mini j class sailboat

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Yachting World

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A pocket guide to the J Class yachts – the world’s most elegant racing fleet

• Toby Hodges
• March 19, 2017

Toby Hodges profiles the world's most beautiful fleet of classic racing yachts – the J Class

Shamrock V – JK3

J Class yacht Shamrock sailplan

LOA: 36.50m /119ft 9in · LWL: 26.7m/87ft 7in · Beam: 6.00m/19ft 8in · Disp: 166 tonnes

Original lines: Charles E Nicholson

Modified design: Dykstra Naval Architects

Launch year and yard: 1930, Camper & Nicholsons

Identifying features: The only wooden J and the smallest. Dark green hull with bronze deck fittings.

Current state: She has just had a refit in Palma after a long period under her past owner chartering, cruising and occasional racing.

Race prediction:Her smaller size means she will struggle against the other J Class yachts in real time – but she has the most experienced skipper and her recent mods are all aimed at making her competitive on handicap.

Skipper: Simon Lacey · Race Helmsman: Mike ‘Moose’ Sanderson

Photo: J Class Association / Gerhard Standop

Velsheda – JK7

J Class yacht Velsheda sailplan

LOA: 39.25m/128ft 9in · LWL: 27.8m/91ft 3in · Beam: 6.57m/21ft 7in · Disp: 180 tonnes

Launch year and yard: 1933, Camper & Nicholsons. Rebuilt by Southampton Yacht Services in 1997.

Identifying features: Dark blue hull, pinched transom and that iconic sharp J bow.

Current state: Continually optimised and very well prepared.

Race prediction: Highly experienced, well-gelled crew and a yacht that is looking particularly nimble and aggressive at the start. Despite surrendering size to the modern J Class yachts she’s a firm favourite to win any regatta.

Skipper: Barney Henshaw-Depledge · Race helmsman: Owner-driver

Helen Fretter goes racing on board J Class yacht Velsheda

Photo: J Class Association / Onne van der Wal

Endeavour – JK4

J Class yacht Endeavour sailplan

LOA: 39.31m/128ft 12in · LWL: 27.30m/89ft 7in · Beam: 6.68m/21ft 11in · Disp: 175 tonnes

Launch year and yard: 1934, Camper & Nicholson. Relaunched by Royal Huisman in 1989.

Identifying features: Royal ‘Endeavour Blue’ hull, clean deck, single deckhouse.

Current state: Completely refitted by Yachting Developments in 2010-11. Based between Palma and Cascais she is for sale through Edmiston and in prize condition.

Race prediction: Fully optimised and race ready, but is up for sale and now already unlikely to be ready in time for Bermuda.

Skipper: Luke Bines · Race helmsman: N/A (Torben Grael in 2012)

Video exclusive: what it’s like to sail the iconic J Class Endeavour

Photo: J Class Association / Jens Fischer

Ranger – J5

J Class yacht Ranger sailplan

LOA: 41.63m/136ft 7in · LWL: 28.80m/94ft 6in · Beam: 6.41m/21ft 0in · Disp: 203 tonnes

Original design: Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens

Modified design: Studio Scanu, Reichel Pugh, Fred Elliot and Dykstra Naval Architects

Launch year and yard: 2003, Danish Yacht

Identifying features: White hull with snub nose and spoon bow.

Current state: Refitted and optimised at Newport Shipyard 2016, where chainplates were moved forward and tracks modified to take a bigger headsail.

Race prediction: The heaviest J, but a rocket in flat water, such as in Bermuda’s Great Sound. A veteran crew whose consistency is Ranger’s trump card.

Skipper: Dan Jackson · Race helmsman: Erle Williams

Ranger J5 – the first completely new J Class yacht

Ranger , J5 RYS centenary 2015. Photo Paul Wyeth

Rainbow – JH2

J Class yacht Rainbow sailplan

LOA: 39.89m/130ft 11in · LWL: 26.90m/88ft 3in · Beam: 6.42m/21ft 1in · Disp: 167 tonnes

Original lines: William Starling Burgess

Launch year and yard: 2012, Holland Jachtbouw

Identifying features: Black hull, red bottom and modern grey rig with race boom.

