j9 sailboat review

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Boat Reviews of Pocket Cruisers and Daysailors: Tartan 245, J/9 and Beneteau First 27

• By Herb McCormick
• May 24, 2022

Sailboats are getting ­bigger all the time. Gone are the days when a boatbuilder like Catalina would pump out hundreds of Catalina 22s in a ­production run that would last decades. Profit margins for ­builders are far greater with larger ­vessels, and more and more ­buyers—even first-time buyers who’ve ­never owned a yacht—are ­coming into the market searching for boats 40 feet or greater. It’s kind of amazing but also true. 

That’s why it’s interesting and exciting when production boats under 30 feet debut, and it’s even better when our Boat of the Year judging panel has a dedicated class of nifty new ­offerings to inspect, as we did for model year 2022. 

What’s cool about the trio of boats that comprised this year’s Pocket Cruiser/Daysailer ­division—the Tartan 245, ­­

J/Boats 28-foot J/9 and Beneteau First 27—is that each was fundamentally different than the others, designed with a specific purpose or sailor in mind. Our task as judges was to determine which boat best served its stated purpose. As a big bonus, all three boats were stout ­performers and a blast to sail. 

With no further ado, let’s have a look at them. 

Tough Little Tartan

My first thought when I peered into the cockpit of the 24-foot, Tim Jackett-­designed Tartan 245 was that it reminded me very much of my ­ancient Pearson Ensign, which debuted in the early 1960s. Like the Ensign, the 245 is an unabashed ­daysailer with a long, inviting cockpit; good stowage beneath the ­cockpit’s coaming; and a ­little cuddy cabin forward for ­stashing sails and duffels, and for a ­simple berth or head while camping-c­ruising. When I mentioned this to Cai Svendsen, who’d commissioned the design for use as a trainer in the Judd Goldman Center’s adaptive sailing program, he expressed his fondness for the Ensign and confirmed that he’d incorporated some of its features in the brief.

But the 245 is also quite different than the old Pearson in several important ways. First, it employs a lifting keel with 900 pounds of ballast—a significant number in a vessel that displaces less than 3,000 pounds. Draft with the board down is 4 feet, 6 inches; raised, it’s a mere 1 foot, 8 inches. With a kick-up rudder, this boat can traverse very skinny water and even nudge right up to the beach. 

Next, with his experience teaching sailing (novices are known to whack the occasional dock), Svendsen opted for a false, sacrificial bow that is bolted on. It can be quickly and easily swapped out if damaged (you can also spec the boat without what Tartan calls the “Crunchbow”). 

Finally, like its larger siblings in the Tartan clan, the boat comes with a carbon rig (deck-stepped on the 245, with swept-back spreaders). You can also order an optional retractable carbon bowsprit for off-wind kites or reachers. For motoring in and out of the marina, there’s a 4 hp outboard. The whole package can be easily towed by a small pickup or SUV. 

The profile is no-nonsense with just a hint of a sheerline, and with an open transom for safe and easy swimming (something I wish they’d thought of on my Ensign). Sail controls are atop the coachroof, and the cockpit is definitely roomy; it is meant to accommodate four students and an instructor standing aft. Available sail plans include a choice of overlapping headsails or a self-tacking jib. The whole idea is to make the boat simple and accessible, a fact underscored by its potential use in programs where a wheelchair can be rolled aboard. 

Svendsen was gracious enough to take us for an afternoon spin on Chesapeake Bay in a fitful breeze that never topped 10 knots. It mattered not a whit. The tiller-steered 245, with a simple tiller extension so you perch up on the rail with a grand view, was an absolute blast to sail, quite responsive, and surprisingly quick considering its diminutive stature. (The 245 shares this prowess with the many Jackett ­designs in the Tartan lineup.)

When we sailed right up to the dock and dropped the main, Svendsen left us with this accurate thought: “Little boats are where you have fun. Big boats are where you spend money.” 

He’s totally correct. With the Tartan 245, in the fun/cash quotient, the return on investment can be measured in miles and smiles. 

• tartanyachts.com
• 440-392-2628

Everyone can agree on how ­awful the pandemic has been, but for fans of the sweet sailing line of J/Boats—designed and marketed by the Johnstone family for some 45 years now—the COVID-19 cloud had a silver lining. It was at least partially responsible for the creation of the company’s latest model: the simple 28-foot daysailer dubbed the J/9.

Company president Jeff Johnstone said that the inspiration for the J/9 came when the regatta season was canceled and he spent time sailing exclusively with his family on a 23-foot J/70, the only boat that was available. 

