15 March 1999
To: J/35 Class Membership From: Bill Chambers
COMMENTS ON PROPOSED J/35 CLASS RULES CHANGES E-mails were recently sent to the J/35 Class from Bill Wildner and Wayne Berge offering strong opinions on the two proposed rules changes. These messages indicate that it would be useful to set forth the rationale behind these proposals.
THE PROPOSED CHANGE REGARDING CLASS 2 AND 3 CREW The present rule allows one Class 2 or Class 3 crew to sail on a J/35 at any time. The proposed change would allow two Class 2s or one Class 2 and one Class 3 to sail on the boat, but they must sail on that boat on a regular basis.
This rule change was originally requested by members of the J35 Class because they were having difficulty finding crew, with some available crew being ineligible because they worked in the sailing industry and were classified as Class 2 or 3.
The key in this change is the requirement of a significant commitment to a boat on the part of a professional crew. This will allow the Class 2 or 3 crew of average ability to freely sail regularly on a boat, but will make such a commitment on the part of the truly high-level professional economically unattractive. It also makes it difficult to "buy" big-name sailmakers for important regattas.
The details of the proposed change were recommended by Jeff Johnstone of J/Boats, and is modeled on a rule for the J/105 Class.
The present rule creates two problems. First, under this rule boats frequently import a Class 3 for the big regattas. This person usually has exceptional sailing capabilities, and their services are essentially bought via the purchase of significant numbers of sails from the loft for whom they work. This practice discriminates against, and is demoralizing to, those who lack the money (or the desire) to hire a high-level professional sailor, as it drastically alters the playing field for events such as the North Americans. Further, since these sailors do not sail with the boat regularly but only participate in the big events, they are not around long enough to engender significant improvement on either the boat they sail on or the boats competing against them. Bluntly stated, a professional is hired, they drop in to the championship regatta, take the trophy, and ride away. The boat they sail on may win, but otherwise there is little benefit to anyone.
Second, there are many people of only average sailing ability who work in the sailing industry. Regardless of their ability or what their job is, they by definition are classified as at least a Class 2 simply because of where they work. Many of these individuals are anxious to sail just for fun. They make good crew, and regular crew is badly needed and hard to find for most J/35 programs. But our present rule allows a boat to have only one such individual.
The proposed change addresses both of these problems. This change would allow two Class 2s, or one 2 and one 3, but they must sail on the boat for at least 60% of its regular races (beer-can races don't count), and must have sailed at least 10 races on the boat in the past calendar year. With this participation requirement, high-level Class 3s could not simply drop in for a championship event. Instead, they would have to sail with the boat regularly throughout the year, which for this level of sailor is unlikely. However, in the event that good sailors did sign on for the season, they would be there long enough that both the boat they were on and those racing against them would benefit from their ability.
Finally, in doubling the number of 2s allowed, this change also make more crew eligible for J/35s.
THE PROPOSED CHANGE REGARDING CARBON FIBER SPINNAKER POLES This change proposal is simpler than the one involving crew. Some Class members want lighter spinnaker poles to make it easier for their (smaller) foredeck crew to handle. Realistically, it is not going to make the boat go any faster. And, particularly for a boat that does dip-pole jibes (as most of the class does), it doesn't offer any particular advantage in boat handling. So if you don't want one, you don't need to buy one to remain competitive.
MY POSITION ON THESE CHANGES
I am strongly in favor of the rule change governing Class 2 and Class 3
crew. This change will eliminate the problem of high-level professional
sailors being effectively hired for an important regatta. And I believe
that it will also reduce, not increase, the number of high-level hired
professionals sailing in the J/35 class. Further, it will make eligible
more good crew of normal ability to sail on J/35s.
I am mildly in favor of allowing carbon fiber spinnaker poles, largely because it really doesn't make much difference. It won't make a boat faster or more competitive, so if some class members find it makes their J/35s more attractive to them, and they're willing to buy a carbon fiber pole to make their crew happy, why not allow them to do that?
Yours,
Bill Chambers
President, J/35 Class Association
Received on Mon Mar 15 08:36:58 1999