in the cutthroat world of Rolex TP52 World Championship sailing, where every point is hard earned and every mistake amplified, American Magic Quantum Racing clinched its eighth world title by the narrowest of margins. The elite 52 circuit demands a meticulous and disciplined approach, and for Terry Hutchinson, the team’s longtime skipper, success came through both human capital and a continuous evolution of the team’s boat and sails. On the waters off Cascais, there was a measurable but delicate balance of aggression and control that reflects the team’s ongoing transition to a younger, dynamic squad. There’s a “meat and potatoes” philosophy that underpins their success, even when the “red mist” descends. The boss shares his thoughts.

How do you approach this series every year to make sure you have the complete package?

To succeed, the first area we start is with the team, and specifically with the people, because the people are our number one asset. So, when we consider success on the racecourse, we have to look at the whole program. We set a disciplined strategy based around our people and what’s executable. It’s one thing to say, “we want to win this regatta,” but it’s more important to ask how we’re going to win the regatta. Tell me what’s going to separate our team from the others, and what’s going to help us win this regatta. So, as a team, we’re always thinking about the people, the boat, the sails and the equipment.

How far out of a world championship of this caliber does that need to happen?

At the end of the 2024 season, Cascais (Portugal) was announced as the venue for the world championship. Straight away, we knew it was going to be a reasonably windy venue. And inside the 52 class rule we have variations of sails that we can use or not. This was the first world championship that I’ve raced with a J3-plus, which is a sail that’s in between a J4 and a heavy. That was a difference maker, but it was something that we identified that we needed to have, at least in our sail program, have the option to put a button on it, if we wanted it.

So, there’s one area of development. There was also the A2-plus, which is stronger than the A2, but not as heavy as the A4. The structure inside that sail is slightly different, and the sail was pretty good down-range in 17 knots of wind, but very good in 23 knots without the risk of breaking. So that was another sail evolution that takes time. 

Those are a couple examples of the sail development side of things that we considered to make sure that we gave ourselves the best chance at this event. It’s about reliability in the racing and reliability in the team. We’re a small team, so we’re sailing with an extra person on board, which is great. It makes the weigh-ins really hard, but that extra set of hands when it’s really windy is pure performance.

How essential was it to have that extra person?

By the time the regatta starts, all the teams would be overweight, but we’re carrying an extra person on board so we’re providing a little bit more hiking stability. And so, in a windy venue, and on these boats, you hike harder downwind than you do upwind, because there’s just so much to gain in performance. Where you see it on our boat going around the racetrack is everybody giving 110 percent in the hiking, so the performance there is awesome. It’s a measurable gain.

Teams push their boats and themselves so hard at these events, especially in the big breeze you had. How do you balance that part of it knowing there’s no room to hold back? 

We had very good boathandling, and the reliability of our equipment and our boat comes out of that. We broke a lot of stuff, but we got exactly what we deserved by being too aggressive at times. 

Is there one example that best demonstrates this?

One example is when we got into a tussle with the French at a top mark. We came around the mark, and the call was to do an “Indian,” which is basically a hoist and a jibe. The whole maneuver happens simultaneously. But we were on a J4 and it was 26 knots of breeze, and it was too windy, and I had a little bit too much red mist from the situation that we had just been in. I wasn’t thinking clearly and we went for the maneuver with some of the team members out of position. I’m responsible for taking up the new runner, and the new runner got trapped on the leeward side of the boom. The spinnaker went up inside the jib, and the turn was a little bit too fast, so the spinnaker ended up in the foretriangle. From there it snowballed.

This Quantum Racing team has been around for a long time and there’s a transition now to a younger squad working alongside mentors. What’s involved with that?

Starting on the bow, we now have Norm Berg, who’s the mid-bowman, and then Ian Liberty trims downwind. Victor Diaz de Leon is a strategist, Harry Melges (IV) is the helmsman, Sarah Stone is the navigator, and Luke Muller is the aft grinder. Individually, they’re all great sailors, so part of the learning process is getting us all to learn how to race together, how we communicate together and then instilling a certain level of discipline to know that at certain times we just don’t have to go for the kill. It’s consistency that’s going to win the regatta, it’s our reliability and how we interact with each other. I’ve nicknamed it “on board meat and potatoes,” because meat and potatoes aren’t fancy, but they’re always good. 