“It was the best summer,” he says. “No racing, just pleasure sailing. I rediscovered my joy for it. We got to the fall and started thinking about older sailors, this whole generation of baby boomers who might be getting out of racing but still want to sail. And we revisited the concept behind the J/100, a 33-footer that was ideal for a simple day’s sail.” 

The seed was planted; ­simplicity would reign.

As Johnstone says, all ­

J/Boats perform well under main alone. Having owned both a J/24 and a J/30, I can ­attest that the statement is without hyperbole. At first, the idea was to perhaps go with a boat driven solely by a mainsail. “But it didn’t take long before our sailing instincts kicked in and we wanted to go upwind,” Johnstone says. 

So the boat became a straightforward sloop with a furling jib. Hoist the main, ­unroll the headsail, and away you go. (A short, fixed sprit is available for those who must ­also fly a spinnaker.) 

As with the Tartan 245, the focal point of the J/9 is the cockpit, and it’s clear the team spent a lot of time considering it. (That said, the J’s interior is actually quite cozy, with a pair of settees and an optional V-berth forward; I could have a fun time aboard on a little camping-­cruising vacation.) Johnstone said that his team was enamored with and inspired by the Carl Schumacher-­designed Alerion Express 28, a fine little sailboat, but the Johnstones made what I consider a significant improvement by going with an open transom that airs out things aesthetically and makes practical sense as a perfect swimming/boarding platform. 

RELATED: 2022 Boat of the Year: Best Pocket Cruiser/Daysailer

The boat has a trio of auxiliary options: a basic outboard, an inboard diesel, or an electric Torqeedo Cruise 4.0 pod drive with a dual-blade folding prop that’s powered by a 48-volt, 5 kW lithium-ion battery with a 650-watt charger that can be plugged ­directly into dockside shore ­power. “It’s the first time in our ­history that we could offer an electric alternative at the same price as the diesel, not 20 percent more,” Johnstone says. “And talk about a simple ­installation.”

We sailed the J/9 on a cracking fall day on Chesapeake Bay in an ideal 10 to 12 knots, and man, it did not disappoint. As advertised, the layout is simplicity personified: one hand on the tiller, the other on the mainsheet. There’s no traveler, but the boom is controlled by an ingenious bridle ­setup. There’s a clear view of the B&G plotter on the coachroof, the solid Sparcraft vang aids in boom control, and lazy jacks for the main keep everything manageable. And the J/9 sails like a witch, notching just shy of 7 knots hard on the breeze, and topping that ­number cracked off on a reach. 

The joy of sailing, eh? Here’s your ticket. 

• 401-846-8410

First Is First

When all was said and ­done, the winning entry in the ­Pocket Cruiser/Daysailer class was the Beneteau First 27. 

It was a tough call because the three boats were so apart from one another—not apples and oranges, but an apple, an orange and a pear. Yet the judges were unanimous in our choice, partly because of the Beneteau’s excellent fit-and-finish, and also because we felt it best-suited for what it set out to do. 

“The mission for this boat is shorthanded distance racing, and I think that’s really interesting. It’s probably the fastest-growing segment in the racing scene,” judge Tim Murphy says. “The idea is getting sailors in a competitive environment to really develop themselves as sailors. When racing, it’s not about comfort; it’s all about the sailor getting offshore and navigating and sailing overnight, and having the sail controls and layout set up to derive and maximize the power available in the boat, which is significant. It’s a tool for really becoming an experienced sailor. I think that ­mission is really strong.”

To underscore that point, our test sail aboard the First 27 was sensational, conducted in 10 to 14 knots of fine Chesapeake Bay wind, with speeds topping out at almost 8 knots hard on the breeze. We did 10 knots with the asymmetric kite up and drawing—it’s set off a retractable sprit—on a tight, close reach. The little rocket is a ball to steer, with a full-width traveler to dump the main in the gusts, and twin outboard rudders that really grip the seaway and offer pinpoint control. Remember, we’re talking about a boat shorter than 27 feet here. It provides the sort of performance usually reserved for craft with significantly ­longer waterlines. 

However, make no mistake—the First 27 is by no means a stripped-out, Spartan ­racing machine (well, at least the ­version we sailed; there are two models: one a dedicated racer and the racer/cruiser we tested). All the elements are there for real coastal cruising: a serviceable galley, head and berths, and a 15 hp Yanmar diesel. Yes, the boat was conceived for racing, but it’s also a quite adequate pocket cruiser as well. And on top of all that, it’s trailerable.

