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J/Boats

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2020}}

{{short description|Sailboat manufacturer}}

{{Infobox company

| name =

| logo = JBoats logo.png

| caption =

| type = Privately held company

| traded_as =

| fate =

| predecessor =

| successor =

| foundation = 1977

| founders = Rod Johnstone (designer) & Bob Johnstone (marketing)

| defunct =

| hq_location =

| hq_location_city = Newport, Rhode Island

| hq_location_country = United States

| area_served =

| key_people = Jeff Johnstone (president) & Alan Johnstone (vp & chief designer)

| industry = Boat building

| products = Sailboats

| services =

| revenue =

| operating_income =

| net_income =

| assets =

| equity =

| owner =

| num_employees =

| parent =

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| subsid =

| homepage = {{URL|www.jboats.com}}

| footnotes =

}}

J/Boats is an American boat builder based in Newport, Rhode Island and founded by Rod Johnstone in 1977. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of fiberglass sailboats.{{cite web|url =https://sailboatdata.com/builder/j-boats|title = J Boats|access-date = 14 January 2020|last= Browning| first = Randy |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200113224009/https://sailboatdata.com/builder/j-boats|archive-date = 13 January 2020|url-status= live}}{{cite web|url =https://sailboatdata.com/designer/johnstone-rod|title = Rod Johnstone|access-date = 14 January 2020|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200113224009/https://sailboatdata.com/designer/johnstone-rod|archive-date =13 January 2020|url-status= live}}'J/Boats: Sailing to Success' by Anthony Dalton, Voyageur Press; {{ISBN|0760321701}}, {{ISBN|978-0760321706}}

The company's model names all start with "J/" and then the design's length overall (LOA), in feet (such as the J/24), or beginning in 1994 in decimeters (J/130), or starting 2021 in meters (J/9). All J/Boat designs are monohull, sloop-rigged keelboats constructed of cored sandwich fiberglass. The current product line consists of eight models, ranging from the J/70 to the J/45, ranging in length from {{convert|22.75|to|45.6|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}. A new 9 meter model has been announced for 2021.{{Cite web|title=J/Boats- Better Sailboats for People Who Love Sailing.|url=https://jboats.com/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=jboats.com}} Past models have ranged from {{convert|22.5|to|64.5|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}, from the J/22 to the J/65.

The company's initial design, the J/24, is their most successful, with over 5,500 built.{{Cite web|last=Knauth|first=Steve|title=Classics: J/24|url=https://www.soundingsonline.com/boats/classics-j24|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Soundings Online|language=en-us}} The J/24 is sailed 27 countries and is the world's most popular one design keelboat.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=J/24 class association|url=http://www.j24class.org/J24History/tabid/56/Default.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091004224427/http://www.j24class.org/J24History/tabid/56/Default.aspx|archive-date=4 October 2009|access-date=2020-12-06|url-status= live}}{{Cite web|date=2011-10-08|title=J24 {{!}} The Royal Motor Yacht Club|url=http://www.rmyc.co.uk/?q=sail/J24|access-date=2020-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008161114/http://www.rmyc.co.uk/?q=sail/J24|archive-date=8 October 2011|url-status= live}}{{Cite web|date=2010-01-24|title=J24: The Worlds Most Popular One Design Keelboat|url=http://jboatssouthwest.com/new_boats/J24/j24.html|access-date=2020-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100124072354/http://jboatssouthwest.com/new_boats/J24/j24.html|archive-date=24 January 2010|url-status= live}}

As Sailboatdata described, "the J/Boats company, a family affair started with brother Bob Johnstone, is arguably the most successful producer of performance-oriented boats in the world with nearly 10,000 boats built to Johnstone designs."

