Flying junior sailboat good beginner boat?

[Captain Blue]

You touched my hart, GO FOR IT. Says the 62 year old son of a sailor that lives on his 3rd sailboats but still has a 13ft Laser and if the winds are right, can make it skip fast enough to make power boaters jealous. Sailing is a way of life. Have fun.

[MermaidIndie]

It seems like a great boat, I'll continue to look into it. I also came across a 17ft o'day day sailer ii


The crash of waves and salty air are the signs of freedom

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by MermaidIndie

It seems like a great boat, I'll continue to look into it. I also came across a 17ft o'day day sailer ii


The crash of waves and salty air are the signs of freedom

The O'Day would be a more forgiving and stable learning platform, and would have more capacity for three sailors at a time. I actually learned on an O'Day Osprey, a 15'8" slightly smaller version of the Day Sailor. It took good care of my totally inexperienced self and family... even on SF Bay (a foolish playground for a novice in a small centerboarder!). I'd recommend the DS over the FJ as a learning boat.

Jim

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

The O'Day would be a more forgiving and stable learning platform, and would have more capacity for three sailors at a time. I actually learned on an O'Day Osprey, a 15'8" slightly smaller version of the Day Sailor. It took good care of my totally inexperienced self and family... even on SF Bay (a foolish playground for a novice in a small centerboarder!). I'd recommend the DS over the FJ as a learning boat.

Jim

I have to admit, as much as I enjoyed sailing the FJ, Jim is right about the O'Day. I capsized the FJ.

[cortezsailor]

Capsizing the FJ was all part of the fun don't you think?
I learned on them and look at me now....lol


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[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by cortezsailor

Capsizing the FJ was all part of the fun don't you think?
I learned on them and look at me now....lol


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Well yes, I had fun, my older brother had fun but my sister didn't. For perspective I was 10, sis was 13, and brother was 16. I think the OP should get as much honest feedback from us that sailed the FJ as possible. It was a bit of a performance boat but my dad who also was new to sailing and not comfortable in the water like us kids let the name Flying Junior influence his decision to buy it. Guess he didn't dial into the "flying" part.

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by Captain Blue

You touched my hart, GO FOR IT. Says the 62 year old son of a sailor that lives on his 3rd sailboats but still has a 13ft Laser and if the winds are right, can make it skip fast enough to make power boaters jealous. Sailing is a way of life. Have fun.

Right!!!
I am 66 years next month and sail a Nacra 6.0NA beach catamaran (besides a Lagoon 400 "caravan"). This is an adrenaline injector being a sailing boat capable of speeds over 20-25Kn.
My partner to the boat is 76 years old! He still executes tacks starting from the trapeze position.

[ALAIN97133]

Originally Posted by MermaidIndie

I recently found a 15ft flying junior sailboat for sale and have been considering purchasing it. I'm a new sailor so I want some second opinions but will a flying junior be okay for a beginner? Actually three beginners?


The crash of waves and salty air are the signs of freedom

YESSSSSS ! I'm 68 & I started sailing on Flying Juniors, on Dow's lake, in Ottawa Ontario (A 0.40 x 0.20 nautical mile (!) regulating pond for the Rideau Canal). I learned to sail it with a crew , main, jib & spinnaker or alone with main & jib; I learned to capsize & straighten up my "ship" (A must). 44 years later, I've just sailed single-handed from Beaufort NC to St-Martin, French West Indies, on my 34 footer, after having sailed 4 other offshore sailboats from England to Vancouver, from the West Indies to Nova Scotia & back, from Chicago to Bermudas etc... Another easy one to start with, is the French "420": I found a fleet of 420 this summer on lake Erie (SouthBass Island: Picture of the teacher standing up with 2 kids)... Have fun...

Dow's Lake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[kwsherwood]

Folks, This thread is old but others may look here for advice, so:

The FJ can be a good boat for beginners, but it is usually best sailed with two on board. There are many models. The International FJ was offered in seat and non-seat models; the latter has you sitting on the gunnel. The tradeoff for this loss in comfort is that you learn to hike out and when you do capsize, it comes up very dry (no bailing). More common now is the Vanguard manufactured Club FJ: very similar, not identical to the original FJ or International Flying Junior, non-seat model.

