Cheveyo J-Class racing yacht

Cheveyo will be steeped in rich history, built to the Ranger 77B design, by Spirit Yachts, Ltd in collaboration with Sparkman & Stephens Inc. This new J-Class racing yacht, is one of the original series of six designs submitted by Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens to Harold Vanderbilt for the 1937 America’s Cup defense.

In 1936, each of the six Ranger designs was extensively tank tested by Burgess and Stephens to select the optimum hull-form to defend the America’s Cup against the challenger Endeavour II, designed by Charles Nicholson.

This iconic new ‘J’ named ‘Cheveyo’ (pronounced shu-Vay-o), a native American word meaning “spirit warrior.” Registered in the United States, the yacht will carry sail number J1.

The yacht has been commissioned by a U.S. syndicate of investors and sailing enthusiasts. A driving force behind the project is the desire to experience the thrill and elegance of yesteryear’s yacht racing on a modern vessel steeped in the essence of tradition.

Bruce Johnson, President and Chief Designer of Sparkman & Stephens, observes:
“By utilizing the wood composite construction technique that Spirit Yachts has perfected over the years, CHEVEYO will break from the current norm of modern J’s aluminum construction and return to a more historically accurate construction method, albeit with the use of modern epoxies and laminating techniques to maintain a light-weight structure. As a further nod to historical accuracy, she will float on her lines as designed in 1936, not requiring the J-Class Association’s additional freeboard allowance, thus resulting in less wetted surface area.”

Principal Dimensions:
LOA 139′-0″
LWL 86′-11″
Beam 21′-0″
Draft 15′-0″
Displacement 392,423 lbs
Sail Area 8,290 sq ft