Introduction

Passage-making downwind under spinnaker - with only 2 people on a 40 footer - is now so easy, you'll have fun doing it every time you go sailing. Exceptional performance and construction earned J/120 the distinction of being CRUISING WORLD magazine's OVERALL BOAT OF THE YEAR and the BEST VALUE in a full-sized cruising boat.

Downwind, it's a whole new world with an asymmetric spinnaker she'll do 7.2 knots at 150 degrees true wind angle in 10 knots of wind with a VMG of 6.3. Other cruisers might keep up if they used an engine. Flying one of an asymmetrical is a one person job. Snuffer controls lead back to the cockpit. No one goes on deck when deploying, jibing, or dousing the spinnaker. To jibe, simply let off one sheet and pull in the other. It's safer. One comer of the spinnaker (the "tack") is always secure to t e bowsprit, eliminating wild oscillations. The center-of-effort is located further forward and lower. Meaning balanced, "finger-tip" control rather than "white knuckled" round-up broaches. The asymmetric's greater power drives the apparent wind 30-50 degrees forward of the true wind angle. In light air and lumpy seas, the sail's greater area acts as a stabilizer. Deep sailing angles (165 degrees True Wind Angle) can be achieved by easing the sheet to project the luff to windward - as if it were pulled aft by a spinnaker pole.