A prejudice to break
When we say J Boats to a yachtsman, he automatically thinks of regatta, generally between 3 buoys. It is this prejudice that the shipyard wants to break, by showing that its sailboats and their qualities of good walker, are ideal for fast cruising. A complicated job, as Frédéric Bouvier explains. "At boat shows, the challenge is to get visitors to get off the boat. In general, they see a J and think about racing. Boaters don't expect us in this market. "
Sailboats that already exist and are popular
The shipyard already has two ranges for its liveaboard yachts. The E range, for Elegance, is intended for cruising, while the Grand Prix range is aimed at regatta sailors. Contrary to popular belief, cruising yachts represent the majority of the liveaboard yachts sold by J Composites. Out of 30 J112s delivered, 25 are J112 E and only 5 are Grand Prix yachts. "The products exist and are popular, as shown by the very good feedback on the J112E exhibited at the Grand Pavois. It's up to us to make them better known," says Frédéric Bouvier.
Better communication
To break this image of pure racing boats, J Composites works on its communication. The presence of the J on the races is enough to touch the regatta sailors. From now on, the shipyard will only present the Elegance range, with a maximum of options, on the shows. "There is a J112 Grand Prix that wins at the Spi Ouest and a J112 E for cruising that we present at the Grand Pavois. " illustrates the sales manager of J Composites. Even if sport remains the DNA of J, he intends to avoid blurring its message to boaters. A new website and more present range names will reinforce the approach.
A lever for growth
With this image work, J Composites intends to continue its development in Europe. "Without competing with the big cruising sailboat yards, we have a place to take and a pool of customers to develop," says Frédéric Bouvier.
