Wednesday, December 23, 2009

J/95 SAILING WORLD Boat of the Year Overall Winner

J/95 Sailing World Boat of the Year- BOTY- shoal draft cruising racing sailboat

J/95 Overall Boat-of-the-Year

Christmas came early for the J sailing community! The newest issue of Sailing World magazine arrived with an action cover shot of the J/95 sailing upwind, and a feature article announcing the J/95 as the OVERALL WINNER of Sailing World's Boat of the Year for 2010!  Three pages later, the J/97 is announced as the winner of the Best Club Racer.  This is the first time in J history that two different J designs have won BOTY in the same year; and much appreciated recognition for the huge effort by the whole J network to bring these models to market in 2009.

Here are a few excerpts from the Sailing World website/ press release:  “Rodney Johnstone, the J/95's designer, has been designing boats for decades, and when he says this is his best boat yet, he's not kidding,” says Dave Read, Sailing World's editor and Boat of the Year director. “The judges were struck by how well it sails and how well it's built. But what cemented the J/95's selection was its versatility. It's a 31 footer that sailors of all skill levels will love to race.  And because of its clever centerboard keel and twin rudders, it can be raced or daysailed virtually anywhere – shallow bays, lakes, or the open ocean.”

"It's a radical change for J/Boats," says Boat of the Year Judge Chuck Allen, a professional sailmaker at North Sails.  'You can do anything with this boat, and do it well.  They hit a homerun."

Thanks to CCF and International Marine for their expertise and hard work on the J/95 tooling and production.  Read more about the J/95 Sailing World BOTY Award