What a great year sailing in 2015! The class is now operating in its 36th year and has hosted 35 North American Championships special thanks to your membership and continued support. As we navigate new waters in 2016, keep focus on the mission to win, tweak sails for performance with the “big picture” to have fun. As Dan and Dave take the helm with the J/30 Board of Governors, local fleet sailors and friends to celebrate a new sailing season, we encourage each of you to maintain that J/30 camaraderie which makes this class very special. Let’s continue mentoring of our youth to teach a newer generation of sailors how to win on and off the water by providing opportunities to build skill, teamwork and sportsmanship. Gary Jobson taught us to win by gaining the respect of our competitors. Let’s do just that by winning on the water in a “leadership by example” role and inspire fellow sailors to do the same.
All Smiles
Speaking of leadership by example we would like to recognize John McArthur who started sailing his boat Smiles in Long Island Sound in the 1970s. Fat City’s Carl Sherter says, “I have known John for over 30 years-back when we were all young and stupid. He sailed with Kenny Johnson on his J/30. Our crews were always competitive but could party together. Of course John & I would just watch THE KIDs screw up their brains-NOT. I always enjoyed John being very competitive on the race course but a gentleman & good friend at all times. John has many attributes- the best being a truly honest sailor. He wanted to win by sailing better not in the protest room. As I became busier with hospital stuff John picked up the burden of growing the class. He and Sandy know how to quietly run an event. When I bought the Swan and looked for crew to sail to Bermuda, John was my first choice. Not only did we share the sailing but roomed together in Bermuda. When I wanted to get my boat to Marblehead, John did it all. I paid for a little diesel fuel. Everyone should be lucky enough to know John and Sandy and have friends like them.” #J/30 #Sailors #LeadByExample
There are a few areas noteworthy to highlight.
North American Championship Awards
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NATIONAL FUND RAISING RECOGNITION
Team Zephyr was recognized as the 5th highest Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fund raising program in the USA. See the national rankings on pages 6 and 7 in the January/February edition of Sailing World Magazine. Meet Captain Riley “Roo” by watching video https://vimeo.com/147548229. Team Zephyr is racing to accomplish two goals in 2016: (1) 1st in the Country in Fund Raising and (2) to raise $50,000 individual or $100,000 on a team level to surprise Riley with a research grant named after her. For those who are interested in helping Team Zephyr reach their goals and are not currently associated with a Leukemia Cup Regatta, please visit http://www.leukemiacup.org/pages/msla/nola16/derwin.
NATIONAL & REGIONAL REGATTAS
April 2-3rd J/30 Midwinters @ Pontchartrain YC http://pontyc.org/
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 Official Web Site |
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COMMUNICATIONS
The J/30 Forum continues to be the official communications medium for the J/30 Class. We continue to have discussions from sailors from all over the world exchanging sea stories, posting videos, sharing photographs, getting maintenance tips, coordinating cruises and scheduling races. Don’t forget to check out the discussions on the district forums that are local to your area.
After talking to other J/Boat classes such as J/105 and J/109, we have been nominated as one of the best National Class forums across the sailing world. There is a wealth of information on the J/30 Forum made possible by people who have shared information on core replacement, engine rebuilding, running rigging upgrades, deck repair, and the list goes on. If you have not registered on the J/30 Forum, you are missing a great resource available at no cost for your use.
Don’t forget to engage and speak to your district governors and ask “how can I help” so the J/30 Class can serve you better. Create opportunity to meet and connect with other J/30 owners in your area.
SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS
 #1 Fan Award “Smiles” CT North American Championship Support |
 Take One for the Team Award Eric Braitmeyer |
 David Erwin “Zephyr V2.0” Season of Sailing (Music by Lotus Crush) |
MERCHANDISE
The J/30 Class continues to partner with V-Sport, the J/Boat licensed apparel supplier to offer member discounts on J/30 logo merchandise that can be personalized for your boat. The class has also partnered with North Sails to offer J/30 flags available for purchase online. We offer both the large battle size and smaller back stay flags. In 2013 the J/30 Class Association partnered with West Marine and is now a member of the West Marine affiliate program. You can support the J/30 Class when you make your West Marine purchases online. The J/30 Class Association receives a percentage of sales from your purchases when you click through from our website you are directed to the West Marine website with a cookie that identifies you as a J/30 affiliate. You can also use any discounts that you may be authorized. We will keep a link visible on the J/30 website and on the J/30 Forum so you can easily locate the click through link.
The J/30 Class continues to partner with Boat US so that J/30 Class members receive a 50% discount on their annual Boat US membership as described in the Members Only section of the J/30 forum. We are also offering a US Sailing membership savings ($10 discount for individuals, $5 discount for youths, $15 discount for families) through the Member Value Program? those who pay J/30 Class dues online and enter their US Sailing number get a custom link with their data already entered to get this discount.
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
The class will be sending an email with a request for your J/30 Class record update and 2015 class dues by the end of January. Please take the time to complete the annual directory survey. National and Fleet Membership is optional. National class dues will remain at $50 for each owner/co-owner and $25 for associate membership (crew members). We also have a Junior Membership category for crew members who are age 16 or younger. We hope this category will encourage Junior sailors to be recognized and added to the fleet roster. It is intended that when Junior Members pass the age of 16, they will become associate members, and eventually J/30 boat owners. The Chesapeake and Gulf Coast fleets will pay optional national and local dues using the national fleet tracking and renewal process. This helps us in so many ways to keep fleet information current while offering a service for local fleets. If you have not received an email message by 1 February, please contact us to be sent a custom registration link for your boat. We ask that everyone please support the class and pay dues, so we can continue to build the momentum with resources such as the web site, forum and National Championship.
FINAL NOTES
We have developed many friendships over the years due to the J/30 Class. Let keep this spirit alive. The J/30 Class will remain successful as long as its membership is active and participating. We would also like personally thank all of the J/30 Board of Governors, local fleet leadership and the many volunteers dedicated to the mission. Without the work and dedication of these individuals, we would not have the successful class that exists today.
Happy Sailing!
Dan Mather and Dave Erwin
