2010 Boat of the Year Awards won by the J/95 and J/97

J/95 is SAILING WORLD 'Overall Boat of the Year' Award

J/95 Wins CRUISING WORLD 'Best Weekender' and 'Best Domestic Boat' Award

J/95 Wins SAIL 2010 Best ‘Performance Sailboat’ Award

J/97 Wins SAILING WORLD 'Best Club Racer'

Added December 2009

The newest issue of Sailing World magazine has just arrived with an action cover shot of the J/95 sailing upwind, and a feature article announcing the J/95 as the OVERALL WINNER of Sailing World's Boat of the Year for 2010! Three pages later, the J/97 is announced as the winner of the Best Club Racer.

This is the first time in J history that two different J designs have won BOTY in the same year; and much appreciated recognition for the huge effort by the whole J network to bring these models to market in 2009.

Here are a few excerpts from the Sailing World press release: “Rodney Johnstone, the J/95's designer, has been designing boats for decades, and when he says this is his best boat yet, he's not kidding,” says Dave Read, Sailing World's editor and Boat of the Year director. “The judges were struck by how well it sails and how well it's built. But what cemented the J/95's selection was its versatility. It's a 31 footer that sailors of all skill levels will love to race. And because of its clever centerboard keel and twin rudders, it can be raced or daysailed virtually anywhere – shallow bays, lakes, or the open ocean.”

The J/97 sails beautifully and has the volume, look and feel of a 40 footer. Somehow in the populated J/Boat world, designer Alan Johnstone has found himself a sweet spot between the more racing oriented J/105 and the cruise-able J/109 and J/122. “This is a really versatile boat,” said Chuck Allen, who was most impressed with its simplicity and comfort. “The perfect sort of boat for taking to an out-of-town regatta. You could stay on it and race it. It definitely feels bigger than it really is.”

J/95 Wins CRUISING WORLD 'Best Weekender' and 'Best Domestic Boat' Award

Cruising World magazine has announced the winners of its 17th annual Boat of the Year awards. Topping this year's list of winners for the most anticipated awards in the sailboat industry was the J/95. The J/95 won the Domestic Boat of the Year award and the Best Weekender of the Year.

Decisions were based on extensive dockside inspections and sea trials of the boats. In addition to claiming the Domestic Boat of the Year award, the J/95 was also named Best Weekender. "The judges were impressed with the J/95's sailing performance, functional accommodations, and shoal-draft keel/centerboard," said Cruising World senior editor Bill Springer. "At a time when many families are cruising waters closer to home, it's the ideal weekender for nearby bays, and it'll be up to longer coastal cruises when time permits." Learn more about sailing the J /95 at CRUISING WORLD's BOTY Review.

J/95 Wins SAIL 2010 Best ‘Performance Sailboat’ Award

The brand new J/95 is the first model from J Boats in thirty-two years of production to feature a shoal draft lead keel with a lifting centreboard and twin rudders. She will make her European debut at the London International Boat Show in January 2010. ‘Key Yachting’ will be exhibiting the J/95 on stand N021T at the show, along with the J/97, winner of the Black Group at Cowes Week earlier this year.

The J/95 is clearly a new concept for J Boats. However, in terms of the technical execution of the concept, the build quality and the overall performance of this sleek and pretty thirty-one footer, J Boats seem to have hit the market with the right product at the right time, again. For creek hopping in shallow, tidal harbours or for enjoying a picnic off the beach, the J/95 features a bronze centreboard that pivots and fully retracts up into a slot in the fixed lead keel. When lowered, the centreboard projects below the keel, giving a draft of 1.68 metres; with the centreboard retracted, the draft of the J/95 is reduced to just 91 centimetres, allowing the J/95 access to some of the most beautiful and secluded sailing waters of our coast, otherwise untouched by other performance sailboats. To optimise steering control during shoal draft operation, the J/95 is specified with tandem rudders. Previously, boats with single shoal draft rudders have tended to suffer from crippling weather helm, especially when close reaching in a breeze.

The twin rudders and wheel steering of the J/95 offer superb balance and control and there is plenty of room in the cockpit. Below decks, she is comfortable and well thought out. She has two full length settee berths, a private head, an optional double v-berth in the bow and designated locations for a microwave, grill and cooler. Being a J Boat, the J/95 is designed with performance as a priority. This smart little boat not only looks great but she also is built to ISO CE Mark Category ‘A’, which is defined as a vessel capable of crossing oceans. And of course she sails beautifully! With her optional masthead spinnaker and retractable bowsprit, she is perfectly capable of double-digit downwind speeds, and upwind, whether in ‘deep draft’ or ‘centreboard up’ mode, she will happily track along at 6.5 knots and outpoint most race boats.

The future for the J/95 is bright; she represents a new and potent sailing package from J Boats, a shining star for the new season. No surprise then that the J/95 has just won SAIL Magazine’s 2010 Best Boats ‘Performance Sailboat’ Award. Learn more about sailing the J/95 at SAIL's Best Boats Review.