J/Boats J/24

Built 1977–? by Tillotson-Pearson (TPI)

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About the J/Boats J/24

Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.

Built: 1977–?
Builder: Tillotson-Pearson (TPI)
Designer: Rod Johnstone
Length: 24 ft
Waterline: 20 ft
Beam: 8.9 ft
Draft: 4 ft
Displacement: 3,100 lb
Ballast: 950 lb
Hull: fiberglass-cored
Hull / keel: fin keel
Rig: sloop
Propulsion: outboard
Stern thruster: not fitted
Steering: tiller

Tank capacities — where the figures come from

Fuel unknown
The J/24 is an outboard-powered one-design class; no source gives a fixed fuel tank, and portable outboard tanks are the norm.
Water unknown
No fixed water-tank capacity found in class or builder material.
Water heater unknown
“Molded sink with one flexible water tank ... (J/24 specifications; no heater or pressure system listed)” — search excerpt, uswatercraft.com

The J/24 is an outboard-powered one-design racing keelboat. The builder's specification, as reproduced by today's licensed builder, lists only a molded sink with a flexible water tank and an outboard bracket, with no heater, shore power or inboard engine to heat water.

Tanks are often replaced or added on older boats — check the tank labels or a survey for yours.

Thrusters and steering — where this comes from

Bow thruster unknown
The J/24 class rules do not mention thrusters; no source either way.
Stern thruster not fitted
Our earlier figure of none has no source, and nothing was found either way.
Steering tiller
“E.4 RUDDER BLADE AND TILLER ... (b) The tiller shall be made of wood. The wood may be laminated with glue.” — owners' association, j24class.org · “The weight of the hull including keel, rudder and tiller” — owners' association, j24class.org

International J/24 Class rules specify a wooden (laminated allowed) tiller on the transom-hung rudder; tiller steering is part of the one-design.

Thrusters and steering are often replaced — check the units on your boat before ordering parts.

Sources disagree on number built — left blank rather than guessed.

One-design class boat; still built worldwide under license, so year_end is null. Over 5,200 (SpinSheet, 1998) to 5,400 (sailboatdata) built. All are outboard-powered from a transom bracket; class rules require at least 3.5 hp (no make specified). Fractional rig. Hull-deck joint on inward flange with stainless through-bolts. In 1980 (about hull 1900) TPI changed the hatches and dropped vermiculite from the keel sump.

Generator

No generator in the specifications; the boat has only an outboard bracket.

Manuals and brochures online

Document J/24 International Class Rules 2023 (hull, rudder and tiller specifications) (2023) — j24class.org

Hosted by the builder or an owners' association; they own the copyright.

Known problems for this model

Wet balsa core at fittings deck
Hull and deck are balsa-cored throughout, and the usual laminate problem is wet core from badly bedded fittings; a stanchion base that moves under load or dark, wide deck cracks point to wet core.
spinsheet.com · j24class.org
Loose keel and keel sump hull
Hard-raced boats can have loosened keel attachments; lift the sump cover and look for cracks or keel bolts crushing into the vermiculite or glass, and check the keel-hull joint outside. Vermiculite was dropped from the sump around hull 1900 (1980).
j24class.org · spinsheet.com
Main bulkhead and chainplate wear rigging
Look for delamination or rot of the main bulkhead aft of the mast, failed tabbing to the hull, and elongated chainplate bolt holes; the bulkhead face is marine plywood that must stay dry.
spinsheet.com · j24class.org
Rudder and pintle cracks steering
Check the rudder leading edge between the pintles for cracks, rust weeping from pintle bolts, and cracked welds on rudder fittings.
j24class.org · spinsheet.com
Hull-deck joint leaks on early boats deck
Boats from the first two years had the hull-deck joint sealed with silicone and tend to leak persistently.
spinsheet.com

1 more

Mast cracks at sheave cutouts rigging
Inspect the mast for cracks at the halyard sheave cutouts and confirm it is straight.
spinsheet.com · j24class.org

Model sources (4)

sailboatdata.com · spinsheet.com · j24class.org · j24class.org

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Other J/Boats models

J/Boats J/105 1992–?
J/Boats J/30 1979–1986
J/Boats J/35 1983–1992

Researched from public sources. Spotted an error? The sources are listed above — tell us what they got wrong.