Built in Slovenia, the boat was originally marketed as the Seascape 27 before Beneteau acquired the company and rebranded the model as the First 27. Construction is top-notch: vacuum infusion with a PVC foam core, a laminate that’s light and strong. Nearly 1,350 pounds of ballast are incorporated in the lead, T-shaped bull keel (fastened to a steel blade), a significant figure in a vessel that displaces less than 4,000 pounds (the sail area/displacement ratio of 97 is not a typo). The idea was to instill super stability in a hull that planes, a concept that might seem diametrically opposed but works well in practice here. There’s even a little crash bulkhead forward. And all the related equipment is terrific: Seldén spars, Harken winches, B&G instruments and a Spinlock tiller extension, to name a few. 

There’s no question that this is an athletic boat to sail and operate, and plenty of adjustments in the rig and sail plan make it eminently tweakable. In other words, there’s nothing sedate about the boat underway. But the effort put in is returned with thrills in spades. For a certain brand of sailor, the trade-off and rewards will be more than worth the sweat equity involved.  

• beneteau​.com
• 401-990-0270

Herb McCormick is a CW  editor-at-large. 

• More: beneteau , Boat of the Year , print 2022 may , sailboat review , Sailboat Reviews , tartan yachts
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J/Boats Unveils The Sleek New 28-footer “J/9”

Responding to a growing need amongst sailors for a comfortable, simple and easy-to-own daysailer, J/Boats announces a sleek new 28 footer (the “J/9”) with one of the most comfortable cockpit and easiest-to-manage sailplan in this size range. 

“ With the J/9, we set out to reimagine how to make sailing easier, more relaxing and more inclusive, ” said Jeff Johnstone of J/Boats . “ This is a boat you can sail by yourself in just a few minutes, or bring along the whole gang with plenty of room to spare. Escaping to the water and enjoying shared family adventure has never been more important, and the J/9 is the perfect platform. ”

The J/9 cockpit has four corner seats to nestle into and enjoy the day. With friends and family aboard , everyone can find the perfect place to relax. A swim platform behind the cockpit allows walk-through boarding, and on those downwind sails home, you can cool off by dragging your feet in the water.

Sailing the J/9 is as easy as hoisting the mainsail and trimming the sheet. Why make it any more complicated? Look around on the water and you’ll notice 80% of the sailboats are sailing with only one sail. The answer is keep it simple! One tiller, one sheet.

The big difference with the J/9 is you will be sailing with one sail more comfortably and quicker than most others with two sails or under motor. Ready for the afterburners? Simply unroll the jib and enjoy effortless, stable & smooth sailing from the comforts of the best J/Boats cockpit ever.

The plan is for the first J/9 to launch in Spring 2021.

LOA 28 ft – 8,54 m LWL 25.4 ft – 7,75 m Beam 8.6 ft – 2,63 m Standard draft 4.9 ft – 1,5 m Shoal draft 3.9 ft – 1,19 m Displacement 4.25 lbs – 1.927 kg J/Boats Website

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Review: The NEW J/9 under sail

Comfortably Sailing the NEW J/9 Daysailer!

J/9 Daysailer for sale today – Gulf Coast

Next was the double-checking how the sails fitted on the rig and trimmed out properly. In short, all the pieces seemed to fit perfectly into place, the main and jib trimming out nicely. In around 8 to 10 kts of wind the J/9 quickly reached 7.5 kts reaching speeds and she sailed upwind with beautiful balance on the helm. The J/9 is a very close-winded boat, tacking through 77 degrees with ease and fetching upwards of 6.5 knots boatspeed.   Upon reaching shore, it was all smiles from Al and Rod…both pleased with the latest creation from the J/Design drawing boards. Commented Al, “she’s just what we hoped for, quick and comfortable!” The cockpit is huge and about as comfortable as your living room sofa with the thick, soft cockpit cushions.

Review: In around 8 to 10 kts of wind the J/9 quickly reached 7.5 kts reaching speeds and she sailed upwind with beautiful balance on the helm. The J/9 is a very close-winded boat, tacking through 77 degrees with ease and fetching upwards of 6.5 knots boatspeed.  

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Responding to a growing need amongst sailors for a more comfortable, simpler and easy-to-own daysailer, J/Boats is excited to announce a sleek new 28 footer (the “J/9”) with perhaps the most comfortable cockpit and easiest-to-manage sailplan in this size range.

“With the J/9, we set out to reimagine how to make sailing easier, more relaxing and more inclusive,” said Jeff Johnstone of J/Boats. “This is a boat you can sail by yourself in just a few minutes, or bring along the whole gang with plenty of room to spare. Escaping to the water and enjoying shared family adventure has never been more important, and the J/9 is the perfect platform.”

The J/9 cockpit has four great corner seats to nestle into and enjoy the day. With friends and family aboard, everyone can find the perfect place to relax. And access aboard has never been easier. A swim platform behind the cockpit allows walk-through boarding, and on those downwind sails home, you can cool off by dragging your feet in the water.

