Sailing performance was definitely a factor for Erik Asgeirsson when he began his search for a new sailboat. Currently the fleet captain at the American Yacht Club in Rye, New York, he’s a racing sailor and has been part of a crew who campaigned his uncle’s J/35 around the buoys for many seasons. But after years of owning a Pearson 10M, and with four daughters between the ages of 8 and 14—not to mention a fondness for the rocky coast of Maine—he also wanted a family-friendly cruising boat, which will be shared with a co-owner and his family at the club. 

By luck, Al Johnstone and the team at J/Boats had just such a dual-purpose vessel in mind when they sketched out their newest model, the J/45. They envisioned a performance-­oriented, offshore-capable sailboat that would be equally at home both on the Newport Bermuda Race starting line and on an extended cruise to anywhere.

Having launched several smaller (and a few more racing-oriented) boats in the past decade, J/Boats president Jeff Johnstone saw the J/45 as an intentional return to bigger, multipurpose boats. Speaking just ahead of the start of this year’s Newport Bermuda Race, Johnstone noted that out of the nearly 200 boats entered, more than 50 were ­J/Boats.

But back to the new 45-footer. Asgeirsson and his partner went over the plans, liked what they saw, and ultimately took possession of Hull No. 2 this past spring at the J Composites yard in Les Sables-d’Olonne, France. (J Composites is the longtime builder of J/Boats in Europe and the co-developer of the J/45 and several other models.)

Asgeirsson was aboard Acadia for a 400-mile shakedown cruise to the United Kingdom, where the boat was loaded onto a ship and delivered to Narragansett Bay in early June. 

To say he was satisfied with the boat would be an understatement. “It’s been a great project,” he told me when I arrived for a sea trial at Safe Harbor New England Boatworks in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. 

On the dock, I found a lively scene as sailmakers and techs swarmed over the boat, tweaking this and adjusting that in preparation for Acadia’s impending delivery home to Rye.

With a dark-blue hull, slightly reversed bow, open transom, teak decks and white cabin top, Acadia makes a stunning first impression. I couldn’t help but pause to take in the carbon-fiber spar and in-boom roller furler, the no-nonsense nearly straight sheer of the deck, and the carbon-fiber bowsprit that sits atop a stainless-steel anchor roller. There was a lot there to please the eye.

Asgeirsson and his partner have added several options to the standard J/45 to enhance the dual-purpose nature of the boat, bringing the cost of Acadia to right around $950,000, delivered to the US. These include Harken Performa winches, one of which is electric to handle the main halyard (electric all around is also an option); a dual function hydraulic panel for the backstay and boom vang; a carbon Furler Boom from Denmark; a full quiver of top-of-the-line North Sails; and composite standing rigging from Future Fibres, another company under the North umbrella. Other add-ons include air conditioning, generator, teak in the cockpit and on the side decks (Flexiteek is standard), a suite of B&G electronics, a retractable bow thruster, and a removable inner forestay that adds numerous options when setting headsails.

On deck, I thought gear was well laid out. It’s easily accessible for a shorthanded skipper, but at the same time, there’s plenty of room in the cockpit, forward of the twin wheels and traveler, for friends and family to relax or for a racing crew to go to work. The side decks ­adjacent to the helms are at just the right height to provide the skipper with a comfortable place to sit and steer. Visibility forward is excellent. Underway, I liked the location of the drop-leaf cockpit table, which provides a rock-solid handhold when moving about, and the beveled footrest below it for bracing when heeled.

The mainsail is controlled by a double-ended German-style mainsheet, with tails reachable from either wheel. Primary winches are also nearby. Fairleads for the jib sheets are adjustable from the cockpit. A cruising sailor might set them and forget them; racers might tweak their location and further adjust sheeting angles using the friction-ring
inhaulers, also led back aft.

The J/45’s side decks are wide, with raised toe rails that should ensure good footing when things get wet and ­slippery. Forward, there’s a deep sail locker that also provides access to the chain locker in the forepeak, sealed off by a watertight door.

Stepping below, I found the cruising virtues of the J/45 to be immediately ­apparent. Rather than offering the bare-bones interior of a racing machine, J/Boats turned things over to French designer Isabelle Racoupeau, who has worked with a number of European luxury yachtbuilders. 

Acadia’s interior trim and furniture are white oak (walnut is standard), set off with plain white panels and cushions. Furniture corners are rounded to prevent boat bites, and counters have proper fiddles so that things stay put. The look is simple but elegant. 

The saloon has a dining table with U-shaped seating outboard to port and a settee opposite. The galley is just aft, to port, at the foot of the companionway; a full nav station is to starboard. Even on the cloudy day that I visited, light poured in through overhead hatches, as well as through ports in the cabin top and hull.

The J/45 can be configured in a couple of ways. The owners of Acadia opted for the three-stateroom, two-head layout (two staterooms and two heads are also available), to better accommodate family and friends. Pipe berths were included above the double berths in the after staterooms so that the kids could bring more friends (those pipe berths are a handy place to stash gear too). The owner’s en suite stateroom is forward, with stowage for owners who intend to spend a fair bit of time aboard.

