Reminder that Saturday October 15th is our 2nd and last fleet haul out at Handy Boat Service.  Haul out is $50 and begins at 8:00 am.

Dear Fleet 43 Skippers and Crew,

Your Fleet Needs YOU!

Fleet 43 is looking for energetic, enthusiastic and organized individuals (with a little fiscal responsibility mixed in) for the following positions:

• Fleet Captain
• Treasurer
• Race Officer

Individuals do not have to be a PYC member or own a J/24 to be considered. Membership to Fleet 43 is required.

Read the fine print:

Molly White has graciously offered to Co-Chair the Down East Regatta for next year to help transition the Fleet Captain position. This is a tremendous amount of support being offered this year, for the low, low cost of fun, friendship and perhaps some Mt. Gay.

Please submit nomination/volunteer suggestions to:

Rich DeGrandpre (richarddegrandpre@comcast.net)

Meg Fenderson (fenderson@comcast.net)

Rich Ketchum (rrketchum@yahoo.com)

We’d like to have a slate announced at the Down East Regatta awards ceremony.

Thank you for your consideration,

The Nominating Committee

The 2011 Downeast Regatta is blowing up in a good way!

We have 30 boats currently registered with a promise of at least 5 more to come, but the way entries are rolling in today we could possibly have 40 boats sailing in this years Downeast Regatta!  That would be 10 more than Nationals and North Americans saw this year.

If you are a fleet member and have not registered yet, please do so!

If you or any one you know is able to house a J24 crew of 5 please let me know ASAP (mollyfrommaine@yahoo.com).  We have already housed 9 boats and have requests for more housing.  It would be great not to have to turn people away.

Thanks everyone for your help and support to make this event such a great attraction!

Shorthanded and Family Sailing Fun!

Fleet 43 is hosting the 2011 J24, PHRF, and Family Fun Double handed Regatta on Sunday August 7, 2011 at the Portland Yacht Club

OPEN TO ALL BOATS!!

Come take on the challenge of sailing “double handed” on the shores of Casco Bay.

This is a great opportunity to show off your J24 skills, prepare for the Double handed division of the Monhegan, and spend quality time with family and friends.

There will be three different classes:

• J24 Double Handed Championship – this event is a part of the Fleet 43 Tonini Series and will use main, jib and spinnaker. (Windward Leeward Racing)

• 2^nd Annual Family Fun Race - Double handed or with your family, using main and jib only, racers will sail a distance course around Chebeague Island. This is a “just for fun” race, with only three marks to round – perfect for Novice Sailors – No PHRF Certificate is required. (Approximate Race Length – 15 Miles)

• NEW! 1^st Annual Casco Bay Race – A PHRF Double Handed Distance Race – Using Main, Jib and Spinnaker, the sailors will sail a longer distance course around Casco Bay and will help prepare participants for the upcoming Monhegan Island Race Double Handed Division. (Approximate Race Length – 30 Miles)

Casco Bay Race Starts at 10:30 am, Family Fun and J24 racing starts at Noon. Registration begins at 8:30 am for the Casco Bay Race and 10:30 am for the Family Fun and J24 Races. Registration fee is $20 ($25 for crews of more than two) and a side dish or dessert for the pot luck BBQ.

After racing enjoy Fleet sponsored “Sailor Jerry Rum”, burgers, dogs and other potluck items at the Portland Yacht Club. Looking forward to seeing everyone there! For More information or to register your boat, contact Molly White at mollyfrommaine@yahoo.com.

Hey Fleet 43,

As part of this year’s Monhegan Race Week, PYC is hosting a one-design regatta for  Etchelles and J24s.

The Etchelles will be doing Windward/Leewards on Saturday the J24s have a choice of doing that as well or a long distance race out to Halfway Rock and finish at the actual Monhegan Finish Line.

If I could get a count of what you would prefer and if you plan to participate, that would be great!

Thanks Everyone!

Hello Everyone,

Hopefully a member from each boat (or more) is planning to attend our Race Management Night.

It will begin promptly at 6:00 pm at PYC so please be on time.

We plan to do a rotation of three groups, each rotation lasting about 20 minutes, having all three end by 7:00pm.  At which point we will have drinks, snacks and questions in the Captain’s room.

