President’s Message March 2026 |
After a winter that felt more like an Arctic expedition than a layup season, the relentless snow and bone-chilling cold are finally losing their grip for us here in the Northeast, as well as our friends in the Great Lakes fleet. For the boats in Santa Monica and Long Beach, we were quite envious of the sunny southern California weather! With the last of the drifts melting away from the jackstands, it’s time to peel back the winter covers. Whether you’re eyeing the podium in one-design and PHRF fleets or planning sunset reaches with friends, it’s time to get your J/109 back into peak form.
At the annual meeting of J109 Class Association held this past October 2025, the class discussed new proposed rule changes, maintaining class vibrancy and the planning for a robust sailing schedule. Highlights of the meeting were as follows:
- Class dues will remain similar to prior years at $50 with no increase – Pay dues here.
- The class has also adopted the rule to now allow Great Lakes Fleet to use 120sqm spinnakers.
- Measurement: Members were urged to handle sail tagging and crew classification earlier to avoid last-minute administrative burdens.
- Racing & Fleet Highlights
- 2025 North Americans: John Arens (Reverie) from San Rafael, CA won a closely contested championship in Chicago.
- 2025 East Coast Championships: Dan Nash (Mistral) prevailed at a fun and competitive Block Island Race Week.
- Fleet Growth: Fleet #3 (California) is expanding; Fleet #11 had a great season with 17 active boats; and Fleet #12 (Australia) has 3 boats.
- Training: Future tuning clinics (like the one held at Pequot YC) will be broadcasted to remote members.
- Looking Ahead to 2026
- North American Championship: Set for August 7–9 at New Bedford Yacht Club (Buzzards Bay).
- Old Business: Discussions continue regarding a request to allow lithium-ion batteries.
I am happy to report that we have a great calendar of racing events planned for 2026. Fleet #6 will host the J109 North American Championships at New Bedford Yacht Club (NBYC) in August. This will be held in conjunction with the NBYC Annual Regatta from August 7 to August 9. This is anticipated to be competitive and fun event. , the Pequot Yacht Club will again be hosting a J109 clinic/regatta with the opportunity to learn J109 boat tuning and skills, and immediately apply them in a race setting. This event in 2025 was a great success with competitive racing and a clinic setting. New and seasoned boat owners are highly encouraged to attend. In the Great Lakes Fleet 11 will be kicking off the season with Skyway Yachtworks Colors Regatta – Fleet 11 Nearshore Championship Event – May 30 -31 @ Columbia YC. The calendar includes some great events including distance races such as the legendary Race to Mackinac and later in the summer the fun and competitive Verve cup will be held in August.
Selected events below include event links:
Special Offer – If you will be racing in any of the events listed on the J/109 Class Calendar you are eligible to receive a free one year subscription to your own Crew Manager boat website. Bill Kneller who owns J/109 Vento Solare and is the class measurer developed this. Email bill@crew-mgr.com to request a voucher you may use. Bill has developed a regatta registration tracking tool that works seamlessly with these sites so that regatta organizers may easily track all the regatta registration requirements. Read more about Crew Manager sites near the bottom of this email.
2026 North American Championship – The NBYC Annual Regatta hosted by the New Bedford Yacht Club will serve as the J/109 Class North American Championship. This annual event is a favorite among sailors due to its spectacular sailing conditions, exceptional onshore hospitality, and outstanding race management. The breeze on Buzzards Bay is legendary and we encourage boats to plan early, organize your crew and make reservations.
Measurement will take place on Thursday, August 6. On-water racing is scheduled from Friday, August 7, through Sunday, August 9, with dinners and onshore camaraderie on both Friday and Saturday. This is a great opportunity for J/109 owners to compete in a popular regatta in a beautiful New England setting. Start making your plans now to participate and secure your accommodations before the season arrives. If you’re coming from out of the area and are interested in chartering a J/109, please reach out to Bill Kneller at bill@j109.org. I look forward to seeing you on the waters of breezy Buzzard’s Bay in August. Registration is now open at 2026 North American Championship.
- Pequot Yacht Club J109 Invitational – Pequot YC (Southport, CT) – Saturday and Sunday June 6 and 7. This new J/109 one-design event is a must do on Long Island Sound. This was event was a tremendous success and well received last year., This will be a clinic/regatta with the opportunity to learn J109 boat tuning and skills, and immediately apply them in a race setting. The goal is to provide an instructional format and competitive racing. New and seasoned boat owners are highly encouraged to attend. Please reach out to Dan Nash (Dan.Nash10@gmail.com) for information. This will also serve as the first event of the East Coast Regatta Series.
- Spring Off Soundings Race Weekend @ Watch Hill to Block Island – June 5-6. The Spring Series is sailed in early June. Traditionally, the Friday race is from Watch Hill, RI to Block Island. The Saturday race is in the vicinity of, often around, the Block Island.
- NYYC Race Week – New York YC (Newport, RI) – June 16-19. This biennial race week is now in its 16th running, and has become a favorite of sailors due to the spectacular sailing conditions, unparalleled onshore hospitality and the great race management provided by the Club’s all-volunteer race committee. In 2026, NYYC and Sail Newport are working together to connect and expand on both Race Week at Newport as well as the Newport Regatta that takes place the weekend prior, July 11-12. This is the second event in the East Coast Regatta Series
- Vineyard Race – Stamford Yacht Club (Stamford , CT) – Stamford Yacht Club is the proud sponsor and host of the Vineyard Race. The 238-mile course stretches from Shippan Point in Stamford, Connecticut to the light tower at the entrance to Buzzard’s Bay, and then returns to the finish in Stamford Harbor, leaving Block Island to starboard on the way out and back. This coastal race is ideally suited for the J/109. Let’s get a good showing this year!
