J/9 DAYSAILER UPDATE- DECKED OUT, LOOKING GOOD!

(Newport, RI)- J/9 #1 is decked and in final assembly at CCF Composites in Bristol, RI. She looks nearly ready to sail! The deck hardware is installed, most of the interior components are fitted, and the after-deck finish work is underway. Next week, the keel will be fitted and then the boat will head to International Marine for bottom paint followed by an early May launch.


We’re looking forward to hosting an active demo-sail schedule in Bristol and Newport from mid-May to mid-June and then the J/9 will be displayed and sailed (in the pursuit class) at Storm Trysail’s Block Island Race Week. Thereafter, demo-sails will be available out of Stonington, CT for July and August, and back in Newport for September.


Despite the industry shortage of labor and raw materials, we’re happy to report that CCF Composites has pulled out the stops to get J/9 production up and running. Hull #2 (RCR Yachts) is in assembly and hull #3 (Sail California) is in the mold. The target is an initial production rate of a boat every two weeks by summer and then ramping up from there to handle the backlog of nearly 30 boats. For more J/9 daysailer information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/9 DAYSAILER UPDATE

(Newport, RI)- Hull #1 is out of the mold! Sitting on a shop cradle, the hull is stunning, seemingly already gliding effortlessly through the water. Shown here in the prototype shop at CCF Composites, hull #1 is being utilized for constructing and verifying patterns for key interior components such as the main cabin berths and shelves, forward v-berth, and additional bulkheads. The main bulkhead, mast step and keel floors are fitted, and once patterns are finished it will move into the assembly area.


Meanwhile, the J/9 deck mold is completed and the first deck is underway. The deck is shown below with just the skin coat applied. To this will be added structural fiberglass skins on either side of Corecell foam to produce an extremely strong but lightweight structure. 

The J/9 structural and laminate engineering is being designed by Steve Koopman of SDK Structures, a leading engineering firm with extensive background in high-performance sailing.


Above, a new fiberglass drilling jig is fit over the deck plug. They will position hardware on the deck plug and take the boat for a “virtual sail” to finalize hardware locations. We are excited to get the first boat in the water soon as Spring has sprung here in New England. We expect the first boat to be launched and sailing in the first week of May. Be sure to contact your J/Boats Dealer NOW to make arrangements for a demonstration sail in the near future.  For more J/9 Daysailer sailboat information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

EVER WONDER HOW A BOAT IS CREATED FROM AN IDEA TO REALITY?

Here are some progress photos of the new J/9 daysailer and the evolution of the process.

The quick lesson is that once the designer has created the hull and deck lines for the boat, it's sent to our Symmetrix tool maker in Bristol, RI to make the male "plugs". 


Step 1- make the frames and spray coat with what looks like wedding cake white icing (a foam). 


Step 2- the 5-axis CNC milling machine "carves" out the shape of the plug.  


Step 3- coat the mold with an epoxy/ fiber mix (the gray stuff).  

Step 4- the 5-axis milling process carves the mold to within 1mm of the designed shape. 


Step 5- mold is "long-boarded" manually for smoothness. 

Step 6- final thin coating (black) of mold release epoxy is sprayed and hand-sanded and buffed to a brilliant, smooth shine! 


Step 7- apply mold release, then cover the plug in multiple layers of glass to create the female "mold". Add several cross frames and longitudinal supports (mostly steel tubing). Flip it all over, pull the plug out of the mold! Now, we're ready to make boats!


Sounds easy, right? Not! But, it's much faster and more accurate today than it was back in "the old days" of wooden frames and strip-planking and hand-sanding everything!  

https://jboatnews.blogspot.com/2021/02/how-is-j9-daysailer-created-from-idea.html Add to Flipboard Magazine.

How is the J/9 Daysailer Created from Idea to Reality?

Ever wonder how a boat is created from an idea to reality? Here are some progress photos of the new J/9 daysailer. 

The quick lesson is that once the designer has created the hull and deck lines for the boat, it's sent to our Symmetrix tool maker in Bristol, RI to make the male "plugs". 

Step 1- make the frames and spray coat with what looks like wedding cake white icing (a foam). 

Step 2- the 5-axis CNC milling machine "carves" out the shape of the plug.  

Step 3- coat the mold with an epoxy/ fiber mix (the gray stuff). 

Step 4- the 5-axis milling process carves the mold to within 1mm of the designed shape. 

