The first week of June saw Topaz, the J Class yacht formerly known as J8, slip into the water at Holland Jachtbouw.
Topaz has been one of the most highly anticipated launches set for this year, for a few reasons. She was originally designed in 1935, by the famed Frank C. Paine. Paine was the designer behind Yankee, built in 1930 as the third American J and proven to be swift in a breeze. However, J8 was left on the drawing boards, never built. This wasn’t unusual in the J Class heyday, as designers often created several versions of a design to test and then presented the best to an owner to select for construction. The design was resurrected thanks to the research of Hoek Design, which has been active in the J revival.
Why? As the J Class Association explains, “She is the longest waterline J Class designed, with the highest keel aspect ratio, combined with the lowest wetted surface area. Frank Paine had already calculated in the 1930s that it was better to take a penalty on an increased waterline length in a trade-off against sail area and displacement.” These details surely struck a chord with the person who commissioned J8 to become Topaz.
Topaz measures 139’8” (42.62 meters), nearly 20 feet longer than Yankee, and certainly among the biggest Js ever afloat. The all-aluminum yacht also has a beam of 22’5” (6.85 meters). Holland Jachtbouw is still keeping a number of details confidential. For now, as the photo above shows, Topaz is fitted with two deckhouses. She also features two cockpits.
Holland Jachtbouw is conducting sea trials this month. Topaz is expected to cruise privately and charter—plus, of course, compete in regattas.
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