J35 Class Association
Letter from the President
May 2006
Greetings.
Whether you own your boat for one design racing, handicap racing, or cruising, I want to thank you for sailing on one the finest boats ever made. If fact, in 2002 the J35 was named to the American Sailboat Hall of Fame by Sailing and Sailing World magazines.
I've owned my J35 "Sociable" since 1997, and have raced it, cruised it, towed it and stored it (a result of the Midwest climate) over the past 9 years, and I can tell you from experience this is a great boat and a fantastic one design racing class.
The J35 has held a resale value that is significantly higher than just about any 35 foot boat in history. This is the result of the consistent demand for one design racing through active fleets across North America. YOUR CLASS DUES, plus the hard work of many dedicated regional and national volunteers is what keeps this value high.
Over the last 3 years, we have had about 150 members in our database, and about 50% of them pay annual dues. We are committed to improving that ratio in 2006. First, let me explain what your class dues pay for:
- Maintaining our class website
- Supporting the national championship with seed money. This year Nationals are in Annapolis MD on Sept 15th-17th, one of America's true sailing capitals!!
- Keeping and interpreting the one design rules, maintaining the float line templates.
In 2006 we are adding a number of significant additions to this list
- Offering "J35 battle flags" for members who pay both 2006 and 2007 dues. If you have priced a flag before, you will know this is of significant value.
- Hosting a midwinter championship in the winter of 2007.
- Creating a password protected area of the website (available only to dues paying members) which will offer significant value for members J35. Areas being constructed include key J35 parts suppliers, tips to the PHRF racer from experienced J35's experts, a section entirely dedicated to the cruising J35's, and many other areas.
Our class needs your support. We can only keep our organization alive and prosperous if our members pay annual dues. Our dues have stayed the same and at $75 per year is less than most other one design classes. And as I discussed above, we are committed to creating value for this investment.
Feel free to email me at arzbaecher@aol.com with any questions or comments about the class, I would love your input, and promise I will respond quickly.
Thanks again for your support of the J35 Class --- one of the greatest boats ever built!!!
Bob Arzbaecher
J/35 Class Association President
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