If you haven't figured it out, I'm passionately in favor of changing the rule on main sail cloth from Dacron to unrestricted.

Over the last couple of years I've done my best to poke and prod in an effort to stimulate input for both the pro's and con's of changing the class rules for main sail material.

Shortly, I will be writing to my representative on the BOG to submit a recommended rules change at the next BOG meeting. The following is a draft of what I will submit. For reference, I have also included the current rules regardining main sail.

There are two reasons for calling this a draft
1. I welcome input
2. I question if there should be a minimum sail cloth weight; but if there is, what should it be - I have a call into my sail maker for his thoughts and am awaiting a response. I will post the sailmakers commnets as I recieve them

Here's the Current Rule - to save a lot of reading, I will recommend changing only section 5.12.1.2 and possibly section 5.12.2.1. Regardless here's the current rule

5.12 Sails

5.12.1 General

5.12.1.1 Sails shall be constructed and measured in accordance with the ISAF sail measurement instructions except where otherwise stated herein.

5.12.1.2 Mainsail shall be manufactured from woven ply polyethylene terephthalate ("PET"), such as Dacron®, or woven ply polyethylene naphthalate ("PEN"), such as Pentex®. The spinnaker shall be manufactured from woven ply nylon.

5.12.1.3 Sailcloth in the #1, #2 and #3 Genoa is not restricted.
This change in approved sailcloth goes into effect no later than October 17, 2005. Individual J30 Class Districts may adopt this change for local events at an earlier date.

5.12.1.4 Sail numbers shall be placed immediately above the third batten (#2 sewn from the head of the mainsail) on the #1 and larger genoa in line with the mainsail numbers and on the spinnaker. The starboard or forward number shall be on top.

5.12.1.5 Genoa #2 is optional and does not need to be on board while racing.

5.12.1.6 Numbers shall be of the following dimensions in solid black, red, green or blue: height = 380mm, width = 254mm, thickness = 57-77mm, spacing = 77mm.

5.12.1.7 Windows. There is no limit on the number or design of collision, telltale, or spreader tip windows on the mainsail or genoas.

5.12.2 Mainsail

5.12.2.1 Minimum cloth weight is 6.25 oz.

Here's my DRAFT RULE Change (see 5.12.1.2 and 5.12.2.1 for my recommended changes)

5.12 Sails

5.12.1 General

5.12.1.1 Sails shall be constructed and measured in accordance with the ISAF sail measurement instructions except where otherwise stated herein.

5.12.1.2 Sailcloth on the Mainsail is unrestricted. This change in approved sailcloth goes into effect no sooner than 1 October 2012. Individual J30 Class Districts may adopt this change for local events at an earlier date. The spinnaker shall be manufactured from woven ply nylon.

5.12.1.3 Sailcloth in the #1, #2 and #3 Genoa is not restricted.
This change in approved sailcloth goes into effect no later than October 17, 2005. Individual J30 Class Districts may adopt this change for local events at an earlier date.

5.12.1.4 Sail numbers shall be placed immediately above the third batten (#2 sewn from the head of the mainsail) on the #1 and larger genoa in line with the mainsail numbers and on the spinnaker. The starboard or forward number shall be on top.

5.12.1.5 Genoa #2 is optional and does not need to be on board while racing.

5.12.1.6 Numbers shall be of the following dimensions in solid black, red, green or blue: height = 380mm, width = 254mm, thickness = 57-77mm, spacing = 77mm.

5.12.1.7 Windows. There is no limit on the number or design of collision, telltale, or spreader tip windows on the mainsail or genoas.

5.12.2 Mainsail

5.12.2.1 Minimum cloth weight is ???.