That, however, requires a certain level of consideration that we’re fast and that we have optimum performance all the time. It’s always taken into consideration that our boathandling, and the things that impact the boat’s performance, are going to be the consistency of the team. Within that, there is a level of accountability. That gets discussed and it gets developed and becomes part of the team’s culture and who we are. 

The new sailors may come with new ideas and approaches; how does those make their way into years of refinement and old habits?

We do have this balance of those with experience and those that have been developing their skill sets in smaller boats and coming onto something bigger. One good example is with Ian [Liberty]; after the first day of the regatta, because of his suggestions, we made an adjustment to our downwind technique, and we went from being just OK to easily being the fastest boat on the racecourse. 

What was the improvement there?

We were sailing in a side swell, so on starboard, the swell was on the beam, and on port it was on the transom. So, on port jibe, you could do a normal surf. But on starboard, the technique change was a big ease on the kite and a big grind on the main—almost grinding the main to center line. So, the sail trim was very asymmetric, and we get these big downs on the waves. And as soon as the boat starts to decelerate, the kite gets trimmed on and the main gets eased out to a normal position as the apparent wind is going forward. It changed the performance of the boat in such a positive way, because we weren’t just sticking our bow in the waves. The boat was breaking free, but it was doing it in a down way, not in a bow up way.

You use the term “process” a lot, what does that mean within this world-caliber team?

The process is driven around the performance and our accountability on board. We’re disciplined when we leave the dock. We’re disciplined when we show up. It’s a commitment to seven points or less on the day, and to understanding that we don’t win the regatta on the first three days. You win it on the last two days, but you can’t take yourself out of it on the first three days. 

We try really hard to share that level of responsibility on the boat. And I think that it’s something that is critical to the success everybody’s accountable for their areas, and at the same time, how you blend that together is probably where a lot of performance can come from, and then it’s just being tactically disciplined.

Everything about the 52 Series is sophisticated, especially onboard the boats where, in your case there’s yourself, a tactician, and a strategist in the afterguard, providing input all the time. How much latitude is left for the helmsman to follow his instincts in the moment? 

We’re pretty diligent about not chirping too much. Let’s take the start for example. I help with getting them into the spot, and then the final time and distance—the last 60 seconds are on them. It’s never one person; there’s the bowman, there’s Harry and I, and then there’s Sarah giving the time to kill. So, Harry is managing the platform. I’m giving them feedback, reassuring his instincts, and really backing them up so he can be highly confident in what he’s doing. 

The one race where we were OCS, the hard part was the computer and the Vakaros both had us behind the line by a reasonably large amount. All of our electronic inputs were saying we were racing, so we called Greg (Gendell) off the bow. Doing that, we lost our third point of certainty, and we were over by a meter or so. It goes back to the process, and there we slipped a little bit on our process. These are little things that even at the level that we’re after, we still make some of these mistakes.

How difficult is it these days, tactically, when no one is giving an inch?

The tactical side and the fleet management side of it is understanding where the boat can make gains, understanding the performance of the boat and your target boat speeds well enough. It’s understanding whether the posted target is the correct number to sail in that moment, or do you need to sail one-tenth under or over given each position of where you’re at. I can’t speak for what the other tacticians do, but I am very boatspeed focused in the moment, and continually updating the mode that we should be sailing. We won’t go more than 30 seconds without an update happening, because that’s how much we’re watching things evolve on the course. Regardless of whatever boat you’re racing, it’s important to have an intimate knowledge of the boat’s performance in traffic, versus a clean lane versus, boatspeed numbers and a range.

And what about fleet management?

I did two J/70 regattas this winter with 50- or 60-boat fleets. Getting clear and winning the first cross of a group of 20 boats versus being stuck in fifteenth is a massive difference. When you’re in fifteenth around the top mark your next opportunity to gain separation is downwind and picking a good spot to allow the boat to sail its mode, because traffic slows everybody down. It’s the same thing in the 52. At the Worlds we had 11 boats, so the hardest spot to be in was fifth, because it’s so easy to be in seventh if you screw up one thing. So, positioning wise, at any given time, we race with the mindset that people are going to make us suffer by tacking on us, so whatever we’re expecting, we have to pay it back to keep the distance the same.

