2.4 Metre Class sailors from across the USA and Canada head to Florida for 2024 CAN-AM Series

Hosted by the Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club, the 2024 series with 24 boats consists of two back-to-back regattas in January, one in February, and two in March.  

The boats are kept at the yacht club for the entire three months and the race venue offers ideal conditions, with reliable winds and warm air and water temperatures. 

The CHYC, including locals Martin Holland, John Seepe, Tony Pocklington, and Rudy Trejo and a host of volunteers, have done a wonderful job of making the event so successful over the past decade. The Race Committee team, led by Doctor Roger Strube, is superb. 

 This year has the fleet racing out of a hurricane-damaged marina with only a centre floating dock and a record number of competitors.  The lack of space on the one dock has forced the fleet to launch and recover around 20 boats each day with the one crane on site.  The hard work of participants, volunteers, and support personnel have made the process the smoothest we’ve ever seen. 

The 2.4 Metre is a 14-foot single-person keelboat. In North America, the sailors generally compete in Norlin Mark 3 boats, and sail in compliance with the One Design rules. The 2.4 Metre fleet is experiencing significant growth in North America, with two large fleets in Canada, and new emerging fleets on the East Coast of the USA. 

In 2024, the competition has been intense, with Rolex US Yachtsman of the Year winner Jeff Linton and Para-Olympian Bruce Millar currently leading the way. While the competitors are primarily from North America, European sailors from such places as Great Britain and Norway have competed in past events.  

Two-time Olympian, Allan Leibel, now a member of the Canadian Olympic Association and the World Sailing Review Board, said, “A personal thrill for me was the opportunity to meet Ulli Libor, who visited CHYC the day prior to the February event. Ulli is a world-renowned sailor, and currently sails in the German 2.4 Metre fleet. Ulli and I first crossed paths more than 50 years ago, when, in different classes, we both sailed in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.”