Sailing the J/9 is as easy as hoisting the mainsail and trimming the sheet. Why make it any more complicated? Look around on the water and you’ll notice 80% of the sailboats are sailing with only one sail. The answer is keep it simple! One tiller, one sheet. The big difference with the J/9 is you will be sailing with one sail more comfortably and quicker than most others with two sails or under motor. Ready for the afterburners? Simply unroll the jib and enjoy effortless, stable & smooth sailing from the comforts of the best J/Boats cockpit ever.

The daysailing community has not benefitted from a dedicated design from J/Boats since the award-winning J/100 (33’), which remains one of the most sought-after J’s created. The NEW J/9 offers the cockpit comfort and sailing features of a larger boat, at a price most will find competitive to the best brokerage offerings.

Additional Information

Construction • Hull and deck molded with biaxial and unidirectional E-glass fabrics and Corecell foam for optimal strength to weight ratio. High density core inserts used in way of highly loaded hardware. • White gelcoat hull with single boot stripe. • 10 year transferable warranty against osmotic hull blistering, 5 year structural warranty. • White gelcoat deck with molded non-skid on horizontal deck surfaces. • High strength, inward turning and overlapping hull to deck joint. • Molded ISO/ORC height foredeck toe-rails on foredeck. • Large self-draining cockpit with wrap-around seating and angled backrests. • Two large cockpit seat storage lockers. • Swim platform with transom boarding access and optional fold-up swim ladder. • Molded, structural transverse keel support beams. • 4.9’ draft low VCG lead keel bonded and bolted to keel sump. Option for 3.9’ draft keel.

Steering System • High aspect, balanced spade rudder mounted in self-aligning, low friction rudder bearings. • Custom laminated, curved tiller. • Adjustable tiller extension.

Electrical • One AGM Group 27 battery. • 12V DC On/Off battery switch. • 12V DC electrical distribution panel w/ 4 circuit breakers. • LED navigation lights. • UL approved stranded, tinned copper ABYC color-coded wiring. • Bonding system to meet ABYC regulations. • Two swiveling LED reading lights in main cabin. • Two red/white dome lights. • Automatic electric bilge pump and panel switch for manual operation.

Deck Hardware • SS fabricated chainplates for shrouds. • Foredeck skylight hatch mounted on cabin house forward of mast. • Two opening portlights on cabin house sides. • Companionway opening with molded seahood and slider. • Acrylic offshore removable dropboard with inside/outside lockable hasp. • Two 2-Speed 35:1 self-tailing winches on cabin top. • Two 10″ lock-in winch handles with winch handle pockets. • Two fixed jib tracks on cabin top with plunger-style jib cars. Option for self-tacking jib system. • 5:1 Mainsheet system leading to boom-mounted ratchet block/cam near the tiller. • Adjustable backstay system with control lines led to the cockpit. • Jib furling system with control line led to cockpit. • Halyard lead blocks mounted at mast base, halyard organizers and double rope clutches one per side. • Stainless bow rail, stanchions and stern rails with single 20” height lifeline, starboard boarding gate and transom gate. • Foredeck and transom mooring cleats (4). • Cockpit operated manual bilge pump operable from the helm.

Spars & Rigging • Tapered, fractional, keel-stepped aluminum mast with single sweptback spreaders attached with stainless thru-bar. Mast includes halyard sheaves, fittings for boom and boom vang attachments, masthead crane, shroud termination points and a steaming light. Spars finished in white. • Boom with 8:1 outhaul, mainsheet attachment points, sheaves for the outhaul and reef line, and lazy jack terminations. • Standing rigging: 1×19 wire forestay & side rigging with adjustable open-body turnbuckles. Soft Dyneema backstay. • Running rigging package including main and jib halyards, main and jib sheets, reef line, furler line, lazy jacks. Optional spinnaker package.

