Racing
|
For many members, racing is an integral part of the J-Town experience. It is a great way to improve your sailing skills and get to know more sailors both at J-Town and the surrounding clubs. Once you have completed CANSail 1 & 2 or equivalent, consider coming out and crewing on Friday nights, attending Race Training/Skills Building on Monday evenings, participating in Sunday Sinners or otherwise finding out more about racing. If you have raced before come on out and join in.
We're very lucky that the Toronto Inner and Outer Harbours are home to a diverse group of dinghy sailors and some very competitive Albacore, Nacra, and Laser fleets. We've also been known to travel en masse to race against fleets in other locales. Many J-Town members regularly place strongly at national and international competitions.
We're very lucky that the Toronto Inner and Outer Harbours are home to a diverse group of dinghy sailors and some very competitive Albacore, Nacra, and Laser fleets. We've also been known to travel en masse to race against fleets in other locales. Many J-Town members regularly place strongly at national and international competitions.
Race Series
Friday Night Racing
The Friday Night Racing Series pairs helm and crew by lottery. Forty to sixty community club Albacores duke it out on the race course from May to September.
This is the longest standing, and largest, one-design race series in North America! J-Town has been the proud winner of the Spanish Donkey Award for the most points in the season many times over. There is also a separate start for Lasers.
Friday Night Races are intended to be fun for all participants. They are also the races in which: a) new sailors are encouraged to start racing by crewing, b) learning takes place and c) people of all levels of expertise are expected to participate. If you are new to racing we need you to come on out and join in the fun. There are always people who want to helm and need a crew and the random draw is designed to encourage everyone to participate. After the races, people from all the clubs mingle together, eat and drink, forget the working week, and chat about all things sailing.
The Friday Night Racing Series pairs helm and crew by lottery. Forty to sixty community club Albacores duke it out on the race course from May to September.
This is the longest standing, and largest, one-design race series in North America! J-Town has been the proud winner of the Spanish Donkey Award for the most points in the season many times over. There is also a separate start for Lasers.
Friday Night Races are intended to be fun for all participants. They are also the races in which: a) new sailors are encouraged to start racing by crewing, b) learning takes place and c) people of all levels of expertise are expected to participate. If you are new to racing we need you to come on out and join in the fun. There are always people who want to helm and need a crew and the random draw is designed to encourage everyone to participate. After the races, people from all the clubs mingle together, eat and drink, forget the working week, and chat about all things sailing.
Everyone who wants to sail in a Friday Night race (and the club wants you to) must sign-up for the event by the Wednesday before the race. To do this you go to the Members page, look at the calendar, and click on the race you want to sail in. You can sign-up to race in an Albacore (crew or skip) or in a Laser I. Before racing for the first time in a year you must also sign the Invitation to Race (Code of Conduct). For more information on participating in the Friday Night Series, please contact Race Chair at race@sailtoronto.com.
Harbour Master Racing
Harbour Master races take place Sunday afternoons from May through September, on weekends when the racing does not conflict with other Albacore races.
This series of 16 races is held on the inner or outer harbour. Helm and crew pair themselves in advance of the races. This is a great series to begin racing as a helm. There is a B Fleet with a separate start for less experienced racers and you can chose your own crew.
This year's series dates are found in the Calendar on the Members Page.
Fall Series Racing
As the days grow shorter, the Fall Series wraps up each of the Toronto Albacore racing season.
This short series runs over four Sundays in September and October. Again, helm and crew pair themselves in advance of races.
Harbour Master races take place Sunday afternoons from May through September, on weekends when the racing does not conflict with other Albacore races.
This series of 16 races is held on the inner or outer harbour. Helm and crew pair themselves in advance of the races. This is a great series to begin racing as a helm. There is a B Fleet with a separate start for less experienced racers and you can chose your own crew.
This year's series dates are found in the Calendar on the Members Page.
Fall Series Racing
As the days grow shorter, the Fall Series wraps up each of the Toronto Albacore racing season.
This short series runs over four Sundays in September and October. Again, helm and crew pair themselves in advance of races.
