J 111 Review

Now that the Honcho is up for sale, were beginning to look for another boat and another adventure. Ive always liked J Boats, so I couldnt wait to see the new J/111, which we thought might be a fun high performance cruiser that would suit our needs. Well, after checking one out, we decided to keep looking because its not quite big enough for the voyages we are contemplating. But that doesnt mean its not a great boat. In fact, I think its one of the better boats J Boats has produced.

J/111 Outboard Profile

The J/111 is, in my opinion, a continuation of the J/35 theme...A fast, seaworthy boat that is offshore capable, but is most comfortable as a racer that a couple could easily spend a week at the island aboard. This is a type that J Boats excels at, so I though it would be fun to do a review of this design. A few years ago I spent some time cruising aboard a similar boat, an Aerodyne 38  called "Matador" and really enjoyed sailing across the southern reach of the Sea of Cortez from Cabo to Mazatlan aboard her. In 2003 we won our class in the Newport - Ensenada race in the same boat. Ill add some photos of both boats for your viewing pleasure, and Ill take this opportunity to credit Yachtworld.com for all of photos of both boats. I also encourage you to visit www.rodgermartindesign.com if youre interested in learning more about the A/38.

J/111

The J/111 reflects the state of the art in boats of this genre. With its plumb bow, long waterline, near vertical transom and bulb keel, the hull looks fast and its PHRF base rating of 42 looks about right to me. Interestingly, the Aerodyne 38 rates the same.

Aerodyne 38

Both boats have a deep bulb keel with a vertical leading edge and the all-important kelp cutter. This keel shape is one I have used in my own designs and it really is more efficient than, say, the keel on the Honcho.

J/111 Keel
The Aerodynes keel has a more torpedo-shaped bulb than this.

Both the J/111 and Aerodyne 38 have deep carbon fiber rudders and wheel steering. The wide sterns of these boats demand deep rudders to keep them from stalling when the boat is heeled at speed. Rudders on boats of this type are usually large relative to the keel as they not only steer the boat but help generate lift to weather as well.

I really like the aesthetics of both boats. The 111 looks more modern but that is to be expected. The cockpits are large and incorporate seating forward and wide open space aft. This is efficient for racing, but makes for a surprisingly friendly place to be if youre cruising, provided that the seats are long enough for an occasional snooze.

J/111 accommodations

Going below, the basic layout of the J/111 looks lightweight and efficient for racing. For cruising it would be snug. Notice that the head and V-berth are in the same cabin space. Id remove the cushions and relegate the V-berth to storage only. The quarterberths might be big enough for two and the settees in the main cabin would make reasonably good sea-berths if they were fitted with lee cloths. The galley is small, but probably adequate for short cruises and fixing simple meals for a racing crew. I like the nav station. Its big and has plenty of storage space.

J/111 interior
Light and open spaces abound

Aerodyne 38 main cabin
Engine is under the sinks

The Aerodyne, by contrast is oriented more for offshore racing or cruising. The layout incorporates a head aft to port and large quarterberth to starboard. The galley has plenty of counter space, with the Yanmar engine under the double sinks. The forward cabin is spacious and has a berth big enough for two.

The sailplans of both boats are similar. Big main, non-overlapping jibs, asymmetrical spinnakers on retractable poles, carbon fiber mast. Whats not to like here?

Aerodyne 38
High speed cruising

J/111 Under sail
Sweet!

I have not yet had an opportunity to sail the J/111 so I can only speculate on how the boat handles, but it is similar enough to some of my own designs and to the Aerodyne 38, which I have sailed, to expect that it will be very quick, with a light helm and fast acceleration out of tacks. The deep, high aspect ratio keel and fine bow combined with the lightweight and efficient sailplan will make it fast upwind. The high sail area/displacement ratio means it will be quick to heel in puffs and will require close attention to sail trim in windy conditions, but it will reward you with high speeds downwind. Overall, an exciting boat to sail. I can say the same for the Aerodyne, athough it will be a slightly more comfortable ride. My guess is that the J/111 will be slightly quicker in light air buoy racing and downwind racing. The Aerodyne would likely be a better choice for the longer downwind races like the Transpac.

