From Montreal: The J/22 – Pure Class

The Canandaigua Jackrabbit, the Lake George North-East Championship, Rochester’s Jimmy regatta, the Canadian J/22 championship at PCYC, and the North American Championship in Buffalo: having participated in all those events, the Montreal J/22 fleet is active and is growing rapidly. The Hudson Yacht Club now has seven boats and hopes to add two more to the start-line for next season. Top racers in other fleets on the lakes are seriously discussing the opportunity to join the class. Rumors has it that a sharp looking J/22 has even been seen sailing Lake St-Louis.

For those fortunate enough to be members of the fleet, the 2010 season has been extremely exciting. The number of events within a few hours drive from Montreal makes this class extremely competitive. If you love a challenge and are ready to mix it up with top sailors, you’ll find yourself competing with champions such as Chris Doyle, Greg Fisher and Travis Odenbach, to name just a few. There is no better way to improve your sailing skills (and to identify your opportunities for improvement) than going head-to-head on the start line with the great names of the sport.

The fleet is dynamic with a great team spirit and everyone lends a hand. When the Montreal fleet decides to hit the road, within ninety minutes all boats are hauled out, mast are dropped and they are ready to go. Everyone participates and the convoy hits the road on time.

Is the J/22 for me?

The J/22 is a boat that is very easy to handle. The set-up is simple and efficient, allowing a crew of three to easily manage the boat. Physical strength is not a requirement and sailing enthusiasts of all ages enjoys its agility and speed. The winning crew at the Lake George regatta last summer was a mother, a father, and a daughter and son of twelve and fifteen years old. Further proof is that the Montreal champion, HYC’s Ron Harris, is the same age as my father who is a seven times grandfather and trims the jib and spinnaker by himself on our J/22 Wonton!

How much does it cost?

It’s always important to consider the total cost of ownership of a boat. There are some ridiculously low priced race-boats on the market that look like a great bargain. But once the initial purchase is made, the extra expense and time to get the boat back to basic racing condition can drive the budget through the roof. Often, the extra expenses required to make the boat competitive can surpass the resale value of the boat and just don’t make financial sense. Typically J/22’s are a little more expensive to acquire than other similar sized boats – but they are in good race-ready condition and hold their value nicely.

When buying a second hand racing sailboat, purchase price is not the only criteria to consider. It is equally important to consider the costs of equipment upgrades and most of all, the cost of the sails. Old sails will put you at the back of the fleet. The J/22 has only three small sails: jib, main and spinnaker, and the class rules don’t allow the use of expense materials like Kevlar. That represents a considerable cost saving (only 3700$ for the set). Thanks to the high level of the competition, sailmakers sponsor a lot of J/22s and a set of sails with less than one weeks’ use can easily be found on the class websites at 30% off.

Is this story true?

It’s a real pleasure to race identical sailboats designed exclusively with performance and fun in mind. The class design is strictly regulated so it is only the skill and quality of the crew that makes the difference when you’re racing. All the advantages mentioned draw many sailors into the class so we frequently see over forty sailboats on the start line at regattas in the are, while at the Worlds over one hundred boats were on the line..

The J/22 fever is highly contagious and the infection is spreading rapidly.

It’s a reality on Lake of Two Mountains.

David Godin
J/22 #959 Wonton