Magnificent J-Class Yachts to Grace Newport Harbor in June

Governor Lincoln Chaffee with aide Nicholas Dawes

It was a seriously salty celebration at the historic Jane Pickens Theater in Newport, attended by Governor Lincoln Chafee, Keith Stokes, Director of the RIEDC, David Pitman, Secretary of the J Class Association, Brad Read of Sail Newport, and nearly every serious sailor in Newport. The J-Class Yachts are returning to race in Newport!

The enormous J-Class yachts, whose sails are taller than the craft is long, originally raced in the "100 Guinea Race" around the Isle of Man off the U.K. in 1937, Three original J. Class yachts, Ranger, Velsheda, and Shamrock V (originally owned by Sir Thomas Lipton) will compete in the 5-day Regatta from June 15 to June 19 in the waters off Fort Adams State Park.

Regatta Partners Nic Downes, Bill Morton, and Bob Peck

Regatta Partners LLC, comprising Nic Downes, Robert Peck, and Bill Morton, were instrumental in bringing the J's race to Newport, and will manage the US based event, during which the yachts will be based at Newport Shipyard, aka "ground zero." (Charlie Dana and wife Posey Dana were in the audience for the short films, as were the crews of the three J's) Sail Newport will manage the races. Courses will be set from the point at Fort Adams and held around the inner bay, allowing for shoreline spectators to benefit from this first event to be sailed under JCA rules.

Mr. Pitman narrated the films, which showed footage from the original races, and the daredevil crews of 30 who sail the J's around the world. This will be the first competitive J Class regatta for three yachts in the USA since the America's Cup event of 1937 between the defender Ranger, and the challenger Endeavour II. Elizabeth Meyer, who restored the Endeavour, was in the audience and Governor Chafee said, "This is all very exciting, but didn't Elizabeth Meyer start all this? Let's give her a hand!" Which the crowd happily did.

Elizabeth Meyer, who restored Endeavour

Mr. Stokes again cited the Bay as our great resource, and heralded the scheduled improvement for Fort Adams' facilities.

J-Class Yachts were actually developed from Bristol, R. I.'s Nathaniel Herreshoff's 1903 Universal Rule for racing boats, which determined a yacht's eligibility to race in the America's Cup from 1920 to 1937. The yachts are massive: 140 feet in length and weigh up to 200 tons, with masts that soar 175 feet in the air. And they will soon be on view in Newport Harbor.

Newport Seen spotted Chafee aide Nicholas Dawes, Dyer Jones, former Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, Brad Read of Sail Newport, who welcomed the crowd and introduced the Governor, Charlie Milligan, owner of Act One, Brynne Peck and sons, Pieter Roos and Barbara Roos, Mohamad and Dorienne Farzan, and hostess Kathy Staab.