Stand-out designs are often the result of a succession of well-informed evolutions rather than a revolution that turns existing thinking on its head. The J/40 is born out of a long association between J/Boats in the USA and J Composites in France, a collaboration that created iconic designs including the 36ft J/109 and 40ft J/122.

This new model represents a big refinement of successful and well-proven concepts, without losing the ethos and DNA that fans of J/Boats have come to expect. At the same time, the J/40 offers a lot more stability and volume than earlier models of a similar size. This translates to faster performance, bigger aft cabin bunks, a better galley, a hugely improved saloon with 18% more volume than the J/122, better ergonomics and stowage, plus a much higher level of finish.

J Composites says the stability figures are 10% higher than those of the 43ft J/133, yet the new boat is half a tonne lighter, while waterline length and beam measurements are also more similar to the J/133 than the J/122. The result is a boat that can be expected to look after her crew even better in heavy weather, yet also offers excellent performance, even in very light airs.

Immediately noticeable is that the J is still responsive and rewarding to sail in such light breezes. With a true wind of less than 5 knots, boat speed near matches the wind speed when reaching. Unusually among modern yachts it also sailed upwind surprisingly quickly in these very light airs, again with a positive feel on the helm.

low freeboard along with relatively narrow beam combine to create timeless lines. Photo: Sailing Energy/J Boats

Once the breeze picked up to 8.5 knots we made 6.6 knots upwind, even though we were sailing with a cruising spec woven polyester furling headsail. By the time the true wind built to 12.5 knots we were well powered up with 7.4 knots of boat speed at an apparent wind angle of only 26°.

Depowering as the wind continues to build is easy thanks to the powerful hydraulic backstay, an efficient mainsheet traveller that runs across the cockpit floor and the German mainsheet system. These work together to simplify accurate mainsail trimming in a manner that simply isn’t possible in most cruising yachts.

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£371,868.00

This was borne out on my first sail on the boat during a blustery late October day in Palma, with frequent heavy squalls interspersed with calmer periods. When the true wind built to 18 knots it was easy to depower the rig and we were still far from needing to drop a reef in, while making 7.3 knots upwind at an apparent wind angle of 24°.

The J/40 also proved to be very flexible upwind. You could choose to maximise speed or maximise height without a measurable difference in VMG, providing sails are trimmed appropriately. On the other hand, despite the extra stability there’s more heel when sailing upwind than some wider beam performance yachts, although the J/40 can be expected to have a more comfortable motion and be slowed less by awkward head seas.

The J is responsive and rewarding to sail in very light airs. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Comfortable helm

Helm positions work beautifully, whether standing up or sitting on the side deck. Big foot chocks are well placed when the boat is heeled and there’s a good view of the luff of the jib or spinnaker. The new J also proved lovely on the helm in all conditions – finger light with just enough weather helm to give positive feedback.

Overall draught is 2.2m, while the very high aspect rudder is 1.9m deep. This gives a reassuring amount of grip even when the boat is pressed on a reach. At the same time, it offers less drag than twin rudders in light airs and you have the benefit of the prop wash over the central rudder when manoeuvring in tight spaces. A downside of the deep rudder is vulnerability to grounding.

Fold down bathing platform includes integral boarding ladder. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

With a hull length of just 38ft 5in, this is a shorter boat than the older J/122E and has more beam, yet it still has a very easily driven hull shape. This was shown when reaching with only main and jib in 12 knots true, when we still made 7 knots in a really easy cruising mode. On bearing away to 140° true and deploying the 130m2 top-down furling gennaker we made 8.5 knots as the wind built to 14 knots. Boat speed increased to 9 knots when we luffed up by 35°, yet this was still easy sailing, without feeling pressed.

The shortish 77cm fixed sprit, in place of a much longer retractable version, is a clear break with J/Boats tradition. Nevertheless, even in light airs it never felt as though this is a brake on performance and, equally, the big 160m2 A2 spinnaker ought to be large enough to promote planing performance, even if more wind will be needed than for proportionately lighter boats such as the First 36, Pogo 44, or JPK39 FC.

Conventional wisdom also says that commercially successful performance yachts have to be optimised to a rating system. However, J/Boats has consistently bucked the trend in this respect. Indeed, the initial success of the J/24 almost 50 years ago was precisely because it didn’t pander to any rating system, which allowed Rod Johnstone to draw a boat with very fair lines that performed and handled far better than other small raceboats of the era.

Cockpit is spacious, even though maximum beam is not carried as far aft as on most of today’s designs. Photo: Sailing Energy/J Boats

Similarly, the J/40 wasn’t developed for any specific rating system. Instead J/Boats worked at simply producing a design with the best performance and handling possible for this style of boat – it wouldn’t take too much customisation to get to the top of many fleets.

Proven design

With the exception of the twin helm stations instead of a single large wheel, the thinking behind most of the deck layout will be familiar to anyone who has previously sailed J/Boats. Headsail winches are on the coamings, there’s a conventional pit area at the companionway, plus a mainsheet traveller with an ample 6:1 purchase mounted on the cockpit floor, while the German-style mainsheet system is led to winches near the helm stations.

Deck layout allows for easy short-handed sailing. Photo: Sailing Energy/J Boats

Our test boat was fitted with an optional carbon mast with rod rigging in place of the standard aluminium spar with Dyform wire rigging. It was also set up with a Harken Mk lV removable headsail furling drum, allowing the use of a furling headsail for cruising or full luff length racing sails. To change mode you simply undo six Allen screws, allowing the drum to be removed.

