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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

J/29?

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/13/2009 : 21:30:13

Hey, I've been seriously thinking about taking the next step up in coastal racing. The boat that looks most like it meets my needs is a J/29. This is still a simple boat with an outboard, transom hung rudder and a very basic interior. In fact it is a lot like a Catalina 25 (on steroids).

What I want to do is short hand coastal ocean races like San Diego - Ensenada and so on. Some buoy racing, too, but I've much less interest in this. These are PHRF races and the boat needs to rate around 120 or less and be able to sail to its rating.

The boat should be capable of handling 3 or 4 people on overnight coastal races. The boat should be fast off the wind or downwind and capable upwind. It should be a good light air boat and capable of being handled by a crew of 2 and a drive in up to 20 knots of air. The boat should be simple and strong. I don't want a ULDB lightweight.

I am very lery of balsa core below the waterline and delamination in cored decks.

Anyone have anything pro or con to say about the J/29.

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - on

Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2009 : 22:57:05

Jim,
With the many miles of competitive racing you've done in the C-25 I can understand the desire to move to a more competitive class.
No matter what boat you choose you will be competing against the skill and the "pocket book" of your rivals.

Expect to see a lot of "black" (carbon fibre) sails and being responsible for maintaining a crew of at least six experienced sailors.

The C-29 is an older boat and will be out paced by the newer J's, 105's etc.
I would carefully consider the "campaign" costs of a few boats in that size because you will be moving into the realm of owners who can maintain a loyal racing team and the costs, breakage, sails etc to race a competitive boat through the major races.
Weigh the costs, time to organize a campaign and the competativeness of the boat then go for it.

This should have been added to the original post.

Best of luck. 
It has been fun watching you progress through long distance cruising to racing and I'm sure you will find the right balance of enjoyment and competition.

Edited by - Peregrine on 09/14/2009 10:48:29

windsong
Captain

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USA
318 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2009 : 06:08:24

Go Jim! I just wish I lived nearby to crew. Sailing World does, however, think you'd need a pretty good-sized crew to be competitive - 6-9 people. But then, a winning boat has a way of attracting crew.
http://www.sailingworld.com/sailboats/boat-reviews/j29-200595.html

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2009 : 07:36:02

Jim,

I have crewed on a J29 in round-the-buoy racing, and it's a good, fun racer. I haven't overnighted on one, so can't speak to the accommodations. While the J29 will be more expensive to race, simply because it's bigger than the C25, for the most part, you won't be racing against the big-budget guys for whom money is no object. Those guys race the new J's. The older J29 is now being raced by the guys who like to race a good, lively boat, and who are willing to spend some bucks to be competitive, but who still recognize reasonable limits on their racing budgets.

If you are wary of balsa cores, either below the waterline or in the decks, you won't have many boats to choose from. Most boats have coring someplace. My 1983 C&C 35 has a balsa cored hull, and it's rock-solid. A good surveyor should be able to give you a good idea of the general condition of the coring.

You'll need more crew for round-the-buoy racing, but it'll be easier to find crew who'll want to race on a J29 than to race on a C25, especially if you can finish in the middle of the pack or higher. I have seen friends sail J24's very efficiently short-handed, and believe the same can be done with a J29 for distance races. The various controls on Js are generally laid out very nicely for efficiency in adjustment and sail handling.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2009 : 07:57:15

I was going to post a pic of Iris sailing away from a J29, but then it turned out to be a J24...

Sometimes I think about how cool it would be to have a lowPHRF boat, and show off my superior skills, then I wonder how much of our results are the boat. I think right now I need to build skills, but once I'm at your level, I will likely want something that offers a little more competitiveness than our "racing winnebagoes."

