The results are impressive: the J / Boats shipyard in the US and its European license production facility from J / Composites in France have built and delivered more than 15,000 ships - in 45 years of its existence. On the occasion of this anniversary, a new flagship has now been laid down as a novelty for 2021. With the big J / 45, the brand now wants to focus more on touring and fast cruising again.
The designers at J / Boats have been working on both sides of the Atlantic on the plans to build the new flagship for three years. The concept should also correspond to a combination of American pragmatism and French flair, the shipyard wrote in a first press release at the start of the project. The supplied views can only confirm this: Long, stretched lines in a timeless look, relatively low freeboard, flat cabin structure and a permanently attached bowsprit made of carbon fiber for additional sails (Code Zero, Gennaker) and as an anchor bracket. The ship remains open aft.
The layout in the cockpit corresponds to the tried and tested classic arrangement in sporty performance cruisers. Means: Primary and secondary winches on the coaming for guiding the main sheet (German Cupper System) and the genoa sheet. The halyards and trim lines run back inside the cabin superstructure on two winches with stopper batteries in front on both sides of the companionway.
A 106 percent overlapping Genumit hole point rails with line adjustment on the side of the deck is defined as standard. For cruising with a small crew, the large J can also be equipped with a self-turning rail for a jib. The comparatively high and powerful rig is made of aluminum, but is provided with rod shrouds at the shipyard in order to reduce wind resistance and also to save weight.
Lots of light, lots of air. This is how the new J / 45 will be presented below deck
When it comes to interior work, J / Boats takes a fairly classic approach. The standard is a layout with two very spacious double cabins in the bow and aft on the port side. There are also two generously planned wet rooms with separate shower cubicles available. Alternatively, the J / 45 can also be ordered with two double cabins aft, i.e. as a three-cabin. In that case, however, the owner will have to do without the large locker on the starboard side, and the aft toilet room will also be smaller, with no shower room. The visual design of the interior was created in cooperation between J / Composites and the stylist Isabelle Racoupeau. Various types of wood are available for interior construction; Oak, walnut or teak.
J / 45: Available with two or three double cabins
Good news for those interested in Europe: Initially, the new J / 45 will be manufactured exclusively at J / Composites in Olonne-sur-Mer in western France. The hull and deck are constructed as a sandwich with E-Glass, foam core and vinyl ester resin using the vacuum infusion process, the bulkheads are laminated to the hull and deck, which gives the structure additional strength. The shaft of the L-keel is made of cast iron with a ballast body made of lead. Its weight share of 43 percent is lush in comparison, but can also be explained by the relatively high elongation factor (length to width) of the construction of 3.25 and thus a supposedly lower dimensional stability of the slim fuselage construction.
The first price announcement from the shipyard in France amounts to 511,670 euros, including 19 percent VAT. Compared to the possible competition, the price for the J / 45 is rather higher, but it is also explained by the very extensive and high-quality basic equipment from the shipyard. J / Composites wants to have the new boat built by the end of spring and then invite the YACHT editorial team to a test in western France.
| Hull length | 13.85 m |
| Hull length | 13.85 m |
| Length of the waterline | 12.56 m |
| width | 4.25 m |
| Standard draft | 2.29 m |
| Weight | 9.9 t |
| Ballast / proportion | 4.25 t / 43% |
Test of the J / 99 in front of Barcelona