The choice of an above-deck furler was a deliberate one that makes sense for this boat. For a start, the furling lead has a more direct run, which reduces friction compared to a below deck unit. It also allows the forestay to be positioned right on the bow, thus maximising the J measurement. Headsail sheets are led via old school longitudinal jib sheet tracks with inhaulers.

For efficient upwind work in stronger breezes there’s also an option for a furling staysail with a halyard lock and 2:1 purchase at the tack that leads aft to a winch to tension the luff before being locked off on a foredeck clutch. It’s a neat system that can be set up in advance of heavy weather, but removed to making tacking easy when it’s not needed.

The interior has more wood trim than earlier J/Boats of a similar size. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr

Stowage on deck includes a shallow locker under the starboard cockpit seat, plus a liferaft locker under the port seat. There’s also a large lazarette with room for a deflated dinghy, fenders, plus toys such as paddleboards. The anchor locker right forward also has space for a few fenders. Even in three-cabin form the boat therefore offers ample stowage, while two-cabin versions add a big cockpit locker that’s also accessible via the aft heads and has space for several sails, folding bikes and more.

There’s also a substantial removable cockpit table for cruising that can be left in place when sailing in a similar way to that of the J/45, but is easily removed for racing.

Gains below

One of the stand-out features of the J/45 is its Isabelle Racoupeau-designed interior, which marked a huge improvement in quality for the J/Boats brand. Racoupeau was retained for the new boat, which was developed with a similar ethos, but with cleaner lines that also help to speed up the production process.

A high standard of joinery gives a warm feel. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr

The result is a high standard of joinery that gives a warm feel, plus enough white surfaces and natural light to give a bright ambience, which is enhanced at night by concealed lighting. Despite the relatively narrow beam by the standards of today’s performance yachts, there’s a lot more internal volume than the old J/122.

There are also good grab handles and deep fiddles around the forward facing chart table and at the galley, as well as a practical foul weather gear locker near the companionway that drains into the bilge.

Overall, it’s a thoroughly workable layout that should prove ergonomic both at sea and in harbour, including generous saloon with seaberths, an excellent galley and navstation with a dedicated forward-facing seat. The large galley will certainly find favour with cruising owners. This has a 1.5 bowl sink, a large top-loading fridge, lots of worktop space and plenty of stowage.

Aft cabin berths are a good size. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr

The saloon table is offset to port with L-shaped seating, plus a settee to starboard. This may not be perfect for those who want to race with a full complement of jibs, as there’s a lack of space for the sails, but the arrangement is comfortable for cruising and offers two excellent sea berths that are parallel to the centreline.

Aft cabins are significantly larger than those of the J/122 and have a hull window, two opening ports, plus large lockers for stowage. The forecabin has a space to walk around the aft end of the bed, which helps create a feeling of space and gives easier access, though you have to sleep with feet facing forward.

On three-cabin boats the heads is forward of the main bulkhead and is well appointed though, unlike most of today’s pure cruising yachts of this size, doesn’t include a separate shower stall. However, a big downside of three-cabin boats is the only heads is effectively in space carved out of the forecabin.

The forecabin berth is narrow at its forward end. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr

Two-cabin boats have an additional heads aft and the option of fitting out the forward heads compartment solely as a shower. Alternatively this space can be incorporated as an ensuite within a larger forecabin.

J Composites’ structures are well-proven for stiffness and long-term durability. The J/40 is resin-infused using variable density PVC cores and both uni and multi-directional E-glass fabrics. The main bulkhead is also infused composite, while key elements of woodwork are laminated to the hull and therefore act as part of the structure, adding stiffness.

The overall goal with the boat was a relatively simple concept with fewer options than for the J/45. This markedly improves production efficiency and therefore drops the unit cost, so the J/40’s base price of €350,000 ex VAT is little more than 60% of that of its larger stablemate.

The single rudder retains good grip even when the boat is well powered up. Photo: Sailing Energy/J Boats

While a shorter options list may appear at first sight to be a drawback, it’s also practical in another sense. The full set of options, including diesel generator and air conditioning adds approximately 1,000kg to the J/45’s displacement, but the J/40 is less than three-quarters of the weight of that boat, so the heavy items would have a disproportionate impact on performance.

Standard equipment includes pop-up mooring cleats and all the deck hardware on our test boat, including the headsail furler and hydraulic backstay, but not the electric winch upgrade at the coachroof, carbon mast or full Flexiteek decks. Sails and electronics choices are optional.

Low freeboard and traditional sheer help ensure attractive lines. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Fresh water tankage is just adequate for longer duration cruising, with 360lt if the optional second tank is specified. Given the boat’s excellent light airs performance most owners should find the 150lt diesel capacity is ample.

J/40 specifications

LOA: 12.47m 40ft 11in
Hull length: 11.70m 38ft 5in
LWL: 11.26m 37ft 0in
Beam: 3.86m 12ft 8in
Draught: 2.2m 7ft 3in
Displacement: 7,665kg 16,900lb
Air draught: 19.45m 63ft 10in
Engine: Volvo 50hp
Fuel tank: 150lt 33gal
Water tank (std): 230lt 51gal
Sail area/displacement ratio: 24.7
Displacement/LWL ratio: 150
Price as tested: approx €500,000 ex VAT
Builder: J-boats.com/j-composites.eu

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