j class yacht cost

Story of the J-Class Yachts:

The J-Class was adopted for America's Cup competition in 1928, looking forward to the next regatta in 1930.  The Class itself, though, dated back to the turn of the century when the Universal Rule was adopted though no J-Class yachts had yet been built.

The Rule used a yacht's various dimensions to calculate an equivalent rating in feet.  Boats of equal rated lengths could then race against each other directly without making other allowances for time or distance sailed.  Even though one yacht might have a longer length or another yacht a larger sail area, their overall configurations had to produce a rated length that met the Universal Rule for that class. Boats in Class J, more commonly today termed J-Class yachts, were the largest constructed under the Universal Rule.  The Rule actually includes provisions for an even larger type of boat, the I Class, though none were ever built.  Inquiries made in the 1930s for a Defense in the smaller K Class were rejected.

The J-Class were the first yachts in an America's Cup match to be governed by a formal design rule.  Previous defenders and challengers were only restricted by minimum and maximum lengths set forth in the Deed of Gift.  Sir Thomas Lipton, challenging in 1930 for the fifth time, had held earlier discussions with the New York Yacht Club in hopes of adopting the Universal Rule for the previous America's Cup match, intended for 1914 but delayed until 1920.  Though an agreement to use the rule was not reached for that match, the 1914 US boats, Vanitie and Resolute, still roughly followed J-Class parameters.

Building Program:

There were only 10 J-class yachts designed and built.  Additionally, several yachts of closely related dimensions, mostly 23-Meter International Rule boats, were converted after their construction to meet the rating rules of the J-Class. 

Only the purpose-built Cup yachts, though, could compete in the America's Cup.  The "converted" J-Class yachts, while acceptable for Class racing events, were not admissible for America's Cup competition.  Responding to issues that surfaced in earlier defenses, the America's Cup rules required that all boats had to be sailed to the event on their own bottom.  Some critics pointed out the possibility that the challenger might, as a result, be disadvantaged by  being of heavier construction than the defender.  In order to avoid a situation that could be perceived as an undue advantage, the NYYC eventually agreed that all America's Cup J-Class yachts would be built to Lloyds A1 standards, ensuring that defender and challenger met the same minimum construction specifications (the nautical term is "scantlings").  Most existing yachts were not built to such standards, so the Cup-eligible boats thus ended up heavier than the ineligible J's.

(The issue of challengers having to build heavier boats due to the ocean crossing was a popular, if uncertain, explanation in the British press for the long string of American victories.  In practice, a number of challengers added internal bracing for the crossing, which was then removed before racing.  And on a few occasions defenders subsequently made the crossing in reverse in search of competition following their successful defense.  The rule requiring that the challenger sail to the event on her own bottom was actually instituted in response to a super-lightweight challenger towed to the match through canals and rivers from Canada.

The J-Class Yachts

Disposition:

Conceived at the height of the affluent 1920's, the J-boats arrived during the Great Depression.  They required enormous crews, and, despite expert attention to their technical details, still broke an astonishing number of masts.  While they were in most regards the most advanced sailing yachts yet built, and they were  indeed powerful sailing thoroughbreds formed in sleek lines that can race the pulse of almost every viewer, the glorious J's proved too extravagant for their own good.  Most had very limited sailing careers outside of America's Cup.  Ranger , whose 1937 cost was upwards of $500,000, was laid-up at the end of her debut season and never sailed again.  All of the American J's were scrapped between 1935 and 1941. Most of the British J's were either abandoned or scrapped.

When NYYC sought to revive the America's Cup in the 1950s, there was a faction that favored returning to the J-Class.  Mike Vanderbilt even stated that not only would he like to see the Cup contested in the large boats, but that if so he would consider rebuilding a new Range r to the design of the original.  Still, another faction hoped for smaller dual-use yachts that could be used in offshore racing when the Cup year was ended.  With cost estimates for a 1958-era J starting around three million dollars, the impulse for a J-Class defense faded away in the face of economic pressures and a compromise was reached to sail the America's Cup in International Rule 12-Meters.