Interior • Main cabin with full length settee berth and removable backrest to port, double seat to starboard, storage compartments outboard and below the berth/seats. • Choice of Sunbrella fabrics for 3″ standard main salon cushions. • Teak and holly synthetic high-wear cabin sole in main cabin with centerline access to bilge. • 48 Quart Igloo cooler. • Angled companionway steps with nonskid treads. • Molded V-berth supports (Option for V-berth platform & cushions). • Head platform with Raritan PH-II WC, TP holder, holding tank and deck pump out fitting. • Centerline storage aft of companionway (or engine compartment and systems w/inboard engine option). • Air-dry gelcoat finish on interior hull & deck surfaces. Options • Two-tone deck. • Additional Opening portlights (2) on aft face of cabin. • Self-tacking jib system with athwartships track with jib sheet led aft to cockpit. • Asymmetric Spinnaker gear package – fixed carbon bowsprit with tack line, spinnaker sheets, halyard, and turning blocks to lead the sheet tails to the cabin top winches. • 110V 30amp Shore Power system with shore cord and AC panel one interior 110V outlet & battery charger. • V-Berth package with platform, two cushions and two swiveling reading lights. • Adjustable outboard bracket mounted centerline. • Electric inboard engine with pod-drive and cockpit operated controller. • Inboard diesel engine (Yanmar 2YM15) with Saildrive and two-blade folding prop. • Flexiteek synthetic cockpit floor and swim platform surfaces. • Retractable/folding swim ladder. • Comfort Group – mainsail cover and tiller cover in matching Sunbrella, and 2” cockpit cushions in white vinyl. • Cockpit dodger with side curtains.

Published on November 21st, 2020 | by Editor

J/9 seeks to reimagine sailing

Published on November 21st, 2020 by Editor -->

The cancellation of fall boat shows denied the J/Boats Company the opportunity to shock us with their latest offering, so this statement from the group will have to suffice:

Responding to a growing need amongst sailors for a more comfortable, simpler and easy-to-own daysailer, J/Boats is excited to announce a sleek new 28-footer (the “J/9”) with perhaps the most comfortable cockpit and easiest-to-manage sailplan in this size range.

“With the J/9, we set out to reimagine how to make sailing easier, more relaxing and more inclusive,” said Jeff Johnstone of J/Boats. “This is a boat you can sail by yourself in just a few minutes, and also bring along the whole gang with plenty of room to spare. Escaping to the water and enjoying shared family adventure has never been more important, and the J/9 is the perfect platform.”

The J/9 cockpit has four great corner seats to nestle into and enjoy the day. With friends and family aboard, everyone can find the perfect place to relax. And access aboard has never been easier. A swim platform behind the cockpit allows walk-through boarding, and on those downwind sails home, you can cool off by dragging your feet in the water.

Sailing the J/9 is as easy as hoisting the mainsail and trimming the sheet. Why make it any more complicated? Look around on the water and you’ll notice 80% of the sailboats are sailing with only one sail. The answer is keep it simple! One tiller, one sheet.

The big difference with the J/9 is you will be sailing with one sail more comfortably and quicker than most others with two sails or under motor. Ready for the afterburners? Simply unroll the jib and enjoy effortless, stable & smooth sailing from the comforts of the best J/Boats cockpit ever.

The daysailing community has not benefited from a dedicated design from J/Boats since the award-winning J/100 (33’), which remains one of the most sought-after J’s created. The NEW J/9 offers the cockpit comfort and sailing features of a larger boat, at a price most will find competitive to the best brokerage offerings.

From Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck: Stu Johnstone, who leads the marketing and business development for J/Boats, took no time to let me know the J/9 is a boat tailor-made for me. Knowing how I adore our Alerion Express 28, it is not hard to find the similarities between the two boats.

While we appreciate the Alerion’s fantail for random storage and daysailing perch, getting out of the water is struggle, a problem the J/9 has nicely resolved. And when I mentioned to Stu how I like the clean look of our Alerion with no stanchions and pulpits, he noted how of the first ten J/9s ordered, more than half opted to also go without for a visually cleaner and prettier look.

When asked about the significance of the J/9 name, Stu noted how “it came from a desire to separate this new line of daysailers and keep it simple. This is the first one in the range of perhaps four daysailers. We have a number of orders for larger ones already.”

The hull plug and deck plug are completed, with the hull mold also completed. With options for auxiliary power options to include diesel inboard, electric inboard, or outboard (gas or electric), the plan is for the first J/9 to launch in Spring 2021.

As much as I love all the varnished wood on the Alerion, we do have to park the boat a couple times a year for the varnish team to spend our money. Looks like the J/9 resolved that issue too.

Tags: Industry , J Boats , J/9

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New J/9 Sailboat

• Thread starter Souellette
• Start date Oct 6, 2021
• Catalina Owner Forums
• Catalina 275

I'm guessing many of you have seen the ads for the new J/9 sailboat . Seems like it's very similar in design to the Catalina 275. They boast better performance under mainsail only compared to other boats using main and jib. Curious to know people's take on the J/9.  

danstanford

I own a J/88 and if I was to buy another boat it would almost certainly be another J. They are well built, fast, and sorted. Everything is where it should be and works as expected. Did I mention fast? Sailing under main, jib, or a combination is amazingly easy though the best fun is certainly had with all the sails up.  

