Just like a car, a racing sailboat loses a minimum of 10 percent of its value when you take it off the showroom floor. Do your research so you don't end up regretting your selection. - Decide how much you can afford to spend. Sailing can be expensive, so research the costs of purchasing, operating and maintaining a sailboat and racing campaign.
- Test sail as many types of racing sailboats - large and small - as fit into your budget.
- Find a size and price range you're comfortable with, and fine-tune your research.
- Go to boat shows in your area. You can find out when they're coming to town through your local marine supply store.
- Check out manufacturers' web sites for detailed information such as deck layouts, hull design, rig configuration and performance reviews.
- Read sailing magazines that review racing sailboats.
- Ask local yacht club members which fleets are growing and what is the "hot boat" in your size and price range.
- Study the class rules for each specific racing sailboat to make sure there is nothing too objectionable, such as stringent crew or equipment restrictions.
- Test sail your top three boats of choice with the owner or, if it's a new racing sailboat, with the broker or manufacturer's rep.
- Make your decision only when you feel fully informed of all the options available to you.
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The story of J/Boats is a classic entrepreneurial tale: With a $20,000 investment, and a speedy 24-foot sailboat that Rod Johnstone built in his garage, Rod & his brother Bob Johnstone went into business. That was 1977. Now, that boat (the J/24), has become the most popular recreational offshore keelboat in the world.
The Johnstone family has made an undeniable mark on the sailing world. In addition to the 5,300 J/24s cruising the waves, there are over 5,000 more J/Boats, ranging from the International J/22 to the 53' J/160, that sailing enthusiasts have bought at prices ranging from $10,000 to $850,000.
While other manufacturers may sell more boats, the Johnstones have won the high-end, performance-oriented segment of the market. Theirs is the so-called racer/cruiser category: boats that perform well enough to race but which are comfortable and easy enough for the family to daysail and cruise. It is with knowledgeable, experienced sailors that the Johnstones have done best.
The story begins in 1975. Rod, then an ad salesman for the sailing trade magazine, Soundings, and an active one-design sailor decided to build a sailboat he had been designing since completing a Westlawn School of Yacht Design correspondence course in the 60's. With $400-worth of fiberglass and wood, some rigging and hardware left over from a Soling of Bob's, he built the 24' x 9' wide RAGTIME on weekends in his 3 car garage at his home in Stonington, Connecticut. During the summer of 1976, with an all family crew aboard, RAGTIME beat everything in sight. Rod realized he had created something special.
Enter Everett Pearson, the owner of TPI Composites, Inc., a highly respected boat builder in Warren Rhode Island. He was quite taken with Rod's design and agreed to produce the boat on spec in return for the U.S. building rights. Display ads in Soundings got the word out. That winter they set up a makeshift factory in an old textile mill in nearby Fall River, Massachusetts, and began popping out J/24s.
Enter the marketing experience of brother Bob, a vice president of marketing at AMF/Alcort (the makers of Sunfish sailboats at the time). He saw the potential in the boat Rod had designed. From 1975 to 1977, Bob had helped to take Alcort from the red into the black, and then began trying to convince AMF to start producing a boat similar to the J/24. But, he says, in spite of overwhelming market research results showing 50% purchase intent in a boat like the J/24 , AMF really didn't care anything about gaining share of market or investing any more in sailing. So, in February of 1977, at age 43, Bob left AMF and threw in his lot with J/Boats.
With Rod contributing the design and his prototype 'Ragtime' and Bob investing $20,000 to cover start-up costs, office space, and advertising, their 50-50 partnership was launched. Expecting to sell 250 J/24s that first year, they sold 750. Each successive year marks unique achievements in the sport and industry.
The next generation of Johnstones now mans the helm, while founders Rod and Bob continue to contribute in the areas of their strength, design and marketing. Since 1992, Rod's sons Jeff (president) & Alan (vice-president) and nephew Jim (sales director) have managed company operations & sales from J/Boats Headquarters in Newport, RI. A total of five of Bob & Rod's sons (Jeff, Alan, Stu, Drake and Phil) serve on J/Boats, Inc. Board of Directors.
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