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Sailboat Reviews

The right boat at the right time, the J/24 has proven to be a wildly successful one-design racer.

The J/24 is one of those boats that happened along at just the right time, with the right marketing to a ready market. Some may wonder whether the tale of her success would make a better textbook or a better storybook. Either way, much of the marine industry has studied her story, and then flattered her with the praise of emulation. However, no imitation or variation of the J/24 has yet to achieve her popularity.

Since her humble beginnings in 1976 in the garage of an amateur designer, thousands of boats have been sold from factories in Rhode Island, California, Australia, Japan, Italy, England, France, Brazil and Argentina. All of the builders are licensed by a company called J-Boats to build the J/24 to strict one-design tolerances. J-Boats is owned and run by two brothers—Bob and Rod Johnstone (the J in J-Boats).

Bob is the marketing whiz and Rod is the designer. Conservative estimates put their total revenue from the J/24, after buying the boats from the builders and selling them to the dealers, at several million dollars. Not bad considering how it all began….

Ragtime was a 24′ inspiration evolved by Rod Johnstone and his family in their garage as a two-year weekend project. Rod was a salesman for a marine publication, and an avid racer with a successful background in high-performance one designs. He had undertaken, but never completed, the Westlawn home-study course in naval architecture (although he has since been awarded an honorary degree so the school could use his name in its advertisements). Ragtime was launched in 1976, and was an instant winner, taking 17 firsts in 19 starts in eastern Connecticut. People began asking for their own boats.

At this time, brother Bob, also a respected racer, was working in the marketing department of AMF Alcort (Sunfish, Paceship, etc.). When Alcort declined to produce the J/24, Bob quit and formed JBoats. Tillotson-Pearson, builder of the Etchells 22 and the Freedom line of boats, was more receptive and production began in 1977. The first J/24s were as fast as Ragtime , and dominated regattas like the 1977 MORC Internationals. Bob made sure that the favorable results were well publicized; more than 200 boats were sold that year, and nearly 1,000 the next.

It was a big hit for a number of reasons. She moved into a void, appealing to two groups of sailors who were ripe for her type of racing: those who had outgrown athletic small boats, yet still yearned for the competition of one-design racing, and those who wished to compete without the expense, hassles and uncertainties of handicap racing.

The J/24 is a one design’s one design. Like the Laser, Windsurfer, and Hobie Cat, she is proprietary-built under the supervision of one company. Unlike most proprietary one designs, sails are not provided by the J/24’s builder. This was a particularly astute move by the Johnstones as it involved sailmakers in the class. Sailmakers comprise many of the big names in racing; by getting them in the regatta results, the Johnstones added instant credibility to the J/24’s budding status as a “hot” class. By the midwinter championship in 1979, almost every boat in the top 15 finishers had a sailmaker on board.

The big advantage that proprietary one designs have over “independent” one designs (classes with competing builders) is the power of centralized, bigbucks promotion. J-Boats has organized and promoted regattas, and had a heavy hand in running the class association. J/24s got a lot of press, thanks to JBoats. Full color, multi-page advertisements appeared monthly in the slick sailing magazines. Promotion has been primary; money is no object. J/24s have been donated for several high visibility USYRU championships. Big discounts have been given for fleet purchases (sometimes to effectively crush interest in competing one designs).

With the help of British enthusiasts, the Johnstones were able to make the J/24 an IYRU (International Yacht Racing Union) recognized class. More international lobbying got the J/24 into the Pan American Games.

There are some disadvantages to proprietary one designs. First, the class is in a real bind if the builder goes bankrupt. Likewise if the builder should ever abuse his power by ignoring class administration or changing construction of the boat to suit economic demands. Although a proprietary builder faces competition from other types of boats, there is no competition building his boat. This can inflate the price, especially when there are three substantial markups in the pricing structure (builder, J-Boats, and the dealer).

Construction

The J/24 has the distinct advantage of having been produced in great numbers and been subjected to the rigors of hard racing. It’s safe to say that nearly everything that could have broken, has broken, and that the J/24 is now almost bulletproof. J-Boats has done a commendable job in correcting nearly all of the “bugs” in the J/24. However, if you are planning to purchase a boat several years old you should be watchful for some of the old bugs.

Boats built during the first two years of production had particular problems with leaking along the hull-to-deck joint, delamination of the main bulkhead, and the attachment of the keel to the hull. The hull-to-deck leak was due to failure of the silicone sealant in the joint.

The inward-turning hull flange is overlapped by the deck, which is bedded in sealant and through-bolted at close intervals through a teak toe rail. Now this joint is bedded with 3M 5200, a pliable strong adhesive, and leaks are infrequent. Fortunately, the internal side of the joint is exposed throughout the boat’s interior, so recaulking is not difficult.

Harder to rectify is the problem of delamination of the main bulkhead. J/24s are raced hard, often with substantial rig tension. The chainplates pierce the deck and are bolted to the main bulkhead. The plywood bulkhead is tabbed with fiberglass to the hull and deck. The mast is stepped through the deck and sits on an aluminum beam, which is also tabbed to the main bulkhead. Rig tension pulls upward on the bulkhead while mast compression pushes downward on the beam, resulting in tremendous shearing forces on the bulkhead and its tabbing.

On some of the older J/24s, the plywood has delaminated, letting the mast “sink” 1/4 inch or more. Owners of these boats have either returned them to the factory for replacement of the bulkhead, or ground off the delamination and reglassed the bulkhead themselves. The builder now uses a better grade of plywood and installs screws to reinforce the bulkhead tabbing. As an added precaution, the boat owner may wish to bolt the mast-bearing beam to the bulkhead with an angle-iron.

The third problem with some of the older J/24s is the keel-to-hull attachment. The builder used to fill the keel sump with a vermiculite mixture of resin and plant fiber. The keel bolts were fastened through the vermiculite which, when saturated with water, is less rigid than solid laminations of fiberglass. After several years of sailing, or a hard grounding, the keel bolts would begin to work, and the keel would loosen enough to be able to be wobbled by hand with the boat suspended from a hoist. The first sign of this problem is the appearance of a crack along the keel stub. Tightening of the keel bolts, which are quality stainless steel, is a simple but temporary fix. What is needed is a backing plate for the bolts, bedded on top of the vermiculite.

There was a variety of other problems with early J/24s: The mast has three internal halyards; two jib halyards exit below the headstay with the spinnaker halyard above. On the older boats, a large square hole was cut in the mast to accommodate the sheaves, leaving an open, poorly supported space adjacent to the spinnaker sheave. This is sometimes the source of mast cracks; the fix is to weld a plate over it.

In January of 1980, the J/24 got much-improved companionway and forward hatches. The hatches on older boats were molded of thin fiberglass, and had a tendency to leak and fracture under the weight of heavy crew members. The new forward hatches are lexan, and the companionway hatch is now much heavier with a lower profile.

The J/24’s rudder is heavy and strong. The builder claims you can hang a 900 pound keel from the rudder tip without breaking it. Although the J/24’s rudder pintles appear more than adequate, after several years of use they have been known to develop corrosion cracks where the pintle is welded to its strap. In 1981, the builder began equipping J/24s with weldless pintles; the builder also offers the new system as a replacement for old boats.

The starboard chainplate bolts through both the bulkhead and the hull liner. The port chainplate bolts through only the bulkhead. After the first two years of production, the port bulkhead was reinforced with fiberglass in the chainplate area. On earlier boats, a backing plate should be added to prevent the chainplate bolts from elongating their holes.

