# Anyone familiar with the J/28?



## eMKay (Aug 18, 2007)

They only made 71 of them ('86 to '88) Nice sailplan, not ideal interior but the V-berth looks usable, cool cockpit, is the 40" wheel really necessary? Could it be swapped out for say a 28" wheel? Should I add this boat to my list? Cored hull worries me...

Ten Reasons to Own


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I think one of the guys that's a regular on this forum owns one... maybe Jeff H??? not sure though.


----------



## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

This is similar in concept to the J-32 - It was part of JBoat's early foray into the cruiser market. I really like the 32, but they are rather pricey as a rule. I expect this would be much like that.. somewhat overpriced but a nice, solid cruiser with a good turn of speed.

Don't be so hasty to dismiss the larger wheel.. sitting outboard with the wheel easy to reach makes a lot of sense for visibility and steering in waves, and it also provides an extra bit of leverage with things load up.. If you buy it and want to swap I've got a 32" wheel we can talk about..


----------



## eMKay (Aug 18, 2007)

Faster said:


> This is similar in concept to the J-32 - It was part of JBoat's early foray into the cruiser market. I really like the 32, but they are rather pricey as a rule. I expect this would be much like that.. somewhat overpriced but a nice, solid cruiser with a good turn of speed.
> 
> Don't be so hasty to dismiss the larger wheel.. sitting outboard with the wheel easy to reach makes a lot of sense for visibility and steering in waves, and it also provides an extra bit of leverage with things load up.. If you buy it and want to swap I've got a 32" wheel we can talk about..


The ones on yachtworld are very pricey, I'm wondering if they are worth it, they sure look well built in pictures.

edit: I just looked up the J/32...WOW! Now that's a pretty boat.


----------



## bubb2 (Nov 9, 2002)

A 20 year old balsa core hull would concern me also.


----------



## bubb2 (Nov 9, 2002)

I was just looking at the pricing of the J28 on yacht world. I agree with you kind of pricey. If you are looking for a 20 year old boat that you can use on the lake, i can think of few in that price range that i think would serve you better as weekender. A 28ft'er can get small for 2 or more people on weekends when the weather keeps you in the cabin. I justed picked one out on yacht world as an example.
1987 Pearson 31-2 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com=


----------



## mikehoyt (Nov 27, 2000)

Cored hull

These were done for strength and lightness I believe. Cored hull is fine so long as the core is dry and hull not delaminated. I believe a survey with boat out of the water could easily detect these problems.

J boats tend to have areas of hull not cored near centerline for thru hulls, etc... which makes water intrusion into core less of an issue. 

J boats usually have cored deck..Deck and coachroof have a LOT of holes for fittings, etc... which are great paths for water to follow to soak into core. While deck recoring is not nearly the work of hull recoring and not nearly the issue it is where I suspect you would have more problems in this 20 year old boat.

If you like the boat make the offer subject to survey and have the surveyor check for wet deck and hull. If these areas check out as fine then you will have a great boat that sails very well.


Mike


----------



## bubb2 (Nov 9, 2002)

Mike I agree with every thing you said. I will say I am a belt and suspenders sort of guy. Neither gel coat or fiberglass is imperious to water intrusion. I know all about barrier coats. But one good bang against a dock during a storm when you are not there, can spider crack the gel coat and start a path way to the core. If I was not a racer, it is one less thing to worry about. A boat is a major investment for most people. I feel a balsa cored hull is an investment risk.

For a weekend cruiser that is left in the water all season long the J28 would not be my boat of choice. But if I want to go fast and could dry sail it I might be looking at the J28.


----------



## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

It has been my experance with Jboats that when they are HIT in a race the core is so STIFF it punches a nice allmost round hole with very local dammage 


Compared to other styles of glass that may spread the dammage out over a much bigger area


----------



## Delirious (Dec 16, 2001)

Is that a good thing? Isn't the intention of long fibers in the matrix to spread the stress/strain and *prevent* a hull failure?

I'd rather smack a submerged piling and limp back with $2,000 in future glass work waiting at the yard than be submerged beside the piling with $200 in glass work and $12,000 in ruined equipment and gear.