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J 130

Over the last several months I have had the opportunity to see a wide variety of boats that people are  cruising aboard and one of the nicest, to my eye is the J/130. I like it because it is a very good looking boat with excellent performance and pretty good accommodations. It also is well built, using technology that you would find in many racing yachts. Of course this type of boat is not every cruisers dreamboat since it is rare to see a J/130 actually on a long distance cruise. There are a lot more Island Packets and boats of that type out cruising than truly high performance yachts like the J/130. I recommend you visit the J-Boats web site at http://www.jboats.com/j130/html/j130photo.htm  or Yachtworld.com for more detailed information, but here are some basic dimensions and ratios:

Length overall: 42.7
Beam: 12.8
Draft: 8.5 or 6.9
Displacement: 15,000 pounds
Sail area: 955 sq ft
Disp/Length: 120
Sail area/disp: 25

Notice the two ratios, Disp/Length and Sail area/disp. The first indicates the displacement of the boat relative to its length and is useful for comparing different boats. The higher the number, the heavier the boat is relative to its length. The typical cruising boat we see here in Mexico has a D/L well over 200. By comparison, a D/L of 120 is a borderline Ultralight, or ULDB, and boats with this number are invariably high performance boats. The SA/D is an indicator of the size of the sailplan relative to the boats displacement. The typical cruising boat has a SA/D in the range of 12 to 18. Racing yachts generally have an SA/D of 20 and up. So, clearly, the J/130 could be described as a lightweight sportscar with a big engine. That translates into good light air performance and high speeds in heavy air. The question is whether that makes it a good cruising boat.

The J/130s hull is clearly designed for speed. Thats a good thing because nearly everyone wants to make fast passages. But cruisers also want comfort and heavier boats have a more comfortable motion than lighter weight boats both at anchor and under way. The rather low freeboard of this hull certainly looks sleek, and makes boarding a bit easier, but the trade-off is less room below and a bit more water on deck, especially headed upwind. The boats deep keel will keep it on its feet, but will also limit access to areas where shallower draft boats can go. I think six to seven feet of draft is about the maximum that is convenient. Im not saying that 8.5 is unacceptable, youll just have to be more selective about where you go in a boat with that much draft.

I like boats with good light air performance and the J/130s rig has all the horsepower needed to make the boat go in the light stuff. Conditions here in Mexico are often light, and its a nice feeling to be able to sail when the other cruising boats are wallowing.  Of course there is a downside to the Js powerful rig. The mainsail is quite big and would be a handful for a shorthanded crew. Also, youll be shifting gears more with a light boat, reefing the main and changing jibs more frequently. People say you can partially roll up the jib if its on a furler, but partially furled jibs dont set well. If I were cruising aboard this boat Id set it up with a 110% jib on the furler and accept the compromise in light air performance.

Cruising is really about living aboard and while there are many 42 footers that have a lot more living space below, I think the J/130s accommodations are pretty good, if relatively Spartan, for a couple with an occasional one or two guests aboard. Notice in the accommodations plan that the area forward of the main bulkhead is devoted to a large owners stateroom with plenty of storage space and a semi-private head. The head is accessible from the main cabin, but that access looks iffy to me, as you have to work your way around the large dropleaf table to get to it. The galley is smallish but adequate. Id prefer not to have the stove up against the bulkhead as it makes cooking a bit more difficult. Aft of the galley is a small cabin which would be converted to a storage room by most who would cruise this boat. Opposite the galley is a nav station. The drawings show it with the seat facing forward but the photos I found on Yachtworld show it facing outboard. Id prefer the forward facing arrangement but it looks like lack of space could have played a part in the decision to make the change. Aft of the nav station is a private quarter cabin with what looks like a good sized double berth.

Tankage and stowage space are issues that long term cruisers would have to come to terms with. A watermaker and an extra fuel bladder would make life aboard more pleasant. But I like that trade-off in exchange for better performance and the clean good looks of the boat.

Spartan but adequate accommodations.  This and the deckplan below were taken from the J-Boats website.

I think the deck layout of the J/130 is nearly ideal for a performance cruising boat. Side decks are wide, the cabin trunk is low and unobtrusive, and the cockpit is big enough for spending a lot of time in, which is what cruisers do. The lack of an anchor locker in the bow would be problematic and Id put one in if I owned this boat. Another essential item is a swim platform aft. I like step-thru transoms but the arrangement here offers lots of space on the transom and still provides a good sized lazarette.




Overall, this boat has a lot to offer the cruising yachtsman who places high priority on performance. It would make a great boat for shorter term cruises, but I know of at least one J/130 whose owners  have been cruising aboard for quite a long time and are very happy with their boat.

J/130 anchored in Bahia de los Muertos

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