Current state: Sold in 2015 by Chris Gongriep, the former owner of Holland Jachtbouw, she has since solely been used for cruising by her US owner who shows no signs of wanting to race, although she will be in Bermuda to watch.

Race prediction: Was cruised and raced extensively for a couple of seasons after she was built and has proven to be a supremely fast boat for her size in the right hands.

J Class yacht Rainbow – the Dutch destroyer

Hanuman – JK6

J Class yacht Hanuman sailplan

LOA: 42.19m/138ft 5in · LWL: 27.50m/90ft 3in · Beam: 6.60m/21ft 8in · Disp: 180 tonnes

Launch year and yard: 2009 Royal Huisman

Identifying features: Carries the old Endeavour II sail number JK6 – but a totally modern day reinterpretation of Sopwith’s second boat, built in aluminium.

Current state: Her weight and stability were optimised at Newport Shipyard in 2016 and she was also fitted with a new mast and rigging, plus a new furling headstay.

Race prediction: With her same core Comanche/Puma crew and Ken Read on the wheel, this is a highly race-oriented J Class yacht.

Skipper: Greg Sloat · Race helmsman: Ken Read

Inside J class yacht Hanuman

Lionheart JH1

J Class yacht Lionheart sailplan

LOA: 43.4m/142ft 5in · LWL 27.2m/89ft 3in · Beam: 6.55m/21ft 6in · Disp: 180 tonnes

Original lines: Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens

Modified design: Hoek Design

Launch year and yard: 2010, Bloemsma and Claasen Jachtbouw

Identifying features: Black hull and rig, bulwarks giving a high freeboard effect, two deckhouses.

Current state: Constantly upgraded, Lionheart has new North raw sails with plans to build more sails before Bermuda.

Race prediction: Lionheart is consistently optimised, has some key pros and a fantastic crew spirit. Should be finishing in the top three in Bermuda.

Skipper: Toby Brand · Race helmsman: Owner-driver · Tactics: Bouwe Bekking

J Class yacht Lionheart J/H1 – replica of an original that was never built

Photo: J Class Association / Thierry Martinez

J Class yacht Topaz sailplan

LOA: 42.7m/140ft 1in · LWL: 27.8m/91ft 3in · Beam: 6.75m/22ft 2in · Disp: 180 tonnes

Original lines: Frank Paine

Launch year and yard: 2015, Holland Jachtbouw

Identifying features: Longest waterline of all the Js (for which there is a sail area penalty) she has a striking Art Deco interior and a dark blue hull with turquoise antifoul.

Current state: New and raring to go.

Race prediction: With her fuller volume forward, longer waterline and shorter keel, Hoek believes she will be the fastest J Class downwind and in light airs. The crew has practised hard since last year and now has top big boat helm in Holmberg.

Skipper: Romke Lopik · Race helmsman: Peter Holmberg

New J Class yacht named Topaz is launched – and the design team says she is “absolutely stunning”

Photo: J Class Association / Carlo Borlenghi

J Class yacht Svea sailplan

LOA: 43.6m/143ft 1in · LWL: 27.6m/90ft 7in · Beam: 6.65m/21ft 10in · Disp: 180 tonnes

Original lines: Tore Holm

Launch year and yard: 2017, Bloemsma / Vitters

Identifying features: Dark grey metallic hull, near flush ultra-clean, ergonomically optimised deck with low single doghouse and huge 8ft diameter wheel that turns in a well that extends down to the keel frames.

Current state: Just launched.

Race prediction: Tore Holm was a gifted Metre designer and Svea looks like a fast upwind boat, with a race oriented deck design and a slippery underwater shape. It’s asking a lot of her crew to be competitive for 2017.

