J/88
J BOATS · Rod Johnstone · 2013
Updated
The J/88 is a 8.96 m semi-displacement racing yacht designed by Rod Johnstone and built by J BOATS, first launched in 2013. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 94% of the designs it races against.
Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 94% of the boats it races against.
11th of 159 in its class.
Updated — First Race Edge for this design. Enough boats of this design have now been measured on the current scale to rank it. It is strongest in light and heavy air.
This design has been found in real race results — 16 starts across 10 events — not only in measurement files.
Length
8.96 m
29′ 5″
Beam
2.85 m
Draft
1.97 m
Displacement
2.5 t
Sail area
49 m²
On the podium
Where a J/88 finishes when she goes racing.
On the podium
12%
of 16 starts by 5 boats
Wins
0%
Read from 16 starts by 5 boats between 2021 and 2026, counting races with six boats or more.
Recent regattas
The latest events where a J/88 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.
Nordseewoche2026
Emäsalon lenkki2026- Emsalö Runt2026
- 76. Glückstadt Regatta2026
- ORC DH World Championship2025
Raced one we are missing?
Report a regattaRound the buoys, or offshore
A short windward-leeward and a night at sea ask different things of a boat. Here is how this one does in each.
Round the buoys
—
Not enough data yet: 2 races of 10 NM or less carry a published distance.
Offshore & coastal
—
Not enough data yet: 2 races over 10 NM carry a published distance.
Who she races against
The designs a J/88 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.
Also met, too few times for a figure:
Xp 44 (7 meetings), Corby 29 (7 meetings), Dehler 39 (Judel/Vrolijk) (7 meetings), Melges 20 (7 meetings), Sun Fast 3600 (7 meetings), X-41 (6 meetings), Sun Fast 36 (6 meetings), Luffe 43 (4 meetings), IMX 38 (3 meetings), J/99 (3 meetings), J/80 (2 meetings), Salona 34 (2 meetings), X-35 (3 meetings), Grand Soleil 40 (Paperini) (2 meetings), First 40.7 (2 meetings), Millenium 40 (4 meetings), X-3 (2 meetings), Arya 415 (2 meetings), Sera 33 (2 meetings), J/105 (1 meeting), Salona 38 (1 meeting), Grand Soleil 39 (Jézéquel) (1 meeting), Corby 25 (1 meeting), Bonin 31 (1 meeting), Dufour 34 (1 meeting), Melges 24 (1 meeting), Farr 400 (1 meeting), Farr 49 (1 meeting), Grand Soleil 43 (Carkeek) (1 meeting), J/35 (1 meeting), Tripp 40 (1 meeting), Elan 40 (1 meeting), Swan 46 (1 meeting), Contessa 35 (1 meeting), JPK 39 (1 meeting), X-34 (3 meetings), Dehler 36 (Judel/Vrolijk) (1 meeting)
Some of the boats it races against
How the J/88 has fared against each of them, boat against boat on corrected time. Ordered by how often the two meet, not by who wins.
Speed at every angle
The shape of this design's speed, drawn from the measured fleet. Pick a wind and watch it stretch.
Upwind VMG
5.08
37°
Beam reach
8.28
90°
Broad reach
11.22
135°
Downwind VMG
8.78
170°
Speed in knots at 20 knots of true wind. Green marks the angles that pay: the closest useful beat and the deepest run worth sailing.
Where it wins and where it pays
Every boat is judged against its own measurements — length, weight, sail area. The quicker those say it should be, the more it has to deliver just to break even. Going fast is not enough: it has to go faster than its own numbers promised.
It needs pressure to show what it can do. On a windy coastal course it is in its element; on a light-air windward-leeward it has to be sailed well to hold on.
Where it gains
Its best ground is on a broad reach in a strong breeze, where it outruns what it looks like on paper, and by a margin worth having. It holds that advantage running deep as well, so the gain is not down to one leg of the course.
Where it pays
It falls short upwind in a strong breeze, giving away time it never gets back. That is a hull that will lift and run given enough breeze.
Above the line it delivers more than promised and gains on the fleet. Below, it falls short. Move the wind: plenty of boats sit on one side in the light and the other when it blows.
Full width is 2.0 kn either way.
At 10 knots this design makes back more than its rating asks on the broad reach.
How fast is a J/88
Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.
| Angle | 6 kn | 10 kn | 14 kn | 20 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beat VMG | 3.46 | 4.71 | 5.00 | 5.08 |
| 52° | 5.24 | 6.65 | 6.94 | 7.07 |
| 60° | 5.50 | 6.82 | 7.14 | 7.32 |
| 75° | 5.71 | 6.96 | 7.46 | 7.79 |
| 90° | 5.83 | 7.04 | 7.67 | 8.28 |
| 110° | 5.97 | 7.42 | 8.14 | 9.05 |
| 120° | 5.86 | 7.49 | 8.45 | 9.82 |
| 135° | 5.23 | 7.18 | 8.48 | 11.22 |
| 150° | 4.41 | 6.49 | 7.69 | 10.14 |
| Run VMG | 3.82 | 5.62 | 6.67 | 8.78 |
How they are set up
The range each sail spans across the fleet.
Nearly all carry a folding propeller. A bowsprit is standard across the fleet. Crew weight is declared around 500 kg.
Rigging
J/88 rig and sail dimensions
A J/88 carries 11.22 m of mainsail hoist on a 3.66 m boom, a forestay 11.70 m above the deck and a 5.55 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 22 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.
Rig
Sails
The spinnaker spreads widest of all — 75 to 98 m² depending on bowsprit and set-up. Before ordering a sail, read the figure on your own measurement record rather than the typical one for the design.