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J/92S: Clean Lines, Smooth Ride

  • By Michael Lovett
  • Updated: October 2, 2006

j92 sailboat

The beauty of J/Boats’ designs has always been their aesthetic simplicity and performance capability, and the new J/92S is no exception. While it shares the hull shape and interior layout of the J/92, the 92S has been optimized for racing with masthead spinnakers, a non-overlapping headsail, a deeper keel, and a bigger cockpit. I had the opportunity to experience these improvements firsthand during a recent afternoon sail with J/Boats president Jeff Johnstone. In a 15-knot breeze, the two of us had no trouble launching the asymmetrical reaching spinnaker, and the 92S quickly accelerated to an 8.5-knot pace. The boat felt stable but not sluggish, responding nimbly to changes in wind speed. The cockpit of the 92S is 33 inches longer than that of the 92, which opens up the workspace considerably. As with all J/Boats, the ergonomics of the 92S are superb: the footholds on the cockpit sole are perfectly placed for helmsman and crew; the mainsheet tackle and jib winches are within easy reach of the helm; seats raised slightly above deck level keep rear ends dry as the deck sheds water; the squared cabin top with logical handholds helps crewmembers make the steep traverse during heavy air tacks. The 92S is a carefully-designed 30-footer ideal for shorthanded sailing, racing, and weekend cruises. Compared to its 14-year-old predecessor, the 92S is faster off the wind and easier to handle, yet its comparable PHRF rating shouldn’t render the 92 obsolete just yet. www.jboats.com

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  • Sailboat Guide

J/92 is a 29 ′ 11 ″ / 9.1 m monohull sailboat designed by Rod Johnstone and built by J Boats between 1992 and 2003.

Drawing of J/92

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

  • SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
  • D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

  • D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
  • LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

  • D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
  • LOA: Length overall in feet
  • Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

A updated version, the J/92S was introduced in 2005 with a newly designed cockpit, deck, keel, rudder, sail plan with non-overlapping headsails and masthead asymmetrical spinnaker.

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