Quantum Pro-Laghi’s Carlo Fracassoli provides an update on J/70 sail testing in Europe and preparing for the World Championship later this year. Carlo has been instrumental in the sail design and testing process and is one of Quantum’s top European J/70 Class experts.
With the World Championship hosted in Monaco, 2022 will be an important year for the European J/70 Class. Approximately 90 boats from countries around the world are expected at the October regatta. To help us prepare, we’re focused during the winter regattas on dialing in the Quantum sail designs and updating our J/70 tuning guide. Knowing that Monaco will likely bring light wind and wavy conditions, we’re working on a new, more powerful jib designed for these conditions. Our goal is to have a new sail ready for the first event of the Italian circuit in Punta Ala.
The 2021 season brought us great success like the Italian circuit win and a fourth place finish at the European Championship in Copenhagen. While we’re pretty happy with our sails’ performance so far, we’d like even better sails for the Worlds, so our European team of expert sailmakers, sailors, designers, and coaches are testing new materials and new layouts that will improve not only our 2022 performance but also better suit the needs of our customers.
Quantum Rochester’s Travis Odenbach discusses competition in the US and how the 2022 season is progressing thus far. Travis is Quantum’s coordinator for the J/70 Class and competes regularly in winter series events and class championships.
2022 has been a big year so far in the J/70 Class. The US now has two popular winter series: the Bacardi Winter Series in Miami, FL, and another hosted by the Davis Island Yacht Club in Tampa, FL. In January, J/70 sailors were able to return to the waters of Key West at the Key West Race Week reboot, now called the Southernmost Regatta. Davis Island Yacht Club has had the most success this year with over 60 boats competing at each event. It also hosted the J/70 Midwinters in which 65 boats competed. Everyone is enjoying the different racing opportunities this class offers, including me. I’ve been able to sail each event this year, and it seems like the time in the boat and on the water is starting to pay off.
Over the past few years, Quantum has been refining its J/70 sail designs and tuning guide. In this pursuit, I’ve found – no surprise – that the more time we spend on the water, the more we understand the sails, learn the nuances of the boat, and grow as a team. Our goal is to learn something every time we sail.
And there’s always more to learn, whether it’s a certain weather system at a venue, the modes in different conditions, or communicating with new crew. If you’re looking to improve your skills, spend more time on the water. If your schedule allows, arrive a day or two early to an event and practice jibes, going to wing, starting drills, and, most importantly, communicating with your team. So much of what we do is repetition and muscle memory. The more you practice, the more things become second nature.
The 2022 season offers many great regattas hosted in some awesome venues. I know everyone is itching to get out and sail after limited competition the last two years. Take advantage of the great venues and the expertise in the J/70 Class to learn as much as possible. See you all on the water soon!
Get in touch with Quantum Sails J/70 Class Experts Carlo Fracassoli and Travis Odenbach to learn more about the Quantum J/70 sails and tuning guide. Stay tuned for more design and tuning updates.