The post Winner’s Debrief: Quantum Racing’s World Championship Effort appeared first on Sailing World.

1. Keep your sails out of the sun

If you have furling systems, this may be just a matter of furling sails when not in use. For non-furling sails, this means covering or stowing sails. There are cover options for both mainsails and headsails, allowing the sail to stay rigged and protected between uses. When no cover is available, sails should be removed, flaked, bagged and stowed below deck or off the boat.

2. Protect your furled sails

Most owners use sewn-on sun covers to protect furled sails. Sunbrella and WeatherMax are the fabrics commonly used for sun covers. For racer-cruisers and some racing sails like furling code zeros, there are lighter weight options such as UV-treated Dacron. While there is a gain in weight savings, these materials are not inherently UV resistant. Over time the UV treatment can wear off, with the lifespan of the treatment affected by boat location and amount of time in the sun. In high exposure areas, treated covers may have a lifespan of only a couple of seasons.

All sun covers should be inspected regularly and repaired if damaged. Generally speaking, covers should be re-stitched every three years or so to prevent more extensive damage to the fabric that can occur from flogging due to compromised stitching.

To provide maximum protection for your sails, sun covers require care and maintenance. Remember, if you can see the sailcloth below the cover…so can the sun!

3. Keep your sails clean

After sun, the second-worst enemy of any sail is salt; but other types of dirt and debris can be just as damaging. Periodic sail washing is key to maintaining your sails. A couple common-sense rules apply to frequency: 1) a sail that has been exposed to saltwater should be washed sooner rather than later, and 2) all other varying degrees of grime should be removed when possible. A genoa or staysail probably needs washing, or at least a rinse, more frequently than a mainsail that is stowed under a cover on the boom or furled when not in use. Not sure if your sails are salty? Run a finger along the foot and have a taste…you’ll know right away!

4. Protect them from the elements

Sailmakers generally refer to the life of a sail in hours or seasons, rather than years. The lifespan is affected by the amount of time sailing and the level of care given to the sails. In the mid-Atlantic region, the main sailing season can begin in early spring and extend late into the fall. A sailing season in the upper Midwest, for example, is much shorter, thus extending the life of a sail. The lifespan of sails that spend the sailing season furled on your headstay, in your mast or boom, or left on the boat to endure the frigid months of winter, will be much shorter than the life of sails that are properly protected or stowed.

If you know your sails are going to be sitting idle on the boat in a marina for at least a month or more during a sailing season, you can extend sail life by taking the sails off of your boat and stowing them. If your schedule prevents you from doing this personally, contact your local Quantum loft for sail removal and storage – part of our full array of sail care services.

5. Inspect sails regularly

At least once-a-year sails should get a check-up. To do this yourself, find a dry place in good light where you can lay them flat, then work your way over every inch of the sail, looking for trouble spots such as abrasion or loose stitching. Small problems can turn into bigger problems later, so be sure to note even the smallest details. Alternatively, you can drop off your sails at a nearby sail loft for a multi-point inspection. Even simpler, with one call we can handle sail removal, transportation and inspection for one sail or your whole inventory.

6. Tape the turnbuckle

If you’ve ever scraped your finger on a piece of hardware, then you know it’s sharp enough to damage your sail. Even seemingly blunt objects (like a spreader) can damage sails on a tack, so take a look around (and up) to see what can or should be covered to protect your sails. If you have an extra piece of spinnaker cloth, wipe it across every surface of your boat and rigging. If it snags, put some tape on it. Rigging tape, self-fusing silicone tape, leather and other protective coverings are relatively inexpensive ways to protect your sails.

7. Check the leech

Even a well-protected spreader-tip or navigation light can wear a sail tack-after-tack. For these areas, a spreader-patch (or navigation light-patch, etc.) might be the answer.

