September's J Cup Ireland gets an early preview on Friday when J boat agents for Ireland, Key Yachting, will host a special gathering for J Boat and Grand Soleil sailors at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Key Yachting's Wayne Palmer and Bill Stringer will host the drinks and catch up from 6 pm. All are welcome.

The second edition of the J Cup Ireland will take place from 7-8 September this year and follows a successful inaugural regatta last year.  As regular Afloat readers know, the 2023 event saw an impressive 40-boat contest on Dublin Bay.

There are delivery slots available for current models in the J Boats range, including the J/112E, J/99 and the new J/45; you could be cruising or racing in time for next season.

The J/112E is a highly versatile and sporty cruising boat that is becoming more popular in the performance cruiser market. The J/112E “ValenTina” hit the water in June 2023 and has had a good first season in Irish waters.

The efficient set up and design of the J/112E provides ample sail power in light winds and easy down-shift options when the wind builds, making for fun and fast sailing whether cruising or racing. This J model is meant to offer a new alternative to the classic J Boats J/109. Delivery slots are currently still available for the end of May 2024.

Valentia, the J112E competing at the J Cup Ireland 2023

J/99

The J99 Snapshot competing at Cork Week 2022 Photo: Bob Bateman

The J/99 is a modern development on the proven J Boats design DNA. Designed with the versatility to succeed in crewed racing, doublehanded, offshore races, inshore racing or fun family cruising.

With an easy-to-use sailplan, ergonomic cockpit layout, and spacious cockpit seating combined with simple but comfortable accommodation.

You could be racing a J/99 for next season, with delivery slots available for April 2024. The J/99 class is growing in the UK, and the J/99 ‘Snapshot’ has undoubtedly set the standards in Irish waters.

Delivery is available for May if purchased now.

J/45

The J/45 is the new performance cruiser in the J Boats range. It can be sailed solo, cruised by 2-3 people or room for the whole crew to race.

The J/45 was awarded Cruising World’s “Best Performance Cruiser” for 2023. Delivery time for the J/45 is currently end of July 2024.

The J/45 is the new performance cruiser in the J Boats range

J/Cup Ireland

After the inaugural regatta in Summer 2023, the J Cup Ireland 2024 dates have been announced. It will again occur at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire on 7th and 8th September. All the more reason to join the competitive J Community.

If you are interested in any of the current models in the J Boats range, then enquire with Key Yachting’s Irish agent, Mark Mansfield for more information. Delivery slots for next season will get longer over the coming weeks.

For further information on these models or indeed any models in the J Boats, Grand Soleil, Nautitech Catamaran and Tofinou ranges

Contact Mark Mansfield at [email protected] or call on: 00 353 87 250 6838.

The international J Boat fleet, with its many variants, fills a special role in world sailing, with an underlying sense of family permeating this attractive no-nonsense craft. For it all of course, stems from the initial creative introduction – explosion, really - of the Johnstone brothers, Bob and Rod, with their pioneering prototype J/24 in America in 1977.

This innovative little racer/cruiser – its size dictated by the dimensions of their parents’ New England garage - was soon sweeping through the world of sailing like a mighty breath of fresh air. But the remarkable thing about the extensive contemporary J/Boat range today is that it still seems as relevant and cutting edge as it did when the story started nearly fifty years ago.

Giving it provenance…co-creator Bob Johnstone signs the rudder of a J/24 during a recent visit to Howth Yacht Club

Now, its popularity here has led to the inaugural multi-class J Cup Ireland Regatta at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire in a week’s time (26th & 27th August), which will feature four classes tailored to suit the profile of J/Boat ownership in Ireland:

J CUP IRELAND 2023

• J/109 Irish Nationals
• J/80 Irish Nationals
• J/24 East Coast Championship
• Competitive IRC Class with different J/Boat models.