Step 5- mold is "long-boarded" manually for smoothness. 

Step 6- final thin coating (black) of mold release epoxy is sprayed and hand-sanded and buffed to a brilliant, smooth shine! 

Step 7- apply mold release, then cover the plug in multiple layers of glass to create the female "mold". Add several cross frames and longtitudinal supports (mostly steel tubing). Flip it all over, pull the plug out of the mold! Now, we're ready to make boats!

Sounds easy, right? Not! But, it's much faster and more accurate today than it was back in "the old days" of wooden frames and strip-planking and hand-sanding everything!  

Learn more here- http://www.jboats.com/j9

J/9 PROGRESS UPDATE

(Newport, RI)- The J/9 hull mold was recently completed at CCF Composites and is now being waxed in preparation for the molding of hull #1 next week. In the picture, the contrasting boot stripe can be seen as well as the insert for the rudder post/bearing. The hull stripe is 100% flush with the hull surface so that the finished molded boot-stripe will also be flush with no marks visible. A separate transom mold fits on the back of the hull mold and is precisely aligned with 6 round keyways.

Deck Plug Update

Symmetrix Composite Tooling recently applied a custom-mixed nonskid to all the horizontal surfaces of the J/9 deck and cockpit. Four different nonskid samples were tooled up, with molds taken from each and subsequent parts molded and tested, before the winner was selected. Symmetrix is now adding the final finishing touches to the deck plug before it is transported to CCF later this week. 

J/9 Specification Update

With the North American sailboat market recently importing more new sailboats than building domestically, we set out to reverse that trend with the J/9. Most of the content and key J/9 components are being supplied and supported by North American companies with extensive J/Boats experience.

Composite Materials

Quality composite construction starts with high-quality composite materials. The J/9 composites are sourced through Composites One, the largest North American distributor, whose regional office/warehouse is nearby in Bristol, Rhode Island. The fiberglass used in molding the J/9 is manufactured by Vectorply in Phenix City, Alabama. The Corecell core is produced by Gurit in Quebec, and the resins are made by AOC Resins from their facilities in Tennessee and Ontario.

J/9 Keel

A key contributor to J/9’s exceptional stability is the all-lead, L-shaped, low VCG (vertical center-of-gravity) keel featuring a foil-shaped, wedge bulb that increases stability (vs. conventional keels) without increasing draft. The modest 4.9’ draft allows the J/9 to sail in most areas, and an optional 3.9’ shoal keel is available for even skinnier water access. The J/9 keels are being produced at Broomfield & Son in Rhode Island.

Jib Furling System

The J/9 design philosophy of keeping things simple is carried through to the sailing hardware and systems. In-deck jib furlers might look great, but for less weight, less cost, easier maintenance and much less friction, nothing beats a high quality above-deck furler like the Mark IV Unit 0 from Harken, Inc. of Pewaukee, WI.

J/9 Spar Package

After carefully considering several spar options, Sparcraft USA (Charlotte, NC) was chosen to supply the J/9’s spar package. The Sparcraft extrusions (mast and boom sections) match the J/9’s performance profile, and the company’s ability to anodize and powder coat the spars provides the most durable painted finish available.  For more J/9 Daysailer information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/9 Daysailer Update!

 

(Newport, RI)- If the huge buzz of J/9 activity is any indication, the demand for modern, comfortable daysailers is back! Not since the daysailer boom of 2003-2008 have we seen such strong interest. The J/9 announcement has generated more inquiries in three weeks than even the J/70 in 2011!

J/9 Tooling Update

The beautifully faired and finished J/9 hull plug was recently completed at Symmetrix Composite Tooling, and the hull mold is well underway and on target to complete at CCF Composites. Hull #1 is on schedule to mold in January. The deck plug is in the final fairing and finishing stage at Symmetrix and is due for final nonskid application in early January.


Both Al and Jeff Johnstone of J/Boats and members of the Symmetrix Team (ranging in height from 5’4” – 6’2”) tested out the cockpit seating and walk-through transom. The forward corner seats offer J/122E-like protection behind the cabin. With the tiller extension, you can steer the boat from the front of the cockpit, under the dodger, and reach all the controls – perfect if having to sail in adverse weather. The aft corner seats are equally as comfy, and the cockpit coamings are the perfect height for arm rests. The addition of dedicated cockpit drains enables the main cockpit floor to be lower to provide more comfortable, deeper seating and better bracing while standing and steering.