The 45’s hull and deck are cored with Corecell and infused using vinylester resin. An interior grid is bonded to the hull and carries mast, rig, and engine loads. Hull No. 2 carries the standard 7-foot-6-inch lead keel (deep and shoal keel options are available).

Fittingly, Acadia’s most stunning impression was made when we left the dock and set sail. In 13 knots of breeze and sailing closehauled, the 105 percent genoa and main quickly got us to the mid-7-knot range, and the ride was smooth. The boat responded immediately to any move of the deep, single rudder, and truly, the boat trucked along as though on rails. 

My all-too-brief trick on the wheel came early on, as we beat down the bay. I got to work through a few tacks, giving me a good sense for how easy this boat would be to handle, even without a gaggle of talented sailors aboard to tweak the control lines. Being on a tight schedule, all too soon, someone else was in the driver’s seat as we bore away and set an asymmetrical kite for the ride back up the bay—short but sweet, as they say.

So, racer? Cruiser? In which camp does the J/45 belong? Well, I’ll have to give the ­owner the last word here. “The J team’s done a fantastic job designing this dual-­purpose boat,” Asgeirsson told me at the outset. And you know, he was right.

J/45 Specifications

Mark Pillsbury is a CW editor-at-large.

The post Sailboat Review: Race-ready and Cruising-compatible J/45 appeared first on Cruising World.

From the very beginning, nearly 50 years ago, Cruising World has kept an open mind as to exactly what constitutes cruising. For some, it might mean circling the globe under sail alone. For others, lowering the mast and motoring through America’s rivers, lakes and canals to complete a Great Loop fits the bill. Some seek long bluewater passages, others are content to gunkhole along a lakeshore in a shallow-draft vessel, sleeping under the stars on a cockpit bench or tucked under a boom tent should it rain.

And likewise, since the inception of our Boat of the Year contest a quarter century ago, we’ve asked our independent team of judges to evaluate a wide range of boats and measure them against their stated design brief. It’s not every year that our experts have the opportunity to inspect a category of nifty, smooth-sailing vessels under 30 feet, but for 2022, there was a trio of modestly sized smart, cool boats to put through their paces. The only problem? Each model was designed and built with a vastly different purpose (and sailor) in mind. 

The Tartan 245 was originally conceived as a training boat for sailing schools. J/Boat’s J/9 is an unabashed daysailer, meant to provide exciting spins around the harbor, even under mainsail alone. And, the Beneteau First 27 is fine-tuned to deliver performance, and definitely lives at the racier end of the spectrum. 

The judge’s task? Decide which nominee came closest to fulfilling its stated purpose.

Let’s begin with the J/9. It’s simple. It’s fun. It’s a totally enjoyable, stress-free sailing experience that can be easily handled by any sailor looking to enjoy a breezy afternoon. And that’s just what the crew at J/Boats was striving for with their new 28-foot daysailer. 

In promotional materials, the company asks, “Is this the most comfortable cockpit ever?” And the answer, after sailing the boat on a blue-sky Annapolis day, would have to be yes. There is plenty of room for a couple of couples to sit comfortably. But the tiller and its extension also allow a singlehander to sit forward and easily reach the jib sheets, led to winches on the low-profile cabin top. Aft, there is even a small swim platform and ladder for when the time comes to douse sails and enjoy a dip on a hot afternoon.

Described from the get-go as a “daysailor,” a small cabin has room for an open V-berth, a couple of settees, a head, and space for a small portable cookstove and cooler. 

Underway in 10 knots or so of breeze, the boat was quite well mannered, even with the jib furled. Judge Tim Murphy notes, “The design writ started off with it being a mainsail-only boat, and then it ended up having a headsail too. But it’s really mainsail-driven. And the big drawing point is the huge cockpit. We sailed the boat under main alone, and sure enough, you could go out for an afternoon with just the main and have a time for yourself. The cockpit is perfect. It really is the strongest part of the boat.”

With the Tartan 245, longtime Tartan naval architect Tim Jackett, who’s now practically synonymous with the brand, was originally asked to design an easily handled, simply laid-out 24-footer that would be ideal for sailing lessons. 

What he came up with is a delightful little boat that does all that and more. Longtime aficionados of the Carl Alberg-designed Ensign will recognize several features from that classic daysailer (the sailor who commissioned the 245 had a soft spot for Ensigns). The long and spacious cockpit, the tiller steering and the handy cuddy cabin are all perfect. What separates the designs is the Tartan’s lifting keel, which makes it versatile and trailerable. 

If the J/9’s focus is on simple sailing, the Tartan’s aim is to give students the ability to tweak sails and rig to their hearts’ content in order to learn big-boat handling and racing skills. Numerous control lines are led into the cockpit from the base of the mast, and aft, there is a beefy backstay adjuster.

The boat that the judges sailed in Annapolis was a demo boat for a local sailing school, and was stripped out inside, except for a cushion for the V-berth. But the owner’s plans included towing the boat back to his home in Florida, where he’s contemplating loading aboard a port-a-potty, cooler and stove, and possibly sailing it across to the Bahamas. Outfitted as such, it would be a sporty little vessel for exploring shallow-water venues between the cays.