As the birthplace of One-Design Racing, Dublin Bay has adopted the J/109 with enthusiasm. Photo: Afloat.ie/David O’Brien

Cork’s sailing Olympian and multi-champion Mark Mansfield of Key Yachting J/Boats - himself no stranger to the afterguard in the successful racing of J/Boats at home and abroad – is co-ordinating the programme with the RIYC and DBSC race teams, and is much encouraged by the level of entries already received. This will probably push comfortably over the forty mark if forecasts for an improvement in the weather next week begin to bear fruit as the Tuesday evening “last orders” deadline approaches.

FAMILY SAILING TRADITIONS

Through it all, there’s this underlying sense of family. Even where the key crewmembers involved aren’t blood-related families in the traditional sense, there’s this feeling of a shared family-style sense of values in both boats and fleet.

"The inaugural multi-class J Cup Ireland Regatta at the Royal Irish Yacht Club is in Dun Laoghaire in a week’s time"

But in any case, with leading Irish sailing family names like Goodbody, Kelly, Tyrrell, Shanahan, Evans, Knowles, Craig, Hall, Boyd, Jones, McCaldin, Murphy and Colwell – to name only a few – featuring over many years of J/Boat sailing in Ireland across the many models developed by the range in its growing history, the sense of a positive and energizing tribal spirit is very real.

“So it goes…” Pat Kelly of Rush SC in the midst of his family-and-friends crew on Storm after yet another overall win, and wondering if there’s space left in the trophy cabinet

NEW LIFE INTO OLDER BOATS

And in recent years, the introduction of fresh initiatives for established J classes has provided extra leases of life where needed. The growing evidence that reasonably well-maintained GRP construction has an almost indefinite lifespan has resulted in the J/24s being seen in a new way, with “ancient” boats being restored from a dusty moth-balled situations to prime racing condition through heartening club efforts to support the U25 initiative.

Last year, this saw Kinsale YC’s U25 “Kinsailor” project leap in at the deep end by contesting the J/24 Euros 2022 at Howth. Although the multi-province Headcase campaign had gone into the series among the Irish favourites, in the final races the Kinsailors led by Michael O’Suilleabhain emerged from the pack to finish a very close third overall.

A hugely successful club and community effort – the restored J/24 Kinsailor in training off Kinsale, and ready for her U25 success nationally and internationally in 2022

At the other end of the regular Irish J/Boat range, it’s not so long ago since Andrew Craig of the Royal Irish YC marked his retiral from the class by assembling a crew of all the very best Dun Laoghaire talents to take his J/109 Chimaera to the Scottish Series, where he and his crack team duly won overall in an area where Pat Kelly and his family from Rush in sister-ship Storm have recorded more than a few wins over the years, a feat they transferred to Belfast Lough by winning Bangor Town Regatta after two days of very intense competition.

Meanwhile, although the J/80s have a special position in Ireland as a club trainer whose racing choices are greatly broadened by her eligibility for an IRC Rating, there are individual owners who still benefit from their usefulness for private international campaigning. Pat O’Neill (HYC) with Mojo has led the way, with major placings – including overall victory – in various international J/80 Championships on both sides of the Atlantic.

In for the long haul. ISORA organiser Peter Ryan of Dun Laoghaire at the helm of the Pwllheli-based J/109 Mojito during the 2013 Fastnet Race

However, it is the J/109 which has been the backbone of the J/Boat presence in Ireland, with more successes inshore and offshore during the past decade than it’s possible to enumerate. The Shanahan family with Ruth staked an early claim to the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race, while cross-channel sister-ship Mojito (Vicky Cox and Peter Dunlop, Pwllheli SC) has figured in the Fastnet, the Round Ireland, and the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle.

Liam Shanahan at the helm of the family-owned J/109 Ruth (National YC) with Skellig Kichael astern, on the way to winning the 2016 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race

The Irish National Sailing School of Dun Laoghaire’s J/109 Jedi with The Rock astern, on her way to a class win in the Fastnet Race

The Fastnet likewise proved a rewarding if exhausting experience for Kenneth Rumball and his crew from the Irish National Sailing School in Dun Laoghaire with the J/109 Jedi, while the Round Ireland saw Dun Laoghaire’s Michael Boyd start to make his mark at the top level with overall victory in 1996 in the J/35 Big Ears, the J/35 being the J/109 of her day.

