J/Boats has always been adept at turning out fast yachts but it’s been a while since they’ve built a ‘big’ boat. The new J/45 changes that as Sam Jefferson discovers
I think it’s safe to say that J/Boats has never been afraid to follow its own path when it comes to designing yachts. Its ethos, laid down by company founder and designer Alan Johnstone back in the 1980s was always to produce fast, relatively simple cruiser/racers. There was no particular secret to its success; Johnstone always started with a relatively narrow, easily driven hull and added a moderately deep lead keel, spade rudder and generous sail plan and let the boats do the talking. It’s a simple formula but, by goodness, it works a treat. Along the way, iconic yachts such as the J/35 have developed a fearsome reputation on the racecourse while also being easily adapted as fast cruisers. Which brings me to the new J/45. Its latest boat, launched in 2021, is a boat that is theoretically aimed at the cruising end of the market. But this takes some believing when you are slashing down Southampton Water at 9kts, having made minimum effort.
The boat follows the typical J/Boats formula; relatively narrow (4.25m) beam, light (10,000kg) displacement, a very high (41.9%) ballast ratio and a decent sized rig. The result; a bewitchingly rapid boat which is at its strongest upwind and is equally adept in light or heavy airs. There’s nothing particularly sophisticated about the approach; the boats are constructed using vacuum infusion to save weight and the hull and deck are balsa cored to keep things light, but there’s no carbon fibre. It’s just a case of pragmatic design and construction technique keeping weight down. When I say this boat has a narrow beam, that is perhaps a little misleading. For example, the Solaris 44 has 4.18m of beam - 7cm narrower. The difference is that the J/45 has considerable taper aft, giving the boat a very different look from behind and ensuring that twin rudders are not an option. It’s a retro approach that is consistent with all J/ Boats in the past and the payback is less wetted surface area and a little less weight – which all adds up to more speed upwind and in light airs. – plus it pays off when it comes to IRC/ORC rating. The price you pay is slightly less power in heavy downwind conditions and a little bit more of a roly-poly motion – in addition, the aft cabins will be slightly less spacious. It’s a price I’m willing to pay. The keel is L-shaped with a lead bulb and you have the option of a 2.1m or 2.6m monster. In term