The hull and deck of the J/24 are cored with balsa, which makes them stiff, light, quiet and relatively condensation-free. We have heard of occasional delaminations resulting from trailering with improperly adjusted poppets. The Kenyon mast section is the same as that used on the Etchells 22, a bigger boat. It is more than adequate for any strength of wind.

The J/24 does not have positive flotation, and she has been known to capsize in severe conditions. This is usually not a problem as she floats on her side with the companionway well out of the water. However, should the leeward cockpit locker fall open, water can rush below, filling the cabin and causing her to sink. While fastening the lockers in heavy weather prevents the problem, the manufacturer began to seal off the lockers from the cabin with an additional bulkhead several years ago, as a safety measure.

Of the 2,500 J/24s sold in the US, nearly 2,000 of them have been built by Tillotson-Pearson in Rhode Island. The others were built by Performance Sailcraft in San Francisco, which is now defunct. New boats are now shipped cross country. Top west coast sailors tell us they favor the east coast built boats, claiming the keels and rudders on the west coast built boats are too thick to be competitive. The west coast keels are thick because they are covered with injection-molded gelcoat. Tillotson-Pearson fairs the keels with auto body putty.

Handling Under Sail

The J/24’s PHRF rating ranges from 165 to 174, depending on the handicapper. She rates as fast as or faster than a C&C 30, Santana 30, or Pearson 30. One must remember that, because the J/24 has attracted competent owners, her PHRF rating is probably somewhat inflated. While the J/24 is an excellent training boat because she is so responsive, a beginning racer may have an especially hard time making her perform to her PHRF rating.

Aside from her speed, the J/24’s greatest asset is her maneuverability. With her stern hung rudder she can be turned in her own length, sculled out to a mooring in light air, and brought to a screeching halt by jamming the rudder over 90 degrees.

The J/24 has a narrow “groove;” it takes a lot of concentration to keep her going at top speed. She is sensitive to backstay trim, sheet tension, weight placement and lower shroud tension. The lower shrouds act like running backstays, because they are anchored aft of the mast. They must be loosened in light air to create some headstay sag, and then tightened in heavy air to straighten the mast, making backstay tension more effective in removing the sag.

Sheet tension is also critical. Top crews rarely cleat the genoa sheets, having one crewmember hold the tail while hiking from the rail. Some of the best sailors even lead the jib to the weather winch so the sail can be trimmed without sending crew weight to leeward.

The class rules allow you to race with a mainsail, a 150% genoa, a working jib and a single spinnaker. This makes sail selection simple and the inventory affordable (about $2,600 total). However, the one genoa must carry the boat all the way from a flat calm up to 20 knots or more. To be competitive in light air, the genoa must be full; yet to hold the boat level with this full genoa in a strong breeze, you need a lot of crew weight. Most of the top crews are now sailing with five people on board for a total crew weight of 800 to 900 pounds. The J/24 is a small boat, and the additional fifth crew member really makes the boat cramped. Add to this the increasing trend of some skippers making the crew sit in the cabin on the leeward bunk in light air, and you have a boat which can be less than fun to crew on.

There are two worthwhile improvements that can help a J/24’s performance. To decrease the boat’s slight tendency toward a lee helm in light air, the mast should be cut to minimum length allowed in the class rules, and the headstay should be lengthened to the maximum allowed to give the mast more rake. The other improvement is fairing the keel to minimum dimensions. The keel is much thicker than is necessary for optimum performance. It comes relatively fair from the builder, but most owners will want to grind off the builder’s auto-body filler and sharpen the trailing edge. On some of the older boats, the trailing edge is twice the minimum thickness.

Some racers go so far as to spend $500-$1,000 to have the keel professionally faired.

While all indications are that the builder has excellent quality control, there have been complaints that some of the spars provided by Kenyon in the last two years have come with the wrong length shrouds, or widely differing bend characteristics. One top sailor said he would never buy a used J/24 without first making sure that he could make the mast stand straight sideways with substantial shroud tension.

The J/24 is best suited for racing; there are many boats in her size range that are far more comfortable and practical for daysaiIing. However, the J/24 is a joy to sail under mainsail alone. Unlike most boats, she balances and sails upwind at a respectable speed, and her maneuverability gives her tremendous freedom in crowded harbors.

Handling Under Power

The J/24 is powered by an outboard engine; an inboard is not feasible or available. Class rules require that an outboard with a minimum of 3.5 hp be carried while racing. Most owners opt for a 3.5-4 hp outboard. It provides adequate power and is as much weight as you want to be hefting over a transom. Although the cockpit locker is plenty big enough, most owners stow the outboard under a berth in the cabin to keep the weight out of the stern. This makes using the outboard inconvenient. The factory-supplied optional outboard bracket has a spring-loaded hinge to lift the engine for easy mounting; we recommend it. Because the outboard is likely to be stored in the cabin, a remote gas tank will keep fuel spillage and odor to a minimum.

Above Decks

The J/24 is very well laid out, yet she is still not a comfortable or easy boat to crew on. When she was first launched, sailors said her layout could be no better, and she was copied by manufacturers of competing boats. However, after years of racing, sailors have discovered several things that could be improved.

Cockpit winches are located just forward of the mainsheet traveler, which spans the middle of the cockpit. Many sailors have moved the winches forward, so the crewmember tacking the genoa can face forward instead of aft during a tack. It pays to check to see if relocated deck hardware was installed properly; one J/24 owner we know discovered that the previous owner had moved the winches, but hadn’t installed proper backing plates or filled the original holes correctly. As a result, seepage had occurred and several square feet of the balsa-cored deck above the quarterberth had become sodden and rotten.

The standard mainsheet cleat is attached to the traveler car so that, when you trim the sheet, you inadvertently pull the car to weather. Many sailors have solved this by mounting a fixed cleat with a swivel base at the center of the traveler bar.

On older boats the backstay was single-ended at the transom. Boats now come with a double-ended backstay led forward to the helmsman on each side of the cockpit. Foot blocks need to be mounted on the traveler to keep helmsmen from falling to leeward as the boat heels (you must steer from forward and well outboard of the traveler).

For those who plan to try cross-sheeting to the weather winch, leading the jib sheets through Harken ratchet blocks is advised. Most sailors will also want to mount barber haulers to pull the genoa sheet outboard in strong winds. Cam cleats for the barber haulers should be mounted on the companionway so they “self-cleat” when led to the weather winch.

Cabin-top winches for the halyards and spinnaker guys are optional and essential. Because the J/24 has single spinnaker sheets, most sailors mount “twings,” which pull the guy down to the deck outboard of the shrouds when reaching.

In the search for a cleaner deck, it is now common to mount the spinnaker halyard cleat on the mast. Most sailors use only one jib halyard. Although a second jib halyard is optional, it is necessary only for long distance handicap racing. On short one design courses it is better to struggle along overpowered than to place crew weight on the bow to change headsails. Instruments are also unnecessary in one design racing. There are more than enough boats on a one design race course to judge your speed without the help of a speedometer.

The J/24 comes equipped with a Headfoil II grooved headstay system, which works very smoothly. Early boats came with Stern Twinstays, which have occasionally failed when the bearings freeze up with age. Some sailors have exchanged the grooved headstay system for cloth snaps on their headsails (you seldom change sails anyway). We applaud this idea, as it makes the sails more manageable in severe weather.

