J41 - "Airpower" - anyone familiar with this boat?

[Sailor Ben]

Hello everyone.

Some time ago I bought a 1985 - J41 in Oxnard that was named Wind Chime.
I found some items on the boat that said "Airpower". Anyone familiar with this boat?
I would be grateful for any info, old stories, whatever.....
The attached picture is from the survey haul-out in Oxnard.

Thanks,
Bengt

 

[Crash]

Who in God's name put the turd on the bottom of the keel?

 

[Sailor Ben]

Hello Crash,

It wasn't me, I swear...... ( : b
It came with the "box"........

I just thought of something: I could paint it to look like a "Torpedo" and when heeling enough the competitors would have second thoughts about smashing me at the mark. He, he.....

When in tense situations, humor is useful and if your adversary is nudged of track, even better !_!

Seriously, the rudder and keel are really thin (see picture) and she moves very smoothly through the water.

I once owned a Choate 40, "Bolt" and she had a bulb that really looked like a rocket.
The rear (pointy end) was almost the size of a pencil lead.........

Bengt

 

[Crash]

Hello Crash,

It wasn't me, I swear...... ( : b
It came with the "box"........

I just thought of something: I could paint it to look like a "Torpedo" and when heeling enough the competitors would have second thoughts about smashing me at the mark. He, he.....

When in tense situations, humor is useful and if your adversary is nudged of track, even better !_!

Seriously, the rudder and keel are really thin (see picture) and she moves very smoothly through the water.

I once owned a Choate 40, "Bolt" and she had a bulb that really looked like a rocket.
The rear (pointy end) was almost the size of a pencil lead.........

Bengt

View attachment 573419

Hey Ben,
I figured it wasn't you, as you had said pic was from survey. But man, what a blunt instrument that "bulb" is. Not much hydrodynamic efficiency in that shape! As they had to make a mold, and pour the lead into it, why didn't they spend a little more time, and make it look more like this:

OBTW, what is draft now? Was that done to reduce draft? Or to compensate for lack of 10 bodies on the rail?

 

[fourrunner]

Hello everyone.

Some time ago I bought a 1985 - J41 in Oxnard that was named Wind Chime.
I found some items on the boat that said "Airpower". Anyone familiar with this boat?
I would be grateful for any info, old stories, whatever.....
The attached picture is from the survey haul-out in Oxnard.

Thanks,
Bengt

View attachment 573322

There was a J41 with a similar name at the City Island YC in the Bronx, NYC. Owner’s name was an architect named Andrew Blackman. I think he’s passed.

There’s plenty of CIYC know it all’s on SA that will quickly correct me if I’m wrong.

Good luck—

 

[See Level]

There was a J41 in Seattle named Airpower owned by Dave Campbell, probably the same boat.
Raced IOR back in the day, I don't remember too much about her but I don't think she was as fast as the custom ior boats.
Maybe dig through old Seattle yacht club and Corinthian yacht club Seattle race records
There's an old thread here, see post 17.

J-41

I just bought a J-41 and was wondering if anyone had any info on them. I know it wasn't considered the best J design ever, but it was the right price and I now am trying to figure out what is considered typical sails for racing PHRF and any other info one might want to know prior to hopping on...

forums.sailinganarchy.com

 

[longy]

That looks a lot like a draft reduction job - check original draft numbers

Draft Reductions | MarsKeel

As the front-runner in Keel production, we have developed a cost-effective, yet practical, alternative to complete Keel refits.

marskeel.com

 

[See Level]

I think maybe the whole keel's there and the whale clubbing blob 🤮 is through-bolted though the sides.

 

[tenbow]

There was a J41 with a similar name at the City Island YC in the Bronx, NYC. Owner’s name was an architect named Andrew Blackman. I think he’s passed.

There’s plenty of CIYC know it all’s on SA that will quickly correct me if I’m wrong.

Good luck—

I may not know it all but...

Andrew's J/41 was Airplane. (ex-Paladin) Its customization may have been an initially unreported carbon fiber rudder. I don't think he's passed.

 

[O25 dude]

I worked at Shilshole Marina in Seattle painting boat bottoms back in 1992 or so. I once painted a boat on the hard there called Airpower...the boat and the name stuck with me for some reason. I think that's her.

 

[Quickstep192]

I think maybe the whole keel's there and the whale clubbing blob 🤮 is through-bolted though the sides.

