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J Class Sloops Svea and Topaz Collide in Antigua

In an unfortunate and serious accident ahead of the start of this year’s Superyacht Challenge Antigua, there was a collision between Tom Siebel’s Svea and Topaz .

The video below shows 43.6-meter  Svea on port hitting the transom of the 42.6-meter  Topaz knocking one crew member overboard in the process.

Apparently, the accident occurred just before the start of the race on Thursday the 12th. Two crew members were injured and both boats were severely damaged so have withdrawn from the regatta.

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Superyacht Challenge Antigua : Dramatic J-Class collision off Antigua

Tatjana Pokorny

 ·  13.03.2020

The accident occurred shortly before the start of the first race of the Superyacht Challenge Antigua: 90 seconds before the starting signal, the J-Class yacht "Svea" collided with her classmate "Topaz", dramatically running over her stern with her pointed bow. The fact that the sailors were largely unharmed seems almost miraculous when you look at the pictures. Both yacht beauties were badly damaged. One sailor from "Topaz" went overboard, two "Topaz" sailors required medical treatment but were not seriously injured. This was announced in a very brief statement on Friday night by the J Class Association.

The jury decided that the "Svea" crew was at fault for the crash

Both boats were able to reach the harbour of Antigua under their own power, but can no longer take part in the regatta. The regatta jury has since determined that the "Svea" crew violated rules 10 and 14. At the time of the collision, "Svea" was sailing on starboard, "Topaz" on port and with right of way. There was initially no further comment from the up to 35 crews involved, nor from the organisers or the class association. The video of the momentous crash is one of several clips circulating on social networks and shows at the end how the "Velsheda" crew members sailing very close to the accident take cover below deck because they fear that the masts of the boats involved in the collision will break. The shouts of "below deck now" can be heard loudly.

For the rest of the fleet, the start of the beautiful sailing show was less dramatic: in the "Bucaneers" class, the 26-metre Oyster 885 "Firebird" with tactician and double Olympic champion Jesper Bank from Denmark took the lead. In the "Privateers" class, the 33-metre-long "Missy" is in the lead, and in the "Corsairs" class, "WinWin" was initially ahead of "Nilaya" and "Pink Gin VI".

Here to the intermediate results of the Superyacht Challenge Antigua.

Here to go to the homepage of the J-Class Association.

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J Class Svea set to return to race in Europe with Swedish Syndicate

A group of successful Swedish entrepreneurs and businessmen who are all passionate about sailing, will campaign JS1 Svea and plan to start racing this summer in Europe with a mostly Swedish crew.

Svea is under new ownership and due to be shipped from Charleston, USA to arrive in Palma in May where the new team will prepare the boat in time for June’s Palma Superyacht Cup where she is set to line up against Velsheda, Ranger and Topaz.

When Svea, JS1, became available the syndicate of Swedish sailors Niklas Zennström, Filip Engelbert and Hjalmar Winbladh, decided to collaborate together to have the Tore Holm design return to her Swedish roots and to race finally under the national flag.

She was launched in January 2017 and was initially raced in Bermuda and at the J Class World Championships in Newport RI. She is the largest J Class yacht ever and was built from original designs drawn by Swedish naval architect and boat builder Tore Holm, well known as a noted designer of Six and Eight Metre yachts.

The 1937 drawings were unearthed from a drawer by a well-known Dutch Metre class aficionado and after analysis, her potential was immediately evident.

The intention of the new syndicate is to have a crew which is largely Swedish. But J Class experience is vital and so the crew will be led by eight-times round the world racer Bouwe Bekking, who won the J Class World Championship with Lionheart. Magnus Woxen is helping put together the crew, but it will certainly include Bekking’s long-time collaborator Jens Dolmer and Zennström’s regular navigator Steve Hayles as well as project manager Tim Powell.

“When Svea became available it was seen to be an opportunity which was too good to be missed. There is a natural connection for all of the syndicate who wanted to have Svea race in Swedish colours,” project manager Tim Powell enthuses.

“Now we are all looking forward to going sailing for the first time,” Powell adds. “We are very much of the view that the learning curve will be steep to start with and it will take time to get the team fully up to speed with 30 or so on board and all the jobs so interlinked it is a very specific learning programme.”

The team plan an extended training period just before Superyacht Cup Palma and thereafter plan to race at the Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup in Sardinia in September.

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A pocket guide to the J Class yachts – the world’s most elegant racing fleet

• Toby Hodges
• March 19, 2017

Toby Hodges profiles the world's most beautiful fleet of classic racing yachts – the J Class

Shamrock V – JK3

J Class yacht Shamrock sailplan

LOA: 36.50m /119ft 9in · LWL: 26.7m/87ft 7in · Beam: 6.00m/19ft 8in · Disp: 166 tonnes

Original lines: Charles E Nicholson

Modified design: Dykstra Naval Architects

Launch year and yard: 1930, Camper & Nicholsons

Identifying features: The only wooden J and the smallest. Dark green hull with bronze deck fittings.

