President’s Report June 2021

Canadian News

While the ice went out on our lake early this spring, COVID 19 has played havoc with the start of our sailing season. While the Victoria members have been sailing regularly on Wednesday afternoons and on Saturdays, Members in Ontario and Quebec are now seeing their provincial lockdowns slowly being eased and access to sailing and yacht clubs returning to near normal. At my club (Nepean Sailing Club in Ottawa), the large keelboats are being launched June 5 so our first 2.4mR sails will begin after that. We look forward to the easing of provincial travel restrictions and even travel restrictions within provinces (between health units in British Columbia, for example).

The continuing closure of the Canada-United States border is having a detrimental effect on both the recovery of boats and equipment trapped in Florida since March 2020 and the delivery of new boats that have been shipped to Florida in containers along with US boats. At this point there are at least five boats, three trailers, one vehicle and lots of equipment stuck in Florida. It does not appear that the Canada- US border will be open for what is called “non-essential travel” until at least late July 2021. Is not sailing 2.4mR sailboats an essential activity for our mental health?

Almost all of our boat owners have renewed their membership thanks to Brian Robinson, our new class Secretary, Aaron Wong-Sing, our Treasurer, who did a great job revising our website-based membership renewal system, and to all the members who have renewed their membership for the 2021 – 2022 year.  If you haven’t renewed your membership, please go to https://www.canada24mr.com/canadian-class-membership-2021/ and complete the membership registration form. This year, we have reduced our full membership from $50.00 to $40.00. We also have an associate membership category for individuals who are not boat owners but are supporters of the Canadian 2.4mR class, and an association membership for Provincial Sailing Associations, community groups and similar organizations who own one or more boats that their members use jointly.

The Victoria fleet and Royal Victoria Yacht Club are working hard to organize a successful 2021 Canadian 2.4mR Championship September 10 – 12th. The regatta chair, Randy Diamond is an experienced organizer and has a great team working to make this a special regatta. They have a dedicated website http://www.2pt4canadians.com/, which is loaded with useful information. For planning purposes, the organizers are asking sailors considering attending to contact them early. The regatta registration is open, and they are not requesting regatta entry fees until a later date. If you have any questions, you can contact the organizing committee directly at [dot][dot][dot][at][dot].

If you have recently sold your 2.4mR, we would appreciate you dropping a note to the class Secretary at [at][dot] , giving us information about the buyer including name, e-mail address, telephone number, hull number and sail number of the boat sold. If you are keeping your personal sail number because you own more than one boat, we will contact the new owner to issue them a sail number. Of course, we would like to welcome the new owner into the class and provide them with information about regattas etc. We also maintain a data base including current measurement and buoyancy certificate information on all known boats in Canada. We will amend the ownership information on file.

This is also a reminder that boats with Floatation Certificates dated 2016 or earlier must be retested in 2021 in accordance with Class Rule B4. In Victoria, please contact Bruce Millar, Chief Measurer, and in Toronto, contact David Foscarini. In other locations, contact Bruce Millar to identify acceptable alternative measurers.

International News       

A number of positive initiatives are coming from the Executive Committee of the International Class Association. First, the class is updating the look and content of the class website to give it a more modern feel and make it more appealing to the general sailing public while still providing the information class members require. The new revised class website should be online in the later part of July. Second, the EC of the class is asking whether the next AGM should be a virtual meeting. The exact proposition is as follows:

Should the EC run an AGM/Special Meeting in order to hear from NCA representatives and conduct the business of running the class including elections and approval for other class business. This meeting will take place over Zoom and be run in a professional no biased manner by an experienced professional moderator.

Please let the International Class Secretary [dot][at][dot] know your views on this matter.

The third initiative taken by Heiko Kroeger was to prepare and submit an application for the 2.4mR to be added as a mixed event in the 2024 Paris Olympics. As a background, the IOC rejected World Sailing’s recommend class the “doublehanded long-distance event” for among other reasons World Sailing had not run a World championship in the event. On very short notice the International Class put together a submission which was not successful. However, the class learned from the experience and believe it did raise the profile of the class at World Sailing.

Finally, we are receiving reports from the German 2.4mR class and appreciate that they are sharing their ideas of how to grow the class. These, and reports from other National Class Associations (NCA’s) will be posted on the website.

Stay healthy and get your vaccination so we can all sail together soon.

Peter Wood
CAN 14

President’s Report April 2019

It’s been a few months since I last updated the members on all the activities that are taking place within the Class. There are many positive developments which bode well for the Class going forward.

Clagett Boats: The Clagett Foundation has purchased three new 2.4mRs and offered them to sailors with disabilities to use for up to four years. Wendy Frazier of Calgary has received one boat which will be kept in Victoria. A second boat has been given to Siobhan MacDonald of Mabou NS. The Ottawa Clagett boat has been reassigned to Brian Peckover, the 2018 Mobility Cup winner, while Delani Hulme-Lawrence will be keeping her boat in Victoria again 2018.