I remember some years ago there being a company that made bolt-on bulbs that were intended to make fin keel boats sail a little more upright.

 

[ROADKILL666]

Sailed on one for several years in Miami Fl named Victory. At the time we had 3 of them on the bay. Good times.

 

[CriticalPath]

I remember some years ago there being a company that made bolt-on bulbs that were intended to make fin keel boats sail a little more upright.

MarsKeel Technology's "Draft Reductions" - not uncommon to chainsaw a lead keel and add a two-piece bulb for thin water cruising grounds...

Mars have a proven track record of sound design, engineering, and construction, but some of their bulb solutions are prettier than others...

Cheers!

Draft Reductions | MarsKeel

As the front-runner in Keel production, we have developed a cost-effective, yet practical, alternative to complete Keel refits.

marskeel.com

 

[Sailor Ben]

MarsKeel Technology's "Draft Reductions" - not uncommon to chainsaw a lead keel and add a two-piece bulb for thin water cruising grounds...

Mars have a proven track record of sound design, engineering, and construction, but some of their bulb solutions are prettier than others...

Cheers!

Draft Reductions | MarsKeel

As the front-runner in Keel production, we have developed a cost-effective, yet practical, alternative to complete Keel refits.

marskeel.com

Hello CriticalPath.

I think the previous owner(s) had the intention of doing more cruising than racing.
I base that notion on the TV in the forepeak. Magma BBQ on the stern pulpit, Leisure Furl boom, etc.

What does a draft reduction do to performance? Beside moving the weight a little higher than before.

I have sailed for a long time, (I'm a early 60's child...... ) but my knowledge of fluid/air physics is limited.

In short I believe in the below statement:
A long keel boat is more sea kindly but slower in the turns.
A deep draft, skinny keel on a shallow hull is very quick on a tack but much more bumpy in waves.

I actually removed 640 Lbs of lead that was added in the bilge because the, uhm, "installation" had trapped "moisture" (murky water) and caused the floor boards to rot....... See pictures)

About the keel and perhaps also the removed ballast:

Question: Should I keep the bulb as is or find a way to extend the keel with or without the bulb?
Would it be useful to put back the 640 lbs lead ballast somewhere?

I don't mind a little bumpiness, but don't want the boat too tender either. (I like shorthanded (single) sailing and prefer to trim the sails instead of adding lots of weight on the rail.)

Look forward to ideas/suggestions.
Thanks, Bengt

 

[Sailor Ben]

I worked at Shilshole Marina in Seattle painting boat bottoms back in 1992 or so. I once painted a boat on the hard there called Airpower...the boat and the name stuck with me for some reason. I think that's her.

Hello O25 dude.

Thank you for the info. Painting boat bottoms, hmmmmm?
I hope they paid you a decent fee for that. Not an easy job.

I visited Seattle as a tourist around that time but i understand things have, uhm, changed somewhat since then...... I guess everything change over time. Cities, sailboats, life.......
Bengt

 

[Sailor Ben]

There was a J41 in Seattle named Airpower owned by Dave Campbell, probably the same boat.
Raced IOR back in the day, I don't remember too much about her but I don't think she was as fast as the custom ior boats.
Maybe dig through old Seattle yacht club and Corinthian yacht club Seattle race records
There's an old thread here, see post 17.

J-41

I just bought a J-41 and was wondering if anyone had any info on them. I know it wasn't considered the best J design ever, but it was the right price and I now am trying to figure out what is considered typical sails for racing PHRF and any other info one might want to know prior to hopping on...

forums.sailinganarchy.com

Hello See Level.

I saw that post (No 17) some time ago, when I was just dipping my toes in the Anarchy Waters.
(Now that I have made the plunge I do what I can to not look stupid......... \ o_o/)

I read on the J_Boat website that the J41 design was supposed to be a good at most things, perhaps not super good at any specific thing.

I like the J41 though. My beginning sailing years were spent in dinghies (Laser, Optimist, etc.) and I think the J41 with its tiller feels very much like a very large dinghy.

Maybe I just never grow up..... \ -.-/
Bengt

 

[Sailor Ben]

Hey Ben,
I figured it wasn't you, as you had said pic was from survey. But man, what a blunt instrument that "bulb" is. Not much hydrodynamic efficiency in that shape! As they had to make a mold, and pour the lead into it, why didn't they spend a little more time, and make it look more like this:

OBTW, what is draft now? Was that done to reduce draft? Or to compensate for lack of 10 bodies on the rail?

