There will be a special meeting of the Executive Board Thursday, 11 February 2021 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time to vote on the host club for the 2022 North American Championship.
We have received a bid from Pequot YC on Long Island Sound, which has 8 active J109s at its club and many more within a few hours, and the class officers support Pequot’s bid.
Below are the details of the bid and a link to the Zoom meeting. Any class member is welcome to attend.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6183719801?pwd=eVNuL1lPWEcvY0ticGdKQjl6SFQwZz09
Pequot Yacht Club
Bid to Host the 2022 J109 North American Championships
About Pequot:
Pequot Yacht Club is in the historic district of Southport, CT. Few places have more nautical tradition than Southport Harbor, one of coastal Connecticut’s most historic and scenic locations. From about 1760 to 1900 the harbor was a major maritime center, its wharves bustling with activity. During those years more shipping was owned in Southport, in proportion to its size, than in any other port between Boston and New York.
Founded in 1920, the Club was established for the development of interest in sailing. Today, the Club supports an active junior program, a large big-boat fleet, Ideal 18’s, a Dyer Dhow frostbite contingent, and a growing fleet of pond yachts. Pequot Yacht Club has remained an organization focused on sailing. At Pequot, we sail year-round. There are always sailing activities taking place on the water or in the clubhouse. While sailing is the priority, the Club has a social side as well, with a galley and dining room for daily lunches and evening parties throughout the year.
We are honored to be considered as hosts for such a prestigious regatta. We are proud of our little club and look forward to welcoming competitors with the warm hospitality that Pequot is known for. Pequot is home to the largest concentration of J109’s in the county with eight active boats including a past North American champion. Our racing heritage stretches back to our founding members who created the club to expand interest in one-design sailing. Our members have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, have won several America’s Cups, competed at all levels in the sport, crossed oceans, and won many significant championship regattas all around the world.
The club is located 50 miles from New York City and is a ten-minute walk from the Southport, CT train station which is a stop on the Metro-North Railroad. For crew traveling from points further than the tri-state area, the Amtrak Railroad stops in Bridgeport, a 10-minute car ride from the club. The club is approximately 0.5 miles from Interstate 95 for easy access.
The Southport and surrounding Fairfield community offer all the amenities competitors would need including access to hotels, restaurants, delis, and markets necessary for a week of racing.
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Our bid brief is below. Many items will require refinement. Pequot reserves the right to make changes that support the event’s sustainability.
2022 J109 North American Championships
Hosted at Pequot Yacht Club
Dates: October 11-15, 2022 (Tue – Sat)
Regatta Schedule:
Tue, Oct 11 – Measurement, inspection, practice day, skipper’s mtg (w/ complimentary light snacks, refreshments & mixed-drinks credit-card bar)
Oct 12-15 – Race days – up to four races per day
Fri, Oct 14 – Regatta dinner under the tent (menu and dress code TBD) / mixed-drinks credit-card bar
Sat, Oct 15 – Awards immediately following the conclusion of racing.
Nightly – Post sailing under the tent with complimentary appetizers and keg beer / mixed-drinks credit-card bar
Preliminary Daily Schedule:
Harbor Start 10 am
Return around 4 – 5 pm
Entry:
Regatta entry includes mooring/dockage for the duration of the event, post-race refreshments and appetizers, and crew dinner. Extra dinner tickets will be available for purchase for guests. We anticipate hosting 20 boats on docks with the remainder on nearby moorings. Dockage or mooring arrangements before or after the race are at the competitor’s own expense. Launch service is free and quick. The entry fee is not set yet but is anticipated to be on par with the last few North American Championships held on the east coast.
Participants expected:
We believe that 25 boats are a reasonable average estimate, while 30 boats is a reasonable maximum.
– Eight Pequot member boats
– Plus 17-22 visiting boats
An average of seven crew per boat or max 210 competitors
There are potentially 80 boats located within a reasonable distance that might enter.
– Fleet 10 has 53 potential boats
– Fleet 6 has 19 potential boats
– Fleet 4 has 8 potential boats
Historical participation example: The 2018 NA’s at Larchmont Yacht Club held in October had 20 entries, two of which were from Pequot.
Volunteers & Staff:
The Club will provide volunteers and staff to support both the proposed waterside and shore side activities.
Shore Side Facilities:
The Pequot Yacht Club Facility consists of a Senior clubhouse that houses a dining room, galley, and general-purpose room on the second floor which can be used for presentations and crew meetings. The building features two covered outdoor porches that can be used for crews to relax during downtime. The property also has a Junior clubhouse that houses a men’s and women’s room with showers and a workshop that can be assessed for last-minute repairs.
