J/Boats is pleased to announce its newest dealer, J/Boats Midwest. Andy Camarda will take the reigns from the former Midwest dealer, Rich Stearns, and will continue to serve Chicago and the surrounding area. We would like to extend a big thanks to Rich of Stearns Boating for his 2 decades of work. Even as Rich enjoys his retirement, his legacy lives on in the fleets he built and supported in Chicago.
Rich has been a part of the sailing industry for 50 years, 25 of which he was a J/Boats dealer. His accomplishments span from the America’s Cup, to the Olympics, and back to local events such as the Chicago Mac. His achievements include North American Championships, Chicago-Mac overall wins and records, and victories across a number of classes. In his years working with J/Boats, he started a number of classes including the J/70,J/109, J/111 and J/88. We wish Rich a happy retirement and look forward to seeing him on the water as he continues to race his J/105 “Five.”
Andy Camarda and his team at J/Boats Midwest are excited to join the J/Boats family. Andy has spent the last decade supporting local sailing as a sailmaker for Evolution Sails. With a lifetime of sailing experience on the Great Lakes, he looks forward to bringing world-class performance and quality designs to the area as part of his new role. In addition to supporting the Chicago-land area, J/Boats Midwest will cover Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan.
J/Boats traces its roots to Rod Johnstone’s garage back in 1975 where the first J/24 was hand-built, launching one of the world’s most prolific yacht brands. From these humble beginnings, the J/Boat revolution spawned a number of popular One-Design classes, the bow sprit revolution, and exceptional boat designs. Nearly 50 years later, J/Boats are not only popular along the coasts of the US, but all over the world.
To celebrate Chicago’s newest yacht dealer, J/Boats Midwest and J/Boats will be hosting a grand opening party at Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club on Friday, January 17th at 6:30pm. We will celebrate the legacy of J/Boats and Rich Stearns. More information to come.
