The large cockpit with plenty of space to enjoy and relax is part of the daysailing theme. The J/7's thwarts are 2.60 metres long. Up to four people can sit comfortably on them upwind while travelling. The benches can also be used as sunbeds for sunbathing. As a special design feature, a small bathing platform is separated from the cockpit aft.
The aluminium mast with a pair of spreaders is positioned on deck and should be easy to rig and de-rig by hand using a hinge. The rig is also positioned very far forward in the boat. There is a good reason for this: the J/7 should have almost as good and balanced characteristics upwind with the mainsail as with the headsail unfurled. This will please single-handed sailors, who will find the already extremely easy handling even easier, especially in strong winds. The simple mainsail with pin head and a short overlapping genoa with hole points on the short deck structure are the standard with no alternatives. On the other hand, the simple daysailing concept does not provide for additional sails such as a gennaker or a code zero. A bowsprit is also missing.
Easy to handle, easy to transport
With a width of 2.47 metres and a weight of just over one tonne, the J/7 can be easily transported on a trailer and with a mid-range car as a towing vehicle. A hot eye is available for quick launching and retrieval with a crane and sling. Thanks to a draught of just 1.16 metres, the boat can also be launched just as easily via a suitable ramp. The rudder blade is only attached to the stern and can be removed with a flick of the wrist. However, a lifting or swivelling keel has never been an issue for J/Boast and is not an issue for the new, small boat either.
The hull, deck and structural bulkheads of the J/7 consist of a sandwich construction with biaxial E-glass, a Corecell foam core and high-density core inserts for high-stress areas in the deck fittings. All components are built with resin infusion under vacuum. The lead keel with L-shaped ballast body weighs a total of 476 kilograms with a total weight of just 1,044 kilograms. The proportion of ballast is therefore over 45 per cent, which ensures a high righting moment and therefore stable sailing characteristics. The design by shipyard boss Alan Johnstone, who has been designing the fast and successful cracks of all J/Boats boats for many years and with a wealth of experience, guarantees harmonious performance. The small slip cabin offers space for a maximum of two people to sit and also just for protection against the weather. But that's all there is to it.
The prototype of the J/7 has been completed and is currently being extensively tested by J/Boats in Newport. The photos in the gallery above also show the first test flights overseas. In the course of next year 2025, the J/7 will also be built at J/Composites in Les Sables d'Olonne (France), J/Boats' licensed production facility for the European market. However, the shipyard has not yet announced any specific prices.
The J/7 in the first video
Technical data J/7
- Designer: Alan Johnstone
- Hull length: 7.04 m
- Waterline length: 6.35 m
- Width: 2.47 m
- Draught: 1.16 m
- Weight: 1,044 kg
- Ballast/proportion: 476 kg / 45.6 %
- Sail area upwind (genoa + main): 23,8 m2
- Motorisation: Outboard motor (petrol or electric)