Some seasoned offshore campaigners may feel that the J/Boats design-and-build philosophy produces craft which are too light in character for continuous press-on-regardless offshore racing, but the last two years would seem to have demonstrated otherwise.

“The little dayboat” on her way to further success. After a close second overall in the 2022 Round Ireland Race, the J/99 Snapshot is on her way to further success and the 2022 ICRA “Boat of the Year” award with the win in Calves Week at Schull. Des Flood trims the genniker while co-owner Richie Evans does the helming and brother Mike monitors the numbers while the Fastnet Rock gets the Oscar for “Best Supporting Actor”

For in the end, the Round Ireland Race 2022 came down to a matter of minutes between the overall winner, the French J/111 Fastwave, and the very closely second-placed J/99 Snapshot (Mike & Richie Evans, Howth YC), despite the latter being dismissed beforehand by certain armchair admirals as “little more than a glorified day sailer”.

But it is 2023 which has produced the ultimate proof of the rugged reliability of a well-sailed J/Boat with the brilliant victory in Class 1 in the Rolex Fastnet Race by the Fournier family from France with their veteran J/133 Pintia.

Its that Rock again…Pintia on her way to 2023 Fastnet success, the immaculate state of her topsides speaking volumes for her build quality and the dedicated maintenance by owner Gilles Fournier and his family and friends. Photo: Rolex

Pintia is no strange to Fastnet success, as she won Class 1 in the 2017 Fastnet race, when Michael Boyd was in the process of being RORC Commodore and actively campaigning the successful First 44.7 Lisa. There was some really tremendous racing against the similarly-sized Pintia, and his recollection of it was that he could never be sure if he most enjoyed the sheer sport of racing against Gilles Fournier and his family, or derived even more pleasure from the shared and very convivial post-race dinner which became a tradition with the two crews.

These days, Boyd has moved into cruising with the 53ft Southerly ketch Hibernia, but Gilles Fournier – now 77 – is still wondering whether each Fastnet will be his last. Certainly, with his superb win in his immaculate crew-maintained boat in the 2023 race against Tom Kneen’s previously all-conquering JPK 11.80 Sunrise III, he would be exiting on a high. But what would he do then to distract himself each time the Fastnet Race comes around?

Either way, nearly fifty years after the first J/24 appeared, the 2023 success of the 2006-originating Pintia is something they’ll be celebrating when the J/Boat people of Ireland and adjacent waters get together for this attractive new event on Dublin Bay in a week’s time. The spirit of Pintia and those she races against – in this case, Tom Kneen – is captured in this post-2023 Fastnet YouTube clip:

To be sailed in Dun Laoghaire Harbour this summer, the inaugural J Cup Ireland has announced its main sponsors and published the Notice of Race document.

The Royal Irish Yacht Club will organise the Cup on the 26th and 27th of August, 2023.

Hosted by Key Yachting, the J-Cup Ireland's inaugural regatta is exclusively organised for racing yachts of the J/Boats brand. 

This year all IRC-rated J Boat models, J109, J80 and J24, are invited to compete. 

The J Cup Ireland will allow all J Boats to race in Dublin Bay waters, get together to discuss all things J and enjoy onshore entertainment.

Numbers for the event are expected to be high, including the J/109 and J/80 Nationals and the J/24 Eastern Championships.

Key Yachting and the Royal Irish Yacht Club are delighted to announce the main sponsors for the event, Quantum Sails and Viking Marine.

Thank you to sponsors supporting the first Irish J Cup regatta, including Ian O'Meara of Dun Laoghaire-based Viking Marine.

"Key Yachting is delighted to be organising the first Irish J Cup in Dublin waters with the fantastic team at the Royal Irish Yacht Club and support from our main sponsors, Quantum Sails and Viking Marine. We look forward to seeing lots of J Boats in Irish water together." – Wayne Palmer, Owner and Director at Key Yachting.

