| THE J/30 |
| The J/30 | J-Boats History | J-Boat Models |
The J/24's initial success encouraged Rod and Bob Johnstone, the founders of J Boats, Inc., to
expand their market and produce a larger boat that, while still maintaining a racing pedigree,
would be marketed to sailors who also wanted the ability to cruise their boat.
Says Bob, "Distinct from the J/24, the new boat would be primarily focused at the cruising market
while carrying forward some of the J/24 features, such as fractional rig and performance oriented
design...At that point, we were interacting with our potential buyers and the J/30 came about
because enough people said they liked the concept of the J/24 and its performance, but they
wanted a larger boat, one big enough to take the family cruising for a month..." (J/Boats: Sailing
to Success, Anthony Dalton)
In late 1977, Rod Johnstone began working on the design for the J/30. He created a boat that,
while clearly inspired by the J/24, had standing headroom, a functional galley, and the ability to
comfortably sleep six adults. However, it also has a large, open cockpit suitable for racing, a large
#1 (the class legal #1 is a 163% genoa), balsa-cored construction in both the hull and deck, and
a large, transom-hung rudder. While comfortable, the boat is also fast: the PHRF rating for a One
Design configured J/30 is 138. Also, there are a number of J/30 fleets around the country, an
active class association, and an annual championship regatta.
In early 1979, the first J/30 was launched. Called Warwhoop, it competed in the 1979 Southern
Ocean Racing Conference. It's first real test was a heavy weather St. Petersburg-Ft. Lauderdale
race; it was a 470 mile trial by fire and Warwhoop took first in its class.
The J/30 was another hit for the young company. Out of 580 boats built between 1979 and 1986,
nearly 300 were sold before the end of 1981. The early '80's recession slowed sales and, along
with the rest of the sailboat industry, J-Boats was feeling the pinch. Many companies whose boats
were household names within the sailing community, Pearson, Cal, O'Day, Ranger and many
others, permanently closed their doors.
Responding to the market realities, the Johnstones designed the J/29 in late 1982. The J/29 is
essentially a J/30 with a lower free board, a much more flush deck, and a variety of rig and motor
choices. It is almost purely a race boat. It was also very attractive in a squeezed economy, priced
at about $17,000, compared to more than $35,000 for the J/30. (To learn more about J-Boats,
Inc.'s history, click here)
At the time, some J/30 owners thought the J/29 and its aggressive pricing spelled the end for the
J/30. In fact, it proved catalytic; as the J/29's affordable price and other qualities attracted
potential buyers to dealers, a number of buyers chose to upgrade to the much more comfortably
appointed J/30.
When production ceased in 1986, 580 hulls had been built and it was one of the most popular US
one design classes over 24 feet.
BUYING A J/30
If you're in the market for a J/30, then good luck and congratulations! They are fantastic boats.
However, there are some things to be aware of. Like any boat, they do have potential
weaknesses. Many common deficiencies are minor and easily repaired. Some are a greater
concern.
The boat's light but rigid construction comes from its balsa core. A balsa (or other similar material,
like some foams) cored deck or hull gives a laminate greater rigidity and less weight than a solid
glass structure. There are two skins, a thicker outer skin and a thinner inner skin, between which
end-grain balsa sheets are laminated. See the diagram below:
If the core material becomes saturated, the balsa will rot, causing the strength of the structure to
become compromised. The cost and difficulty of a repair depends on the size of the area. It is
certainly a project within the realm of a competent DIY'er (I've done the job several times on a
number of boats), but it is not a task to be undertaken lightly.
Another issue is blisters. It is a common one for boats of this vintage. There are many resources
online regarding blisters, so I won't dwell on them here, but they are something to be aware of
when surveying any boat of this age.
Here are some other areas to check:
- Bulkheads (check for rot and for proper tabbing to the hull)
- Ports for proper bedding (the ports rest in molded recesses. Tap each port to see if there is
movement)
- Chainplates for proper bedding
- The transom area core - particularly around the exhaust port (a common area for core
saturation)
- Stress cracks around the lifeline stanchions (may indicate a need for better backing)
- Check the engine beds for signs of stress cracking (if evident, they will need reinforcing and
perhaps new motor mounts)
The price range for a J/30 is broad and depends, of course, on its condition. Most go for between
$15,000 and $30,000. There are exceptions of course for boats that are exceptionally nice or
exceptionally poor.
A boat approaching $30,000 should be immaculate inside and out, with updated hardware and
rigging and an excellent sail inventory. A boat for $15,000 will likely have some cosmetic defects,
perhaps a few areas of compromised core and will almost certainly need a bottom job. A lower
priced boat is unlikely to have an up to date sail inventory.
