The J/95 is Sailing World’s 2010 Boat of the Year.
Sailing World magazine announced today the winners of its 25th annual Boat of the Year awards, the
most anticipated awards in the sailboat-building industry. Topping this year’s list of winners as the Boat of the Year is the J/95 by J/Boats.
The J/95 and four other new boats won awards from an independent panel of experts who inspected and tested 14 nominated entries following the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, earlier this year. Selections were based on extensive inspections and sea trials of all the boats. Sailing World’s January/February 2010 issue will feature all five winners.
“Rodney Johnstone, the J/95’s designer, has been designing boats for decades, and when he says this is his best boat yet, he’s not kidding,” says Dave Reed, Sailing World’s editor and Boat of the Year director. “The judges were struck by how well it sails and how well it’s built. But what really cemented the J/95’s selection was its versatility. It’s a 31-footer that sailors of all skill levels will love to race. And because of its clever centerboard keel and twin rudders, it can be raced or daysailed virtually anywhere-shallow bays, lakes, or the open ocean.”
“It’s a radical change for J/Boats,” says Boat of the Year judge Chuck Allen, a professional sailmaker. “You can do anything with this boat, and do it well. They hit a homerun.”
The J/95’s versatility also impressed the judging team of Sailing World’s sister publication, Cruising World, which, in separate testing, selected the J/95 as its Domestic Boat of the Year, hailing its suitability as a coastal cruiser. “Although our readership is very different, I’m not surprised at all that the Cruising World panel selected the J/95 as well,” says Reed. “The double award confirms that this boat will really appeal to a broad range of sailors.”
Other winners in Sailing World’s 2010 BOTY competition are:
• Best Crossover: Beneteau First 40 (Beneteau USA, Marion, S.C.)
• Best Club Racer: J/97 (J/Boats, Newport, R.I.)
• Best IRC Racer: Summit 35 (Summit Yachts, Westport, Conn.)
• Best Dinghy: Weta Trimaran (Weta Marine, Auckland, N.Z.)
For more about the 2010 Boat of the Year contest, click here.
