Junior Offshore Group

Offshore yacht racing club, JOG, launches youth programme to bridge the gap between youth dinghy sailing and offshore keelboat racing

JOG (Junior Offshore Group) have launched a new youth programme entitled ‘Generation JOG’, https://jog.org.uk/generation-jog , which aims to support and promote the next generation of sailors, with a view to bridging the gap between youth dinghy sailing and offshore keelboat racing. It is geared towards those aged 25 years old and under who are either new or existing members. 

Generation JOG will roll out the programme using a number of initiatives including giving preferential listings on JOG connect, the JOG crew finder site, https://www.jog.org.uk/crew-finder , introducing a new Generation JOG class for all those boats with program members on board, regular Zoom meetups with the occasional guest appearance from a prominent sailor and free JOG membership for the first 18 months. 

With finances being one of the main obstacles to sailing of younger generations, the program has been supported by some of JOG’s sponsors. Generous amounts of kit given will be awarded throughout the season based on JOG Generation member’s achievements. Crewsaver is the first sponsor to come onboard and have given life jackets and gloves to be handed out throughout the rest of this year.

Commenting on the importance of the Generation JOG launch, Stuart Lawrence, Vice Captain of JOG said, “The future of our club and many clubs out there lies in the hands of the up and coming generations. We want to make sure we are offering the easiest, possible route to participation for those younger than us and help our club flourish in decades to come.”

If you are 25 years old and under or you know of anyone that is, you can register and sign up at https://myjog.jog.org.uk/sign-in .

--ENDS-
For more information please contact: 
Alexis Eyre, +44 (0) 7881 104 616, alexis@greeneyre.com
About Junior Offshore Group (JOG)
JOG is a yacht club with a difference. What makes JOG different is known amongst the members at “the spirit of JOG”, it is an outlook and an attitude that captures and combines serious seamanship with a chivalrous but competitive edge and lots of joie de vivre. 
Since 1950, they have been focused on making coastal and offshore racing accessible to small boat owners by keeping entry fees modest. Whilst they take racing seriously, they value sportsmanship and community above all else. They encourage supporting each other by swapping sailing yarns and tips inside JOG enabling them to perform to their best standard which produces a competitive but friendly yacht racing environment.
https://jog.org.uk/
 

Crewsaver has come on board to officially sponsor the JOG Lymington to Cowes, taking place on Sunday 19th September 2021. Make sure you reserve your spot.

Crewsaver is a world leading designer and manufacturer of lifejackets and sailing equipment and works closely with the RNLI and with the Military and Emergency Services. Not only is Crewsaver a fantastic brand to have onboard but most importantly it reminds us of the importance of staying safe whilst racing.

Winners of each class will receive a Crewsaver Crewfit+ 180N Pro lifejacket on the day, ideal for JOG racing.

We will be running a competition with the chance of winning a Crewfit+ 180N Pro later this year so keep your eyes peeled on JOG’s social media accounts.

Crew limits:  As Covid relaxations continue to evolve, we are pleased to say that we are removing the special restrictions on crew numbers for the upcoming races. The standard limits will apply as defined in the annual Notice of Race, to which you should refer if in any doubt. Nonetheless, individual skippers may wish to exercise their own discretion, everyone should continue to follow national guidelines and advice from the RYA. JOG also encourages the use of the free lateral flow tests which are easily and readily available https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests Whilst these won’t guarantee protection, they are an additional tool to help avoid the risk of transmission.

Amendments to the Sailing Instructions are now available online at https://www.jog.org.uk/programme/programme-2021

The Salcombe Gin, Sopranino Race:  (Cowes - Owers – Cowes, Sat 1^st May)

This race incorporates a classic JOG course out to Owers, starting and finishing in Cowes, to allow all competitors the opportunity to return to their home port. The course will be a satisfying change to something with a more “offshore” nature. Entries are open and the weather will be brilliant, of course! As a bonus, our excellent sponsors, Salcombe Gin, will be providing bottles of Salcombe Gin Start Point (or Rosé Sainte Marie), in addition to the most generous gin hamper, already awarded to our lucky caption winner on our social media earlier this month.

Highfield Honda Home Ports weekend: Is setup for two days of excellent racing from Cowes. Entries are welcome for both, or single, days to suit and the results all count towards the annual points series.

The Sailing Instructions are in the Programme alongside the race dates. Rick Tomlinson will be accompanying the fleet to get some more excellent photos of JOG boats in action.

General News: By the end of May Bank Holiday, restrictions allowing, the Roadmap will permit gatherings of up to 30 people outside and we can, at long last, look forward to a destination race.

We will be hosted by Portland marina, and hope that as many of you as possible will help to make this a really good classic JOG weekend. We can’t hold a massive party but interaction between boats will be permissible and our sponsors, Exposure Lights, will make sure that we have prizes and refreshments available for distribution. The SI’s will be on the website soon.

And finally, thanks to everyone for your support. We can’t wait for the first get together!