The Notice of Race has been published and can be downloaded below and at this link here

Registration for the regatta will be open soon.

Key Yachting is the UK and Ireland dealer for J Boats. Contact Irish agent Mark Mansfield at [email protected] or 353 87 2506838 for more information.

The Key Yachting team will be at BOOT Düsseldorf, the largest indoor boat show, showing the latest models from 3 of our key brands; J Boats, Grand Soleil and Tofinou.

The show takes place between 21st - 29th of January 2023 at the Messe Düsseldorf in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Find out the models on show below.

J Boats

J Boats will be exhibiting the J/45, J/99 and the J/112E, 3 performance staples in the J Boats range. As Irish sailors will know, Mike and Ritchie Evans J /99 Snapshot became the Irish ICRA boat of the year in 2022. A new J112e is due in Dun Laoghaire in June 2022 for an Irish owner.

The J112E will be on show at BOOT Düsseldorf by Key Yachting

The J45 from Key Yachting will be on display at BOOT Düsseldorf 2023

The J99 will be on show at BOOT Düsseldorf by Key Yachting

Grand Soleil

Grand Soleil will proudly present the brand new, fast and high-performance 40, which only recently premiered at Cannes Yachting Festival 2022. She is a smaller sister to the Grand Soleil 44, such as Bob Rendell's Samatom from Howth, which has shown great form on Irish race courses recently.

The Grand Soleil 40 on show at BOOT Düsseldorf by Key Yachting

Tofinou

Tofinou will be taking their newest model, the 9.7. This model is a versatile day boat with a hull inspired by the latest racing boats.

The Tofinou 9.7 on show at BOOT Düsseldorf by Key Yachting

Key Yachting are now taking appointments for the J Boats, Grand Soleil and Tofinou stands; if you would like to visit us at the show, then contact Key Yachting agent in Ireland, Mark Mansfield at [email protected] or at 00 353 87 250 6838

For more information about the show, click here

It’s not long to go until Cannes Yachting Festival kicks off. We will be there at Cannes with all four of our boat brands; Nautitech, Grand Soleil, J Boats and Tofinou.

We are excited to be at the festival with J Boats, showcasing the J/45 after her premiere last year at the festival, alongside the J/99.

J/Boats are easily controlled, forgiving, and sea-kindly but at the same time incredibly exciting to sail and race. The advanced composite construction ensures that for their size, these boats are faster, lighter, and stronger than their contemporaries.

The J/45 is a true sailing yacht, designed and built for the sea by dedicated life-long sailors. The J/45’s feather-light touch on the helm and easy reach of the sail controls delivers pure enjoyment as you sail in perfect balance through the waves while everyone else aboard relaxes.

The J/99

The J/99 combines great sailing performance and stability with below-deck comfort that can be sailed by just one or two people. Want to jump into the next adventure-style overnight race or cruise rally? No problem, the J/99 does it all. Easy, high-speed sailing whether solo, twin, or with the whole crew.

If you’re interested in the J/45 or J/99 or any other model from the J Boat range, then why not join us at Cannes to talk all things J.

Contact us at [email protected] or call us on 02380 455669 for more information or to book an appointment at Cannes.

It has been a great year so far for J/Boats and Grand Soleil in Ireland.

The SSE Round Ireland Race 2022, held by the Wicklow Sailing Club, saw great race results. J-Boats impressively took all three podium spots, including the overall winner, J/111, SL Energies Groupe Fastwave, owned by Laurant Charmy from France.

J/99 Snapshot from Howth—2nd overall and winner class Class 3 in Round Ireland race Photo: Bob Bateman

J/Boats and Grand Soleils filled six of the top seven places, with J/Boats winning Class 1, 2 and 3.

J/121, Darkwood took the win overall in IRC Class 1, closely followed by the Grand Soleil 44 Samatom, which also won best ISORA yacht.

IRC Class 3 saw the J/99 Snapshot win, as well as the best ICRA Yacht, an excellent success for the crew. Class 2 was won by the overall winner, SL Energies Groupe Fastwave.

