sailing on a j class yacht

Jclass Yachts

If any class of yacht epitomized the era it was the J-Class. These boats were also built to a formula, but on a different scale: with an overall length of more than 120 ft (36.5 m), the waterline length had to be 75-87 ft (22.8-25.9 m). With a Bermudan rig (see Rig Designs, pp.46— 47), the sail area was not limited, but the draught was limited to 15 ft (4.5 m). Only ten new J-Class yachts were built, six in the USA and four in Britain: Enterprise, Weetamoe, Whirlwind, Yankee, Shamrock V, Rainbow, Velsheda,

AT THE WHEEL

T. O. M. Sopwith at the helm of the J-Class sloop Endeavour I during a heat ofthe America's Cup race in Newport, Rhode Island, 1934.

J-CLASS iN ACTiON

The restored J-Class yacht Velsheda, built in England in 1933, dwarfs more modern entrants in the America's Cup Jubilee race around the Isle of Wight

Endeavour I and II, and Ranger—other racing yachts had been faster and bigger but few had the magic of the Js. Their lines were sensuous, their owners famous, and they had the cachet of being America's Cup yachts. They were raced for just eight years between 1930 and 1937 in Britain and the USA, including the America's Cups of 1930, 1934, and 1937. Those that were not scrapped fell into disrepair. The survivors— Velsheda, Shamrock V, and Endeavour I—were all restored in the 1990s.

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Published on June 26th, 2017 | by Editor

Return of the J Class Yacht

Published on June 26th, 2017 by Editor -->

J Class yachts , which reigned supreme in the 1930s, are making a thrilling comeback, with restorations, new builds and the biggest fleet the class had ever seen at the America’s Cup J Class Regatta . Why wasn’t the event broadcast, people asked. One theory was the fear of higher viewership than the actual America’s Cup.

In this report by Matthew Sheahan , he charts a return to glory for the class.

Only 10 were ever built from just 20 designs and their reign lasted less than a decade. In their day, J Class yachts were the most technically advanced and universally admired yachts in the world. They drew royalty and captains of industry aboard, while regularly pulling big crowds of spectators to vantage points ashore. But the death of a sovereign, who regularly raced one, and the threat of a world war saw them disappear as fast as they had arrived.

Of the 10 that were raced between 1930 and 1937, six were built in America and four in the UK. Three of the British boats survived, but only just, while all the American ones were scrapped.

Conceived in 1930 as a more affordable alternative to the previous generation of expensive, one-off America’s Cup yachts, now, more than 85 years later, J Class is about to hit a new high. In 2017, seven J Class owners raced their boats in Bermuda – the biggest fleet the class had ever seen ( see photos ).

Of the original examples that still existed, Endeavour was the first to be fully restored back in the 1980s. Velsheda and Shamrock V followed. Since then, all three have been newsworthy sights at some of the most famous yachting venues around the world. From there, fascination with the Js continued, but with no original boats to restore, people started building replicas.

The first was the American yacht Ranger. “When we launched her in 2003 she was the first new-build J Class yacht for 66 years,” says owner John Williams. “I have had a number of large yachts over the years, but owning a J Class is like owning an F1 car, you simply can’t go back.”

The launch of Ranger, combined with Williams’ success on the water, inspired the construction of others, including Hanuman, the modern interpretation of aviation pioneer and yachtsman Thomas Sopwith’s 1936 J Class, Endeavour II.

Indeed, it was the competition between Endeavour II and the original Ranger that rekindled interest in the last J Class battle for the America’s Cup in 1937, when Harold Vanderbilt wiped the floor with Endeavour II in a match that brought down the curtain on prewar J Class activity and the class itself.

Some owners are now even building yachts from original 1930s lines plans that were never actually constructed. Lionheart was the first– one of seven rejected Ranger models from 1936. Svea, which launched earlier in 2017 ( see photos ), is the latest example – based on an original Tore Holm design from 1937, brings the total in the J Class fleet to nine.

Over three decades, J Class fever has taken a hold at a price tag of around $16.5m apiece. They are expensive boats to run too, costing around $1.3m to $2.5m per year for a racing J. The most competitive might even have new sails for each regatta, so with a single genoa priced at around $127,000, campaigning these boats is not for those looking to compete on a modest budget. And herein lies part of the appeal.

A J Class is not simply a type of yacht – it’s a phenomenon and has always attracted the world’s wealthiest individuals. In addition to Sopwith, Vanderbilt, George V and tea magnate Thomas Lipton were among the famous owners on both sides of the Atlantic. As well as satisfying a personal zest for yacht racing, the boats drew attention that often helped develop their global businesses.

Today, many current owners are equally accomplished, whether as captains of industry, technology or the internet, but in contrast to their forebears many prefer anonymity and are discreet about their professional backgrounds. That said, they are just as besotted with what are described as the most beautiful yachts in the world. Such is the legacy of the J that many see their ownership as simply custodial, even if the boats are replicas.

Back in 1984, American writer and businesswoman Elizabeth Meyer kick started the reincarnation of the J Class when she bought the derelict and barely floating hulk of Endeavour. One of the most famous of all the Js, Endeavour is still widely considered to have been Britain’s best chance of winning the America’s Cup in over 160 years. A full restoration programme saw the yacht back afloat in 1989.

“The size and beauty of these boats is a huge draw. It is hard to make a boat look as beautiful as a J does – there is some magic to it,” says Dutch businessman Ronald de Waal. As the owner of Velsheda, he admits to being hooked on the class. “Their history is also an attraction. They all have a big provenance.”

De Waal’s involvement started almost by accident but quickly led to Velsheda’s full restoration from a bare hull and deck. “I had bought a 40m yacht that caught fire during trials, which led to me looking for another boat,” he explains. “Yacht designer Gerard Dykstra found out there was a J Class hull that had been confiscated after the boatyard restoring it ran into financial difficulties. I paid off the shipyard and the bank, bought the hull and set about restoring the boat, and in 1997, she was launched.”

De Waal is the longest-serving J Class owner and remains very active on the racing scene. His enthusiasm and support, along with Dykstra’s design expertise, have been instrumental in the development of the current fleet. Where Meyer was the catalyst, De Waal and Dykstra have created solid foundations for the class. “To own a boat like Velsheda is to own something that is irreplaceable,” says De Waal. “It’s not just about the money, it’s the history and the almost spiritual feeling about the boat and what she stands for. It reminds me of life and living, it’s that strong a connection.”

Dykstra and his design team have been involved in no fewer than six different Js, with another on the drawing board, and remain closely involved with the practical day-to-day aspects of running a J campaign. “When you step aboard a J, you are not just a sailor but a part of yachting history,” says Dykstra. “The sailing is impressive, but it’s impossible not to be affected by the sense of heritage and the part these boats have played. They drew huge crowds in their day, and today’s spectators are equally fascinated.”

While the J Class continues to epitomise all that was grand, elegant and competitive about yacht racing in the 1930s, the reality is that these boats were, and remain, challenging brutes to handle. Not surprisingly, their immense power and complexity attract some of the world’s top professional sailors.