Although the flat decks are well suited for racing, the cockpit is less than comfortable for daysailing. There are no seat backs and the boom is dangerously low. Visibility with the deck-sweeping 150% genoa is terrible, and is often the cause of nightmarish collisions on crowded race courses. Lower life lines are optional and recommended for those with children, but they interfere with fast tacks when racing. The boom is rigged with a 4-to-1 vang, which is swiveled on the more recent J/24s to be adjustable from either rail on a windy spinnaker reach. The boom is also rigged with reef lines which exit through stoppers at the gooseneck.

Top sailors have discovered that the boat always sails better without a reef, which is a good thing, because the stoppers are both difficult to operate and have a history of slipping.

The interior is simple and functional. On most boats it is used for little more than sail storage. However, for a couple who enjoys roughing it, it could make for occasional weekend cruising. The first thing you notic below is the lack of headroom. You can sit in comfort, but to move about you must crawl.

The interior is finished off in bare white gelcoat. Early boats had coarse, non-skid gelcoat on the overhead. While this may have been more attractive than smooth gelcoat, it really did a number on elbows and bald heads. It also tended to collect dirt and mildew. Earlier through-bolted deck fittings were capped with acorn nuts. Now the nuts lie flush with the overhead—less pain when bumped.

A molded hull liner is used to form the two quarter berths, the cabin sole, and two lockers and a galley just aft of the main bulkhead. One locker is deep enough to serve as a wet locker for foul weather gear; the other is best used to store the rudiments of a meal. The galley consists of a sink with a hand pump. A small, two burner stove could be mounted in the small, removable “table” forward of the port quarter berth. The icebox, a large portable cooler made by Igloo, has a piece of teak glued to it and doubles as a companionway step. After a season or two of jumping on the ice chest, the lid disintegrates.

The forward V-berth, although divided by the mast, is still large and comfortable enough for a couple. The boat does not come equipped with a head. To avoid the extra drag of a through-hull fitting, portable heads are often used. We would rather use a cedar bucket—there simply isn’t enough space in the cabin of a J/24 to cohabitate with a portable head. If you plan to seriously race, you won’t want to load the boat’s lockers with cruising equipment. If you do cruise, it will probably be out of a duffel bag.

J/24: How Trailerable?

The J/24 is not launchable from a boat ramp, unless the ramp is steep, paved or of hard sand, and you use a long extender between the tongue of the trailer and your trailer hitch. Her 3,100 pounds (fully loaded) require a big, 8-cylinder vehicle to tow her. She is easily launched from a 2-ton hoist which can attach to a strap on her keel bolts. However, the hatch slides just far enough forward to allow the hoisting cable to clear it, so the hatch tends to get chewed by the cable.

The J/24 was originally designed to sail at a displacement of 2,800 pounds. The class minimum was later increased to 3,100. The original single axle trailer provide as a factory option was barely adequate for the intended, 2,800 pound boat, and totally inadequate for a fully loaded boat. Tales abound of blown tires and broken trailer welds. The factory now offers both a single and double axle trailer; we recommend the double axle.

If you want to seriously race a J/24, trailering is a necessity. Local fleets grow and shrink each year with the whims of their members, but national and regional regattas continue to attract many participants. Make no mistake, however; trailering is expensive.

The owning and maintenance of a big car, the gas and tolls of trailering, and the housing of crew are not cheap.

Conclusions

The appeal of the J/24 is as a racer. If you plan to do anything else, she is not for you. Although the J/24 is relatively easy to sail, she is very difficult to sail well. To many people, she represents a chance to compete in the big leagues; by traveling to major regattas you can sail against some of the best sailors in the country. However, the big leagues are tough—if you like to race with a pick-up crew and a hangover you’d also better be satisfied with finishing last.

One appeal of the J/24 is that, unlike many big league boats, you can always come home and sail because the boat has so big a following. There are enough boats to race it one-design almost anywhere; and in a pinch, there is always handicap racing. As long as you don’t want to travel, the boat is inexpensive to maintain.

Despite our effort to highlight every flaw that has appeared throughout the J/24’s evolution, we’d like to emphasize that she is more hardy than most boats of her type. Few boats can take the punishment that a J/24 gets during a season of racing and come through with so few scars. No racing boat will appreciate; but the J/24 can keep her value.

The dream boat with the fairy tale success story has turned out, after all, to be a rugged winner in the real world.

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J24 Trailer Question

Thread starter TwistedVet
Start date Jul 22, 2014
Forums for All Owners
Ask All Sailors

We have a big fleet of J24s at our club. No one ramp launches them. You will have to get your trailer wheels in 5 feet of water before it floats. If the dolly wheel is big and strong enough, you might be able to roll it back on a towing strap if your ramp is long and smooth enough. Getting it launched will be hard, getting it back on the trailer, even harder. That trailer will have no keel guides because its so hard to ramp launch them. They are very quick boats for their size. A whole new league.

Sock Puppet

So you want to keep the Catalina in the slip and trailer sail the J24? I would strongly consider doing it the other way around depending on the keel configuration of the 22.

Thanks for the info Jackdaw...Sock Puppet, the plan was to sell the catalina and launch the J boat as needed to keep the hull out the water, but it looks like that probably won't be an option b/c there are few if any lift launches in the area.

Are you talking about launch once a year? You could modify the trailer slightly, add bunks on the pads and build a keel guide/stop. Also, make the spare swing down on a spindle. But that would still be a pain to launch. It really isn't a trailerable.

tommays said: I think your overlooking the whole 35' mast thing which while not the end of the world requires a deck mounted gin pole with 19 feet + of lift to handle the mast and a fair amount of time 1 hour up and 1 hour down If you fast Click to expand

Bad Obsession

If you are of a mind to get something trailerable and slightly faster, look at these: http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/31104 S2 7.9 They look like a lot of fun.

We have a club member with a J24. He does ramp launch it in the spring, and retrieve in the fall. It has something like a 25' extension. Same for a club member with a Santana 20. Park on ramp, chock wheels. Disconnect vehicle. Connect to extension (mounted alongside main tongue.) Pull out extension. Pin. Unchock. Back down the ramp. The J24 owner makes it look easy. Had some problems with the Santana 20 retrieving last year, but we got 'er dun. The J24 also has some form of crane that is used to step and unstep the mast.

Hey, why not get a Left Coast Dart with a lifting keel? There are quite a few lifting keel sport boats out there nowadays, right quick boats…

Brian S said: Hey, why not get a Left Coast Dart with a lifting keel? There are quite a few lifting keel sport boats out there nowadays, right quick boats… Click to expand

ramp launch a j24 Seems like a lot of work to me I suppose necessity is the mother of invention. There are a lot of J24`s in my harbor Im talking ocean water with an average 10 ft tide there is a ramp but I have never seen anyone launch a keel boat with anywhere near 4' draft there. Isnt there a crane available where you sail .

Jackdaw, all I can say is I wish boats weren't so damn expensive... We po' folk are always going to be waiting for the scraps of the rich folk to depreciate and get to affordable price for us on the used market... I like the idea of the LCD, but I don't like the "sit on" cockpit, I'd rather have a "sit in" cockpit. It would be fun to have an asym boat that screams around on plane, but such a boat wouldn't be very practical for 80% cruising, 20% racing... Every time I see an A shaped hull on plane on Sailing Anarchy, I have to remind myself there's no way to cruise such a beast...

