J109. Nice to sail something different.

[DJE]

On my current visit to old haunts I was lucky enough to be invited out for the day on a friend's boat. Last time I was here he had a Contessa 32, the new boat is a J109. I know they're fast and close winded but to see it for yourself from the wheel is very impressive.
In about 10 to 12 knots of true wind we were doing 6 knots or more on a beat and pointing unbelievably high. I asked if the true wind angle of 30ish degrees was real so we checked the headings in and out of the tacks. She was tacking through 65 degrees!
Downwind after lunch with a big kite up she was making 8 knots in the same 10 or 12 knots of true wind. But both upwind and downwind if you didn't have your wits about you it was very easy to be overpowered and find the wheel up against the stop and the boat rounding up uncontrollably. Nothing serious in the light conditions but a reminder that this boat isn't going to look after herself for long.
All in all just about the perfect daysail in my book and many thanks to Nick, if he's reading this, for the invite.

 

[dt4134]

IMHO the J109 is one of the best cruiser racers around, in that they really seem to have got the balance between the two roles right. However they are ridiculously overpriced.

I'd doubt the 65 degrees through the true wind though. Was there maybe a windshift that made the figures look better. I've been on a boat that can do that but she'd climb above a J109 the way a J109 would climb above a bilge keeler. It's reflected in her IRC handicap though which is far above a J109's.

 

[flaming]

IMHO the J109 is one of the best cruiser racers around, in that they really seem to have got the balance between the two roles right. However they are ridiculously overpriced.

I'd doubt the 65 degrees through the true wind though. Was there maybe a windshift that made the figures look better. I've been on a boat that can do that but she'd climb above a J109 the way a J109 would climb above a bilge keeler. It's reflected in her IRC handicap though which is far above a J109's.

Indeed, 65 degrees is not right. I race against 109s week in week out. If they could tack through 65 degrees I'd have a real issue! We tack through about 80, and we deem ourselves to have underperformed if a 109 passes us to windward.

 

[DJE]

I ought to know better than to post numbers on here by now! It was a relaxed day sail and there was a lot of talk about pointing high so we were probably pinching and seeing the numbers we wanted to see.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

For my sons 21st birthday present a few years ago, my daughter and I chartered a J109 for a long weekend and we had one of the most enjoyable weekends cruising in The Solent.
In winds that only reached F3-4 we seemed to pass most everything.
We did have one minor mishap one evening in light airs when said son got cocooned to the forestay by the spinnaker.
My daughter and I were falling about laughing so much we were helpless to assist for ages as the cries for help became more and more angry.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Sounds great fun. But they're still encumbered by the keel. Lose the lead, and really take off. Piccy taken on Sunday off PeelyWeely. Single handed. White sails only. 15 knots true wind. Wheeeee......

...she was making 8 knots...

 

[DJE]

Sounds great fun. But they're still encumbered by the keel. Lose the lead, and really take off. Piccy taken on Sunday off PeelyWeely. Single handed. White sails only. 15 knots true wind. Wheeeee......

That's just three boats doing 6.2 knots each in close formation!