----------



## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

Is it good well It does not JUST POP a hole from a minor wack 


The racing holes i have seen took took a hit in the beam from the pointy SS forestay bracket and resulted in no boat dammage other than the area of the inpact


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

A bit OT, but this is one reason a lot of custom boats, multihulls and monohulls both, are laid up using a ductile foam core material for the hull, like Airex. It will often compress, and absorb and spread out a lot of the impact force, and prevent the impact from holing the interior skin of the laminate. Use of kevlar cloth also helps, since it generally will not tear in an impact situation.

For decks, I prefer end-grain balsa... but for hulls, I'd prefer ductile PVC foam, with solid glass along the keel and for all through-hulls.



Delirious said:


> Is that a good thing? Isn't the intention of long fibers in the matrix to spread the stress/strain and *prevent* a hull failure?
> 
> I'd rather smack a submerged piling and limp back with $2,000 in future glass work waiting at the yard than be submerged beside the piling with $200 in glass work and $12,000 in ruined equipment and gear.


----------



## j34035 (Nov 10, 2006)

eMKay said:


> They only made 71 of them ('86 to '88) Nice sailplan, not ideal interior but the V-berth looks usable, cool cockpit, is the 40" wheel really necessary? Could it be swapped out for say a 28" wheel? Should I add this boat to my list? Cored hull worries me...
> 
> J/28's are great boats! The V-berth is massive for a 28 footer, and since they dont try to fit sleeping for 7 into 28', the rest of the boat is well laid out. There is a pull-out berth under the settee that makes a nice double for the occasional guest, a decent galley, and the folding table opens the salon up very nicely. Keep the 40" wheel until you decide you dont like it, and yes other wheels fit. It is a 1" straight bore wheel. Steering from the lifelines comfortably is really nice. I have had a J/37 and now a J/34c and they both have the same cockpit layout the 28 has, and they are really nice for short-handed sailing. We have one sailing in our fleet and he always finishes well on the race course. I am not going to say dont worry about cored hulls, but with a good survey and moisture check, you should be able to abvoid problems. If you would like to hook up with a 28 owner, PM me and I will try to get you an email address so you can swap notes. Later...........
> DD


----------



## eMKay (Aug 18, 2007)

j34035 said:


> eMKay said:
> 
> 
> > They only made 71 of them ('86 to '88) Nice sailplan, not ideal interior but the V-berth looks usable, cool cockpit, is the 40" wheel really necessary? Could it be swapped out for say a 28" wheel? Should I add this boat to my list? Cored hull worries me...
> ...


----------



## hjubyhavn (Aug 16, 2007)

Tillitson-Pearson did not bother sealing the core where cutting through for fittings.

This means that only meticulously maintained boats can be expected to have dry core as they get wet from the outside and severe leaks does not happen after the core is quite wet around the fitting.

I check all fittings that show moisture immediately, even when it only looks like condensation on my '86 Freedom 21 (same builder). That is the only way to be sure. A racing outfitted boat of the same age as mine may needs 10-15 items re-seated each season.


----------



## j34035 (Nov 10, 2006)

cardiacpaul said:


> man... y'all need to hop on the koolaid train as far as cored hulls are concerned.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, water ingress in a hull is a great big-o problem (thats the southern international unit of measurement.) but I wouldn't be so quick to make a cored hull a deal breaker.
> I've posted this before, but i'll do it again.
> ...


I agree with you. People get their panties in a great big-o wad (I like that measurement!) over stuff that while is not baseless, is overblown. All boats have potential problems, that is why you get GOOD surveyors to evaluate before you buy. Personnaly, I'm pretty impressed with the long-term durability of both the J/boats I have owned. The only real problem I have had is leaking chainplates, but that is not that big of a project to fix, especially if you have the mast out for transport. I do also agree you should check and fix fasteners and penetrations to the deck anytime you are suspicious of a leak. 
DD

BTW, those are great articles about Pearson!!


----------



## jason3317 (Dec 20, 2007)

*A good choice....*

As with any 20 year cored hull, you'd benefit from a thorough survey to rule out any problems. Remember, cored = light weight, which may be important to you depending where you do your boating and the wind conditions. In the Chespeake, the summer winds can be light and a lighter boat is more easily driven. YMMV.

