On Sunday, March 18th the J/24 SF Fleet 17 hosted our first in a series of race clinics. We’re hosting these by ourselves, for ourselves (and any interested crew and potential crew) because as a fleet we always enjoy sharing knowledge with each other, always learning and re-learning, and just hanging out.
When you go sailboat racing, the first thing you need is a boat. And the J/24 is the most popular One Design class in the world*. If you can competitively sail a J/24 in SF, you can race pretty much anywhere. In a classroom type setting, Jasper Van Vliet led us through the basic measurements and mechanics of the J/24, mostly discussing some universal concepts and their impact on boat speed (e.g. Shroud tension, mast butt placement, keel shape/location, boat heel, and lee helm).
We then headed to the yard where dusted off the J/24 class keel template and measurement guides to demonstrate how to measure the keel width, the J-measurement, mast butt placement. We then plunked three boats in the water and got our shroud tensions to match up. And I can tell you that one Loos gauge’s “Base” was another gauge’s “+1”. Those springs don’t last forever.
Finally some breeze came up so we could take it on the water and run tacks side by side. On starboard, Brandon’s point and speed was much, much higher. We exchanged info on trim, jib car and traveler placement to try to make it all equal. Even then we still couldn’t catch him. The other tack was a very different story. Again, here were the shrouds giving a winter shadow – they were spun up in the wrong direction! Massive difference between 1 below base vs. 1 above base.
Same boat, about the same crew weight, going the same direction. One Design sailing at its best. Hanging out with some of the nicest sailors we know. Priceless (and Free). Next up: Starts! (April 15, 2018, 10am – probably at Richmond Yacht Club)
If you don’t have a boat, contact us. We’ll find you one.