J/Boats To Be Recognized for Multiple National Awards

Newport, RI - J/Boats of Newport, RI, founded in 1977, was recently awarded recognition for its J/95 and J/97 sailboats by Cruising World and Sailing World Magazines and, for the first time in the history of these prestigious national awards, top honors by both magazines was awarded to the same boat, the J95.

The competition was against new models from around the country and around the world: 18 boats participated in the Cruising World program and 14 took part in Sailing World's.

The two models from J/Boats were not only designed and marketed by the Newport-based J/Boats, the J/95 is also being built in Rhode Island by C&C Fiberglass Components of Bristol with the involvement of five other companies in the State.

Representatives of the two magazines and the winners will hold a celebration of this coup for the Rhode Island boating industry at the C&C Fiberglass Components plant in Bristol on Thursday, February 4th at 10 AM.

Cruising World and Sailing World, both based in Middletown, RI, are published by Bonnier Corp. one of the largest consumer-publishing groups in America. Bonnier Corp. is the leading media company serving passionate, highly engaged audiences through 49 special-interest magazines and related multimedia projects and events. Bonnier Corp. is the U.S. division of the Bonnier Group, a 200year-old family owned media group based in Sweden with business operations in 25 countries.

Cruising World is the largest sailing magazine in the world and is considered the bible for bluewater sailors. Sailing World is considered the authority on performance sailing and is a must-read for sailors who race to win. Both publications have awarded their "Boat of the Year" awards for the past seventeen (17) years through the U.S. boating industry's only process of expert inspection and on the water testing after the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, in October. Winners were announced in the magazines' January issues.

Cruising World selected the J/95 as the "Best Weekender" one of its six categories in the 2010 program. The J/95 was then selected as "Domestic Boat of the Year."

Sailing World's independent judging panel, which includes two Rhode Island marine industry professionals (Chuck Allen, North Sails and Barrett Holby, Holby Marine) chose the J/95 as their "Boat of the Year" in addition to selecting four category winners from its fleet of participants. One of the category winners was another J/Boat -- the J/97 -- that was chosen as "Best Club Racer."

"We are so proud that a Rhode Island designed boat, built by a Rhode Island boat builder has set the bar in the "Boat of the Year" competition run by two nationally-renowned publications based in our state." says Sally Helme, Publisher of Bonnier's two sailing publications. "All in all, it's hands-down proof that Rhode Island is a leader in the boating business."

EDITOR NOTE: Other Rhode Island companies providing parts and components for the winning boats include International Marine, Hall Spars and Thurston Canvas, all of Bristol, Harken Yacht Equipment of Newport and Ken's Canvas of Barrington.

Cruising World 2010 Boat of the Year Domestic Boat

Cruising World 2010 Boat of the Year Best Weekender

SAIL 2010 Best Boats Performance Category