JPK 10.80 – SEA TRIAL

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In France, ocean and offshore regattas are extremely popular. There are many sailors, boats and projects intentionally created and many are the regattas starting from the Atlantic coast. Jpk is a shipbuilder which was born from the passion and the will of its owner, Jean Pierre Kelbert (hence the name JPK) to win these regattas. And this is what he did. After Ten Ten, a 10-metre-boat very popular in France, now it’s the turn of 10.80. Another super sporty boat, conceived for a very small crew (1-2 people).

It’s a racer, ideal for a sporting cruise. Emotions are guaranteed. Manoeuvres are unlimited and well-organised. Comfort is sporty, spaces are simple, essential but comfortable.

The hull, designed by Jacques Valler, who is called the “shaman” in France, has only little wet surface and its ends are always out of water. It concentrates its volume forwards, while astern zones stay poor. Much canvas and a deck conceived for alone ocean sailors. The hull has been built through infusion, its sandwich has an airex balsa core and resins are made of vinylester for the hull, polyester for the deck. The boat is provided with a standard aluminium mast, a Volvo 18 HP engine and a retractable double blade: it reaches a not particularly thrilling speed and below deck it’s very noisy, even if the boat almost always uses sails .

We went out to sea with a light wind (the minimum wet surface and the out-of-water-extremities are perfect for this condition) which increased during the day (when Jpk 10.80 swerves, water lines change and the hull immediately becomes powerful). 10.80 has a standard rudder blade but the boat we tested had a double blade. The hull is always stable, even if tiller is extremely sensitive but with well-balanced reactions. Sailing upwind, both with light and medium air, we maintained the same speed than wind or almost.

The jib, set on transverse carriages and with a barber, closes well in leech and it helps to have narrow angles. When we bore away and used spi, speeds reached double figures. Spi is not the only solution available, the boat has a rectractable bowsprit, but the model we tested was optimised for Transquadra, a particulra regatta where you have to sail down the wind, so spi is the best solution.

The deck

Everything is at the helmsman’s hand: winches, mainsail sheet and carriage, backstay. This allows very simple manoeuvres and high performances. All manoeuvres are done on the poop and they are split in order to do them even from upwind. This causes a great number of ropes and sheets in the cockpit, difficult to keep in order. Anyway, the cockpit is spacious and there are some big toe-clips for both the helmsman and the crew on the floor, essential to move in such spaces. Non-slip is excellent.

The deckhouse has a particular shape: it’s wide on the poop and narrow on the bow with a clean diagonal cut before stays. This creates a space on gangways for transverse jib rails; moreover, it offers a great view.

Interiors

Interiors are clear, wide, very functional and more comfortable than we expected. Heights are good (from 186 to 190 cm). The dinette has a classic layout, with a table with retractable wings (139 x 85 cm) and two long ( 200 cm) sofas which can be even used as berths.

At mid-boat, under the benches, there are some soft water tanks.

The L-shaped kitchen is compact, equipped with a small fridge, a washbasin, two flames and an oven. The most well-finished room is the charting room, equipped with a big table, an ergonomic seat and a large dashboard. The particular shape of the deckhouse allows to the helmsman to have a frontal and lateral view. Essential the two double cabins. Behind the charting room, there is a very spartan room which works as: bathroom (shower is an optional, no mirrors and only a small locker with a sink), sail store and technical room with all the necessary systems.

Technical File