If there are any particular questions you may have that you wish to have addressed or things you want to make sure we review, please email me (mollyfrommaine@yahoo.com) before 3:00pm on Wednesday and I will pass them on to our presenters.

I have broken the fleet up into three groups, they are listed below as well as the station that they will be starting with at 6:00pm.

Group 1: At PYC Dock
Flying Circus, Draco, Steve, Pit Party, and Second Chance

Group 2: On PYC Porch
Mr. Hankey, Flying Chicken, Bouncing Betty, Impetuous, and Wabi Sabi

Group 3: In Captain’s Room
Denali, McGee, Al, Barkin Spidah, and Bad Apple

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Molly

Hey Fleet 43!

Here are a couple important updates and reminders:

1) Fleet Launch-May 21st at HBS starting at 8:00 am
Please make sure to have $50 to pay for launch

You may have noticed in the J 24 Class notes I sent out that the Class wants to scan all J24s for illegally
placed lead and metals by the end of 2011.  Steph Helms, our fleet measurer, will begin scanning Fleet 43
boats at Fleet Launch on May 21st.  When your boat passes the scan, it will be recorded with the J 24
Class.  Please be prepared to take some time to have your boat scanned at the Launch.

2) May 25th Race Committee Night at PYC 6:00-7:30 pm

We will be hosting an RC Night and hope that each fleet boat will send at least one crew member to brush
up and learn some new things about running race committee.  Each boat that has a representative present
will start the season with a “bullet” (first place.)

3) The fleet calendar and RC Duty schedule have been updated.  Please check it out to make sure you are
available for your RC night and try to swap with another boat if it doesn’t work for you.

Thanks for all of your help and cooperation!  I know we are all looking forward to a successful season.
Molly

Hey Fleet 43 Sailors (Skippers and Crew)

This Sunday is Spring Cleanup at the club.  Free brunch will be served at 11:00AM. It would be great to see some J24 sailors out there-sporting their Fleet 43/J24 gear!  Please swing by even for an hour!

Thanks!
Bill & Molly

A quick reminder about two important dates:

This Wednesday, April 27th from 5 to 8:00 pm meet up with fellow J24 sailors for a Fleet Happy Hour at Oasis!

Wednesday, May 4th, from 5:30-7:30 pm swing by Handy Boat Service for the Points East Crew Match party.  Find crew, find a boat, have munchies and beer!

New J/24 Class Rules Effective April 14, 2011

Please direct your members to the IJCA website for information:
www.j24class.org

The International J/24 Class Association has received approval of its
proposed rule changes from the ISAF. The new rules will be in effect as of
April 14, 2011.

The biggest change, which will affect all J/24s, is the 15 kg reduction in
the all-up weight for racing. This will not require your boat to be
re-weighed, but will only require changes to the Optional and Required
Inventory List that should be kept on each boat while racing.

If you have a valid IJCA measurement certificate, you will not be required
to obtain a new one.

The new all-up racing weight for the J/24 is 1330 kg, down from the previous
1345 kg. This means you can now remove some of the items that perhaps are
kept on your boat merely to make the all-up weight.

A copy of the new Optional and Required Inventory List is attached and also
available online here:

http://www.j24class.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/J24-Inventory-Form-4.14.2

011.pdf

Other changes to the IJCA Class Rules include:
- Class Rule 3.8 was modified to deal only with “Fixed Fittings” to be
carried when racing. This is a wording change and does not alter the way the
boat is provisioned or sailed.

- Class Rule 4 was modified to remove the word “safety” from the title. This
is a wording change and does not alter the way the boat is provisioned or
sailed.

- Class Rule 8.1.5 was deleted as it is redundant to the RRS.

- A proposal to allow a wire strap between the mast bearing beam and the
underside of the deck was not included in the new IJCA Class Rules. All rule
changes require the approval of J/Boats Inc. (the J/24 copyright holder) and
the company was unwilling to allow this rule change until the affect on the
hull structure could be studied more carefully. The ISAF therefore rejected
this rule change proposal.

A full list of the changes approved by the ISAF is attached or can be
downloaded by here:

http://www.j24class.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Summary-of-J24-Class-Rule

-Changes-4.14.2011.pdf

The latest complete version of the J/24 Class Rules is attached or can be
downloaded by here:

http://www.j24class.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/J24-Class-Rules-April-14-

2011-1.pdf