Jeroen de Vos at the Dykstra design office is one of several staff who sail regularly on Js. “Of the 30 or so crew aboard, more than 20 need to be highly experienced sailors,” he says. “You have to work flawlessly as a team because the boats are so powerful that the slightest mistake can result in a serious situation. The level of competition is also extremely high.”

Following the racing in Bermuda, the aim of the fleet is now the 2017 J Class World Championship on August 21-26 in Newport, RI

Sharing the credit for the new wave of Js is designer Andre Hoek who has created five of the modern Js. His work has concentrated on yachts like Lionheart and Topaz, modern builds from original lines.

“The move to aluminum as a construction material has been a big step for the class and one of the key factors in their current appeal,” he says. “Originally the boats were stripped-out racing machines built from steel. Today, owners want full interiors with creature comforts and systems that allow them to cruise the boats as well. A lighter aluminium build means they can have these interiors and still float to their original lines.”

Another key factor has been the clever handicapping system that ensures equitable racing at all the events. The handicap system was originally developed by Dykstra in conjunction with technical experts at the Wolfson Unit at Southampton University, which required detailed performance analysis. Andre Hoek’s team has also spent time assessing the current and future performances of the Js, but for subtly different reasons.

“We conducted a huge amount of research with velocity prediction programs to assess the various performances of the boats, both those that had been built and those that were just designs,” says Hoek. “The result is we now know more about why certain hulls work and others don’t. We can also see which of the original designers were working along the right lines.”

The willingness and enthusiasm of owners to take their elegant yachts to the mid-Atlantic island of Bermuda in June 2017 is testament to both the continued pull of the America’s Cup and to the historical significance of the J Class.

“It’s rare for a venue to host more than a few boats, but the Hamilton Princess hotel in the centre of the town provided berthing for all the Js,” says J Class Association secretary and event organiser Louise Morton. “This created an incredible spectacle, right at the heart of the event.”

J Class yachts could not be more different from the modern, lightweight, high-speed, hydrofoiling catamarans that are the current America’s Cup boats.

A J Class has a single 41m hull, a lead keel and over 900sq m of sail. She requires around 30 crew, weighs around 150 tonnes and has a typical maximum speed of 12 knots (14mph). A modern America’s Cup catamaran is 15m long, has two hulls, flies above the water on hydrofoils at speeds approaching 52 knots (60mph) and is powered by an aeroplane-style wing sail. The boat is sailed by just six crew and weighs only 1,320kg.

On the face of it there is no comparison, yet they share the same DNA. Just as current foiling catamarans are defining new limits, the Js of the 1930s represented the leading edge of yacht design and construction, their size and loads pushing at the limits of what was technically possible.

But it wasn’t just the boats and their towering 50m masts and colossal sails that were breaking new ground; systems and technologies developed elsewhere on the boat were also helping to shape the modern era of both racing and cruising yachts. A good example is the development of electronic sailing instrumentation for information on wind strength and direction. First used on Sopwith’s J Class Endeavour II, such instrumentation soon became commonplace.

Even to this day, such technical developments have continued. “In the early 1990s, the winches on these boats were manually powered by the crews winding pedestal grinders,” explains Dykstra. “Now those grinders have been replaced with hydraulically powered winches that allow crews to handle the boats more efficiently. It has changed the game and led to more advanced systems and new sailing techniques.”

So while the enthusiasm for this classic yacht may appear to be driven by nostalgia, the boats are continuing to do exactly what they were originally designed to do – push the boundaries and create the ultimate racing machine. Sometimes history repeats itself in unexpected ways.

Tags: America's Cup , America's Cup J Class Regatta , J Class , Matthew Sheahan

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Setting sail on the stunning £6m Rainbow J-Class sailing yacht

Jeremy taylor takes the helm of the £6m rainbow. this j-class steals the show in any marina – and is now up for sale, by jeremy taylor.

Photo by Jeff Brown

Published: Tuesday 13th December 2022

Palma marina is awash with multi-million pound yachts owned by some of the world’s richest people. Crystal clear waters and a kindly breeze make the Mallorcan capital the perfect port for sea-faring billionaires to drop anchor.

The waterways between the pontoons here are a catwalk of sailing exotica – a flotilla of luxury vessels that vie for the best position to see and be seen. But among this fleet of mega motor cruisers with their jet skis and their helipads, there’s one boat that simply outshines everything else on show.

Rainbow is nautical design at its very finest. A stylish titan of the sea, this 140ft superyacht is a throwback to the golden age of sailing, when J Class-designed boats dominated the America’s Cup competition during the 1930s.

Now owned by billionaire enthusiasts from some of the world’s wealthiest families, ‘J boats’ as they were once affectionately known famously pushed the boundaries of sailing technology when they were first launched 90 years ago. Using new materials, designs and techniques, the America’s Cup was the Formula 1 of the era. With massive masts and a crew of 30 or more, beautiful vessels like Shamrock V and Ranger fought it out on the high seas for the coveted Auld Mug in the oldest international competition in any sport.

Remarkably, many of those steel-hulled leviathans were scrapped just a few years later to provide materials for the American war effort. Only three survived the cull but thankfully, a second generation of faithful reproductions has now helped to bolster the worldwide J Class fleet to nine yachts.

A replica of the original Rainbow, which won the 1934 America’s Cup, her beautiful hull and elegant lines are dominated by a vast area of sail

Among them is Rainbow , launched in 2012 by Holland Jachtbouw. A replica of the original Rainbow , which won the 1934 America’s Cup, her beautiful hull and elegant lines are dominated by a vast area of sail. Now just ten years old, this Rainbow has been put up for sale by her American owner for €6.95m. She’s also available for weekly charter from around €58,000 in low season if you want to try before you buy. So I’ve travelled to Mallorca to take the helm.

Owning a J Class is like joining the world’s most exclusive sailing club. The technology on board Rainbow would have been pure science fiction a century ago, with carbon rigging, massive winches and superyacht luxury both on deck and below. However, this is still no yacht for amateur sailors: “I’ve sailed all my life, but this is the first boat that requires the crew to actually think about their sailing,” explains skipper, Mathew Sweetman. “There isn’t a control panel with a rash of buttons to work the sails – the foresails are huge and manually operated. There’s no room for error.”

Rainbow is also the first J Class to feature an innovative, hybrid propulsion and power system, not dissimilar to a hybrid car. The design not only reduces emissions when you’re relying on the motor, but also provides exceptionally quiet cruising, without the usual waft of diesel fumes. She can also be sailed entirely on lithium-ion batteries, with a lightweight 50kW variable speed generator combining with the 50kW main diesel engine generator to provide power. The batteries are charged as the boat sails under wind.

The living accommodation is best described as classic and chic. Masses of mahogany panelling fills the cabin spaces, which includes a formal dining area for up to eight people and a large lounging sofa that’s bigger than my double bed.

The interior may be a work of craftsmanship but it’s upstairs where Rainbow really sparkles with a beautiful retro aesthetic.