I like the looks of it and I'm sure it would smoke a C275 upwind, but I see three issues that would give me pause to swap. The first is that every picture shows the helmsman sitting in the middle of the bench. It's common for me to sail with four guests, which on the C275 is easy and I'm behind the traveler. Here you would be between the guests and I would wonder if the aft guests would get in the way of the swinging tiller? Second, in typical J fashion, the head is an after thought. I'd take the C275 head configuration any day over J/9's or any J in this size range. This is one of the biggest reasons I hesitate on the J/95. I'm not even convinced there is a sink on this boat. And lastly, no pole on the bow. I like using the asym and thinking of adding a code 0 or similar to make reaching on the lighter days more enjoyable. Kind of makes me think of an Alerion 28 and maybe that's the market J is competing for. Both are pretty, but in the end, it just doesn't quite do it for me. If J would take the C275 and make it faster, I'd be in.  

My first thought just looking at the picture was Alerion 28. J usually has it's finger on the market. I'm thinking they do now too. It's a great looking boat. I assume it sails sportily and having the option of sailing main only, or main and jib is appealing. I don't know about the asymmetrical and sprit but I'm guessing it's an option. The boat seems optimized for a day sail because that's what most of us do. I like it.  

I was about to order a 275, but then test-sailed the J/9. I ordered one last fall and it will arrive this fall -- to sail next spring. My current boat is a Catalina 250 and have been very happy with it. We used to stay on the boat on overnight sails to MV, but after the kids grew we day sail only. The J/9 is optimized for day sailing. The head is okay for a day sail, but I agree it would be annoying for an overnight stay. The J/9 is optimized for in-cockpit sailing (no hiking) and can be equipped (as the 275) with a self-tacking jib. Everything is simplified. The cockpit is huge. I think I will prefer not having to jump over the traveler to get to the jib winches, but I never got a chance to test sail a 275, so I am not sure. The pole on the bow is an option. For a really fast boat, check out the Saffier SE27.  

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

J/99 review: All thrills, no frills on board this double-handed racing machine

• May 3, 2019

The new J/99 is a versatile 32ft offshore speedster that targets the double-handed racing circuit

We tested the J/99 in the Solent in 17-25 knots of wind. Photos: Richard Langdon

We ghosted down the Hamble River under mainsail alone, the water slipping silently past our red hull in the grainy half-light of a winter morning. We’d hoisted the mainsail in our marina berth, then sailed out into the river, the engine left in tick-over for less than two minutes almost as a token gesture. I felt like a naughty kid, slipping out while the rest of the world was still waking up; going to make some trouble.

I had come to test the new J/99, sailing double-handed with the British J/Boats importer Paul Heys on a chilly, blustery January morning. Within ten minutes our demure departure was all but forgotten as we came bursting out of Southampton Water, our senses assaulted from all angles by the bitter north wind and our 100m 2 day-glo spinnaker. As the sun rose, everything about the day and this little powerhouse of a boat became bright, sharp and dynamic. I don’t know what the rest of the world was doing at 0800 on that January morning but we were having a blast.

The eagerly awaited J/99 directly targets a growing demographic of sailors who enjoy the fantastic short-handed racing scene available all across Europe. Of the 38 orders already confirmed, over half of the new owners intend to race short-handed and it was with this type of sailing in mind I arrived to make the test.

There’s plenty of room for the helmsman to pass across the aft section of the boat during a tack, leaving the whole cockpit free for the crew

The new design incorporates some interesting changes for J/Boats, which bring the J/99 into line with its closest rivals in this area of the market. Gone is the retractable bowsprit and furling jib, which have been the stalwarts of J/Boat design for close to 20 years, making way for a beamier shape, a fixed bowsprit and a hank-on jib. It’s different, but despite the new features, this still remains resolutely ‘J’ in its appearance and feel.

From the first moment I stepped into the cockpit, this boat struck me with its no-nonsense approach. Sail handling is simple, the cockpit clean and well laid-out, the helm dynamic and responsive. Just cruising down the river, the boat felt light and seemed to directly translate every puff of wind into increased speed. Compared to the Class 40s I have spent much of the last two years racing, the J/99 felt like a go-cart – a promising combination of agility and power.

Razor sharp

Upwind, we cut through the flat water like a knife though silk, achieving 6.7 knots of boat speed at a true wind angle of 38°, in 17 knots of wind. We were sailing with a full main and non-overlapping J2 jib, which felt slightly overpowered in the gusts over 20 knots, but proved easy to handle.

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The boat is stiff – it feels like a couple of bodies sitting on the rail would benefit the upwind performance, but that is often the case with short-handed boats and, once heeled, the angle remains steady and comfortable.

