The Perfect Vessel for our Atlantic Circumnavigation

"We've sailed JAYWALKER 3,200 miles during the past two summers, all on the Great Lakes. In addition to daysails, we cruise 3 weeks, race Wednesday nights and do a few distance races like the Queens Cup from Milwaukee to Grand Haven. The boat has exceeded all our expectations.

It's fast, comfortable, easy to double hand and gets stares from people even on jet-skies. Just the two of us fly the symmetrical and asymmetrical spinnakers regularly with no other help.  The boat handles like a dream. It's stiff. We have no fear keeping up a full press of sail in 20-25 knots of wind. In fact, we don't have to reef the mainsail 'till winds are over 26 knots.

One of the great joys we've experienced with the J/42 is its trouble-freeness. Routine maintenance is just about all there is to do. Because TPI builds such a fine boat, our J Boats dealer has never been called upon to correct flaws, broken parts, or things that didn't work.  We commissioned the boat at a yard near Detroit. After a one hour sea-trial on Mother's Day 1996, we sailed 500 miles up, through the Straits of Mackinac and down the length of Lake Michigan to our homeport.   That was the maiden voyage, 56 hours nonstop with 42 degree (F) water and ice floes still in the Straits. That's an average speed of 8 knots! Not a thing went wrong and we had a wonderful time, thanks to the flawless performance of the boat.

Needless to say we are absolutely thrilled with the J/42. After 3 other boats and after reading all of Dashew's Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia, I am even more convinced we have the right combination of design, safety, great looks, speed and comfort.  What more can I say? We just plain love JAYWALKER and can't wait for Spring to arrive to be back aboard, one step closer to our planned circumnavigation of the Atlantic in the year 2000."

Bill & Judy Stellin, Holland Michigan