Although its inspiration is nearly a century old. Sailing yacht Rainbow is the first J-class yacht ever to be built with hybrid power and propulsion.

Rainbow’s aft master cabin is fully equipped with an even bigger bed, shower and bathroom, plus acres of storage space. Black and white photographs of the original Rainbow being launched in 1930 adorn the walls. The only sound is the hum of the A/C.

The two guest cabins are relatively small, both containing a pair of single beds but even the sinks are cut from marble. A seven-strong crew – including the chef and stewardess – have to be experienced sailors so they can help out on deck when under sail. Even their roomy accommodation is upmarket compared to most modern yachts.

The interior may be a work of craftsmanship but it’s upstairs where Rainbow really sparkles. Passing through a solid mahogany deckhouse – the perfect place to soak up panoramic views on colder days – the retro aesthetic continues above.

A vast expanse of teak decking stretches from bow to aft. Even the winches and deck equipment have been bead-blasted to avoid the shiny stainless steel seen on most modern yachts. The attention to detail extends to the caulking between the teak planks – light grey instead of conventional white.

As we sail away from Palma, past the city’s great Gothic cathedral and watching holidaymakers, Rainbow’s slim hull starts to heel over in the breeze

As we sail away from Palma, past the city’s great Gothic cathedral and watching holidaymakers, Rainbow ’s slim hull starts to heel over in the breeze. It’s a thrilling experience as ropes and mast gently creak under the strain of 20 knots of wind.

Stood at the helm, Rainbow feels comfortable at 13 knots. That’s less than 15mph but I doubt I ever experienced such pleasure travelling at this pace. “It’s a yacht you never tire of sailing,” says Sweetman.

“When you’re heading upwind in a decent blow, it’s easy to imagine being at the helm of an America’s Cup boat all those years ago. There’s spray, drama and excitement – Rainbow is simply the ultimate yacht, and there’s never a dull moment sailing her.”

Rainbow is exclusively for sale through Y.CO. 020 7584 1801; [email protected]. See more details and images of Rainbow at  y.co

• In The Chair

Shamrock V, JK3

Design: Charles E Nicholson

Image Credit:

Image Credit: 

In 1929 Sir Thomas Lipton, who had reached worldwide fame through his tea business issued his fifth challenge for the America’s Cup and commissioned Charles E. Nicholson, to design the first J-Class Yacht, Shamrock V, to the Universal Rule, signifying the birth of the J Class and the start of a new era in design evolution and racing.

‍ Shamrock V was built out of mahogany planking over steel frames and launched at the Camper & Nicholsons Gosport yard on 14th April 1930. She showed early promise on the British Regatta circuit winning 15 of 22 races and placing second in an additional four. She also underwent continuous upgrading with changes to her hull shape, rudder and modifications to the rig to create a more effective racing sail plan.

‍ Temporarily re-rigged as a ketch, Shamrock V crossed the Atlantic to America on her own bottom fully fitted out with internal accommodation. On arrival, she met Harold Vanderbilt’s Enterprise - race-ready, stripped out and equipped with several pioneering features such as a Park Avenue Boom, hidden lightweight winches and the world’s first Duralumin mast. The America’s Cup arms race was on, and Enterprise took the 15th America's Cup with a clean sweep. Sir Thomas Lipton, after endearing himself to the American public over 31 years and five attempts, would die the following year having never fulfilled his ambition to win the cup. The British aviation industrialist Sir Thomas Sopwith bought her in 1931 as a trial horse to gain J-Class racing experience before his challenge for the 16th America's Cup.  Shamrock was then sold to Sopwith's aviation friend, and fellow yachtsman, Sir Richard Fairey of Fairey Aviation who continued to optimise Shamrock with aerodynamic and hydrodynamic modifications.

‍ In 1937, Shamrock was bought by the Italian senator and industrialist Mario Crespi. This change in ownership prompted Shamrock's only name change. Italian Fascist law had banned the use of foreign names in society. Accordingly, Shamrock V was renamed Quadrifoglio (cloverleaf). Crespi was also the first owner who modified Shamrock for comfort by installing a luxurious interior for longer passages. The next owner, Piero Scanu, instigated a comprehensive three-year overhaul at the Camper & Nicholsons yard commencing. Whilst this refit saved Shamrock, it also took her further away from her thoroughbred origins with the installation of high bulwarks and a large deckhouse. In 1986, Shamrock V returned to the ownership of the Lipton Tea Company who donated her to the Museum of Yachting at Newport, Rhode Island. Another extensive and famed restoration was carried out by Elizabeth Meyer in 1989, which alongside her restoration of Endeavour, returned these two J Class to racing form and allowed the first J Class racing since 1937. This stimulated interest in restoring and building replica J Class yachts.

‍ Following changes of ownership in the 1990s but still under Elizabeth Meyer’s management, Shamrock underwent renovation at Pendennis in 2000 where comprehensive works were planned to improve the yacht’s ballast ratio and with the addition of a new rig and sails, and performance was dramatically enhanced without compromising historical authenticity. Leading naval architect Gerard Dykstra of Dykstra Naval Architects was a major influence on the successful completion of the project, which included the returning of her deck structures and rig to their original 1930s configuration and improvements to the interior layout. Shamrock participated in a reunion in August 2001 with Endeavour, the only other remaining America’s Cup challenger, and Velsheda, for the America's Cup Jubilee off Cowes. Since then, Shamrock has enjoyed success racing on the classic and superyacht circuit, as well as being a popular charter yacht for cruising and racing.

‍ Racing in St Barth’s in 2017, Shamrock sustained significant structural damage and in 2022 was acquired by her current owner who has commissioned a comprehensive strip down and restoration ‘to prepare her for her next 100 years’. Work is well underway, with a planned relaunch early in 2024, Shamrock plans to return to the Mediterranean to take part in the J Class World Championship during the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona.

‍ Shamrock is the only original J-class never to have fallen into dereliction.

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Endeavour Sailing Yacht Charter

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Sailing yacht ‘Endeavour’ is a 130 foot J Class classic sailing sloop which was launched in 1934 and embodies one of the most formidable and famous sailing yachts in the world. Following her 2011 refit, she is in an ‘as new’ condition and is ready and waiting to give you the exhilaration of the powerful sailing of yesteryear. Her high sailing performance is matched only by her truly elegant interior accommodations and extremely high standard of craftsmanship, catering, service and facilities.

Sailing yacht Endeavour has now been almost entirely rebuilt in such a way that her quality of workmanship and sleek lines are entirely consistent with her original condition. She does, however, boast the recent technology and increased performance of a modern yacht. She has a powerful engine and generators as well as bow thrusters, an aluminium mast and boom, hydraulic winches and a water-maker and all the latest electronic entertainment and navigation and equipment one could desire.

Endeavour's saloon and dining area is an amazingly memorable space for charter guests to relax and entertain. Her interior joinery is American Cherry wood raised panels, nickel plated fixtures and locust sole.

