Do you find the boat to be a little tender? I will be sailing most of the time single and double handed, so not much weight on the rail. Maybe some distance races but not planning on any round the buoy racing.
I totally agree with Bill. The J30 must be sailed flat to be fast. so solo, as soon as you drop the rail in the water you are going really slowly!
That said the J30 sails well solo, especially with the spinnaker up but you have to adjust the sails to keep her flat, as Bill mentioned.
She can be quite energetic! I sailed mine in the Hudson River, downtown New York, a few times, screaming past the J24's with training crews and 2 reefs was a blast...
With a crew, we have had our best races with large crew members and a flat boat!
I'm especially concerned with wet coring and will be looking at that. I noticed some water stains at the chain plates.
My chainplates had leaks when I first bought her and were easily repaired - nothing like the work Bill undertook but the marks are still visible on the bulkhead. I worry more about the pressure we put on the shrouds and how the bulkhead holds up!
I have had areas on the deck become saturated. I had to clear out the wet balsa and I refilled with fiberglass and resin. I find I have had to rebed everything to reduce leaks from the bolts.
My boat was a sailing school boat in Jersey City, NJ for about 5 years during which very little maintenance was done, but it also meant she wasn't raced hard and tuned tight like demon.
I've looked at three boats now and all have rudders that seem slightly lose in their pintles and gudgeons. I assume this may be normal but, does that drive you crazy after awhile?
My rudder doesn't move that badly that it would worry me. Once you are sailing and have pressure on it, there is no wobble!
All in all the J30 is a fun fast boat.
