Memories: Jam/MoJoe

Bill Gately on Jam/MoJoe:

"In the "small world" arena, the only other Serendipity 43 whose deck I have ever stood on is that of MoJoe!

Back maybe 15 years ago I sailed "Jam" back from Rockport [Maine] to Marblehead Harbor [Massachusetts] with Richard (I forget his last name), a then retired attorney who lived in Marblehead but had a house up in Maine.  At that time Jam's cockpit had been extensively modified with a very large metal dodger, her bridge deck cut away and a new 6' 5" [shoal] keel designed by Jim Taylor to replace the 7' 9" keel with which she came. 

I knew Richard and was familiar with Jam's new keel since Jim Taylor replaced my keel at the same time as he was replacing Jam's.  Jam and Fruition shared Jim's design cost and the mold that had to be made to cast the two keels.

When Jim Taylor made his proposal for a new keel he stated that, "You would never do this if you were going to race her.  You will lose a couple of degrees to weather but might gain some back downwind since she will be a little stiffer. "

 

This author is happy to report that our crew sailed MoJoe competitively and well even with that shortened shoal keel, winning many races, much like Fruition is doing even today!

Fruition Race Video

 Here is a YouTube video of Fruition at the 2022 Bone Island Regatta (Florida)

The annual Bone Island Regatta from the Sarasota area to Key West is held as the last event of the September-to-May “Boat of the Year” competition sanctioned by the Sarasota Bay Yachting Association. 

This regatta at about 160 miles is also the longest race race of the nine race “Boat of the Year” competition. Boats compete under West Florida rules in four separate fleets - spinnaker, non-spinnaker, cruiser and multihull. 

The regatta is a non-profit event organized selflessly and competently by Alice Petrat as a service to the sailing community with assistance by an all volunteer team. The land-based events at the end of the race are many and memorable.

Fruition 2023 Update!

Fruition continues to actively race in the Venice, Sarasota Bay and Tampa Bay area.  She is still fast, despite her age, her shorter 6' 6" keel and her dependable 1984 Hood racing mainsail.  New engine, new asymmetrical spinnaker same old(er) scurvy crew!   These boats were made to last!

When we moved from MA to FL there was a local racing fleet that called Fruition out of retirement.  We have Fruition as one of the fastest "racer/cruiser" in the Sarasota area.  We go up to Davis Island Yacht Club at the head of Tampa Bay to race with the top dogs in the racer/cruiser category and have always been at the podium to the chagrin of the local hot shots.

 

Recently, Fruition won the 2022 Sarasota Bay "Boat of the Year" competition in her class and is now in first place for the 2023 competition with only the Venice to Key West Regatta remaining (in which she placed 3rd last year).