CAN-AM Series: Another CAN-AM Winter series just concluded in Charlotte Harbor FL with perfect wind conditions and great warm weather, excellent race management and fleets of 20+
boats. New sailors from Marblehead and Milwaukee supported the event as well returnees from Guatemala, Norway, Canada and the USA.

The Toronto Fleet will be running the initial CAN-AM North series out of National Yacht Club this summer. Victoria and Seattle are in discussions to have a CAN-AM Pacific Coast series of regattas starting 2020.

Sail Numbers: The Canadian Class is the issuing authority for 2.4mR sail numbers in Canada. These are issued without cost to members of the Canadian Class Association. Issued numbers are posted on the Class website. From time to time, requests are received from new boat owners wishing to have a number which has already been issued. In some cases, these numbers were issued to boat owners who are no longer members of the class. Starting in September 2019, if a member has not paid their class dues in either 2017, 2018 or 2019 these numbers will be indicated on the website as “inactive” and may be available to anyone joining the class and wishing the number. The incumbent sail number holder will have 30 days to join the class and keep his/her sail number. If they fail to do, so the new member will be assigned the number.

Buoyancy Certificates: All boats must have a current buoyancy certificate. This is a safety issue. Buoyancy certificates are valid for five years and the person conducting the test must be either a measurer appointed by the Class Association or a person authorized by our chief measurer, Bruce Millar

2.4mR North American Championship: Kingston YC will be hosting this event July 5, 6 & 7. Kingston is famous for reliable winds, experienced race Committee, good hospitality, reasonably priced accommodation and lots of activities for shore supporters. It is also the first event of CAN AM North. The Notice of Race is linked from the class website http://www.canada24mr.com/events/sailing-schedule-autumn-2018-summer-2019/

Jib Boom Boats: For a number of years, many of us in the fleet have watched Bjørnar Erikstad sail his jib boom boat to consistent top ten finishes in World Open 2.4mR and World Para Championships. This winter, Bruce Millar and Tony Pocklington spent time developing a jib boom boat with the goal of making the boat easier to sail for people with disabilities. Although not yet perfected, Bruce sailed the boat in the final Winter CAN-AM regatta, placing 4th. More work will be done on the boat this summer and already there is quite a lot of interest from other sailors to order new boats with recessed decks to accept the curved jib boom track.

2020 2.4mR World Championship: The 2.4mR World Championships are coming to North America. The proposed venue is Davis Island YC, Tampa Florida. The proposed dates are November 7 – 14, 2020. Details are developing and once the proposal has been approved by the International Class, we will be able to provide more information.

Class Dues: Our annual class membership year is April 1 to March 31. 2019. Due are now due and must be paid through the class website: www.canada24mr.com

Any questions, please contact me at [at][dot]

Looking forward to seeing everyone at regattas this summer.

Peter Wood
Class President

Victoria Fleet Conducts Flotation Testing

Louise Anstey

Thankfully, it was a sunny May afternoon when our scheduled day for the floatation test arrived. With the three Ps (planning, people and persistence) we managed to test most of the boats in our fleet. We used the method required by the Class Rules: 35 kg of lead placed in the boat (simulating the sailor’s weight), flood it with water, then rock the boat to remove any trapped air. At this stage, Doug Bell (CAN 68) recorded each partially submerged boat with its proud owner looking on.  Doug gave the photo evidence to our Class Measurer, Bruce Millar (CAN 39), for a permanent record of each test.

All eight boats tested that day passed with flying colours.

Being new to the 2.4mR class, I was a bit skeptical of the adequacy of this test. I know it is possible (although not advisable) to submarine a boat in 25 or 30 kts of wind and also that boats can fill up quickly especially when it is wavy, or on a busy start line, or when pumps fail, which they inevitably do. Having flipped and turtled dinghies in Caddy Bay in years past I know how cold that water is!  Staying with your boat or, better yet, on top of your boat is very important. So I needed to be sure my 2.4 had plenty of reserve buoyancy.  To satisfy myself, my solution was to climb aboard my boat full of water and the 35 kg of lead.

Yes!  It remained afloat…..well, awash…..but it did not sink.  Just to be sure this was not an anomaly, I performed this same test on three additional boats.

I’m happy.  Let’s go sailing.

2.4mR Floatation Test
Louise Anstey (CAN 2) completes her own buoyancy testing. Photo by Doug Bell

Report from the President May 2018

CAN AM Winter Series: The second year of the 2.4mR CAN-AM winter series is in the books. The final regatta was picture perfect with winds 8 to 13 knots, air temperature 28 degrees Celsius and water temperature about 20 degrees Celsius. Racing was incredibly close throughout the fleet with first and last boats finishing 120 seconds apart.  Ironically, the days after the conclusion of the regatta were dead flat calm.  The schedule for the 2018 – 2019 CAN Am Winter Series should be available by late May.

