Rainbow is a modern J Class, a 39.95 metre sloop drawn on the 1934 lines of Starling Burgess and rebuilt for a new era of sailing. Launched by Holland Jachtbouw in 2012 to a Dykstra naval architecture brief, she captures the drama of the original America’s Cup J boats while carrying the systems, comfort and safety of a contemporary superyacht. For a charter guest, that means the rare chance to sail a piece of yachting history that still performs like a serious racing yacht.
Her defining innovation sits out of sight. Rainbow was the first J Class to sail with hybrid diesel electric propulsion, a WhisperPower system with lithium ion batteries that charge under sail and then drive the yacht in near silence. Guests can spend hours moving quietly through an anchorage or slipping along the coast with no engine noise at all, a very modern kind of luxury on a yacht that looks a century old.
On deck, Rainbow is all long teak and low freeboard. The guest cockpit is the social centre, set for breakfast in the morning sun and unhurried lunches as the coast slides past, while the clean side decks give room to watch the crew work an impressive rig. Under sail she is a thoroughbred, heeling into the breeze and lengthening her stride, yet she is just as happy at anchor with the tender running guests ashore for lunch on the beach or an evening in port. A dedicated crew of seven works the rig so guests can simply enjoy the ride.
Below, the mood shifts to warm Art Deco. Rich timber, brass detailing and soft light give the salon and dining saloon the feel of a 1930s ocean liner, restrained rather than showy, and comfortable for long evenings aboard. The interior earned Rainbow a run of awards on launch, including Best Sailing Yacht over 40 metres at the 2013 World Superyacht Awards and a naval architecture prize the same year.
Accommodation is arranged for eight guests in three cabins, looked after by a crew of seven. The owner’s cabin takes the quietest position, with a double bed, its own seating and an ensuite. Two further guest cabins carry twin berths with a Pullman apiece, so the layout flexes easily between couples, friends and families. It is intimate by superyacht standards, in keeping with a yacht built first and foremost to sail. A full inventory of water toys and warm, attentive service round out a week that is as relaxed at anchor as it is exciting on passage.
Rainbow charters the western Mediterranean, from the coves of Corsica and the Costa Smeralda to the anchorages of the South of France, and she is at her best when the wind fills in and the sails go up. She is a yacht for guests who want more than a floating hotel: a genuine sailing experience, a link to the golden age of the J Class and a level of finish that stands comparison with any modern yacht.
Few charter yachts offer this combination of heritage, performance and quiet innovation. Rainbow does, and she does it with the poise of a design that has been admired for the better part of a century.
