J Class racing in Falmouth

YM photographer and cruising yachtsman Bob Aylott is down in Falmouth to shoot the J Class regatta, in which Velsheda, Lionheart and Ranger are competing. Light winds have made for some fairly leisurely competition so far but with over 700 square metres (7,500 square feet) of sail area, it would need to be a ghostly flat calm to stop them racing.

The Dutch J Lionheart ducks the stern of the American J Ranger during the J Classs regatta off Falmouth

With two races completed, honours have been split between Velsheda and Lionheart, with Ranger placing second in both. This leaves all three boats on four points with three races left in the series. After Falmouth, the J’s will be flying east along the coast to Cowes to face each other again at the Royal Yacht Squadron’s bicentennial regatta.