The crew of classic charter yacht Endeavour are professional and amongst the best in the business. They include the captain, first mate, engineer, chef, steward, stewardess, as well as three deckhands. The fantastic friendly crew will pamper you with first-class service and absolutely fabulous cuisine during your yacht charter. As a lady who has been brought into the contemporary world, Endeavour provides all the modern electrical entertainment systems and yacht water toys. Have you ever helmed just a famous, powerful and impressive classic yacht? It will be no problem if you wish to spend most of your day helming the greatest yacht in the world, the mighty Endeavor under full sail!

Endeavour Specifications

Sailing yacht Endeavour has been awarded the best Refitted yacht at the 2013 World Superyacht Awards and her extensive 18month refit, which concluded in October 2011, included the replacement of the complete weather deck, new deck equipment, relocation of steel deck framing, reconfiguration of the accommodation forward and new interior.  The main engine, electrical system, electronics, air conditioning, hydraulics bow thruster and winches were all replaced.  A new carbon fibre mast was built by Southern Spars and the new interior was built in house by Yachting Developments tradesmen.  Dykstra & Partners, Naval Architects, have been instrumental in the design of the new sail plan, deck layout, and structural engineering. The interior was collaborated by John Munford and Adam Lay Design Studios to ensure the originality of the boat was maintained.  Care was taken throughout the refit to preserve as much of the vessel as practical, yet still enhance performance and improve functionality.  

Yacht Accommodation

Classic Sailing yacht Endeavour is remarkably comfortable with accommodation for up to eight guests in four staterooms - two with queen berths, one with a king berth and one with twin berths. The staterooms adjoin their own baths with lovely heated towel bars and nickel plated shower enclosures. Endeavour’s master bathroom also features an over-sized bath tub.

Amenities and Extras

Luxury classic sailing yacht Endeavour offers the following amenities for your yacht charter vacation: a Zodiac Mark 2 tender with a 25 h.p. out-board engine, two wind-surfers, a dive compressor and a water maker. In the yacht’s Saloon is a 25 inch TV with VCR and an N.A.D. music system with a CD player and there are both indoor and outdoor speakers, a large library of CDs movies etc. Her Master stateroom also provides a Hi Fi music system with a CD player. Sailing yacht Endeavour is fully air conditioned throughout the interior in all of her staterooms. The yacht has up to date modern communication and navigation electronic equipment.

Endeavour Disclaimer:

The luxury yacht Endeavour displayed on this page is merely informational and she is not necessarily available for yacht charter or for sale, nor is she represented or marketed in anyway by CharterWorld. This web page and the superyacht information contained herein is not contractual. All yacht specifications and informations are displayed in good faith but CharterWorld does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the current accuracy, completeness, validity, or usefulness of any superyacht information and/or images displayed. All boat information is subject to change without prior notice and may not be current.

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Camper & Nicholsons became known for its fast, wooden racing sailing yachts, which included the famed J-Class sloops that competed in the America’s Cup Races of the early 20th century, including two J-Class boats commissioned by Sir Thomas Sopwith, Endeavour and Endeavour II.

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Frank Beken & Alfred John West

J-class sailing yachts.

When Cowes chemist Alfred Beken (1855–1915) first sought to experiment with marine photography, the art was in its infancy. While early attempts provided inconsistent quality, undeterred by a myriad of technical problems of photographing at sea, Frank Beken (1880–1970) designed and built a new style of camera. Instead of the usual canvas bellows, he used two wooden box frames. One enclosing a screw thread focusing system and shutter, with the other frame housing a viewfinder with the shutter being fired by biting a rubber ball held between his teeth!

In the early days, Frank Beken rowed himself to the race course. Estimating the course of the yachts, the effect of wind and tide, he would wait for them to approach. Distances were not marked on his camera’s viewfinder. Instead, there were three settings for vessels of different sizes, being dinghies, yachts and ships. By standing in his small open dinghy, swaying from side to side in the swell of the sea, he would wait patiently for the approaching yachts, until three-quarters filled in his viewfinder he would bite the ball in his mouth taking a photograph. On each visit out he would take some 50 glass plates (film negatives) due to their sheer weight and normally only have one chance to photograph the boats thundering towards him.

Gallery: Brett Gallery

Yachting World

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The history of the J class

• Harriett Ferris
• May 12, 2005

The Js, with their acres of sail, beautiful hull shapes and elegant lines have a timeless beauty that has stood the test of time since their 1930s heyday. Here we explore their fascinating history to discover what makes them so special...

The J-Class Endeavour in 1934, racing King George V's Brittania

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The history of the J Class is directly intertwined with the America’s Cup. With the exception of Velsheda, all the original Js were built for the purpose of America’s Cup racing.

From 1929 to 1937, 20 J Class yachts were designed. Ten of these were built, and six raced in the America’s Cup finals. UK challenges came from Sir Thomas Lipton’s Shamrock V and from Sir Thomas Sopwith’s two Endeavours. These were all against the New York Yacht Club’s Harold Vanderbilt, who remained unbeaten in the three defending yachts he commissioned: Enterprise, Rainbow, and Ranger.

Only three original J Class yachts survived – Endeavour, Shamrock V and Velsheda – yet interest in the class has arguably never been as strong as it is today. Seven J Class are currently sailing, these original yachts plus four modern builds: Ranger, Rainbow, Lionheart and Hanuman. Another, J8, is due launches May 2015 and a further two are in build.

A J’s roots remain intertwined with the class’s history, as lines can only be taken from original designs. This ensures that, to a reasonable extent, the beauty of a J stands intact. Modern designs take those original lines (or what’s left of an existing shell), add the most modern materials, manufacturing techniques, systems, deck gear and a crew of elite sailors to produce the most absorbing racing sight on the water, just as it was in the 1930s.

That they are so close on the water today, with places often divided by seconds on real time despite racing over hours, is a credit to the strict J Class rule now governing the class.

When the New York Yacht Club agreed to race against Lipton in J Class yachts in 1930, it heralded the beginning of the Bermudan rig as we know it, and an incredible thirst for innovation in yachting, which is only equalled perhaps in the current day of flying machines. Parallels can also be drawn with the campaigns of then and now.

Like the America’s Cup teams now, the Js were crewed by some of the best professionals available, each with a dedicated role on board – and they still are. Many of the deck gear inventions on the original Js are still used on yachts today, including deck winches, rod rigging, halyards running up hollow aluminium masts, and removable forestays to fly a large genoa.

Indeed the J Class yachts of the 1930s represent some of the biggest technical steps in the history of the Cup. Even though their reign only lasted eight years, the class became famous for adopting new materials and techniques to push the boundaries of yacht design, construction and fit out.

From electronic wind instruments and electronic strain gauges to and double-clewed jibs, to bronze hulls that needed no painting and decks designed to reduce windage, the quest to gain an edge through better technology was gathering pace rapidly.

In general, however, today’s America’s Cup class yachts could not be more different. The Js’ original measurement was to the Universal Rule, which created hulls between 76–87ft LWL, 120ft-140ft LOA, and displacements between 130–170 tonnes. The AC48 class is nearly two thirds shorter, yet twice the beam, and nearly 1/30th the weight.

