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The
J/80 Sailboat
The
'workhorse' of J/World San Francisco, the Performance Sailing School
and Club, is the J/80. With a
huge cockpit and high boom, this 26 foot sportboat is both
comfortable and safe. But make no mistake; this
workhorse is pretty light on her feet! Sporting a versatile
sail plan and a spinnaker which can easily be flown by a crew of
two, surfing runs across the Bay at 15+ knots provide quite a
thrill.
The key to fun sailing
is a boat that holds the attention and interest of many types of
sailors, young and old! J/80 does it all, with thrilling 15 knot
rides under spinnaker or relaxed sunset cruises with mainsail only.
SAILING WORLD rated J/80 as easier to handle, less intimidating,
safer and better suited for sailing offshore than other modern sport
boats tested.
Thanks to its 1400lb. Fixed lead keel (48% ballast ratio) J/80 has
big-boat feel and requires less experienced crew. The boom is high
for safety and good visibility. No one has to clamber over a cabin
top because everyone sits in the 12 ft. long cockpit.
Be sailing in 3 minutes. Take off the boom cover and hoist the
mainsail, attached to the mast with slides. Cast off. You're now
sailing faster than other boats with full canvas. Ready for more
speed? Uncleat the furler line and pull in the jib sheet. Presto!
Now you're really flying! Time for the afterburners? Pull the sprit
launch control line, hoist the asymmetric spinnaker and trim. Now
you're planing! To jibe, simply let off the old sheet and pull in
the new. No one on the foredeck! You can even do it single-handed.
And to think, prior to the J/80, this kind of performance was rarely
achieved, even with a full crew of 4-5 athletic experts.
ISO Offshore Certified
The J/80 is certified for Design Category B of the EU Recreational
Craft Directive of the ISO (International Standards Organization)
which states that qualifying boats are designed for waves up to 13
feet high with winds to 41 knots, or conditions which may be
encountered on offshore voyages of sufficient length or on coasts
where shelter may not always be immediately available. That these
conditions may also be experienced on inland seas (or lakes) of
sufficient size for the wave height to be generated. Other monohull
sportboats we know of with retractable sprits under 30' are rated
for Category C, "designed" for waves of less than 7 feet and winds
less than 33 knots or conditions which might be encountered on
exposed inland waters, in estuaries, and in coastal waters in
moderate weather conditions.
Why We Use the
J/80
The J/80 provides the best teaching platform we can find. Learning
on a performance boat like the J/80 gives students a significant
advantage since the boat will provide important feedback in quick
fashion. In essence, the J/80 will tell you what you are doing well,
and where you need more practice. You will learn how seemingly small
sail, helm, and weight
adjustments affect control. In addition, the J/80 sailboat provides
both excitement, challenge, and adventure that is missing from the experience on
other less performance oriented boats. In short, the J/80 is
comfortable, easy to sail, and most importantly, FUN!!
At J/World, we use the
J/80 for our
Learn-to-Sail courses,
Performance Cruising Course, and
Racing Courses, as well as
corporate teambuilding exercises,
private instruction, and
skippered or bareboat charters.
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