Please note that some International FJs with seats will require additional flotation to be installed if you want to be self-rescuing.

This is a fast and lively boat. Learning on an FJ is similar to learning on a laser. You will learn a lot because it is very responsive. But it is not particularly stable.

An Oday Day Sailer, an American/Holder14, a Rhodes 19, JY15, etc. might provide more stable platforms for the less athletic beginner.

KenS

[Kaito Matsumura]

FJ is good for your first opportunity of sailing.
But, it costs much more than 420.



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[AZUS]

Capsizing our FJ WAS part of the fun. We seemed to do it often, and most often when there was no wind and we were screwing around. But it's always an easy boat to get back up.

3 sailors is not the issue, depending on their size and weight. We routinely went out with 4 adolescents, or one 20-something and 2-3 teens. Also part of the fun.

I hope you do it and hope you enjoy.

[kwsherwood]

Folks,
Pay attention to the year and manufacturer of the FJ.

See whether you're talking about an FJ or a CFJ.

This boat, an Advance FJ (one of the most popular makes produced in the US of the FJ) was frequently sold in this configuration. A capsize returns a boat with 300 gallons of water inside. Somewhat unstable, requiring a bit of bailing time.

https://goo.gl/photos/fJvb3HPcjDQLE9HQ6

This boat, a more recent CFJ, has large air-tanks molded into the gunnels and no seats per se. You don't bail this boat out after a capsize, unless you really want to keep your toes dry!

Both sail well. I owned the first one. I've sailed the second one. I loved it but wouldn't recommend the first one to a beginner.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...jwdc2008_2.jpg

Originally Posted by AZUS

Capsizing our FJ WAS part of the fun. We seemed to do it often, and most often when there was no wind and we were screwing around. But it's always an easy boat to get back up.

3 sailors is not the issue, depending on their size and weight. We routinely went out with 4 adolescents, or one 20-something and 2-3 teens. Also part of the fun.

I hope you do it and hope you enjoy.

[ALAIN97133]

Originally Posted by AZUS

Capsizing our FJ WAS part of the fun. We seemed to do it often, and most often when there was no wind and we were screwing around. But it's always an easy boat to get back up. 3 sailors is not the issue, depending on their size and weight. We routinely went out with 4 adolescents, or one 20-something and 2-3 teens. Also part of the fun. I hope you do it and hope you enjoy.

I agree about capsizing ! I started sailing on FJ on Dow's Lake -a small regulating pond in Ottawa for the Rideau canal that joins Ontario Lake to the Outaouais river- We would race alone with main & jib only & getting the FJ back up was part of the fun For the "little history" as we say in French, 45 years latter, in December 2014, I sailed singlehanded my 34' 1987 Ericson from Beaufort NC to St-Martin French West Indies in 11 days... FJ is not that bad to start understanting what sailing is all about

[jongleur]

Our FJs in college had Elvstrom bailers:

Elvstrom Bailers

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by kwsherwood

Folks,

Pay attention to the year and manufacturer of the FJ.



See whether you're talking about an FJ or a CFJ.



This boat, an Advance FJ (one of the most popular makes produced in the US of the FJ) was frequently sold in this configuration. A capsize returns a boat with 300 gallons of water inside. Somewhat unstable, requiring a bit of bailing time.



https://goo.gl/photos/fJvb3HPcjDQLE9HQ6



This boat, a more recent CFJ, has large air-tanks molded into the gunnels and no seats per se. You don't bail this boat out after a capsize, unless you really want to keep your toes dry!



Both sail well. I owned the first one. I've sailed the second one. I loved it but wouldn't recommend the first one to a beginner.



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...jwdc2008_2.jpg

What you pictured is a 420. Similar to FJ but not same.

FJs would be great learner boats. I think you learn much more on a responsive fast boat, and have more fun also.


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