World's fastest growing sportsboat now available in NZ at big discount
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com on 11 Nov 2014
J-70 bow wave - 2014 Rolex Big Boat Series, San Francisco - Final Day Kurt Molnar
The world's fastest growing sports boat class is coming to New Zealand. An Auckland based consortium has negotiated a special price for the first batch of J-70's to be imported.
The J-70 is the first trailer boat from the redoubtable J-Boats stable, and was judged 2013 Boat of the Year, the prestigious US Sailing World magazine.
The J-70 features a mix of one design and custom equipment, with the hull and spars being one design, single manufacturer, and the sails being open to all suppliers, within the one design constraints of the class rules.
In this part of the world, the hulls are built by the reputable McConaghy facility, with other builders established in USA and Europe. Spars all come from the Southern Spars facility in Sri Lanka.
Over 700 J-70's have been launched in just three years. The class held its first world championship in September in Newport RI, attracting a fleet of almost 90 boats from 15 countries.
The hallmark of the class is that a crew should be able to turn up to a regatta, with their own sails, charter a boat and be ready to race.
With J70 one-design races and regattas happening every week, the J70 is continuing to prove herself as a friendly, fun and safe yacht that’s a blast to sail.
'The boat really sailed well,' said one of the Sailing World judging panel, after testing the J/70 in 10 to 15 knots of wind. 'It had a light feel on the helm, upwind and downwind. I could tell the boat was solid right away; it went well through the waves, and with the kite up we could sail the angles we wanted.'
The 70’s well-rounded performance is its best attribute, said another, who was heavily involved with the boat’s class sail development before BOTY testing. 'It’s really stable, gets up—and stays—on a plane in 12 knots, and is an easy boat to sail,' he said. 'The thing is sweet.'
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The J70 has proven her own against the big boys in the mixed fleet racing. On her first outing for a new McConaghy built J70 she was victorious across the line but took a blow with the handicapping. Her new Australian owners were not worried having spent the reaching legs planning at 17knots.
The McConaghy built J70’s are built to the same strict one-design rules as the USA and European factories. The J70 has quickly established herself world wide with 700 plus yachts sold and fleets developing in all countries including Australia.
Blackdown Yachting, New Zealand’s J Boat representatives, are offering NZ sailors a limited time exclusive, heavily discounted offer for a McConaghy built J-70 out of China. Contact Blackdown Yachting for pricing options.
Blackdown estimate another $6K for shipping and a trailer and about $6.5 - $7K for a class sails wardrobe, all excluding GST.
Two J-70's can be fitted into a container making for very economical shipping
For more information please visit www.blackdownyachting.com or click here for details of the special offer on the J-70. Or call Craig on 021 179 4285
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