I had already posted about the J112e when it was on the project stage, I have visited the boat at the Dusseldorf boat show and it is all that it promised on the project: a very nice interior, well finished in a kind of modest way and I am not meaning anything negative quite the contrary. While most cruising boats nowadays have a flashy interior with average quality the J112 remains very sober and funcional featuring good quality everywhere. The J112e is made by Jcomposites in France and comes to substitute what was one of the most successful Jboats in what regards sales, the J109.
https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.pt/2014/10/j112e.html
The J112 is a better and more modern design improving on the J109 in everything, from interior space to stability and performance. It has more length (36.00 to 35.25ft) more beam (11.75 to 11.50ft) a bigger SA/D (22.3 to 20.4) it is lighter (D/L-157 to 172) it has more stability (Max RM - 833 to 940 ft/lb) and all this allows not only a bigger interior but a remarkably faster boat (IRC - 1.015 to 1.060).
The interest on the boat by European magazines has not been big and though it has been tested by many sail magazines for the 2017 yacht of the year few have published the sail test but when they have the comments are very positive and everybody loves to sail the J112e. Curiously magazines in the US, where the interest for this type of boats is way smaller, have published more sail tests and even have made it boat of the year in an odd category: the crossover yacht.
But all this is not enough to make it a big sales success: the demand of this type of performance cruiser is very small on the US and it is diminishing in Europe not only due to the competition of other successful brands like JPK, Pogo, Italia Yachts (and now even Grand Soleil) among others but because unfortunately here we see also a decrease on the number of cruisers that want this type of sail boat.
Comparing the J112e with what seems to me to be the best performance cruiser of this size, the JPK 1080, I would say that the J112e is much more typed as an upwind sailboat while the JPK remains with a more balanced performance, one that has been giving it an incredible racing performance, from the Sydney Hobart to the Middle Sea Race, Fastnet and on the duo Transats.
In what regards hull diferences the JPK 1080 is just slightly beamier being the main diference on the transom design. The J112e, that is comparatively the beamier of all J's, has the max beam at the middle while the JPK has it pulled aft, giving it a big transom.
We can say this is a sailor's boat in a sense that the interior space has not come at the cost of a decreased sailing performance and that the sail hardware is not just a simplified one that only allows a basic sail trim. Many cruisers (or their wives) that buy the boats on boat shows are not able to understand at what cost comes that little bit of extra interior space or why even with a smaller interior these boats are more expensive than main mass produced boats.
We can say this is a sailor's boat in a sense that the interior space has not come at the cost of a decreased sailing performance and that the sail hardware is not just a simplified one that only allows a basic sail trim. Many cruisers (or their wives) that buy the boats on boat shows are not able to understand at what cost comes that little bit of extra interior space or why even with a smaller interior these boats are more expensive than main mass produced boats.
The hulls seem similar on the way they are built even if that is not clearly the case and they are not aware of the differences that allow not only for a lighter boat but also a stronger boat. An then there is the misconception that seaworthiness has something to do with an open transom or higher freeboards, that are clearly visible while the very superior stability is dismissed because they cannot see it.
Even so, on these days that Beneteau stopped to make the First (because the market is not enough for a mass production boat to be truly profitable), the 30 boats already sold are a remarkable figure. Also very interesting to notice that from those only 5 were sold with the more racing specification indicating that the J112e is more bought by cruisers that want a fast boat (and eventually want to make a race now and then) than by racers that will just cruise eventually.
The J112e is a quality boat and therefore not a cheap one, it costs over 200 000 euros, a price that is not far from the ones of other fast quality cruiser-racers like XP yachts or JPK. A boat for the ones that like sailing, particularly upwind sailing and like to cruise in style and comfort but on a modest way and have a small family, a couple or a couple with two kids. A very nice boat specially adapted for Mediterranean sailing where the upwind performance is a must.
HEllo Paulo, I really enjoy your blog posts, I hope you to continue with them!
ReplyDeleteHow would you compare the j112 with the boats coming from elan E series. I think Elan e4/360/350 are being built with the same concept in mind. Thanks!
Hi Valentin,
ReplyDeleteNot really, the E4 (360) is a nice boat but it is not the same concept. It is a smaller boat, 10.60 to 10.90, with a similar beam 3.5 to 3.6m, with similar drafts 2.15 to 2.10 but with different B/D 30% to 34% and different hulls, being all the beam pulled aft on the E4 and with chines that limit heeling.
The Elan has a torpedo keel, a more efficient design, but it has cast iron keel while the one on the J112 is cast iron on the top and lead on the bottom, and that compensates for effectiveness and probably gives it a better handicap for racing.
The J112e is a much better racer than the Elan E4, that is a fast boat, but with more limited sailing strong points. You have only to look at the race results to see that there is a huge difference in what regards racing ability.
The J112e hull design gives it less drag and a better performance with light wind and upwind. The E4 hull will be better downwind with strong wind (easier to control) but worse with light and probably medium to light wind.
Both boats use infusion and are well built, but the J112e is better using GRP infusion moulded bulkheads bonded to hull and deck and with intermediate bulkheads glassed to hull and deck for stiffness. they use also a strong fibreglass floor stringer grid infused, including mast structure.
The E4 does not detail the inner structure (probably not infused) neither the bulkheads and that means probably that they are made of plywood, like on most boats. If the structure was infused and the bulkheads made of GRP they would mention it because it would mean superior quality.
Not meaning that the E4 is badly built, quite the contrary, it is better than most, only that the J112e is even better in what regards building quality and that explains the price difference between the two boats.
Dear Paulo
ReplyDeletethank you very much for your expertise. I am not a very experienced sailor. I was chartering the typical charter yachts. I already thought about quitting sailing because of the many hours of motoring in lighr winds, before I could charter a Pogo 36 at Mallorca. Now I will buy a Boat and have do decide wether to buy a Pogo 36 or a J112 e to cruise along the Mediterranean Islands.
What boat would you perfer for fast couple cruising?
Thanks Tom
My preference should not matter to you. People have different tastes regarding sailboats.
DeleteThe performance in light winds is slightly better on the J112, but boats are also something that you like or not.
My advise, it seems you have already chartered a Pogo 36, so, charter a J112, and I guess that after that you will know what you should buy.
https://www.marenauta.net/charter-j_boats-j-112-port-de-corbi%C3%A8res-marseille-107023