With two boats that so closely hit the bullseyes described in their design briefs, there was one boat left to assess, and in the end, the Beneteau First 27 turned in a performance that insured it would sail away with the pocket-cruiser hardware.

Built in Slovenia and, before undergoing a branding and systems revamping by Beneteau, this sharp, tidy “sport cruiser” was known as the Seascape 27. By any name, it delivers thrilling performance in a compact, well-reasoned package. 

While the Seascape 27 was originally conceived as a major player in the ever-expanding world of doublehanded offshore racing—CW’s sister publication, Sailing World, tested and rewarded that boat—the cruisier version was reintroduced this year with several tweaks and the new moniker: First 27. And as a racer/cruiser, it boasts all the amenities necessary for weekend and coastal voyaging: a serviceable head, galley and berths, and a Yanmar diesel. In other words, a couple could easily liveaboard, rather than camp, for short periods of time, but they could also expect to be serious podium contenders should those outings involve a regatta.

In the end, it was the little things that swayed the judges. “The fit-and-finish for the price point is at a different level,” judge Gerry Douglas said. “The equipment level was higher.”

The post 2022 Boat of the Year: Best Pocket Cruiser/Daysailer appeared first on Cruising World.

Beneteau Oceanis 30.1

Of the five boats in this ­collection, the 31-foot-3-inch Beneteau Oceanis 30.1 was the compact yacht best-equipped and spec’d out as a dedicated cruising boat, and not coincidentally, it was also awarded the title of Best Performance Cruiser for 2020. But don’t let her cozy interior accommodations fool you; this is also one peppy little vessel.

One of the major appeals to the judging panel was the 30.1’s versatility. There are four different keel options, or a centerboard. The deck-stepped mast can be equipped with a tabernacle for easy lowering and trailering to a new locale, or for transiting canals. At $160,000, it was also the least-expensive offering in the category. The plusses just kept adding up.

The rig is a single-spreader fractional number with a square-top main, which maximizes power aloft in the sail plan. Our test boat had an overlapping genoa (with adjustable sheet leads) and an optional bowsprit; the standard version has a self-tacking 100 percent headsail. Twin wheels make handling simple, but for old-school dudes (like me), you can also get a tiller. That’s right, a tiller! The transom is complete with a little fold-down boarding step, along with a boarding ladder. At the opposite end, a Facnor headsail furler is stationed beside the Lewmar windlass. The overall attention to detail is terrific.

The Beneteau representative who presented the yacht to our judges said that the goal down below was “to fit a bigger boat in a smaller hull, to install a 35-foot interior in a 30-foot boat.” It was certainly an ambitious plan, and one that was largely successful. The V-berth forward is certainly impressive, and that aforementioned deck-stepped spar really opened up the space below, particularly the central saloon and dining area. At the foot of the companionway, the complete galley is to port and the enclosed head to starboard, which is also the locale of a functional little navigation desk. A good-size aft double cabin is also to starboard. For a small family, or a pair of couples, this is a perfectly fine arrangement.

Thanks to the coachroof windows and overhead hatches, there’s plenty of natural light below deck, which is augmented by efficient LED lighting throughout. The bold hull graphics are certainly attention-getters, and the well-executed dodger a perfect place to get out of the weather. Our sail test was conducted in a decent Chesapeake Bay blow, touching 20 knots, and the boat was nimble and responsive. All in all, it’s an ­impressive package—not to mention, a winning one. beneteau.com; 410-890-0270

Grand Soleil 34

Way back in the 1970s, when the well-known Italian boatyard Grand Soleil was just getting started, its first model was a Finot-designed 34-footer. With over 300 units sold, it was an instant success, and launched the company on an upward trajectory that spanned the intervening decades, mostly with an ongoing series of much larger, more complex racer/cruisers. For 2020, the builder decided to return to its roots with a completely revamped Grand Soleil 34, and it’s a terrific boat.

These days, there are a ­couple of major rating rules under which racing yachts compete, and a growing movement of doublehanded classes in many major regattas. And, of course, conditions vary wildly depending on where one sails. Grand Soleil has taken all this into account by offering numerous keel, rig and deck packages, so owners can optimize their boat for their particular region or events.

The shallower of the two keel options draws under 6 feet and is fitted with a lead bulb, which is also the recommended cruising configuration; a deeper 7-foot-2-inch foil is also available. There are three rig choices: a standard aluminum stick or a choice of two different carbon spars. Our test boat had twin rudders and wheels, but a single rudder with a tiller can also be had. The optional 30 hp diesel with sail drive was the power plant on our version; a 20 hp auxiliary is standard. See what I mean about optimization?

Whichever performance package you opt for, the accommodations remain mostly the same. But even then, you have choices. For instance, the open layout, in cruising mode, has a roomy double berth in the bow; but you can remove the cushions and their base when racing to convert the space into vast sail stowage. Likewise, much of the oak furniture and floorboards can be replaced with composite materials, or even carbon, for competitive sailors mindful of keeping weight at an absolute minimum.

Either way, a drop-leaf table in the center of the boat is flanked by a pair of settees, and there’s a spacious double cabin aft, to port, while the opposing starboard side includes a roomy head through which you can access a large storage area under the cockpit seat. For cruising applications, there’s storage galore.