Brian S said: Jackdaw, all I can say is I wish boats weren't so damn expensive... We po' folk are always going to be waiting for the scraps of the rich folk to depreciate and get to affordable price for us on the used market... I like the idea of the LCD, but I don't like the "sit on" cockpit, I'd rather have a "sit in" cockpit. It would be fun to have an asym boat that screams around on plane, but such a boat wouldn't be very practical for 80% cruising, 20% racing... Every time I see an A shaped hull on plane on Sailing Anarchy, I have to remind myself there's no way to cruise such a beast... Click to expand

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J24 SPEED GUIDE

J24 World Champion Will Welles answers your speed and boathandling questions.

After 40 years, what is the culture of the J24 class?

The J24 class has changed over the years since it was first launched in the late 1970s. It remains strong because with 5500 boats worldwide, it’s relatively inexpensive. You can fix up a 1978 boat and win the worlds if you put in the time, energy and a little money. There are fewer pros racing, and a lot of the competitors are people who have been in the class for a long time. Many grew up sailing with their family and friends in the boats and love nothing more than going to regattas together. For younger folks, it’s all about sailing with their buddies—a chance to head off on the road and experience the country and the world. Sailing with five has a bit different feel than classes with fewer in the crew. More people to manage makes it, a mini big-boat program.

J24 sails upwind fastest with minimal heel and crew weight concentrated.

Winning the world championship still means a lot in this class, and it’s remarkable how people come out of the woodwork to try to do that. At the club level, racing is as healthy as it’s been in some time. Certain areas are doing better than others, like any mature class. Portland, ME has lots of boats, none of them dry-sailed. In the U.S., there are a dozen strong fleets and lots of smaller fleets; for example, there’s a growing fleet in Indiana. Mexico and South America are pretty strong, although there has been some transition to J70s. Strong J24 countries in Europe include Italy, Germany, Sweden, Greece, Hungary, the UK, Ireland, and France. In Germany, a lot of boats are owned by clubs that fund youth teams.

What kind of sailors do best in the J24 class?

The J24 is unlike many other boats, so having some seat-of-the-pants ability is good; for example, there is no other boat on which you trim the main so hard and pinch, with a bubble in the genoa, when you are overpowered in flat water.

What are your top 3 tips for competing successfully in this class?

Buy a boat with the right keel shape, mast, and deck layout.

Maintain a good set of sails.

Assemble a team that’s committed to the same goals as you.

Who does what on the boat?

Back to front, the helm steers, trims the main, and plays the traveler and backstay. The helm also grinds the jib winch. The trimmer handles the genoa and often handles the spinnaker sheets. What we call the “tank commander” (middle position) is often the tactician; ideally this person is one of your heaviest team members, hiking at max beam. Their job includes handling the guy on a windy spinnaker set, feeding the spinnaker out on a light-air set, and taking down the spinnaker. The mast/twing person controls the twings and backs up the bow person on halyards, outhaul, main cunningham, and vang. The bow person skirts the genoa on tacks, handles the pole, and hoists the spinnaker and jib.

What is the ideal J24 crew size?

The crew-weight maximum on the J24 is 882 pounds (400 kilograms). You don’t have to sail exactly at max weight unless it’s a windy venue—you can often handle being 20 pounds lighter. The average crewmember weighs about 175 pounds. Ideally, your heaviest crew is amidships, but it’s not important for the bow person to be light. Both bow and trimmer need to be strong for heavy air. The J24 has a genoa that requires speed and strength on tacks—trimming on tacks is all about timing, but strength is important too. On some boats, the mast person helps jibe the pole.

The crew moves in concert to help turn or steer the boat, especially in waves.

New boats and used boats: what are my options in the J24?

The class currently has two builders, one in Italy and one in Argentina, and you can reach them through the class website .

Used boats, of course, are plentiful and the prices are modest. For a worlds-quality boat with trailer in the U.S., you’ll likely spend $10,000- to $12,000. A weapon might cost about twice that. If you want a fixer-upper, you can get into a boat for well under $10,000. More info here .

Things I would look for are a refined keel shape and faired bottom, a relatively new rudder, and a newer mast. Look at the deck hardware, and inspect both the chainplates/bulkhead and rudder gudgeon areas. If you buy a boat that’s been competing at a good level, you can expect that the spreader sweep, keel shape and position, and rudder angle will already be right.

How do you transport the J24?

Boats have dedicated trailers, which together with the boat weigh about 4500 pounds. The boat at all-up racing weight is 1330 kgs, or close to 3000 pounds. The trailer and trailer boxes add about 1500 pounds. Most used J24s have trailers; some are single-axle. Double axles are nicer for longer distances.

What's involved in rigging/derigging a J24?

If you’re well organized, two people in an hour can get the mast unpacked, stepped, tuned, and boat ready to launch. Derigging is similar, or even quicker. The boats are set up for a single-point lift through an inspection port on the seahood. Add a couple lines from the strap to each of the aft cleats and you’re set to launch.

What kind of inventory does North recommend?

We recommend a fathead main, currently our only mainsail design, and the most popular headsails we sell are the DX7TT genoa and FR2 spinnaker used by the winners at recent world championships. We have an option for a slightly flatter genoa, which might be chosen by a lake sailor, and we have a second spinnaker that is harder to trim but excels in windy, wavy conditions.

North also makes some nice covers—a full deck cover for storage in a drysail park or in your yard, and a full mast cover. We have a padded rudder cover for below-decks storage and a padded keel cover for trailering. We also offer a nice spinnaker launch bag that hangs in the companionway.

The standard deck layout is set up for cross sheeting of the genoa sheet; the helm can reach the winch handle when trim is needed.

What is the most important boat preparation project to address on the J24?

To quote the North Sails Tuning Guide , “Sails, deck layout, keel and rudder shape, and mast tuning all share equal importance. To be competitive in the J24, you must tackle all of these important factors.” Fortunately, as described above, if you buy a boat that’s been competing at a good level, most of these will be in good shape already. But don’t take it for granted. Read the Tuning Guide and see how your boat measures up.

What are the keys to tuning a J24 mast properly?

First thing, make sure your mast is at minimum legal height, and at maximum class J dimension, and the headstay is at maximum length. This combination helps rake the mast aft and eliminate lee helm. Next, make sure your spreader sweep is at 160 to 170 mm, measured from a straight line between the tips to the mast groove. Then make sure mast is centered in the boat and straight. From there, use the tuning matrix in the North Tuning Guide to set correct shroud tension.

J24 Upwind Sailing

There are two jibs on a j24. when do you switch from the genoa to the blade.

It seems to be the “macho thing” in some fleets to keep sailing with the genoa in higher winds. If I’m sailing at maximum weight, I will switch to the blade at 16 knots and above in flat water. In waves, you can’t go there until it’s blowing above 18. If you’re sailing really light, you may have to change headsails earlier.

Where does each person sit when sailing upwind?

In light air, we like “dogs in the house” (crew members sitting below). There is no rule against it, and it’s more comfortable down there. The bow person sits in the V berth in front of the mast, to leeward. The mast person sits just behind the mast on the sink or on the floor. The tactician and the trimmer might be below, as well. The trimmer often sits to leeward and sticks their head out once in a while, but the tactician will normally be the first person to look around to help the skipper place the boat where needed. The skipper sits forward of the traveler, to windward, for best visibility.

As the breeze builds, we gradually move each crew on deck until everyone is hiking. First to come out is the tactician, then the bow person, then mast. The trimmer is the first to move in and last to move out of the hole. Under 6 knots, we have everyone below; at 7 knots, people start to come up. At 10, everyone is fully hiked.

