At the Cannes Yachting Festival, I boarded BaBeBi, hull no. 21 of the Torpedo series by J Craft, a stunning 42-foot day cruiser completely handmade in Sweden on the island of Gotland. J Craft shipyard, founded in 1999, is a true excellence in Swedish shipbuilding, and this speedboat, with classic lines reminiscent of the years of the legendary Dolce Vita, is proof of that.
The king of Swedish luxury
Since the launch of its first, luxurious model in 1999, J Craft has continued to build boats on the Swedish island of Gotland, always using expert craftsmanship and the highest quality materials. It is no coincidence that the first ever hull, a 38-foot Polaris Series Cabrio Cruiser, was purchased by Charles XVI Gustaf ruler of Sweden.
All boats are built entirely by hand, the expert craftsmen of the J Craft team devoting more than 9,000 hours to making each model. Although the spirit and lines of each hull are the same, no two boats are the same; they are true works of art that are fully customizable by each owner.
J Craft BaBeBi
Hull no. 21, BaBeBi, was delivered to Beaulieu Harbor at the end of June and is J Craft’s first Torpedo to feature a metallic-colored hull. BaBeBi is an “RS” Torpedo equipped with two Volvo Penta IPS 650 engines that make it capable of reaching a maximum speed of 47 knots.
The hull shape, custom build for IPS engines and refined over twenty units, provides excellent stability and performance in all sea conditions, as well as an impressive 400 nautical mile range. The convertible open cockpit has two sundecks, accommodating up to 10 adults in comfort for day cruises.
The interior is two-tone with yellow and off-white brass, as well as beautiful diamond stitching. The cabin can accommodate up to 4 guests in a space where there is no shortage of luxury and elegance. The new Torpedo is equipped with additional lithium batteries that allow a full day on the water, with engines off, with music, charging, refrigerators, air conditioning and Seakeeper on, without the need to use the generator, making the boat especially quiet and pleasant, without losing any comfort.
The price is from 1.4 million euros, excluding VAT. The model we rode in, full optional, cost over 2 million.
James Barbaro
