The J/109 UK Class Annual Dinner

The 2024 Annual Dinner will be held on 3rd February 2024  at the Royal Thames Yacht Club in Knightsbridge, London.  Tickets will be £75 each.

SAVE THE DATE!!

2024 Racing Programme

Please download the attached file, which shows a racing calendar for 2024, including the events that form the J/109 Season's Championship and Solent Series as well as J/109 one- design events being held next year,.

Class Member Survey

Please take 5 minutes to fill in the survey at the following link:https://forms.gle/L4BG1WFrnrBdsReo6 It will help us understand what you get out of your J/109 ownership/ crewing, and what you want to get out of it in 2024. It will also help us better support the class by arranging social events, class starts in regattas etc.. We're especially keen to gauge interest in the Annual Dinner at the Royal Thames YC on 3rd February.

Here's the link again: https://forms.gle/L4BG1WFrnrBdsReo6

Racing Recap

Mocking-J won the overall RC35 2023 Scottish Championship, sailing in all 6 of the events in the series, and winning the Mudhook and North Clyde regattas. Blue-J and  Jings made the top 5.

CTRL-J won the Shanghai Cup, the overall trophy for the Bristol Channel IRC Championships. The championships were held over two weekends in Porishead and Cardiff.

Jukebox won the Hamble IRC Autumn Championships (IRC 3), with JAGO second.

JAGO have a very commanding lead in the Hamble Winter Series.

Chimeara win the J Cup Dublin

Chimeara won the closely contested J Cup Dublin with 9 points from the 6 race series, scoring two first places in the last two races to clinch the title. They were held close by Storm (with another 2 1sts) and Joker 2 with 1 ist and a 2nd.

Dartmouth Week Report

Dartmouth never disappoints and wow what an event! The racing was made even better with the use of MarkSetBot, the automated, self propelled race marks and sponsored by Raymarine and Salcombe Gin!

11 boats took part with a hefty contingent of the Solent boats having made the trip west but great to hook up with local boats, Ju Kyu, and Jubilant wanting to profit on their local knowledge.
The weather for the the latter part of the week was wind from the WSW/ W 12-20kts and since it was coming over the Start peninsular there were some significant shifts and gusts. Get in the right lane and you would profit well, miss the shift and you will lose.
However everything kicked off with Day 1, Thursday with no wind and an AP over A being a smart move by the PRO. The Royal Dart Yacht Club bar did well on a hot sunny day!

Day 2 - Friday was a beautiful 10-12kts from the the SW for race 1 and a WL, Races 2 and 3 saw 16- 18kts with a triangle for the last race.
For all 3 races there was a close tussle between Jukebox and JAGO, with the latter leading around the weather mark on several occasions but Jukebox being able to sneak ahead taking 3 bullets and JAGO 3 seconds. The last podium places in each of the races went to Jumping Jellyfish, JustSo and Jenie respectively. This left Just So in 3^rd on 10 pts, Jumping Jellyfish on 14, Juno (Michael Carrington) showing good consistency on 17 and Rosie & Chuck Berry’s Hayling Island team on Jenie with 18.
Jukebox, Jumping Jellyfish and Juno were all grateful recipients of the Salcombe Gin delivery! This was followed by the 109 Dark’n’Stormy dock party, and it was as a torrential rain storm joined in!

Day 3 – brought the Bay Race and double points. It was an 18nm course utilising the automated marks to great effect. The course rightly tested the crews with tight reaches and difficult drops along with a minor rain squall in the middle of the race. Jumping Jellyfish was up to a full complement of crew and showed great pace giving Jukebox, JAGO, Just So and Jenie a run for their money. Once again Jukebox nailed it and pretty much the series with another bullet and the double points but only after the scary moment when you’re leading a race and get an almighty kite wrap - we’ve all been there. Jumping Jellyfish was really close in second with JAGO not being able to close the gaps enough in third. Jenie took fourth in a very close fight from Just So taking a discard in an uncharacteristic 5^th and Ju Kyu 6th. Juno was sadly DSQ for a bowsprit infringment of the class rules putting paid to any podium chances they had, slightly harsh but rules is rules!

Day 4 – was a slightly windier day again same direction but ranging from 12-20kts so gear changing and being in the right place were crucial. Race 6 a 3 lap WL saw Mojo Risin and JAGO OCS, Mojo by half a length and JAGOby the smallest of margins both were caught in the fleet so not able to return quickly. Jukebox and Jumping Jellyfish went for the pin end. JAGO having exonerated herself played the right hand side of the first beat to pop out at the weather mark in 4^th place behind Jenie. Jumping Jellyfish took the race win from Jukebox in a very close tussle and several lead changes with Just So in third. Going into the final race Jukebox were the clear leaders which left a close battle between Just So, JAGO and Jumping Jellyfish for the podium places. It came down to the very last down wind leg, with Jumping Jellyfish closely followed by JAGO and Just So at the top mark. JAGO went for an early gybe and then closely followed each other in a 16-20kts downwind charge, that came down to the last gybe to the gate. With JAGO on the right holding Jumping Jellyfish out to the left, JAGOgybed late, fully loaded at the mark with Jumping Jellyfish less than half a length away. JAGO managed to squeeze past the mark and into the finish just meters ahead, to sneak 2^nd place overall and Jumping Jellyfishthird. Just So were close behind Jumping Jellyfish.

So the regatta ended with Jukebox as clear leaders on 6 pts discarding a 2^nd, JAGO second with 15, Jumping Jellyfish 18, JustSo 20 and Jenie on 28. Let’s not forget all those taking part Jedi, Ju Kyu, Jubilant, Jengu, Juno, Mojo Risin.

Boat Show Discounted Tickets!

Key Yachting have kindly made a discounted ticket offer open to the J/109 class for the Southampton Boat Show. Tickets are available at £19.99 (compared to £32 on the door).  To get your ticket, follow the process below, and don't forget to pop by the Key Yachting pontoons to see the new boats and say thank you!

1. Visit:                   Visitor Information - Southampton International Boatshow (southamptonboatshow.com)
2. Click:                   Buy tickets
3. Enter:                  KEYYACHT into the promo box and click apply
4. Select:                 Exhibitor Promotion
5. ADD:                    Tickets to your basket
6. Click:                    Next and continue through the checkout process.

The boat show takes place from the 15th to the 24th September.

2024 UK National Championships

The 2024 J/109 UK Nationals will take place as part of Dartmouth Week on 28th - 31st August.

Other J/109 One- design events in 2024 will include The Vice Admirals Cup, The J Cup, The Taittinger Regatta  and Cowes Week; all in the Solent.

Racing Recap

Jago finished second overall in RORC's season finale, the Castle Rock Race, also the first part of the IRC double handed nationals.

Jago finished second in RORC's IRC 3 season's championships, with Mojo Risin' fourth and  Jybe Talkin' fifth.

Jumunu  are lying fourth in the JOG IRC 2 Offshore series.

Just So are still top of the tree in the JOG IRC 2 Coastal series