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| Jeurope > History |  |
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History |
| • J
Boats story • J Europe story • History |
JEurope has been building JBoats
for European market since 1994. ) J
Boats are designed and known as boats :• Easy to handle, even with a small crew. • Fast (it is also an element of comfort) • Comfortable (real galley, stowage, sea berth, large sprayhood…) • Tough (Balsa core hull, structural bulkheads, oversized floor beams…) • Well equipped (Rod rigging, Harken hardware, lead keel…) Fast boats, offering both qualities of construction and equipment JBoats story The story of J/Boats is a classic entrepreneurial tale: With a $20,000 investment, and a speedy 24-foot sailboat that Rod Johnstone built in his garage, Rod & his brother Bob Johnstone went into business. That was 1977. Now, that boat (the J/24), has become the most popular recreational offshore keelboat in the world. The Johnstone family has made an undeniable mark on the sailing world. In addition to the 5,300 J/24s cruising the waves, there are nearly 4,000 more J/Boats, ranging from the International J/22 to the 53' J/160, that sailing enthusiasts have bought at prices ranging from $10,000 to $850,000. While other manufacturers may sell more boats, the Johnstones have won the high-end, performance-oriented segment of the market. Theirs is the so-called racer/cruiser category: boats that perform well enough to race but which are comfortable and easy enough for the family to daysail and cruise. It is with knowledgeable, experienced sailors that the Johnstones have done best. The story begins in 1975. Rod, then an ad salesman for the sailing trade magazine, Soundings, and an active one-design sailor decided to build a sailboat he had been designing since completing a Westlawn School of Yacht Design correspondence course in the 60's. With $400-worth of fiberglass and wood, some rigging and hardware left over from a Soling of Bob's, he built the 24' x 9' wide RAGTIME on weekends in his 3 car garage at his home in Stonington, Connecticut. During the summer of 1976, with an all family crew aboard, RAGTIME beat everything in sight. Rod realized he had created something special. Enter Everett Pearson, the owner of TPI Composites, Inc., a highly respected boat builder in Warren Rhode Island. He was quite taken with Rod's design and agreed to produce the boat on spec in return for the U.S. building rights. Display ads in Soundings got the word out. That winter they set up a makeshift factory in an old textile mill in nearby Fall River, Massachusetts, and began popping out J/24s. There the effort might well have remained had it not been for the marketing experience of brother Bob, a vice president of marketing at AMF/Alcort (the makers of Sunfish sailboats at the time). He saw the potential in the boat Rod had designed. From 1975 to 1977, Bob had helped to take Alcort from the red into the black, and then began trying to convince AMF to start producing a boat similar to the J/24. But, he says, in spite of overwhelming market research results showing 50% purchase intent in a boat like the J/24 , AMF really didn't care anything about gaining share of market or investing any more in sailing. So, in February of 1977, at age 43, Bob left AMF and threw in his lot with J/Boats. With Rod contributing the design and Bob investing $20,000 to cover start-up costs, office space, and advertising, their 50-50 partnership was launched. Expecting to sell 250 J/24s that first year, they sold 750. Each successive year marks unique achievements in the sport and industry. While the next generation of Johnstones is now manning the helm, founders Rod and Bob continue to contribute in the areas of their strength, design and marketing. Rod's sons Jeff (president) & Alan (vice-president) and nephew Jim (sales director) manage company operations & sales from J/Boats Headquarters in Newport, RI. A total of five of Bob & Rod's sons (Jeff, Alan, Stu, Drake and Phil) serve on J/Boats, Inc. Board of Directors. JEurope story 
The story begins during La Rochelle Championships in 1994 : J/22
and J/24 are provided by J Boats. Jeff Johnstone met Didier Le