For those who think the current budgets of US$100million are excessive, history shows little has really changed. Harold Vanderbilt’s J Rainbow, which beat Endeavour, was said to have cost $400,000 in 1934 – around $24 million in today’s money.

But for all the synergy there is one key difference between the Js and their modern contemporaries. In sailing to the Bermuda event in 2017 on their own bottoms, the Js will re-enact one of the original requirements of the America’s Cup.

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Building a J Class Model

By john hanks iii.

Now you may be wondering what is involved in building a model of a J Class yacht. I will give you an idea of what is involved in getting your J model in the water.

To begin with, let me say that you will need to do some scratch building to get your J model completed, regardless which yacht you choose to model. The scratch building will involve the deck, the rig, and probably the hardware associated with the mast, boom and rigging. With that said, you will need to decide which yacht you would like to model. In the full size J Yachts there was a definite advantage associated with which hull was in the water, but with the models, it appears that any of the J designs will make a good fast sailing model, if it is built correctly. So your decision should be driven by your personal preference for a particular boat. Once you decide which yacht you would like to model you will need to either buy a fiberglass hull or get the drawings for your chosen hull.  There are hull line drawings available in the proper scale for all of the J's as well as some deck plans. You can get line drawings from several of the maritime museums, such as the Mystic Seaport Museum.

The amount of time that you will spend on building your model will vary with your building ability, whether you start with a fiberglass hull and how much detail you want to put on your model. Should you decide to scratch build the entire model with a lot of detail, you should plan on spending about 500 to 550 hours building your model. If you begin with a fiberglass hull, subtract about 150 hours, if you do not want to detail your model, deduct about another 100 hours. The cost of materials will be about $800 to $900 if you decide to completely scratch build your model.

I will begin the actual building process with a plank-on-frame hull. You can skip these steps if you start with a fiberglass hull. The process for completing the remainder of the model will be the same from that point on.

To begin the building process, you will need to get your drawings ready by extending each frame to a “waterline” that is above the deck line on the drawing. This new “waterline” will be the part of the frame that rests on the building board. The new “waterline” gives you a flat plane so that all of the frames are referenced to the building board surface, while allowing the arc of the sheer at the deck line to maintain its shape. Your modified drawing should show the hull shape, the shape of the deck beams, and the building board surface.

You will begin the building process by building a building board. The easiest way that I have found to do this is to buy an 8 foot long 4”x6” and mount it at a convenient building height on 2”x4” legs. You will need to make sure that the 4”x6” plank is straight and true and that it will stay that way through out the building process, as this will determine the trueness of your model.

Mark a centerline on your building board and then mark all of the station locations on the centerline. You will then need to draw a line perpendicular to the centerline at each of the station locations. You will next attach small blocks (approximately 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 x ¾  inch) to the building board on the centerline and aligned with the perpendicular station lines. The blocks need to be placed so that the frames that will be glued to these blocks will be centered on the perpendiculars.

The next step will be to cut out the frames that will form the hull. For this step you will need to keep in mind the difference between the line drawings for a metal hull versus a wooden hull. The drawings for a metal hull show the frames to the outside of the plating and for a wooden hull, they are to the outside of the framing, not the hull planking. This will make a difference in your model, as all of the Js were metal boats, and if you draw your frames to the lines, your model will be oversized by the thickness of your planking.

I use 1/8 inch Luan plywood for the frames. The plywood comes in a 4’x8’ sheet and I can get all 28 to 30 frames from one sheet of plywood. The frame patterns are cut from your drawing, and each frame pattern is traced on the wood. With careful placement you should have no trouble getting all of the frames traced onto the plywood. You will need to draw the cutouts for the keel, inwales and king plank in the frame tracings. The centers of the framed are also cut out so that you end up with a ring of wood that is about ¾ inch from the outside to the inside of the frame. 

When I cut my frames I do not try to cut on the line that I have drawn; I am not that good with the saw. I leave a little wood, about a 1/16 inch next to the line and sand the frame to the final shape. I find that this makes it much easier to control the accuracy of the frame shape. Once all of the frames are cut and notched for the keel and inwales, they are glued to the blocks on the building board. At this point you should be able to sight down the frames and get a good idea of the shape of your hull.

With the frames glued in place, you are now ready to install the keel and the inwales. I like to use ¼ inch birch plywood for the keel and 1/4x1/4 inch square for the inwales. The inwales can be cut from the same material that you will use for the planking. The hull framing is very limber at this point but it becomes very ridged once the keel and inwales are in place.

The hull is now ready for planking. I have used pine, bass, aspen, spruce and alder for planking. All work well. The availability and price of the material is what determines which material I use. When I built my first J some 30 years ago, clear pine in 8 foot lengths was plentiful and inexpensive. Since then, it has become hard to find and very expensive. As a result I have used other woods that were available, hence the bass, aspen, spruce and alder. The planking material is cut into strips that are about 5/32 inch thick and 3/8 inch wide. This is a nice working size, as the planks are limber enough to form to the hull without the need for spiling (tapering), wetting, or steaming them. You will start the planking at the first frame and end at the last. The 2 to 3 inches of hull that remain at the ends will be filled with solid wood blocks shaped to the dimensions of the hull. Begin planking your hull at the sheer and work to the keel. Each side of the hull will require about 50 to 60 planks. Remember that you will need to alternate sides of the hull as you plank so that you keep the stresses equal on both sides of the hull, thus preventing distortion in the hull. 

You will need to change direction of the planking when you get to the bilge area of the hull. The planking will take on an increased twist towards the stern that will prevent the planks from laying fair. The planks will tell you when you have reached this point, usually about 15 to 20 planks up on the hull. To overcome this you will need to lay a plank in a straight line along the hull so that it lays flat between the areas where the existing planking meets the keel. This will leave a lens shaped gap of about 4 or 5 inches between this plank and the existing planking at the middle of the hull. Fill this area by planking from the new plank that you laid down to the existing planking. Once you have completed that step, then continue to plank the rest of the hull. When you have finished your planking, you are ready to attach the bow and stern blocks, shape them, and sand the entire hull to get it ready for fiber glassing.

I like to build the rudder next and fit it to the hull. I build the rudder as I would build an airplane control surface, with a leading edge spar, three ribs, and a trailing edge. The framework is then covered with 1/32 inch plywood. The square tube that accepts the 5/32 inch brass rod rudder shaft is installed in the leading edge as well as the pivot pin at the bottom of the rudder. The hull is drilled and the rudder log is installed and the rudder is fitted in place. Once the rudder is fitted and works well, the hull is fiber glassed using a single layer of 6 ounce cloth and three to four coats of resin. Each coat of resin is sanded before the next coat is applied. When the sanding is complete you will have a smooth and fair hull that will look great when it is painted. The hull is now ready to be removed form the building board. At this time, you should also have a stand built and ready to accept the hull. 