You didn't tell us what your sailing requirements or what other boats are on your shopping list. As the owner of J/28 #69, I can tell you that it is one of the best layouts and one of the roomiest 28 footers I have been on.

I particularly enjoy the aft head location and the galley is adequate for most. The forward V-berth is 6ft+ and the space includes room for dressing, a hanging locker and storage cabinents on opposite sides.

Modeled after the J/40, the best interior feature is the bulkhead mounted table, which folds down and expands with a hinged leaf. The port settee pulls out to a double.

Interior storage is adequate, but not huge. Two cockpit lockers do provide plently of room and access.

Sailing performance is excellent, with a large main and fractional rig. I typicall can sail at a little more than 1/2 the apparent wind with <10 knts true. My boat has the 5' std draft fin keel. I single hand 80% of the time and with the primary sail controls in the cockpit....life is good...easy to depower in the puffs.

Pricing for the J/28s on the market are fairly stable. With only 71 hulls and the "J/ Premium", I think 35-45k is reasonable for a well cared example. There are alot of less expensive options, but would not hesitate to buy my 28 again at that price.

Let me know if you want more info, or a few other pics.


----------



## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

There's a lot to like about this design and Jason, as an owner, has given a nice review of the boat. 

I've always admired the J-28 package as a whole. I have often wondered why it didn't get the "C" designation, as it seemed geared more toward cruiser/racer than racer/cruiser. 

A couple aspects about the design that I don't especially care for:

- Yes, it is relatively roomy, but the absence of any quarter berth is a disappointment. Compare this boat to the Beneteau 285, which has an enclosed aft double quarter berth. For family sailing, you'll miss the extra bunk. For singles/couples, maybe not.

- The signature J-cockpit. I have never warmed up to the standard J-boats cockpit design, which leaves the helmsman sitting on the coaming outside the cockpit. In other words, there is no dedicated cockpit seating aft the helm, just deck. Love it or hate it, I guess.

Aside from these quibbles, though, the J-28 represents a good alternative to the pricier J-32.


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

BTW, I'd take exception to the J28's claim:



> *Best Stability* ...The J/28 is designed to perform with two people sitting in the cockpit, sailing to windward in 20 knots of wind.* In fact, J/28 may be the fastest 28-footer in the world in those conditions.* How? Well, if you don't have 6 gorillas on the rail (which you don't when cruising), you'd better have a HEAVY KEEL. J/28's 3,000-lb keel is lead, not iron.


Most 28' trimarans will toast the J28 in 20 knots of wind, on any point of sail.  She may be the fastest 28' monohull...but not the fastest 28' boat.


----------



## eMKay (Aug 18, 2007)

jason3317 said:


> As with any 20 year cored hull, you'd benefit from a thorough survey to rule out any problems. Remember, cored = light weight, which may be important to you depending where you do your boating and the wind conditions. In the Chespeake, the summer winds can be light and a lighter boat is more easily driven. YMMV.
> 
> You didn't tell us what your sailing requirements or what other boats are on your shopping list. As the owner of J/28 #69, I can tell you that it is one of the best layouts and one of the roomiest 28 footers I have been on.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the review, my other choices are in my other thread...

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/buying-boat/46958-ive-narrowed-my-next-boat-down.html


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Mike-

The Pearsons you're also looking at are pretty solid...and made by the folks that built the J28s IIRC.


----------



## jason3317 (Dec 20, 2007)

*The list of prospectives....*

I agree with Dog that the quality of the Pearsons mentioned and the J/28 are probably similar.

Reading through the other thread, there seems to be a healthy mix of both entry level production boats (Hunter, Bene, Catalina) and models that were production, but produced in lower numbers (Js and Sabre and Tartan).

It's my opinion, that there is a significant difference in quality of these two segments in terms of how they were designed, built and, more importantly, equipped. The age of the boats you're considering probably exacerbates those points. I make this point since your put quality/appearance/comfort above performance. But, I encourage you not to discount performance too much...a boat that is an underacheiver under sail....is just that.

