VELOCE2 is here and ready to splash!
She is a J/80 from 1999 in great conditions. She is already partly equipped for distance racing, with new Raymarine electronics, autopilot and solar panel. The boat comes with class mainsail, jib and gennaker plus a light genoa and jib-top for mixed fleet racing.
The bottom is already faired, epoxied and painted with VC17m with very good finish.
She goes back in the water next week and we will sail her as much as possible during the winter season. We want to get the feel for the boat, understand the current sail inventory and find a baseline to build the new one.
More to come in the next months on this topic…
Why a J/80? Well, my requirement list went like this:
Sportboat for racing and day sailing with possibility to overnight in camping mode
Dreams of voyages with only the horizon in sight, sailing day after day to nowhere, keep me awake at night. Nevertheless, that will remain a dream for the foreseeable future.
My usual “sailing experience” is racing, day sailing with family or cruising alone and possibly spending one or two nights on my own, either on the water or at harbour.
The J/80 sails very well on all points of sail, without being extreme. It planes at 14kts TWS and performs very well in light or heavy air. The most common conditions in the region. It features a huge cockpit for day sailing and a basic interior, more than sufficient for being alone with myself a few days.
Highest rate “time sailing / time on the boat”
I spent countless hours on the boat over the years. Only a fraction sailing. Many thinking about the next thing. Most repairing, replacing, renovating, servicing and so on (Let’s not even start talking about costs). With less time available, I want to increase the ratio of hours sailing vs hours on the boat.
The J/80 doesn’t have a head, fresh water, fridge or heater. And my favourite…no engine!!!
Manageable enough to race solo or doublehanded and relaxed sailing with family
With her long cockpit, simple and well thought out layout, the J/80 is clean with no clutter. The helmsman sits at the helm, close to both mainsail trim control and jib winches. Because of its small size, forces are never unmanageable.
Light displacement, but safe and solid enough for open waters, max 2 nights at sea
In spite of her size and relatively light weight, with over 40% ballast-to-displacement and lead keel, she is stable and safe enough for racing in open waters. Besides she satisfies Category 3 requirements according to World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations. I am not likely to spend periods longer than 3 days and 2 nights aboard my boat in a race, which works fine on a J/80.
Asymmetric spinnaker
After many years of sailing symmetric spinnakers and in spite of the odd chances to sail gennakers, it is time to learn how to sail asymmetric spinnakers for real. Once again, the J/80 provides a great platform to master asymmetric spinnakers.
Never, ever again a iron keel!
I mean, you just look at it and rust comes out… The J/80 comes with a epoxi coated lead keel and it feels so good!
Last but not least, the J/80 timeless lines, simply look great!
Congratulations! how exciting with a new ship! 🙂
Thanks! Always fun with a new boat and the learning process with it
Väldigt vacker båt!
Med vit botten som SWE234 bara 🙂
jo,det hade varit fint med vit botten…det får kanske ändras i framtiden 🙂
I used to be a J80 sailor. It is a fast and light boat, very capable and sensitive, cockpit is outstanding, there is so much space to walk on! However, our unit needed 4 crew, or at least 3, plus a reef (or two), for those bad days, or if you sail by yourself. Assymetric is easy to deploy and trim, even shorthanded. Lots of fun we had!
Thanks Josep.
We have now sailed for a season and I have a bit more insight on the boat and our choices. Stay tuned, a post is coming up in the coming days 🙂
F