Once the hull is off of the building board, it is time to seal the inside with epoxy and install the mechanical workings in the hull as well as install any reinforcements that are needed, such as at the chain plates, mast step, and sheet exits. From this point on, the building process is the same for the fiberglass hulls once you have the deck beams in place. This is also the time to lay out the hatch openings. When laying out the hatch openings you want to keep them as small as possible and still be able to do any work inside the hull that is necessary. Nothing is more frustrating than to find out that you cannot reach some part of your equipment once the deck is in place, so be sure that you can work on and remove and replace all of the fittings, winches, ballast, etc., through the hatch(s) that you have framed in your deck. 

Building the deck is the next big step in getting your J ready to sail. There are several different ways to build your deck, and your decision on how much scale detail you want on your model will drive part of that process. If you want a slick deck with no scale detail, then a simple plywood deck will do. The 1/8 inch plywood will be more than adequate for the job and can be finished so that you have a very good looking wooden deck on your model. 

Another option is to build a plank deck that represents the deck on the full size yacht. If this is your preference, then you begin by cutting the deck planking to the same dimensions as the hull planking. I cut my planks to a length of 15 inches so that I have scale 20 foot planks. To simulate the deck caulking, I use black construction paper glued between the planks. Once you have the planking cut, you will need to lay the king plank down the center of the deck and the water way planks down each side of the hull. All of the Js had the planking run parallel  to the edge of the hull, so you will need to begin laying your deck from the edge of the hull, and work to the center. The paper between the planks helps the glue, thin CA, flow and form a good bond at the seam. From this point on you just continue your planking until the deck is completely covered. As you build your deck you will need to cut your planking at the hatches so you will have access to the inside of the hull when you have finished your planking.

When the deck planking is complete, you will sand the whole deck and get it ready for finishing. At this point, you should have a great looking model. 

Again your decision on the amount of detail that you want on your model will determine your next step. If you opt for a scale appearance, by this time you will need to make the cabins, deckhouses, winches, cleats, and anything else that goes on the deck.

The hull is now ready for finishing. I use non-water-based, clear gloss, polyurethane on the deck, cabins, and spars and automotive acrylic enamel for the color on the hull. These make very nice durable finishes which should last many years on your model. I chose to use polyurethane because it does not yellow like varnish does as it ages. This is a personal choice driven by how you would like your deck to look as it ages.

At this point you will have to ballast your model. I have found that the easiest time to do this is after the model is painted and has the scale waterline in place. Place your model in a swimming pool or other suitable tank, and place the lead in the hull until the hull sits on the waterline that is painted on the hull. You will need about 60+ pounds of lead in a manageable form, about 5 pound pigs, for this exercise. Once the lead has been placed in the hull and the proper trim established, you will need to note where the lead is in the hull and the amount at each location. You can then remove the lead from the hull and using your notes, make molds for the ballast so that it fits into the hull cavities. 

The next step is building your rig. The masts for the J models will be anywhere from 8 to 91/2 feet tall, depending on which boat you are building and how you lay out the sail plan. For support, the mast will need at least two sets of spreaders with accompanying side stays, and a diamond stay. I have used both aluminum and wood to make J masts. The last mast that I built was made from spruce and was 109 inches tall, with a tear drop cross section that measured about 1-1/4 x ¾ inches. The mast was tapered in its top 3 feet and had a bolt rope slot cut in it used to attach the main sail to the mast. The mast was made from two pieces of spruce that were glued together on the centerline with the grain in each piece set so that any warps canceled each other out. The result was a stiff spar that weighed about 1-1/2 pounds ready to step on the deck Extruded aluminum masts are also available in lengths up to 10 feet, from Ludwig Manufacturing. These masts have a bolt rope slot molded in them and are both light, about 1 pound for a 10 foot piece, and stiff.

The main boom and jib club were both made from spruce. The jib club was about 33 inches long and 1x1/2 inch in cross section and tapered to 1/2 x1/2 inch at both ends. The main boom was about 45 inches long and was about 1 inch from top to bottom with a scale cross section that resembled an old wine jug. These shapes were made for a model of Rainbow.

The gooseneck attachment was made for a piece of ¼ inch thick aluminum plate and secured in a slot cut into the base of the mast. The gooseneck and boom vang pivot on a single stainless-steel rod, (welding rod) about 3 inches long. The boom can be removed from the mast by simply pulling the pivot pin; then the gooseneck and vang are released. The sail can then be slid down out of the bolt-rope slot and rolled for storage.

This is a quick overview of the building process that is needed to build a model J boat. 

Below is a list of most of the materials that were used.

2 – 1”x8”x8’ pine, aspen, bass or other suitable wood that can be cut into 5/32”x3/8” strips for hull and deck planking

1 – 4’x8’x18” plywood used for hull framing, 2 if you are using one for the deck

1 – 1’x4’x1/4” five ply birch plywood for the keel

1 – 1’x2’x1/32” plywood used for the rudder sheeting

1 – 1”x4”x8’ spruce for the mast and booms (optional if you are using an aluminum mast)

4 – ¼”x12”x.030” brass strap used for chain plates, mast, and boom fittings

1 – 1/8”x3’ stainless steel welding rod used for gooseneck pivot and spreader stubs in the mast

1 – 1’x6”x1/4” aluminum plate used for the gooseneck and vang fitting (use only if you are scratch building the fittings

1 – 5/32”x12” brass round tube used for spreader bases

1 – 3/16”x12” brass rod used for the rudder shaft

1 – 7/32”x12” brass round tube used for rudder log

1 – 3/16’x12’ square brass tube used for the rudder shaft socket in the rudder

60+ pounds of lead used for ballast

4 – 8oz bottles of thin CA used for planking the hull and deck as well as general construction

 1 – 2oz bottle of medium CA for general construction

32oz of 30 minute or longer set epoxy used to seal the hull interior

1 – 10’x50” 6 oz fiberglass cloth used to cover the outside of the hull

2 – Quart cans of polyester resin with catalyst used with the fiberglass cloth

6 to 8 – 2” disposable brushes used to apply polyester resin

8 – Turnbuckles used for the side stays, boom vang and diamond stay

36 – 1-72x 1” stainless steel machine screws with nuts and washers used for various attachments

90’ – 60 pound test nylon coated stainless steel fishing leader with swages used for the standing rigging

8 – Single blocks used for back stay, winch arm, up haul and rudder control

1 – Spool of 40 to 60 pound test braided Dacron line for the sheets

12 – Bowsies for various rigging adjustments

Reference Information

Reference book: Enterprise to Endeavour by Ian Dear, ISBN 1-57409-091-7

This covers most of what you would need to build your J model. I did not mention the wood or brass that I used to make the scale detail, as most of it was obtained as scrap from a cabinet shop and salvage yard. Some additional things that you will need are a radio (at least 2 channels), a quarter scale servo for the rudder, and a sail winch, either arm or drum with about 3,000 inch ounces of pulling power. You would also need to order your sails from your favorite sail maker.