History

File:J24 Sailboat Tequila 2594.jpg]]

File:J22 sailboat Cheque Mate 3358.jpg]]

File:J29 Reaching.jpg]]

File:J35upwind.jpg]]

Rod Johnstone had completed a correspondence course at the Westlawn School of Yacht Design in the 1960s and in 1975 was working selling advertising for Soundings, a sailing trade magazine, when he started a homebuilt boat project. His first boat design, named Ragtime, was built on weekends, in his garage in Stonington, Connecticut. He raced the boat in the summer of 1976, with a crew made up of family members and amassed a very successful racing record. The co-founder of Pearson Yachts and owner of TPI Composites, Inc, Everett Pearson, made an agreement with Johnstone to produce the design in a new factory, in return for the exclusive United States building rights. The factory was established in an old textile mill in Fall River, Massachusetts. The design was designated as the J/24 and Johnstone arranged display advertising for the new boat in Soundings.{{cite web|url = https://www.practical-sailor.com/reviews/boatreview/J_35-1201-1.html|title = J/35|access-date = 14 January 2020|work = Practical Sailor|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200113222459/https://www.practical-sailor.com/reviews/boatreview/J_35-1201-1.html|archive-date =13 January 2020|url-status= live}}

Rod Johnstone's brother, Bob Johnstone joined the new company to handle marketing and also invested $20,000 in start-up costs. He had been working as vice president of marketing for AMF/Alcort, the builders of the Sunfish sailboat at that time, but was unable to interest them in the J/24 design. The two Johnstone brothers became business partners in J/Boats.

The company intentionally avoided the production aspect of the business, leaving that to Pearson Yachts and instead concentrating on design and marketing.

Production of the J/24 started in 1977 and the new partners expected to sell 250 boats that first year, and actually sold 750. By early 1978 the class was popular enough to hold a one-design regatta in Key West with twenty boats competing and by that summer sixty-eight competed in Newport, Rhode Island.

Early successful designs included the 1983 J/22, the 1982 J/29 of which 298 were produced with a design first of either a Fractional Rig (FR) or Masthead (MH) rig, and the 1983 J/35 with 330 produced. The company classifies its designs into one design, offshore cruisers, offshore cruiser-racers, day sailers and weekend cruisers and pure racing designs{{cite web|url = https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/j22|title = J/22 sailboat |access-date = 14 January 2020|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200113224052/https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/j22|archive-date =13 January 2020|url-status= live}}Sherwood, Richard M.: A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America, Second Edition, pages 280-281. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1994. {{ISBN|0-395-65239-1}}{{cite web|url = https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/j35|title = J/35 sailboat |access-date = 14 January 2020|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200113224013/https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/j35|archive-date =13 January 2020|url-status= live}}{{cite web|url = https://www.jboats.com/boats/classic-j-models|title = Classic J/Models|access-date = 14 January 2020|author=J/Boats|work = jboats.com|year=2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200113225717/https://www.jboats.com/boats/classic-j-models|archive-date =13 January 2020 }}{{Cite web|date=2020-01-13|title=J/29 FR Sailboat|url=https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/j29-fr|access-date=2021-02-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113224018/https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/j29-fr|archive-date=13 January 2020|url-status= live}}

By 1992 a new generation of the Johnstone family was running the company, while the elder Johnstones remained involved. Rod Johnstone's son Jeff Johnstone became president, while his son Alan Johnstone was named vice-president, while Phil Johnstone is legal counsel. Rod Johnstone's nephew, Jim Johnstone, became sales director. Five of Jim and Bob Johnstone's sons serve as members of the board of directors: Jeff, Alan, Stuart, Drake and Phil Johnstone. All the family members involved in the company are serious sailors.

