Hanuman JK6

oil on panel 8x12inches

Private collection

Hanuman

Oil on panel 8.5x15inches 

Hanuman carries the heritage of Endeavour II, the powerful British J Class yacht designed by Charles E. Nicholson for aviation pioneer Thomas Sopwith’s 1937 America’s Cup challenge. Facing Harold Vanderbilt’s formidable defender Ranger at Newport, Endeavour II lost four straight races in the final America’s Cup contested by J Class yachts. (en.wikipedia.org⁠)

More than seventy years later, American yachtsman Jim Clark commissioned a modern recreation of Sopwith’s challenger. Built by Royal Huisman in the Netherlands and launched in 2009, Hanuman brought Endeavour II’s graceful lines back to the water. Dykstra Naval Architects developed the historical design for modern construction and competition, combining its distinctive character with contemporary engineering and sailing systems. (jclassyachts.com⁠, jclassyachts.com⁠)

Approximately 138 feet long and sailing under the number JK6, Hanuman is instantly recognisable by her black hull, gold detailing and sweeping overhangs. Her name honours Hanuman, the Hindu deity associated with strength and devotion and regarded as the son of the wind god. (jclassyachts.com⁠)

Hanuman soon established an impressive racing record. She won the St Barths Bucket in 2013 and 2017, and the Superyacht Cup Palma in 2013 with seven race victories. In 2017, she also finished second at the inaugural J Class World Championship in Newport, returning the spirit of Sopwith’s challenger to the waters of its historic contest. (jclassyachts.com⁠)

A new chapter began in May 2026, when Italian yachtsman Giovanni Lombardi Stronati acquired Hanuman and set plans for her return to European racing. Her story connects the ambition of the original America’s Cup challengers with the continuing revival of the J Class. (jclassyachts.com⁠)