In flat water, one body hikes in front of the shrouds from 7-10 knots and everyone else packs up tight behind them. As the breeze and waves build, crews move behind the shrouds but stay close together. In heavy air and big waves, the trimmer sits just behind the stanchion and everyone else packs up against the forward side of it. At the helm, once everyone is hiking, I’ll start pulling on backstay. I straddle the traveler bracing on the footrests. My butt is outboard and my shoulders are pressed against the lifelines.

In light to moderate air, the main traveler is sheeted well to windward. The genoa foot and leech are trimmed within a few inches of the chainplates and spreader tip.

What is your primary focus when trimming the mainsail?

When sailing upwind, focus on the top leech telltale and how it’s flowing. Look at the next one down, too. You never want the second one stalled. When the keel is working and we’re fully hiked out, I’ll trim the main hard enough to stall the top telltale 50 percent of the time. When we’re losing speed or need more power, I’ll ease a little sheet so the top telltale is flowing 100 percent of the time, and once we’re back up to full speed I’ll trim harder. This amounts to a couple inches of mainsheet adjustment in 8- to 12 knots. In lighter air, the top telltale should be flowing 100 percent of the time and the traveler car should be all the way to windward, over the Delrin traveler end stop.

Tighten the backstay after the crew is fully hiked. When that’s not enough to keep the boat flat, drop the traveler down six inches. When you run out of backstay, shift to vang sheeting, which you can use up to as much wind as you’ll race in. Drop the traveler car down until it is one car width above the center of the traveler, have two crew pull on the vang as hard as possible so there’s a bow in the boom, and then adjust the traveler to keep the boat on its feet through the puffs.

What’s your focus when trimming the J24 genoa?

J24 genoa trim is measured by the distance between the leech and the spreader and the foot position relative to the leeward chainplate. We set the lead so both leech and foot touch at the same time, then ease the sheet as follows:

In light air, the leech should be 5 to 10 inches off the spreader until you’re up to speed, then trim to within 3 to 5 inches. In puffs and lulls, ease up to 8 inches off. Out of a tack, start at 18” and then trim as the boat gets up to speed. In medium air, the range is 2 to 6 inches off the spreader.

In breeze, you need to manage your angle of heel. Trim to within 2” of the spreader, but if it’s windy enough that you are vang sheeting and still heeling over in the puffs, ease the genoa sheet—you might be easing it out a foot in the puffs, then trimming it back in. In flat water you can feather and pinch, but in waves you have to ease more often. It’s all about reducing heel.

Switch to the blade jib when the wind is 16 to 18 knots and above. Trim the sheet until the leech telltale stalls, then ease enough to fly it 100 percent of the time. The middle of the sheave on the lead block should be even with the chainplate.

A good view of well-matched leeches in moderate air.

What are the key J24 gear changes to make when wind and sea state change?

Positioning your crew weight is huge in light to moderate conditions. Play the backstay in medium air. And in heavy air, it’s all about proper sheeting. With the genoa, you play the sheet a lot more and see the biggest speed differences. Learn to manage your angle of heel, and get comfortable with sailing the boat flat. Then you can win races.

Who is in the typical dialogue loop upwind and what's a typical conversation?

The more you sail the J24, the less you have to talk. I like minimal words but to be alerted to extremes, like “Nuker puff coming.” I also like hearing about the lulls and how long they’ll be—10 seconds or 30 seconds—so I know whether to just pop off the backstay or make a longer-term adjustment. For example, I may talk to the trimmer about easing the genoa and ask how our mode is with other boats—do we have good height, good forward speed? We always talk about “us.” Are we slower, faster, higher, lower? We usually leave boat placement calls to the tactician; we do our homework together between races, but then the tactician makes it happen.

When sailing upwind in breeze, the crew of five hikes hard. Christopher Howell photo

Are there special considerations or upwind conditions in the J24 a new sailor should know how to handle?

You have to learn to keep the boat flat by any means possible—crew weight, depowering, pinching, more backstay, more shroud tension.

J24 Downwind Sailing

Where does each crew member sit when sailing the j24 downwind.

In 4 or 5 knots of wind, we might have everyone below except the trimmer and helm. The bow uses the forward hatch. The mast person sits in the sink area, the tactician stands in the companionway, and the trimmer stands up on deck. The helm sits to leeward and forward of the traveler.

Downwind, most of the crew sits low and forward; the trimmer stands up.

As the breeze comes up to 7 knots and above, everyone comes on deck unless there are big waves, in which case we might keep a couple crew below. The boat should be flat or slightly heeled to weather, with weight to the edges for stability. Exact location varies with crew weight, but typically the bow is in front of the mast, either to leeward or to weather as needed. The mast person sits out toward either rail. The tactician stands on the cabin sole in “tank commander” position. The trimmer stands out at the toerail by the weather stanchion. We move our body weight to help steer the boat; in light to medium breeze, the bow person watches the tiller and listens to the dialogue, moving weight accordingly. In heavier air, both mast and bow are moving.

When it gets breezy, the boat can get a little out of control in waves. Bring the crew weight behind the mast and to leeward to keep the weather rail up, so that the boat wants to go straight; otherwise the bow goes down, you lose the rudder and wipe out to windward. If planing (30-plus knots), everyone gets behind the traveler. In medium or heavy air, I sit behind the traveler and to leeward unless we are planing; then I’ll sit to windward or stand up in the middle. In any waves and in medium and heavy air, I always lock the tiller extension in place and steer with the tiller downwind to reduce my reaction time.

What are the key changes in different conditions?

As wind and sea state build, start moving the crew aft, keeping always to the edges except for the tactician, who stands on the cabin sole. Never heel the boat to leeward except in light air when you want to head up. Always err towards sailing the boat flat or with slight weather heel, because that will help project the kite and balance the helm.

What do you focus on when trimming main and chute?

The main goes all the way out downwind and we never ease the outhaul unless we’re reaching. I sit to leeward and hold all of the purchase parts. I never want the main luffing or over-trimmed. Adjust the vang to keep the top batten parallel to the boom.

Adjust the spinnaker pole height and work hard to square the pole as much as possible. Always play the sheet out to the curl. If we’re sailing angles (less than 8 knots), we’ll set the tack slightly lower than the clew for better flow across the chute. In 8 knots and above we make the clews even, square the pole back, and go dead downwind. The J24 has two pole settings; we use the bottom ring up until 16 knots, then switch to the top.

Downwind, who is in the typical dialogue loop and what's a typical conversation?

The trimmer and I talk constantly about wind pressure in the kite, especially in light to medium air. Once the wind becomes medium/heavy, the bow warns us about big puffs so we don’t get caught with the bow too low.

To catch a wave, the helmsman and trimmer pump the sheets in unison, and the crew presses against the windward rail.

What controls are important downwind in different conditions?

We let the backstay all the way off downwind, unless the wind is 20 knots or more; then we leave half of the backstay on. Two other things we recommend when the wind is above 20 knots: pull the vang on extra hard to stabilize the boat, and pull both twings down to choke the kite a bit. We always use the foreguy, and unless it’s above 20 knots we trim the weather twing so it’s halfway from lifeline to rail and let the leeward twing off all the way. Also, when we’re sailing upwind with the blade jib, we’ll typically leave it up downwind. It helps stabilize the boat, and you can trim it like a staysail when planing.

J24 Boathandling

What's a start like in the j24 class.

Normal procedure is for teams to drop the genoa between races and hoist again with 4 or 5 minutes to go. Velocitek instruments are legal now, so you can ping each end of the line and have a reliable GPS-measured distance to the line. It’s made starts even more aggressive.