I hope that this answers most of your questions about what it takes to build a model of a J Class yacht. By the way the process described above applies to scratch building any R/C model sail boat, the only difference is the scale of the project. Good luck with your building project

AMYA J CLASS

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US Sailing Honors Bob Johnstone

• By Cruising World Staff
• March 19, 2024

US Sailing has honored Bob Johnstone with its 2023 Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy—the organization’s most prestigious annual award, for an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of sailing.

Johnstone, along with his yacht designer brother, Rod, co-founded J Boats Inc. The company became one of sailing’s leading performance brands, with five World Sailing International Classes and thousands of boats being sailed at all levels of the sport, from grassroots to World Championships.

After starting fleets of Solings and 470s in Wilmette, Illinois, Johnstone revived Sunfish sales with AMF Alcort. He then used marketing skills that he had honed at The Quaker Oats Company to create the J/24 phenomenon, the first of 21 J/Boat designs to win Boat of the Year or Sailboat Hall of Fame honors.

Fifteen thousand J Boats of all sizes have been built, including about 5,700 J/24s. The story of J/Boats, and of the powerboat company that Johnstone later founded, MJM Yachts, are documented in his 2023 book, Maverick Marketer .

In addition to this legacy in the boat design and marketing, Johnstone has a long-standing connection with US Sailing, having been a member of its board of directors. He also chaired the One-Design Class and Industry Councils.

In 1973, Johnstone founded US Sailing’s US Youth Championship, establishing the pinnacle event in American youth sailing that continues to thrive today. He was frustrated by the lack of a pathway for youth sailors in the 1970s, leading to poor performance at the Youth Worlds, so he lobbied the organization now known as US Sailing to create a single US qualifying regatta for the Youth Worlds in Lasers and 470s. That became the US Youth Sailing Championship.

The 50th anniversary of the event, held in 2023, saw more than 250 competitors across nearly every Youth Worlds discipline, from ILCAs to Nacra 15s and iQFoils.

“Bob’s vision and commitment to the sport is one of a kind,” said nominator John Pearce, who is US Sailing’s youth competition manager. “When the alumni of the first Youth Champs reunited at the 50th anniversary regatta last summer, it became clear to me the huge impact that Bob has had on American sailing. We received letters from so many notable sailors telling stories and praising Bob’s vision for the US Youth Championship. And it goes without saying that the J/Boat brand is iconic in our sport.”

When will the trophy officially be presented? During the 2024 US Youth Championship in Bristol, Rhode Island, in late June.

Where to learn more: visit www.ussailing.org .

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Why 4 parking spaces at a public boat ramp have Watch Hill homeowners up in arms

• Parking has been banned on most residential streets in Watch Hill for decades – including near a public boat ramp and kayak rack on Waters Edge Road.
• Residents claim that adding four parking spaces would "destroy the quality and the value of the residences along Waters Edge."
• The town tried to add parking near the boat ramp before but backed away amid protests

WESTERLY – The stubby peninsula north of Watch Hill Cove is an idyllic place to spend the summer. For generation after generation, families return to sprawling, shingled homes on privet-lined streets where young children ride bikes, walk to friends' houses and set up lemonade stands.

A few years ago, the town even built a canoe and kayak rack at the southern end of Waters Edge Road, where there's a public boat ramp. But unless you own one of the multimillion dollar homes in the neighborhood , good luck trying to use it: Parking is strictly prohibited on Waters Edge Road and all surrounding streets.

To remedy what it considers to be an "exclusionary" policy, the Westerly Harbor Management Commission wants to create four parking spaces near the public right of way. That might not sound like a dramatic change, but residents say it would endanger small children, threaten the “charm and historical character” of the neighborhood and potentially lead to more contaminants in local waterways.

"The implementation of parking would completely change the feel of the historic district of Watch Hill," Karin McCormick, who lives on neighboring Pawcatuck Avenue, wrote in a plea to Westerly officials. "I see no reason to disturb the course of Watch Hill's history with the addition of four more parking spots."

Some neighbors have already banded together to retain an attorney, Thomas J. McAndrew.

To Jason Jarvis, the chair of the harbor management commission, the uproar is a classic case of wealthy homeowners trying to keep the public out.

"It's literally the voice of the few against the voice of the many," he said in an interview. "It's pretty much class discrimination."

A longstanding 'weapon' to discourage visitors

As The Public's Radio recently reported, street parking is banned in much of Watch Hill – and has been for decades.

"'No Parking' signs blanket beachfront roads for miles and are repeated on many of the dead‐end roads that lead to the water in fashionable Watch Hill," The Providence Journal reported in 1949, describing the tactic as a "weapon to discourage unwelcome, or nonpaying, waterfront visitors."

Waters Edge Road is home to the only public boat launch on Watch Hill Cove, the Harbor Management Commission noted in a recent 14-page memo to the Westerly Town Council.

But the nearest parking spots are at least a third of a mile away, on commercial Bay Street – where you'd be hard-pressed to find a space in summer.

"Little, if any, use can be expected under these circumstances," commission member Dave Reis said at Wednesday's Town Council meeting. He noted that kayakers and fishermen don't want to leave expensive gear unattended at the boat ramp while parking their cars and walking back.

The commission wants to create an 80-foot-long, eight-foot-wide crushed stone parking area at the end of Waters Edge Road. There'd be plenty of room for cars to turn around, and no need to narrow the existing road, their proposal argues. Trailers would be prohibited.

More: Some of these you know. Some you won't. 10 celebrities with homes in Rhode Island

Doing so would require the approval of the Westerly Town Council, which agreed to move the matter forward at its Monday night meeting.

"We are talking about a town road. We are talking about a town right of way," said Councilwoman Joy Cordio. "Sue us. You’re not going to win."

Other council members expressed concern that there wouldn't be enough room to turn vehicles around, and suggested that there might need to be some other compromise.

Street parking detracts from 'charm and beauty,' residents allege

Ahead of Monday's meeting, council members received roughly two dozen letters of opposition from people who live on Waters Edge Road and the quiet streets that lead there – often for just a few months of the year.

"Watch Hill residents are not all local and able to come and attend these meetings to have their voices heard in the middle of March," wrote Brian McCormick, who argued that proposing a change to the parking ban during the off-season was "inconsistent with the democratic process."

"There will be additional vehicles and trailers, noise and garbage to deal with that have never been there before," wrote Nicholas C. Moore. He contended that the "nuisance" of on-street parking would "destroy the quality and the value of the residences along Water's Edge."

Some residents indicated that they were worried about an influx of visitors looking for parking spaces, which "risks overwhelming our streets and disrupting the peaceful atmosphere that defines Watch Hill," in the words of Nancy Du. She lamented that parked cars would detract from "our community's charm and beauty."

Others framed it as a public-safety risk. "I am especially concerned about the risk to small children due to drivers who may be unfamiliar with the area or distracted while looking for spots," wrote Alexa Vignone of Waters Edge Road.

Waters Edge is a public road, but residents Dan and Carolyn Townsend noted that it "feels more like a shared driveway for the few houses it serves." Other homeowners made the case that Watch Hill already has plenty of parking for visitors.

