j29 sailboat review

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• By Bill Brockway
• Updated: February 8, 2002

The J/29 is a popular boat across the country. TPI in Warren, R.I., built 289 J/29s between 1982 and 1987. Today the boat has an average selling price of $25,000. According to a number of owners, the Rod Johnstone design sails well in all conditions, but does best in moderate wind. Expect to enlist a six- to nine-person crew.

J/29s are noted for their stability. “Even in heavy air,” says one owner, “the helm is comfortable and the boat never feels as if it’s on the edge of a wipeout as do some lighter boats I’ve driven and crewed on.” If you buy a J/29 that was previously raced, you’ll likely find that the foils and hull have already been professionally faired.

The J/29 is available with fractional or masthead rig and either inboard or outboard auxiliary power. According to our race-board denizens, a masthead rig with outboard motor is the most competitive configuration. A laminated racing main, jib, and spinnaker cost approximately $8,500 for a J/29.

J/29 http://j29members.tripod.com Typical monthly costs: $820 Annual budget range: $2,000 to $13,000 PHRF 111 to 120 LOA 29’6″ LWL 25′ Beam 11′ Draft 5′ 6″ Disp. 6,000 lbs. SA 450 sq. ft.

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First impressions Johnstone has always had an uncanny ability to design incredibly fast boats that manage to sail well across the spectrum and also maintain a handsome bearing on the water. Many of today's fast boats are almost garish in appearance with their plumb bows and abrupt hull shapes designed for downwind flying. It's as if they are craving attention, like a teenager's tattoos, declaring, "Look at me I'm fast." I suspect in 10 or 15 years, these boats will look completely outdated, replaced by the latest and greatest ideas for generating boat speed. Johnstone's boats on the other hand look like boats, not platforms designed to skid across the water faster than the next platform. And as we all know, most sailing is upwind, an area in which his boats often excel. The J/29 is able to carry a full main in 15-plus knots, making 6.5 knots of boat speed. The 29 began life as a modified J/30 and the rakish lines are quite similar. On the 29, however, Johnstone lowered the freeboard, redesigned the keel and trimmed the weight. Although it has 4 inches less LOA and the same 11-foot beam, the 29 weighs 1,000 pounds less and has almost as much sail area. Naturally, the 29's vertical center of gravity is lower than the 30's. And although most 29s were built with fractional rigs, a masthead rig was an option. Simplicity was hard-wired into the boat: From an outboard motor for auxiliary power, to the outboard rudder, to a lack of runners on the fractional rig, the J/29 has always been a boat that you can jump aboard and sail because not a lot of set-up is required. The boat sails well under main alone, and even with a moderately size genoa, the loads are rarely excessive. It is an easy boat to sail well.

Construction The J/29 was never intended to be a ULDB, at least in comparison to West Coast boats, and the construction reflects this philosophy. The similarly sized Olson 30, for example, displaces just 4,000 pounds, while the J/29 tips the scales at 6,000 pounds. Within the framework of being a performance boat, the build is actually rather robust. The hull and deck are balsa cored and joined on a typical inner flange, incorporating the teak toerail where applicable. Tillotson-Pearson, which has since pioneered the SCRIMP manufacturing process, has always done good glass work, and the 29 has some interesting beefed-up specifications. The main bulkhead, a well documented problem in the J/24, and the keel floors are actually culled from the same scantlings as the J/36. A large fiberglass molding is used as a floor and furniture pan, which helps stiffen the hull and originally streamlined the manufacturing process. The high-aspect outboard rudder is attached to the transom with stainless steel pintles and gudgeons. Most of the deck hardware is through-bolted and accessible, an important feature on a boat where the fittings may need to be replaced and updated due to regular racing wear and tear.

What to look for The J/29 has held up extremely well over the years, considering that most of the boats have been sailed hard and often put away wet. Of course, since many 29s are almost 20 years old all age-related problems should be thoroughly inspected before making a decision to buy. Don't overpay for an impressive but old sail wardrobe. In fact, you should consider new sails a given when buying a J/29 because nothing breathes life into this racer like new sails. This is where the boat's simplicity makes it appealing. The rudder pintles and gudgeons are a bit on the light side, and should be replaced if they look at all suspicious, although on the 1983 model I climbed through in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, they were clearly original and in good condition. If the gudgeons have been leaking, be sure to check the transom for delamination since some water may have penetrated the core. Several of the deck fittings on the boat I looked at were cracked, including the aluminum cleats. The hatch cover was also cracked, apparently from being stood on, and the teak handrails were loose. These are all areas that should be carefully examined since deck fitting problems often metamorphose into deck delamination problems. A bit of stomping around revealed some degree of delamination around the sheet winches and in the cockpit. Inside the boat, the molded liner was cracked in several places, obviously from the hull being tweaked now and then. The tabbing on the other hand, at least where I could see, was in good shape. The chainplates also leaked and had soiled the main bulkhead. J Boats had its share of blisters, and some have suggested that the constant fairing of its hulls by owners contributed to the problem by skimming away at the gelcoat. This seems rather unlikely since blisters begin in the laminate. But even so, it is a good idea to find out if and when an epoxy bottom repair job was done.