Moal for the first time. History 2005 1995 J/120 named Cruising World Magazine's Overall Boat-of-the-Year and Best Value in a Full-Size Cruiser. J/24 is first of five inductees into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame. J/130 STARLIGHT EXPRESS takes line honors in Newport-Ensenada Race. New J/42 Cruiser is introduced. Hull #1 GANNET wins two New York Yacht Club events and Class A Downeast Racing Circuit with a cruising asymmetric spinnaker and short-handed crew. J/35 class rebounds in participation with 35 entries at its North American Championship. J/105s are featured on ESPN in the Brut Cup professional match-racing circuit. J Composite of France begins European production of the J/80 and J/92. J/80 is now produced in Les Sables. The first unit "made in france" is sailing the Spi Ouest. 1994 J/130 named Sailing World's Boat-of-the-Year among Racer-Cruisers. J/22 & J/24 selected for inaugural IYRU World Sailing Championships, J/44 is first one-design class ever given start in Bermuda Race. J/120 introduced at SAIL EXPO with carbon mast and wins New England Solo-Twin. J/110 introduced at Annapolis Boat Show. In Europe, J Boats production is starting. The first boat delivered is a J/92. 1993 J/92 is Sailing World's Overall Boat-of-the-Year. J/80 One-Design is launched- the first J model to be built with TPI's patented SCRIMP molding technology. J/22 celebrates its 10th anniversary by becoming an IYRU International Class with 1200 boats. J/33 DAYBREAK overall winner of Chicago-Mackinac. Newly launched J/130 and J92 sweep Andaman Sea Race in Asia. 1992 J/105 becomes Sailing World's Boat-of-the-Year among racer-cruisers, and ushers in the sport boat revolution. J/92 is introduced and destined for the 1992 Readers Choice Award from Sailing World. J/24 #5000 and J/35 #300 are launched. Rod Johnstone is inducted into the Sailing World Hall of Fame. 1991 Nick Brown's J/44 IONA wins Fastnet is IMS. Fortune Magazine names J Boats as one of the world's 100 best American made products. J/39s and J/35s sweep top 4 positions in CHS at Cowes Week. J Boats pioneers carbon-fiber retractable bowsprits and asymmetric spinnakers on offshore boats, introducing the first of its new "sprit" series, the J/105. 1990 J/35c named Sailing World's Boat-of-the-Year among 30-35 footers. J/44 wins NYYC Cruise. Motor Boating & Sailing names J/24 as 1 of 2 best sailboats of all time. New J/39 wins MBYC Fall Series. J/35 wins class in Sydney-Hobart Race. J/44 J-HAWK wins CHS class at Cowes Week. 1989 New J/44 wins New York Yacht Club Queen's Cup and Cowes Week on way to becoming Sailing World's Overall Boat-of-the-Year. 1988 J/34c named Sailing World's Boat-of-the-Year. New J/33 wins Class at Block Island Race Week. Jeff, Stuart, Drake, & Alan Johnstone commence management of company operations at J/Boat office in Newport, RI. TPI (J Builder) introduces industry-leading 10 year blister warranty. 1987 J/35 becomes America's fastest growing big-boat one-design with 24 sailing in Class at Block Island. J/37s win Class in 3 major race weeks. 1986 J/40 named Sailing World's Boat-of-the-Year among US designs. J/35 is lst Overall in Miami-Montego Bay and New England Solo-Twin. J/28 and J/37 Cruisers introduced. 1985 Charley Scott's J/41 SMILES wins SORC Overall. J boats introduces it's first purpose built cruising boat, the J/40, that then goes on to win Class in Chicago -Mackinac. J/34 becomes best selling IOR design in America. 1984 New J/27 is overall winner of MORC Internationals with J/29 winning Class A. J/35 is 1st Overall MHS in Chicago - Mackinac. J/41 has 1-2-3 sweep of One Ton North Americans and Bermuda Race Class. 1983 J/22 and J/35 introduced. J/22 wins Class at MORC Internationals. 1982 New J/29s finish 1-2-3 to sweep Class in Block Island Race Week. 1981 Stu, Drake & Jeff Johnstone start J/World Performance Sailing School. J/36 Wins Class A in Antigua. 1980 Nissan Motors becomes Japanese builder. J/24 wins Caribbean Ocean Racing Circuit, becomes IYRU International Class and named by SAIL (10th Anniversary) as "best keelboat in 30 years." 1979 J/30 WARHOOP finishes 3rd in SORC Class. First J/24 Worlds in Newport with 78 boats. 1978 20 boats attend first J/24 one-design event at Key West. 68 boats attend North Americans in Newport. 1000 boats are sold with builders set up in UK, Brazil, Argentina, Australia and US West Coast where Trask family joins Johnstones to build J/24's. 1977 Brothers Bob and Rod Johnstone finish 1-2 in J/24s in MORC Division at Block Island Week. J/24s go on to dominate the MORC Internationals in Annapolis. |
