J /160

Description

The J/160, launched in 1996, is widely regarded as one of the finest performance cruisers ever built: a 52 ft 8 in (16.08 m) carbon-fiber thoroughbred designed by Rod Johnstone for fast, shorthanded offshore sailing without sacrificing luxury. With a sleek, low-profile deck saloon, 14 ft 2 in beam, 7 ft 2 in fin keel (8 ft 10 in deep-draft option), 32,000 lb displacement, and a towering 72 ft carbon mast supporting a fractional rig carrying 1,350 sq ft upwind (mainsail 750 sq ft + 110 % blade jib), the J/160 routinely sails at 10–12 knots on a reach and logs 250–300 nm days under white sails alone. Below, the bright, open interior—finished in cherry or teak—features a huge owner’s stateroom aft with centerline queen berth, two generous guest cabins, and a spacious saloon raised for panoramic visibility. Hallmarks include a carbon sprit for asymmetrical spinnakers, push-button electric primary winches, a pilot-house-like raised nav station, and an ergonomic cockpit that makes single- or double-handed sailing genuinely effortless. Only 33 were built (1996–2002), making the J/160 a rare modern classic