If the Hunter 27 is the top candidate at $40k, you were absolutely on the right track asking for opinions on the older Js and Sabres of equivalent sizes. With your timeframe....plently of time to continue the discovery and evaluation process.


----------



## Squamish (Sep 5, 2008)

Most J's have balsa cored hull, are the decks also balsa core on the J/28? I am assuming they are.


----------



## jason3317 (Dec 20, 2007)

Squamish said:


> Most J's have balsa cored hull, are the decks also balsa core on the J/28? I am assuming they are.


Yes, the hull and deck are cored.
JS


----------



## Squamish (Sep 5, 2008)

I think all J/28 were sold with alcohol stoves, has any one out there with a J/28 converted to LPG?

My preference is for LPG (propane) and wonder how difficult is it to put in the required locker that vents outside.

Garry


----------



## Squamish (Sep 5, 2008)

Anyone familiar with a J/28, I have a few questions...

What are the sailing characteristics of the J/28? What does it sail like in light,medium and strong winds? What is it like in open water with large waves?

How do you like the interior layout / deck layout?

I am considering a boat in the 28 to 30 foot range and the J/28 is at the top of my list. But as far at 28 footers go, they are also at the top end of the price category in the $30-$40 K range (and used J/28's are 20 years old). 

When I look at prices of boats on Yachtworld.com I can see a good range of boats in the $30-$40 K range that are 30-33 feet LOA. This makes me wonder if a J/28 is the best choice - do I continue to think about a nice 28 footer at the top of the price/size range, or should I look at something 2-4 foot bigger?

Garry


----------



## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

The Jboats sail well IF you like that kind of boat (race/cruise) compared to the other end of the spectrum of a full keel bluewater boat 


They cost more now because they cost more then compared to some other boats and there are other boats in this size that cost even more if you keep going up in quality


----------



## jfdubu (Jul 18, 2002)

Kinda late getting here but, I have hull #11 J28 and love it. I agree with jason, This is a sweet and easy boat to sail and race. My usual set-up is a basic main and 135% jib and the boat handle up to 20 knots with out a reef. Late last year I put up a 105% jib and the boat sailed even better. Cockpit layout is great and I single hand most of the time. (my wife likes to sit on the boat but doesn't want to sail.) All my lines come back to the cockpit.

I do miss the quarterberth sometimes but the lazertte storage is un beatable. The v berth is plenty big for two and the with the table up in the main salon theres a good amount of space. I'll cruised/raced many a three day weekends with two other guys and not been uncomfortable. (I Get the v-berth.)

I keep saying I want a bigger boat,, that's frequently followed by why?

John W.


----------



## eMKay (Aug 18, 2007)

jfdubu said:


> Kinda late getting here but, I have hull #11 J28 and love it. I agree with jason, This is a sweet and easy boat to sail and race. My usual set-up is a basic main and 135% jib and the boat handle up to 20 knots with out a reef. Late last year I put up a 105% jib and the boat sailed even better. Cockpit layout is great and I single hand most of the time. (my wife likes to sit on the boat but doesn't want to sail.) All my lines come back to the cockpit.
> 
> I do miss the quarterberth sometimes but the lazertte storage is un beatable. The v berth is plenty big for two and the with the table up in the main salon theres a good amount of space. I'll cruised/raced many a three day weekends with two other guys and not been uncomfortable. (I Get the v-berth.)
> 
> ...


Thanks, your review is not late, as I haven't bought a new boat yet. It's still on my list.


----------



## LennyR (Jul 28, 2005)

*Another J/28 owner*

I'm even later to the party, as the owner of J/28 hull #29. I bought my boat at the end of last season and have not yet sailed it, so I can't contribute too much. I do know that the build quality is quite good. My boat, at least, has held up extremely well. The interior seems quite workable for a cruising couple.

There IS decent seating behind the wheel. In fact, there's a cushion-shaped indentation there, and the boats were delivered with a special firm cushion intended to give the helmsman a bit of a perch -- at least the other J/28 I looked at (before buying mine) had a cushion like that. The cushion for my boat has been lost, and I'm going to get one made.

