J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/22

BoatsJ Boats Tillotson Pearson J/22

See her sail

The J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/22, on the water

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

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 2.44 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 812 kg of hull, so roughly 1,400 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Shoal draughtDraws 1.16 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a beamy beam gives 9 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 9

CoastalBluewater

At 2.64 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.64

LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 117

EasygoingPowered-up

24.6 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 24.6

TenderStiff

39% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 39%

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

Lighter than ~89% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1046 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/22, 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/22 is a 6.9-meter fractional sloop designed by Rodney S. Johnstone and built by J Boats Tillotson Pearson since 1983. It features a fin keel with a transom-hung rudder and displaces 811 kg.0:40 Aboard keeldragger, the J/22 is sailed as a "rocket ship" for casual daysailing in the inner channels of Newport Beach, California.0:39 This outing involved navigating channel traffic, including party boats and kayaks, and passing landmarks like the Wild Goose.5:15 The crew noted a batten catching on the backstay during a jibe.1:56 The J/22's shallow draft of 1.2 meters allows access to secondary anchorages.6:09

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions

Weights

Ballast / displacement

39.1%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Fractional Sloop

Ratios

SA / displacement

24.6

Displacement / length

116.5

Comfort ratio

8.6

Capsize screening

2.64

Hull speed

5.8 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

543

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/transom hung rudder

Construction

Fiberglass

Ballast type

Lead

Production

Years built

First built 1983

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.

J Boats J/706.93 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional sloop designed by Alan Johnstone, with over 1,100 units delivered for one-design racing

From Olympic drama to flying motorboats: Petter Mørland Pedersen in "Peiling på Seiling"22:59 from SEILmagasinet

J J/77.04 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 2024 fractional sloop with a shallow 1.16m draft and a high 23.55 sail-area-to-displacement ratio for responsive daysailing

J7: Finally an affordable sailboat0:49 from SEILmagasinet

Bavaria Yachts 6066.50 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA lightweight 6.5-metre fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited coastal sailing

How He Survived a Tropical Storm at Sea14:25 from Be The Captain

Santana 206.16 mSame hull family0.7 m shorterA high-performance fractional sloop with a 1996 deck redesign that added an open transom and a roomier cockpit

Episode 1 - The Beginning10:05 from Vela Sin Rumbo

Sirius 7277.27 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA 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

J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/247.32 mSame hull family0.5 m longerA legendary Rodney Johnstone design that defined the modern one-design racer with its high sail-area-to-displacement ratio

Everything You Think About Sailing Is Wrong3:59 from The Sailing Doodles Podcast

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/24A legendary Rodney Johnstone design that defined the modern one-design racer with its high sail-area-to-displacement ratio J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/27A high-performance fractional sloop from Rod Johnstone with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited racing 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/30A 1979-1986 production racer-cruiser featuring a fin keel and transom-hung rudder for responsive handling

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