Fun J/9 FAQs

Following are some follow-up questions that have come in since the J/9 announcement.

Can I add an auto-pilot to the J/9? 
Yes, either an above deck or below decks auto pilot can be installed aftermarket.

Why are the jib tracks on the cabin top and not the side deck? 
We learned from the J/99 that the optimal upwind jib lead sheeting angles are generally between 8 and 9 degrees depending on the wind strength and sea state. But to do that on the J/99 (and most other boats) one must rig in-haulers. The J/9 gets rid of all that clutter with jib tracks installed on an 8.5 degree sheeting angle with easy trimming right to the cabin top winches. Tacking between cabin top winches is much easier than primary winches (no scrambling across the cockpit needed). This one, small change significantly cleans up the side decks.

How does the mainsheet system work? 
This is the first J with the primary mainsheet purchase at the end of the boom and the sheet tail coming out mid-boom into the cockpit near the tiller. Instead of a bulky traveler with cars, blocks, purchase, control lines, etc. the J/9 will have a mainsheet purchase that floats on a double Dyneema strop. For 90% of one’s daysailing needs, the double strop attaches to a centerline pad-eye aft of the tiller (much like leaving a traditional traveler centered). Then for the occasional times one wants to optimize centerline boom sheeting, each strop can be quickly moved outboard to a pad-eye (P&S) to create a triangle bridle – similar to the set-up seen on the Olympic 470 and 49er. This is another solution that visually reduces clutter, simplifies sailing, and doesn’t give away performance.

What size outboard do you recommend? 
The ideal outboard for the J/9 will be a 6HP. A 5HP could be sufficient in protected waters without strong tides. The final design for the outboard bracket is in process and will include a tilt-up position so the outboard can remain on the transom while sailing.

Can you tell us more about the electric inboard option? 
We’re reviewing several electric options including a new product coming online in 2021 from our long-time diesel engine supplier Mack-Boring. We’re not able to share specifics yet, but are planning to test out a system on hull #1, before signing off on the final option.

Will there be a bow sprit option? 
The J/9 is designed for main-only or main & jib-only sailing, but we will be offering a sprit option for those wanting to fly an overlapping A-Sail. We are finalizing the design for a 2-3’ fixed carbon sprit option that matches the bow profile of the boat (similar to the J/99) and that will be packaged with all the necessary rigging and blocks. This option will be available to add aftermarket.  For more J/9 daysailer sailing information

NEW J/9 Day Sailer Announcement!

 

J/Boats' Most Comfortable Cockpit Ever??

(Newport, RI)- Responding to a growing need amongst sailors for a more comfortable, simpler and easy-to-own daysailer, J/Boats is excited to announce a sleek new 28-footer (the “J/9”) with perhaps the most comfortable cockpit and easiest-to-manage sailplan in this size range. 

“With the J/9, we set out to reimagine how to make sailing easier, more relaxing and more inclusive,” said Jeff Johnstone of J/Boats. “This is a boat you can sail by yourself in just a few minutes, or bring along the whole gang with plenty of room to spare. Escaping to the water and enjoying shared family adventure has never been more important, and the J/9 is the perfect platform.”


The J/9 cockpit has four great corner seats to nestle into and enjoy the day. With friends and family aboard, everyone can find the perfect place to relax.  And access aboard has never been easier.  A swim platform behind the cockpit allows walk-through boarding, and on those downwind sails home, you can cool off by dragging your feet in the water.


Sailing the J/9 is as easy as hoisting the mainsail and trimming the sheet.  Why make it any more complicated?  Look around on the water and you’ll notice 80% of the sailboats are sailing with only one sail. The answer is keep it simple!  One tiller, one sheet. The big difference with the J/9 is you will be sailing with one sail more comfortably and quicker than most others with two sails or under motor.  Ready for the afterburners? Simply unroll the jib and enjoy effortless, stable & smooth sailing from the comforts of the best J/Boats cockpit ever.  

The daysailing community has not benefitted from a dedicated design from J/Boats since the award-winning J/100 (33’), which remains one of the most sought-after J’s created. The NEW J/9 offers the cockpit comfort and sailing features of a larger boat, at a price most will find competitive to the best brokerage offerings. For more J/9 daysailer information.  Call your local J/Boat dealer for further information.