J/30
Description
The J/30 is a high-performance fractional-sloop racer-cruiser designed by Rod Johnstone and built by J/Boats from 1979 to 1987, with approximately 400 hulls produced. This 30-foot sportboat epitomizes the early J/Boats ethos: lightweight planing hulls for exhilarating speed, wide beam for stability, and a spacious cabin for family cruising or overnight racing. Ideal for PHRF fleets, club regattas, or coastal hops, it offers responsive handling with a deep bulb keel and swept spreaders, making it forgiving for shorthanded crews yet competitive against larger boats. The open cockpit seats 5-6 comfortably, and the interior sleeps 6 with a V-berth forward, saloon settees, and quarter berths. Constructed with balsa-cored fiberglass (solid hull below waterline), it's known for durable build quality, though older examples may need deck core and chainplate inspections. A staple in events like the Chicago-Mackinac Race, the J/30 remains a vibrant one-design class with active fleets worldwide, blending "thrilling" performance with practical comfort.
Construction Details
| Designer | Rod Johnstone |
|---|---|
| Builder | J Boats |
| Length | 29.830 ft |
| LOA | 29.830 ft |
| LWL | 25.000 ft |
| Beam | 11.180 ft |
| Displacement | 7000 lb |
| Max Draft | 5.250 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 34.19 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 11.50 ft |
| p | 38 ft |
| e | 13 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34.19 ft | 11.50 ft | 38 ft | 13 ft | - | - | - | - |
Documents
Sails
J/30 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | 38 ft - (11582 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 13 ft - (3962 mm) |
| Leech | * 39.46 ft - (12027 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 39.73 ft - (12110 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 255.18 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
J/30 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 32.67 ft - (9958 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 13.25 ft - (4039 mm) |
| Leech | 29.5 ft - (8992 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 104 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 11.96 ft - (3645 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 6.9 ° |
| Area | * 195.36 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
J/30 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 32.75 ft - (9982 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 15.36 ft - (4682 mm) |
| Leech | * 28.22 ft - (8601 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.96 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 13.22 ft - (4029 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.01 ° |
| Area | * 216.5 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
J/30 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 33 ft - (10058 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 13.75 ft - (4191 mm) |
| Leech | 30 ft - (9144 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 108.7 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12.5 ft - (3810 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 6.03 ° |
| Area | * 206.25 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
J/30 - GENOA
| Luff | 33.25 ft - (10135 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 17.33 ft - (5282 mm) |
| Leech | 31.25 ft - (9525 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 139.83 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.08 ft - (4901 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.28 ° |
| Area | * 267.37 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
J/30 - GENOA
| Luff | 35 ft - (10668 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 18.68 ft - (5694 mm) |
| Leech | * 32.74 ft - (9979 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.25 ft - (5258 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.99 ° |
| Area | * 301.85 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
J/30 - GENOA
| Luff | 35.17 ft - (10720 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 20.33 ft - (6197 mm) |
| Leech | 33 ft - (10058 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 162.61 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.7 ft - (5700 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.52 ° |
| Area | * 328.82 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
J/30 - GENOA
| Luff | 33.25 ft - (10135 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 18.67 ft - (5691 mm) |
| Leech | 31.083 ft - (9474 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 149.3 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.17 ft - (5233 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.55 ° |
| Area | * 285.41 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
J/30 - DRIFTER
| Luff | 34.5 ft - (10516 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 20 ft - (6096 mm) |
| Leech | 30 ft - (9144 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 150.61 % |
| Length Perp | * 17.32 ft - (5279 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.42 ° |
| Area | * 298.74 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
J/30 - SPINNAKER
| Stays | 34.5 ft - (10516 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | 22.5 ft - (6858 mm) |
| Foot | 22 ft - (6706 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 645 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
J/30 - STORMJIB
| Luff | 17.75 ft - (5410 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 8.5 ft - (2591 mm) |
| Leech | 14 ft - (4267 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 57.13 % |
| Length Perp | * 6.57 ft - (2003 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 20.76 ° |
| Area | * 58.34 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.