BoatsJ Boats J/9

J Boats J/9

Fractional Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · First built 2021

A 2021-launched daysailer with a 24.13 sail-area-to-displacement ratio, built for rapid, responsive performance

Designed by Alan Johnstone.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The J Boats J/9, on the water

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

Footage from Practical Sailor

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 moderate beam gives 14 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 14
CoastalBluewater

2.13 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.13
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 116
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 24.1
TenderStiff

46% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 46%

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

  • Lighter than ~75% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2103 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The J Boats J/9, 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 J/9 is a 28-foot fractional sloop day sailor, designed by Alan Johnstone and built by J Boats from 2021. It features a fin with spade rudder hull, an LOA of 8.5 meters, a beam of 2.6 meters, and a displacement of 1927 kg. The J/9 prioritizes ease of handling and cockpit comfort, offering a 4,200-pound displacement and a 50% ballast ratio.4:27 It comes with two keel options: 4.9 feet or a shoal draft of 3.9 feet.4:35 The boat is tiller-steered, with an 8.4-foot-long cockpit and walk-through access to a swim platform.3:47 Its rig is keel-stepped with a single spreader, designed for mainsail-only performance, though it includes a roller-furling jib.7:02 Propulsion options include an inboard diesel, an inboard electric motor (like the Torqeedo 4.0 pod drive with a 48-volt lithium-ion battery for 12-20 miles of range), or an outboard.7:39 The interior provides a marine head, storage, and an optional V-berth package.6:43

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

What broke, what changed

Gear aboard, as the crews told it

Moments from individual boats of this model that the fleet has filmed — one crew, one piece of kit, one day on the water. Not a review of the class, and not a count of anything.

Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another J Boats J/9 may be fitted out entirely differently.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
45.9%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
24.1
Displacement / length
115.8
Comfort ratio
14.3
Capsize screening
2.13
Hull speed
6.8 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
781
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 2021
Designer
Alan Johnstone
Builder
J Boats

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.

Pogo 8.508.50 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional sloop by Pierre Rolland featuring a wide beam and dual rudders for rapid offshore sailing
CYCLONE ALERT - will we lose EVERYTHING? | Ep.5329:26from Sailing NV
Albin Marine AB Vega 278.25 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterScandinavia's most popular production yacht of her size, this 8.25-metre masthead sloop defined coastal cruising from 1965 to 1979
Top 5 Overbuilt Sailboats That Will Outlive Your Grandchildren1:41from Knot Your Average Boat
Com-Pac Yachts 258.59 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOriginally the Watkins 25, this masthead sloop features a shallow 0.76m draft and a fin keel for versatile cruising
EP#370 Buying and Selling Boats with Chelle0:59from Sailing Into Oblivion
Jeanneau Aquila 278.70 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Philippe H. Harle-designed masthead sloop offered in both standard and deep-keel Regatta configurations
Sailing Savvy: How to Build a Winning Team with Jon Sverre Høiden12:45from SEILmagasinet
Maxi Yachts Fenix 8.58.50 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1980s cruiser with a 1.5-metre bulb keel and spade rudder, designed for a balanced, stable coastal experience
Tone 2.0: Sailing towards the roots in the north for a new start | Bearing on Sailing8:37from SEILmagasinet
Pearson Yachts 27 (Triton 27)8.23 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA Doug Peterson-influenced masthead sloop built from US Yachts molds, offering a light-displacement take on IOR design
Replacing Cloudy Dodger Windows for Under $200:01from Atom Voyager

The family

Boats like this

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

J J/99A high-performance fractional sloop by Alan Johnstone, designed for competitive offshore racing and fast shorthanded sailingJ-Boats J/95A versatile keel-centerboarder with dual rudders, engineered for performance in both deep and shoal watersJ Boats Tillotson Pearson J/109A 10.74-metre fractional sloop offering a shoal draft keel option and powered by a reliable Volvo D1-30 diesel engineJ J/7A 2024 fractional sloop with a shallow 1.16m draft and a high 23.55 sail-area-to-displacement ratio for responsive daysailingJ Boats J/92sA high-performance fractional sloop with a refined keel and rig, designed for speed and responsive handling

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the J Boats J/9, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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