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America’s Cup and SailGP Agree to Merge Yacht Designs

In march, the louis vuitton 37th america’s cup saw significant developments and preparations, the most olympic trofeo princesa sofía by iberostar starts in mallorca, happy go takes the double – winning line honours and irc overall in the 2024 rolex china sea race, isa launches project unica 40m – the epitome of contemporary trends, azimut gets even more grande with the unveiling of the project of grande 44m, the new fleet flagship, zuckerberg buys $300 million russian superyacht, a symphony of art and science: introducing spear, the 140m trimaran yacht concept, mazzella and nolot champions, with maeder as the super-champion of the european formula kite in the mar menor, introducing the new ima mediterranean maxi multihull challenge, jordi xammar and nora brugman, world champions in the 470 class with only six months until paris 2024, team nika wins the calero marinas and becomes the first leader of the 44cup, 222 offshore receive uim class 1 trophy in monaco, riva at the i.c.e. st. moritz – international concours of elegance 2024, timeless elegance, modern craftsmanship: the boatmaker channeling 1960s inspiration on a remote swedish island, classic elegance revived: 5 modern runabout boats paying homage to timeless designs, riva celebrates italian excellence at the “identitalia the iconic italian brands” exhibition, easter mona inspired by america’s cup sets sail in barcelona, introducing the deep sea dreamer: a visionary concept by designer steve kozloff, the ultimate superyacht with a detachable private airship, return of the caleros, splash into adventure: the 11 best personal watercraft for high seas fun and play, searider unveils dual-motor electric crotch rocket for water adventures, gost(r) partners with boat fix for enhanced 24/7 monitoring, recovery and customer service, the ocean race, virtual regatta and accenture launch metaverse experience, sailgp launches official digital collectibles, yacht club monaco marina metaverse – monaco, capital of advanced yachting, yacht manufacturer tactical custom boats completes the first nft sale on the blockchain for a new 110 ft yacht, countdown to history: j class yachts at 37th america’s cup.

The allure of the America’s Cup is set to be enhanced by the majestic presence of the J Class fleet as organizers extend a prestigious invitation for their participation in the upcoming event. Scheduled to take place from October 7th to 11th, 2024, the J Class World Championship in Barcelona promises to be a spectacle of grandeur and nostalgia.

Comprising three meticulously refitted original yachts and six newly constructed vessels designed to replicate the iconic hull lines of the 1930s, the J Class fleet boasts a total of nine active yachts worldwide. Among them are the renowned Endeavour, Topaz, Ranger, Svea, Velsheda, Shamrock V, Rainbow, Hanuman, and Lionheart, each bearing a storied history dating back to the illustrious America’s Cup races of the 1930s.

Grant Dalton, CEO of America’s Cup Events, expressed his excitement for the inclusion of the J Class in the regatta, emphasizing their integral role in the Cup’s rich heritage. “Seeing those boats being raced just off the Barcelona waterfront will be a spectacle for everyone on the water or watching from the shoreline – we cannot wait to see them in action,” remarked Dalton.

Stuart Childerley, Class Secretary of the J Class, echoed Dalton’s sentiments, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to showcase the fleet’s legacy amidst the prestigious America’s Cup regatta. “The boats will arrive at Port Vell and be situated right in the heart of the superyacht basin, giving spectators a fantastic opportunity to see these historic yachts up close,” noted Childerley.

The Class Association is actively encouraging J Class owners to commit to the 2024 event, with five confirmations received to date. As anticipation builds for this unparalleled gathering of maritime history and contemporary excellence, the J Class World Championship promises to captivate audiences both on and off the water, offering a rare glimpse into the timeless elegance and enduring spirit of these iconic vessels.

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The J Class has its roots in the oldest sporting event in the world, The America’s Cup. In 1929 Sir Thomas Lipton, owner of Lipton’s (famous for his import of Lipton Tea from India), issued his fifth challenge to the Americans for the America’s Cup. He commissioned the build of the first J Class Yacht which signified the start of a new era in design evolution and racing.

The Universal Rule came into effect in 1930. The size of a yacht was determined (by waterline length) and this was shown as an alphabetical list. “J” signified yachts with a waterline length of between 75 to 87 feet. The addition of the newly designed Bermuda mast allowed the yachts to carry a huge sail plan. Nothing so large and “awesome” had been built previously.

The J Class yachts raced under the Universal Rule throughout the 1930s, which used waterline length, displacement and sail area to control the racing condition and rating of these Formula One racing yachts of their day.

