J/Boats and J/Composites are pleased to announce the new J/99, a 9.9 meter (32.9’) crew-friendly, offshore-capable speedster currently under development at J/Composites in Les Sables d’Olonne, France.
The J/99 is the newest addition to the J/Sport range, combining headroom and comfortable interior accommodation with the tiller-driven responsiveness of a sport boat. The sail and deck plan are optimized for easy handling with fewer crew, and incorporate the latest developments from the award-winning J/121 and the new Offshore Sailing World champion J/112E.
The J/99 mast is an all-new, custom-engineered alloy section (anodized black) developed specifically for the J/99 by AG+ Spars of France. The unique integral mainsail track accommodates either luff cars or bolt rope. This innovation eliminates over 12 meters (40’) of fasteners and glue and allows engineers to take advantage of the increased stiffness the integral track geometry provides for final spar section calculations. A tapered top section and quality hardware result in a rig that delivers the best performance value.
The J/99 is the first J with a fixed carbon bowsprit. The sprit is easily removed by way of two bolts just aft of the stem and is supported by a Dyneema bobstay to the bow. The primary benefits of a fixed bowsprit for offshore sailing are reduced weight in the bow and better protection against water intrusion.
The interior features twin aft cabins, a proper sit-down forward facing nav station, an L-shaped galley, and a private forward head with sail locker.
The sail and deck plan of the new J/99 are optimized for easy handling with fewer crew.
“The J/99 opens up a wide range of sailing possibilities,” commented designer Alan Johnstone. “The versatile sail plan, balanced hull form and efficient cockpit will work as well for short-handed offshore sailing as for weekend sailing with friends. The J/99 packs a lot of performance and versatility into a manageable size and budget.”