A competitive J24 start shows four crew hiking on most boats and mainsail luffs eased to keep the draft aft, well-matched for the genoa overlap. Christopher Howell photo

What tips can you offer for starting well in a J24?

Always have a routine and stick to it. You always need a plan B but if you have a routine, everyone knows what to expect. On our boat we’ll get windshots, figure out the favored end, and decide which side we want to sail on the first beat. Then we’ll block out a section of the line where we want to start. It’s up to me to get the boat there.

I’m a port-tack approach guy; I’m watching the clock and trying to figure out where I need to be to get to that place on the line by one minute. J24s can stop and get going quickly, so my goal is to be tacking into a good hole at about one minute. I’m always looking for real estate—whole pockets where boats aren’t. Once you find your hole, manage the people around you.

The bow keeps us honest about distance to the line, using hand signals. The bow can also lift the skirt of the sail with the foot line to help visibility.Time comes from the middle crew; I like it loud, counting down the last 30 seconds. The trimmer listens to my requests for “full speed, half speed, stop.” The tactician watches out for “snipers” (boats behind) and reminds me when it’s time to go.

What tips can you offer for downspeed boathandling?

Practice your starts. Get the crew out for an evening, pick your marks, and do time-on-distance exercises.

What mistake slows the J24 down most in a tack?

Genoa trim is the one of the top three priorities in tacking the J24. The helm should use a moderate rate turn and be consistent. The biggest thing that slows you down is if the trimmer doesn’t release the genoa sheet soon enough and you “smoke” the back of your sail (against the windward spreader and shroud). Most trimmers release it too late; you need to release by the time the bow gets head to wind, or even slightly before that. This also makes it easier to trim the new sheet. I like the bow person to grab the foot and help the sail around the shrouds.

What does each crewmember do when tacking a J24?

The skipper is busy, first removing the winch handle and putting it into the winch-handle pocket, then turning the boat and bringing up the traveler, plus usually easing the mainsheet two inches and sometimes burping the backstay. Finally, they put the winch handle in, pull on the backstay and main, and grind in the last bit of genoa sheet.

The trimmer cross sheets the genoa, releasing the old sheet by the time the bow gets head to wind, trimming the new sheet and then hitting the rail with sheet in hand, leaving the final grind to the helmsman. The bow handles the foot line on the way across the boat in front of the mast.

The other two cross the middle of the boat, roll tacking the boat if possible. I might say, “1, 2, or 3 roll.” (The tactician is 1, the bow guy is 2, and the mast guy is 3.) The mast is the worst position to roll from because they need to go under the foot of the genoa on the way to windward. Sometimes we vary this depending on the wind, and another reason might be if the tactician is heavier and you want them to get to the windward rail faster.

Any tips for good light or heavy-air tacks?

Roll tacks are crucial in light air. Also, make sure the mainsheet is eased a little so you can get back up to speed quickly. In heavy air, the mainsheet needs to be eased to avoid heeling too much.

What is the key to a fast spinnaker set?

Timing is critical to a good J24 set. Make a good pre-feed of the tack, and have the bow person tension the footline to keep the jib inside the lifelines and out of the way. Trim the main and genoa on the offset leg while the pole is going up. Get the kite out of the boat and up. Don’t ease the main out all the way until the chute is out and clear of the leeward spreader.

Dropping the genoa quickly is important after the spinnaker is set and flying. (Christopher Howell photo)

Who does what on the J24 during a jibe set?

The debate is always whether to go with pole or no pole. I like to do a jibe-set with the pole up because it doesn’t telegraph your move, and it helps keep the kite away from the boat. Ideally, the kite goes up and the boat turns and you do a late jibe with the pole. As the pole comes across, the mast person lets the genoa down. Don’t rush dropping the genoa, or it will foul up the spinnaker. The tactician should be ready as a human pole on the new jibe. Our priority is to get the kite filled on the new jibe; if we can get the genoa down, great; but if not just make sure to ease the sheet.

What mistake slows the J24 down most in a jibe?

Don’t over-steer the boat. In any breeze, you lose distance and heel a lot. Match the rotation of the spinnaker to the rate of the turn. In lighter air, it’s possible to understeer and come out too low, so the boat loses speed and/or the kite collapses.

What does each J24 crewmember do in a jibe?

In 8 to 10 knots, the helm turns the boat, the trimmer rotates the kite holding both sheets, the bow jibes the pole, the mast does the twings, and the tactician moves from one side to the other. Everyone works together to roll the boat in light and medium conditions.

Key tips for good light or heavy-air jibes?

In light air, roll the boat through the jibe. The helm must come out of the jibe on an angle with adequate pressure to fill the spinnaker, while the trimmer crosses the bridgedeck to the new windward side after ducking under the boom.

In heavy air, it’s key for the helm to keep the bow under the logo in the foot of the spinnaker. Stray from that and you’ll probably wipe out. Jibe the main on top of a wave or when the boat unloads, with somebody forward helping the main across by grabbing the vang. In super heavy wind when you have your crew weight aft, have someone else jibe the main.

What is the key to a good spinnaker takedown?

Practice makes all the difference on the J24. Have your boat settled and set to go upwind when you round the mark. The better you get at takedowns, the longer you can keep the chute up.

Who does what in the crew on a windward or leeward takedown?

The bow ditches the foreguy, raises the genoa, and then takes off the pole (replaced by a human guy) and drops it to the deck, clipping it onto the shrouds under the genoa sheets. Then either I call the takedown, or if there’s traffic, the bow person makes their own call. If the bow needs help, the mast douses the halyard.

The middle person acts as the human pole (sometimes it’s the mast person) and pulls the kite down into the companionway. The jib trimmer under-trims while rounding the mark so we don’t lose speed. I trim my own main, with a preset traveler and backstay. In traffic, I might set up with less backstay.

Any special takedown tricks in this class?

Dropping the halyard six feet and holding for a second allows the foot to be pulled in, which makes for a better takedown.

At the leeward mark, genoa trimmer and helm work together to trim the big headsail; the trimmer hauls in while the helm finishes his main trim and prepares to grind. Christopher Howell photo

Doing circles is slow in any boat; what are the keys to minimizing the pain on a J24?

Practice circles, too. We always jibe first. I think it’s faster.

How easily does a J24 broach or capsize?

It’s relatively easy to broach a J24 if you’re not watching for big puffs. And upwind, if you’re not vang sheeting in heavy air, you’re going to wipe out. The boat has a big rudder, but the wide hull shape takes over when you heel.

How do I recover when/if it happens?

When you broach under spinnaker, you can pop the boat back up pretty easily, but if it doesn’t come up right away, blow the spinnaker halyard.

What are the most common boathandling mistakes made in this class?

Not sailing the boat flat enough is the most common error. After that, timing the genoa release on your tacks. I recommend practicing tacks with an old sail.

Any suggestions for drills to improve boathandling?

I like to do two-boat stuff sailing upwind. It’s the best way to learn all the gears. Lots of gear shifting with this boat. The better you get at making sure the boat’s in the right gear all the day, the more successful you’ll be.

What is the coolest thing about the J24?

People are super down to earth, really nice. Most of my best friends are from the J24 class. Everyone helps each other out whether it’s missing or broken boat parts, tuning help, or stepping the mast. Everyone likes to sail pretty hard and enjoy a cold beer after. The average age of a J24 owner is late 30s.

At major events you still see a very high caliber of competition; we get 50 to 60 boats at major regattas and 80 at a Worlds. At the club level, lots of people own the boats and they use them—they’re having a lot of fun.