8. Don’t wait for repairs

A lot of catastrophic sail failures can be traced back to a small repair that was never made. When you notice a small hole or a chafed spot that’s getting increasingly worse, save yourself serious head- and wallet-ache by addressing the problem while it is still small. Our service experts have heard more than a few people come into the loft with a shredded sail saying, “I’ve been meaning to get that spot patched”.

9. Bag It

Pretty simple here. There’s a good reason new sails come with a sturdy bag and it’s not just another place for a logo. That bag is a much cheaper sacrificial covering than the sail inside of it. Take a look at an old sailbag that’s scuffed and torn-up, now imagine if that were your sail. Not good. It can be a pain to keep track of bags, but used regularly, they can really earn their keep.

10. If you don’t know, ask

Curious about some sail-care method you’ve heard somebody touting on the dock or trying to figure out if your sail could use a new piece of webbing on the tack? Feel free to call the service team at your local Quantum loft. We’re happy to field your questions and provide helpful pointers. Consider us a member of your team.

This tip was brought to you by Quantum Sails.

The post Extending the Life of your Sails appeared first on Sailing World.

Sails are like cars, and demand service and regular maintenance. The more attention you give to your sails, the longer they will perform like new. Here are some tips for maintaining your sails in the off-season.

Inventorying and you sails and the condition at the end of the season is the best way to make sure you will be ready to go at your first event of the next season.

Photograph

If you have yet to pull your boat for the season, now would be a great time to get pictures of each sail. Make sure the sail is full, on a close-hauled course, and trimmed correctly. Photograph them all from mid-foot, with the lens aimed at the head of each sail. Be sure to note the conditions when the photographs were taken – the more information, the better. Your sailmaker can use these to see what modifications can be made to ensure better performance. We recommend keeping a digital photograph library of your sails throughout their lifespan.

Measure

Measuring your sails at the beginning and end of each season should become a common practice, so get in the habit now. Regular measurements will show how much the shape has changed throughout the season.

Assess

The easiest and most efficient way to assess your sails is to drop them off at your local loft. Even if you can spot a broken stitch, trained sailmakers and service techs can spot potential problems before they become costly issues. If you want to take a run at assessing them yourself, and you have the space, be sure you inspect every inch of your sails, checking the stitching, the luff tape, webbing, and all of the corners for broken stitches and wear. After looking over the stitching, make sure you assess the fabric, looking for any tears, holes, or weak spots. If you have a laminate sail, make sure you look for any spot where the sail might be delaminating, or where fatigue has started to create pin holes. Next check the hardware. For example, hanks that have spent years going up and down a wire halyard will begin to thin and can become unsafe. If any problems are found, you will need to make a trip to your local sailmaker. Part of ensuring that you get the most out of your sails is having them repaired by a trained professional.

After inventorying your sails and their conditions, you may find it’s time to replace an old sail, that a current sail needs to be modified/repaired, or that there is a gap in your inventory. Beat the spring rush and start talking to your sailmaker now about your options.

Sail Repairs & Modifications

Off-season is the time to get your sails checked and maintained so they’re ready to go in the spring. A large percentage of repairs that we see during the sailing season could have been avoided by a thorough winter check and service.

Have an older sail that is starting to lose its shape? Look into having your sail recut before purchasing a new one. Older sails in good condition can be reshaped to return the sail to peak performance at a cost far less than the price of a new sail.

Remember those pictures you took while sailing? A Quantum sail consultant can use those photos to give you a sail shape analysis. They will digitize the images, measure the shape, and determine what can be done to address the problem areas.

These sail modifications are best performed during the off-season. That allows us to work on your sail without cutting into your time on the water.

Storing your Sails

You go to great lengths to make sure your boat is safe and secure during the off-season, so make sure to do the same for your sails.

Sails need to be stored where they are safe from moisture, temperature extremes, and pests. Any combination of those can ruin a good sail.

Moisture increases the risk of mildew and stains. Temperature extremes can also potentially damage laminates. High temperatures can even cause woven sails to change shape or become brittle. When it comes to pests, mice and rats love rolled up sails – they provide a secure environment, ample material that can be shredded for bedding, and a good supply of salt. This can leave you with a sail full of holes and littered with feces and urine stains, which are not only hard to get out, but also unhealthy to humans. Insects and spiders also like to nest in sails. They don’t do as much damage as rodents, but it’s still not pleasant to open your sail bag at the beginning of the season and find these multi-legged tenants.

