The test of the J-Craft BaBeBi, the 12-meter, 2.3-million-euro

J Craft, the Swedish luxury shipyard, celebrates its 25th anniversary by making a stop in Venice. I climbed aboard BaBeBi, hull No. 21 of the Torpedo RS, on display at the Homo Faber exhibition on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, a showcase of the best international craftsmanship, for a sea trial. Here’s how it went.

The Craft Touch of J Craft BaBeBi

Welcoming me to the island are Radenko Milakovic, Johan Hallen, and Zoltan Antunovic, the shipyard owner, technical director, and his right-hand man, respectively.
Radenko briefly tells me the reason why J Craft is in Venice: they have partnered with Via Arno, a new company that connects art masters with those who want access to the best craftsmanship from around the world. J Craft, in fact, is really about craftsmanship. Just think that each Torpedo requires about 9,000 hours of labor.
These boats are a rare and exclusive piece, with custom-made elements that reflect the rigorous demands of each individual owner. Since the launch of its first, luxurious model in 1999, J Craft has continued to build boats on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the middle of the sometimes turbulent waters of the Baltic Sea.
This is where the first Cabrio Cruiser was born, a predecessor model to the Torpedo, “Polaris,” the 38-footer owned by Charles XVI Gustaf, the current King of Sweden.

A unique color palette

I follow Johan and Zoltan, two Viking-looking watermen, who accompany me to the boat.
I confess that I was already familiar with BaBeBi; I had also boarded it at the Cannes Yachting Festival last September, but seeing her in person always has a certain effect.
The hull, says Johan, is the first to be painted with a metallic paint, developed in collaboration with a major automotive brand.
So exclusive that today the formula for this color is a patent of its owner. The BaBeBi’s cockpit features a special set of colors and diamond-stitched upholstery, with a mahogany interior and teak wood flooring.

The rich color palette continues inside the polished mahogany-lined forward cabin, fully outfitted with luxurious Hermes fabrics and custom Rosenthal china, Iittala glassware, and silverware created by Prince Charles Philip Bernadotte of Sweden, son of J Craft’s first customer, King Charles XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

The motorization of J Craft BaBeBi

Thanks to the two Volvo Penta IPS 650 engines, unmooring is a breeze, even without the bow thruster.
BaBeBi unmoors sideways from the dock using the joystick, thanks to the two pods and twin counter-rotating bow-thrusters that, rotating only 30 degrees, allow her to move in any direction.
Volvo collaborated extensively with J Craft to optimize not only engine operation but also waterline efficiency.
While not a racer, BaBeBi easily reaches a top speed of 47 knots. At cruising speeds of 30 knots, fuel consumption is around 80 liters per hour.

On-board comfort and the highest quality materials

The quality of materials and attention to detail is truly unique.
In addition to an endless variety of cushions on board, in all shapes, J Craft also customized the instrument dials, replacing the Volvo Penta logo with its own.
If I were to think of a comparison to the automotive world, J Craft could be called the Rolls-Royce of the sea.

And it is at sea that one appreciates the comfort and quality of this hull.
Leaving the lagoon, with no more speed limits, Zoltan sinks on the throttle.
BaBeBi glides out of the water and cuts through the waves with ease. The boat is stable and extremely comfortable, in a moment we are over 40 knots of speed but you don’t even notice it.
At this point the skipper begins a violent yaw to the right and then to the left. It is impressive how the shapes of the hull perfectly counterbalance the centrifugal force of the turn, making the boat make a perfect circle even at high speed. BaBeBi is designed for daily outing.
With comfort in mind, it is equipped with lithium batteries that provide ample autonomy even with the engines off with refrigerators, air conditioning, sound system and Seakeeper 3, without the need to turn on the generator.
The tank range is 280 nautical miles and can eventually accommodate up to four people for a weekend of relaxation.

How much does this little gem cost

For this boat, for all the reasons described above, despite its “small” size, we start at 1.5 million.
For the tested model, costs are even higher with an estimate of about 2.3 million.

Boat data sheet

James Barbaro