Sailing is one of the most exhilarating and exciting sports in the world. It is open to people of all age groups and almost any fitness level. It enhances a wide range of mental and physical abilities, such as lowering stress levels, increasing fitness, enhancing agility and concentration, and improving communication and organisational skills. What is more! Sailing is fun.
What can enhance your sailing experience more than a fast and robust sailing boat like J80? Whether you want to have a relaxing sunset cruise with mainsail only or a thrilling 15-knot ride under a spinnaker, J80 does it all. It is known as an easy-to-handle, relatively safe, and less intimidating sailboat that is ideal for sailing offshore compared to modern sport boats. If you are interested in expanding your sailing horizons while on a fast and modern sport boat outside lakes and protected harbours, J80 is a perfect choice. In this blog, we will discuss the pros of J80 in racing.
Pros of J/80 in Racing
J80 is incredibly fast: What can be a bigger advantage in racing than having a fast sailboat? Just take off the boom cover, hoist the mainsail, and get going and you will be sailing in three minutes, that too faster than other boats with full canvas. Want more speed? Pull in the jib sheet, and now you are flying!
Requires less experienced crew: Owing to a blast ratio of 48% and fixed lead keel of 1,400 lb, the boat gives a big-boat vibe and does not necessitate the presence of highly experienced crew members. The high boom ensures high safety and excellent visibility. No one needs to climb awkwardly over a cabin top while racing as everyone fits in the twelve feet long cockpit.
It is easy to trailer and launch: The J80 sailboat comes with a single-point lifting bar that allows easy and convenient hoisting on a relatively less bulky (3-ton) hoist. When transported on a double-axle trailer, the boat lies within the legal towing width for most countries. It can easily be pulled for long distances behind an 8-cylinder van or SUV. Two people can rig and hoist the J80 mast with the help of a portable gin pole.
International Class Association: J80 sailboats are now sailing in thirty fleets in twelve countries of the world. Large fleets exist in Europe, North America, and China. These boats have been actively used in match racing, including the event of the World Match Race Sailing Association held in France, the BMW Berlin Match Race held in Germany, and the China Cup Match Race in China. If you are seeking a great class sailboat to get involved in, international J80 should be your pick.
Conclusion
No matter how fast or slow you go, there is always an element of adventure involved in racing a sailboat. On some occasions, you have no idea about where the wind and the tide will take you. Discovering previously unknown slices of paradise, exploring new islands, running into friends and racing with them on the water, dancing with the sea creatures, and throwing out a line from the back to see what you may catch. There are endless possibilities of what may happen when you are racing.
J80 is an apt representation of a single boat combining the simplicity of operation, sparkling performance in low maintenance and affordable package, and confidence-building stability. After all these years, the boat has successfully held up its reputation as one of the most exciting racing sailboats around. It is truly a unique racing sailboat for your entire gang.
