Design and Construction
J/Boats built the 112E in France through J Composites Shipyard, which is licensed to manufacture a number of models for the Newport, Rhode Island-based company, and the boat follows the marque’s resin-infusion tradition with a carefully crafted, SCRIMP resin-infused deck and hull. The end-grain balsa-cored hull carries an outer layer of vinylester resin and a vinylester barrier coat in its layup to prevent osmosis and blistering, while the deck laminate includes a foam core to help lower the center of gravity. A fiberglass floor stringer grid is infused to promote stiffness and help support the rig and keel loads, and all intermediate bulkheads are glassed to both deck and hull to make the structure stiffer still. The builder backs the result with a 10-year hull warranty. V-shaped bow sections are intended to provide directional stability and reduce slamming when seas are up, and the sculpted cabintrunk pairs with blunt ends and a springy sheer for a distinctive profile.
Rig and Handling
The standard rig is a slightly fractional, double-spreader tapered aluminum mast with a minimally overlapping blade jib, though a carbon mast is available as an option for those chasing weight aloft. Rod rigging, a hydraulic backstay adjust, moveable genoa cars and a retractable offset carbon bowsprit round out a sail plan built for adjustable trim, and the jib and main halyards are both low-stretch Dyneema. A 105 percent jib flies on a Harken unit for cruising, and a retractable carbon sprit sets an asymmetric kite. The mainsheet ends lead into watertight boxes in the cockpit sidewalls before reaching their winches, keeping the sole clear. On the water, the trademark high-aspect semi-balanced spade rudder gave Cruising World’s tester fingertip control through its chain and wire linkage, and the boat’s slippery hull and powerful rudder make it a pleasure to maneuver under power as well.
Accommodations
Below, the finish is cold-molded solid and laminated walnut against white side and ceiling panels, with large cabintrunk windows and a pair of small hull windows making the saloon inviting. The owner’s cabin forward has a roomy double V-berth with storage beneath, a large hanging locker and double doors opening into the saloon; a second private cabin and a double quarterberth to starboard give the boat two private cabins plus settee space. A pair of straight-line settees flank the folding dining table and are plenty long to serve as good sea berths for a 6-footer, a must-have for any true seagoing vessel, while an L-shaped galley sits to starboard close against the companionway and the single head and shower to port can double as a wet locker. Robust grab rails run port and starboard in the deckhead.
Performance Under Sail
Sailing the boat Mary Gail in the 2016 Chicago to Mackinac Race, the tester finished second in its section and regularly clocked speeds in excess of 16 knots flying the chute, once maxing at 18.2. With a Code 0 hoisted on a close reach in 7–8 knots of wind the boat promptly sailed at wind speed and pulled away from its competition in light air, and after the first squall, shifting down to a genoa, it tacked with confidence. Late in the race the well-balanced helm and spade rudder proved more than up to controlling the boat in a following sea.
Refits and Ownership Notes
The cockpit includes a starboard liferaft locker and a large port storage locker, and a removable stainless steel swim step comes standard. Tankage is modest — 53 gallons of water and 22 gallons of fuel — and the boat’s somewhat restricted fuel capacity is a testament to its role as a boat that only needs to motor in the truly light stuff. A 30 hp Volvo saildrive provides auxiliary power.
The Verdict
The J/112E is a thoughtfully evolved 36-footer that blends J/Boats’ race-bred DNA with genuine cruising livability. Its infused balsa-and-foam structure, outboard chainplates and adjustable rig deliver light-air acceleration and confident heavy-weather control, while the walnut-finished interior and sea-berth settees make it livable offshore. Modest fuel and the deep standard keel are the trade-offs against its versatility.
Pros
- Resin-infused balsa hull with vinylester osmosis barrier and 10-year builder warranty
- Light-air performance verified by 16-knot-plus chute speeds and wind-speed close reaches
- Long straight settees that work as proper sea berths for a 6-footer
- Single recessed wheel and watertight mainsheet boxes keep the cockpit clean and controllable
Cons
- Restricted 22-gallon fuel capacity limits motoring range
- Standard 6-foot-11-inch draft excludes many shallow berths without the shoal option