J/111—SL Energies Group Fastwave Photo: Afloat

We also recently saw great results from Irish and UK J-Boats at Volvo Cork Week 2022.

One hundred ninety-two boats and around 2,000 sailors participated in the Royal Cork Yacht Club event.

Racing was held on five courses for 14 classes, the biggest Cork Week for several years.

Key Yachting’s J99 Jam made the trip to Ireland from Hamble for its first Cork Week.

Samatom—Grand Soleil 44—Winner ICRA nationals at Cork week—Coastal class. Samatom was also 2nd in Class on the Round Ireland race and the top ISORA boat overall. Photo: Afloat

J/112 Happy Daize Photo: Key Yachting

 J/121 Darkwood Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Although the sun was out for most of the week, the wind was light and shifty, making for complex racing conditions. Despite the challenges, J/112E Happy Daize won class 1 overall, closely followed by J/111 Journeymaker 2 in 2nd place.

Class 2 racing at Cork Week Photo: Rick Tomlinson

John Maybury and his crew from RIYC on the J/109 Joker 2 had a great result, winning Class 2 overall. The J/109 Storm followed in 2nd place, with the J/109 Chimera taking 3rd.

J/111 Journeymaker 2 Photo: Key Yachting

The Coastal Class was won by the J/109 Mojito, with the Grand Soleil 44 Samatom winning the Coastal IRC ICRA Class.

J109 Mojito at Volvo Cork Week 2022 Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Seeing lots of our clients and owners at both events outstanding.

We look forward to seeing more great racing from J Boats and Grand Soleils this year.

Key Yachting is the agent for both J-Boats and Grand Soleil’s, as well as Nautitech and Tofinou.

For any For information on the Key Yachting brands in Ireland, contact Mark Mansfield at [email protected] or call 00353 872 506 8383

The Key Yachting J-Cup, in association with B&G, kicked off with 56 teams enjoying superb sunny conditions in the Solent. A south westerly breeze built steadily during the day, and by the second race the gradient breeze was up to 15 knots, with 20 knots in the gusts. Race winners on Day One of the Key Yachting J-Cup: J/99 Jump 2 it, J/105 Jacana, J/92s Upstart, J/111 McFly, J/109 Jumping Jellyfish, J/109 Joule, J/70 Brutus, and J/70 Jelvis.

Results link here 

J/99s racing at the Key Yachting J-Cup Photo: Paul Wyeth

IRC One

Kevin Taylor’s J/99 Jump 2 it raced beautifully today, scoring a perfect two bullets. Derek Shakespeare’s J/122 Bulldog is second after the first day, but only on countback from Michael & Sarah Wallis’ J/122 Jahmali. Wayne Palmer’s J/99 Jam had a close battle with Vernon Bradley’s J/99 Black Jack. Jam ending the day ahead of Black Jack by two points, the two skippers did enjoy a friendly beer after racing, but the gloves will be back on for tomorrow’s racing!

Tight racing in the IRC One division at the Key Yachting J-Cup Photo: Paul Wyeth

“That was fantastic!” exclaimed Jump 2 it’s Kevin Taylor. “The whole crew put in a superb performance leaving me to just focus on driving the boat. To be honest, Jump 2 it is specifically set up for inshore racing, while Jam and Black Jack have a more offshore set up. I was really pleased to beat the two larger J/122s on corrected time, my crew deserve all the praise. We are really focused on just sailing the boat well, and after today, I am just so happy with how we are performing.”

IRC Two

Mark Stevens J/105 Jacana had an excellent day, scoring a 1-2, to lead the class by one point from defending IRC Two champions J/92s Upstart, sailed by Robin Stevenson. David Greenhalgh’s J/92 J'ronimo is third after two races, just one point ahead of Becky Walford’s J/92 Brenda’s J

UK J111 National Champion’s McFly skippered by Tony Mack whose crew inlcudes Royal Cork's Harry Durcan Photo: Paul Wyeth 

J/111 UK National Championships

Defending UK National Champion’s McFly sailed by Tony Mack, started the regatta with two straight wins to lead the class after the first day. Louise Makin & Chris Jones’ JourneyMaker II is second after two races with Tim Tolcher’s Raging Bull 2 in third.

