J/80 Class Sign The International J/80 is a fixed keel One-Design sportsboat certified for offshore sailing, normally crewed by up to 5 people. As well as its mainsail & headsail, the J/80 has a 65 m² gennaker for downwind sailing, which when the wind rises over 15 knots gets the boat on the plane downwind.

With over 1300 J/80’s worldwide, the J/80 is one of Europe’s and North America’s best selling sportsboats. Recognized by the ISAF, the International J/80 Class Association promotes activities and regattas worldwide. For class racing, sails are restricted to only a main, headsail and gennaker with total crew weight at 338.6 kg with no limit on crew numbers.

According to Sailing World Magazine, “The J/80 is easier to handle, less intimidating, safer and better suited for sailing offshore than other modern sport boats tested.”

The J/80 is the only sportsboat to be certified for Design Category ‘B’ of the EU Recreational Craft Directive, which means it can withstand waves that are 4 metres high and in winds up to 41 knots. This gives the J/80 a reputation of being a very well built boat for its size, capable of extreme weather conditions.

Due to the J/80 having an asymmetrical spinnaker with a retractable bowsprit, there is little clutter on the deck and in the cockpit, giving the crew more space and fewer tripping hazards on board.

Text adapted from the Wikipedia article on the J/80