The best way to store your sails is to store them on a shelf (keep the open end of the bag facing away from any walls for better air circulation and to make it harder for a pest to get in). If you want to make sure that rodents stay away, an ultrasonic noise system will do the job nicely.

Start Planning the next Season

Instead of moping because another sailing season has come and gone, use that energy and start planning next year’s racing schedule, or get the ball rolling on an off-shore adventure. If you have a crew, get them together to celebrate another successful season. While you have everyone together, make a list of regattas you plan to sail and/or locations you’re hoping to visit. Prioritize which events are most important to you and your crew, and start making arrangements. Having something on the calendar can ease those winter sailing blues.

If you want to plan a big adventure, start researching the location and ask around for tips and advice. Look at your sail inventory and make sure you’ll be prepared for the sailing conditions. If you’re missing any sails, get them ordered early so you won’t run into problems with the spring rush. It’s also a good time to inventory the rest of your boat, to make sure it has what it needs for your next adventure and is in good shape.

The post End-of-season Sail Care appeared first on Sailing World.

At the 2016 Sperry Charleston Race Week, a number of boats in the Melges 24 and J/70 fleets proved you don’t have to be a pro to be competitive.

One of the most unique aspects of sailing is that amateur teams get to test their chops against the pros on a regular basis in fleets like that of the Melges 24 and J/70. But for some newcomers, that can be a burden as much as a blessing.

More than 200 boats of all skill levels gathered this sprint at the 2016 Sperry Charleston Race Week. We talked to two top Corinthian teams, Dr. John Arendshorst who owns the J/70 20/20 and siblings and boat owners Megan and Hunter Ratliff of the Melges 24 Decorum, to find out their secrets for success.

1. Find a great group of people to sail with

Arendshorst says he’s been fortunate to gather a group of good friends who are also good sailors from his home area of Macatawa Bay, MI. “There’s a great group of people that find time to want to sail. If you can at least keep the nucleus of the group together for most of your events it helps a lot,” he says.

The Ratliff’s echo that sentiment. “We like to keep people on the boat that are fun, and we have a good time together,” says Megan.

2. Follow the guide

Quantum is constantly working to update its tuning guides for the various one-design boats. “The tuning guide is a good starting point. As you improve and get to know the boat, you can make small adjustments for how you like to sail, how heavy your crew is, and other variables,” Arendshorst says.

“What’s nice about the tuning guide is that it’s pretty easy to follow. It’s almost plug and play. And for all the fine-tuning, [Quantum’s] Marty Kullman, Scott Nixon, and Chris Rast have been very helpful. It’s nice to have access to experts in the class,” says Hunter Ratliff.

3. In sportboats, speed wins

“There are some old big displacement boat sailors that like to sail the boat really high and slow and it’s awful,” says Arendshorst. “In a boat like this, you’ve got to put your foot into it and get the thing going. The foils work better the faster the boat goes.”

4. Don’t be afraid of bad finishes

It can be intimidating to come into a big fleet like the J/70 or the Melges 24 and face dozens of boats on the starting line—there were 67 J/70s in Charleston this year—many of them with professional sailors on board. But the opportunity to sail against that caliber of crew can really push you to get better faster. “It helps so much to sail against the top guys because it really pushes you to develop as a team at a faster rate,” says Hunter.

5. In big breeze, choreography is king

If you’ve just bought a J/70 or a Melges 24, you probably did so anticipating a wild downwind ride, and you’re sure not to be disappointed! But sailing a sport boat in big breeze becomes less about tactics and more about boat handling. “At 25 knots, it’s all about keeping the boat upright, so having a crew with good choreography is a real asset,” says Arendshorst.

6. Time in the boat

The best way to improve your crew choreography is to spend as much time in the boat as possible, sailing in a variety of conditions. Since they’ve bought their boats, both the Ratliff’s and Arendshorst have sailed the summer and circuits in the Midwest and south.

