As you will see from our History – we cater mainly for smaller yachts, although in the last 16 years we have expanded our fleet to allow for yachts of any size. JOG is run by its members with a professional secretariat. We have at times been asked to organise races for other clubs and organisations. At the same time we do not have the expense of running a permanent clubhouse, allowing us to keep membership fees very low compared to other clubs.

JOG is lucky in having its start line at Egypt Point, Cowes, allowing us to offer low cost racing and avoiding conflicts with other local clubs. JOG racing is and always has been ‘Corinthian’, in that we do not permit advertising or sponsorship for individual yachts. What we do have is a policy of offering companies and organisations the opportunity to sponsor a race or series of races, where the club and competitors can help the sponsor with their marketing objectives. In the past we have had many different sponsors and for 2005 we are happy to be associated with Lewmar Ltd, Arcona Yachts UK, North Sails, Hamble Estate Agency and the support of Vodafone Ltd and The Square Rigger.

JOG is extremely friendly, encouraging new entrants to the sport with hospitality and advice. One of the reasons our races have maintained their popularity is our policy of racing to a Channel Port in time to allow crews to meet and converse over a glass of wine or beer before returning. In many cases there will be a designated ‘watering hole’ included in the Sailing Instructions.

If you have been thinking of starting yacht racing, either Inshore or Offshore, contact us to see how we can make your racing both fun, and exciting! Last year saw over 140 different yachts enter and complete our races.

History

After the second world war, when Ocean racing restarted, a number of like minded individuals got together to discuss going offshore racing in small yachts. A good description of how JOG started is contained in Patrick Ellam and Colin Mudies book ‘Sopranino’. At the time no-one had considered going offshore in yachts as small as 20 foot loa, and the Royal Ocean Racing Club had no races for such yachts.

The new breed of small yachts were light, strongly built and and raced by sailors who had a healthy respect of the sea, but who were not prepared to give up in their chosen sport.

Amongst the founding members were many sailors who went on to become famous the world over for their racing exploits, including Captain John Illingworth, who also founded the famous Sydney-Hobart race while serving in Australia after the war.