Crash wrote: "Why didn't they spend a little more time.......etc."

You know, I think that's a GREAT question.

Next question.......

Seriously, I have no idea why the keel looks like a (turd?) and not more like the beautiful thing in your photo (above). Another post mentioned something about draft reduction and I guess that's a possibility. If I had a lot more money I would want to extend the keel and the rudder and put your beautiful "missile" on the bottom of the keel.

Unfortunately, right now I have to make do with what's "down there"..... ha ha
Bengt

 

[CriticalPath]

What does a draft reduction do to performance? Beside moving the weight a little higher than before.

In short I believe in the below statement:
A deep draft, skinny keel on a shallow hull is very quick on a tack but much more bumpy in waves.

I actually removed 640 Lbs of lead that was added in the bilge because the, uhm, "installation" had trapped "moisture" (murky water) and caused the floor boards to rot....... See pictures)

About the keel and perhaps also the removed ballast:

Question: Should I keep the bulb as is or find a way to extend the keel with or without the bulb?
Would it be useful to put back the 640 lbs lead ballast somewhere?

I don't mind a little bumpiness, but don't want the boat too tender either. (I like shorthanded (single) sailing and prefer to trim the sails instead of adding lots of weight on the rail.)

Mars has been doing refits a long time, their typical modification results in 15-20% draft reduction (depending on keel shape and hull form). The bulb generally weighs 10-15% more than the ballast removed to maintain or increase the boat's stability.

The first one I recall was a Peterson Wiggers 37 named SixPacToo for singlehander Bob Lush. This boat's sorta kinda similar in design to the J/41 so a reasonable comparison. The keel modification was done 1990ish, reduced draft from 6'11" to 5'5", but only increased ballast weight by ~5% (so a small bulb to minimize impact on performance). PHRF-LO gave him a 3 second credit. Most draft reductions seem to merit about 6 seconds. SixPacToo's performance in (limited) racing on Lake Ontario didn't appear impacted much.

Well designed/engineered draft-reduced boats tend to handle and perform similarly except upwind, where they may lose a few degrees height and definitely suffer from added leeway. Actual performance with your turd as opposed to @Crash's sexy torpedo photo may vary!!

Internal ballasting is/was regulary utilized by assorted rating rules and one design classes. Removal is common and results in better acceleration and a livelier feel, but I wouldn't consider it "bumpier" or more tender.

Cheers!

 

[neuronz]

Hello CriticalPath.

I think the previous owner(s) had the intention of doing more cruising than racing.
I base that notion on the TV in the forepeak. Magma BBQ on the stern pulpit, Leisure Furl boom, etc.

What does a draft reduction do to performance? Beside moving the weight a little higher than before.

I have sailed for a long time, (I'm a early 60's child...... ) but my knowledge of fluid/air physics is limited.

In short I believe in the below statement:
A long keel boat is more sea kindly but slower in the turns.
A deep draft, skinny keel on a shallow hull is very quick on a tack but much more bumpy in waves.

I actually removed 640 Lbs of lead that was added in the bilge because the, uhm, "installation" had trapped "moisture" (murky water) and caused the floor boards to rot....... See pictures)

About the keel and perhaps also the removed ballast:

Question: Should I keep the bulb as is or find a way to extend the keel with or without the bulb?
Would it be useful to put back the 640 lbs lead ballast somewhere?

I don't mind a little bumpiness, but don't want the boat too tender either. (I like shorthanded (single) sailing and prefer to trim the sails instead of adding lots of weight on the rail.)

Look forward to ideas/suggestions.
Thanks, Bengt

View attachment 573872

View attachment 573873

View attachment 573874

View attachment 573875

By removing the internal ballast you have reduced the stability of your boat through raising the center of gravity and lowering of the restoring force. Up to you to decide if this is a problem or not.
A sensible idea might be to add some of it back to the end of the fin to keep stability constant. Would be a good moment to update the shape of the current bulb as well.

 

[hobot]

I worked at Shilshole Marina in Seattle painting boat bottoms back in 1992 or so. I once painted a boat on the hard there called Airpower...the boat and the name stuck with me for some reason. I think that's her.

BITD Airpower lived on L dock. Probably me, but I just don't remember it going out a lot.