Current state: She has just had a refit in Palma after a long period under her past owner chartering, cruising and occasional racing.

Race prediction:Her smaller size means she will struggle against the other J Class yachts in real time – but she has the most experienced skipper and her recent mods are all aimed at making her competitive on handicap.

Skipper: Simon Lacey · Race Helmsman: Mike ‘Moose’ Sanderson

Photo: J Class Association / Gerhard Standop

Velsheda – JK7

J Class yacht Velsheda sailplan

LOA: 39.25m/128ft 9in · LWL: 27.8m/91ft 3in · Beam: 6.57m/21ft 7in · Disp: 180 tonnes

Launch year and yard: 1933, Camper & Nicholsons. Rebuilt by Southampton Yacht Services in 1997.

Identifying features: Dark blue hull, pinched transom and that iconic sharp J bow.

Current state: Continually optimised and very well prepared.

Race prediction: Highly experienced, well-gelled crew and a yacht that is looking particularly nimble and aggressive at the start. Despite surrendering size to the modern J Class yachts she’s a firm favourite to win any regatta.

Skipper: Barney Henshaw-Depledge · Race helmsman: Owner-driver

Helen Fretter goes racing on board J Class yacht Velsheda

Photo: J Class Association / Onne van der Wal

Endeavour – JK4

J Class yacht Endeavour sailplan

LOA: 39.31m/128ft 12in · LWL: 27.30m/89ft 7in · Beam: 6.68m/21ft 11in · Disp: 175 tonnes

Launch year and yard: 1934, Camper & Nicholson. Relaunched by Royal Huisman in 1989.

Identifying features: Royal ‘Endeavour Blue’ hull, clean deck, single deckhouse.

Current state: Completely refitted by Yachting Developments in 2010-11. Based between Palma and Cascais she is for sale through Edmiston and in prize condition.

Race prediction: Fully optimised and race ready, but is up for sale and now already unlikely to be ready in time for Bermuda.

Skipper: Luke Bines · Race helmsman: N/A (Torben Grael in 2012)

Video exclusive: what it’s like to sail the iconic J Class Endeavour

Photo: J Class Association / Jens Fischer

Ranger – J5

J Class yacht Ranger sailplan

LOA: 41.63m/136ft 7in · LWL: 28.80m/94ft 6in · Beam: 6.41m/21ft 0in · Disp: 203 tonnes

Original design: Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens

Modified design: Studio Scanu, Reichel Pugh, Fred Elliot and Dykstra Naval Architects

Launch year and yard: 2003, Danish Yacht

Identifying features: White hull with snub nose and spoon bow.

Current state: Refitted and optimised at Newport Shipyard 2016, where chainplates were moved forward and tracks modified to take a bigger headsail.

Race prediction: The heaviest J, but a rocket in flat water, such as in Bermuda’s Great Sound. A veteran crew whose consistency is Ranger’s trump card.

Skipper: Dan Jackson · Race helmsman: Erle Williams

Ranger J5 – the first completely new J Class yacht

Ranger , J5 RYS centenary 2015. Photo Paul Wyeth

Rainbow – JH2

J Class yacht Rainbow sailplan

LOA: 39.89m/130ft 11in · LWL: 26.90m/88ft 3in · Beam: 6.42m/21ft 1in · Disp: 167 tonnes

Original lines: William Starling Burgess

Launch year and yard: 2012, Holland Jachtbouw

Identifying features: Black hull, red bottom and modern grey rig with race boom.

Current state: Sold in 2015 by Chris Gongriep, the former owner of Holland Jachtbouw, she has since solely been used for cruising by her US owner who shows no signs of wanting to race, although she will be in Bermuda to watch.

Race prediction: Was cruised and raced extensively for a couple of seasons after she was built and has proven to be a supremely fast boat for her size in the right hands.

J Class yacht Rainbow – the Dutch destroyer

Hanuman – JK6

J Class yacht Hanuman sailplan

LOA: 42.19m/138ft 5in · LWL: 27.50m/90ft 3in · Beam: 6.60m/21ft 8in · Disp: 180 tonnes

Launch year and yard: 2009 Royal Huisman

Identifying features: Carries the old Endeavour II sail number JK6 – but a totally modern day reinterpretation of Sopwith’s second boat, built in aluminium.

Current state: Her weight and stability were optimised at Newport Shipyard in 2016 and she was also fitted with a new mast and rigging, plus a new furling headstay.

Race prediction: With her same core Comanche/Puma crew and Ken Read on the wheel, this is a highly race-oriented J Class yacht.

