J Boats as cruisers

My J-109 was bought fitted out for cruising with anchor winch sprayhood etc all of which went when we started racing her. Most are raced but i know of three that cruise - they're expensive for what they are and guess you'll pick up a better cruiser for the money in the UK.
Haven't seen the state of any US ones so cant comment.
If youre interested contact Paul Hayes at Key Yachting in Hamble and he'll fill you in
 
zarathustra said:
I see a few J-Boats for sale in USA, 30 - 40fters at what appear very low prices for what are advertised as cruisers. Can anyone tell me about these boats, are they only for racing, or are cruisers also, and why the low prices? Are a few from the mid 1980's for less than 20k. Are they suited to rough conditions etc.

http://uk.yachtworld.com/boats/1985/J-Boats-J-41-2160693/United-States
Click to expand...

I expect that is cheap because it is 25 years old, worn out and the engine doesn't work (as noted in the spec). Such boats will have little value there and probably less here - not that you would find it easy to import as it would not meet the RCD requirement.
 
I note that there are no interior shots - why? Also, small windows in coachroof, so a bit of a cave down below. Also, no anchor roller, so probably never before used for cruising. Also small tanks for a big boat. May well go best with a bunch of lads on the weather rail.
 
thanks for replies. to be fair there are interior photo's of another J41 which is quite bright, but I imagine headroom is limited. There is another one on yachtworld with an even more baffling asking price of 14k considering it claims to have nearly new rigging, sails and carbon mast!!! I would have thought the carbon mast alone for a boat this size would be pushing 10k!
Boats like this don't appear to have much of a future if they are no longer suited to racing and not attractive as cruisers.
 
Js...

I've spent a fair amount of time on 80's vintage J-30s and J-24s, and they are wonderful boats to sail for their age. They handle like a dream, point well, and are reasonably fast...actually rather fast with a decent set of sails.

But the interiors of ALL J boats, even their cruising variants, are very, very basic. Really plastic caravan-style.

And suited for rough conditions? Um, in a word, no. That's not to say they haven't been raced in rough conditions and done well, and probably even survived cruising in rough conditions. But it would be a lot of work...and as noted above, they really like weight on the rail.

Actually, as much as I love Js for pure sailing ability, they are probably one of the last boats I would consider as a blue-water, rough-weather cruising boat. Or if interior niceties are important at all. But there are many times on a good breezy day when I wished my Nicholson 32 sailed as fast or as high as a J-30...everything is a trade-off!
 
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