transoms; four J’s side-by-side downwind in great breeze, with the inside Soliase gybing acros onto starboard causing much consternation; and much tight racing. Last race lightened up for genoas to be used, and featured a huge set of shifts (thank you from Sadiiqi). Siren led the day with two bullets! Then back to the bar to warm up.

Follow the link from the “Racing” page to see latest results.

A challenging day for a race committee with a light breeze from the East (ish). Easterlies are tricky as they have to wander over Bermuda avoiding mopeds, dumps with mountains of compost, construction sites, the chasm where Trimminghams used to be, and the high speed ferries. After that it has about enough energy left to move a J24 at 3 knots in the wrong direction.
To add interest throw in a start line with a huge pin bias and then a 30 degree windshift. Not enough - well drop a few more coloured marks on the course and watch the 105’s split evenly about which mark to round, closely followed by radio chatter and an ocean full of Fisher Price swing sets.
A loooong day on the water - close racing, banging corners, and in the end staggering into the bar for cold frothing ales and soups.
No idea who won, the good ship Sadiiqi spent the day looking for breeze, sitting in dirt, or sitting in dirt looking for breeze.
Sadiiqi and Solaise each had 2 newcomers each on board - they had fun and are keen to return. Sure beats a day in the office!

The Bermuda Aquarium and Zoo (BAMZ) is pleased to announce at least a dozen new animals at their facilities. These animals are from the new genus Ailurus fulgens bermudiana, otherwise known as Lesser Red Bermudian Panda.
The animals are cute (in some cases), cuddly (in others) and resemble their Asian cousins in the sense that they have red faces with distinctive white circles surrounding their eyes. Where the Lesser Red Bermudian Panda differs from its Asian cousin is with the white stripes extending either side of the head from the eyes back to the ears. Some say this is an evolutionary trait associated with being island-bound, but in reality it is due to wearing sunglasses and not wearing enough suntan lotion on the first day of sailing.

Winds in the mid 20’s were the order of the day as four boats slogged out to the start accompanied by a few IODs, Etchells, and two 105’s. The RC set a course smack in the middle of the sound, so no shelter from a shore then. Marks were laid, and anchors struggled to bite, but in the end the fleets were started for that yacht club favourite - course 2.
In the J’s the newly painted Sadiiqi had a clean start, with Siren, Solaise and New Wave a little line shy. Solaise cleared out right and the other three continued to the left corner. Sadiiq had spotted that we were to sail to the closer of the two marks, unfortunately New Wave and Siren were focussed on the one for the 105’s. A late bear off for the windward mark moved Sadiiqi into the lead from New Wave, and then the downwind fun started. Siren elected to bail as they sailed over to collect a 5th crew member and recommence in race 2 - weight being fairly critical. Solaise hoisted a sideways kite with new sponsor ETTIOLED, which became DELOITTE  when they finally connected it up correctly. New Wave and Sadiiqi were neck and neck down the run, recording boat speeds of 12 knots in the big puffs - gybing was a little frantic on Sadiiqi with only four crew! Lap two and New Wave extended their lead, and at the finish New Wave, Sadiiqi and Solaise. In the midst of the next start racing was literally blown off for the day - gusts of over 30 knots were starting to damage boats, so high speed cruising back to the dock.
Great opener…..

Well done Rikki and the Gripper Team for once again showing the world how to party. When four sailors arrive at a regatta carrying 10 litres of Black Seal Rum each! - the hurting is only a party away.

Bermuda teams are regularly mobbed at these events - “you the Bermuda team? When’s the party?”

Media coverage of the party was extensive, oh and yes the Brazilians won the racing again. So ends the 6th J24 Worlds Dark & Stormy party. Next year Italy!

Saturday March 17th sees one of the major milestones in the annual drinking social calendar in Bermuda. No, I don’t mean St. Patrick’s Day, I mean the first day of the sailing season for the J24 class…

So I hope your drinking arms are as well prepared as your boats - there is a long season ahead …

See you on the water on Saturday …

It’s always a funny time of year this, packages from West Marine and Layline arriving at offices but out of sight of spouses, fellow j24 skippers seen exiting marine suppliers and the sound of power tools in boatyards, orchards and even some gardens. I note Siren and Sliding Bye side by side at RHADC and Solaise is looking shiny with her new topsides and graphics down at Red Hole Boatyard, after a few years of neglect. But where is the black boat? And the owner/skipper is curiously quiet and MIA.
Word on the the street and in de’hood is that the MTV favourites, the “Pimp my ride” team is in town. Certainly, there’s not a drop of gold paint to be had anywhere on the island.  

A spying mission will be launched  tomorrow and your intrepid reporter will find the truth.