Skipper: Greg Sloat · Race helmsman: Ken Read

Inside J class yacht Hanuman

Lionheart JH1

J Class yacht Lionheart sailplan

LOA: 43.4m/142ft 5in · LWL 27.2m/89ft 3in · Beam: 6.55m/21ft 6in · Disp: 180 tonnes

Original lines: Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens

Modified design: Hoek Design

Launch year and yard: 2010, Bloemsma and Claasen Jachtbouw

Identifying features: Black hull and rig, bulwarks giving a high freeboard effect, two deckhouses.

Current state: Constantly upgraded, Lionheart has new North raw sails with plans to build more sails before Bermuda.

Race prediction: Lionheart is consistently optimised, has some key pros and a fantastic crew spirit. Should be finishing in the top three in Bermuda.

Skipper: Toby Brand · Race helmsman: Owner-driver · Tactics: Bouwe Bekking

J Class yacht Lionheart J/H1 – replica of an original that was never built

Photo: J Class Association / Thierry Martinez

J Class yacht Topaz sailplan

LOA: 42.7m/140ft 1in · LWL: 27.8m/91ft 3in · Beam: 6.75m/22ft 2in · Disp: 180 tonnes

Original lines: Frank Paine

Launch year and yard: 2015, Holland Jachtbouw

Identifying features: Longest waterline of all the Js (for which there is a sail area penalty) she has a striking Art Deco interior and a dark blue hull with turquoise antifoul.

Current state: New and raring to go.

Race prediction: With her fuller volume forward, longer waterline and shorter keel, Hoek believes she will be the fastest J Class downwind and in light airs. The crew has practised hard since last year and now has top big boat helm in Holmberg.

Skipper: Romke Lopik · Race helmsman: Peter Holmberg

New J Class yacht named Topaz is launched – and the design team says she is “absolutely stunning”

Photo: J Class Association / Carlo Borlenghi

J Class yacht Svea sailplan

LOA: 43.6m/143ft 1in · LWL: 27.6m/90ft 7in · Beam: 6.65m/21ft 10in · Disp: 180 tonnes

Original lines: Tore Holm

Launch year and yard: 2017, Bloemsma / Vitters

Identifying features: Dark grey metallic hull, near flush ultra-clean, ergonomically optimised deck with low single doghouse and huge 8ft diameter wheel that turns in a well that extends down to the keel frames.

Current state: Just launched.

Race prediction: Tore Holm was a gifted Metre designer and Svea looks like a fast upwind boat, with a race oriented deck design and a slippery underwater shape. It’s asking a lot of her crew to be competitive for 2017.

Skipper: Paul ‘PK’ Kelly

Race helmsman: Owner driver

Nine Js and counting: J Class Svea J-S1 is sold and under construction at Vitters

The history of the J-Class

The Js are inextricably linked with the America’s Cup as, barring Velsheda , all were built for the purpose of America’s Cup racing. From 1929 to 1937, 20 J Class yachts were designed. Ten of these went on to be built, with six racing in the America’s Cup finals. A modern J Class yacht’s  lines can only be taken from the original designs, ensuring the fleet’s look endures.

Before the J Class yachts came into existence, yachts were designed to be bigger and bigger. The towering rigs of the Big Boat Class such as ‘ Lulworth ’ and ‘ Britannia ’ dwarfed all other yachts. The late 1920s heralded discussion and agreement of the Universal Rule. This new formula controlled the size and displacement of the new yachts, enabling them to be raced as evenly as possible. Almost immediately, designs were being commissioned for the new, massive ‘Bermudan rigs, with no bowsprits’.

The rule was based on ideas proposed by Nat Herreshoff allowing waterline length to be increased without sail area being restricted, as it had been under the International Rule. This was compensated by a larger displacement and so draught was limited to 15ft.

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. On each occasion he challenged for the America’s Cup as a member of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club in Northern Ireland.  RUYC  are still involved with The Cup – presenting the Royal Ulster Cup to the Club of the winning challenger.

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 new design Bermuda mast allowed the yachts to carry a huge sail plan. Nothing so large and ‘awesome’ had been built previously. The Americans had a distinct advantage over Britain in the 1930 America’s Cup. They had the money to build four J’s over Britain’s one, yet the British yacht, Shamrock V  was a hot contender. She was designed by Nicholson and built at the family yard in 1930, and before she crossed the Atlantic to attend the Cup she had notched up more than 700 sea miles (1,296km), won 15 out of the 22 races she had entered and had been tweaked and tested to a high degree.

In answer to Lipton’s challenge of 1929 the Americans designed four J-Class yachts as possible defenders. Enterprise, Whirlwind, Yankee and Weetamoe were launched within a month of each other; Weetamoe and Enterprise from the Herreshoff yard and Yankee and Whirlwind from Lawley & Son’s yard in Bristol.

Whirlwind, the second J, was the most revolutionary of the four. Francis L Herreshoff had moved away from conventional yachts and designed a boat, which took the new rule to its extreme. Whirlwind combined many new ideas and Herreshoff experimented with hull shape and rig. She was the longest of the early J’s at 86ft on the waterline and remained so until Ranger and Endeavour II were built in 1937.