Can't wait for the season to give "Ruffian" a good go. We'll sail out of Rockland, on the Maine coast.


----------



## j34035 (Nov 10, 2006)

LennyR said:


> I'm even later to the party, as the owner of J/28 hull #29. I bought my boat at the end of last season and have not yet sailed it, so I can't contribute too much. I do know that the build quality is quite good. My boat, at least, has held up extremely well. The interior seems quite workable for a cruising couple.
> 
> There IS decent seating behind the wheel. In fact, there's a cushion-shaped indentation there, and the boats were delivered with a special firm cushion intended to give the helmsman a bit of a perch -- at least the other J/28 I looked at (before buying mine) had a cushion like that. The cushion for my boat has been lost, and I'm going to get one made.
> 
> Can't wait for the season to give "Ruffian" a good go. We'll sail out of Rockland, on the Maine coast.


That cushion is actually an enclosure for a throwable flotation device. Find another J/boat and measure/borrow to use as a pattern. It keeps a good throwable very handy at all times. I race against a J/28 some, and it does seem to do well in most wind conditions. Below it is the biggest 28' boat I have been on. What I like is they built the boat for 2 people instead of trying to have "berths for 6". Big main cabin and the v-berth is as big as the one on my 34 and my old 37 (both J's) I dont see how you could go wrong with a J/28 if that is the size you are looking for. I may be a bit biased though............


----------



## LennyR (Jul 28, 2005)

*Other J/28 owners*



j34035 said:


> That cushion is actually an enclosure for a throwable flotation device. Find another J/boat and measure/borrow to use as a pattern. It keeps a good throwable very handy at all times.


I would love to do that but don't know any other J/28 owners. I tried to send an e-mail to the owners who commented in this thread, but the Sailnet system wouldn't let me do it because I haven't posted enough... If those owners could get in touch with me, that would be great.


----------



## j34035 (Nov 10, 2006)

LennyR said:


> I would love to do that but don't know any other J/28 owners. I tried to send an e-mail to the owners who commented in this thread, but the Sailnet system wouldn't let me do it because I haven't posted enough... If those owners could get in touch with me, that would be great.


The J/28, 34c,37, and 40 all use the same seat cushion. I am going to the boat this weekend and will check to see which size throwable it is, and take a couple of pictures. It wont be very hard to reproduce the cover you would need to make one. I had a new one made at a local automotive uhpolstery shop for about $50 including material. 
DD

Edit:
The weather turned to crap!! 30 degrees with 30 mile per hour winds. Boat is on the hard so we left our work for another week. I will get photos of our helmsman cushion next weekend and post.

DD


----------



## kbianculli (Mar 9, 2009)

If you haven't already purchased your boat then let me tell my opinions about the J-28. I own hull 71 and have so for 12 years. It is a great boat and plenty big enough even for extended cruises so long as you aren't sailing with more than 2 other people. I have comfortably gone for 3 week cruises with 3 of us aboard and while we may have been more comfortable on a larger boat I don't think the difference would be enough to offset the additional maintenance time/costs required. There is quite a bit of storage for a 28 foot boat. The cockpit lockers are cavernous and can benefit from some dividers/removable/sliding shelves to prevent things from just piling up in them. There is a fair bit of storage behind the setees and in the galley. The head is quite large for a 28 footer and since it is at the bottom of the companionway it is also very convinient to get to from the cockpit and keeps the rest of the cabin dry if you are sailing in the rain and go below to use it.

The boat sails like a dream. It handles heavy weather well, as an example I have flown the spinnaker for an extended period in 25 knots of wind and 8.5 knots of boat speed with out ever feeling like I was on the edge of a wipe out. It also keeps moving well in light weather, although once the apparent wind is between 150-180 degrees and below 8 knots or so you really need the spinnaker to keep moving well. The 40" wheel is great, I wouldn't go smaller. It allows you to brace your foot against the binnacle, comfortably reach the wheel and sit well out to weather while going upwind. The cockpit layout is fantastic for short handed or even single handed sailing with the main and jib sheets within easy reach of the wheel. Another boon for shorthanded sailing on this boat is the fact that the standard primary winches are self tailing.