Part of the J111 fleet at the Key Yachting J-Cup Photo: Paul Wyeth

“We had good boat speed today, which was one of the main reasons for our performance,” commented McFly’s Tony Mack. “With the breeze building, we made sure that we retuned the rig in between races. We have had a few changes in our crew brought upon us, but the new sailors have settled in really well. As always, starts are very competitive in the J/111 fleet, and I am sure the level of competition will remain high for the whole regatta. It was great fun today, especially planing in the second race.” 

J/109 UK National Championships

The J/109 National Champion, David Richards’ Jumping Jellyfish at the Key Yachting J-Cup Photo: Paul Wyeth

Defending J/109 National Champion, David Richards’ Jumping Jellyfish, won the first race of the regatta by just 30 seconds from John Smart’s Jukebox. Race Two was even closer with Arjen van Leeuwen’s Dutch J/109 Joule taking the gun by just 12 seconds from Jumping Jellyfish. The J/109 fleet enjoyed thrilling racing, with seconds separating the boats. Race Two was a seriously competitive start, causing a general recall for the 12 boat fleet.

The J109s have a 12 boat fleet at the Key Yachting J Cup Photo: Paul Wyeth

Anthony & William Tahourdin racing J/109 Jedi, may not have got the best results today, but the crew were full of smiles enjoying a beer at the RORC Clubhouse after racing. “We bought Jedi just before lockdown, so we haven’t done much racing with her, but the J/109 is a great boat; we race inshore and offshore and we can sail her just two-handed as well, I can’t think of a more all-rounder than a J/109, which gives such competitive racing.” Commented the Tahourdins.

J/70 UK National Championships

On the first day of the UK Nationals, Paul Ward’s Eat Sleep J Repeat is top of the leaderboard without winning a race. Such was the ferocity of the racing in the 27-strong J/70 fleet that a 2-3 score was enough for pole position. Charles Thompson’s Brutus won the first race and placed fifth in Race 2 to finish the day in second place, just a point off the lead. Doug Struth’s DSP had a tremendous day at the races; the Corinthian team helmed by Tom Mallandine, scored a 4-2 to finish the day tied on points with Brutus, but third on countback. Martin Dent’s Jelvis recovered from a ninth in Race 1, to win the second and place fourth on countback from defending National Champion Nick Phillips’ Chaotic.

There is a 27-strong J/70 fleet competing at the Key Yachting J Cup Photo: Paul Wyeth

“There is a great standard right through this fleet,” commented Eat Sleep Repeat’s Elliott Willis, world-class 470 sailor and Melges 32 World Champion. “Well done to DSP, I raced against Tom (Mallandine) way back in youth sailing. Tom is a talented sailor, but well done to the whole DSP crew, they were really impressive. Today, you had to get a good start, as without one it was really difficult to get back in it. With really shifty condition in the first race, decision making on board was crucial, especially timing of when to take the shift.”

DSP leads the 19-strong J/70 Corinthian Division. Jon Calascione & Marshall King’s Calypso is second and the Dickinson family racing Jellyfish is third. Both Calypso and Jellyfish scored consistently well to cement their position, scoring top ten results in both races.

“DSP was really quick today, it all seemed to come together really well, I just wish we had more races!” commented Doug Struth. “We came really close to winning the last race; the leader Jelvis, had sailed low on the last leg, while we stayed high, but fair play to Jelvis, they judged the downwind leg to perfection. We hope we can keep up the momentum tomorrow, it looks like there will be a bit more breeze, enough to keep us planing all day – I can’t wait!” 

The Key Yachting Daily Prize Giving was held at the RORC Cowes Clubhouse. Key Yachting’s Wayne Palmer and Hannah Le Provost welcomed winners to the stage to receive a bevy of prizes from regatta sponsors. With complimentary cold beers from the RORC, and Key Yachting providing hot jacket potatoes and live music, the evening was very well attended!