"At considerable expense, the citizens of Watch Hill have established several parking lots, totaling 429 parking spaces, in the village to accommodate day trippers," wrote Thomas F. McWilliams. "On-street parking endangers the peaceful and enjoyment of the properties affected, serves no legitimate purpose and degrades the overall environment of Watch Hill."

Objectors cite concerns about fire trucks, burglaries, leaking oil

The Watch Hill Fire District – which does fight fires, unlike some of its coastal counterparts, but also owns waterfront docks, bathhouses and the village's iconic carousel – is also opposed to the proposal.

"The town cannot afford to prioritize recreation over public safety," moderator Joan Beth Brown said at Monday's meeting.

Fire Chief Dennis Reall Jr. submitted written comments indicating that he had "serious concerns."

Even though the four proposed parking spots wouldn't require making the road any narrower, residents contend that adding any public parking would be a problem for first responders.

"Anyone who has ever been to Watch Hill in the height of the summer knows that almost every license plate parked in downtown Watch Hill is from out of state," wrote Audrey and George C. Moore. " Summertime crime with home burglaries and auto theft has also rapidly escalated in recent years. Why do we want to further jeopardize our community and place more difficulty for our police to protect the homes in our community?"

Another resident, Linda M. Swainson, said no one seemed to have studied the environmental impact.

"With globally rising water levels and changing climate, rain and run-off and occasional flood waters wash contaminants down Waters Edge Road and into Little Narragansett Bay," she wrote . "This might include leaking oil and other environmentally unfriendly products from automobiles, not to mention the plastic trash which will certainly find its way from cars to the ground and ultimately into the water."

More: With Taylor Swift in mind, Colin Cowherd thought someone had broken into his Westerly house

Previous parking proposal abandoned amid protests

The battle over Waters Edge Road isn't a new one: Westerly's previous town manager tried adding parking spaces there in 2021, when the kayak rack was built, but ultimately abandoned that plan amid vehement protests from neighbors.

Some residents now claim that creating a parking area would violate the town's agreement with the Coastal Resources Management Council. In fact, nothing in the permit for the boat rack indicates that Westerly is banned from adding parking near the boat ramp. It only states that the town would need to apply for CRMC permission in order to do so.

The assent also notes that, in the view of CRMC staff, "an appropriate public access plan associated with a small craft launching area and public kayak rack associated with a public road should involve provisions for public parking."

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Shamrock V: How an original J Class is being restored to win back her glory

There are only three of the original J Class fleet in existence today and the only wooden J, Shamrock V , is currently undergoing a bow-to-stern restoration at Saxon Wharf in Southampton . Katia Damborsky finds out how Shamrock V is preparing to rejoin the regatta circuit.   

At some point between 1848 and 1931, Scottish yachtsman and tea magnate Sir Thomas Lipton said: “Never despair, keep pushing on”. Perhaps it was one of his five America’s Cup defeats that inspired these words, as he resolutely entered a string of wooden sailing yachts named Shamrock into the competition and graciously accepted the loss each time.

His fifth and final defeat was on board his largest Shamrock yet — a 36.5-metre wood- Bermudan-rigged sailing yacht, built in wood and steel and therefore known as a “composite” yacht at the time. She hit the water at Camper & Nicholsons’ Gosport shipyard in 1930 and in the 93 years since then, she has lived a good life — although the last few years have been a “sad little bit in her history,” admits Paul Spooner, the designer and naval architect leading an ambitious restoration project.

Work on the vessel began last year in Southampton, but before that she was laid up in the same spot as she is now with years of general wear and tear plus the effects of a turbulent race at the St Barths Bucket in 2017. “She was in trouble structurally,” says Spooner, and when she changed hands in 2022 the new owner decided to gut her and carry out extensive bone-deep repair work.

She is a shell of a yacht when I visit her, stripped down to the steel ribs with interior components ripped out, wrapped up and neatly labelled ready to be reinstalled. When she originally raced with Sir Lipton, she didn’t have a proper interior. In 1937 she was briefly owned by an Italian who named her Quadrifoglio (meaning cloverleaf in English; facist ruling at the time meant she couldn’t have a foreign name) and, in true Italian style, bequeathed her with some tasteful maple and mahogany.

Next to the interior components are shoulder-high stacks of teak wood planks, each of which is being painstakingly reconditioned and replaced by the team now that all the frames and supports have been refurbished. Camper & Nicholsons reinstalled the wood in 1970 after the original mahogany started to show its age. Most of her major refit and maintenance periods have been in the United Kingdom, where she was built. Her commissioning owner, Lipton, hailed from Glasgow but he had a strong Irish heritage, hence the name Shamrock and the deep emerald hull colour. Fittingly, his maxim “never despair, keep pushing on” bears striking similarity to the infinitely catchier “keep calm and carry on”, a tagline that appeared eight years after Lipton’s death and has since become a synonym of British culture.

In 2000, she popped into Pendennis’ Falmouth facility for a refit and maintenance works. Spooner and a couple of the 25 people working on the project now were involved in the refit back then, building the deckhouse, skylight and hatches. “ Shamrock’s got to be the biggest wooden racing yacht in the world,” says Giles Brotherton, lead shipwright on the project today, who also worked on her when she was at Pendennis. “She’s got a lot of history to her. It’s nice to be a part of it.”

The next chapter of Shamrock V ’s life will see her back on the regatta circuit (hopefully) by 2024. She’ll be a cruising yacht as well, enjoying the cove-studded coasts of the French Riviera, indolently idling in St Tropez alongside the owner’s other sailing yacht. The look will be much the same as when was originally launched, although the mast has been replaced with a painted aluminium one and the sailplan has been altered slightly.

Still, she will be recognisably the same Shamrock V, which splashed on 17 April, 1930. You can still find grainy footage from the launch ceremony which shows the Countess of Shaftesbury — who also attended the launches of now-lost Shamrock IV and Shamrock III — christen the yacht with a champagne bottle, alongside Lipton, who says: “I regard it as a great honour [to have] Lady Shaftesbury here today and ensure her presence will bring good luck for the new Shamrock .” In the presence of a crowd of people wearing shamrocks pinned to their lapels, the yacht rolls down the slipway and into the water, notably with at least twenty people standing around on the hull during what looks like a blustery day — health and safety be damned.

For Spooner, it is a relief that there are no major modifications being made. “The details get lost [during] modern changes, trying to do them in an authentic way,” he says. Spooner says the trend for restoration ebbs and flows, but his firm, Paul Spooner Design, has rarely been left twiddling its thumbs in the past thirty years.

“With these boats, you desperately need an owner who wants to do the right thing,” he says. Happily, Spooner feels like they have found one. Speaking previously to BOAT International , the owner calls himself a custodian of the vessel. “ Shamrock is coming up to her centenary and we are preparing her for her next 100 years,” he says. “What has been striking is the depth and warmth of response to this refit. Everyone wants it to go well and for Shamrock to be back where she belongs”.

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