EDGARTOWN, MASS. — J/Boat teams are always a big part of the action at Edgartown Yacht Club Race Weekend, and this year organizers are putting out an all-call to J Fest participants and others who own J/Boats, inviting them to join the fun on Martha’s Vineyard over July 25-27. The three-day competition starts on Thursday with two days of ’Round-the-Buoys (’RTB) racing and finishes on Saturday with a choice of distance races: the traditional 56 nautical-mile ’Round-the-Island (’RTI) race and, introduced last year, the 20 nm ’Round-the-Sound (’RTS) race.

Sailors can choose to sail on all three days or just in one or the other of the distance races. Either way, there’s something for everyone and something extra for J/Boat teams in the ‘RTI race. A three-boat team, representing any given yacht club and with PHRF-NE rated entries in more than one division, qualifies for first-, second-, and third-place trophies based on best-corrected times. As well, there are top-three prizes for the best individual corrected time out of all J/Boats in the ’RTI.

As one of the smallest boats in the fleet last year, Ira Perry’s (Padanaram, Mass.) J/29 Seefest won the best-corrected-time J/Boat trophy in the ’RTI and finished second in his class. Perry has won the race a handful of times since he first sailed it in 2001 and has only missed a few years of competing here.

“It’s just spectacular scenery, some of the most beautiful in the area,” said Perry, “and the race is always tactically challenging, especially in light air when you need to concentrate on keeping the boat moving, but last year there was plenty of wind, and we were in by 4 p.m.”

For more race weekend details, visit here