Helming upwind required very little input from our single rudder, the boat was incredibly well balanced and gust control could be easily managed by a gentle feathering on the helm and an ease on the mainsheet fine-tune system. We let the autopilot take over for an upwind leg and a couple of tacks, but I quickly took back the helm – this was way too much fun to allow a machine to take command.

The cockpit is large; it takes up a third of the overall deck length, with benches that are half the length of the cockpit. The area aft of the mainsheet is wide, flat and empty. There are two coachroof winches for halyards and two primaries next to the helming position.

Crew can sit either down on the cockpit seats, legs braced opposite, or up over the coaming – both are equally comfortable. There is room to sit two crewmembers side-by-side on these bench seats, though once activity starts it might become crowded.

The cockpit layout particularly suits performance shorthanded sailing

The jib is controlled using an interesting combination of a longitudinal track, together with floating down- and in haulers. By leading the sheet to a turning block positioned on the toe rail aft, a marginal outboard lead can be achieved when both in and down haulers are eased.

Tacking, even when cross-sheeted was quick and easy despite our lack of practice. The non-overlapping jib can be pulled most of the way in by hand, with the final grind from the high side as the J/99 starts to accelerate. The cockpit is so well ergonomically set up, a solo tack would be equally as easy.

I found the best helming position is to sit with one leg astride the mainsheet traveller, bracing against the two moulded foot rests. Traveller, mainsheet and backstay are all led to this position and with the jib or spinnaker sheets cross-winched, these can also easily be trimmed by the helmsman.

A tightly sheeted jib to leeward of mast displays that are clearly readable from the cockpit

The double-ended kicker is thoughtfully positioned and long enough to lead back to the helm from where it can be quickly released. The helming position is comfortable with a fantastic view of the water ahead, though I imagine it will feel somewhat exposed in rougher conditions – perhaps this is when the autopilot earns it’s keep.

When steering through a tack the helmsman can easily pass behind the mainsheet unhindered, leaving the cockpit free for flailing elbows. The J/99 uses tiller steering – the optional twin-rudder version still leads to a single tiller. There is room and an option to mount wheel steering in this area but I cannot imagine a good reason to do this. It would add extra weight further aft in the boat, fill up the cockpit and confine the helmsman.

The tiller is curved upwards to allow the mounting of a liferaft underneath – a common raft position for offshore boats and an eminently sensible one that keeps weight off the transom yet still provides a ready-to-launch raft on deck.

Initial jib car position fore and aft can be set using the track, which is pinned in place, then remaining controls dictate angle of attack and twist, with the down- hauler passing through the pinned jib car

Significant sail area

Off the breeze, the J/99 is punchy, versatile and a lot of fun. The 100m 2 A2 spinnaker is certainly a generous size and, in the test conditions, provided us with exciting reaching at angles up to 135° true, together with a competitive, powerful downwind VMG speed (sailing at 8.4 knots at 146° true). It also gives the adaptability to sail at deep angles with the tack line right off and the kite fully rotated around the bow. In this configuration we were still able to sail quickly at wind angles of up to 170° true.

We saw upper wind strengths of 25 knots and during these gusts the helm started to feel heavy as the big spinnaker loaded-up – I was caught out by one such gust, rounding up before I had time to respond. This isn’t to say the single rudder option is unresponsive – a timely, short, hard pump of the rudder always put us back on our feet – but merely that the big sail plan and gusty conditions do require concentration. For the ‘nip and tuck’ of close quarters manoeuvring, the single rudder gives a very direct grip to the water, which will allow the helmsman to fling the J/99 in and out of tight spaces.

For prolonged periods of powerful reaching under spinnaker, I believe the twin rudder option would be a sensible choice to avoid aching arms or lapses in concentration; so far 12 of the 38 orders have specified the twin rudder set up. If sailing under autopilot with single rudder, in gusty conditions it may be wise to use a higher level of response to enable the pilot to make more forceful corrections.

Fixed bowsprit marks a departure from the retractable bowsprits used on J/Boats of old

For reaching, we flew a 66m 2 cable-less Code 0 from the 2:1 tack line on the bowsprit, a sail that is a must for any offshore wardrobe. We whipped the zero up in a matter of seconds then blasted across the Solent reaching up to angles of 110° to the true wind and speeds up to nine knots, though the kicker was constantly in hand for gust control.

Sail handling downwind was as easy as upwind, even when managed by our unpractised crew of two. The bowsprit has double tack line fittings as standard – a 2:1 for the Code 0 and a single line for the spinnaker, giving a working option for peeling between off-wind sails.

The Code 0 tack line is managed with a jammer on the bow, while the single tack line is led to the cockpit. This makes perfect sense for double-handed takedowns when the zero is usually dropped inside the jib, on to the foredeck, while the spinnaker is taken into the cockpit under the boom. The Code 0 furler is not under significant load and can be furled by one person, by hand from the foredeck. Moulded toerails forward of the beam give extra security to any foredeck excursions.

