J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum One Design Class Rules 1-Desgn Eligibility

I own #521 which I bought in September, 2000. Since that time I have sailed it approximately 15,000 NM and I thoroughly enjoy the boat and I would buy another one in a second.

Since I acquired the boat I have made some modifications which have me worried that I might have compromised the eligibility for participation in J/30 Class-sanctioned one-design events and these modifications are what I am writing to ask you about. Also, I race the boat on an occasional basis in Southeast Florida PHRF events and I am interested in keeping the boat consistent with the one-design elements that contributed to the origins of its "base" rating.

1. In order to reduce the tendency / rate of corrosion in the (South Florida) year round exposure to warm salty air I replaced the 15 year-old OEM type 302 or type 304 1/4" stainless standing rigging with type 316 6mm Dyform to retain the same breaking strength as the OEM (type 316 1/4" 1X19 being weaker). My question here is: Does Dyform comply with the Class Rules on standing rigging as it concerns "material" which has not been "altered"?

2. In order to upgrade the access and utility afforded by the space occupied by the hanging locker I removed the longitudinal plywood panel and installed two "StarBoard" shelves between the main structural bulkhead and the forepeak cabin bulkhead. In "measuring in" for a Class event I would be entirely willing to secure in that area any "corrector weights" deemed by the measurers to be equal to the weight of the removed plywood panel even though the starboard shelves and their aluminum fiddles undoubtedly weigh more than what was removed. Would the boat "measure in" this way?

3. When I purchased the boat in 2000 from the second owner, it was fitted with Barient 27 self-tailing primary winches and I have the original Bill-of-Sale from the J/Boats dealer to indicate that these winches were OEM - indeed the boat was raced 2000 NAs in Narragansett Bay with these winches, which have power ratio of 47:1. It is now my plan to replace these winches (the drums have become warped) and do I understand correctly from your list of approved winches that the power ratio must not exceed 44:1?

Sincerely,

Joe Goulet

Joe
Nice to hear that you really like the J30.
In the future always check with the measurer via this web site or Email me direct before you make ANY change in the boat if you want to maintain One-design status. My answer to your questions are as follows:
1. Dyform has not been approved as a replacement to the standing rigging. This is a ruling made by a previous measurer.
2. If the measurer at the NA's feels the weight is the same or more than the wood removed it should pass. Some pictures would help, without seeing it I cannot approve it at this time.
3. The winches were chosen based on weight first and power ratio second. If you have a wench other than the ones on the list, I will review it and let you know.

Larry Christy
J30 National Measurer.
alchristy@comcast.net
410-267-8990

Larry,

Thanks alot for the reply and the encouragement where circumstances allowed. I am sorry that the Dyform is the "show stopper" but, as you advise, I should have checked first. The winches that I now have installed for cockpit pimaries are Andersen 462ST (stainless drums, bronze guts, 46:1 in the second speed).


[This message has been edited by j30521 (edited 12-31-2007).]

Joe-
What is your Email?

Larry

Larry,

My e-mail address is Sa1076@aol.com