Youngstown Community Boating

08/27/2026

Keep track of your favorite team!

08/27/2026

After a patient start ashore, the 2026 J/111 North American Championship officially got underway Wednesday at Youngstown Yacht Club, with three races completed for the 14-team fleet.

The morning began under AP ashore while the Race Committee waited for conditions to develop. AP was lifted at 1:15 p.m. and the fleet headed to the racecourse, where conditions settled into a remarkably consistent ENE breeze around 10–11 knots with a 75° course heading and gentle 1–2 foot seas. Racing began at 2:30 p.m., allowing Principal Race Officer Chip Till and the Youngstown Yacht Club Race Committee to complete three races before wrapping up a productive opening day.

“Patience ended up being the key to today’s racing,” said PRO Chip Till. “Once a very nice ENE breeze filled in, it was an epic 3-race day on Lake Ontario to kick off the championship.”

Race Results
Race 1
1. Fireball — Bill & Jackie Baxter
2. Chip's Ahoy — Chip Merlin
3. Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis

Race 2
1. Black Seal — Kevin & Seth Young
2. Chip's Ahoy — Chip Merlin
3. Bravo — Sedgwick Ward

Race 3
1. Black Seal — Kevin & Seth Young
2. Bravo — Sedgwick Ward
3. Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis

Overall Standings — After 3 Races
1. Black Seal — Kevin & Seth Young — 6 points
2. Chip's Ahoy — Chip Merlin — 9 points
3. Bravo — Sedgwick Ward — 12 points
4. Shamrock — Jeffrey Davis — 12 points
5. Fireball — Bill & Jackie Baxter — 14 points

With back-to-back bullets in Races 2 and 3, Black Seal emerged from opening day with a three-point advantage over Chip's Ahoy, while Bravo and Shamrock sit tied at 12 points.

“It was a great day of racing,” said Kevin Young of Black Seal. “The Race Committee did an outstanding job, the competition throughout the fleet was strong, and the conditions gave us some really enjoyable sailing. Great race management, great competition and, overall, just a fantastic day on the water.”

Corinthian Standings — After 3 Races
1. Moneypenny — Douglas Clarke — 20 points
2. Quickdraw — Martin Zonnenberg — 27 points
3. Leading Edge — Tom Sutton — 31 points

With three races successfully completed on opening day, the Championship is underway with three more days of racing ahead. Youngstown Yacht Club extends its appreciation to PRO Chip Till, the Race Committee, event volunteers and shoreside team for their efforts both on and off the water.

The Championship also recognizes the support of Youngstown Community Boating, Quantum Sails, Savoir Travel, and Dyneema, whose sponsorship helps make the J/111 North American Championship possible.

🖊 Marlene Plumley
📸 Tim Wilkes Photography

Event website / results ➡ https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/50514

08/26/2026

08/26/2026

08/24/2026

⛵ Big-time racing is coming to Youngstown!

The Youngstown Sailing Foundation is proud to serve as the Organizing Authority for the J/111 North American Championship, taking place August 26-29 at the Youngstown Yacht Club!

Some of the best J/111 sailors will be on the water competing for the North American title, and it’s going to be an incredible sight right here on Lake Ontario. 🌊⛵

If you can get out on the water to watch the races—DO IT! 🙌 The racing will be exciting, competitive, and a great opportunity to see these powerful boats in action.

Come out, cheer on the sailors, and enjoy some world-class sailing right in our backyard!

August 26–29 | Youngstown Yacht Club
J/111 North American Championship
Youngstown Sailing Foundation

Did You Know? ⛵

You may have noticed a few extra J/111s arriving at Youngstown Yacht Club already... and there's a good reason!

From August 26–29, YYC is proud to host the 2026 J/111 North American Championship, one of the premier events on the J/111 racing calendar. Hosting a championship of this caliber is a tremendous honor and a testament to our Club, our volunteers, and our reputation for outstanding racing on Lake Ontario.

Did you know that Youngstown Yacht Club is home to four J/111s?

Foreign Exchange - Roeland Polet
MoneyPenny - Doug Clarke
Night Owl - Rick Lohr
George Casey - Larry Quinn

This year we're expecting 14 boats on the starting line—and there's still time for more teams to register!

As racers and their crews arrive over the coming weeks, we hope all YYC members will join us in extending a warm Youngstown welcome. Whether you're watching the racing, attending the social events, volunteering, or simply stopping by the Club, your enthusiasm helps make this championship a memorable experience for competitors from across North America.

Let's show our guests why Youngstown Yacht Club is one of the best places to race and one of the friendliest yacht clubs anywhere.

We will send more information about the individual events soon and look forward to seeing you throughout Championship Week! For the full schedule of events and to purchase clothing, visit: https://yyc.org/j-111-north-american-championships

08/23/2026

🏈 YCB Football Squares Fundraiser! ⛵️

Help us reach our goal of purchasing a new Adventure Sailing boat for our sailors!

🎟️ Grab your football square and support YCB!
Every square helps us get one step closer to putting a new boat on the water.

📧 To purchase your square, email [email protected]

Thank you for supporting YCB Jr. Sailing! 💙⛵️🏈

08/17/2026

🌊 It’s a beautiful day to be on the water! ⛵️☀️

Post-season small group sessions are in full swing this week! Our sailors are making the most of these warm summer days—building skills, gaining confidence, and having fun on the water. 💙

There’s no better way to keep the momentum going after a great sailing season!

⛵️ Keep sailing. Keep learning. Keep having fun!

08/11/2026

⛵ What a Season to Celebrate! 🏆

Last night we gathered for our Annual Awards Banquet to celebrate an incredible sailing season—and there was certainly a lot to celebrate! 🎉

Our sailors and teams traveled near and far, representing our club at:

⛵ Centrals on Sodus Bay
⛵ Jr. CanAm Regatta — hosted right here at home!
⛵ Four Sisters & Canadian Nationals at Port Credit Yacht Club
⛵ North Americans at Port Credit Yacht Club
⛵ Inter-Club Regattas at Canandaigua Yacht Club and Buffalo Yacht Club
⛵ Junior Olympics at Rochester Yacht Club

And our Learn to Sail programs were filled week after week with eager young sailors ready to learn, grow, and have fun on the water! 🌊☀️

From our youngest sailors taking their first turns at the helm to our experienced racers traveling to major regattas, this season was full of growth, teamwork, competition, friendships, and plenty of memories.

A huge THANK YOU to our sailors, coaches, parents, volunteers, and everyone who helped make this season such a success. It truly takes a team! ❤️

We are so proud of everything our sailors accomplished this year and can’t wait to see what’s ahead. ⛵💙

08/07/2026

While the team is at Rochester Yacht Club Junior Olympics, Will and Luke Kaiser headed to Kingston, Ontario Canada for International Opti Fleet and Team Racing CORK. We wish them luck this weekend! 🌬️⛵️♥️

08/07/2026

31 boats. Yes, your read that right…

It takes a team. 💙⛵

Before the first race even begins, so much hard work happens behind the scenes. A huge thank you to our incredible parents, dedicated coaches, and hardworking sailors who spent the day washing boats, loading trailers, checking gear, towing boats, and hitting the road.

Your countless hours, early mornings, and willingness to do whatever it takes make these opportunities possible for our sailors. Safe travels to everyone heading out—we’re proud of your hard work and commitment.

Wishing all of our teams fair winds, safe travels, and an amazing regatta. Go YYC! 🌊⛵💙