The only problem area I have had with the core has been were the chainplates go through the deck. These move enough that it is very hard to seal and the core is exposed. It is a problem area on all J-boats of that era. The damage to the core in this location has been very localized to this location since, contrary to popular belief, water will not move horizontally across a balsa core *UNLESS* the core is delaminated from the fiberglass. A good survey should tell you what the problems are.

To sum up, I think the J-28 is as close to the perfect boat for me. I highly recommend it.


----------



## LennyR (Jul 28, 2005)

*J/28 owners please contact me*

As the new owner of J/28 hull #29, I would love the opportunity to learn more about these boats from other owners. Could owners email me at the following address: J28Ruffian at gmail dot com. Thanks.


----------



## j34035 (Nov 10, 2006)

LennyR said:


> I'm even later to the party, as the owner of J/28 hull #29. I bought my boat at the end of last season and have not yet sailed it, so I can't contribute too much. I do know that the build quality is quite good. My boat, at least, has held up extremely well. The interior seems quite workable for a cruising couple.
> 
> There IS decent seating behind the wheel. In fact, there's a cushion-shaped indentation there, and the boats were delivered with a special firm cushion intended to give the helmsman a bit of a perch -- at least the other J/28 I looked at (before buying mine) had a cushion like that. The cushion for my boat has been lost, and I'm going to get one made.
> 
> Can't wait for the season to give "Ruffian" a good go. We'll sail out of Rockland, on the Maine coast.


Sorry it took so long, but here is a couple of photos of my cushion:



















The throwable horseshoe is made by Forespar. In the middle, there is a closed cell filler covered with vinyl and snaps on the front to keep it secure. If you need more detail, feel free to drop me a line.
DD


----------



## eMKay (Aug 18, 2007)

The input is not late, and I appreciate it. I haven't bought a new boat yet. My list is getting shuffled around though, some boats crossed off, some added. Still the favorites are J/28, Catalina 28, Hunter 27 (current model, and Cherubini '80 to '84), Precision 27/28.


----------



## LennyR (Jul 28, 2005)

*Where to get the cover and cushion?*

Doug: I tried to email you from your link, but the system just shunted me to some other page. Anyway, do you have any idea where I could get the insert cushion and cover, assuming that I can buy the horseshoe? It looks like a neat setup. Lenny

PS: How does that flap with snaps work?


----------



## LennyR (Jul 28, 2005)

*J/28 owners' web site has been established*

If you are further interested in the J/28, check out this page:

J28Sailors : J28Sailors


----------



## LennyR (Jul 28, 2005)

*J/28 Forum*

There is a forum on Yahoo groups devoted to the J/28. Here's the link:

J28Sailors : J28Sailors

LennyR


----------



## longboater (Apr 24, 2011)

*I have a J-28 for Sale*

I have had J-28 hull #6 for 15 years it is a great boat. We sail it out of Menominee Michigan. Please contact me for price and equipment. This boat has all the equipment for crusing and by the way is ready to race with Quantum kevlar racing sails, spinnakers and reaching chutes..

John Engel

owner of Blue J


----------



## asdf38 (Jul 7, 2010)

I spend a lot of time idly planning my sailing future and somehow I had never come across this boat. I've recently been browsing the Morris Linda, Shannon 28 and Com-pac 27 which all share the same simple aft head arrangement that seems to maximize the space in a boat this size. The J is intriguing because it's a great example of this arrangement and in a really fast boat. I'm almost always attracted to more classic boats but arguably I've never seen more boat in 28' LOA. Neat Boat.


----------



## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

I know this is an old thread, but, I'm gonna just ask here rather than start something new as I only need one J28 owner to answer.

How much head room in the salon and head of a J28? I'm 6'2" and need a boat I can stand up in.

Don't need to do jumping jacks, just not stoop


----------



## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Rob.. there are at least a couple of current or former owners earlier in this thread.. have you tried to PM or email them?


----------



## Sail The World (Sep 25, 2011)

J-28 is a great boat, it can take some pretty rough wind and waves. this is the sailboat on which i learned to sail. i recommend.