7. Ask questions and use your resources

While we can’t all spend 250 days per year on the water, we can all learn from those who do. At Sperry Charleston Race Week, Quantum’s Ed Baird offered a number of off-the-water talks and informational sessions. There were also post-race dock and debriefing sessions led by Quantum pros designed to help all crews improve. “Everyone is really willing to share information that will help you get to the next level,” says Hunter.

8. Keep things in perspective

A big fleet still only has one first place. If your primary goal is to stand on top of the podium, the Melges 24 and J/70 fleets may not offer the best opportunity. However if you’re looking for some fun and excitement, you’ve come to the right place.

“You’re going to have good results and you’re going to have poor results, but any time you’re going 18 knots in a sailboat planning downwind it’s really difficult not to have a smile on your face,” says Hunter.

The post Keeping it Competitive as a Corinthian in a Pro Fleet appeared first on Sailing World.

Many one design sailors at Quantum Key West Race Week are repeat customers, having had numerous years of prior experience coming to this unique mid-winter venue, and all look forward to another great week of racing being held over Monday-Friday, January 17-22nd.

Rob Ruhlman is one, a Clevelander who has been competing here on and off for 15 years. His first trip to the Conch Republic in 1996 was with a Tripp 26, and he has returned again and again aboard such diverse one-designs as a Mumm 30, Mumm 36, 1D35, Farr 40 and Farr 400. This year Ruhlman will be returning to steer the latest of his boats called Spaceman Spiff in the J/111 class, the largest one-design at the event and which has nine entries from California, New York, Illinois, Maryland and Massachusetts.

“This will be a tough crowd. I can’t really look at this year’s lineup and pick a favorite,” Ruhlman said. “That’s the beauty of this class. It’s a well-designed boat and they’re all extremely close in terms of performance.”

Ruhlman always anticipates his annual pilgrimage to the southernmost point of the United States – mostly because of the high-level racing, but with the added bonus of getting away from the cold of Cleveland in mid-January. Ruhlman was thrilled when he heard the Storm Trysail Club was going to take over management of this iconic regatta this year from Premiere Racing.

“Key West is a one-of-a-kind regatta that cannot be duplicated. It would have been a darn shame had it gone away,” Ruhlman said. “We were really happy when we heard that Storm Trysail has come to the rescue. Some of the best racing I’ve ever done has been in Key West and you certainly can’t beat the location.”

Spaceman Spiff placed second in a seven-boat class at Quantum Key West 2015 then went on to finish fifth at the J/111 World Championships. Perseverance (Bennett Greenwald, San Diego) and Wicked 2.0 (Douglas Curtiss, South Dartmouth, MA), which placed ninth and 12th at World Championship, are also here in Key West.

“It’s going to be a week-long battle because winning Key West is a big deal,” Ruhlman said. “It’s an interesting dynamic because the racing is incredible, but the regatta as a whole has a lot more casual feel to it than a lot of the other events we do. It’s a much more relaxed atmosphere.”

The J/70 class is once again the largest class and most internationally diverse class in the regatta, with 54 boats from 10 countries, and is loaded with top-notch talent. Back to defend his regatta title this year is Italian skipper Carlo Alberini aboard Calvi Network, which was crowned as Quantum Sails Boat of the Week for 2015. He and his team of Sergio Blosi, Branko Brcin and Karlo Hmeljak will have a tough fight ahead of them this week.

One of the toughest will be Tim Healy, who with this team will be seeking his third class win in Key West. Healy and his team on Helly Hansen were victorious in 2013 when the J/70 debuted at Key West then earned Quantum Sails Boat of the Week honors after repeating in 2014. An OCS in the final race proved costly as Helly Hansen took third last year.

“We pushed the line a little too hard and paid the price,” Healy said. “We’re really excited to sail this fleet. There are so many top teams that I couldn’t even begin to name them all,” said Healy, president of North Sails One Design. “As always with a week-long regatta, consistency will be key. We can’t afford any major mistakes like the one we made last year.”

Other top boats include Flojito y Cooperando (Julian Fernandez Neckelman of Mexico), the reigning J/70 World Champion with 2011 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Award winner Bill Hardesty calling tactics, and Africa (Jud Smith, Swampscott, MA), which finished second and fourth at Quantum Key West 2015. One of the biggest stories of last year’s regatta was the impressive performance put forth by 12-year-old Gannon Troutman, who skippered Pied Piper to a fifth place finish in a loaded field.