Skipper: Paul ‘PK’ Kelly

Race helmsman: Owner driver

Nine Js and counting: J Class Svea J-S1 is sold and under construction at Vitters

The history of the J-Class

The Js are inextricably linked with the America’s Cup as, barring Velsheda , all were built for the purpose of America’s Cup racing. From 1929 to 1937, 20 J Class yachts were designed. Ten of these went on to be built, with six racing in the America’s Cup finals. A modern J Class yacht’s  lines can only be taken from the original designs, ensuring the fleet’s look endures.

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Check out Moscow’s NEW electric river trams (PHOTOS)

Water transportation has become another sector for the eco-friendly improvements the Moscow government is implementing. And it means business. On July 15, 2021, on the dock of Moscow’s ‘Zaryadye’ park, mayor Sergey Sobyanin was shown the first model of the upcoming river cruise boat.

The model of the electrical boat with panoramic windows measures 22 meters in length. The river tram - as Muscovites call them - has a passenger capacity of 42, including two disabled seats. The trams will also get cutting edge info panels, USB docking stations, Wi-Fi, spaces for scooters and bicycles, as well as chairs and desks for working on the go. The boats will be available all year round, according to ‘Mosgortrans’, the regional transport agency. 

Passengers will be able to pay with their ‘Troika’ public transport card, credit cards or bank cards. 

The main clientele targeted are people living in Moscow’s river districts - the upcoming trams will shorten their travel time in comparison to buses and other transportation by five times, Mosgortrans stated. 

As the river trams are being rolled out, Moscow docks will also see mini-stations, some of which will also be outfitted with charging docks for speed-charging the boats.  

Moscow is set to announce the start of the tender for construction and supply in September 2021. The first trams are scheduled to launch in June 2022 on two routes - from Kievskaya Station, through Moscow City, into Fili; and from ZIL to Pechatniki. 

“Two full-scale routes will be created in 2022-2023, serviced by 20 river trams and a number of river stations. We’ll continue to develop them further if they prove to be popular with the citizens,” the Moscow mayor said .

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Mini J Class

Discussion in ' Sailboats ' started by Tim Judge , May 28, 2010 .

presuming ed Junior Member

Rustler 24. Production version of the Piper 24. http://www.rustleryachts.com/24.php http://www.piper-od.co.uk/  

ryanmarr New Member

The R's are basically small J's but not as small as these boats you've mentioned. It looks like a fun boat to cruise around on single handed. We have a fleet of R's at our club. Lakeontariorclass.com  

rcnesneg Senior Member

I don't know how we didn't find these earlier, they are basically exactly what we're looking for. They come in three sizes too: 12.6 ft, 13.5, and 16.4. They have 187 lbs, 264 lbs, and 661 lbs of lead ballast, respectively. Sail area is 53.8 sq ft, 53.8 with a 53.8 genny, and 86.1 sq ft with a 107.6 sq ft genny, respectively. http://smallclassic.no/  

Doug Lord Flight Ready

Wow! Great find!  

ahg Junior Member

rustler 18 with straight keel and center board good afternoon after wondering around the net for a few days looking for information on boats building, I found this thread and decided to register in this great forum I have a project to build a wooden sailboat, around 17-18 feet, straight keel to facilitate its transportation, and classic look. When reading the thread, I went into the rustler web page and I though had found exactly what I was looking for: I would like to build a rustler 18 with straight keel and center board I have everything to learn about boat building (probably I said already a few stupidities in the above sentences) but I have the intention to take my time I would appreciate some advise to start: Is it possible to design your own plans? Can a good software help for that? How long can it take to build such a boat? Is it a question of being motivated and skilful, or that is not enough and I am targeting too high? I live in West Sussex not far from some of you guys. Are there places in the area worth visiting or people worth talking to Thanks in advance for any advise  