By 2020 the company had built almost 10,000 boats and had eight designs in production: the J/70, J/80, J/88, J/99, J/111, J/121, J/112E and the J/122E.{{cite web|url = https://www.jboats.com/boats/summary|title = Current J/Boats sailboat models in production worldwide|access-date = 6 December 2020|author=J/Boats|work = jboats.com|year=2020|archive-url = https://archive.today/20201206135925/https://www.jboats.com/boats/summary|archive-date = 6 December 2020|url-status= live}} In December 2020, a new model, the J/9, was announced for 2021.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-22|title=J/9 seeks to reimagine sailing >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News|url=http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2020/11/21/j-9-seeks-to-reimagine-sailing/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Scuttlebutt Sailing News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2020-12-05|title=Getting techie to build the plug >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News|url=http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2020/12/05/getting-techie-to-build-the-plug/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Scuttlebutt Sailing News|language=en-US}}

Boats

File:J28 sailboat Horizon Job 4412.jpg]]

File:J32 sailboat Lady Cait 0697.jpg]]

File:Helga Cup Namensgeberin.jpg]]

File:S-Y Merenhuiske, FIN-9106, J-80 (29173724406) (2).jpg]]

File:J95 downwind.jpg]]

Summary of boats built by J/Boats, by year:

  • J/24 1977 - number completed: 5,500+{{Cite web |last=J/Boats |title=J/24- World's Largest One-Design Sailboat Class |url=https://jboats.com/j24-one-design-sailboat |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=J Boats |language=en-GB}}
  • J/30 Introduced: 1979 - number completed: 546 - Last Model Year: 1987{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j30-sailing-performance|title=J30|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/36 Introduced: 1981 - number completed: 55 - Last Model Year: 1984{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/34-j36/j36|title=J36|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/29 One Design includes MastHead or Fractional Rig, Inboard diesel or Outboard gas engine: introduced 1982 - number completed: 298 - Last Model Year 1987{{Cite web |last=J/Boats |title=Performance |url=https://jboats.com/j29-performance |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=J Boats |language=en-GB}}
  • J/22 1983 - number completed: 1650+{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j22-one-design-sailboat|title=J/22 One-Design Sailboat- Family Sailing Worldwide|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/35 - Introduced: 1983 - number completed: 330 - Last Model Year: 1992{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/31-j35/j35|title=J35|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/27 - Introduced: 1984 - number completed: 189 - Last Model Year: 1992{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/21-j27/j271|title=J27|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/40 - Introduced: 1984 - number completed: 86 - Last Model Year: 1994{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/38-j40/j40|title=J40|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/41 - Introduced: 1985 - number completed: 19 - Last Model Year: 1987{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j41-performance|title=J/41 Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/34 - Introduced: 1985 - number completed: 25 - Last Model Year: 1987{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/29-j34/j34|title=J34|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/28 - Introduced: 1986 - Built To: Hull #75 - Last Model Year: 1988{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j28-performance|title=J/28 Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/34C Introduced 1986 Built to Hull #36 - Last Model Year: 1990{{Cite web |last=J/Boats |title=Performance |url=https://jboats.com/j34c-performance |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=J Boats |language=en-GB}}
  • J/37 - Introduced: 1987 - number completed: 52* - Last Model Year: 1991 {{Cite web|url=https://jboats.com/j-37|title=J/37|website=jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/33 - Introduced: 1988 - number completed: 51 - Last Model Year: 1991{{Cite web|url=https://jboats.com/resources/jworld-sailing-school/28-j33/j33|title=J33|website=jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/35C 1990 - number built: 36 - Last Model Year 1994{{Cite web |last=J/Boats |title=Performance |url=https://jboats.com/j35c-performance |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=J Boats |language=en-GB}}
  • J/37C - Introduced: 1989 - Build number included in J/37 Total