She was built of semi-composite construction (the other three American Js were built out of the highly expensive Tobin bronze), was double-ended and had a permanent backstay. Uffa Fox described her profile as: “Very pleasing to the eye, the stem sweeping down to the keel in a very sweet line, and to a man who, like myself, believes that a pointed stern is a logical ending for all vessels, her stern is a joy to behold.” He predicted, “If the Yacht Racing Rules govern well and wisely, we shall see Whirlwind racing 50 years hence. If they do not she will probably be cruising then.” But Whirlwind met an early demise. Her building was delayed as she didn’t meet Lloyd’s A1 scantling rules and she wasn’t chosen to be the 1930s defender. She was often out-performed when close hauled, her steering gear making her difficult to steer. She was eventually scrapped along with Enterprise in 1935. However, her unusual double-headsail rig was later adopted by the rest of the Js.

The third American J, Yankee, was the best all-rounder. At 84ft on the waterline and 125ft length overall, she was solidly made of Tobin bronze and was extremely well balanced. Designed by Frank Paine , Yankee had an almost straight sheerline and easy lines. She was a powerful contender for defender, but not fine-tuned enough to succeed. She did, however, take part in the 1934 America’s Cup trials and with alterations to her rig, to carry more sail, and bow, which was lengthened and made more of a V-shape, she then proved more successful, especially in light winds.

The fourth of the American J’s was Weetamoe, which was designed by Clinton Crane and was the narrowest of the early four. Despite claims that Yankee was the best all-rounder, Weetamoe is said to have been the closest rival to Enterprise to be the Cup defender. Charles Nedwick, in Ian Dear’s book Enterprise to Endeavour, describes Weetamoe as having a profile “that is practically a triangle, with a straight line from the after end of the waterline to the bottom of the keel and thence a line which is slightly convex, and then slightly concave to the forward end of the waterline.” In an attempt to better performance and make her less tender, her profile below the water was radically altered in 1934 with a new contour and bulb keel. The alterations failed and not long afterwards were reversed. In common with the other J’s, she had about 43ft of overhang and her hull, Nicholson opined, “was the best of all the US Js”.

When Shamrock V and Enterprise eventually met off Newport, Rhode Island, later that year, the two J’s were well matched in hull profile, but differed significantly in rig. Enterprise’s rigging was lighter, she had the Park Avenue boom, which was so advantageous to windward, and had lots of winches on board. Shamrock V meanwhile, was under-winched and hard work to sail. She has since, however, proved her success in that she is still sailing today.

The sixth J-Class yacht to be built, and the second built on British soil was Velsheda . She was the only J not built as a contender for the America’s Cup. Her owner, WL Stephenson, who previously owned White Heather II, the 23-Metre converted to rate as a J-Class in 1930, had Velsheda built in steel in 1933 at the Camper & Nicholson yard. Velsheda was a great success. In 1935 she was significantly altered, her bow was snubbed around the waterline and her stern improved. The following season she won the King’s Cup at Cowes Week.

In 1934, Sopwith challenged for the America’s Cup. His challenger was Endeavour . She was Charles Nicholson’s third J-Class design and he said of her “She will have quite a normal hull… because I have thought it right to suppress possible experimental form, which would be most interesting to try out, but which I have to leave to American designers.” He did, however, produce the most beautiful J-Class and her rig was innovative.

Sopwith experimented with new running backstay strain gauges, which controlled the trim of the mast and used electronic windspeed and direction indicators. It has since been suggested that part of the reason for her failure in the Cup was due to all the gadgets on board. She was matched 83ft 3in on the waterline against Rainbow ’s 82ft. However, despite being thought to be the best challenger Britain has ever built, she did not win the Cup. Rainbow, which was considered the inferior boat, beat her by four races to two.

Rainbow was designed by W Starling Burgess and launched in 1934 from the Herreshoff yard where she was built in just 100 days. The J stepped a pear-shaped duralumin mast, designed to take the strain of the double-headed jib – first used on Whirlwind – and she was originally rigged with a Park Avenue boom. This was later removed because it was considered too heavy.

The UK Class was depressed with the death of King George V and scuttling of his yacht “Britannia” off the South of the Isle of Wight, in accordance with his will.

Of the American Js, Yankee was the only one to sail in British waters when she was bought by Gerald Lambert and crossed the Atlantic in 1935. She was scrapped in 1941. Enterprise and Whirlwind were both scrapped in America.

1937 saw the building of the last two J’s on both sides of the Atlantic. Both Ranger and Endeavour II took the waterline length to its extreme, measuring 87ft  LWL . Ranger, the American boat, was built at Bath Ironworks in Maine and designed jointly by W Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens . It was a design combination, which produced the greatest J of the fleet – the ‘super J’ as she was later known. She was built, for the cost of the materials only, of flush riveted steel plating and soon after launching had an accident. The upper parts of her rod rigging which stayed her duralumin mast shook loose and her mast snapped “with a report like a cannon”.