2018 Regatta Schedule:  As regatta dates, host clubs, and venues are known they are being posted on the class website. The Toronto area regatta schedule is now posted. Royal Victoria Yacht Club is hosting the first Pacific Coast 2.4mR Championship June 16 & 17th.  Pointe Claire Yacht Club in Montreal will be hosting our 2018 Canadian Championship August 10, 11, & 12th.  Events in the United States which may be of interest to our members are being posted as we become aware of them. Please check the website regularly for all the latest news.

2018 Class Membership and DuesOur class membership year runs April 1 to March 31. The webmaster has edited the procedures to join the class on line through the website. This requires both renewing and new members to complete the jotform and pay the membership dues through Paypal. Although we do take payment by cheque as well, our preferred payment option is Paypal. Please don’t hand either the class secretary or myself cash at a regatta to pay your membership dues. Although we are honest we are also forgetful so your dues may not be credited to you.

2018 dues are $ 50.00 (same as 2017).

Class Website:  We had problems in September 2017 with the host of our class website.  Thanks to the tireless work of Aaron Wong-Sing, the website was rebuilt and we continue to receive positive comments from our members, from 2.4mR sailors from other countries, and from sailors in other classes within Canada. Making the job easier for Aaron has been Doug Bell, Dee Smith and Bruce Millar all who have contributed articles to the website. The website is our voice to the sailing community at large so if you have anything you wish to share please pass it to the webmaster.

Buoyancy Tests and Certificates: Regular buoyancy tests are a safety issue. At the 2017 Canada Games two boats failed their initial buoyancy tests and required addition floatation materials before they were permitted to race. It was a good thing because two boats did swamp in the one heavy air race and required assistance in being pumped out. If you do not have a buoyancy certificate for your boat or if your certificate was issued in 2013 or earlier you must be tested before you will be permitted to race in class events in 2018. Contact the class measurer (Bruce Millar) to arrange for a buoyancy test.

Jib Boom Boats: Last winter, Tony Pocklington and Bruce Millar spent time with Bjorner Erikstad (NOR) about the development of jib boom boats. Bjorner has had international success with his jib boom boat and the consensus is that competitive jib boom boats will make 2.4mR sailing accessible to more sailors without diminishing the competitiveness of the fleet. In the future I will ask Bruce to prepare an article on jib boom boats for the website.

Please remember to send your questions, reports, pictures and gripes to the class e-mail address [at][dot]

Report from the President – March, 2018

CAN AM Winter Series: The second year of the 2.4mR CAN-AM winter series is currently underway with the four regattas completed at Charlotte Harbour Yacht Club in Florida. These events are drawing between 15 and 20 boats and so far the conditions have been outstanding. No days have been lost because of either insufficient winds or too much wind and the air temperatures have been warm. The final event takes place March 29 – 31. Already plans are afoot for the 2018 – 2019 Winter Series. We investigating a dedicated website for the series which will be loaded with information to make it easier for sailors to attend. It is our goal to reach out to European sailors to attend our Can Am series as air travel between Europe and southwestern Florida is relatively easy.

2018 Regatta Schedule:  As regatta dates, host clubs, and venues are known they are being posted on the class website. We are working to confirm the dates of the Toronto area regattas. Pointe Claire Yacht Club in Montreal will be hosting our 2018 Canadian Championships August 10, 11, & 12th.  Events in the United States which may be of interest to our members are being posted as we become aware of them. Please check the website regularly for all the latest news.

2018 Class Membership and Dues:  Our class membership year runs April 1 to March 31. The webmaster updated the website and opened the membership registration and renewal for the 2018-2019 membership year. This requires both renewing and new members to complete the Membership Form and pay the membership dues through Paypal. Although we do take payment by cheque as well, our preferred payment option is Paypal. Please don’t hand either the class secretary or myself cash at a regatta to pay your membership dues. Although we are honest we are also forgetful so your dues may not be credited to you.

2018 dues are $ 50.00 (same as 2017).

Class Website:  We had problems in September 2017 with the host of our class website.  Thanks to the tireless work of Aaron Wong-Sing, the website was rebuilt and we continue to receive positive comments from our members, from 2.4mR sailors from other countries, and from sailors in other classes within Canada. Making the job easier for Aaron has been Doug Bell, Dee Smith and Bruce Millar all who have contributed articles to the website. The website is our voice to the sailing community at large so if you have anything you wish to share please pass it to the webmaster.