The J-Class Resurgent

J-Class rigs today are no longer built of wood or dur-alumin, but with modern lightweight composites.  Their sail technology is long past being canvas duck, and many other subtle changes have been made to make the ongoing maintenance and operation of these yachts a realistic proposition.  Still, the J-Class owners have gone to great lengths to insure the integrity of the boats.  The J-Class is self-administered, rather than governed by an outside organization as is the case with almost all other classes.  This allows the members to more easily adapt the rules in order to serve the needs of these uniquely historic yachts.

Most of the surviving J's are available for charter.  Cambria was reportedly for sale in 2000.  Endeavour changed hands in 2006 for a reported $13.1 million USD, though as her former owner Dennis Kozlowski said, "No one truly owns Endeavour .  She's a part of yachting history.''

Recreations, Replicas, and a Tender:

For decades, most yachting fans thought that we would never again see the likes of these boats again, the few survivors would sooner or later fade away, and the whole history would be reserved for books and fading photographs, but following the restoration of the surviving hulls rumors grew throughout the late 1990's and early 2000's about building "new" J's.  In 2001, all of this dock talk began to become reality:

Ranger Wooden Boat magazine, March/April 2001, described a "Dutchman" who had commissioned a new Ranger built to the original's plan.  This incredible rumor came true, and a piece of lost sailing history was brought back to life.  The new version of this "Superboat", as Mike Vanderbilt once called her, was officially launched in October, 2003. 

Designed by Studio Scanu and Reichel-Pugh, and built by Danish Yachts, Skagen, Denmark, she is not an exact replica of the original. Some would term her a re-interpretation, as a number of changes were made including greater freeboard, and Ranger 's original designers did not participate in the project.  The new Ranger first competed head-to-head against other J's in Antigua, Spring, 2004.  It took some additional adjustment after launch by her owners and designers to seek the proper trim that would make her float on her lines, an essential step in the process of being officially rated a J-Class yacht.  Visit the Ranger Website for more info.  J-Class Management is also at work on a restoration of Bystander, tender to the original Ranger .

Endeavour II An Endeavour II replica is being built at Royal Huisman Shipyard, with a planned 2008 launch date.  Gerard Dykstra and Partners is leading the project, which features a lightweight Alustar (aluminum alloy) hull and carbon-fiber mast.  See additional photo at Yachtspotter

Lionheart Based on an unbuilt alternate design by Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens II that was considered for 1937's America's Cup defender Ranger , this new boat is being built at yards in the Netherlands for an expected 2008 launch.  Lionheart will be the longest J-Class yacht when completed. See more including photos of the completed hull at the Lionheart Website and the story of sailing onboard including photos and videos Cruising J-Class Style Aboard Lionheart at Yachting World Designer:  Hoek Design Builders: Bloemsma Aluminiumbouw and Claasen Jachtbouw BV

Svea Tore Holm's unbuilt 1937 design, said by some to be faster in the test tank than any of the original boats, is being pursued by Hoek Design

Name To Be Announced In late March 2008, reports of another replica about to begin construction appeared on the Classic Boat website .  Whether this is one of the known projects, such as Svea , above, or yet another replica about to become reality, such as Rainbow , below, should become known shortly.

Rainbow In late May, 2008, Dykstra and Partners announced that a new build of the 1934 America's Cup Defender Rainbow was underway, with an expected launch date of 2010.  Read the Press Release

Other projects: Hoek Design is also studying replicas of 1930's Enterprise and another boat from Yankee designer Frank Paine.  Yankee herself has also been rumored as a new project, as well.  Earlier reports of a Ranger alternate-design carrying the name of Seawolf may have been referring to the project that has become Lionheart , see above.  Whirlwind and Weetamoe are the only two designs of the original ten J's that aren't known to be sailing, building, or under serious consideration as of 2008.  The J-Class website points out that there are 10 unbuilt J designs from the 1930's, so the possibilities for more J-Class yachts are intriguing.