Ranger’s success on the water was widespread. Of 37 starts she won 35. Owner-skipper Harold Vanderbilt described her as being “slower to turn and to pick up speed, but (she) held her way longer, and was perfectly balanced on the wind.” The challenger, Endeavour II, was designed by Nicholson again and built at the C&N yard. She too was steel, but flush-plated above and below the waterline. Sopwith towed her and Endeavour, plus an entourage of 100, to America where he worked on tuning her rig. Sadly, Ranger saw off the competition, easily winning four races, and dashing British hopes.

Although they became recognised the most beautiful yacht design in the world, only 10 J Class yachts were ever built – 6 in the  USA  and 4 in the UK. Most of these competed in trials for the America’s Cup, or competed in the Cup itself. Several existing large British yachts, ‘ Astra ’, ‘ Candida ’, ‘White Heather II’ and ‘Britannia’, the King’s yacht, were all converted to comply with the rule and raced alongside the J’s.

After the victory of Ranger over Endeavour II, Vanderbilt wondered whether the boat was so much faster than the competition that it might kill the class. History would show this was not the case as analysis of the Holm design shows that it would likely have been faster than Ranger.

1937 marked the end of an era – it was the last America’s Cup contest for 21 years and marked the end of Big Yacht racing. Shamrock V was sold to Mario Crespi, the Italian Senator and publisher, who converted her to a ketch rig and renamed her ‘Quadrifoglio’, with a literal translation giving her authentic name of ‘4 leaves’ in Italian. This was in accordance with an Italian law, which forbade foreign names.

Weetamoe was scrapped in this year, while at the end of the season Ranger was laid up, prior to being scrapped in 1941.

HANDLING   THE  J  CLASS   YACHTS  IN  THE  1930’s

The Skippers had to be experienced in racing and their skill on the race circuit became a matter of pride. These mighty craft had no engines and they had to be handled with great precision to get into and out of ports. Often their experience came from sailing all types of small craft, including fishing boats, during the winter months, when the J Class yachts were laid up. The permanent racing crew in the early days was probably around 16 men thou this may have been augmented to around 30 for racing. When not required for sail changes, spare crew were often moved to below decks.

With the incredible loads on the rigging and systems it was a constant concern that J Class masts could collapse in winds above a Force 3.

Sailing small boats in often inhospitable waters gave them the skills to manage their J Class yachts. The same is true today. Skippers have to deliver their yachts across Oceans, and compete around the race course, using their skills and all the technical advantages that are available today.

It is now clear that there was another J Class Yacht under development in 1937. Several years ago, drawings for a J-Class boat by Swedish naval architect Tore Holm were discovered by Fred Meyer, (Société Nautique de Genève – the Defender of the 32nd America’s Cup).

Now known as the Holm Project, this was to be a Swedish yacht with an innovative design. Many of the hull plates were made – and exist to this day. The project was put on hold prior to the outbreak of War in 1939 and was forgotten for more than 60 years. Endeavour and Endeavour II (K6) were laid up at Camper & Nicholson’s yard in Gosport, England.

Rainbow was scrapped.
By the end of 1941, all the US yachts, which had been laid up were scrapped for their metal, with the last two being Yankee and Ranger. None survived. Yankee’s owner Gerard Lambert allegedly donated her scrap money from the yacht to Queen Mary to be used at her discretion in the London Hospital, in memory of the courtesies shown to Yankee by King George and the Queen herself.

Endeavour II was sold for scrap to Charles Kerridge Limited but her hulk remained until the late 1960s. Endeavour and Velsheda became houseboats in a mud berth on the River Hamble. This is where they stayed for more than 30 years, protected by the mud, which they had sunk into. Only Shamrock V was still sailing.

Endeavour II was broken up and scrapped in Southampton. Quadrifoglio (Shamrock V) had been hidden in Italy in a barn throughout the war years and following Crespi’s death in 1962 was sold to Piero Scanu, who saved her just two weeks before she was due to be broken up in Genoa.

During the 1970s Endeavour’s hulk was sold for £10 and restoration was started.

Quadrifoglio (Shamrock V) arrived from Italy and was refitted at Camper & Nicholson’s yard where she had been built, supervised by Paolo Scanu the naval architect, and son of the owner.

The large holes in Endeavour’s hull were plugged and she was towed to the old seaplane base at Calshot Spit on the Solent to start restoration.

Terry Brabant rescued Velsheda from her Hamble mud berth and gave her enough of a refit to get her chartering and, occasionally, racing again in events like the annual Round the Island Race, hosted by the Island Sailing Club in Cowes. Despite being in rather poor condition she still acquitted herself well and looked magnificent from a distance. Swiss plans to restore her came to nought and the old racing yacht was eventually laid up afloat in Gosport. Elizabeth Meyer took on the challenge to continue with the rebuild of Endeavour at Calshot.

