2009 Worlds Fleet to be the Biggest in J80 History
Most classes consider 60-70 boats to be an incredible turn-out for a world championship. Try doubling that and you get a sense for just how big the 2009 event will be in Santander, Spain. Months ago organizers had already anticipated a big turnout and so plan to initially seed the fleet into four groups who will sail against each other for a series of qualifying races. Scores will carry through when the fleet is divided into gold and silver fleets. Representing the USA will be the Jay Lutz/Gary Kamins team aboard USA 407 and Jeff Johnstone USA 1173 who will sail with an all-French team aboard JACUZZI.

| 02 July 2009 | Read more | 

ISAF Approved 2009 Rules Changes
ISAF recently confirmed the approval and new release of the 2009 J/80 Class Rules. This document along with the summary of the rules changes is now uploaded on the RULES page of the International J/80 site. Most notable of the changes is the expansion of the advertising rule to allow more than one advertiser on the hull (where previously there was a limit of one advertiser for the boat and sails). The bowsprit rule is also simplified by ridding the conflicting language regarding retracting the sprit at the leeward mark. The new wording suggested and approved by the ISAF rules committee reflects the same intent as the previous rule only with less chance for misinterpretation by event judges.

| 29 May 2009 | Read more | 

J/80 Best Practices Guide Now Available
J Boats has compiled, with the help of several industry experts, a best practices inspection, maintenance and use guide for J/80 owners. All owners are strongly urged to read the recommendations, to proactively and periodically inspect all critical components of their boats, and to contact anyone in the J/80 network of dealers, builders and class associations when any questions. Please click on the J/80 Best Practices link on the left side menu of the Int'l Home Page.

| 18 May 2009 | Read more | 

Inspect Your Keels Update
Following two separate incidents in the past 12 months where 15+ year old J/80s suffered apparent keel stub failures, J Boats, with the help of several industry experts, is compiling a best practices inspection, maintenance and use guide for J/80 owners. The following is an excerpt of the draft document, specifically regarding inspection of the keel and keel floor area. We strongly urge all owners to read carefully the recommendations and to inspect their boats.

INSPECTION FREQUENCY
Considering the typical high-frequency use seen by many J/80s, at a minimum, we recommend that J/80s be inspected on an annual basis and that a professional survey be done every five years.

HOW TO INSPECT YOUR KEEL/KEEL FLOORS (For Owners and Surveyors)
1. With your boat suspended from travel lift straps (OK) or braced in a cradle (best) or trailer (good), grab the keel at the bottom and forcefully rock it back and forth. This tip deflection test on a deep keel boat should create a small amount of flex over the span of the keel and sump (if solid fiberglass like the J/80), but there should otherwise be minimal movement from side to side. When you release the keel it should immediately return to position (and not continue to cycle). It is also important to have someone belowdecks to check for movement in the keel floor or bilge area, or any evidence that the sump is moving independently of the keel floors.

2. Are there any visible signs of cracking on the hull at the front and back of keel? Check the leading edge and bottom of keel for any impact marks/dents, scrapes. The two go hand in hand with grounding or impact damage.

3. Is there any cracking at the sump/keel joint? A crack in the cosmetic wrap could indicate that the keel nuts have loosened and need to be re-torqued. A crack may also permit water to penetrate to the keel bolts and cause crevice corrosion over time particularly if in salt water. Keel nuts should be torqued according to ISO standards, which specify the setting based on bolt material and thickness. For example, a 316 stainless keel bolt has a torque setting of 125 ft lbs assuming clean threads.

4. Is there any cracking, no matter how small, along the radius of the hull to molded sump interface? This is the transition from the hull fairbody to the keel sump. If yes, then bottom paint/gel coat should be sanded back to identify depth of cracking. One should also inspect the corresponding area on the turn of the sump inside the boat and consider sanding back interior gelcoat to see if any damage to the glass (white crazing). The tip deflection test (#1) can help better identify whether the cracks are a result of flex or a different issue.

5. Pull up all floorboards and thoroughly clean and dry all bilge components. With flashlight and mirror check all keel floor to hull intersections, including all edges of tabbing for any cracking or debonding. The integrity of the molded keel sump relies primarily on the keel floors and their secure attachment. If the keel and sump have excess movement, it is likely that the tabbing of one or more keel floors is compromised in some way (i.e. the floor is floating free from the hull). If there is any sign of different color gelcoats or paint, it is likely the keel sump has been previously repaired. When in doubt, sand away any gelcoat, clean area with a solvent, and look for white spots in the laminate-- this may be a sign of delamination. Have a surveyor immediately inspect this area for structural integrity.

6. Carefully inspect the keel bolt nuts for signs of corrosion. Periodically have your yard back off the keel nuts (one at a time) and inspect for crevice corrosion on the keel bolts. This can also be checked with a magnet. 316 stainless steel is not magnetic but crevice corrosion changes the properties and the steel could become magnetic.

7. A surveyor will use other tools to check the area: the tap test- tapping with a phenolic hammer to sound out both the exterior and interior for voids or delamination as well as to check the integrity of the glass tabbing along the keel floors; a moisture meter for finding areas of elevated moisture; even thermal infrared imaging to check for any inner laminate damage that might not otherwise be visible to the naked eye (see www.inspectboat.com for sample thermography images).

Structural Repair Considerations
For J/80s, the owner and a certified SAMS (www.marinesurvey.org) surveyor or composites expert should (1) determine the extent of cracking, distortion, wetness or delamination and (2) if there is any evidence discovered in step #1 that indicates a potential problem, the surveyor should then conduct destructive or non-destructive testing and, depending on the results of the test, recommend a repair procedure that is carried out by a qualified repair facility.

| 01 May 2009 | 

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