The Key Yachting daily pizegiving was held at the RORC Cowes Clubhouse Photo: Paul Wyeth

Racing at the Key Yachting J-Cup continues tomorrow, 1st July. For more information about the J/Boats range. Visit Key Yachting, the exclusive agent for J Boats in the UK and Ireland for over twenty years.

Key Yachting, the Irish agent for both J Boats and Grand Soleil, are delighted to note that, along with two Grand Soleil's entered, nine J Boats entered in this year's Round Ireland event commencing this Saturday.

The two Grand Soleils are both well known in Irish racing circles.

Bob Rendell's Grand Soleil 44 Samatom won its class at last year's Sovereigns Cup, and Denis and Anne Marie Murphy's Grand Soleil 40, Nieulargo from Royal Cork, was the 2021 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race winner.

Both should be in with a good shout if the conditions are to their liking.

Bob Rendell's Grand Soleil 44 Samatom Photo: Afloat

Of the nine J Boats entered, the one to watch may be Michael O'Donnell's J/121 Darkwood from the Solent, which, along with Michael O'Donnell, will include several other Irish within her crew. Darkwood has been very successful in the RORC races this year.

Andrew Hall from the UK will race his J/125 Jackknife, which can be very competitive, particularly off the wind.

Chris Power Smith's evergreen J122 Aurelia from the Royal St George Yacht Club always shows well.

Michael and Richard Evans will compete in their J99 Snapshot, which won Sovereigns week overall last year. Two J109s, two J111s, plus a J105 make up the nine.

Mark Mansfield, Irish Agent for Key Yachting, wishes all the J Boats and Grand Soleil entries well in the race. Mark will be racing aboard Bob Rendell's Grand Soleil 44.

For further information on any Grand Soleil or J Boat, Mark can be contacted at 087 2506838 or [email protected]

A new boat has just been added to the Key Yachting brokerage listing in Ireland writes Key Yachting Ireland representative Mark Mansfield

The 2016 J/112e—Jib and Tonic has just gone on the market and is ready to race or cruise for the 2022 season.

She Joins Jump Juice, the very well-known Ker 37 also listed by Key Yachting.

J/112e—Jib and Tonic

The 2016 J/112e—Jib and Tonic

Both boats could be launched and raced straight away with good bottom finishes, engines recently serviced and good sail inventories.

Either of these could be racing in Wave Regatta in June, Round Ireland Race in June, Cork Week Regatta in July, or racing and cruising around Schull in August and doing Calves Week.

J/112e Jib and Tonic on her berth at Dun Laoghaire Marina

The newest listing is the very fresh and very lightly used J/112e, Jib and Tonic.

As is known, the J/112e is an exceptional performer on IRC, with versions of this design having won the IRC/ORC World Championships in the past, winning Cowes Week 2021 and winning the 2021 ORC World Championships. 

The J/112e also has a very comfortable interior, with two comfortable double cabins, and a very roomy and comfortable main saloon. Her sail and instrument inventory is impressive and on average she has only been used about 15 days a year since new and this is shown by only 97 hours on the engine. The engine is just serviced and she is being antifouled this week. She is ready to go.

J/112e Jib and Tonic interior

Click for full brokerage details of Jib and Tonic

Jump Juice, the Ker 37

Jump Juice—Ker 37

Jump Juice, the Ker 37, is also ready to go and, like Jib and Tonic, has a particularly impressive sail inventory.

A substantial refit was done on her a few years ago including upgrades to instruments and a paint job on the hull. Jump Juice has been a consistent winner in the past and apart from her speed, is a particularly impressive and attractive yacht—a real head-turner.

Click for full brokerage details of Jump Juice 

Full details for each of these Irish VAT paid yachts are available below in the links. Further information can be got from Mark Mansfield of Key Yachting at, [email protected] or ph. 00 353 87 2506838.

Click for full brokerage details of Jump Juice 

Click for full brokerage details of Jib and Tonic