The revival in fortune of the J Class continues apace with another J Class, the William Starling Burgess designed Rainbow, now in build. Dutch yard Bloemsma Aluminiumbouw’s Makkum has started construction of the 131ft aluminium vintage racer, with design tweaks by Dutch naval architect Dykstra and Partners, and she’s expected to launch in 2010 and join other Js like Velsheda, Endeavour, Rainbow and Shamrock on the racing circuit.

The original Rainbow, owned by Harold Stirling Vanderbilt, was launched on 15 May 1934 by the Herreschoff yard in Bristol, Rhode Island, to defend the America’s Cup against Sir T.O.M. Sopwith’s Endeavour. After a successful campaign she was sold to Chandler Hovey in 1937 and campaigned again to defend the Cup. Unfortunately Rainbow lost out to Vanderbilt’s new J Class Ranger and she was scrapped in 1940.