SAILING A J/30
The J/30 is a lot of fun to sail. It has a large main, relatively small foretriangle, and an easy to fly
fractional spinnaker. As the main makes up such a large portion of the sailplan, how it's trimmed
has a significant influence on the performance of the boat. In fact, the J/30 sails quite well with
just the main up - which is nice for close quarters manuevering under sail or simply a relaxing
evening cruise. On a recent evening sail we had dinner in the cockpit with four people. With just
the main up, the boat was very easy to control - and we were sailing at up to 7.5 knots.
A potential negative of the large main is that the boat does have a fair amount of weather helm.
This is lessened by flattening the main, easing the main in the puffs and, if you're racing, by
having enough meat on the weather rail to keep the boat flat.
The J/30 Class Association rules (click here to see the 2005 Class Rules in .pdf format) call for
three jibs: a 163% #1, a 140% #2, and a 105% #3. The #1 can normally be carried to 18 - 20
knots, which is when most boats consider reducing sail area. The J/30 prefers to have the jib
changed rather than reefing the main. Although it pays to flatten the main, reefing should be
done (under race conditions) only after finding the #3 and full main to be overpowering. Many
boats will go straight from the #1 to the #3, finding the transition to the largish #2 to be an
insufficient reduction in sail area.
The spinnaker on a J/30 is not large (some would say it's undersized). It is a fractional rig chute
and the class legal pole is J+1 (12.5 ft). There's nothing exceptionally different about flying a
spinnaker from a J/30. Most boats will douse into the companionway, but some douse and launch
from the forward hatch, and some even launch from the companionway like a J/22.
One thing you'll hear consistently about a J/30 is that they need to be flat to be fast. This is true
and a crew of seven is a normal racing contingent. The J/30 is also sensitive to people moving
around on deck. So, keep your crew on the rail and hiking. When you're preparing to launch the
spinnaker, have the foredeck crew do as much as he can from the rail. For example, have him
slide the pole back and attach the guy while he's sitting on the rail. Also, keep the weight out of
the ends of the boat. The helmsman should be no farther back than just behind the primary winch
and as high as possible.
Active Owners
One of the best things about the J/30 is the active national and local class associations. There
are numerous active one design fleets around the country and there is an annual Nationals
Regatta. This year the NA's will be held in Annapolis, MD from September 28th through the 30th.
A great resource is the J/30 forum on the Class Association site (link here). Other sources of
information on the J/30 can be found by browsing through the Class Association website or by
visiting my links page.
J/30 Specs:
expand their market and produce a larger boat that, while still maintaining a racing pedigree,
would be marketed to sailors who also wanted the ability to cruise their boat.
Says Bob, "Distinct from the J/24, the new boat would be primarily focused at the cruising market
while carrying forward some of the J/24 features, such as fractional rig and performance oriented
design...At that point, we were interacting with our potential buyers and the J/30 came about
because enough people said they liked the concept of the J/24 and its performance, but they
wanted a larger boat, one big enough to take the family cruising for a month..." (J/Boats: Sailing
to Success, Anthony Dalton)
In late 1977, Rod Johnstone began working on the design for the J/30. He created a boat that,
while clearly inspired by the J/24, had standing headroom, a functional galley, and the ability to
comfortably sleep six adults. However, it also has a large, open cockpit suitable for racing, a large
#1 (the class legal #1 is a 163% genoa), balsa-cored construction in both the hull and deck, and
a large, transom-hung rudder. While comfortable, the boat is also fast: the PHRF rating for a One
Design configured J/30 is 138. Also, there are a number of J/30 fleets around the country, an
active class association, and an annual championship regatta.
In early 1979, the first J/30 was launched. Called Warwhoop, it competed in the 1979 Southern
Ocean Racing Conference. It's first real test was a heavy weather St. Petersburg-Ft. Lauderdale
race; it was a 470 mile trial by fire and Warwhoop took first in its class.
The J/30 was another hit for the young company. Out of 580 boats built between 1979 and 1986,
nearly 300 were sold before the end of 1981. The early '80's recession slowed sales and, along
with the rest of the sailboat industry, J-Boats was feeling the pinch. Many companies whose boats
were household names within the sailing community, Pearson, Cal, O'Day, Ranger and many
others, permanently closed their doors.
Responding to the market realities, the Johnstones designed the J/29 in late 1982. The J/29 is
essentially a J/30 with a lower free board, a much more flush deck, and a variety of rig and motor
choices. It is almost purely a race boat. It was also very attractive in a squeezed economy, priced
at about $17,000, compared to more than $35,000 for the J/30. (To learn more about J-Boats,
Inc.'s history, click here)
At the time, some J/30 owners thought the J/29 and its aggressive pricing spelled the end for the
J/30. In fact, it proved catalytic; as the J/29's affordable price and other qualities attracted
potential buyers to dealers, a number of buyers chose to upgrade to the much more comfortably
appointed J/30.
