The J Class is an awesome and venerable racing design. They go back to at least 1929, with roots extending back to the origin of the America’s Cup. They were the stuff of inspiration for many a noted marine photographer (including Stanley Rosenfeld).
Now, they’re back! Modern renditions of this traditional design are out shredding up the race course, so to speak. To my delight, I saw that they are holding a world championship.
The J-Class design, sometimes called a J Boat, should not be confused with the modern designer and manufacturer J/Boats. This very successful line of racers and racer/cruisers is altogether different. The very popular J/24 is one of the most important sailing designs ever created due to how extensively it was raced, but it made a piss-poor learning platform. It is still widely used for that due to the abundant availability of cheap older boats – not because they are well suited to teaching sailing. There are over 5,500 of them around the world.
There are over 5,000 International Folkboats, too, and we have one – but wouldn’t use it for learn-to-sail instruction, and we wish people would steer clear of J/24’s for that purpose as well. The Folkboat has very traditional lines that are reminiscent of J-Class yachts.
I was struck once again by the simple, elegant beauty of these large beasts of boats when I saw some pics by Ingrid Abery. I’ve taken the liberty of pasting one of her copyrighted images here to tempt you to see more on her site.
Click the pic, or go here…
http://www.ingridabery.com/v/photos/81154bgd/C255365004
Also, check out the J-Class Association web site for more history, current events, photo galleries, etc…
That picture by Ingrid Avery is awful- no boat in those conditions could be sailing at that silly angle.
And I’m unsure as to why you are so negative about learning to sail on a J24?
Unless you think everybody ought to learn in a sluggish old dinghy like a boring opti or maybe a blue jay? I disagree wholeheartedly.
Ingrid Abery (not Avery) pic: rare to get a shot like that, but that’s how pro marine fotogs become sensations. What’s silly is your sullying it, when it happened. Normal heeling; abnormal but kewl/fun “launch” in short/steep wave state. Happens in dinghies; happens on keelboats; happens on beach cats. Happens all the time.
Speaking of dinghies: not sure why you think I believe that everybody ought to learn in one. We teach on keelboats exclusively. Just not the j/24. It sucks as a teaching boat. Only reason lots of schools use them is marketing (“Boat of the Decade,” etc) and the ability to put a fleet together on the cheap. Gary Jonson (pretty good sailor and commentator) listed the j/22 as one of his all-time favorite boats; great choice for learn to sail. Not the 24, which has less than zero ergonomics, a low boom, needs to be sailed flat (not forgiving for learning), etc. It was a race boat that took off in popularity. Back in the mid/late ‘70’s, which is when I started sailing them. We tried teacing on them; didn’t work well. The Solings many schools used were far better, but then the Sonar came along (and the Merit 25) and we used the J only for racing clinics. Later, we tried and fell in love with the Beneteau First 21. Now we use the Ensign. Those are very different designs, but the two best learn-to-sail keelboats we’ve ever used. They both beat the shit out of the j/24 for that purpose. AS for the 24 in general: the j/80 and then the j/70 put it two gens behind. Both of those boats are far better for teacing than the 24. The j/24 has had its day.
Now: dinghies… Opti and Blue Jay. “Boring/sluggish.” The Blue Jay never took off the way the Opti did, it was a great, approachable boat for juniors. The Opti had staying power. Boring? Millions of kids around the world disagree. It’s arguably the single most important boat in the world: most juniors start on them and progress to more technical, physical classes as they develop the body and mind for them. Extremely tactical racing; fun to sail. Watch the junior fleets go out in almost any weather and sea state, while most other boats and sailors stay ashore. More Olympians started on Optis than any other boat. Nothing boring about it.