What do you mean by a "straight keel"? Do you mean just a traditional keel like the Rustler 24 has? What do you mean with the centerboard? These boats are meant to be heavily ballasted, and in order for them to sail properly, you have to have a lot of weight down low, usually a little less to about half the weight of the whole boat, so if the boat weighs 350 kg without ballast, it should probably have around 200 to 400 kg of ballast underneath it. A lifting bulb keel on a winch would probably be a lot better than a centerboard. You could also consider a swing keel, but I think it's a lot easier to screw up really bad on a swing keel. I've had reasonable success using Free!ship to design boats, but nothing cutting edge. As for how long to build a boat like that, if you want it in the same quality as the Rustler 24, but only 18 feet long, probably 600 hours or so is a rough guess. Could be more depending on the detail level. Skill is nice, but motivation is definitely the most important, along with financing. If you're motivated, you can do anything, it just might take a long time or cost a lot.  

rcnesneg said: ↑ What do you mean by a "straight keel"? Do you mean just a traditional keel like the Rustler 24 has? What do you mean with the centerboard? These boats are meant to be heavily ballasted, and in order for them to sail properly, you have to have a lot of weight down low, usually a little less to about half the weight of the whole boat, so if the boat weighs 350 kg without ballast, it should probably have around 200 to 400 kg of ballast underneath it. A lifting bulb keel on a winch would probably be a lot better than a centerboard. You could also consider a swing keel, but I think it's a lot easier to screw up really bad on a swing keel. I've had reasonable success using Free!ship to design boats, but nothing cutting edge. As for how long to build a boat like that, if you want it in the same quality as the Rustler 24, but only 18 feet long, probably 600 hours or so is a rough guess. Could be more depending on the detail level. Skill is nice, but motivation is definitely the most important, along with financing. If you're motivated, you can do anything, it just might take a long time or cost a lot. Click to expand...

Ahh, That makes sense. I think it would be simpler to design it with the fixed solid keel under the boat, but you will have to have some way to get it deeper in the water to launch, and if you are at all challenged with draft in your area, the lift keel is a must. I would recommend something where you can raise the keel straight up, like this: or with a bulb on the end that is pulled up right against the hull. When you're trailering though, lower the bulb so that it rests on the trailer and isn't pulling on the boat. So your design might look something like the F class Firefly (J class yacht with a redesigned belly and fixed deep fin keel and rudder.)  

Thanks rcnesneg. All that is very helpful indeed Beautiful the F Class Firefly. I just need to shrink it to 1:6! I guess I have to make some research on technical solutions for a lift or removable rudder plate for that shape of poop. I was wondering if there is some rule for the ratio between the LOA and the LWL. I imagine that the shorter the boat the smaller should be the LOA/LWL ratio? Even from an aesthetic point of view I think I prefer when the poop comes out of the water with a slightly bigger angle  

I don't think it really matters at all. More overhang means more weight you gotta carry around, but I personally prefer the overhangs from an aesthetic point. A lot of the point of these boats now is to look pretty, and I think most of that comes from the overhangs, wood trim, sleek beautiful lines, etc. If you take away the overhangs, you might get a bit of performance in some way or another, but you lose the appeal of the boat. These smaller yachts are good examples of what I'm talking about. The original purpose for the overhangs is to basically cheat the racing rules. They limited the LWL but did not limit the LOA, so the clever boat builders would build boats that hung way out over each end. These boats are designed to sail to windward heeled over a lot- anywhere between 10 and 25 degrees, a lot more than most boats. When they would heel over in strong wind they would dip the long sides of the overhangs into the water, making them effectively longer, and therefore were faster. Also note that the sail plan tends to be a bit farther forward than you'd expect, to compensate for the extra weather helm from the boat heeling over, and to make it more controllable upwind. Look into the Scandinavian Cruiser 20. It seems like a fairly decent boat design, although it relies on crew weight for a major portion of the righting moment of the boat, and I've heard bad things about the build quality. It has the lifting bulb keel and some sort of retractable rudder.  