If you are considering that size of boat, could I be so bold as to suggest that you also take a look at an Olsen 911? There is one in our fleet that regularly mops up the competition.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2009 : 08:37:44

I raced for a couple of years on a J92 which is only slightly longer than the J29. As far as accommodations went, "spartan" was the operative word. It was basically a hollow tube below decks, with settees on either side, a minimalist head up forward, a one lunger diesel in the stern, and not much else if you didn't count the sail bags. You wouldn't want to spend a weekend hanging on the hook on it, but if you wanted to go fast, she was your boat. The skipper spared almost no expense racing her, new kevlar sails every year, high-tech lines, etc. The only place he "skimped" was on navigation gear. We only had one compass, a flux gate, and a handheld radio, and GPS was a new technology at the time. After we got fogged in during one race and the fluxgate compass crapped out, I bought my own handheld and my first GPS, and put one of my old surveying compasses in my sail bag, but that's another story. The point is, racing a J boat is (or can be) far more expensive than a Catalina. We generally raced with a crew of six, although occasionally we might go out with only four, but if the wind piped up, that made for an interesting sail. We also spent long periods sitting on the rails trying to keep her on her feet.

All in all racing that boat was an experience I'm glad I've had. If I were really into racing, I'd probably look at a J-24, but we're more into comfort cruising these days, neither of us has raced in years.

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2009 : 10:21:01

You might look at an Olsen 30, the one I raced on did very well against the J-29's on the lake fleet. This is us on it during Dallas Race Week.

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2009 : 11:26:32

J-30? The 29 will be a great choice but the 30 may feel better.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2009 : 13:56:41

An Olson 30 was recently sold here in San Diego for only $5000.

With sails and 2 outboards (one for race day, one for deliveries).

With race bottom.

Dry sailed.

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2009 : 14:16:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JimB517
 An Olson 30 was recently sold here in San Diego for only $5000.

With sails and 2 outboards (one for race day, one for deliveries).

With race bottom.

Dry sailed.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

that's a great deal, they are great boats and they are FAST. We had one that was for sale for $8,500 that was eventually donated to the Rush creek yacht Club.

Edited by - PCP777 on 09/14/2009 14:17:08

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2009 : 15:13:01

Also, the Capri 30 is still a popular and able racer.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2009 : 19:05:34

Any of these offer one-design racing in the area? Even if you're not interested in one-design around-the-marks, a local fleet makes the boat a more available and saleable commodity. Then again, that tends to draw you into the equipment race (more bucks).

Edited by - on

Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2009 : 19:44:20

In the class, size and cost of boats you are interested in have you made a list of the winning boats in the races you want to win?
There may be a pattern of boats that do well in the races you want participate in.
It seems from your forum posts you are doing more long distance races than round the buoys.
No need to to buy a boat that consistently places down the list in the races you want to win.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 09/15/2009 : 09:31:31

I want the boat and I can perhaps afford to buy it but the cost of owning and campainging scare me right now. I am barely scraping by with my Cat 25 and 2 girls in college.

Still thinking.

It would be very hard to part with my Cat 25, we have so many miles together. Its set up just the way I want it. Last night it was blowing about 15 and a little drizzle. I jumped on the boat after work and had a tremendous fun sail until dark (single handed of course). It might not be possible to do that in the J. I do far more of that than racing.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 09/15/2009 : 19:22:01

Sounds like a case of 2-foot-itis. LOL! I suggest crewing on a J29 or other boat that interests you, or seeing if you can rent/charter one for a weekend, sail it, and then decide if you really like it. Check out what boats are consistently placing high in your races, and how much resale interest there is before buying something you can't get rid of later.

Edited by - on

Seadog
Deckhand

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USA
13 Posts

Response Posted - 09/16/2009 : 12:20:13

Jim,

Having raced for a few years in San Diego out of SWYC on Thrillseeker a Choate CF27, I can say first hand that J boats do well in SD conditions. Look at the standings year after year Blackadder J-27 first in class, Blackjack J-29 consistanly in the hunt, and Mad Hatter J-30 also consistantly in top five. As for cruising adminities I have seen both a J-27 and J-29 in the San Juans towing the dink.

Edited by - on

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