J/39
Description
The J/39 is an American high-performance offshore racing sailboat (with strong cruiser-racer capabilities) designed by Rod Johnstone (of the J/Boats family) and built by J/Boats in partnership with Tillotson-Pearson (TPI Composites) in the United States, using advanced fiberglass construction (balsa-cored sandwich laminates via SCRIMP infusion for lightweight strength and durability). Introduced in 1989–1990 and produced through 1993, it was conceived to compete effectively under handicap rules popular in the 1990s (e.g., CHS/UNCL in Europe, IMS/PHRF in the US), emphasizing speed, stability, and versatility for long-distance offshore races, around-the-buoys events, or fast cruising. It features a masthead sloop rig with triple in-line spreader aluminum mast, high-aspect mainsail, overlapping headsails, fin keel with spade rudder for responsive handling and upwind prowess, generous beam for form stability, and a practical interior with quarterberths, navigation area, and auxiliary diesel (typically 28 hp Volvo). Praised for excellent performance (e.g., winning events like MBYC Fall Series), it's a classic J/Boat with a reputation for being one of the best-built in the line—light yet durable, fast in varied conditions, and capable of double-digit speeds downwind. Production was limited to just 21 hulls completed (a low-volume model compared to J/Boats' one-designs like the J/24 or J/105), making surviving examples rare and sought-after on the used market today.
Construction Details
| Designer | Rod Johnstone |
|---|---|
| Builder | J/Boats |
| Length | 39.420 ft |
| LOA | 39.420 ft |
| LWL | 32.500 ft |
| Beam | 12.420 ft |
| Displacement | 12900 lb |
| Ballast | 5900 lb |
| Max Draft | 7.250 ft |
| Year Built | 1989 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 53.51 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 15.49 ft |
| p | 47.21 ft |
| e | 16.50 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53.51 ft | 15.49 ft | 47.21 ft | 16.50 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
J/39 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 47.21 ft - (14390 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 16.5 ft - (5029 mm) |
| Leech | * 49.3 ft - (15027 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 87.99 ° |
| Diagonal | * 49.46 ft - (15075 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | 389.08 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
J/39 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 44.57 ft - (13585 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 20.2 ft - (6157 mm) |
| Leech | * 39.31 ft - (11982 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.81 ft - (5428 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | 396.94 ft² |
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J/39 - GENOA
| Luff | * 52.92 ft - (16130 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 24.75 ft - (7544 mm) |
| Leech | * 50.11 ft - (15274 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 23.24 ft - (7084 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | 614.83 ft² |
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J/39 - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 52.92 ft - (16130 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 27.88 ft - (8498 mm) |
| Foot | * 27.88 ft - (8498 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | 1254.1 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.
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