In 1897, a schooner christened Rainbow was launched, to a design by G.L. Watson. G.L. Watson considered her one of the greatest cruising-racing yachts ever built. Fast forward to today, and Holland Jachtbouw is bringing a replica of Rainbow to life.
Rainbow, later known as Hamburg, measured 197’10” (60.35 meters), including her bowsprit. She was notable for being the first modern schooner built in Britain. She was perhaps most famous for setting speed records and shocking her competition.
The new schooner will also cruise and race. She is somewhat smaller, 168’5” (51. 36 meters). She also bears design by Dykstra Naval Architects and some modifications to reflect modern conveniences and technology. One of the most notable is the propulsion system. It’s a hybrid drive akin to the one that Holland Jachtbouw developed for the J Class yacht Rainbow. It permits all sailing systems to operate when cruising or racing, of course. It also allows power to be generated and stored for the nighttime systems—to run them silently, and without fuel. The latter are advantages over traditional genset operations. Yet another overall advantage is a smaller physical footprint. This allows more space for interior accommodations. The yacht will feature a beam of 27’3” (8.31 meters).
Speaking of which, the Holland Jachtbouw schooner will house eight guests and seven crewmembers. Since she’ll cruise and race, the interior will be to superyacht standards. The team at deVosdeVries Design is executing a classic look.
The schooner is set for delivery in early 2016. The aluminum hull is already under construction at a subcontractor. It should arrive early next year at Holland Jachtbouw. Imagine the sight of the 170’6” (52-meter) mast with the sails full. The planned upwind sail area is 16,415 square feet (1,525 square meters). It should be put to good use on the maiden cruise to the Baltic, then travels through the Caribbean. Several races and even remote-region cruising are also on the agenda.
Leave a Reply