J/Boats: One of the world’s most successful racing boat brands, I would be hard-pressed to look at a major regatta and not see the iconic logo on several mainsails throughout the fleets. For decades, we have seen significant races won by J/Boats worldwide. The J/111s have shown their podium-topping potential in major offshore races such as Rolex Middle Sea in the Mediterranean and Cowes Week in the United Kingdom, and their carbon fiber cousins, the J/125s, have more than their fair share of Transpac victories to their name.
Here in the Northwest, we have our fair share of regular uber-competitive J boats at every event, ranging from the pocket-sized J/70 to the fully loaded J/160 and everything in between. While weekend racing and distance events certainly get most of the press and glory, many J/Boat classes shine in the weeknight series that take place throughout the summer. The racing takes us to the two main sailing venues in Seattle— Shilshole Bay in Ballard and Lake Washington out of Leschi Marina.
Out on Puget Sound, the two most popular J/Boat one-design fleets are both keelboats—the J/105 and J/80—and both are widely regarded as the perfect do-everything racing boat.
The J/105 can hold its own on the start line of a PHRF distance race and then turn around the following weekend and hammer around the buoys in a packed one-design fleet. Fourteen boats race out of Shilshole Bay every Wednesday, and looking at the scoreboard shows the level of tight competition. After 34 races this summer, the top four boats are within 10 points of each other. The J/105 has really hit a sweet spot in the Pacific Northwest, offering owners and crews unlimited opportunities to participate in nearly every local keelboat event. Many of these events offer the chance to race the boat one design due to the sheer number of boats that show up! As a testament to its success, the Seattle J/105 fleet is slated to host the 2026 J/105 North American Championship out of Corinthian Yacht Club in Ballard. The event will attract a high level of competition, with high-flying West Coast boats coming from California, and East Coast boats coming across the country, all to participate.
If the J/105 had a little brother, it would undoubtedly be the J/80. It’s a full-fledged four-person keelboat and an excellent platform for everyone from beginner sailors up to full-fledged matching outfit racing teams. The boat has become a favorite of local sailing clubs, making it a natural pathway for new sailors to get their feet wet and get on the racecourse. Seattle Sailing Club and Kirkland Sailing Club run multi-boat programs and offer a range of options, from basic keelboat lessons to full-fledged racing.
The nimbler and smaller J/70 are the new kids on the block and have made a home for themselves at Leschi Marina on Lake Washington’s western shoreline. While the fleet is new to the area, with the first boats coming to Orcas Island in 2020, it is growing rapidly and already has over 50 boats racing throughout the Pacific Northwest. The talent the fleet attracts is astounding; multiple Olympians, national and world champions, and a wide range of well-known local sailors fill out the registration list. The Wednesday night racing is top-notch, with 20 boats making it out on Lake Washington most weeks, resulting in intense starts and eventful mark rounding. What is astounding about the fleet is the level of respect, communication, and camaraderie that the entire fleet shares, and as of a few weeks ago, the news has slipped out that the Seattle fleet has been tapped to host the US Mixed Plus Nationals next summer in 2025, inviting teams that are at least 50% female or under 18 to race in the championship.
Alongside the J/70s on the lake are the older and wiser J/24s. The J/24, the first boat ever built by J/Boat, stands tall and proud as the longest-running and, by far, the most successful long-term design class in the Pacific Northwest. Since its launch in 1975, over 5,500 boats have been built and raced worldwide. The fleet’s success can be attributed to several factors, with the even speed of the boats being a key one. The ability to take an older boat and make it competitive with a brand-new one is a huge draw. It also ensures fantastic racing, where the sailors’ skills matter on the racecourse and not who has the newest hardware. The local J/24 fleet has been the training ground for multiple national and world champions through the years.The big news with the J/24 is the upcoming World Championships, to be held September 28 through October 5 this year in Seattle, and hosted by Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle out of the Shilshole Bay clubhouse. So far, 57 qualified boats have registered for the event from as far away as Italy, Greece, Japan, and Australia. Being a World Championship, this event is on track to be one of the most competitive and highest levels of sailboat racing in the world.
