The class had a great 2008 that included the North American Championship in Bristol, RI with 23 boats representing California, Long Island Sound, Chesapeake, Eastern Great Lakes, Southern New England, and Northern New England (including Canada). That’s the best participation we’ve had in ten years with an increasing number boats participating every year since 2004. The class has been helped by volunteers serving all aspects needed to maintain one of the more active one design sailing classes. That’s quite a feat for a class that hasn’t had a new boat built since 1986. You’ll note that we have a fantastic web site and the J/30 Forum has been upgraded with enhanced capabilities and more features for you to communicate through pictures, video and words with your J/30 friends throughout the world.

We want to maintain the excitement and continue to grow participation in J/30 class events. This requires that we stay connected and communicate between class members regularly. As the J/30 Class Co-Presidents, we are declaring the J/30 Class web site and J/30 Class Forum as the “official” mechanism for J/30 Class communications and the vehicle to conduct class business. We encourage everyone to check on the J/30 Forum regularly and become active participants in the discussions and comments, particularly topics relating to J/30 class business and class rules. Current J/30 Class rules are posted on the J/30 Class website and proposed changes are always discussed on the forum. Your respective district governors should also be communicating with you to gain inputs and hear your opinions so they can appropriately vote to represent the desires of their districts.

The J/30 Class Board of Governors will augment the annual “face-to-face” meetings normally held at the North American Championships with additional teleconference meetings. A special section on the J/30 Class Forum accessible only by the Board of Governors will be used to enable these meetings by allowing the posting of documents, interchange of comments and provide a means for voting when required. The first use of this will be for the next Board of Governor’s meeting where potential 2009 class rules changes will be voted on. We want to provide any update to the class rules early, so those changes that are appropriate can be incorporated into the 2009 sailing season and apply for the 2009 J/30 North American Championship.

The 2009 J/30 North American Championship is announced on the class web site. It will be held 2 – 4 October (registration on 1 Oct), at the Cedar Point Yacht Club in Wesport, CT. This is a great venue and we expect a substantial turnout. Please consider racing with us at the J/30 North American Championship if you have not recently done so. More information about the logistics and loaner boats will be available as the organizing committee firms up the plans.

Happy Sailing!
Carl Sherter & John McArthur,
J/30 Class Co-Presidents