The 43 ft Cruising Machine With Asym Sail

There's no cruising sailboat like it: The early 1930's, with the advent of more efficient Marconi rigs, may have been the last time that buying a used boat (all gaff rigged at the time) made so little sense, because a new design made life so much easier on the crew.

The J/130 is the live-aboard, cruising version of the most exciting and innovative sailing concept of the past 60 years. J/Boats has taken the best of comfortable cruising design, combined it with the best of high performance racing design, then added a unique asymmetrical spinnaker for improved downwind performance. Yes, the J/130's America's Cup type asymmetric spinnaker is set from a 7.0 foot carbon-fiber, retractable J/Sprit. Jibing is easy with nobody on the foredeck. Simply let out one sheet and pull in the other. The tack remains attached to the sprit at all times. With one side tied down, the sail is more stable. Wild oscillations are avoided.

Whether it's blowing 5 knots or 25, assisted by a cockpit operated snuffer, two people can fly the J/130's spinnaker with better control and speed than eight people can fly a parachute spinnaker with pole and afterguys. The J/130's asymmetric spinnaker is a significant improvement upon cruising gennakers that attach to the stemhead. The latter are far less efficient and still require agility on the foredeck to manhandle awkward snuffer systems.

J/130 is a light displacement design born of modern materials of exceptional strength and durability. She has: 1) A very low center of gravity to achieve a high righting moment for good windward performance without crew on the rail, 2) A long waterline length to beam ratio for superb directional stability and safe tracking in large offshore seas, and 3) A generous sail area to wetted surface ratio for light air performance.

A few custom IMS race boats (at twice the price) may achieve similar ratios. J/130 goes farther. She was designed her to be sailed by two people at racing speeds without sacrificing on-deck cruising comfort or shorthanded sailing systems. A proper cockpit dodger and roller furling headstay are standard. Below decks, J/130 is equipped for comfortable onboard living.

Compare the velocity prediction of other boats you have known with the J/130. Then imagine how much more sailing you'll do with a J/130; how much more fun it will be to take out friends to experience the thrill of a fast boat that's safe and easy to manage; the sense of pride in owning a design of real beauty and functional elegance; the knowledge you've made a good investment in what really counts in sailing...the sailing...not a throwback to yesteryear requiring an engine for passage-making speeds, but a beautiful sailing vessel that harnesses the wind.

Introduced: 1992   Built to: Hull #43    Last Model Year: 2002