JPK 39 FC Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The 39 FC evolves the JPK 38 FC with a new hull shape and more spacious interior, its volume grown by larger bow sections and a beam 30 centimeters greater two meters back from the stem. A wide, powerful hull carries bow sections deep enough to cut through waves, and the hull depth is tuned to absorb the extra weight of a voyaging payload. The coachroof wears a reverse roof line — squared, with a pronounced reverse sheer and fixed windscreen — that modernizes the look while gaining interior volume and letting panoramic portholes flood the saloon with light. Vacuum-infused foam sandwich construction runs through hull, deck, and bulkheads, with a 25-millimetre Airex core and vinylester laminate; the keel suspension alone is solid laminate. A torsion-resistant structure, reinforced stress zones, and a T-keel with cast-iron fin and lead bomb complete a chassis built like a racing sailboat's high-quality GRP construction.

Rig and Handling

Steering is by twin tiller posts rather than twin wheels, with the helmsman seated on the side deck behind short thwarts and ahead of a transom-mounted traveler that keeps the mainsheet clear of maneuvering. All key controls — tiller, backstay, traveler, and both winches — sit to hand, and the headsail redirects easily to the windward winch for singlehanded work. Writing in Yachting World, the tester found the helm finger-light and almost neutral upwind, and noted the boat continued on course when the helm was released with full sail in a 23-knot breeze. A 9/10 fractional rig carries an adjustable backstay for mainsail shape, a long masthead crane for a big-roach main, and a 1.6-meter retractable bowsprit that separates forestay and asymmetric kite efficiently. The optional Axxon carbon mast sheds 40 kilograms aloft. Writing in YACHT, the tester averaged 6.5 knots under main and genoa in 6 to 8 knots of wind, and with the 138-square-metre top gennaker sustained 9 knots in 12 knots of breeze, showing early gliding ability.

Accommodations

Below, the 39 FC reads as a deck-saloon yacht: a fixed windscreen and all-round glazing with three hull windows per side, 15-millimetre Plexiglas stripping the superstructure, and a walnut interior that is inviting rather than opulent. The navigation station and longitudinal galley lie to starboard, a U-shaped settee to port with a divider for support, and the saloon table drops to form a real double berth from stored cushions. A forward-facing nav seat works as desk or athwartship berth, while opposite sit double-door lockers and a hanging locker. Owners may choose two aft cabins at the cost of a slightly smaller head. The forecabin steps down to a 2.1-meter double with standing headroom under the forehatch. Tester-measured stowage in the standard layout reaches 3.5 cubic metres, and the saloon keeps the warm feel of a heavier cruiser with plenty of natural light.

Known Issues

The basic 100-Ah battery is barely sufficient for longer trips, and the standard Volvo Penta is acoustically rough and quite loud — the test boat substituted a more powerful but rustic 38-hp Nanni. Finish quality is partly simple, with veneered wet-room doors set flush on a GRP inner shell without frame timbers, the gap masked by black foam strips. The test boat also showed rudder deflection restricted to starboard. The boat is expensive and sold without a dealer network, and lead times have stretched beyond two years.

Refits and Ownership

Owners specify instruments and autopilot from NKE or B&G, and since 2026 a wheel-bar option replaces the twin tiller handles. A 2-year warranty against osmosis backs the hull. The standard 90-litre diesel tank can be doubled, and a two-blade folding prop, carbon bowsprit, and 3D genoa-sheet adjustment come as standard. The builder's infusion and one-shot floor lamination mean structural refits are rarely needed, but the loud engine and thin battery bank are the first owner upgrades.

The Verdict

The JPK 39 FC is a genuine crossover: a racing-bred chassis wrapped around a bright, practical cruising interior, quick enough to plane in modest breeze yet stable and forgiving when the wind builds. It demands compromise — on finish, on engine refinement, on dealer support — but rewards the self-reliant owner with a fast, short-handed-capable tourer.

Pros