The J/109 Class is pleased to announce that North Sails has volunteered to provide support to the J/109 class at Block Island Race Week. This support is for all boats no matter whose sails are used. The following support will be provided:
- Dedicated North U Regatta Services day – this includes filming of all boats during either Monday or Tuesday of race week, followed by a post race debrief with video playback and coaching. The intention is to focus on the boats in the bottom third of the fleet to provide tips to improve boat performance including sail trim and tactics.
- Skipper bag with embroidered polo shirt for each boat owner
- North Sails will setup sail repair capability at Payne’s Dock. Repairs that exceed the capability of the temporary facility will be ferried to the North loft in Portsmouth for repair.
- North Sails customized daily weather report during the regatta – sign up at this link
Registered competitors are requested to email the desired polo shirt size to the Bill Kneller, class treasurer email treasurer@j109.org no later than Sunday 17 May.
SIGN UP FOR THE NORTH U STARTING CLINIC AND PRACTICE WITH THE J/109 RACE COMMITTEE
Our Storm Trysail Club Race Committee will be calling the practice starts for the North U Starting Clinic on Sunday, June 21 to be conducted by North U Director Bill Gladstone – using the on-the-water schedule in the attached PDF “J/109 Starting Clinic at 2015 BIRW” of Clinic details. The Clinic will have 12 practice starts. This will give us the best possible practice for the starting challenges we’ll face on Monday. Videography will be from a support boat and from a drone stationed about 150 feet up, off to one side of the line, to give us excellent views of all the boats. The videos will be reviewed with Bill Gladstone after practice and available to all participants for use in preparing for future regattas.
Bill Gladstone will email two documents to those registered for the Clinic: Starting Techniques for Big Fleets; and Clinic Drills and Procedures. On Sunday morning, June 21, Bill will hold a whiteboard discussion (attendance not required) of big fleet starting tips and techniques, and describe his plans for the afternoon’s on-the-water practice.
Bill, the author of the North U Racing Trim, and North U Racing Tactics books, is well suited to conduct this Clinic. He’s taught sailing and racing for over forty years. Thousands of sailors are graduates of his seminars.
Consider registering now for this Clinic. You and your crew will receive Bill’s Starting Techniques for Big Fleets; and Clinic Drills and Procedures by Wednesday, June 10. This will give skippers and crews time to study them before practice – things get busy before a big regatta. You can click this link to register: www.NorthU.com. You don’t have to list all your crew members – you can forward Bill’s documents when you get them. Many of us know the devastating consequences of a bad start in a large one design fleet. The more J/109s registered for the Clinic, and the more homework done before practice, the more effective the training will be for everyone.
