Created in 1996, the Superyacht Cup brings together boats built for long-distance cruising around the world. “Nevertheless, the boat owners take this race very seriously. They love the competition”, continues Branagh,  Besides the J-Class, the Superyacht Cup also welcomed Maximus, a 59-metre ketch, for the first time last June, which finished first in the Class A category, and Calabash, a sailboat designed by Mallorcan naval architect Javier Jaudenes. This year, twelve boats, including three J-Class yachts, raced in the bay, offering a unique spectacle. You have to see these magnificent sailboats with their 60-metre masts, whose black carbon sails stand out against the blue of the Mediterranean, tacking in the Bay of Palma, surrounded by a crowd of other disparate boats that came to admire them up close. “To differentiate them, we try to make the races more technical and challenging. Otherwise, the fastest boat wins, and that's not fun”, emphasises Branagh. 

These Formula 1 boats of the sea, raced by the best sailors in the world, concentrate the best of research and design. Their budgets are extraordinary. Count on €200,000 for a black carbon sail with a lifespan of three years. Already in his time, American magnate JP Morgan, who also owned the Titanic, said about these exceptional yachts, “If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it!”

“Many owners of J-Class yachts, who are often around 60 or 70 years old”, explains Branagh, “grew up in families passionate about sailing and historic boats. The younger generation of wealthy individuals doesn't necessarily have the same culture. Their passion expresses itself differently. They seek to create green boats: zero emissions, no diesel engines, battery-powered, and using eco-friendly materials. Instead of keeping it a secret, which is usually the case, these owners share the technologies that will later be found in mainstream boats. This mindset, aligned with reducing the environmental impact of boats and their maintenance."

‍