J-Town Regattas
J-Town hosts several regattas and racing events throughout the year. The racing is competitive and fun. The parties are even more fun. Come out and join in on the action.
Good Friends Regatta (Lasers)
J-Town's annual Laser regatta. 1 day of racing featuring 6 or 7 races in the Outer Harbour.
J-Town Women's Regatta
Our annual albacore Women's Regatta.
J-Town Regatta
J-Town's open albacore regatta features competitive racing on the lake with separate A and B fleets.
Klinger's Around the Island Race & AGM
The last Saturday in September. Leisure race during the day (hopefully around the island). Snacks and dinner around 4:30 pm. J-Town's Annual General Meeting follows the awards ceremony.
Good Friends Regatta (Lasers)
J-Town's annual Laser regatta. 1 day of racing featuring 6 or 7 races in the Outer Harbour.
J-Town Women's Regatta
Our annual albacore Women's Regatta.
J-Town Regatta
J-Town's open albacore regatta features competitive racing on the lake with separate A and B fleets.
Klinger's Around the Island Race & AGM
The last Saturday in September. Leisure race during the day (hopefully around the island). Snacks and dinner around 4:30 pm. J-Town's Annual General Meeting follows the awards ceremony.
Other Regattas and Racing Opportunities
There are lots of opportunities to race in the Albacores, Lasers and Nacras, beyond what is listed above.
Several weekends throughout the summer and into the fall there is an Albacore regatta in the Toronto area, and a few times a year here are opportunities to go to away regattas. There are also races on Tuesdays and Thursdays hosted by the Outer Harbour Centreboard Club (OHCC).
The Water Rats Sailing Club, also in the Outer Harbour run regular club races for Lasers on Sundays at 1 pm during April, September and October, and evening races on Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm from May to August. J-Town members are welcome to join in.
There are lots of opportunities to race in the Albacores, Lasers and Nacras, beyond what is listed above.
Several weekends throughout the summer and into the fall there is an Albacore regatta in the Toronto area, and a few times a year here are opportunities to go to away regattas. There are also races on Tuesdays and Thursdays hosted by the Outer Harbour Centreboard Club (OHCC).
The Water Rats Sailing Club, also in the Outer Harbour run regular club races for Lasers on Sundays at 1 pm during April, September and October, and evening races on Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm from May to August. J-Town members are welcome to join in.
Skills Building and Racing Clinics
Race Training/Skill-Building: Monday Evenings at 6 pm
Sailing well in a large fleet of competitive dinghy sailors can be a lifelong challenge. J-Towners know the importance of building our fleet through shared knowledge. The instructors are some of our top racers who have lots to teach you wherever you are at.Every Monday night, we run training sessions which improve sailing and racing skills. Anyone who has completed CANSail 1 & 2 or equivalent is encouraged to come to these sessions where everyone from very experienced racing helms to the freshest CANSail 1 & 2 graduate can learn a lot about sailing well.
The session starts with a short introduction on what we are going to work on this week depending on the weather and who is instructing, and ends with a debrief on what people have learned and for questions. In between we run practice drills and mini-races, pairing the less experienced with experienced helms who have lots of knowledge to pass on to you. Expect to crew if you are new at these sessions. Learn from the best! The hope is you will catch the racing bug, starting by crewing in Friday night races, but those who just want to improve their skills will also find the sessions very useful.
No sign-up required just come to the club at 6pm on a Monday night. Check the calendar for specific dates.
Sunday Sinners: Sundays at 11 am
Sinners is J-town's casual race program that allows everyone the opportunity to helm, alternating each race. It complements the Monday night Race Training program by giving you an opportunity to use the skills you have learned there in a low key environment. These sessions are held some Sundays through the summer. See the calendar to find the dates.
All new people are welcome who have completed CANSail 1 & 2 , no racing experience necessary, as we go over the basic rules before each race. People are paired pseudo-randomly as we try to pair less experienced people with more competent sailors. Races are followed by a small debrief session to go over questions and learn from each other's experiences.