----------



## speedjunkie (Jun 27, 2012)

How well does the J28 sail to her rating with the standard 5' draft? I have also seen the shoal draft, 3'11". How well does the shoal draft sail to her rating?


----------



## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

speedjunkie said:


> How well does the J28 sail to her rating with the standard 5' draft? I have also seen the shoal draft, 3'11". How well does the shoal draft sail to her rating?


In my admittedly limited experience the ratings adjustment for a shoal draft will never make up for the loss of performance of not having a fin keel.


----------



## puddinlegs (Jul 5, 2006)

For any type of racing, draft is your friend. Learn to love it... unless you're cruising extensively in shallow water.


----------



## KiteRider (Jul 13, 2010)

I have recently took a position as captain on a J28. The owner told me it is hull #75, which according to the Jboat website would make it the last one. It is missing it's owners manual, and the placard is completely unreadable.

By chance do any of you J28 owners have a digital, or paper, copy of the owners manual?


----------



## Alex W (Nov 1, 2012)

I'm surprised by the displacement of the J/28 considering that it is a cored hull. It is 7900lbs, which is pretty heavy for a 28.5' boat. C&C 29 and Pearson 28-2 (my boat) are the same length by about 1000lbs lighter.

Where is the weight?


----------



## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

Yes a bit heavy for a higher performance boat. My previous boat (30 foot Cal 9.2) was only 7000 lbs. And still with that extra weight, the J28 rates almost 20 seconds a mile faster than the P 28-2 in PHRF.


----------



## KiteRider (Jul 13, 2010)

Alex W said:


> I'm surprised by the displacement of the J/28 considering that it is a cored hull. It is 7900lbs, which is pretty heavy for a 28.5' boat. C&C 29 and Pearson 28-2 (my boat) are the same length by about 1000lbs lighter.
> 
> Where is the weight?


The C&C is only 400lbs lighter and the difference is all in the keel. 3000lbs vs 2600lbs. Don't know about the additional 500-600lbs difference in the Pearson, but it has the least ballast of the three.


----------



## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

To put the J-28's and its 7900 lb displacement in perspective, the Laser 28 (which was designed a little before the J-28) has a design weight 3,950 lbs. (I actually owned one and mine actually weighed in around 4100 lbs with sails on board and some fuel in the tank) 

To continue the comparison, and as an alternative to the J-28, the stock J-28 carried more fuel and water than the stock Laser 28, but I was able to add a second water tank taking mine up to around 40 gallons or water. The J-28 has more headroom. The Laser 28 had a more usable cockpit and was tiller steered. 

The Laser 28 rates 42 seconds a mile faster, and is wildly faster in light or heavy air. But the Laser 28 takes more skill to sail in gusty conditions where the J-28 would be a lot more forgiving. The Laser 28's came equipped for racing and cruising. The deck plan on the Laser was fabulous in terms of hardware and hardware layout. 

Build quality wise, the Laser 28's used a closed cell foam core, kevlar laminate, vacuum infusion, and some had vinylester resin (the order form for my boat indicated that the original owner had opted for that), making them a lot less prone to delamination and core damage. They were amazingly tough boats in most respects. The one thing I did not like was the hull to deck joint on the Laser 28. 

Jeff


----------



## asdf38 (Jul 7, 2010)

Interesting that this thread popped up.

I posted here back in 2012 saying how I thought the J-28 was a particularly attractive (if different) upgrade to my Contessa, given the additional speed and size with little extra length.

Now I'm scheduled to see one this weekend. Though I have a hard time imagining that I'd pull the trigger given my attachment to the Contessa. But there is a logical case to be made for jumping to a boat that's 1) larger 2) in better shape and 3) has more equipment all without significantly increasing my fixed expenses.

I may post back with my opinion of the boat after viewing.


----------



## Alex W (Nov 1, 2012)

Thanks.

I don't mean my weight comments to be a negative, it is just interesting to me.  It is a significantly heavier boat than the J/29 or J/30 (which is also often used as a cruiser) and doesn't fit into the normal J/boat mold. That doesn't mean that it is a bad boat, I'm just surprised to see a J/boat so heavily in the cruiser spec's camp.


----------