On deck Because of the J/29's racing pedigree, the deck is well-designed for ease of handling, but the cockpit is not especially comfortable since you actually sit on the aft deck more than in the cockpit, which can be wet to say the least. The mainsheet traveler spans the cockpit and is easily controlled from the tiller. The sheet winches are forward of the traveler, making it a bit awkward for a singlehander, but the boat is ideal for a couple when not racing. The tiller head is stainless steel and the tiller itself is oak and robust. Dual compasses are often set into the coachroof bulkhead, and there is room for instrument displays as well. Double lifelines were standard. The stanchions bases are backed and well-supported, but are often the source of leaks. The pulpits are a bit undersized, and the original nonskid is likely to be worn nearly smooth. Naturally, the headsail tracks are close inboard, and all boats will be set up with spinnaker gear since the 29 predates J Boat's introduction of the retractable sprit. The mast and boom were built by Sparcraft in 4060 aluminum sections. The fractional rig has an air draft of 47 feet, 6 inches while the masthead rig is 4 feet shorter.

Down below The interior of the J/29 is spartan but functional. Low freeboard and a sleek, low-slung coachroof results in a distinct lack of headroom-about 5 feet, 4 inches. The layout includes two quarter berths aft and two settees in the main cabin, perfect for a racing crew. The forward locker may be a sail locker, or it may have been converted into a double berth. Some boats were fitted with manual heads, although most will have porta potties. At least the boat complies with EPA regulations. The galley originally consisted of an Igloo cooler and a sink. There is actually a fair bit of teak below, including veneers on the main bulkhead, a teak-and-holly sole and teak companionway steps. I imagine that when refinished the boat can look rather smart.

Engine Although an inboard diesel was an option, J Boats emphasized outboard motors when marketing the boat, again stressing the simplicity theme. As a result most boats have outboards, which are really very practical. Mounted on a transom bracket, a relatively small and light engine pushes the boat at 6 knots. It is also easily removed or stored below for racing. Another advantage of an outboard is that when it is broken you can pop it into the trunk and take it home or drop it off at the shop.

Under way This is what it's all about with a J/29. The boat is fast on all points of sail and truly excels upwind. By all accounts, with the rig tuned the boat can carry a full main and No. 1 genoa in 15 knots true while making 6.5 knots and staying on her feet. The J/29 sails better under mainsail alone than other comparably sized cruiser/racers do with a main and headsail. Trimming up the main generally requires keeping the top battens parallel to the boom, unless it is extremely light, and then the leach must be opened to prevent stalling. In heavy going, the sail needs to be flattened with the backstay and the mainsheet eased to reduce weather helm and excessive heel. Typically headsails are changed before the main is reefed, and the boat is quite stiff in 25 knots with a No. 3 and full main. Reefing the main is reserved for gales. According to the J/29 class association, it is common to fly a No. 1 genoa in up to 20 knots apparent before dropping to the No. 2. The boat handles beautifully under spinnaker, sustaining surfing runs in double digits without undue stress. This point can't be overemphasized; the J/29 is a very controllable, well-built boat that can sail at exhilarating speeds without the accompanying heart palpitations.

Conclusion The J/29 represents an excellent value if you're looking for solid performance but can't bear the thought of new boat prices. With a proud pedigree, good company support, an active one-design class, and prices hovering on either side of $20,000, the J/29 is hard to beat.

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• Sailboat Guide

J/29 FR is a 29 ′ 5 ″ / 9 m monohull sailboat designed by Rod Johnstone and built by J Boats between 1982 and 1987.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The J/29 was available with either a fractional or masthead rig. Dimensions for fractional rig shown here. Inboard aux. power also available.

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The J29 fr is a 29.5ft fractional sloop designed by Johnstone and built in fiberglass by J Boats between 1982 and 1987.

298 units have been built..

The J29 fr is a light sailboat which is a very high performer. It is stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a racing boat.

J29 fr for sale elsewhere on the web:

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How often to get new sails on a J-29?

• Add to quote

Some of my competitors that I sail against on Lake Champlain in Vermont seem to get new sails every year. Any idea how much new sails are worth in seconds per mile? It's difficult for me to comprehend because "all things are not equal." In Vermont on Lake Champlain the air can be very light, so I'm assuming new sails are very valuable.  

Okay, I couldn't answer the spin set-up question (ignorance). But this one...I got: Every season. Otherwise your crew thinks you're cheap. And, any bag whatsoever = slow. All things are not equal if you're losing.  

Well said, well said....maybe I can take up a collection from my crew? Doubtful! As far as "all things being equal" I kind of meant is it the sails or does the other boat have better crew or is doing something different/better. It's tricky sailing in Vermont as the winds are fickle. I would agree though, probably best to replace the sails every year.  

Ryan Heaslip said: Well said, well said....maybe I can take up a collection from my crew? Doubtful! As far as "all things being equal" I kind of meant is it the sails or does the other boat have better crew or is doing something different/better. It's tricky sailing in Vermont as the winds are fickle. I would agree though, probably best to replace the sails every year. Click to expand...

I have been racing on the same boat for 5 years, we have 2 mains 4 jibs and 3 spinnakers. This does not include the storm sails. all sails are over 5 years old and we still come in first most of the time. Old crew and old sails work good together.  

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