Yachts for cruising and sport
Creation of J Boats with the launch of the J/24
Assembly of the first J/92 by the French team
Assembly of the first J/110 J/120 (respectively the predecessor of the J/112 E and the J/122 E) in France with accommodation adapted to the European market
Launch of the J/109 (predecessor of the J/112 E), the first of the J Boats developed jointly by the French team to be tailored as best as possible to the European market
J is accessible to all today. Because J Composites wants sailing enthusiasts everywhere to head out to sea, not just athletes.
I met Jeff Johnstone during the World Sailing Games in La Rochelle in July 1994. We very quickly got along and I created J Composites in December of the same year. At the time, we were the builder of Js under licence with the Americans from J Boats. We began with the design of the J/92 then the J/80. Today, we are still under licence albeit with wider scope, since in addition to manufacturing Js, we market them and we’re developing the ranges.
We are a yard in our own right, which works from the designs of the Johnstone family, but we take the process a lot further than that since we are incredibly proactive with regards the launch of each and every product. We have extensive knowledge of the market together with considerable expertise. The Elegance range is the fruit of an idea by J Composites for example.
Precision is the key word in my work with J Composites. No piece of deck hardware is positioned without having been simulated in situ, notably on the water or on a scale model.
I’m a sailing enthusiast and I do a lot of it, which is a big advantage in my profession of course. Our objective is to constantly improve on the ease of use of our three ranges of boats, whilst focusing heavily on comfort when sailing, the interior and the performance; all trademarks of J.
We are still craftsmen. It’s vital that our know-how doesn’t become too industrialised. These two elements combined give our interiors the authentic touch. Every piece of furniture begins from a carefully selected block of walnut
Every day, I work in close contact with our network of experts in France and overseas. It’s very enriching because they’re all enthusiasts. When an expert sells a J, it always feels like it will be their own boat or that they have built it, as they are so well informed!
To obtain a solid yet lightweight boat, the infusion technique is the ultimate method! No space is left void to avoid surplus resin. It’s a technique we’ve mastered from the start, since the Js are the trail-blazers in terms of infusion, which means that our mastery of the subject is second to none
My post at J Composites is thrilling because we’re continually searching for the best part from our suppliers, so we can offer the best product to our clients. Our aim is not to optimise costs by offering packages, rather it is really about quality and the value-added product.
Sandwich and infusion construction is one of the most technological and specialised processes on the market
We boast 30 years of experience since filing the Scrimp patent
Nothing beats a factory visit to assess why a J is unique.
As such we invite all our clients to come and visit the yard as well as monitor production of their boat
The standard version offers an unrivalled standard of equipment. The standard spinnaker hardware on a retractable carbon bowsprit is just such an example. The finish of the hull and the appendages is also unequalled on this market
In essence, a J boat is about drawing up specifications linked to performance and how easy she is to sail. Next, we develop the interior by optimising the spaces as best we can.
We continue to believe that the primary asset of a sailboat is the pleasure you get from sailing her
The integrated design office enables us to constantly optimise the parts we assemble in relation to the evolution of the market. We can also offer a unique series of optimisations for the grand prix division through the creation of custom parts