J/24 Crew Clinic – Sat, May 13

Welcome to J/24 Fleet 8!

The Annapolis area has more than 30 local boats, with more than 15 actively racing each season. Exciting J/World Thursday-evening short-course racing runs from May through August, and a modest schedule of weekend racing at SSA begins in April and endswith the J/24 East Coast Championship in October–where as many as 70 boats have competed. J/24s also participate in Annapolis Yacht Club Wednesday-night PHRF racing and the Eastport Yacht Club Friday-night Beer Can Series. SSA hosted the 1992 J/24 World Championship, while our neighbors up Spa Creek at Annapolis Yacht Club hosted the 2009 Worlds.

Good Sailing, Good Racing, Good Friends!

Our fleet shares a love of sailing, racing, and friendship. In addition to enjoying competitive sailing, we routinely gather after racing to socialize and get to know our fellow racers better. We would love to have you join us, whether your interest is crewing or eventually owning a J/24.

While local J/24 racing is known to be hotly competitive, J/24 sailors are very interested in growing the class and want to be very helpful to those just starting out. It’s not unusual to see some of the top sailors in the area showing newer owners and crews how to make their boats go faster. We are a class that wants to see everyone learn, be competitive, and have a good time too!

Crewing Opportunities

With 10 to 15 J/24s racing on most Thursdays during the summer, as well as occasional weekend races, there are ample opportunities to learn about the boat through crewing. The maximum crew weight is 882 lbs., and most boats sail with five crew members. Skippers are often looking for additional crew, so opportunities to get involved in J/24 sailing are definitely not limited to boat owners! Many of the best boats have women either as crew or at the helm.

The local fleet has a Facebook Group and Crewfinder Group on Facebook, which is used often by both skippers and crew. You can also contact SSA J/24 Fleet Captain Pat FitzGerald at 443-838-4095 if you are interested in crewing this season.