The 42 metre J Class sailing yacht Hanuman has emerged from the sheds at Royal Huisman after a five-month refit period at her home shipyard.
Delivered in 2009, Hanuman is a regular on the regatta circuit and is one of the most successful winning J Class yachts on the water today. The sloop arrived in Holland in April to take advantage of Royal Huisman’s Huisfit program at the shipyard’s headquarters in Vollenhove.
Based on the original designs of the first J Class sailing yacht Endeavour II, she's a born race winner. In 2017 she received a complete overhaul of all her racing and sailing systems in advance of the World Championships. This included a new carbon rig and boom - 500 kilograms lighter than her previous rig - as well as a high-speed Reckmann furling headstay and full hull repaint. This time her refit included a complete systems overhaul, new paintwork and PLC update.
Owner Jim Clark is well-known to Huisman and entrusted the shipyard to build the 47 metre Hyperion back in 1998, followed by 79 metre Athena in 2004 and then Hanuman in 2009. "As a nearly 12-year-old boat, it needed to be brought up to modern standards. Although both Wolter and Pieter are now deceased, I’ve known almost all of the yard employees in Vollenhove from over 25 years of visits, and I would not consider a refit anywhere else," he said.
"Although I built Hanuman to participate in racing with other J-Boat owners, I am tired of racing politics, and I now just enjoy day-sailing out of Newport with my wife, Kristy, and daughters Dylan and Harper."
The project was overseen by captain Josh Luckhurst. He said: “The cooperation between the Royal Huisman team and the Hanuman crew has been the highlight of this five-month period. Together we have achieved an incredible amount, especially given covid restrictions."
Hanuman scooped the Neptune for Sailing Yacht of the Year at the World Superyacht Awards in 2009.