- American Yacht Club Fall Series – American Yacht Club (Rye , NY) – September 26 & 27 and October 3 & 4. Two back-to-back weekends for AYC Fall Series
- Skyway Yachtworks Colors Regatta – Fleet 11 Nearshore Championship Event – May 30 -31 @ Columbia YC
- Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta – Chicago YC – June 5-7.
- Chicago to Waukegan Race – Chicago Corinthian YC & Waukegan YC – June 20.
- Race to Mackinac – Chicago YC- July 11. Come join Fleet 11’s one design section competing in the 116th running of America’s Offshore Challenge, beginning in front of Chicago’s magnificent skyline and finishing at Michigan’s iconic Mackinac Island.
- Verve Cup Regatta – Chicago YC- Beginning Friday, 8/7 – 8/9 , the Chicago Yacht Club will host the annual Verve Cup Offshore Regatta. This event will feature two days of offshore buoy racing and a separate Saturday distance race. Annually, this event hosts over 100 yachts ranging in size from 26 – 70 feet and carries crews from 4 – 20 racers.
- Chicago Regatta – September 5. The Chicago Regatta provides a fun opportunity for all boaters to contribute to the well-being of children while celebrating the boating community that enriches our lives. Chicago YC.
- Sheldon Clark Regatta – September 12. Chicago YC
- 96th Annual SCYA Midwinter Regatta – CYC
February 21 – 22, 2026 Marina del Rey, California USA - 2026 CAL RACE WEEK
Saturday and Sunday, May 30 – 31, 2026 Marina del Rey, California USA - 2026 Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week
June 26-28, 2026 Long Beach, California USA
Best,
Dan Nash,
J/109 Class President
Additional Information and Links of Interest are provided below
Your J/109 User Profile & Boat Information
Click the Member Update logo below to update your information.
Update your contact, boat and home port information.
Use your email address (%email%) as your login.
Need more help? Click on this link and read the section labeled Existing Members. If you still have a problem logging in, email the J/109 Class Administrator – admin@j109.org
Need Information on Maintenance, Rules, Buy / Sell J/109 Boats & Equipment?
Click the J/109 Class Forum logo below to read and share boat information.
The forum has information owners have shared on maintenance, sails, tuning, cruising and events. If you have something boating related to buy or sell, this is the place to look. The J/109 Class Forum is the designated method for people to ask the J/109 Class Measurer questions about rules and rules interpretations.
Anyone may read the forum without logging in, but to be able to post on the forum, you will need to register for a free account, which is separate from you J/109 Class website account. Once you navigate to the forum, click Register near the top right to setup an account. If you already have a forum account, click on Login located next to the Register. There are helpful hints on using the forum located at this link.
J/109 Class Membership
One of the best ways to insure your investment in the J/109 is to support the Class. Owners and Co-owners are strongly encouraged to become Members of the J/109 Class Association. Others may become Associate Members. Members are owners or co-owners. Associate Members are crew and supporters of the J/109 Class. The membership fee is $50.00 for Members and $50.00 for Associate Members. Members who are current with annual dues are provided access to restricted areas on the class website and are able to view complete lists of owners and members.
Existing Members – If you are already an owner with an email address on file, all you need to do is get a password by clicking the Login button located on the menu bar of the website https://j109.org. When in doubt, try this first. Use the Forgotten Password section of the Login page. Once you enter your email address, we will send you a link to reset your password at that address, or if no account exists, provide immediate indication on the screen. As an existing or previous member you can inspect and edit your contact information (after you have logged in) by clicking Update My Info under the Members menu. Existing or previous members can pay annual dues (after you have logged in) by clicking on Renew Membership – Dues under the Members menu.
New Members – If you are not currently registered or do not have an email address on file, register by filling in the form by navigating the menu on the class website https://j109.org – Mouse over Market, then click on New Membership to open that page. Submit your information, then once we review your contact information we will add you to the database. This may take a day or two.
More information about registration and passwords is available in the Login page available by clicking on the Login button located on the menu bar of the website.
J/109 Custom Boat Website Subscriptions Available
The J/109 Class has arranged with Crew Manager LLC to make custom J/109 boat websites available. Current year J/109 events are already added to the main calendar and easily added to your boat calendar. Crew Manager provides a boat website with features the Skipper & Crew will use throughout the sailing season. In a nutshell, the team website provides a “Who, What, When, Where and Wear” schedule with automatic reminders. After an event, the Skipper may post results and crew members may submit comments, pictures and stories about the event. Crew Manager works on most any device with a web browser including PC, Mac, iPad, Android tablet, iPhone and Android Phone. The cost for an annual subscription is $90 and includes the website setup. If you have any questions regarding Crew Manager, contact Bill Kneller who started this for his own boat J/109 Vento Solare.
Schedule & Events on J/109 Class Calendar
Click the J/109 Class Calendar logo below for upcoming events.
Keep up to date on planned J/109 events via the website calendar.
For questions or comments, please contact the J/109 Class Administrator.
This message was sent from the J/109 Class Association email system. We periodically send out messages about the J/109 Class including one design events, class rules, cruising, member updates, maintenance information, and technical advisories from equipment manufacturers concerning the J/109. If you would like to update your email preferences, please send a message the J/109 Class Administrator.