Yachting World reported in May, 2003 , that construction was underway on a yacht replicating the famous G.L Watson design Britannia .  Photos showed a nearly completed hull at Solombala Shipyard, in Arkhangel, Russia, and included interviews with the yacht's owner Sigurd Coates of Norway.  The design was adapted by Cesil Stephansen from published plans.  The original designer's modern descendent company, G.L.Watson & Co., Ltd., has no involvement with the Arkhangel boat.  Little was been heard of this ambitious project for years, until the yacht was finally launched only to become subject of a financial dispute, trapping her in Russia until 2009, when she "escaped" to Norway. 

In the Spirit

A similar project to return elegant yachts to competitive racing, the W-class, was set in motion by Donald Tofias, an American enthusiast.  He commissioned naval architect Joel White to design a new class with lines evocative of famous racing yachts like the New York 50's and the J-Class.  The first two boats, Wild Horses and White Wings , were built in Maine of modern cold-molded wood construction and launched in 1998.  It is Tofias' aim that there will eventually be a whole fleet of the beautiful W-class to regularly compete against each other.  The one-design W-76 is actually similar to the New York 50's.  Tofias' long-range plans involve a range of classes including 46, 62, 76, 105, and 130.  The 130's would be nearly identical in basic dimensions to the J-class. See the W-Class Websit e .  

Additional Links: Chris Cameron onboard Ranger at Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, 2010: Photo Gallery

Web Sites of Particular Interest: The J-Class Association J-Class Management, Inc.  

Further Notes:

K-Class: The Royal London Yacht Club made and withdrew its inquiry for a K-Class challenge in 1935.  The intent had been to reduce costs, not the least of which was hoped to be a lower velocity of mast replacement, but the K-Class line of thought was rejected for several reasons.  For one, the K-Class wasn't so much smaller than the J-Class as to have clearly led to significant savings.  Additionally, no K-Class yachts existed on either side of the Atlantic while several J's of various pedigree were available for testing, training, and racing in 1935.  Also a factor was that the NYYC was already actively considering another challenge at the time the RLYC began their communication  about the K-Class and it was the NYYC's policy to consider only one challenge at a time, in keeping with the Deed of Gift.

Sailing to the Event on Own Bottom: This provision of the Deed of Gift was at times strictly interpreted to the the degree of making sure that the challenging yacht actually was under her own sail while traveling to the match, not towed by another boat.  Challengers returning across the Atlantic after Cup matches concluded were sometimes towed for convenience. Eventually the NYYC agreed at various times to permit towing the yachts to the match, particularly when conditions were light, and in 1956, for the coming of the 12-meter yachts in 1958, the Deed of Gift was amended to eliminate the requirement.

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J-Class Rainbow – 131′ -2012

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Built by the Dutch Masters at Holland Jachtbouw in 2012, RAINBOW is quite simply, the best of her breed.  One of the most recently launched J-Class reproductions, Dykstra Naval Architects developed RAINBOW from the original plans of this 1937 America’s Cup winner and smoothed her lines to modern hydrodynamic standards, optimized to the new J-Class Rule. Her engineering and construction created a modern classic, built with “cutting edge” technology, engineering and materials, from her “hybrid” diesel/electric drive and electrical system, to her high modulus spar, carbon rigging and electro-hydraulic sail and boat handling systems.

RAINBOW is a true “dual purpose” yacht, serving equally successfully as a “silver service” charter yacht for up to eight guests, or as a grand prix racing yacht of the highest caliber.  In cruising mode, the yacht has all attributes for easy operation; hydraulic sail handling, winches, thrusters, and a simple sail-plan. Her entertaining cockpit dresses for comfortable entertaining, lounging and dining, and her interior offers all amenities for gracious living aboard.  For racing, pulpits & lifelines are removed as all deck areas are stripped and streamlined for the efficiencies required at the absolute pinnacle of yacht racing.  RAINBOW’s record speaks for itself on both counts.

Specifications

In total nine J Class yachts are currently active, including three original surviving Js - Velsheda, Shamrock and Endeavour - and six replicas that have been built since 2003; Ranger, Rainbow, Hanuman, Lionheart, Topaz and Svea.

Endeavour, JK4

Velsheda, JK7

Rainbow, JKZ1

Shamrock V, JK3

Hanuman JK6

Lionheart, JH1

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Could J Class yacht racing be the most expensive hobby on earth?

They may cost millions to maintain, but there are only nine of these vessels left on earth.

