Sail Newport will host Jeff Johnstone, president of Newport-based J/Boats, Inc., for a lecture tracing the company’s five decades of sailboat design on Thursday, April 2, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Fort Adams State Park.
The event, part of Sail Newport’s Challenger Lecture Series presented by Hinckley Yachts, comes as J/Boats approaches its 50th anniversary. Johnstone will share pivotal moments from the company’s history, beginning with the garage-built 24-footer that launched what would become one of the world’s most recognized sailboat brands.
The lecture will also cover the design of the new J/7 and how it was selected to become Sail Newport’s next community fleet — 14 of the boats are expected to arrive at the sailing center in April.
Tickets are $15 for Sail Newport members, $20 for nonmembers and $10 for college students with a valid ID. Admission is free for K-12 students. Sail Newport is located at 72 Fort Adams Drive.
Tickets and more information are available at sailnewport.org.