Quadrifoglio (Shamrock V) was purchased in 1986 by the Thomas Lipton Company, and given back her original name of Shamrock V, when she became the property of the Newport Museum of Yachting. Endeavour was towed from Calshot, to Cowes on the Isle of Wight to have her fittings and rigging fitted. She was then taken on a barge to the Royal Huisman Shipyard in Holland to continue and complete the rebuild.

Endeavour was relaunched in Holland. Endeavour and Shamrock V match raced each other over the Old America’s Cup course in Newport, Rhode Island in August.

Velsheda was purchased from a bankrupt C&N boatyard and brought to Southampton Yacht Services to start her rebuild. She was relaunched in 1998 and started her programme of racing and cruising around the World.

Velsheda, Shamrock V and Endeavour raced against each other in Antigua Classic Week.

The Owners met in England and formed the J Class Association to protect the interests of the Class, present and future. Class Rules were established for the construction of Replica Rebuilds from original plans. Shamrock V came out of a major refit at Pendennis in Falmouth under the supervision of the Dykstra office.

The first J Class Regatta is held in Christchurch Bay on England’s south coast over three days, followed by the Jubilee Regatta in Cowes.

Ranger replica was commissioned and construction started at Danish Yacht Shipyard.

Ranger was launched and started her racing programme.

Replicas of Endeavour II (Hanuman) and Ranger (Lionheart) are commissioned.

Replicas of Rainbow and Paine design (JH7) are commissioned.

Hanuman, replica of Endeavor II launched.

Lionheart launched.

Rainbow launched. Cheveyo commissioned from Sparkman & Stephens / Spirit Yachts.

Information courtesy of the J Class Association

Svea, Velsheda and Topaz at the St Barths Bucket, 2018.

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Launch of Ranger, May 11th, 1937

1937 saw the building of the last two J’s on both sides of the Atlantic. Both Ranger and Endeavour II took the waterline length to its extreme, measuring 87ft LWL. Ranger, the American boat, was built at Bath Ironworks in Maine and designed jointly by W Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens. It was a design combination, which produced the greatest J of the fleet – the ‘super J’ as she was later known. She was built, for the cost of the materials only, of flush riveted steel plating and soon after launching had an accident. The upper parts of her rod rigging which stayed her duralumin mast shook loose and her mast snapped “with a report like a cannon”.

Ranger’s success on the water was widespread. Of 37 starts she won 35. Owner-skipper Harold Vanderbilt described her as being “slower to turn and to pick up speed, but (she) held her way longer, and was perfectly balanced on the wind.” The challenger, Endeavour II, was designed by Nicholson again and built at the C&N yard. She too was steel, but flush-plated above and below the waterline. Sopwith towed her and Endeavour, plus an entourage of 100, to America where he worked on tuning her rig. Sadly, Ranger saw off the competition, easily winning four races, and dashing British hopes.


Although they became recognised the most beautiful yacht design in the world, only 10 J Class yachts were ever built – 6 in the USA and 4 in the UK. Most of these competed in trials for the America’s Cup, or competed in the Cup itself. Several existing large British yachts, ‘Astra’, ‘Candida’, ‘White Heather II’ and ‘Britannia’, the King’s yacht, were all converted to comply with the rule and raced alongside the J’s.

After the victory of Ranger over Endeavour II, Vanderbilt wondered whether the boat was so much faster than the competition that it might kill the class. History would show this was not the case as analysis of the Holm design shows that it would likely have been faster than Ranger.

1937 marked the end of an era – it was the last America’s Cup contest for 21 years and marked the end of Big Yacht racing. Shamrock V was sold to Mario Crespi, the Italian Senator and publisher, who converted her to a ketch rig and renamed her ‘Quadrifoglio’, with a literal translation giving her authentic name of ‘4 leaves’ in Italian. This was in accordance with an Italian law, which forbade foreign names.


Weetamoe was scrapped in this year, while at the end of the season Ranger was laid up, prior to being scrapped in 1941.

1934 & 1935

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Lebanon man dies in Old Hickory Lake boating accident

WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A 21-year-old man died Sunday after being thrown from a boat on Old Hickory Lake.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) said officers responded to a CPR-in-progress report at around 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 19.

The initial investigation indicated Keaton “KJ” Mills, of Lebanon, was ejected from the vessel he was riding in when the operator crossed a wake. The vessel operator immediately went to his aid, tossing a throw cushion and jumping in to assist him. The operator was able to get Mills to a nearby vessel where CPR was administered.

Wilson County first responders arrived on scene, and Mills was transported to Vanderbilt hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officials said Mills was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident.

According to TWRA, there have been seven boating related fatalities on Tennessee waterways in 2024. This is the second fatality on Old Hickory Lake this year. The incident remains under investigation.

Wilson County Schools Public Information Officer Bart Barker said Mills was a 2020 graduate of Wilson Central High School. He was studying to become a teacher of agriculture, according to Barker.