Words: Jonathan Wells

“The initial cost isn’t really that much,” I am told by a J Class yacht owner as we stand at the harbour of Hamilton, Bermuda. He clearly senses my scepticism, and is quick to clarify.

“I mean, maybe not as expensive as you may think. The base boat still obviously costs around $10 to 20 million. But the real costs start racking up when you have to pay for the upkeep, which can come in at anywhere up to $3 million every year.”

It’s a painful figure, but J Class yachts – a type of single-masted sailboat that must have either been built in the early 20th Century or produced meticulously to period plans – are beautiful to behold. As we stand, a glass of Cloudy Bay Pelorus sparkling away in our hands, six of these beautiful vessels bob happily next to each other in the harbour. And that’s quite a gathering – there are only nine left on earth.

The history of the awe-inspiring J Class is one as intricately linked with money as it is with engineering prowess and enormous egos. The first, Shamrock V , was built in 1929 by Camper & Nicholsons for Sir Thomas Lipton in his fifth and final attempt to win the America’s Cup – the world’s most famous boat race which was most recently contended by high tech foiling yachts in 2017.

Despite spending $2 million on the endeavour (around $29 million in today’s money), Lipton was unsuccessful. A year later, however, the introduction of the Universal Rule saw the formal formation of the J Class with Shamrock V as its blueprint. By 1937 nine more J Class yachts, including Harold Vanderbilt’s Rainbow, Enterprise and Ranger and Thomas Sopwith’s Endeavour , had been launched.

"The real costs start racking up when you have to pay for the upkeep, which can come in at anywhere up to $3 million every year."

But, despite their beauty, the J Class hey day was not to last. After the 1937 race, the America’s Cup was not held for another 21 years and, by the 1980s, there were just three of the original ten J Class yachts left. This could have been the end of their story, left to rot in remote shipyards, had it not been for Elizabeth Meyer and the International Yacht Restoration School.

Her work restoring the original Endeavour and Velsheda yachts led to the formation of the J Class Association – and it wasn’t long before a new cohort of uber wealthy yacht lovers set about recreating the rest from their original 1930s plans.

Now these majestic titans of sail tour the world competing in specialised races in which the stakes remain as high as ever. The week before my trip to Bermuda these boats competed in the Caribbean in an event which likely saw each individual owner shell out hundreds of thousands for equipment and extra crew. With almost every component of these yachts being custom made, should disaster strike – say your sail shreds during a race (it happens) – you’re looking at the bill the size of an average family home.

Although Lionheart may have taken the crown that time, two of the competitors – Shamrock V and Endeavour – are genuine 1930s boats which more than held their own. Exploring the vessels in the Princess Marina is incredibly exciting, with worn wooden decks and burnished brass fittings giving the yachts a truly antique feel.

But speaking to the owners is almost as awe-inspiring as stepping aboard the boats themselves. And it isn’t because of their passion for sailing – although they have that by the boatful – but rather their capacity for spending. Granted, these are rich men, dynastic heirs or titans of industry, but they don’t even seem to think twice about spending a million in a month on fixing up their boats.

Not only that, but the owners are more than happy to let this level of expenditure slip under the radar. Whereas most men wouldn’t even be able to buy a new car without posting a few choice snaps on Instagram, these sailors can splash substantial cash on these vessels without as much as sending out a single tweet.

And, while the owners are reticent to reveal too many details about the boats in the Cloudy Bay J Class , there are certain snippets that show just how pricey they can be. One vessel has an entirely mahogany-veneered interior (all taken from one tree), another has en suites tiled throughout in original black-and-white 1930s bathroom tiles and a third has a dedicated wine cellar stuffed – literally – to the gunnels with everything from Te Koko to Te Wahi .

So, next time you watch these 140ft kings of the sea set sail, remember: those base boats may be just a ‘drop in the ocean’, but it’s the decadence below decks which makes racing these superyachts the most expensive hobby on earth.

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J Class Yachts

Go inside the world of the iconic J Class yachts with reports on board these famous vessels, interviews with their owners and coverage of the J Class World Championships. Boat International is the official media partner of the J Class Association.

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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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