Thanks for the pictures. It is good to see examples. Much easier to progress towards the idea of what one wants to build. Agree that the overhang is what makes these boats beautiful. It is just that I guess the smaller the boat, the more overhang has to be sacrificed? As it stands now, I like the lines of the Dragon or the Rustler 24, but like the ideas of the Scandinavian Cruiser 20 for everything below the water level. Although the 29 foot of the Dragon are tempting, even the 24 of the Rustler seems unreasonable for me: I have not that much space in my backyard to afford blocking it for at least two years (....well, that is not me talking, but the outcome is the same!), and the weight probably will end up being an issue to handle the beast, so 20 foot should be an absolute maximum for me, with 18 foot being a more reasonable choice! Any rough guess of the weight of a wooden hull 20 foot long and 6 foot wide, before adding the ballast? How do these boats solve the issue of the water coming into the cockpit? My Snipe (Fiberglass) has the floor of the cockpit above water level and a hole in the middle. Can a wooden boat be built with the same idea? Another question I ask myself is about the relation between beam and stability. For hanging like a monkey on the sides of the boat I already have the Snipe, and by the time I finish this one, I will be in my fifties, so I want something that can be sailed in a relaxed way, and I will certainly not be in a hurry, so speed should not a mayor driver for my design (I guess this is the kind of comment that one might regret in the future?!) So, if I make her (beautiful Anglo-Saxon habit of talking about boats as if they were women!) fatter (I just ruined it!!), will she be more stable? Or this is achieved mainly by the weight of the ballast? Too many questions. I just downloaded “Elements of Yacht Design” by Norman Skene (not under copyright anymore) and bought a couple more books, so hope to be better instructed in a few months.  

Jammer Six Previous Member

Avoid appendages on the keel. They kill the ability to point.  

Something I've noticed quite a bit as these keelboats scale down, is that they get wider relative to the length as you get smaller. If you made a scale model of the J class that was 18 feet long, it would be somewhere about 2.5 feet wide. Instead, the small boats around that size are running more along the lines of 3.5 to 4.5 feet wide. On the smaller boats, more of the stability comes from moving the crew, and the wideness of the boat itself instead of the weight of the keel. I don't think you should have too much trouble with a bit of a larger boat. There's a fellow that lives near me that has a SeaCrown 25, it's a beautiful boat with a big drop keel, long and narrow, with generous overhangs. He always does everything solo with just a dog to keep him company. That boat probably weighs 1500 lbs easily, maybe more like 2000. An 18 footer will probably end up around 900 lbs, with probably 400 of that lead keel. The solution is simple for the bigger boats, make it so the cockpit floor is above the water line, then just have a drain pipe from the bottom of the cockpit out the bottom, so water runs out. Make sure the cabin hatches are closed if you are burying the rail. You've got to put the thing all the way over to 60 to 70 degrees before water starts coming in the cockpit, so I don't think it's that much to worry about unless you're sailing in 10 foot breaking waves and 50 knot winds.  

The Q Senior Member

I am involved with several classes with a lifting rudder. If you don't need to steer when the rudder is lifted then is just a box which is a little wider than the rudder , dropping into a slot in the hull. the slot being built like a dagger board case. However if you need to steer with the rudder partly lifted then you need to build the box in a triangle shape so that when partially lifted the rudder can still turn 45 degrees each way. and of course the hull opening has to be a similar triangle shape.  

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The Q said: ↑ I am involved with several classes with a lifting rudder. If you don't need to steer when the rudder is lifted then is just a box which is a little wider than the rudder , dropping into a slot in the hull. the slot being built like a dagger board case. However if you need to steer with the rudder partly lifted then you need to build the box in a triangle shape so that when partially lifted the rudder can still turn 45 degrees each way. and of course the hull opening has to be a similar triangle shape. Click to expand...

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