Having launched in 2009 in The Netherlands, the renowned J Class yacht Hanuman is spending the rest of the year under cover. From removing 500 pieces of deck hardware to stripping her back to bare metal, she’s undergoing a super-tight refit schedule at Holterman Shipyard. In fact, the seven-month punch list typically would take a year to complete.

The short turnaround comes from her owner’s mandate that Hanuman race in next year’s St. Barths Bucket. It’s a race she hasn’t competed in for some time, since she’s primarily cruised the last several years. Regardless, her racing prowess is well documented. The 138-footer (42-meter) has taken honors at not only St. Barths, but also the Superyacht Cup Palma. (Her owner, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Jim Clark, is an avid sailor and racer.) It helps that she’s a faithful replica of the well-known J Class yacht Endeavour II from 1937, too.

What’s surprising, though, is the choice of Holterman Shipyard for the extensive refit. “Although the shipyard mainly does new-build motoryachts, it has completed refit works in the past,” explains Tim Wedzinga, its refit manager. “Refit is an area we are really looking to expand.” He notes the low overhead as a significant advantage, too. “We’re pretty low-key here,” Wedzinga saysof the Dutch yard. “We don’t have a management-heavy structure, we don’t need to have 10 meetings a day.” Equally significant, he and other Holterman employees either raced aboard the J Class yacht Hanuman as crew or hand a hand in her engineering and build.

The 138-footer arrived at Holterman the last few days of May, with her rig already removed. Quickly, craftspeople have begun removing the deck gear and stripping her hull back to bare aluminum. Unmounting the rudder is yet another first step. Upcoming projects include a mix of systems’ replacements and interior refurbishments. For instance, new air conditioning, refrigerators, and freezers are going aboard. Upgraded hydraulics are as well. Some of the deck hardware will have new homes, for better handling. Design-wise, new interior soles, newly varnished wood, and new teak decks are all coming. Lastly, the J Class yacht Hanuman will get an entirely new paint job. She’s famous for her black hull and recessed gold cove stripe.

“I think the Hanuman project will surprise a lot of people because it’s not what Holterman is known for,” admits Wedzinga. “But I think it really shows our flexibility.” Ultimately, “We never say no, and we will always find solutions to accommodate a project.”
Holterman Shipyard holtermanshipyard.nl

More About the J Class Yacht Hanuman
LOA: 137’8” (42 meters)
Beam: 22’10” (7 meters)
Draft: 16’4” (5 meters)
Guests: 6 in 3 staterooms
Upwind sail area: 10,027 square feet (952.9 square meters)
Spinnaker sail area: 9,980 square feet (927.2 square meters)
Builder: Royal Huisman
Stylist: Dystra Naval Architects
Naval Architect: Dykstra Naval Architects
Interior Designer: Pieter Beldsnijder
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