Jenifer Clark's Gulfstream: Customer Comments

In October 2012, Tim Kent wrote: I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of days at Jennifer's home before the Around Alone Race studying with her. And when I was plucked from the bottom of my capsized Open 50 and went to the bridge of the cruise ship that rescued us, whose software was up on their computers? Jennifer's, of course. That cruise ship was in the same spot we were for the same reason - and it likely saved our lives.

Peter Holmes in the 2012 Newport to Bermuda Race sent the following comments to Jenifer & Dane:

This year's Race was my first .... and how to deal with the Gulf Stream and weather routing for the return trip
were key questions. Your assistance and help was invaluable. From the early emails on the stream, to the Newport briefing on the day of the Race and waypoints for catching the 100 mile meander, and to Dane's guidance in planning the trip home....I can't thank you enough. What was particularly important was being able to call Dane from Bermuda on the Friday when we were being told to "get out of Dodge" in a hurry and head home. Dane's route putting us well east of the rumb line helped us tremendously compared to other boats to our west who were hit with far worse weather. Dane's forecast was right on and we made landfall at Gay Head and arrived back in South Dartmouth with no problems. And to be able to call half way home on the sat phone and have Dane answer on the first ring with some much needed re-assurance was just what the doctor ordered.

Eric Crawford in the 2012 Newport to Bermuda Race said, "I have used Jenifer Clark's Gulfstream information since I started ocean racing in 1993 and wouldn't do a race to Bermuda without it. This includes being a navigator for an overall win ("Restless" 2000), and four class wins("Restless" 1996, 2000;" Belle Aurore" 2010,2012) in the Newport Bermuda Race."

I’m pleased to advise that...the sailing vessel Avenir (Newport to Bermuda Race boat) that was abandoned on Tuesday, June 26^th after the loss of her rudder is now under tow back to Bristol RI. ...Thanks Dane and Jenifer for all your help in the recovery. Ron Rostorfer (Skipper)

In May 2012, Dr. Roger Gray wrote... Jenifer and Dane, we arrived safe and sound in Marion yesterday afternoon. a fair amount of motoring on the Bermuda to Marion stretch, but no bad weather. Thanks again for all your help - you have been a great resource and I'd be glad to serve as a reference. will be in touch with you regarding the next offshore venture.

Hal Moore (Cruising Sailor) in May 2012 said: "Thanks again for your routing package. Your planned route was on the spot. We got to Florida safely in spite of the tropical storms."

****************

Joe Hanna in the 2012 Gulfstreamer Race - " Your forecast was right on (and as you said) - the race should have been canceled ... all 14 boats abandoned at some point except one. We went straight for the stream and did really well on Fri night into Sat early morning. The swells/waves were rough, but manageable for us and we had about 3 knots of stream current once we were inside. The wind even changed to a bit of NW that allowed me to change course closer to N. We were the only boat that decided to go into the stream, in addition to the only finisher. Once Beryl was named Saturday, I had to make the safe call and abandon the race.
Afterwards, I found out that half the fleet had abandoned over Fri night. I ended up in Jacksonville where, unfortunately, the storm eventually made land fall early Sunday morning. No damage to the boat or my pride ... just a very uncomfortable night. Thanks for all the support."

Dear Jenifer and Dane,

As a professional delivery captain and sailing instructor, I have learned a thing or two about the weather, and I was happy to find that my analysis of the offshore conditions agreed with yours during the first week or so of
being delayed. It was pretty obvious that nasty conditions and/or short weather windows were present during late October and early November, 2011.

What I could never have predicted was sub-tropical storm Sean. Your strong recommendation to have me "pull over" in Buzzards Bay to see how things develop was the best advice a captain could have ever asked for.
I rented a car and and my entire crew watched the storm wallop all who were out there from our living room couches over the next week. Contrary to the horror stories we heard from the weeks prior, our weather
windows were about as perfect as it could have ever been. I created a twelve minute video about our delivery south and posted it under the "news" section of my sailing school website:
www.blackrocksailingschool.com

Hiring your services was the best money I've spent in years. Your emails were clear and to the point, and the ability to discuss things with you by phone meant a lot to me. Jenifer's gulfstream analysis was easy to decipher
and fun to work with.

I look forward to utilizing your services when we bring the boat back up north from the Virgin Islands in April 2012, and any other time I plan to go well offshore.

The entire "Sunshine" crew and owner are your new groupies!

