I wanted to start this thread so people can post on where J/30 OD racing is active today (ok not really today since I look outside my window and there is "spring snow" on the ground), but you get my "drift".

I have first hand knowledge that J/30 OD racing is currently active in the following areas.

• Southern New England - Narragansett Bay (elsewhere like Buzzards Bay too?)
• Northern New England - Marblehead area (elsewhere too?)
• Long Island Sound - Western area near CPYC (elsewhere too?)
• Chesapeake Bay - Annapolis area for sure (elsewhere too?)
• Gulf Coast - Lake Ponchartrain (elsewhere too?)

Other people please post with first hand knowledge on other places that have active J/30 OD racing

We are kind of working hard for PNW. The Van Isle 360 kinda screwed up this year, but hopefully we can get something going tangibly for next year. We need our Governer to score some class legal sails instead of his PHRF hotrodders!

In Annapolis we have the good fortune to sail nothing but one-design. To expand on what Rhapsody indicates above there are 23 days of weekend racing scheduled for 2011 consisting of five three-day regattas including the J/30 NA's; two point-to-point distance races of between 17 and 44 NM; five multi-race one day club events and a twilight distance race around government buoys.

Last year 17 different boats sailed at least one event and 11 qualified for CBYRA High Point by racing five days or more. Seven J/30s also sailed one-design in Annapolis YC's Wednesday Night Series of twenty races scored in three sections between the end of April and the beginning of September.

In Florida there are not enough boats placed together for OD. Also, the last time OD grouping was found in the Caribbean was Rolex in 1998, when our class was 5 J30s a Tartan 10,and a Pearson Flyer.

Further input... as we have spent alot of time to travel to and "play" in the one design environment, by using loaner boats, comixing crews and BEGGING to borrow any kind of 163 genoa, since there would be no use for it under normal circumstance... there must be a way, as the J29s have successfully done, to accommodate "non one design ratings" in a grouping of J30s who want to compete together. These are not Farr 40s, and as such could relax the rules to allow a phrf preferred exotic main, maybe a 155 headsail, different size pole, moveable track, etc ---- all of the differences are well documented, and have been rated accordingly. The archaic rules from the 70s don't seem to be conducive to getting boats to the start line... and in a 30+ year old class, the arguments regarding high tech sails vs. Dacron are a bit moot. All they seem to do is move those racers who want the newest format of sailing to move into a more progressive class.... the Melges 20s are sweet here in Biscayne Bay, and do not have the baggage of an older class. And the class has a big support system, which is what the J30s should concentrate on.

Red is a rarity in our class--one who races an occasional one-design regatta in our fleet by traveling, conscious of the costs and time it takes, but still worth it.

I wouldn't call the J/29 a success, though in some places they've persevered despite the chaos of four different configurations that necessitate handicapping. Melges 20, like the Laser SB3 or Viper 640 before it, might become a popular one design and still be active in 30 years. In my home waters the archaic survivors in addition to the J/30 are Star, Lightning, Etchells, J/22, J/24, Cal 25, J/105 and J/35.

Well Said, Red! notice where all the OD action is ... wussy air water.

I think the 163 is what those ODers who are in marginal air need -- to get up past 4 kts.

But they could use the difference in sail price from their high tech 163 to the 155 to get a phrf competitive tech main to go with a 155 tech genny.

looked at the melges 20 for first time today ... I agree nice.

I've raced wildcat exclusively PHRF since 1995. Wind conditons range from very, very light to 30+, with average race conditions 8-12. We race the boat OD configured except for the Hi-tech main (163% head sail, standard OD pole and spinnaker). We carry our No. 2 on board and use it often.
We race other J/30's that have modified head sails, poles or kites and hold our own even when giving them time (in both windward leeward racing and long distance). We carry a small A-kite cut for heavy air reaching and have a .5oz spinnaker (which we rarely use). In our opinion, with the exception of the high tech main, we consider the J/30 OD configured boat to be a very competitive PHRF racer - I'm also pretty sure that most of my competiton would agree.

^You should update the asymetric thread with details on your a-kite!

Here I have to agree with Russ. In Chicago, we have raced mostly PHRF for several years. I keep my boat 1D compliant (polyester main, 3/4 oz nylon chute). The rating difference between us and a "PHRF" J/30 is 6 seconds. If we lose a race, it's not the rating that is hurting us, but poor decisions/execution. We've probably won more than our fair share of hardware. The last was quite satisfying, against Beneteau 40.7s, Mumm 36, and S2 9.1 (among others).

Here's a few questions relatavie to OD racing that perhaps the folks that track fleet data can answer

1st. In the last 3 years, of the J/30's that the Class knows about, how many have changed ownership?

2nd. Of the total, how many were in active OD areas and stayed in those active OD areas - too, I'd be curious if those that stayed were still active in OD, but realize only the locals would know

3nd. How many of those boats that changed hands have been re-located to active OD areas and are active in OD sailing

My questions are directed at trying to determine if OD racing is growing, shrinking or staying the same. This may be an unscientific approach but it might shed some light on where the J/30 Class is heading

A more accurate assesment than my questions would be to contact all that bought J/30's in the last 3 years and ask them each if they intended to OD race or if they considered OD racing as a reason for buying the boat

Some data for Russ's question using the J/30 SNE fleet. This has a concentration of J/30's on Narragansett Bay, with a smaller population on Buzzards Bay / Hyannis area, and a few in Southern, CT on LIS. Bottom line - OD participation on Narragansett Bay has been increasing after the drop seen subsequent to the 2004 North Americans held in 2004.