Welcome to Custom Sailboat Trailers

Trailer Facts

We build galvanized sail boat trailers
Some of our trailers are refurbished.
They are all float on trailers
We build extensions for launching
Our used trailers are rebuilt stronger

We also move boats
Transport Boats
Trailer Parts
Tongue extensions
Side Guides
Safety Chains

Interesting Facts

In 2008 the EPA took the lead and nickel out of the hot dipped galvanize. I bought all the hot dipped galvanized frames i could,built before 2009 at scrap prices,so the trailer manufacturers could buy the aluminum to get a head start in the aluminum trailer business. Some of the trailer builders that did not get in the race,went under.Sportsman trailers in Texas was one of them. I bought about 200 of there frames. These frames were all built for mono hulls.I build my sail boat trailers with these frames. I go up with a 2" galvanized pipe,then weld two 3/4" nuts near the top.I brace the risers with two are three 1 1/2"x1/4" angle iron braces with a 1 1/2" pipe telescoping up and down with a swivel pad or runners.
J 22 and J 24 trailer fits most any boat with a deep draft.The axles are on slides U-bolted to frame so you can add another axle.
This trailer is 30 ft . It will adjust to any sail boat are mono hull boat. It is galvanized It is 42 years old. I has the good galvanize.and great American steel.
Galvanized with three 5200 lb axle, 10 risers, adjustable to fit deep drafts
25 to 28 ft shallow draft or swing keel
Painted trailer with 10 risers, 37ft long, with three 5200 lb axles,surge brake on two axles. It is ready to go. Call it will sell fast.
This trailer carried the boat 10,000 mi. It is for sale for $2,500.I will add a bow stop
Yard trailer that can be converted later for road trailer we can add one more 4500 lb axle and adjust the bow stop. The bow stop is U-bolted to the tongue. When you have completed the work and ready for the road. We can assist you in completing the trailer.
Rubber bushing under keel board to take the shock off the keel.

Painted trailer for Catalina 25

Hunter 26
Oday24
$2300
24 ft frame for 30 ft boat for three axles
This trailer was made for a 5500 lb boat. We are able to add another slide with axles, brake, and fenders to accommodate an 8000 lb boat. Also the two axles were on slides U-bolted to frame.
J27 1985 had to add another axle. It had 700 lbs of water absorbed in hull. By having axles on slides, we saved him about $2200.One happy camper.

more trailers

Trailer on right, before uprights we go up with 2" galvanize pipe with 1 1/2" to telescope up and down with swivel pad on top.On top of 2" we weld two 3/4" nuts to hold the 1 1/2" That is a big bolt.
Trailer frame before up rights installed
This picture is to show you the extensions with tires we build.We can build any length. We also build extensions for the tongue.These are built with 3x3 tubing,no wheels. if they are under 8 ft we can ship for under $50.

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How to Launch a Sailboat from a Trailer

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There have been a few threads asking about trailer launching small sailboats. I decided to put together a short demonstration video to walk the sailor with out a lot of trailering experience through some of the steps involved in launching a small sailboat. The video does not cover all situations or all types of sailing craft, but gives an overview of some of the steps involved.

Ya, it would be interesting to see a few different vids on how people launch. I see lots of questions on the subject.

At my sailing club we launch J24's from a VERY deep ramp. These boats are dry sailed and kept on trailers. You should see some of the tongue extensions these guys have. They basically sink the entire trailer to get the boat on. It's actually not that difficult once you understand how to do it. I'll try to get a video next time I'm up there. I'll also take a video of me launching my 19 footer if I have time. Basically same system as Arcb, just a little deeper in the water.

SailingUphill said: Not new for me... I had a 4 foot draft Capri 25. Now is when I mention I hauled the boat myself 3 times. Stepped the mast solo, and unstepped solo as well. Click to expand...

Strap launch was OK on our ramp, with dual axle trailer, I have a single axle now not sure I'd want to try it with strap launch ( may tilt the wrong way and turn into a dump trailer).

If you would flip the stinger over on your hitch you would have a lot more ground clearance for you safety chains and light harness. Just reverse the side the ball is mounted on.

I was hoping more folks would share their trailering vids. Here I am again, loading the boat onto the trailer in 30-40 knots of cross wind solo. Just take it nice and slow. Make a plan, and follow it, change the plan as required. Easy does it.

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Many customers want a sailboat trailer that allows their sailboat to seamless float on and off the trailer once it has been backed into the water. We work with you during the design process to make sure we build the trailer suitably for your needs, taking into account the ramps you typically use, water depth, tides, etc. Oftentimes we will design or create new options to remove the stress that is often felt when you find yourself facing the launching ramp. We also have plenty of options to suit your personal sailing lifestyle!

You may also choose to have your sailboat hoisted on and off the trailer. If this is the case, you will want to choose the screwpad style support system, as it also allows for further adjustability when working on the sailboat’s hull.

Loadmaster sailboat trailers have a number of standard features that come with all of our custom trailers. To make your sailboat trailer truly unique, we also offer a range of options to choose from.

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What Is a J24 Sailboat? (Everything You Need To Know)

The J24 sailboat is a classic sailboat design that has been around since the 1970s and remains popular to this day.

Whether youre looking for a fun, affordable sailboat for racing or cruising, the J24 is an excellent choice.

In this article, well discuss the history, design and specifications, performance, cost and maintenance, racing and cruising opportunities, current popularity and impact, and advantages of the J24 sailboat.

So, if youre looking for a reliable, capable, and fun sailboat, read on to find out if the J24 is right for you!

Table of Contents

Short Answer

A J/24 sailboat is a popular one-design keelboat class designed by Rod Johnstone.

It is a 24 foot long keelboat with a deep cockpit and a large sailplan.

This boat is designed to be easily handled by a small crew and is popular for sailing in both inshore and offshore conditions.

It is popular for racing and club sailing, with fleets found all over the world.

History of the J24 Sailboat

The J/24 sailboat is a 24-foot-long, 8-foot-wide sailboat designed by Rod Johnstone in 1979.

The boat was designed to be a performance-oriented one-design racer, and it quickly became one of the most popular sailboats ever produced.

To date, over 5,800 boats have been built since its introduction, and it continues to be in high demand today.

The J/24 was designed with an emphasis on speed and responsiveness, and it is a great choice for both novice and experienced sailors.

It is a relatively affordable boat, and its easy maintenance makes it an ideal choice for those who want to spend their time sailing rather than on repairs.

The J/24 sailboat is ideal for regatta racing, but it is also a great choice for casual cruising around the lake or bay.

Its design allows it to handle a wide range of conditions, from light winds to strong gusts.

It is also a great choice for those looking to get involved in competitive sailing, as the boat has been used in a number of major international regattas.

The J/24’s popularity has led to the formation of the International J/24 Class Association, which regulates the boat’s performance and specifications.

The association also organizes events and regattas to promote the J/24 and ensure fair competition.

The J/24’s popularity continues to grow today, and it remains one of the most popular sailboats ever produced.

Its combination of performance, affordability, and ease of maintenance make it a great choice for anyone looking to get involved in sailing.

Design and Specifications

The J/24 sailboat is an iconic one-design racing boat that was designed by Rod Johnstone in 1979.

It is 24-feet long and 8-feet wide, making it the ideal size for racing and cruising.

It has a simple yet sophisticated design that enables it to be fast and responsive on the water, while also being easy to maintain.

The boat has a displacement of 4,200 lbs and a sail area of 248 square feet.