We sailed the boat in light air, unfortunately, so we did not have the opportunity to put the boat through its paces properly. There’s no doubt, however, that she’ll haul the mail. mareblu.net; 619-840-3728

Italia 9.98

Of the five boats that comprised the Performance Cruiser class, in terms of sheer appearance, the futuristic 34-foot Italia 9.98 was easily the most distinctive. There are actually two versions of the boat: the 34 Club—which is the cruising alternative, the primary features of which are its twin wheels—and the 34 Fuoriserie—the racing model, and the one we tested, with its tiller steering being the identifying characteristic.

Both models share the same interior layout, and for ­cruising, the quarters are especially inviting and contemporary. The large double-berth forward is accessed by a large cutaway bulkhead trimmed in teak that doubles as a ring frame, and practically begs you to crawl in and kick way back. Two large, central settees flank the drop-leaf table that’s intersected by the keel-stepped spar.

Both the galley, to port, and the navigation station, to starboard, are most pleasant surprises: The former has a big fridge and gimballed, two-burner stove; the latter is much larger than one would expect on a boat of this size. Engaging details abound, including innovative, removable fabric lockers that can be offloaded when in racing mode, and cabin doors framed in aluminum for durability. Aft, there’s a generous double cabin to port, and a smaller double that also incorporates a big head to starboard. Other than sparing teak trim ­throughout, all furniture and fittings are clean, white composite structures that seem more aeronautical than nautical. Very modern and attractive.

Topside, the cockpit is spacious; the short, molded-in bench seats can be lengthened with dedicated storage boxes, which you can leave on the dock when racing and reinstall when cruising. There’s a good-size lazarette locker aft of the beam-width traveler, which in turn is aft of the tiller. The open transom adds to the overall feeling of being on a larger vessel. The double-ended German-style mainsheet is led below deck, contributing to the minimalistic theme; the sheet leads, naturally, are adjustable. The truly outstanding nonskid is molded directly into the deck.

Our test boat was equipped with an optional sprit to fly reaching and off-wind sails. Another iteration of the sprit includes an anchor roller as well; the boat we sailed did not have a windlass, but there’s provision for one. It would be quite easy to convert this boat from racing mode to a solid cruiser. And you’d turn heads in every anchorage. italiayachtsusa​.com; 410-279-3027

J/99

Beginning with the popular little J/24 way back in 1977, J/Boats has become famous for its steady introduction of terrific racing and cruising boats, almost all of which shared one main characteristic: They sailed like a witch. More than four decades later, having built more than 50 separate, mind-­boggling models, the Johnstone family that designs, markets and sells the brand shows no signs of slowing down. Their latest offering, for 2020, was another fast and fun racer/cruiser: the ­32-foot-7-inch J/99.

Our sea trials for Boat of the Year, conducted in a stiff 25-knot Chesapeake Bay breeze, was easily one of the most memorable test sails in this edition of the contest. The boat was fast, responsive and a joy to steer, perched on the weather rail with an extension for the tiller. Judge Ralph Naranjo was probably the most impressed of all. “It’s one of the most enjoyable small boats I’ve ever had a chance to sail,” he said.

Everything about the deck layout is set up for efficient boat handling. The beam-width traveler is aft but readily at hand; optimizing mainsail trim in the lulls and puffs is clearly a priority, and coarse and fine-tuning options on the mainsheet further simplify this task. Halyards and reefing lines are led to a pair of Harken winches on the coachroof. A Harken furler handles the 100 percent jib. The sheet leads, naturally, are adjustable. In past designs, the company was well-known for its retractable bowsprits, but with the J/99, it opted for a fixed sprit that is more robust and can handle the loads imposed by today’s big asymmetric kites and code-zero reachers. The entire point of this exercise is easily attained—not to mention sustained—performance.

The “cruiser” part of the boat’s racer/cruiser calculation is the lesser of the two, but the boat is by no means stripped out. The head is forward, with the forepeak reserved for sail stowage. But there are good sleeping quarters in a pair of doubles aft, as well as the two settees in the main saloon that flank a central table. Nice teak trim lends warm and welcome accents to the nav station and galley, which was rudimentary on our test boat, but which can also be upgraded with a basic propane stove. Sure, this layout is more of a camper than a cruiser, but it’s also more than serviceable for a dauntless crew. When they gather around at the end of the day, it will be more than adequate for ­spinning yarns about the wonderful sailing they just experienced. jboats​.com; 401-846-8410

Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300

If there were any doubt about what the 32-foot-9-inch Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300 was designed and built for, it was put to rest by our sister publication, Sailing World—a racing magazine dedicated expressly to the need for speed—when it named the boat its overall Boat of the Year for 2020. So let’s get that right out of the way: The 3300, pure and simple, is a raceboat. Sure, the interior has the basics to allow its crew to navigate, prepare a hot meal and catch a few winks between watches, but the idea here is to get you there, and as quickly as possible.

The boat is actually optimized for doubleha­nded races, a growing segment of the competitive scene, especially in France, where the boat was designed and constructed. One of the naval architects on the project was Guilaume Verdier, whose design credits include the remarkable 100-footer, Comanche. There are hollows, or “concaves,” in the bow and stern of the boat to promote planing in certain conditions. Jeanneau clearly pulled out all the stops in creating the 3300.