Marina services include both gas and diesel fuel, water, ice, and pump out. There is a knowledgeable marina staff on hand to help expedite repairs or assist in locating specific third party providers to make emergency repairs as necessary.
A large hospitality tent on the Club’s lawn will serve as regatta headquarters and the center of all regatta functions including social and dining events
The “Crow’s Nest” will serve as the meeting room for Class Meetings and Protest Hearings. It is air-conditioned and can seat twelve people around a conference table with a whiteboard and speakerphone.
Our covered Senior Porch normally reserved for member activities will be available for crew weigh-in on Tuesday. The race day weigh-in location has yet to be determined.
Water Side Competition Support:
The Club will provide all watercraft to support the racing, including a 32’ purposed Race Committee vessel, and other small support craft like Boston Whalers or RIBS. The Club has adequate equipment, including marks and signal flags, to support the event.
Race management including the protest committee and judges will be US Sailing Certified.
Sailing Venue:
The racing circle is convenient to the harbor just one to two miles south of the entrance. Variable current influences across the circle are mostly eliminated as are land effects on the breeze direction. The sea state can vary from very flat in a northerly, to choppy in southerlies, to longer rollers from the easterlies. By October, the northerlies are more frequent and stronger.
The below chart illustrates breeze direction and speed from the South Benson Coast Guard Station near the race area during the proposed racing hours of 11 am – 5 pm. The data was retrieved from Sailwave.
|
Direction & Speed |
2020 |
2019 |
2018 |
|
October 5 |
SE 8-10 |
N 10-22 |
S 10-20 |
|
October 6 |
SW 5-15 |
S 15-20 |
S 5-15 |
|
October 7 |
SW 5-18 |
SW 8-12 |
SW 5-10 |
|
October 8 |
NW 10-20 |
N 5-15 |
SE 12-18 |
|
October 9 |
S 5-10 |
N 8-20 |
SW 4-12 |
|
October 10 |
SW 5-15 |
N 10-22 |
S 5-10 |
|
October 11 |
E 5-12 |
N 8-22 |
SW 10-20 |
|
October 12 |
NE 10-22 |
N 3-10 |
NW 12-20 |
|
October 13 |
N 8-12 |
S 6-10 |
W 10-15 |
|
October 14 |
SW 5-15 |
S 6-12 |
S 5-12 |
|
October 15 |
S 15-25 |
N 10-12 |
SW 10-20 |
|
October 16 |
N 2-8 |
SE 20-30 |
NE 8-15 |
|
October 17 |
NW 5-15 |
W 10-30 |
W 10-20 |
|
October 18 |
SE 12-18 |
NE 8-18 |
NW 10-20 |
|
October 19 |
SE 8-10 |
SW 3-10 |
SW 8-15 |
|
October 20 |
S 2-5 |
NE 5-12 |
W 6-15 |
Event sponsorship:
The Club will seek to attract in-kind sponsorship, service sponsorships, and cash sponsorships to support its efforts to host this event.
Event Insurance:
The Club holds a broad “all risks” insurance policy (Policy #3539-50-74) with separate marine coverage. The policy is part of Gowrie Group’s “Burgee Program”.
Event Information and Registration:
The Club will dedicate a “page” on its website for regatta related information. It will link to an online information clearinghouse and registration system, like the familiar “yachtscoring.com”. The system will be used to publish all race documents, regatta information, and results. It will also collect entry fees, record registrations, and record signed waivers.
Logistical Information for Competitors:
We will seek to assemble information for competitors to aid them during their visit. This is a work in progress:
– Southport / Fairfield commentary, maps, and sights
rental car agencies
– local accommodations with group rates
– featured vendors for box lunches
– parking arrangements with shuttle buses
– bottom cleaning services
– nearby boatyards with Travel Lifts (possible fixed price arrangement for launch/step/haul/un-step for long haul participants)
– chandleries nearby
– sail repair lofts nearby
– pharmacies nearby
– medical aid nearby
Other features (not confirmed):
Bow stickers for race boats
Pre-race clinic
Post-race rules seminar by Dave Perry or Dave Dellenbaugh
Post-race analysis by sailmakers in the Class
Regatta photography for sale
Regatta gear for sale
Daily prizes
Raffle with items provided by local marine businesses.
Pop-up stores from local chandleries on Tuesday (West Marine, Landfall Navigation, and Boat Locker)