The hull is made from fiberglass and is designed with a wide beam and a moderate draft, making it maneuverable and stable in a variety of conditions.

The boat is also equipped with all the necessary gear to race, including a spinnaker, a jib, and a mainsail.

The boat is designed to be sailed as a single-hander or a crew of up to five people.

The J/24 is a great boat for both racing and cruising.

It is a popular choice for regattas around the world, and its low cost and easy maintenance make it a great choice for novice and experienced sailors alike.

The boat is also equipped with a variety of modern features, such as jib tracks, adjustable backstays, and adjustable shrouds, allowing sailors to tweak the boats performance for different conditions.

The boat has also been designed to be easily modified for comfort and convenience, making it a great choice for weekend sailors.

Performance

When it comes to sailing, performance is key.

The J/24 sailboat is designed to provide an exciting and thrilling sailing experience for both novice and experienced sailors alike.

The boat has a sleek and modern design, and is designed for speed and agility.

Its 24-foot length and 8-foot width make it a great size for racing or cruising, and its relatively low cost and easy maintenance make it a great choice for any sailor.

The boat is equipped with a balanced spade rudder and a deep keel, which helps it to maneuver quickly and accurately.

Its light weight and low drag coefficient mean that it can reach speeds of up to 10 knots, and its ability to tack quickly and easily make it a great choice for competitive racing.

Its generous sail area also helps to provide the power to push it through the water with ease.

The J/24 has been raced since its introduction in 1979, and has become one of the most popular sailboats ever produced, with over 5,800 boats built since then.

It is a great choice for novice and experienced sailors alike, and its popularity continues to grow today.

If youre looking for a fast, responsive boat that is easy to maintain and relatively low cost, the J/24 is the perfect boat for you.

Cost and Maintenance

The J/24 sailboat is an affordable and accessible boat for sailors of all skill levels.

It is designed with a lightweight, yet durable construction, making it a cost-effective choice for people looking to buy or build their own sailboat.

Its parts are readily available at marine stores, and the boat itself can be purchased for around $25,000, depending on the model.

Maintenance on the J/24 is relatively simple and straightforward.

The boats hull is made of fiberglass, and the rigging is composed of stainless steel, bronze, and aluminum components.

The boat requires periodic cleaning and waxing to keep it looking its best, and it should be inspected regularly for any signs of wear and tear.

Additionally, the boats sails should be inspected and replaced if necessary.

The J/24 sailboat is an ideal choice for novice and experienced sailors alike.

Its low cost and easy maintenance make it an attractive option for those looking to invest in a boat.

Its lightweight construction and responsive sailing characteristics make it a great boat for racing or recreational sailing.

With its popularity continuing to grow, the J/24 is sure to be a staple of the sailing community for many years to come.

Racing and Cruising Opportunities

The J/24 is an incredibly versatile sailboat, offering both racing and cruising opportunities for sailors of all skill levels.

With its responsive design, the J/24 is an excellent choice for racing in regattas.

It is a fast and agile boat that is both easy to maneuver and forgiving for novice sailors.

The J/24 is also an ideal choice for cruising around the lake, as its relatively low cost and easy maintenance make it accessible to a wide range of sailors.

The J/24 is a popular choice for both novice and experienced sailors alike.

Its design and performance characteristics make it a great choice for both racing and cruising.

The J/24 is a one-design racer, meaning that all boats of the same class must be built to the same specifications, making them more equal in performance.

This allows for more competitive racing and makes the J/24 a great choice for sailors of all skill levels.

The J/24 is also a great choice for cruising around the lake.

Its relatively low cost and easy maintenance make it accessible to a wide range of sailors.

The boat is also easy to handle and forgiving for novice sailors.

The boat is also large enough to accommodate up to eight people, making it great for family days out on the lake.

The J/24 is a popular boat for both racing and cruising, and its popularity continues to grow today.

Its accessible price point and easy handling make it an ideal choice for both novice and experienced sailors alike.

The boat is also incredibly versatile, offering both racing and cruising opportunities for sailors of all skill levels.

Popularity and Impact Today

The J/24 sailboat has become an iconic boat over the past 40 years and continues to be incredibly popular, both as a racing boat and for recreational sailing.

With over 5,800 boats produced since its introduction, it is the most successful one-design keelboat ever built.

To this day, the J/24 remains a favorite among sailors of all experience levels, from seasoned racers to weekend sailors.

The J/24’s popularity has also had a major impact on the world of sailing.

The introduction of the J/24 in 1979 sparked a revolution in sailboat design, inspiring other manufacturers to create similar performance-oriented boats.

The J/24 was the first one-design keelboat to feature a spinnaker, leading to the widespread adoption of the sail by other boat classes.

The J/24 is also used in a variety of sailing events, including the highly competitive J/24 World Championship.

The J/24 World Championship is held annually and brings together the best J/24 sailors from around the world.

It is one of the most prestigious and competitive one-design sailing events in the world, and the winner of the event is often seen as the “best of the best” in the J/24 class.

The J/24 is also popular in the cruising community, with many sailors enjoying the boat for weekend trips or longer sailing adventures.

With its relatively low cost and easy maintenance, the J/24 is an ideal choice for novice and experienced sailors alike.

The boat is also popular among youth sailing programs, as it is a great platform for teaching basic sailing skills in a safe and fun environment.

In short, the J/24 sailboat has become a timeless classic and continues to be one of the most popular sailboats in the world.

With its performance-oriented design and ease of maintenance, the J/24 is an ideal choice for both racing and leisure sailing.

Its iconic status and continued popularity are a testament to its quality and enduring appeal.

Advantages of the J24 Sailboat

The J24 sailboat is a great choice for those looking to get into sailing as it offers a range of advantages for novice and experienced sailors alike.

The design of the J24 is both performance-oriented and easy to maintain, making it an ideal boat for sailors of all levels.

It is also relatively inexpensive, meaning that it is a cost-effective way to get out on the water.

The J24 is a fast and responsive boat, making it ideal for competitive racing in regattas, as well as leisurely cruising around the lake.

Its 24-foot length and 8-foot width make it the perfect size for a day trip, and its lightweight construction means it is easy to trailer and launch.

Additionally, the boat is equipped with a retractable bow sprit and large genoa sail, allowing it to sail upwind with ease.

The J24 also features a self-bailing cockpit, which helps to keep the boat dry during inclement weather.

The boat is also equipped with a large storage space, which makes it easy to store extra supplies and gear.

Finally, the boats light weight and simple design make it easy to maintain, meaning that it is a great choice for those looking for a low-maintenance boat.

All in all, the J24 sailboat is a great choice for those looking to get into sailing.

Its performance-oriented design, ease of maintenance, and low cost make it an ideal boat for novice and experienced sailors alike.

The boat is fast and responsive, and its large storage capacity and self-bailing cockpit make it perfect for day trips.

Whether youre looking to race in regattas or just cruise around the lake, the J24 is a great choice.

Final Thoughts

The J/24 sailboat is a great choice for novice and experienced sailors alike, offering an exciting blend of performance, cost, and maintenance.

With its incredible popularity and success, it’s no wonder the J/24 remains one of the most popular sailboats ever produced.

Whether you’re interested in racing in regattas or just cruising around the lake, the J/24 is an ideal choice.

So, why not take the plunge and discover the joys of sailing with the J/24?

James Frami

At the age of 15, he and four other friends from his neighborhood constructed their first boat. He has been sailing for almost 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge that he wants to share with others.