Elite Traveler Spring 2024

elite traveler SPRING 2024 95

THE STYLISH CHASE BOAT J CRAFT TORPEDO, J CRAFT

Designed in a similar style to Riva’s Aquarama, J Craft’s Torpedo is a stylish chase boat, handcrafted for the most sophisticated of superyacht owners. But the looks are really where the similarities end. With as much emphasis on performance as there is on vintage aesthetics, beneath the highly varnished, mahogany exterior is a modern fi berglass- and resin-infused planing hull, designed speci fi cally to house a pair of powerful and hi-tech Volvo Penta engines. The latter allows the Torpedo R (with a maximum speed of 42 knots) and the speedy Torpedo RS (with a maximum speed of up to 47 knots) to handle a wide range of o ff shore conditions — which is especially reassuring, considering the fi rst test drive is in the rough waters of the Baltic Sea. Additionally, thanks to modern engineering at its fi nest, the Torpedo also provides the mother ship with a smooth and comfortable support vessel — and when fi rst impressions count, how better to escort guests to the yacht for the fi rst time? This is where the J Craft Torpedo excels. Its long, lean lines are fi nished in an abundance of lacquered wood, while the upholstery, handmade cabinetry and luxurious fi nishes are a tactile style triumph. What’s more, the J Craft Torpedo has been designed to double as a self-su ffi cient mini-yacht, with accommodation space for up to four guests and a captain to stay on board — a dream for those who long to experience adventure on the high seas. One day you could be chasing your own yacht along the coastline of the French Riviera, while the next you could be heading o ff for a long-weekend jaunt to Sardinia. “From St Tropez to Mallorca, Sardinia to Ibiza, J Craft provides all-around customer service, including transportation and crew provision,” says Johan Halen, J Craft’s chief technology o ffi cer,who is also head of production and sales. “If a client wants to use his J Craft on the Venice canals, for example, or Lake Como, it can all be arranged and supported by the shipyard.” It seems that a bespoke and personal service really runs throughout the J Craft DNA. For example, it takes more than 8,000 man-hours to build a single tender; it’s an unhurried and exacting artisanal method by talented J Craft craftsmen that guarantees the kind of exclusivity and quality demanded by superyacht owners. Since the Torpedo’s debut in 2009, J Craft has delivered 19 Torpedo Rs and three Torpedo RSes — so that is more than 176,000 man-hours in total just for these models. And if you want one, you’ll have to get on the waiting list. But it will be well worth the wait. j-craftboats.com

Fromtop It takes more than 8,000 man-hours to build a single tender; J Craft Torpedo