A Perfect First Offshore Sailboat... 

"Extraordinary" you may say. One family chose the J/120 instead of an airplane, because with this sailboat everyone could be involved in its operation. Another had just owned dinghies. Two friends in their late 20's combined to form a cruising syndicate for their new families. Maybe these first-time keelboat owners were dedicated readers of Cruising World Magazine when J/120 was made the Overall Boat of the Year and Best Value in a large cruising boat. Or is Southern California that much ahead of the world in appreciating the high-tech contribution of SCRIMP construction to performance? Does the retractable carbon fiber bowsprit and asymmetrical spinnaker offer the distinctive innovation to set them apart from staid traditionalists? Maybe sailing 14 knots with only 2 people aboard makes the blood run faster. Or, is it the fact there's no teak on deck to maintain, leaving more quality sailing time for friends and family?

On the other hand, there's life in the marinas and raft-ups at Catalina Island to consider. So the joiner work below and comfortable cruising appointments could have been decisive.

Raft-up parties also mean good-natured camaraderie and friendly competition. When all the boats are alike, or "one-design" and are easy to sail, fingers aren't pointed at friends having an unfair advantage. After all, any race to be fun, is just part of the broader festivities that bring friends together. The J/120 gives up very little speed to stripped-out race boats, but comes out way ahead in terms of its recreational return on investment. Key to this success is versatility and ease of handling by fewer people. There's greater chance of regional one-design when more people get enthused about owning one.