Sincerely,

--
Brenton Lochridge
Black Rock Sailing School
3 Bessom Street #327
Marblehead, MA 01945
617-639-3061
WEB: www.blackrocksailingschool.com
FB: www.facebook.com/BlackRockSailingSchool

In the 2011 Caribbean 1500, David Povich (brother of Maury Povich) said, "Jenifer and Dane...you did a great job, as only Blackbird beat us".

From the Navigator of the record Havana to Key West swim attempt by Diana Nyad... "Thank you so much for your input into (our) decision-making. Your forecasting was quite accurate. ...very appreciative." Sincerely, John Bartlett

From Matt Wachowicz...winner of the 2011 Annapolis to Newport Race

"Your information for the Annapolis to Newport Race was impeccable, and I'd like to use your services for the Transatlantic Race. I really appreciated the efforts you went through on the Annapolis race, and the hard work really paid off, as we won the race, in part using your current information as a key bit of our strategy. Looking forward to working with you on the transat..."

A 2011 cruiser wrote us saying ...we went offshore at Georgetown SC and had spoken to Dane on the way out. After that the trip was great, never saw a current on the nose good N-NE winds 25-30 with quartering seas maybe 10-12 ft. We made great time averaging 7.0 Kts almost all the way to Miami. We used your waypoints as guidance until reaching the Keys. Thanks to you and Dane for the great information, it was spot on.
Stephen Johnson
SV-Chandara V40-171

Your help paid off! We were the first J/42 to finish and were 2nd in Class.
We plan to depart Bermuda for Newport on Monday June 30th.

Regards,
Howard B. Hodgson, Jr.

Gail Greenwald in the 2011 Bermuda 1-2 Race said,

"Jenifer I just wanted to get back to you and thank you for the support. The outbound leg was a pretty routine task for route planning as it was a rhumb line route, but the return leg was very challenging. Based on your preliminary chart and the altimetry data I was seriously considering going east, and your final package sealed the deal. We went way east of the rhumb line, and it worked out great for us. We got first in class and third overall for both the DH leg and overall"

Jennifer & Dane: "Integrity" and crew made the passage from Ft. Pierce FL to Annapolis Md without incident and with the help of great weather predictions by you. Jennifer, the plotting of the course through the Gulf Stream was extremely helpful and maximized our speed through sometimes nonexistent winds. Thanks once again for a great forecasting job.

..... John R. Zonarich, Esquire

Jen: We made the trip from BVI to the dock in Annapolis in 8 days. I wanted to thank you and Dane for the advice throughout the trip. It gives me great confidence to know that I have such experts on my side. Thanks too from all the crew of the SV CELEBRATION. Brendan Sullivan

2010 Cruiser: Just a short note to inform you that our passage from the Chesapeake Bay to Duck Key, FL was a great trip. Your weather forecasting was again very accurate and made for a safe and reassuring trip. Be in touch for our next trip. With great appreciation, John.

2010 Cruiser: Dear Dane and Jenifer... We had such an easy passage to Tortola due to your excellent advice. Everyone who left from the Northeast earlier than we did had a miserable trip and broke equipment. We spoke with one sailor from Kittery Maine who was really beat up by storms. A sailmaker from Yarmouth said he got impatient and rode a gale to Atlantic City then waited there for three days. A wooden ketch from Brooklin Maine had their sat phone dome fall through the companionway. Thank you for all your help; we will certainly call you again when we do an open passage... Maggie and Al

Ken Rhoads, Cruising Sailor on his June 2010 trip to Bermuda from the Northeast U.S.....

"Just want you and Dane to know how much we appreciated all you did for us. The trip would have been a foolish adventure without both of you. Your waypoints were on the money up and back. The weather forecast couldn't have been better. Thanks again guys. We sure do need you out there."

Your forecast in the Newport Bermuda 2010 race was a key factor for us winning our class in the Bermuda Race!
Thank You,
Jack Neades

USCGA

"I appreciate that you are holding a spot for us (2010 Newport Race Seminar) , your information was the only accurate information for the currents and the anomalies in the stream. The NOAA and other data was useless during the 2008 Newport Race....." - Sean Byrne

2009 Marion to Bermuda Race: Sheldon Brotman on "Whisper" sent thanks to Jenifer and Dane for routing that helped him finish: first in IRC, first NE yacht to Bermuda and second in class A.