  • J/39 - Introduced: 1991 - number completed: 21 - Last Model Year: 1993{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/37-j39/j39|title=J39|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/44 - Introduced: 1989 - number completed: 68 - Last Model Year: 1993{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j44-performance|title=J/44Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/80 1992{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j80|title=J/80 is the world's most popular 26 ft one-design keelboat.|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/92 Introduced: 1992 - number completed: 150 - Last Model Year: 2003{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j92-performance|title=J/92Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/130 Introduced: 1992 - number completed: 43 - Last Model Year: 2002{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j130-performance|title=J/130 Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/105 1995{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j105|title=J/105- World's Largest 35 ft One-Design Sailboat Class|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/110 Introduced: 1995 - number completed: 16 - Last Model Year: 1997{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j110-performance|title=J/110Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/46 Introduced: 1995 - number completed: 35 - Last Model Year: 2003{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j46-performance-sailboat|title=J/46Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/160 - Introduced: 1995 - number completed: 35 - Last Model Year: 2004{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j160-sailboat-cruising-performance|title=J/160Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/32 Introduced: 1996 - number completed: 85 - Last Model Year: 2003{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j32-performance|title=J/32 Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/125 Introduced: 1997 - number completed: 16 - Last Model Year: 2003{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j125-performance|title=J/125 Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/90 Introduced: 1997 - number completed: 5 - Last Model Year: 1998{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j90-performance|title=J/90Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/120 Introduced: 1994 - number completed: 230 - Last Model Year: 2006{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j120-performance|title=Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/42 Introduced: 1995 - number completed: 77 - Last Model Year: 2006{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j42-performance|title=J/42Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/124 Introduced: 2005 - number completed: 35 - Last Model Year: 2007{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j124|title=J/124Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/145 Introduced: 1999 - number completed: 18 - Last Model Year: 2006{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j145-performance-sailboat|title=J/145 Performance|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/109 Introduced: 2004 - number completed: 376 - Last Model Year: 2012{{Cite web |date=2015-01-12 |title=About the J/109 |url=https://j109.org/info/about-the-j109/#:~:text=%5B376%5D%20J109s%20have%20been%20built,its%20true%20dual%20use%20capabilities. |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=J/109 Class Association |language=en-US}}
  • J/100 2005
  • J/92s Introduced: 2005 - Last Model Year: 2012{{Cite web |title=J/Boats j/92s |url=https://itboat.com/models/1874-j-boats-j-92s#:~:text=The%20J/Boats%20j/92s,a%20draft%20of%201.90%20meters. |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=itBoat |language=en}}
  • J/133 2006
  • J/122 2008
  • J/65 2008{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j65|title=J/65|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/97 2008 (US)
  • J/97E 2008 (France)
  • J/95 2009
  • J/111 2010{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j111|title=J/111 Offshore Speedster- High-Performance 36 ft sailboat|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}
  • J/108 2012
  • J/70 Introduced: 2012 - Built to: Hull 1900 as of April 2024{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j70-one-design-sailboat|title=J/70 is the world's most popular sportboat.|website=www.jboats.com|access-date= 25 June 2021}}{{Cite web |title=10 Years of Growth and International Success: J/70 Celebrates its 10th Anniversary – J/70 INT |url=https://j70ica.org/10-years-of-growth-and-international-success-j-70-celebrates-its-10th-anniversary/ |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=j70ica.org}}
  • J/88 2013
  • J/122E 2014
  • J/112E 2015{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j112e|title=J/112E Offshore High-Performance 36 ft cruiser racer sailboat|website=www.jboats.com}}
  • J/11S 2016
  • J/121 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j121|title=J/121 Offshore High-Performance 41 ft sailboat|website=www.jboats.com}}
  • J/99 2019{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j-99-new|title=J/99 Speedster- A Family Friendly High-Performance 32 ft sailboat|website=www.jboats.com}}
  • J/9 2021{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j9|title=J/9 - The Most Comfortable Cockpit Ever?|website=www.jboats.com}}
  • J/45 2023{{Cite web|url=https://www.jboats.com/j45|title=The NEW J/45 is a true sailing yacht|website=www.jboats.com}}
  • J/40 2024 (New design, distinct from 1984 design){{Cite web |title=New J/40 Performance Cruising Yacht launched! |url=https://www.sailworldcruising.com/news/277941/New-J-40-Performance-Cruising-Yacht-launched |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=www.sailworldcruising.com}}
  • J/7 2025 {{Cite web |title=Introducing the new J/7 Daysailer for 2025 |url=https://www.sail-world.com/news/282151/Introducing-the-new-J-7-Daysailer-for-2025 |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=www.sail-world.com}}
  • J/36 2025 (New design derived from J/112E, distinct from 1981 design){{Cite web |title=Introducing the new J/36 |url=https://www.sail-world.com/news/282848/Introducing-the-new-J-36 |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=www.sail-world.com}}