The J/99 is an Alan Johnstone design

Versatility of design

Though these boats can be sailed fully crewed – which would optimally be with six people – it is impossible to ignore the focussed design aspects that make the J/99 stand out. Cast a critical eye over the cockpit and you’ll see an area designed for performance double-handed sailing.

It’s simple, perhaps even sparse, but everything is where it should be and I, for one, felt instantly at home. But don’t be fooled into thinking this boat is a one-trick pony; there is a clever adaptability to the design that will suit a wide range of sailors.

Yes, there are some fundamental aspects that have changed to be more geared-up for double-handed offshore racing, but J/Boats have maintained a foot in the inshore camp making a boat with a shape and features that promise great all-round performance.

The new fixed bowsprit design retains enough length to use a powerful asymmetric spinnaker but also allows owners to switch between symmetrical and asymmetrical set ups without penalty – a factor that is proving increasingly popular in the displacement offshore classes. The roller furler has been replaced in favour of hank-on style jibs.

The theory behind this is that when inshore racing, you can always ‘hold on’ until the downwind leg to make a headsail change, while offshore, a slab-reefed jib provides a more satisfactory shape to the sail and is still less hassle than a full-on sail change.

The alloy mast is a custom extrusion from AG+ designed to take both a mainsail with a bolt rope or captive slides with no adaptation required – meaning an owner could switch between an inshore bolt rope main and a short-handed one on sliders.

The J/99 has a full beam of 3.4m, which is carried most of the way aft with slight narrowing to the transom. This gives it an increased hull form stability to previous J/Boat designs, though unlike its closest rivals in the market, the JPK 1010, and the Sunfast 3200, the J/99 does not have chines. Instead, the more traditional lines give the hull shape more all-round performance and should offer greater versatility for inshore racing, particularly in lighter breeze.

The saloon is functional rather than luxurious

What’s below

The J/99 is clearly not aimed at those who are looking for a luxurious interior, but below decks there is a functional enough layout for weekend cruising, including twin aft cabins – something not often seen on racer/cruisers of this size.

The saloon is flanked by sofa berths, with a central table built around the keel-stepped mast. There is an option for pipecots outboard of the sofas, increasing the berths from six to eight – though eight people and their kit would certainly be a squeeze.

There’s a basic galley with a two-burner gas cooker, sink and galley storage facilities. The forepeak is a spacious open sail storage area with a heads plumbed-in behind the port bulkhead but no other ‘bathroom’ facilities – extra grab handles for rougher conditions would undoubtedly be a good idea.

AGM batteries are part of the standard boat package – one 70Ah for engine start and one 100Ah for house. The standard engine alternator is used for charging.

The starboard aft cabin mirrors the one to port

Our verdict

The J/99 is an exciting new addition to a competitive area of the market. It’s up against some tough competition, but make no mistake, this new design comes out of the corner fighting. Don’t look for frills because there aren’t any – this boat is all about great sailing performance.

It’s a fun, serious but manageable boat that is thoughtfully set up for double-handed sailing and would not require a huge number of crew to be competitive around the cans. It will suit sailors who enjoy both inshore and offshore racing and are looking for a no-nonsense boat to help them shine.

Specification

In memory of Paul Heys

Since this article was written, we received the news that Paul Heys passed away on February 25 .

In a statement, his family said: “We are desperately shocked and sad to announce that Paul Heys, co-founder and Managing Director of Key Yachting, has passed away.

“He was enjoying a much-deserved holiday in the Caribbean with his wife Marie-Claude and came into difficulties while swimming on Monday morning.

“Paul was a much-loved husband, dad, brother and granddad, and was greatly admired in the sailing community; sailing was his life and passion. Paul will be missed terribly by everyone who knew him.”

He was well-known and highly respected in the marine business and was legendary among J Boats owners for his knowledge and sailing skills. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.

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• J/70 (22.8')
• J/80 (26.3')
• J/88 (29.2')
• J/9 (28.0')
• J/99 (32.6')
• J/111 (36.5')
• J/112E (36.0')
• NEW J/40 (40.9')
• J/121 (40.0')
• J/45 (45.6')
• Other J/Models
• J/Newsletter
• Sailing Calendar
• J/Classes & Owners
• J/Gear Store
• J/Owner Resources
• J/World Annapolis
• J/World San Diego
• Request New Boat Info
• Find My Dealer
• Contact J/Boats
• Contact J/Composites
• Licensed Builders
• J/9 Tech Specs
• J/9 Brochure