In May 2009 Blair Pyne wrote:

"...Hi Jenifer and Dane. We are home. Six days and nine hours to Newport. Thank you for the routing you had it right on. We had a 214 mile day in the stream and Danes report for Thursday was exact. Thanks again hopefully we will be in touch in the Fall."

Blaise Pierson, navigator of Midnight Sun, in the St. Pete to Isla Race won first in class using Jenifer Clark’s Gulfstream services!

Long-time Jenifer Clark’s client Pete Rebovich, navigator of Sinn Fein used Jenifer and Dane's ocean and weather forecasts to win the 2008 Newport to Bermuda Race’s St. David’s Lighthouse, and the North Rock Beacon Trophies.

Dr. Charles Dupin on Charlie V said:

“ Dane’s long range weather was uncannily correct. Due to his prediction, we came in 4th place in the Newport to Bermuda Yacht race”.

George Petrides, owner of AVRA, said:

"Your course helped us hugely and we ended up 3rd in class and 20th in fleet."

In the 2008 Bermuda Ocean Race, Greg Dupier on Molto Bene said....

"Thank you very much for the BOR weather and Gulfstream information...it was definitely a part of our success in taking 1st Place in class and 2nd Place in the Fleet in the 2008 BOR!!!"

Howie Hodgson wrote:

"Your help paid off! We were the first J/42 to finish and were 2nd in Class."

From AVRA John Hummler wrote:

"Thank u for all your help. your routing was excellent and in the final analysis it was the "blue line" as u predicted that helped us achieve our 3rd place in our class w/in our division.
Thanks again."

2008 Newport to Bermuda Race

"Thankyou. Thankyou for your forecasts. Our route was as it turned out
exactly your predicted route" - Robert Childs on Whimsical of Wight

Nat Ives said . . .

"we won our class and the owner was thrilled, the Gulf Stream info was of course fundamental in this and if you check out our route (Aquarius) you will see how we used it!"

Nathan Baron, Skipper Minimus Sailing Team, wrote . . .

Thanks again for you excellent advice before the BOR. My crew was very impressed with the briefing and it confirmed for me what a talented team the two of you are.

Ron Rostorfer - winner in the 2007 Caribbean 1500 said ....

" ....Jenifer and Dane, we won class by almost 24 hours - due substantially to your routing."

From: Timothy B. Glynn
Sailing the Gulf Stream

When things are tough, Dane is available to talk on the phone. They
even gave me the phone number of their beach house one time and generally they have not charged me for phone calls. One time when there was an unanticipated shift in the weather Dane actually called me to prepare me.

It is like having a guardian angel. Any time you can rent a guardian
angel for $230, you should.

In May 2008, Didier Lapierre on Boundless said.... we are 25 miles from the mouth of Chesapeake Bay....your Weather updates were a big help and for that, we the crew of the s/y Boundless are grateful - thank you.....as we will be in the marina only hours before the next bigger low hits.

In the 2008 St. Petersburg to Isla Mujeres Sailboat, Race John J. Christman writes:

I'm pleased to say that your recommendations were very helpful. During the segment from
the next-to-last to the last, we were getting speeds over the ground (SOG)
of over 10 knots with through-the-water speeds of about 6. This gave us a
distinct advantage. I'm proud to say that in the end, we won our class!!! Your
recommendations were certainly a part of that.

In March of 2008, Didier Lapierre on the S/V Boundless wrote:

"...We used Jenifer and Dane's services last year (2007) in May for a passage to Bermuda. The charts and routing information were excellent. We had a push from the stream almost half way to Bermuda..... "

In March of 2008, Darlene Forte wrote:

"I want to thank you for your informative and interesting talk at the Tartan and West River Club symposium. Everyone really enjoyed it! You had such fun stories to share with us, what an interesting business..."

Justin Christou on the 122 foot yacht Atlantide stated in November of 2007 that

"Jenifer's Ocean routing was "spot on" for our trip through the Gulfstream from St. Martin to Newport. The crew said I was crazy making all those course changes, but in the end we followed Jenifer's waypoints and significantly increased our speed through the stream and the eddies"

Joe Harris in the 2007 Bermuda One-Two Race said,

" .....your (Jenifer Clark) Gulfstream forecast and Dane's weather were right-on, so well done to
you guys and thanks for your important part in my breaking the course record."

In the 2007 Charleston to Bermuda Race....Scott Jones said

"We won our division and came in second overall - thanks for the weather and gulfstream data - you are the best!"

Comments in April 2007 ............