Now in the present day, there is a mixture of refitted surviving yachts along with a number of new yachts built to original hull lines. Even more are planned to be built in the future. So a specific J Class handicap system was developed in order to enable all yachts built to J Class designs to race against each other regardless of size, sail area or hull construction.

The new rule is a VPP (Velocity Prediction Program) based rating system which puts limits on the performance. The aim of the J-Class Association (JCA) and the rule is to bring fair and close racing to the fleet and to give all designs a chance of winning on a handicap based system ensuring competitive, exciting and unique racing wherever this fleet goes. Combining unprecedented experience and heritage in the class, North Sails is the leading sailmaker of the J Class fleet. Reinforcing the relationship further, this year North Sails also becomes the Official Sailmaking Partner of the J Class Association.

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Pursuing perfection: tom gillard and the one design team, a visionary sail designer | gautier sergent (1977-2024).

08 September

NORTH SAILS POWERS VICTORY AT THE 2023 SIX METRE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

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Svea: Inside the newest member of the J Class fleet

Silhouetted against the Mediterranean sunset, Svea ’s overhangs are awesome to the point of outrageousness. Her original profile was based on an analysis of the development of the J Class after the 1936 match racing series.

The Swedish naval architect and boatbuilder Tore Holm, famous for his Six Metre and Eight Metre class racing yachts, had turned his pencil to the far bigger Js and he set out to design to the longest LOA the class would allow. He had completed his yacht’s lines and sailplan in 1937 just before the Second World War changed the world’s priorities and, with it, sailing and the great and glorious international regattas, including the America’s Cup . Europe would take decades to recover economically and when it did the J Class seemed a little anachronistic.

Holm himself was a proud Olympic sailor from a boatbuilding family in Gamleby, Sweden. So it would not be a stretch to imagine him designing a yacht for Sweden’s elite to take on Europe’s best. Even though he continued designing boats into the 1950s, mostly Skerry cruisers and international classes, his J Class plans remained in a drawer.

J-S1 probably would have remained a ghost except for a trio of coincidences. The first was when the secretary of the International Eight Metre class, John Lammerts van Bueren, received permission from Holm’s heirs to comb through his drawings for plans of un-built Metre classes. In the attic of the family home, he came across the unmistakable plans of a J Class signed by Holm in 1937.

The second coincidence was that Lammerts van Bueren was good friends with Dutch naval architect Andre Hoek. Hoek was fascinated by the discovery and assembled a group, including a potential owner, to buy the rights to the design.

“We could see that there was a growing interest in the J Class,” says Hoek. His firm Hoek Design Naval Architects had earlier been hired to analyse the 1936 designs Sparkman & Stephens and Starling Burgess made for the replacement of Harold Vanderbilt’s 1930 Cup winner Enterprise , an exercise that led to the building of the original Ranger . Hoek’s task in 2005 was to find a design that could be updated to the modern class rules. This became Lionheart , which was launched in 2010.

“The discovery of the Holm J was exciting,” says Hoek. “We had developed a velocity prediction program specifically to analyse the lines and sailplans of classic displacement sailing yachts with long keels and attached rudders. We ran the lines of every known J through the program. We took the five designs that seemed to perform the best and subjected them to computational fluid dynamics to simulate tank and wind tunnel testing; then the data really got interesting! The Holm boat indicated it would be a very powerful performer.”

His team set about modernising the design to the new class rules. Construction started and with the two halves of the hull and deck completed, the owner pulled out, leaving the builder, Claasen Shipyards , with the unfinished hull and Hoek in search of another potential owner.

Enter coincidence number three — an avid racer who wanted to be able to sail in the America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta and J Class Regatta in Bermuda last year. The owner’s fleet manager picks up the tale. “He saw five Js racing at the Superyacht Cup and that was pretty impressive and twice we were involved in regattas where Js were competing. He sailed Endeavour and had chartered Rainbow for the Cowes Centennial, but then that boat sold,” he explains, adding that his boss also had the opportunity to sail Lionheart and Hanuman .

When he learned of the opportunity to buy the hull and deck of the Swedish design from Claasen, the owner took it, realising that that was the only way he would be able to make the event in Bermuda on his own boat. And so began the programme to finish a J Class from a bare hull in just 14 months. The build was completed at Vitters , which had arranged a partnership with Claasen.

Tako van Ineveld, formerly a director at Holland Jachtbouw , had been involved with the build and sailing of Rainbow . Now heading his own independent project management company, he was the perfect choice to direct the build of Svea as the owner’s representative. First on the list of modifications for the new owner was the addition of a doghouse and a revision of the deck layout.