Buoyancy Tests and Certificates: Regular buoyancy tests are a safety issue. At the 2017 Canada Games two boats failed their initial buoyancy tests and required addition floatation materials before they were permitted to race. It was a good thing because two boats did swamp in the one heavy air race and required assistance in being pumped out. If you do not have a buoyancy certificate for your boat or if your certificate was issued in 2013 or earlier you must be tested before you will be permitted to race in class events in 2018. Contact the class measurer (Bruce Millar) to arrange for a buoyancy test.

Clagett Regatta Foundation: The Clagett Regatta Foundation which organizes the Annual Thomas Clagett Jr Regatta in Newport RI issued a call in November 2017 for requests to use one of two new 2.4mR sailboats for a one to four year duration. They are happy to announce that Delani Hulme-Lawrence of Royal Victoria Yacht Club (Canada Games 2.4mR  sailor 2013 & 2017) and Shaylagh Ley of Nepean Sailing Club (Martin 16 Mobility Cup sailor 2016 & 2017) are the recipients of the boats. Both are young sailors who are really enthusiastic to join our class. We welcome them to the starting line.

Please remember to send your questions, reports, pictures and gripes to the class e-mail address [at][dot].

Clinic, Western Hemisphere Championship and CanAm#4

Next week we will be having a Clinic, Western Hemisphere Championship and CanAm#4.

We have also arranged with Gene Hinkel to do some boat weighing, sail measurement and float testing.

If your boat is in Charlotte Harbor, and you are not able to be there, but you would like your boat weighed and/or float tested (ie your float certificate is over or nearing five years old or you do not have one) please let Tim Ripley  know so he can add your boat to the queue.   While they cannot guarantee all boats will be float tested, they will do their best.

Report from the President January 2018

2017 was a great year for the Canadian 2.4mR class. In Eastern Canada the class saw new boat owners join from other classes and great support for the 2017 Canadian Championships at Pointe Claire QC while Meterfest in Newport RI, USA was well supported by Canadian members. In Victoria BC the class is continuing to attract new boat owners and current boat owners are purchasing new boats. Canada Games sailing events held in Gimli MB had young sailors from seven of Canada’s ten provinces with the lack of a sailor from Quebec being the only disappointment.

CAN AM Winter Series: The second year of the 2.4mR CAN-AM winter series is currently underway with the first two regattas held at Charlotte Harbour Yacht Club in Florida, December 5 – 10, 2017. The next regatta is January 27 & 28, followed by the 2.4mR Western Hemisphere Regatta February 20-23 and the 4th regatta in the CAN AM Series February 24 & 25. The final 2017-2018 CAN AM series regatta takes place March 29 – 31. These are great regattas run by hospitable folks at the Charlotte Harbour Yacht Club.

2018 Regatta Schedule:  As regatta dates, host clubs, and venues are known they will be posted on the class website. We are working to confirm the Toronto area regattas and the 2018 Canadian Championships as well as events in the United States which may be of interest to our members. Please check the website regularly for all the latest news.

2018 Class Membership and Dues:  Our class membership year runs April 1 to March 31. The webmaster will be resetting the procedures to join the class on line through the website. This requires both renewing and new members to complete the jotform and pay the membership dues through paypal. Although we do take payment by cheque as well our preferred payment option is paypal. Please don’t hand either the class secretary or myself cash at a regatta to pay your membership dues. Although we are honest, we are also forgetful so you dues may not be credited to you.

2018 dues will be $ 50.00 (same as 2017).

Class Website:  We had problems in September 2017 with the host of our class website.  As I saw it the host basically shut down the site and then asked us for a ransom to unlock the contents. A decision was made to move to another host and redesign the website. Aaron Wong-Sing did a lot of work in moving the site to another host, reformatting the website and adding the great pictures that jump out every time we open up the website. Please send Aaron both content and photos of you sailing these wonderful boats.

Buoyancy Tests and Certificates: Regular buoyancy tests are a safety issue. At the 2017 Canada Games two boats failed their initial buoyancy tests and required addition floatation materials before they were permitted to race. It was a good thing because two boats did swamp in the one heavy air race and required assistance in being pumped out. If you do not have a buoyancy certificate for your boat or if your certificate was issued in 2013 or earlier you must be tested before you will be permitted to race in class events in 2018. Contact the class measurer (Bruce Millar) to arrange for a buoyancy test.

Clagett Regatta Foundation: The Clagett Regatta Foundation which organizes the Annual C. Thomas Clagett Jr Memorial Regatta in Newport RI issued a call in November 2017 for requests to use one or two new 2.4mR sailboats for a one- to four-year duration. Although it has not been officially announced, it is my understanding that one boat will be going to Victoria BC while the second boat will be going to a sailor in Ottawa.

Please remember to send your questions, reports, pictures and gripes to the class e-mail address [at][dot] .