What are the criteria to define a good sailboat?
Before talking about performance, comfort or habitability criteria, it is important for the yachtsman to define his programme, the use he intends to make of this yacht. To do this, one must not lie to oneself. Too many yachtsmen imagine crossing the Atlantic or sailing with a large and experienced crew, when in the end, they will most often be making rounds in the bay with their wife and sometimes a friend. Notoriously, future buyers tend to overestimate their programme.
Logically, the correct definition of the use will reduce the list of corresponding yachts to 2 or 3 models, no more. If there are more than 3, it is because the usage is not very clear and the copy must be reviewed.
How can we be sure that the chosen yacht corresponds to our expectations?
Each site communicates with a marketing image that it maintains. First of all, it is necessary to verify that this marketing discourse is real. For example, if the term "Performance" is associated with the name of the boat, is it legitimate or not?
The best way to do this is to exchange with owners. Of course they may tell you that they have the "most beautiful boat in the world", but by discussing its uses, its way of sailing, its program, you will be able to see if it will meet your expectations.
Always keep in mind that a sailboat remains a compromise. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a five-legged sheep. You won't find a sailboat that has the performance of an all-carbon prototype with the habitability and equipment of a cruising catamaran. It's up to you to adjust the sliders to know what you don't want to let go of and the less important points in your choice.
We must also be wary of the figures provided by the shipyards. A boat is a complex whole and it is easy to make the numerical data say what you want it to say. For example, you can say that a sailing boat is very light if you put the ballast very deep (with a huge draft). So in comparison with the weights, we can say that boat 1 is much lighter than boat 2. But at comparable (and reasonable) draught, the 1 will become heavier... Moreover the manufacturer's information may be subject to variations. If you want to compare precise and measured data, the most reliable way is to refer to the ORC base of measured yachts. It is public and accessible, and certainly not rigged.
Is it still possible to reconcile cruising and regattas?
A decade or two ago, cruise-racing yachts really existed. We think of the First range or the Jeanneau Sun Fast, the X-Yachts or the Grand Soleil... These yachts were capable of crossing a finish line and then continuing on a cruising programme. Today, the market is becoming more and more specialized: racing yachts are very sharp and less versatile, just as cruising yachts are becoming more and more bulky and equipped, to the detriment of performance.
At J Composites, we try to continue to be good in both areas. The most convincing demonstration was the victory of the J/112 in 2018 over the ORC World Championship with the J/112. This yacht certainly with a carbon mast, quality fittings and beautiful sails, had inside a fridge, an oven, a hot water tank and even all the cushions. All that was missing was the supplies to go cruising.
This notion of performance and habitability remains in the DNA of a medium-sized monohull sailboat. We're trying to keep this trend going with, for example, our new J/45, which is due to arrive shortly.
