How fast is the Johnson 18?
Reality check… the Johnson 18 is neither a catamaran or a double-trapeze rocket. But it is pretty fast, especially on a spinnaker reach. We have passed Hobie 16s flying a hull! The Portsmouth number, a handicap rating which primarily measures its performance on windward/leeward race courses, put it slightly slower than a Thistle and slightly faster than a Lightning. Faster than Lasers, Snipes, Flying Scots, 470s, Laser 2s, Albacores, Daysailers, JY-15s, Coronado 15s, Vanguard 15s, Capri 16.5s, M-Scows, Designers Choice, C-Scows, Rhodes 19s, Mobjacks, Holders, Interlakes, Windmills, Jet 14s…. the list goes on. If you are familiar with PHRF handicap ratings, the Johnson 18’s calculate initial rating would be 181.2 “At the club racing level, in heavy air the Johnson 18 will often beat boats that are rated as much faster because the faster-rated boats are more likely to capsize….” (Steve C.) In short it’s pretty darn fast under most conditions, eye-popping fast under just the right c
