From the Class President – As previously announced, the 2025 North American Championship (“NAC”) will be held in Chicago and hosted by Fleet #11 (Great Lakes & Lake Champlain). Fleet 11 has traditionally conducted its class racing using “oversized” spinnakers (spinnakers larger than the 108 square meters permitted under the Class Rules). In order to ensure broad participation in the 2025 and future class championship event, Fleet 11 has requested to use those same “oversized” spinnakers for the North American Championship. The Class officers believe this is a reasonable request, but only with appropriate controls in place that will ensure fair racing.
5.8 For J/109 Class sanctioned events hosted by Fleet #11 (Great Lakes & Lake Champlain), including the 2025 North American Championship and any future Class championships hosted by Fleet #11, (“Fleet #11 Championship Event”) the following applies to spinnakers should Fleet #11 so choose:
(a) The asymmetric spinnaker shall be manufactured from woven nylon with a minimum nominal weight of not less than 40grams per square meter. The area of the asymmetric spinnaker (“SA”) shall not exceed 120 square meters, based on the formula: SA=(luff length + leech length) *.25 foot length + (half width -.5 foot length) *(leech length + luff length)/3. Adjustable leech, luff, and foot lines shall be fitted to the asymmetric spinnaker.
(b) All asymmetric spinnakers declared for use during Fleet 11 Championship Events must be measured for compliance with 5.8(a) and issued a J/109 sail tag. Sailmakers are responsible for obtaining sail tags, conducting measurement, and submitting measurement data in accordance with Rule 5.1.
(c) All asymmetric spinnakers shall be listed in the J/109 sail tag database and the notes field will distinguish sails used under this Rule by stating the actual measured area in the following format: “Oversized Spinnaker Area xxx.xx square meters.”
(d) Should a competitor owning a boat located outside of Fleet #11 desire to race in a North American Championship or subsequent Fleet #11 Championship Event and the competitor requests to borrow a 120 square meter spinnaker for the event, Fleet #11 shall provide one to that competitor. The provided spinnaker shall not be more than 36 months old on the first day of the regatta. The competitor shall return the spinnaker after the event and is responsible for the costs of any repairs, or replacement if the sail is unrepairable at the completion of the event. A reasonable fee that is not more than one half the Championship registration fee may be charged for use of the sail.
Who may vote? A Voting Member as defined in section 3.0 of the class constitution shall be a legal owner or one designated legal owner in the case of a boat with more than one legal owner, such that each registered boat shall have one Voting Member. Each Voting Member shall have one vote. Voting Members maintain membership by paying annual membership dues and by complying with the J/109 Class Association Constitution and J/109 Class Rules. Note – if you desire to vote on the rules changes and are not a current year member, please go to the class website, update your membership and pay your current year dues. Voting members who paid previous year class dues will be allowed to vote through 31 March of the following year.
When may I Vote? All current members will be sent an email no later than 22 April 2025 notifying them that the official ballot is available. Voting is available online through noon 25 May 2025, at which time the results will be validated and tallied by the J/109 Class Secretary.
When would the change be effective? Should the proposed change be approved by the class, the change would be incorporated in the class rules effective 1 June 2025.