As always in Key West, the all-amateur entries in the J/70 class will be scored separately with a Corinthian Division champion being crowned. Geoffrey Pierini (Rumson, NJ) and his crew on Surge along with Amy Neill (Chicago, IL) and the Nitemare team are the top returning Corinthian entries, having finished fourth and fifth a year ago.

The C&C 30 class is one of the big success stories at Quantum Key West Race Week 2016, making its one-design debut with 11 boats from 3 countries. This will be just the third one-design regatta in class history and president Dan Cheresh (Saugatuck, MI) called it a milestone moment.

“This is absolutely huge for the class because Key West is the biggest event in North America. It’s a great spotlight for the C&C 30 and very important accomplishment in our early history to have such a strong and competitive turnout. There are some really talented amateur and pro sailors in our class, so I predict this will be a tough week,” Cheresh said.

Cheresh skippered his own C&C 30 Extreme2 to victory in the two previous one-design starts – at the New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta last June in Newport and the Storm Trysail Club’s Annapolis Fall Regatta in October, with help from Olympic Silver medalist Morgan Reeser aboard as tactician. Other strong contenders in the class include James Madden (Newport Beach, CA) on his Stark Raving Mad VIII, who placed third in both Newport and Annapolis, and Walt Thirion (Annapolis, MD) and his Themis team who took second in both of these events.

“I am expecting the fleet to be very compressed at the top. It’s a good group of boats with a lot of talent,” Cheresh said. “We are supposed to get some big breeze so that will make things interesting. We’ve never done close course racing in 20-25 knots with this many boats.”

A strong fleet of 13 Melges 24’s will use Quantum Key West 2016 as a critical tune-up for the upcoming World Championship being held in March in Miami. Richard Reid (Port Credit, ONT) is the top returning skipper after sailing Zingara to third place here last year. That marked the start of a superb season for Zingara, which won the Canadian National Championship and finished 10th at U.S. Nationals.

“It looks like a very deep, talented fleet. We are really looking forward to the challenge,” said Reid, who will have reigning Melges 24 world champion Chris Rast aboard as tactician. “This is going to be really good prep for the Worlds because the ocean course conditions will be very similar to what we will see in Miami.”

While the World Championship is the ultimate focus for the 13 participating teams, a victory at Quantum Key West 2016 would be a tremendous springboard and confidence-boost. “Everyone wants to win Key West. It’s one of the premier regattas in the world,” Reid said. “Every sailor wants that trophy on the mantle.”

The C&C 30, J/70’s and Melges 24’s will be racing on the Division 2 course area south of the island, with Storm Trysail’s Dave Brennan (Miami, FL) running the races as Principal Race Officer. Up to three races a day will be held on this and the two other course areas used in the event.

Rounding out the one-design classes at this year’s regatta is the J/88 Class, who with 8 entries hailing from the US and Canada are racing among the ORC 1 and ORC 2 classes on the Division 3 course area to the southeast of the island, with Storm Trysail’s Wayne Bretsch as acting PRO.

In this class Rob Butler (Collingwood, ONT) is the defending champion on his Touch2Play Racing, earned last year in a tie-break by winning the last three races to overtake Iris Vogel (New Rochelle, NY) and her crew on Deviation at Quantum Key West 2015.

“We battled it out with Deviation all the way to the last race,” said Butler. “We did real well in the big breeze on Friday and that was the difference. We have a few more boats this year so it should be really fun and competitive. It looks like a very level playing field so I expect close racing all week.”

Deviation is back to make a run at Touch2Play while Butler believes a pair of newcomers – Blondie 2, co-skippered by Jeff Johnstone and Tod Patton from Newport, RI and a smaller Spaceman Spiff sailed by Ryan Ruhlman from Bratenahl, OH – may also provide stiff competition in the class.

“Key West is always a blast. You can count on great breeze and awesome weather. It’s just a great way to start off the New Year,” said Butler, who keeps his J/88 at his winter home in Naples, Florida.

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