List the characteristics you want in a sportboat–in addition to speed–and thats what Swarbrick Yachts promises with the JS 9000: lifting keel for trailering, easy to singlehand or race with a crew of three or four, self-tacking non-overlapping jib, asymmetric chute tacked to the bow, no backstay, and good stability. Add to that the pedigree of designer John Swarbrick, the brains behind the 12-Meters Kookaburra I and II and Chris Dicksons Whitbread 60 Tokio, and its easy to get excited about a $26,500 speedster that comes fully rigged with Spectra running rigging, die-form standing rigging, aluminum mast and boom, and Dacron mainsail and jib.
The boat is built to European CE standards with gelcoat over vacuum-infused vinylester resin and glass skins surrounding a Herex H80 (PVC foam) core for both the hull and deck. The keel is a galvanized-steel strut with lead bulb all encapsulated in fiberglass. The boat doesnt have a PHRF rating yet, but its IRC rating (1.050) puts it right behind Mumm 30s and J/92s.
Consistent with the builders intention of creating a worldwide one-design class; 16 boats are already on order in Europe and the North American distributor, Sam Birger, hopes to be able to bring four into Newport, R.I., this summer. The boats price, subject to exchange rate, excludes spinnaker and trailer.
