J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/24

BoatsJ Boats Tillotson Pearson J/24

See her sail

The J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/24, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from The Sailing Doodles Podcast

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a beamy beam gives 12 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 12

CoastalBluewater

At 2.44 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.44

LightHeavy

173 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 173

EasygoingPowered-up

19.7 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 19.7

TenderStiff

31% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 31%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

What the fleet has seen

The J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/24, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/24 is a 7.3-meter fractional sloop designed by Rodney S. Johnstone, built by J Boats Tillotson Pearson since 1977. It features a fin keel with a transom-hung rudder, a 2.7-meter beam, a 1.2-meter draft, and displaces 1406 kg.14:39 The J/24 is a legacy one-design racing boat, offering similar performance and racing support to the J/9 but at a significantly lower price point.8:52 It is a global leader in active fleets, second only to the Finnish H-Boat.2:24 The J/24 has less interior space and a smaller cockpit compared to the S2 7.9, which was designed for Great Lakes racing.11:28

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 3 times across 2 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/24 on video

The Scariest Dangers at Sea (And How to Survive Them)Bobby White ranks onboard fire above lightning and dragging anchor as the top threat to cruising sailors.The Sailing Doodles Podcast

The World’s Most Popular Sailboat You’ve Never Heard OfFinland's H-Boat: a 1970s keelboat sailed for 150 euros a year from central Helsinki.Alluring Arctic

J Boats J/9 Sailboat Review and Boat TourThe 28-foot J/9 day sailor offers an electric Torqeedo pod drive option and a spacious, walk-through cockpit.Practical Sailor

X Yachts X43 Sailboat TourThe X-Yachts X43 offers high-performance sailing with a 66-foot air draft and a 6-foot 1-inch minimum draft.Practical Sailor

The Legend - S2 - Episode 151 - Lady K SailingThe S2 7.9 is a trailerable 26-foot racing sailboat designed for one-design competition on the Great Lakes.Lady K Sailing

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

1seen for sale

1channel looked into buying

$15,000Median asking

A 1979 J/24 for sale at $15,000, considered as an alternative to the J/9
from Practical Sailorseen October 20247:59

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions

Weights

Ballast / displacement

30.6%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Fractional Sloop

Ratios

SA / displacement

19.7

Displacement / length

173.0

Comfort ratio

12.3

Capsize screening

2.44

Hull speed

6.0 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

636

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/transom hung rudder

Construction

FG balsa cored hull & deck

Ballast type

Lead

Production

Years built

First built 1977

Units built

5400

Designer

Rodney S. Johnstone, Rod Johnstone

Builder

J Boats Tillotson Pearson

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Merit 257.47 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA fractional-rigged 25-footer with a light displacement and high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for responsive sailing

SAILING RACE VICTORY8:18 from Wicked Salty

Ranger Yachts 237.21 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthDesigned to rate at the IOR 18-foot level, this masthead sloop offered an optional tall rig starting in 1974

Ask PYS - Should I Crimp or Solder Wire Connections on my Boat?0:06 from Pacific Yacht Systems

Gilbert Marine Tequila7.20 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe H. Harle-designed masthead sloop that claimed the 1971 Quarter Ton Cup with her prototype performance

Lost at Sea Sailing Couple From YouTube Dies in Life Raft - Ep 307 - Lady K Sailing0:45 from Lady K Sailing

Sirius 7277.27 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA development of the Sirius 24, this fractional sloop features a fin keel with skeg-mounted rudder for balanced handling

Two Different Ways Sailing Changes Lives | #SAL #2510:15 from Hashtag Sal

Halcyon 236.93 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA triple-keeled masthead sloop by Alan H. Buchanan, offering shallow-draft versatility based on the earlier Crystal 23

Zero Dollar Cruising Dream | Halcyon 23 from Practical Sailor

Beneteau First 2357.11 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Groupe Finot-designed fractional sloop built for performance, featuring a light displacement and high sail area ratio

Sailing is Not Expensive - Full Cost Breakdown - ep 2813:07 from Lady K Sailing

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/27A high-performance fractional sloop with a 23.97 SA/displacement ratio built for speed and competitive club racing J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/22A high-performance fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio designed for competitive one-design racing J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/30A 1979-1986 production racer-cruiser featuring a fin keel and transom-hung rudder for responsive handling J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/80A 1992 fractional sloop with a high 26.59 sail area-to-displacement ratio, engineered for rapid, agile performance J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/28A 1986-1988 fractional sloop with a 38% ballast ratio, designed by Rod Johnstone for balanced cruising performance J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/33A high-performance masthead sloop with a 22.31 SA/displacement ratio, designed for competitive club racing.

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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