Snowmobiles are great fun for anyone looking to have fun with speed and snow. Some snowmobiles have been modified and equipped to take on this terrain in a different way

The participants of these races don’t have it easy. They courses they are given are short and difficult to navigate. They might have to drive over shoulder high snow, snow covered hills, soft snow banks and sometimes ice covered river sides. To be able to appreciate snowmobile racing, snowmobiles have to have enough maneuverability and engine power.

Your local snowmobile association should have all information about any races in your area and your surrounding area. They also have the information you need in case you want to take up racing. You can also access this information from the internet.

The best in snowmobile racing is found with the Snowcross events. These events are divided into two sections, the National and Regional events. At the regional level, if you are a member of a racing group recognized by the official Snowcross Association, you are allowed to take part in the races. These are again categorized from beginner to expert.

These competitions give snowmobile lovers the chance to practice their racing and how to maneuver their snowmobiles. They also learn how to perform stunts for example mid air steering skills. The professional snowmobile racers get to compete on the international level, and here they show off their mastery of skills, their snowmobiles, the snow and gravity!

Today, Portsmouth, Rhode Island is the center of manufacture. Johnstone’s pioneering J-24 model has an LOA of 7.32 m, an LWL of 6.10 m, a beam of 2.71 m, a hull weight of 1,600 kg and a 261 sq ft sail area with a 100% headsail.

The very first regatta to feature J boat racing was Key West in 1978. 20 boats competed. Other J boats include the International J-22, which usually involves a crew of 3-4 and is of a fixed keel design which means that older boats can compete on equal terms with newer versions. Its “class jib” means that it possess a big spinnaker, a mainsail and a non-overlapping jib. The International J-22 can plane on runs and reaches. Since it was created in 1983, more than 1,600 J-22s have been built and sail in 65 fleets in 18 countries. The 2004 World Championship race was graced with the presence of a staggering 130 boats.

Rod Johnstone perfected his design for J boat racing with the J-27, manufactured between 1983 and 1992. Its overall length is 8.38 m, beam 2.6 m, displacement 3,800 lb, draft 1.5 m and length at the waterline 7 m. Its belowdecks headroom is 1.4 m, standard water capacity 5 gallons and lead keel of 1,530 lbs. The J-27 is still raced under the auspices of various regional fleet authorities covering parts of the USA, Canada and South Africa. The current class president is Louis Johnson and the treasurer is Doug Davies.

The current situation of J boat racing is very positive. Regatta management and racing regulations have been improved resulting in bigger and better events, such as those organised by Midwinters XX. Championship organisers have been returning to the old sailing venues that made the J boat great. San Francisco hosted the 1997 North American and 1998 World Championships. Corpus Christi in Texas and Newport, Rhode Island have both been awarded major competitions in recent years.

Older J boats, some them now over 30 years old, are being improved and fixed up so as to continue conforming to class specs. The comparatively low price of second hand boats has meant that less well-to-do people can get into the arena of competitive racing. Once upon a time, such a hobby was the strict demesne of the rich.

The J brand has expanded into many other areas, such as official merchandise, photography and art which capture beautifully the thrill of sailing the boats either for racing purposes or just for relaxation.