The 16-35 has weather sealing and is my current favorite for upclose. Hmmm... J Class, there are not much more than 5 or so of those that are currently built and ready to sail I thought (Velsheda, Endeavor, Shamrock, Hanuman, Ranger, ?). I have seen 3 of them in one race once which were all of them at that time that were finished (2002). I think they are the most sexiest ships on the planet.
I will take a look at that lens when I go to the camera store with the D300 body I just purchased.
I went to Newport and saw them ,J-Class boats,this year Ranger and Velsheda were the only ones there ,but it was neat anyway.The 2012 in Falmouth is supposedly going to have six committed to the event.
http://www.jclassyachts.com/2012-regatta/SHAMROCK V - Sir Thomas Lipton’s last yacht to compete for the America’s Cup. 1930
VELSHEDA - Built by W.Stephenson to compete alongside Endeavour. 1933
ENDEAVOUR - T.O.M Sopwith’s first America’s Cup challenger. 1934
RANGER - Replica of H. Vanderbildt’s 1936 America’s Cup defender. 2002
HANUMAN - Replica of T.O.M. Sopwith’s second challenger Endeavour II. 2009
LIONHEART - An original build of a 1936 Ranger design. 2010
RAINBOW - Replica of Rainbow built in 1934 to defend the America’s Cup. 2011
SVEA - An original build of a 1937 Swedish design by Tore Holm. 2011
ATLANTIS - An original build of a 1936 Frank Paine design. 2011
Heck where you are is where four of the new ones are being or were built.
http://www.claasenjachtbouw.nl/en/j-class/goHoek is involved,I know lionheart is done and I think Atlantis is well underway and Svea is next.
I leave in a week or so to take the one boat to the Turks and Caicos.Then I am heading out on a 90' powerboat to go to Tortola the slow way through the Bahamas.So I will not have time to get the whole camera package together until I get back from Tortola,as I do want a telephoto as well.I will definitely check out the 16-35 you like if they have it.I can only spend a little at a time as the wife will notice otherwise....
I got to get on Shamrock V back in 1986 in Newport as well as a bunch of pretty neat sailing yachts,Ticonderoga,Nighthawk and Whitefin to name a few as I was on the Herreshoff Bounty( 1932 built originally and we just did a complete rebuild on her ) and being on an old wooden boat in Newport opens opportunities or at least it did back in the old days.
I am looking forward to Falmouth next June as you said the J Class boats are something to behold.
I looked at your suggestion online looks like a good choice and saw a 70-200 VR that might be another choice.
Thanks...