The deck-stepped rig—which will allow the boat to be shipped in a container for owners who wish to campaign the boat internationally—is carbon, of course. The list of tweakable features is endless. Both the mainsheet and running backstays are infinitely adjustable, with fine-tuned cascades for each. There are water-ballast tanks to simulate the weight of a full crew lining the windward rail when sailing in shorthanded mode. A three-dimensional jib–lead ­system provides the ability to dial in exact and precise ­headsail trimming. When ­racing, a five- or six-sail inventory will allow the crew to hoist and set the ideal sail combination for whatever the wind speed, sea state or point of sail.

Regarding the layout below, Sailing World editor Dave Reed wrote: “There’s not much glitz below deck, but that’s the point. The 3300 is no crossover cruiser. Inside the bowels of this white vinylester-infused capsule are nothing but rudimentary accommodations: galley, nav station, convertible settees and pipe berths that fold up to add additional crew berths. If distance racing and putting the boat away wet is what you desire, this is the level of interior you’ll come to appreciate.”

As the great designer Bill Lee once said, “A raceboat is like a jock strap you pull on to go racing.” So buckle up and hang on to your hats. And strap in, of course. jeanneau.com; 443-221-4203

Herb McCormick is CW’s executive editor.

The post Five Performance Cruisers for 2020 appeared first on Cruising World.

Forty years ago this past summer, a naval architect named Rod Johnstone put the finishing touches on a sailboat he built in his home in Stonington, Connecticut. The size of the boat was dictated by the length of the garage in which it took shape: 24 feet. Little did Johnstone know, that vessel, eventually called the J/24, would become an unqualified success. More than 5,000 of them would be built. It would launch a family business, J/Boats, that has introduced dozens of new models and is still going strong. It would even be inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame.

And in the summer of 1986, one of them, hull number 3,688, became my first boat.

Actually, that’s not quite ­accurate. With my high school pal, Ian Scott, I was the co-owner. Many Js have funny, irreverent names, and we followed suit by calling ours Crack O’ Noon, in tongue-in-cheek honor of when our days supposedly began. When I began searching for a cruising boat after a couple of seasons, Ian bought me out. But he still has the boat, and we’re still campaigning her all these years later. Johnstone conceived of the J/24 as a cruiser/racer, and in those first years we owned her, we did manage a Spartan cruise or two (the boat has seated headroom, a V-berth and a couple of long settees but no head or galley). Hey, we were young and happy to be on the water.

Besides, what we really purchased the boat for was to race her, which is the raison d’être of most J/24s.

Racing a J/24 is a bit of a challenge. With the standard five-person crew — remember, the boat is 24 feet long — ­e­very maneuver is highly choreo­graphed so everyone isn’t crashing into one another. Our local fleet in Newport, Rhode Island, is one of the most competitive on the ­planet, and has produced a sizable number of the class’s world champions over the years. Needless to say, we’ve seen a lot of transoms in the three decades we’ve been racing the boat, but ­every once in a while we pull off a victory, which ­always tastes ­especially sweet.

We generally race on Thursday nights, and while we take things fairly seriously, we don’t go overboard: There’s always a big cooler of beer and ice on board for a pre-race libation and a couple of post-race rounds. (That’s why they call it “beer-can racing.”)

Last summer, we also joined the crews of 20 other boats for the vessel’s 40th-­anniversary race. It was supposed to be around Conanicut Island, but when the breeze foundered, the race committee switched to a shortened course on the East Passage of Narragansett Bay.

The fleet was stacked and included a couple of world champs: Brad Read, a two-time winner, and the current champion, sailmaker Will Welles (sailmakers are notoriously good racing sailors). Also on hand was Jeff Johnstone (now the president of J/Boats), one of Rod’s kids and, like all the siblings, a very ­accomplished sailor.

The start of a yacht race is critical, and Ian, at the helm, nailed a nice one, just alongside Read’s Flying Squirrel (we were at least in good company). But the first windward leg, up to a buoy near a local landmark known as the Dumplings, was a bit of a bear. We played the right-hand side of the course, but a pair of boats on the other side enjoyed an ideal left-hand wind shift and led everyone around the mark.

From there, it was a long downwind spinnaker run to a mark off of Halfway Rock, just off Prudence Island. In rather light air, it was a trying leg. When most of the fleet went right of Gould Island, we went left and picked up a couple of boats. Still, as we rounded the mark to begin the longish beat to the finish line, our position was decidedly midfleet.

The left side of the course again paid dividends, and naturally, we favored the right (stubbornness is one of our crew’s collective traits). Back and forth we tacked, but to little or no avail. We crossed the finish line in 14th place, happy to have a handful of boats behind us.

Still, we’d accomplished our goal, which was to pay homage to a great little boat aboard which we’ve had plenty of laughs and good times over the years. And the ­cooler, of course, was well-stocked. As we made our way back ­into Newport Harbor, we hoisted some cold ones in honor of Rod Johnstone’s illustrious ­garage creation.