When production ceased in 1986, 580 hulls had been built and it was one of the most popular US
one design classes over 24 feet.
BUYING A J/30
If you're in the market for a J/30, then good luck and congratulations! They are fantastic boats.
However, there are some things to be aware of. Like any boat, they do have potential
weaknesses. Many common deficiencies are minor and easily repaired. Some are a greater
concern.
The boat's light but rigid construction comes from its balsa core. A balsa (or other similar material,
like some foams) cored deck or hull gives a laminate greater rigidity and less weight than a solid
glass structure. There are two skins, a thicker outer skin and a thinner inner skin, between which
end-grain balsa sheets are laminated. See the diagram below:
If the core material becomes saturated, the balsa will rot, causing the strength of the structure to
become compromised. The cost and difficulty of a repair depends on the size of the area. It is
certainly a project within the realm of a competent DIY'er (I've done the job several times on a
number of boats), but it is not a task to be undertaken lightly.
Another issue is blisters. It is a common one for boats of this vintage. There are many resources
online regarding blisters, so I won't dwell on them here, but they are something to be aware of
when surveying any boat of this age.
Here are some other areas to check:
- Bulkheads (check for rot and for proper tabbing to the hull)
- Ports for proper bedding (the ports rest in molded recesses. Tap each port to see if there is
movement)
- Chainplates for proper bedding
- The transom area core - particularly around the exhaust port (a common area for core
saturation)
- Stress cracks around the lifeline stanchions (may indicate a need for better backing)
- Check the engine beds for signs of stress cracking (if evident, they will need reinforcing and
perhaps new motor mounts)
The price range for a J/30 is broad and depends, of course, on its condition. Most go for between
$15,000 and $30,000. There are exceptions of course for boats that are exceptionally nice or
exceptionally poor.
A boat approaching $30,000 should be immaculate inside and out, with updated hardware and
rigging and an excellent sail inventory. A boat for $15,000 will likely have some cosmetic defects,
perhaps a few areas of compromised core and will almost certainly need a bottom job. A lower
priced boat is unlikely to have an up to date sail inventory.
SAILING A J/30
The J/30 is a lot of fun to sail. It has a large main, relatively small foretriangle, and an easy to fly
fractional spinnaker. As the main makes up such a large portion of the sailplan, how it's trimmed
has a significant influence on the performance of the boat. In fact, the J/30 sails quite well with
just the main up - which is nice for close quarters manuevering under sail or simply a relaxing
evening cruise. On a recent evening sail we had dinner in the cockpit with four people. With just
the main up, the boat was very easy to control - and we were sailing at up to 7.5 knots.
A potential negative of the large main is that the boat does have a fair amount of weather helm.
This is lessened by flattening the main, easing the main in the puffs and, if you're racing, by
having enough meat on the weather rail to keep the boat flat.
The J/30 Class Association rules (click here to see the 2005 Class Rules in .pdf format) call for
three jibs: a 163% #1, a 140% #2, and a 105% #3. The #1 can normally be carried to 18 - 20
knots, which is when most boats consider reducing sail area. The J/30 prefers to have the jib
changed rather than reefing the main. Although it pays to flatten the main, reefing should be
done (under race conditions) only after finding the #3 and full main to be overpowering. Many
boats will go straight from the #1 to the #3, finding the transition to the largish #2 to be an
insufficient reduction in sail area.
The spinnaker on a J/30 is not large (some would say it's undersized). It is a fractional rig chute
and the class legal pole is J+1 (12.5 ft). There's nothing exceptionally different about flying a
spinnaker from a J/30. Most boats will douse into the companionway, but some douse and launch
from the forward hatch, and some even launch from the companionway like a J/22.
One thing you'll hear consistently about a J/30 is that they need to be flat to be fast. This is true
and a crew of seven is a normal racing contingent. The J/30 is also sensitive to people moving
around on deck. So, keep your crew on the rail and hiking. When you're preparing to launch the
spinnaker, have the foredeck crew do as much as he can from the rail. For example, have him
slide the pole back and attach the guy while he's sitting on the rail. Also, keep the weight out of
the ends of the boat. The helmsman should be no farther back than just behind the primary winch
and as high as possible.
Active Owners
One of the best things about the J/30 is the active national and local class associations. There
are numerous active one design fleets around the country and there is an annual Nationals
Regatta. This year the NA's will be held in Annapolis, MD from September 28th through the 30th.
A great resource is the J/30 forum on the Class Association site (link here). Other sources of
information on the J/30 can be found by browsing through the Class Association website or by
visiting my links page.
J/30 Specs:
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