Design and Construction
The hull reads as a deliberate departure from traditional cruiser proportions. The beam is held to 14 feet 6 inches, the ends are cut off for maximum design waterline, and the freeboard is moderately low, giving her a strong sheerline and clipped overhangs that Cruising World described as modern and elegant anchor. Below the waterline the hull shows a fine entry, short overhangs, moderate topside flare, and a low-wetted-surface underbody that supports her speed potential. Construction emphasizes light weight through TPI's signature SCRIMP resin-infusion molding, with hull and deck cored in Baltek end-grain balsa and solid glass at critical structural junctures such as the chainplate attachments anchor. All bulkheads are tabbed on both sides, and the hull-to-deck joint uses an in-turned flange sealed with structural sealant and fastened mechanically every four inches. The keels are externally mounted. The rudder is a balanced high-aspect spade pushed as far aft as possible without going outboard, its stock positioned out from under the cockpit sole to spread the bearings for strength. Perry's review noted very wide side decks and a big cockpit whose coamings are cut away aft to open the whole deck to the helmsman anchor. The builder claimed a 10-year hull warranty against blistering and a yacht built to exceed the Offshore Yacht Service standards of ABS.
Rig and Handling
The standard rig is a Hall triple-spreader aluminum mast with a forward position and a big, low-aspect-ratio mainsail, paired with a comparatively small, high-aspect-ratio foretriangle; a Hall carbon-fiber rig is offered as a tempting, expensive option. A small amount of sweep in the spreaders helps stiffen the mast, and runners are shown along with the swept spreaders. The deck plan carries toe rails forward, changing to flat tracks past the second stanchion, and halyards are led aft to winches adjacent to the companionway. Trimming the main is unconstrained thanks to a 6:1 Lewmar Ocean Racing mainsheet traveler system, and the wheel and traveler sit far enough aft to allow a reasonable dodger to extend over the forward cockpit. A dropped headstay makes room for the spinnaker sock, with the spinnaker hoisted to the masthead and managed through a cockpit-operated snuffer; a retractable pole disguised as a bowsprit serves an asymmetrical spinnaker. The large 66-inch wheel sits outboard, and a scoop transom makes boarding from water, dinghy, or dock convenient.
Accommodations
The length overall gives room for three staterooms with more than adequate privacy. Aft of the companionway lie two staterooms with 48-inch-wide berths, one accessible to an after head with sink and shower. The owner's cabin forward has its own private head with shower. The interior is offered in all-teak or all-cherry wood with off-white laminate to promote an open sensation. Just forward of the companionway to port is a roomy J-shaped galley with a double sink close to centerline, a gimbaled three-burner Force 10 stove outboard, and 12.5 cubic feet of icebox capacity. Opposite sits a forward-facing nav station. The main saloon has a settee berth to starboard and a full-size pilot berth outboard of the oval dining settee to port. A large bow storage locker with overhead deck hatch swallows sails, ground tackle, and gear.
Performance
A turbo-charged 88-horsepower Yanmar tied to a 22-inch Martec folding prop delivers a comfortable and quiet cruising speed of 8 knots plus. With the speed potential and reduced canoe body rocker, Perry cautioned that she may pound from time to time. Stability is a genuine strength: the limit of positive stability is a whopping 140 degrees per the designer, and a respectable 125 degrees by IMS calculations anchor.
Known Issues
The reduced canoe body rocker that gives her speed also causes pounding from time to time in a seaway, a consequence of the hull form rather than a construction fault. The balsa-cored hull and deck place ordinary demands on bedding and sealant at through-hulls; the builder addressed this with tagged seacocks and double-clamped below-waterline hoses, but the core itself remains a material that suffers if water intrudes. The 10-year blister warranty speaks to the infused solid-glass outer skin's intended durability.
The Verdict
The J/160 is a focused performance cruiser that trades some traditional cruising volume for lightness, speed, and stiff, predictable behavior offshore. She rewards a sailor who wants to cover ground and sleep privately, and who accepts occasional pounding as the price of the hull's long waterline and low wetted surface.
Pros
- High limit of positive stability (140° designer / 125° IMS)
- Light, strong SCRIMP-infused balsa-cored construction with structural sealant hull-deck joint
- Three private staterooms with wide aft berths and a forward owner's suite
- Quiet 8-knot-plus cruising on an 88-hp Yanmar with folding prop
Cons
- May pound in a seaway due to reduced rocker and speed potential
- Balsa core demands vigilant through-hull and deck-penetration maintenance
- Only 35 built, limiting familiarity with spares and systems
