‘Shamrock V’ Legendary J Class Relaunched

One of the world’s most iconic racing superyachts returns to the water after historic multi-year restoration.

The 1930 America’s Cup challenger Shamrock V, known as ‘The Queen of the J Class’, was relaunched today at Saxon Wharf, Southampton, UK, after the most comprehensive restoration and rebuild of her storied 94-year history.

Racing at the America’s Cup J Class regatta in Bermuda in 2017, Shamrock V sustained significant structural damage and was laid up ashore. Seven years later, following a change of owner and a complete strip down, literally to the last bolt, the work of some of the industry’s best shipwrights, engineers and project teams has restored Shamrock V to concours condition.

‍Paul Spooner, who led the project team alongside Feargus Bryan, commented: ‘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, a veteran of some of the world’s most storied classic restorations 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.’

Today’s launch will be followed by re-masting, sea trials, commissioning, sail testing and race training, seeing Shamrock V gracing Solent waters until July, when she will move to the Mediterranean to take part in some informal J Class events in preparation for October’s J Class America’s Cup regatta in Barcelona.  

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