– – –

Herb McCormick is Cruising World’s executive editor.

The post At The Crack o’ Noon appeared first on Cruising World.

Having spent a few seasons hanging around with CW’s Boat of the Year judges, I can’t step aboard a new sailboat without stopping to measure it up against its design brief. That’s the standard that our team of industry pros uses as they survey a broad range of entries each year to come up with winning models. And it makes sense, when you think about it. Each boat is built with a purpose in mind, and the good ones do their jobs flawlessly, year in and year out.

From that point of view, when I stepped aboard the latest addition to what J/Boats calls its Sport Cruising line, I knew exactly what the just-launched J/112E was intended to do: go sailing.

Oh, you could certainly sit in the roomy cockpit and soak up the rays in some sunny anchorage. And at day’s end, you’d find everything you’d need in the well-equipped galley to whip up dinner for friends. With two private cabins, there’s plenty of room for the kids or another couple, and settees on each side of the drop-leaf centerline table in the saloon could be turned into sea berths in a pinch.

But what you’d really want to do, if the J/112E was your boat, is get those sails up and go sailing, no matter the size of your crew — which is just what a few of us did aboard hull Number One, on a late autumn afternoon out on Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay. The breeze was light as we motored away from the dock, but once out in open water, where we had 10 knots or so to work with, the J/112E sprang to life. Upwind, the speedo read 7.2 knots, nearly matching the wind speed. Later, with the asymmetric kite set on the retractable carbon sprit and a bit more breeze, we were rewarded with a few surges of 9 knots and better.

Were we having a good time? You bet.

J/Boats’ designer, Alan Johnstone, says the intent wasn’t to build a boat for hardcore racers (J/Boats has plenty of other models for that) or for the long-distance bluewater cruiser. What he and the team wanted to produce was a versatile and lively sailboat for a performance-minded skipper, with amenities that also make it quite suitable for the yacht club’s annual cruise or a ­family’s summer getaway.

At 36 feet, the J/112E is the middle sibling in a range that includes the 32-foot J/97E and the J/122E, a 40-footer that was the genesis of the Performance Cruising line. E, by the way, stands for “elegance and design evolution,” according to J/Boats’ brochure. The base boat sells for $275,000; the J/112E we saw, outfitted with Doyle sails but sans navigation electronics, was priced closer to $310,000.

The 112E is built in France by J Composites Shipyard, which is licensed to manufacture a number of models for the Newport, Rhode Island-based company. The boat’s end-grain balsa-cored hull is resin-infused using the SCRIMP system, as are its foam-cored deck and bulkheads and the fiberglass floor grid that takes the loads from the keel, mast and chainplates. An outer layer of vinylester resin is added to the layup to prevent osmosis. The result is a hull that the builder is willing to stand behind with a 10-year warranty.

The J/112E’s standard draft is 6 feet 11 inches, with an epoxy-encapsulated cast-iron fin and lead bulb keel; a 5-foot-9-inch shoal-draft foil is an option. For cruising sailors, the boat comes with an ­aluminum spar and boom (a carbon-­fiber rig is available), and flies a 105 percent jib set on a Harken roller furler. Other options include teak decks, an electric cabin-top winch to take the work out of raising the high-aspect main, a dodger and cockpit bimini, cockpit cushions, and an anchor windlass with a retractable roller.

With several of us aboard for the test sail, the cockpit still felt roomy. Though today’s design trends call for twin helms even on 30-­footers, the J/112E has a single 59-inch-diameter wheel that lets you sit outboard to either side with good ­sightlines forward, or stand comfortably, which I like to do when sailing downwind. For the record, the chain and wire linkage and deep fin ­rudder provided fingertip control. The cockpit bench seats end just forward of the wheel and the easily adjusted Harken traveler, mounted on the cockpit sole. On each side of the helm, there’s plenty of room to move past. Better yet, the layout lets the helmsman sit aft of the wheel (when there’s crew aboard to help with sheet trim), straddle it with feet braced on the pedestal, or sit forward of it, so the pair of winches for controlling the tails of the 2-to-1 mainsheet and primaries for the jib sheets are readily within reach. (To reduce clutter, the two ends of the mainsheet are led into watertight boxes in the cockpit sidewalls and then through deck blocks to their respective winches.) Down below, accommodations are modern and practical. There’s a pleasing mix of varnished walnut woodwork and white side and ceiling panels; portlights in the cabin top, opening overhead hatches, and ports in the hull let in lots of light during the day. In the saloon, the space between the aforementioned table and settees seemed a little tight; Johnstone said the walk-through space will be increased slightly on future boats, and the table will be a little narrower.

The owner’s cabin forward includes a large hanging locker, a roomy double V-berth with storage beneath it, and double doors that open into the saloon. The single head and shower, located to port at the foot of the companionway, can serve as a wet locker on rainy days, and aft of it, there’s a large, deep locker that’s also accessible from the cockpit above.

Overall, I found the interior to be quite comfortable, and a place where I’d enjoy relaxing and recouping after a good long sail. With tankage for 53 gallons of water and 22 gallons of fuel, the J/112E probably will not cross many oceans. But that’s not what it was built to do. It was created to sail as most of us do, with a bit of racing here and there, ­frequent daysails, and the occasional week or three of coastal cruising. For that, I’d say the builder nailed the design brief with a bull’s-eye.