"Jenifer, your information was spot on and made a significant difference -- Thanks again. First in class in Regatta Al Sol Del Sol April 2007. Navigator Sunset.

Rick Higger

In June 2006,  Dr. Richie  Shulman, Captain of Temptress 
  [winner of the Gibb's Hill  St. David's Lighthouse trophy] wrote:

"Jenifer - thank  you. As always your prerace information was critical in our

success. Your gulf stream analysis was spot on - and Nick Nicholson was

able to take your information and put us right where we were supposed to

be. The cold eddy just south of the Stream was a spectacular boost. Dane's

weather forcast also got it right. On Thursday night we were convinced

that we should go East - and after the Friday AM weather briefings we

changed our plans and went West - that did it for us!"

Comments in June 2006 about Newport to Bermuda . . .

" I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you and your husband for the current and weather information for this years Newport Race. We found it to be invaluable. As a result we finished third in class. A great time was had by all. We will certainly enlist your services next year for the Marion-Bermuda Race." - Dan Biemesderfer "Shearwater"

"We are very pleased with our 4th place finish.  It would not  have been possible without your expert guidance.

 We took the western route and absolutely nailed the big CE."
 Jeff Ohstrom
 Mezza Luna


Dirk Johnson, navigator of Bella Mente in the 2006 newport to bermuda yacht race says  " you did an awesome job as usual.

 The cold eddy gave us 5.5 knots of speed over a long period of time.  See you again in 2 years!"


Brook Streit, navigator of Salty Goose:

"Jennifer, I just wanted to thank you and your daughter for putting in the extra effort to make me a chart the morning of the start. I ended up going west and your predictions were spot on. " ********

I was downloading grib files of the stream the whole time and was very disappointed in their inaccuracy. I also heard other boats who were using routing software say the same thing. We found your projections to be much more accurate so we didn't let the "toys" get in the way of good judgment. Thanks again for a great forecast. Jon Somes, navigator Sagitta

Again, you are a genius.. We were 1 in class on BREEZING UP in the 2006 Newport to Bermuda race. Your charts were excellent! - David Pratt

Janet Riesman on Intrepid in the 2006 Newport to Bermuda Sailboat Race said, ..." Your advice was invaluable and exceeded all our expectations... the big cold eddy gave us a huge push."

On June 12, 2006 Larry Bowyer wrote about the "regata al sol del sol" .. .

"We came in second in our class and 4th in Division. .... The Gulfstream analysis was right on and was very helpful in our navigation. The boats that went to the east did well, while those going to the west were towards the back of the fleet."

In June of 2006, Michael McGrenra wrote . . . .

We really appreciated your assistance and strategizing. Your daily forecasts were succinct and accurate; we found them easy to interpret. The waypoints guiding us through currents resulted in favorable speeds often 1.5K better over ground. We would use your services again and recommend you without reservation.

In May 2006, John Bonds wrote:

Moneypenny Position Report Sat 1345 edt: 60 nm offshore Currituck, VA, North of Cape Hatteras .....Spectacular night of sailing last night preceding frontal passage. Cruising kite works great & we made great time yesterday. Jenifer Clark's gulfstream forecasts were perfectly accurate.

In December of 2005, Dan Ellis wrote....."I just wanted to say thank you so much for your services. You nailed the weather and ocean route info.... we did great, had no surprises. I'm a big fan of your service and I will strongly recommend it to other passage-makers. Thanks again."

From Mark Scheffer, s/v Restless- June 23, 2005

Jenifer, followed your route very closely for the marion to bermuda. We were amazed as your water temps and currents were dead on. We had trouble getting out of Buzzard's Bay against a strong southwesterly and tide, as our boat does not do really well into the wind (shoal keel). We recovered from 11th in our class to ending up 5th, to a great extent due to the Gulf Stream routing. . . . . Look forward to hearing from you and again, thanks for the great data - we'll plan on using your services every time. Thanks. Mark Scheffer

From Trawler Cruiser's David and Christine Saul.. June 10, 2005 We arrived safely, and on time, in St. Gerorges Bermuda... Dane, your beautiful high was right on schedule, and we had beautiful weather all the way...thanks for organizating that for us! Jenifer, your waypoints were wonderful: at one time, at our normal cruising speed of 10kts, we reached a top speed of 13.4kts!!!! I thank the two of you for contributing to the fun, excitment,enjoyment, and SAFETY, of this trip from Norfolk to Bermuda.

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