Boat Of The Year awards

Beginning in 1985, Sailing World magazine began awarding Boat Of The Year (BOTY). J/Boats has been the overall winner five times, and a segment winner 17 times.{{Cite web|title=Boat of the Year Winners (1985-2008)|url=https://www.sailingworld.com/sailboats/boat-year-winners-1985-2008/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Sailing World|date=17 October 2001|language=en|archive-date=6 March 2022|archive-url=https://archive.today/20220306163546/https://www.sailingworld.com/sailboats/boat-year-winners-1985-2008/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|title=Announcing 2010 BOTY Winners|url=https://www.sailingworld.com/sailboats/announcing-2010-boty-winners/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Sailing World|date=22 December 2009|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Announcing SW's 2011 Boat of the Year Winners|url=https://www.sailingworld.com/sailboats/announcing-sws-2011-boat-year-winners/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Sailing World|date=16 December 2010|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Boat of the Year 2013|url=https://www.sailingworld.com/sailboats/boat-year-2013/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Sailing World|date=14 December 2012|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2013-12-19|title=Sailing World Announces 2014 Boat of the Year Winners >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News|url=http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2013/12/19/sailing-world-announces-2014-boat-year-winners/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Scuttlebutt Sailing News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2016-12-19|title=2017 Boat of the Year Winners Announced >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News|url=http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2016/12/19/2017-boat-year-winners-announced/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Scuttlebutt Sailing News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2017-12-19|title=2018 Boat of the Year Winners >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News|url=http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2017/12/19/2018-boat-year-winners/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Scuttlebutt Sailing News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2019-12-10|title=2020 Boat of the Year Winners >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News|url=http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2019/12/10/2020-boat-of-the-year-winners/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Scuttlebutt Sailing News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Boat of the Year 2023 {{!}} Sailing World |url=https://www.sailingworld.com/boat-of-the-year-2023/ |access-date=2024-09-07 |language=en-US}}

Overall BOTY:

  • J/44 1990
  • J/92 1993
  • J/100 2005
  • J/95 2010
  • J/70 2013

Segment Winners

  • J/40 1986 Best Domestic 38-40 feet
  • J/34C 1988 Best Domestic 34-62 feet
  • J/35C 1991 Best 35-40 feet
  • J/105 1992 Best Racer/Cruiser
  • J/130 1994 Best Club Racer
  • J/160 1997 Best Rendezvous Racer
  • J/90 1998 Best Sportboat
  • J/125 1999 Best PHRF/Sportboat
  • J/46 2000 Best Offshore Race
  • J/145 2001 Best Racer/Cruiser
  • J/94 2010 Best Club Racer
  • J/111 2011 Best One-Design Keelboat
  • J/88 2014 Best One Design
  • J/112E 2017 Best Crossover
  • J/131 2018 Best Crossover
  • J/99 2020 Best Crossover
  • J/45 2023 Best Crossover.

Further, between 1994 and 2008 Cruising World magazine{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruisingworld.com/sailboats/boat-year-winners-1994-2008/|title = Boat of the Year Winners, 1994-2008|date = 4 June 2008}} awarded two J/Boats high honors:

  • 1995 J/120 BOTY and Best Value Full-Size Winner
  • 2004 J/133 Best Performance Cruising Boat

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category|J/Boats yachts}}

  • {{Official website|www.jboats.com}}

{{J Boats}}

Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1975

Category:1975 establishments in the United States

Category:J/Boats