Mt. Juliet Fishing shared their sorrows on Facebook , saying Mills was an alumnus and boat captain.

“KJ Mills was in a boating accident late yesterday evening on Old Hickory that tragically took him from us,” the group said. “KJ was a member of the Mt. Juliet Fishing team for four years, after graduating he wanted to give back so he was a boat Capt since there. This year was no different than any other, except this year he was getting to Capt his younger brother Owen Mills. KJ will be greatly missed on this team. We ask that you please pray for his family during this difficult time.”

Timothy Mills, KJ’s father, told News 2’s Adam Mintzer this was a rare time when his son took to the water without proper safety equipment.

“All it took was one wake and a small boat and tragedy happened. KJ was too comfortable and didn’t have his life jacket on,” he said. “KJ was too comfortable, and this isn’t shame on KJ, this is shame on everyone. We all do it.”

Even in grief, Timothy took time to brag about his eldest son.

“KJ was a better person than I can ever strive to be,” he said. “I try and be as good and genuine as I can be, and KJ amazed me with his heart and how he just wanted to help.”

Mills was serving as a boat captain – a coach – for his younger brother’s high school fishing team. He also helped Timothy with home repairs after his father suffered a heart attack. KJ was also putting himself through college with money from his own lawn care business, pursuing his goal of one day being able to inspire others to love the outdoors.

⏩  Read today’s top stories on wkrn.com

“KJ just wanted to do good. Not for show, not for the sake of anything beyond helping—that’s what made KJ unique,” Timothy said. “KJ was there for everybody.”

Timothy added that from now on, whenever he is boating, he will be wearing his life jacket – even when going slow, he says if the boat’s motor is on, his life jacket will be on, too.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.

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Legendary 36m J Class sailing yacht Shamrock V relaunched

The 1930s America's Cup challenger Shamrock V – also known as "The Queen of the J Class" – was relaunched today at Saxon Wharf in Southampton, UK (20 May). This follows the most comprehensive restoration and rebuild in her 94-year history. 

The 36.4-metre sailing yacht sustained significant structural damage and was laid up ashore while racing at the America's Cup in 2017. Following a change of owner and a strip down "literally to the last bolt", the sailing yacht has been restored to concours condition after seven years.

The yacht hit the water at Camper & Nicholsons’ Gosport shipyard in 1930 as the first ever J Class, commissioned by Sir Thomas Lipton as his fifth and final challenge for the America's Cup. She remains the only one built in wood and the only one to have never fallen into dereliction since her launch – the other two remaining members of the J Class fleet, the 38.5-metre Velsheda and the 39.6-metre Endeavour , had to be reconstructed entirely.

Shamrock V will now be re-masted and undergo sea trials, commissioning, sail testing and race training. She is scheduled to move to the Mediterranean in July, when she will take part in some "informal events" in preparation for the America's Cup in October.

In modern race configuration, Shamrock carries over 743.2 square metres of sail and suits from North and Doyle. She will have a permanent crew of nine and will race with up to 45 crew dependent on wind and conditions.

Paul Spooner, who led the project team alongside Feargus Bryan, said: "It has been a massive undertaking and a huge privilege to unite extraordinary talents across the classic and superyacht communities. We were very fortunate to have a committed and knowledgeable owner who enabled us to fully and correctly restore this vital part of yachting history and prepare her for her next 100 years."

Chief shipwright, Giles Brotherton added: "It is very rare to be able to work on a revival of this scale and ambition. Some of our artisans were using hand tools that were used on Shamrock’s original build.  It is without doubt the biggest and arguably the most important yacht restoration in the world today."

Last year, BOAT International was invited to Southampton to see the refit in action.

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Crime & Safety

Update: foothill expressway fatal accident, the cupertino woman who died in tuesday's multi-car accident has been identified as rose marie horgan..

L.A. Chung , Patch Staff

Editor's note: On Dec. 9 Rose Marie Horgan, 85, was identified as the woman who died in Tuesday's accident, the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's office said.

The cause of her death was not released so it is still unknown if she experienced a medical event that may have contributed to the accident.

An 85-year-old Cupertino woman died after the car she was driving on Foothill Expressway collided with two separate vehicles, then jumped the center median and crashed into cars waiting at the intersection of Cristo Rey Drive, police said Tuesday.

Find out what's happening in Cupertino with free, real-time updates from Patch.

The multiple-car accident on the Los Altos-Cupertino border near Interstate 280 closed some routes in and around the area and delayed traffic for several hours.

"I was coming home from Trader Joe's going south on Foothill toward Cupertino when this person raced past me so fast—she was doing at least 70 miles-per-hour," said a Cupertino resident who wished to not give her name. "I thought it was a kid out of control, then see the light is red and I knew this person wasn't able to stop."

She watched the car crash into one and swerve off and hit more cars.