Originally the wheel was mounted on deck like Endeavour ’s and there was no cockpit, notes Hoek. “But it is such a big wheel that it’s hard to put a lot of pressure on it unless you are on the centreline, but at times you really need to see what’s happening on the lee side. We felt it would be better to create a shallow cockpit and recess the bottom of the wheel in a well to give the helmsman a better position.” Unlike many of the details of the J Class, the layout and dimensions of the cockpit and the position of the wheel and winches are not part of the regulations.

Svea ’s cockpit is one of the standout features. Hoek and the owner’s team revised the plan, essentially splitting the sailing functions into two cockpits. The afterguard — helmsman, tactician, main and jib sheet trimmers and the team on the running backstays — are in constant visual communication and within easy hearing distance of each other while the halyard and spinnaker trimming winches and their crew are forward of the doghouse.

It’s an inspired set-up for fast, quiet communication, says Vittorio Papa of the Hoek Design office, noting there are no winches behind the helmsman. When in cruising mode, a U-shaped framework clips in around the edge of the cockpit to provide comfortable seating for 10 around a gleaming teak table.

“The owner has an experienced racing team and they took the lead in working with Southern Spars, Harken and North Sails in concert with the engineers for the yard,” said van Ineveld. “From a sail handling point of view, she is likely to be the most aggressive J yet.”

The owner wanted an interior with an owner’s suite plus two en suite guest cabins, a comfortable combination saloon and appropriate quarters for six permanent crewmembers. He chose Pieter Beeldsnijder to draw an interior that would nod to the classics, but not become a costume drama. For example, the joinery is open grain matt-varnished walnut and the simplified raised panels are off-white. Hardware is a tasteful gunmetal that complements the carbon fibre spars and sails and the deep grey pearl of the topsides.

One of the more modern interior features of Svea is a drop-down wall panel between the galley and saloon that creates an informal breakfast bar. While the cabinetry looks rich, 80 per cent of the interior is veneered foam core to save weight. The added teak doghouse is carbon fibre with teak veneer.

Sadly, in the middle of the project Beeldsnijder passed away. While Hoek Design transferred his hand-drawn sketches to AutoCAD details, Michiel de Vos of deVosdeVries Design was brought in to complete details for interior manufacturer List and choose soft goods with the owner.

In the small town way in which everything in maritime Holland seems just a few degrees of separation apart, de Vos formerly worked with Beeldsnijder before starting his own firm and earlier sailed as second engineer on the J Class yacht Shamrock V .

First and foremost, Svea is a racing yacht and the owner is committed to providing everything to work towards victory, says Captain Paul Kelly, a veteran of the classic schooners Borkumriff IV , Atlantic and Eleanora . Part of that commitment was assembling his 2017 race crew to sail on the boat in sea trials in Holland and then to assemble for full-on practice throughout April in Palma.

“We have the benefit of 20 years of development on Ranger and five or six on Lionheart ,” notes Kelly. “I think we are in a better position right out of the packet. Of course, they have the years of practice but our 28 crew have really settled into their roles.” All of the permanent crew also race.

“ Svea is an absolutely incredible fusion of 1937 design and 2017 technology,” says Kelly. “We look like 1937 but strip away the veneer and we are as modern as they come.” Contrasting the J with his previous charges he is quick to note “this one is a lot easier to drive”.

Moder Svea, which translates from Old Norse as “Mother Sweden”, has been the patriotic symbol of the country since the mid-1600s. Usually depicted as a powerful female warrior, Svea seems the perfect name for the yacht that carried her country’s seafaring heritage onto the world stage when the Js did battle during an America’s Cup for the first time since 1937.

First published in the June 2017 edition of Boat International .

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Published on March 9th, 2022 | by Editor

J Class Topaz: World’s coolest yachts

Published on March 9th, 2022 by Editor -->

Yachting World has been asking top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times, and former world #1 match racer Pete Holmberg nominates J Class Topaz. Here’s the report :

“I’ve climbed a lot of mountains so choosing the coolest is a tough one, but it has to be the J Class Topaz. I love what we are able to do, to bring it back and sail to a high level, combining history with modern technology.

“Figuring out how to manoeuvre this thing properly, accurately, and do it right, is the ultimate challenge. But we put it right in there; when we’re racing, we’re metres apart in these big things.”

Holmberg is the racing helmsman on Topaz, J8, one of the most recent of the J Class yachts. She was built to a Frank Paine design from 1935, optimised by Hoek Design, and launched in 2015. Under Holmberg and her race crew, performance and results have steadily been improving. She won over Velsheda at the Superyacht Cup in June.

Holmberg says the addictive thing about the Js is that they are a challenge to handle, being slow to respond and with a race crew of over 30, and they will punish any mistake.

