A new J105 racing fleet was launched in Bermuda last Sunday with two races around Hamilton Harbour.

And while the 25 knot winds grounded the International-14 sailors, here for the World Championships, the much larger J105s celebrated the strong breezes.

With spinnakers full, the fleet planed down the at speeds topping 14 knots.

Part of the object of the event was to allow sailors who had not before experienced J105 sailing to take part.

Monkeyshines owner and race organiser John Thompson stepped aside for the day to allow Ed Faries to take the helm and he responded with victory in both races.

Derek Ratteray's boat, Passion, was so new that his spinnakers had still not cleared customs but using a chute borrowed from Monkeyshines and a crew borrowed from other Bermuda Offshore Cruising Association boats he achieved two second place finishes.

Jonathan Brewin skippered Not Mine and with several visitors on board ended up in third place. Fourth went to Mike Tucker's Joji with Bermudian solo sailor Alan Paris on board.

Monkeyshines was the first of the 34.5-foot boats to be brought to the Island, having arrived three years ago. Owner Thompson has been racing her in BOCA races ever since under a handicap system which allows a wide range of different makes of sailing vessels to compete on a more-or-less equal basis. She won the overall trophy in 2000.

The J105 is, in Thompson's opinion, the ideal Bermuda boat. Designed by Rod Johnstone of Newport, Rhode Island, the craft are raced with a crew of five or six but can be cruised by two.

In the Spring, Thompson facilitated the arrival of the second J105 on the Island, a sister boat built in France under contract with the Newport main office. Owner Mike Tucker kept the French name Joji.

A third boat arrived several months later, owned jointly by Buddy Rego (who has successfully sailed his Frers 41 in BOCA and Newport/Bermuda races for some time), Jonathan Brewin and Bill Riker. The trio have named her Not Mine.

In November Derek Ratteray became the owner of Passion, the fourth Bermudian J105. And with the arrival of Passion on the Island there were enough J105s in Bermuda to become Fleet number 21 in the J105 Association, linking local boats with J105 fleets across America, Mexico and in the UK.