# Does a J25 = a ''Quarter tonner''



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Does a J25 = a ''''Quarter tonner''''*

We have just restored an 18 yo, 25'' racer and are looking for some clarification of it''s type. We have been told by several people that she might be a ''Quarter tonner'' which was apparently a class around in the late 70''s / early80''s. I''m wondering if she''s a J25...
You can find pictures at:
www.out-of-the-blue.info

Thanks in advance.

Crip


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## Frenzy (Jun 27, 2001)

*Does a J25 = a ''''Quarter tonner''''*

Kirby 25
She looks like a Kirby 25, http://kirby25class.freeyellow.com/
She was designed by Bruce Kirby in the ''70s after Johnstone (of J/ fame) pulled the canadian manufacturing contract away from Kirby. The boats have had reasonable success in both PHRF and One Design, although the wildly popular J/24 overshadowed it greatly. The J/24 carried a PHRF of 168 opposed to the Kirby''s 177, not a great difference but i think the Kirby is easier to sail to her rating. The boat was built like a tank, solid glass hull and bulkheads. Your restoration looks top notch, you should be proud of the boat. Check out the class web site there may be a fleet near you.

http://kirby25class.freeyellow.com/

"FRENZY"


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

*Does a J25 = a ''''Quarter tonner''''*

First to the original question. There never was a J-25 and the boat in question is not a J-boat. She does appear to be an older IOR Quarter tonner which were approximately 25 footers designed to the IOR rating rule. She looks a little like a Lee Creekmore designed 22 footer but if I had to guess, I would speculate that she is a Cook design, soley on looks as she is not recognizable as a production class that I have ever seen. Most Quarter-tonners were custom built.

With all due respect, there is no way that ''Out of the Blue'' is a Kirby 25. I actually owned a Kirby 25. These Bruce Kirby designs were designed to the MORC rule and look more like a J-24 (but with a small trunk cabin, running backstays, and an inboard rudder). Both boats first showed up on a race course at Block Island Race week during the same year. I am not sure why Frenzy thinks that the Kirby went into production "after Johnstone (of J/ fame) pulled the Canadian manufacturing contract away from Kirby". As i recall the the Kirby 25''s design actually proceeded the J-24''s. Also to keep the record straight, the Kirby 25 was not built by Kirby (he was the designer) but was built by Mirage. These boats (J-24 and Kirby 25) both reflect the change in the MORC rule that had occured that year, as did the Evelyn designed ''Able Pointin'' which also appeared at Block Island that same year; all three of which clearly influenced design trends of boats that followed.

While the J-24 sales clearly over shadowed the Kirby 25 worldwide, in the early years of production, the Kirby sold in much larger numbers in Canada where import duties on the J-24 made them price prohibitive.

Jeff


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