J Class Topaz Stats rating: Top speed: 12 knots LOA: 42.7m Launched: 2015 Berths: 15 Price: $20-30m Adrenalin factor: 80%

For Yachting World’s list of cool boats, click here .

Tags: coolest yachts , J Class , Peter Holmberg , Topaz , Yachting World

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Launched January 2017

Design: Tore Holm

Image Credit:

Image Credit: 

Svea is the newest J Class yacht in the current fleet and was launched in January 2017. At 143ft/43.6m Svea has the longest LOA by 15cms.

Her original designs were drawn in 1937 by Swedish Olympian and renowned 6 and 8 Metre boat designer Tore Holm along with compatriot boatbuilder Gustav Plym, but war put paid to any hopes of a Swedish America’s Cup challenge.  The  designs were left untouched in a drawer until they were discovered by Dutch yachting historian and 8 Metre boat enthusiast John Lammerts van Bueren.

Designer Andre Hoek and a group of Dutch enthusiasts including an owner bought the designs and, after careful analysis and refinement in line with their VPP modelling, the hull and deck were built. But the owner pulled out. The project was bought by an American owner who, after having sailed on four other J Class yachts, wanted to compete at the 2017 J Class America’s Cup Regatta and the inaugural J Class World Championships in Newport that year.

While the two halves of the hull and the deck were built at Claasens, the build was completed at Vitters on a very tight schedule in order to be in Bermuda on time for the J Class America’s Cup regatta.

Svea encompasses powerful traditional lines infused with the latest race boat technology. She has a very low freeboard and an extremely clean deck layout and a notably low boom. One trademark is a very large wheel which is set into a deep recess. There are two big working cockpits split by a small doghouse. The halyard and spinnaker trimming winches and crew work out of the forward  cockpit.

Svea’s first races were at the America’s Cup Superyacht regatta in Bermuda in 2017. In 2018 after changes to the keel, a longer boom, bigger main and smaller jibs, Svea won the class at the Saint Barths Bucket in 2018.

In 2022 post pandemic Svea passed into the hands of two passionate Swedish yachtsmen, both accomplished racing enthusiasts, who were inspired to bring Svea – which translates as Mother Sweden – under her native Swedish flag.

After a short, intense week of training under tactician Bouwe Bekking, Svea proved her speed and power over the two main regattas they sailed that year, winning The Superyacht Cup Palma in June 2022 and then winning the class title at the Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup.

Svea is helmed by the owners at events sharing steering duties between them. Seven times round the world racer Bouwe Bekking is tactician, Steve Hayles is navigator and Tim Powell is project manager and mainsheet trimmer.

Length at waterline

displacement

upwind sail area

spinnaker sail area

2017 America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta, Bermuda

‍ 2018 saint barths bucket, ‍ 2018 superyacht cup palma, ‍ 2022 superyacht cup palma, ‍ 2022 maxi yacht rolex cup.

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

World’s coolest yacht: J Class Topaz

• Elaine Bunting
• February 3, 2022

We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. Former world No 1 match racer Pete Holmberg nominates J Class Topaz.

“I’ve climbed a lot of mountains so choosing the coolest is a tough one, but it has to be the J Class Topaz . I love what we are able to do, to bring it back and sail to a high level, combining history with modern technology.

“Figuring out how to manoeuvre this thing properly, accurately, and do it right, is the ultimate challenge. But we put it right in there; when we’re racing, we’re metres apart in these big things.”

Topaz, Frank Pain/Hoek Design, Holland Yachtbouw, 42,7m. Photo: Sailing Energy / SYC

Holmberg is the racing helmsman on Topaz, J8, one of the most recent of the J Class yachts. She was built to a Frank Paine design from 1935, optimised by Hoek Design, and launched in 2015. Under Holmberg and her race crew, performance and results have steadily been improving. She won over Velsheda at the Superyacht Cup in June.

Holmberg says the addictive thing about the Js is that they are a challenge to handle, being slow to respond and with a race crew of over 30, and they will punish any mistake.

J Class Topaz Stats rating:

Top speed : 12 knots LOA: 42.7m Launched: 2015 Berths: 15 Price: $20-30m Adrenalin factor: 80%

Pete Holmberg

Peter Holmberg, 58, is one of the world’s top sailors. From the US Virgin Islands, he is an Olympic Silver Medallist in the Finn Class, and former world No 1 match racer with a wealth of elite level racing including three America’s Cup campaigns, memorably helming Larry Ellison’s BMW Oracle for part of the 2002 America’s Cup campaign in New Zealand. He is in demand as a professional sailor and sailing consultant.

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