Specs:

LOA: 36′ (10.97 m)
LWL: 31’9″ (9.68 m)
Beam: 11’10” (3.61 m)
Draft (standard/shoal): 6’11″/5’9″ (2.11/1.75 m)
Sail Area: 696 sq. ft. (64.7 sq m)
Ballast: 4,000 lb. (1,815 kg)
Displacement: 11,300 lb. (5,125 kg)
Ballast / Displacement: 0.35
Displacement / Length: 157
Sail Area / Displacement: 22
Water: 53 gal. (201 l)
Fuel: 22 gal. (85 l)
Holding: 12 gal. (45 l)
Mast height: 56’10” (17.32 m)
Engine: 30 hp Volvo (saildrive)
Designer: Alan Johnstone/J/Boats Inc.
Price: $310,000

J/Boats
401-846-8410
www.jboats.com

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

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Oceanvolt’s innovative, fully integrated SEA electric motor system (Silent Electric Autonomy) has been added to the first J/88 to be launched this fall in Newport, Rhode Island. Imagine sailing on a beautiful day knowing that, even if the wind dies and you’re forced to turn on the motor, peace and tranquility are not lost. Every minute sailing, the battery pack is charging, allowing you to later silently power back to the harbor.

“There is no quicker way to break the silence of a beautiful day for sailors than having to turn on the diesel engine,” said Jeff Johnstone, President of J/Boats. “Most of our owners will tell you they sail their boats 90% of the time. We would like to improve that other 10% and as well provide a more environmentally-friendly solution for sailors who love the sea.”

The Oceanvolt SEA system has clear benefits compared to diesel motors, the most significant being silent operation, no emissions and low maintenance. On a full-charge there is enough battery power to go up to 25 nm with no sail or solar power support. Add in both of those elements, and the J/88 can conceivably go all day under mainsail enhanced apparent wind generation and 600 watts of solar panels traveling at over 5 kts.

“For the past ten years, we have been developing innovative solutions for the electric/hybrid power market in Europe,” said Timo Jaakkola, President of Oceanvolt. “Based in Finland, a country renowned for developing leading edge “green” solutions, our company has pioneered the use of electric power in keelboats that range from 15 to 60 ft and ranging from 3kW to 15kW.”

The J/88 features Oceanvolt’s SD6 6kW 48vdc system; which is lightweight (47 kg total) and has full hydro-regeneration capabilities, meaning that you can create energy back to the batteries while sailing using the folding propeller mounted on the strut-drive. Up to 1kW per hour can be generated to recharge the batteries while sailing at 6.5 kts. Unlike diesel engines that require ongoing maintenance by qualified mechanics, the Oceanvolt motor has no gears and very few components.

An important feature of the Oceanvolt SEA system is the complete integration of Victron Energy’s solar power MPPT charge controllers, shore power inverters, and the hydro-generator power. The Oceanvolt RSI is a state of the art remote diagnostic and service interface that lets you check your boat’s status from anywhere. Track all the data about the motor, batteries, generator, solar panels & chargers online in real-time. The Victron Energy Color Control GX provides you all the data logs, the ability to set parameters for alarms, and track the location and monitor your boat in real-time on a map (it even permits “geo-fencing” alarms should your boat venture away for some unknown reason).

In addition to hydro-powered regeneration with the SEA system, the J/Boats demo J/88 will also feature the latest solar powered sail technology thanks to UK Sailmakers France and their innovative SolarClothSystem. This design incorporates super-thin 65 micron film containing highly efficiency photovoltaic cells that will produce 600 watts per hour. The cells are flexible enough to be used on mainsails that get rolled or folded. A portion of the solar array will include removable panels that can be fixed on-deck or onto a boom tent while lying peacefully at anchor.

The new Oceanvolt J/88 will be at the Newport Boat Show, swing by and have a look for yourself!

For more information, visit the J Boats website.

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J/108 Review

Introduced in late 2009, the 31-foot J/95 was pitched as a “shoal-draft performance cruiser.” Had it not been racing legend Rod Johnstone himself assuring us that shoal performance wasn’t an oxymoron, the concept may have met with considerable market resistance. But Johnstone was quick to remind us that many of the great racing yachts of yore were centerboarders, including Carleton Mitchell’s Finisterre and Ted Hood’s Robin.

Johnstone was adamant that shoal-draft vessels actually make better sea boats than their deep-keeled cousins. Because their ballast is closer to their axis of pitch, there’s less inertia and therefore less hobbyhorsing. In theory, they negotiate the waves with a smoother motion, and that translates into more comfort and speed, glorious speed.

A commercial and critical success, the J/95 did prove to be a fast, versatile, and easily managed yacht that indeed could handle the back bayous as easily as the big blue. What it didn’t offer, however, was the normal accoutrements of a true cruiser: standing headroom, a full-service galley, ample accommodation, and cruising cargo capacity.

Enter the 35-foot J/108. The core concept and features—high performance, shoal draft, twin rudder, centerboard—are the same. But with 4 more feet on deck and 18 more inches of beam, the 108 offers a legitimate cruising interior for a full-size family or racing crew.