"I was helpless, I just had to watch it happen," she said.

It was frightening to this Cupertino eye witness as well as other bystanders.

"It scared me to death," said a senior citizen who did not want to be identified. Speaking in Mandarin, she said she had just pushed the pedestrian button on the traffic signal and was waiting to cross Foothill Boulevard to catch the southbound #51 VTA bus when she saw a car go through the red light and broadside another car, then jump the median and hit the others. The car caught on fire, she said.

The Cupertino witness raced to the car, saw the elderly driver slumped over—leaning toward the passenger seat— and when two other women came to help pull out the driver from the car, the Cupertino witness ran back across the street.

She said she watched as bystanders pulled the woman out of the car and tried CPR, and the Cupertino witness said emergency workers took over to no avail.

The driver of the second car was taken to Stanford Medical Center with serious injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, said Los Altos Police Captain Andy Galea. 

The dead woman, who is not identified pending notification of kin, was driving eastbound on Foothill Expressway when her car first collided with another vehicle between I-280 and Cristo Rey Drive, Galea said.

It was a minor accident, but her car kept going, then ran a red light at Cristo Rey Drive, broadsiding with a convertible that was crossing Foothill Boulevard, Galea said. The woman's car then jumped the median into three other cars waiting at the light on the other side. She died at the scene.

It is unknown why the collisions occured. The cause is under investigation, Galea said, adding that it was possible that some kind of medical event may have precipitated the first crash.

The Cupertino witness said she goes to Trader Joe's almost every day and normally is in the lane—the one on the right—that the elderly driver barreled through. If the witness had been in her usual spot she would have been the first car hit, she said.

For about an hour, there was no southbound access from Highway 280 to Foothill Boulevard, according to Rick Kitson, City of Cupertino spokesman. Police initially closed Foothill Expressway from Homestead Road in Los Altos to Vista Knoll Boulevard in Cupertino from about 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

Residents in the nearby neighborhoods of Creston and Oak Valley were asked to travel alternate routes to avoid the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Cristo Rey Drive. 

Editor's note: A few words are needed to clarify cardinal directions in this article. Foothill Expressway turns into Foothill Boulevard in the area where the final collisions took place. The series of accidents apparently started on the Foothill Expressway part of this thoroughfare, which is an east-west route until is turns south by Interstate 280. At that point, it becomes Foothill Boulevard, a north-south thoroughfare. 

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Florida news | boat behind gables home seized in crash that killed 15-year-old student, fwc says.

Investigators with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Tuesday located a boat in Coral Gables that they say fits the description of the boat that struck and killed a 15-year-old Ransom Everglades student off Key Biscayne’s Nixon Beach last weekend.

The boat was docked on Tuesday behind the home of Carlos and Magaly Alonso, the homeowners at 11025 Tanya St. in the Gables waterfront neighborhood of Hammock Oaks, which abuts Matheson Hammock Park and is just south of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

FWC investigators seized the boat Tuesday afternoon; they have not identified the boat’s driver nor have they said the boat belongs to the Alonsos. Database searches of boating records show at least one child of the Alonsos owns or has owned a boat.

For the full article, please visit miamiherald.com

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Crashes and disasters | san jose: driver killed in wrong-way crash on highway 101, crime and public safety, crashes and disasters, crashes and disasters | cupertino: chp probe fatal hit-and-run traffic collision on interstate 280, accident triggered freeway closure in cupertino.

The fatal vehicle crash was reported at 1:19 a.m. Saturday, according to a CHP incident log.

The victim was a motorcyclist who was reported down on the freeway and then was struck by one or more vehicles that were driving past the scene, the CHP reported.

“A motorcycle was struck by a vehicle and the vehicle fled the scene,” CHP Officer Ross Lee said. “The cyclist fell off the bike.”

The deadly accident occurred on southbound Interstate 280 near the North De Anza Boulevard on-ramp to the freeway.

“This is being treated as a hit-and-run,” Officer Lee said. “Several vehicles hit the motorcyclist after he had been knocked down.”

At 1:28 a.m. Saturday, the CHP began to block lanes on the freeway, the incident log states.

Local fire and County Sheriff’s Office units also were dispatched to the scene to deal with the traffic collision.

“We have not released the identity of the victim,” an official with the Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office said Saturday.

The victim was a male, according to the CHP. An age and city of residence weren’t provided as of Saturday night.

The Coroner’s Office said it didn’t expect to release the identity of the deceased victim until at least Monday.

One person was transported to the Coroner’s Office in the wake of the traffic accident, the office said.

At 1:32 a.m., the CHP issued a Sig Alert in connection with the fatal accident.

All lanes of Interstate 280 were reopened by 4 a.m., Officer Lee said.

“We are asking that anyone who has information about the incident or the initial vehicle that struck the motorcycle rider contact the San Jose office of the CHP,” Lee said.

408-961-0900 is the number that people should contact, the CHP said.

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