 

First Name	Home Area	Boat Name	Hull	Comments	2008	2010
Arthur Smith	Narragansett Bay	Sheila C.	30	Cruising Only, not one design configured	Doesn't race	Doesn't race
Ken "KC" Van Colen	Buzzards Bay	Moody Blue	40	PHRF NE - Organizing 2009 Buzzards Bay Regatta	PHRF	PHRF
Mark Thornhill	Buzzards Bay	No Quarter Given	46		PHRF	PHRF
Bob Cullen	LI Sound	Jeanie	63	Raced in 2008 North Americans	OD & PHRF	OD & PHRF
Koos Louw	Narragansett Bay	s o n s k y n	79	Roller Furling	Limited PHRF	Limited PHRF
Pat Kelty	Narragansett Bay	Keltyk Knot	110	Raced in 2008 North Americans	OD & PHRF	OD & PHRF
Kevin Dakan	Narragansett Bay	Blitz	122	Bought 2010	new owner 2010 from Chesapeake	OD & PHRF
John Howell	Narragansett Bay	Good News	175	Raced in 2008 North Americans	OD & PHRF	OD & PHRF
Clifford Kurz	Narragansett Bay	simply sailing	210	Was loaner boat in 2008 North Americans	Doesn't race	sold - boat moved to LIS
Charlie Stoddard	Narragansett Bay	Falcon	229	Raced in 2008 North Americans	OD & PHRF	OD & PHRF
Peter Marshall	Narragansett Bay	Windancer	246	Boat for sale - sold Nov 2010	not launched	not launched
George Kyte	Buzzards Bay	Flying Kyte	251		Doesn't race	Doesn't race
Melissa Scudder	Buzzards Bay	Heat 'er Up	259		PHRF	PHRF
Jeff Sammis	Narragansett Bay	Kaos	295	Boat for Sale	not launched	not launched
Jim Hilton	Narragansett Bay	Kaos	295	Bought Nov 2010	new owner 2010 was on hard 10 years	not launched
Vic Mott	Narragansett Bay	Slow Dance	301	Cruising only	Doesn't race	Doesn't race
Steve Adkins	Narragansett Bay	Karinosa	304	Raced in 2008 North Americans	OD & PHRF	OD & PHRF
Dwight McMillan	Narragansett Bay	Wicked	323	Raced in 2010 North Americans	new owner 2009 from LIS	OD & PHRF
Jeff Brisbon	Narragansett Bay	Flying High	327	Sold to Kevin Coughlin	Doesn't race	Sold
Kevin Coughlin	Narragansett Bay	Flying High	327		prev owner didn't race	OD & PHRF
Butch Joy	Buzzards Bay	Fireball	334	PHRF Configuration with furler	PHRF	PHRF
Bill Kneller	Narragansett Bay	Rhapsody	348	Raced in 2008, 2009, 2010 North Americans	OD & PHRF	OD & PHRF
Warren Specht	Narragansett Bay	Tenacious	349		not launched	not launched
Bob Rude	Narragansett Bay	Mmmmm	352	PHRF Racer	PHRF	PHRF
Corey Butlin	Narragansett Bay	Blitz	357	Races - boat needs class legal backstay for OD compliance	OD & PHRF	not launched
Dick Hitchcock	Buzzards Bay	Dragon	369	PHRF NE	PHRF	PHRF
Bruce Underhill	Narragansett Bay	Breezin	409	Boat wasn't in water in 2007, raced previously	not launched	not launched
Steve Clark	Buzzards Bay	Brou Ha Ha	419	PHRF NE	PHRF	PHRF
Bruce Miller	Buzzards Bay	Valkyrie	425	Raced 2009 & 2010 North Americans on Rhapsody	not launched	not launched
Mike Campbell	Narragansett Bay	Grits	430	Raced in 2008 North Americans	OD & PHRF	not launched
Mark Rotsky	Narragansett Bay	Nemesis	435	Raced in 2008 & 2010 North Americans	OD & PHRF	OD & PHRF
Bill Veno	Buzzards Bay	Waltzing Matilda	456		OD & PHRF	OD & PHRF
Bill Saltonstall	Buzzards Bay	Arbella	465	PHRF NE, Raced in 2008 North Americans	OD & PHRF	OD & PHRF
Richard Murphy	Narragansett Bay	Azimuth	473		Doesn't race	Doesn't race
Gregory Dexter	Narragansett Bay	Dexterity	488		PHRF	PHRF
Roger Shepley	Buzzards Bay	Bayamo	507	Bought from Mark Wolf Feb 2010	new owner 2010 from Chesapeake	OD & PHRF
Bill Cronin	LI Sound	Surprise!	508		Doesn't race	sold - move to Great Lakes
Bill Northup	Narragansett Bay	Jetstream	509	Cruising only	Doesn't race	Doesn't race
Vic Farmer	Narragansett Bay	Vee Jay 2	526	Owns 505 in Naples, FL PHRF racer, Raced 2010 NAs	OD & PHRF	OD & PHRF
					11 OD/PHRF + 8 PHRF only	14 OD/PHRF + 8 PHRF only

As one of the recent new owners, the reason we bought Nice Pear were
1 cruising comfort with a boat that performs
2 OD action with two other local boats
3. A boat that still handicaps fairly well