The hull shape is taken from the successful J/109 (sans the fixed keel) with long, low lines, a near-plumb stem, and an open reversed transom. But instead of the 109’s 7 feet of draft, the 108 sports a sophisticated centerboard trunk that draws a mere 4 feet.

The trunk provides a surprising amount of lateral resistance; on a Chesapeake Bay test sail in light winds, the boat performed well to windward even with the board up. But when that board was dropped to its 6-foot-10-inch maximum draft, we started to enjoy J/Boats’ signature upwind performance.

For the club racers out there, the P.H.R.F. will be approximately 96. With a SA/D of 19.0 and a D/L of 179, cruising capacity aside, this baby wants to fly. We actually matched true-wind speeds through the range of 4 to 6 knots. The large mainsail with small jib made it surprisingly easy to handle, and I found all the necessary controls within easy reach of the helm. To certify its cruising credentials, the 108 has a short anchoring platform that extends forward of the stem. This also proved to be a convenient spot to tack a furling asymmetric. With flat sections and low wetted surface, the boat enjoys a board-up downwind romp.

If centerboarders of old had an Achilles’ heel, it was that they tended to heel more, causing their rudders to lose grip, which produced an effect similar to weather helm. But the twin rudders ensure positive helm on even the heaviest of heels.

With 19 gallons of fuel, 33 of water, and 12 of waste capacity, the 108 will most likely find its niche in the weekend or coastal-cruising market. But make no mistake, the boat is built to Category A Ocean standards, has a commendable 14-inch bridgedeck to prevent downflooding, boasts a stiff, 129-degree angle of vanishing stability, is equipped with a keel-stepped mast, and is rigged for heavy-duty weather.

Contemporary racer/cruisers like the J/108 err towards the performance side with a large wheel and full-width traveler. The racing cockpit configuration normally makes it difficult for the helmsman to access the sheets and cabin-top running rigging, leaving those duties to the normally numerous crewmembers. Also, the positioning of the prominent traveler, an area of high load and quick action, is too often responsible for boat bites. This is a serious concern when the family is on board.

Johnstone solved all this by running the traveler athwart the cockpit sole just aft of the truncated cockpit benches. This still allows for wide sheeting adjustments but places the track where feet and fingers aren’t likely to fall. The wheel is a full 50 inches in diameter, but the benches to either side act as steps up toward the coaming and cabin-mounted winches. There is a large, removable aft seat/locker. In place, the cockpit is enclosed and family friendly. Removed, the transom is open and the boat’s race ready. It’s a very clever win/win compromise.

The decks are exceptionally wide, and the flow forward is excellent, although the foredeck could use more handholds. A low-profile vertical windlass is offset to port just forward of a deck-accessed rode locker. A lot is happening in the confined space of that fine bow: cleats, pulpit, ground tackle, and the like. I had difficulty clearing the anchor from underneath the furler. Perhaps a longer slot in the platform or a different style of anchor shank would correct this.

The varnished wood/white Formica interior is unpretentious yet practical. There’s an aft cabin to port with a spacious twin berth, changing seat, and full hanging locker. The forward V-berth offers good stowage, shelving, and another hanging locker.

A drop-leaf table runs down the center of the main saloon, with comfortable seats to either side that double as sea berths. A full-size head and shower compartment sits to starboard aft. The galley comes complete with twin stainless-steel sinks, a three-burner stove/oven, pressurized hot and cold water, a 90-liter icebox/fridge, and generous countertop space and stowage capacity.

A forward-facing chart table houses the instrumentation and electrical panel. The 30-horsepower Volvo diesel and saildrive lies under the companionway steps and is also accessed via doors in the head and aft cabin.

The J/108 should appeal to a broad range of sailors. By combining light yet strong, modern materials with the latest developments in keel, rudder, and rig designs, J/Boats has, with surprisingly little concession or compromise, delivered a vessel that promises pulse-pounding performance. Yet the boat remains simple enough to operate shorthanded, versatile enough to sail from shallow inland waters to the deep blue sea, and safe enough to bring the entire family along for the ride. And a joyful ride it will be.

Specs
LOA 35′ 0″ (10.67 m.)
LWL 30′ 6″ (9.30 m.)
Beam 11′ 6″ (3.51 m.)
Draft (board up) 4′ 0″ (1.22 m.)
Draft (board down) 6′ 10″ (2.10 m.)
Sail Area (100%) 603 sq. ft. (56 sq. m.)
Ballast 4,400 lb. (1,996 kg.)
Displacement 11,400 lb. (5,172 kg.)
Ballast/D .39
D/L 179
SA/D 19.0
Water 33 gal. (125 l.)
Fuel 19 gal. (70 l.)
Holding 12 gal. (45 l.)
Mast Height 51′ 1″ (15.57 m.)
Engine 30-hp. Volvo D1-30 with saildrive
Designer R. Alan Johnstone
Price $249,950 (base)
J/Boats Inc.
(401) 846-8410
www.jboats.com

Boat of the Year judge Alvah Simon’s classic tale of Arctic adventure, North to the Night, is now available on Kindle.

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