These pictures show the aluminium hull of the latest J Class sloop Rainbow arriving at Holland Jachtbouw (HJB) in Zaandam near Amsterdam for fit out. The hull and deck of the 40m yacht were built by aluminium fabrication specialist Freddie Bloemsma before being transported by barge to Zaandam.

Rainbow will be completed by early 2012, trialled off Ijmuiden and then delivered to the UK where she will take part in the J Class regattas in Falmouth and Cowes during celebrations for the London 2012 Olympics. The yacht will be available for day charters during the sailing Olympic regatta in Weymouth.

Part of her crew will be formed by the highly-skilled team who sailed the schooner Windrose of Amsterdam to such great effect during her early career. Because of the advances in technology and understanding of the J Class type, there is no doubt Rainbow will be worked up to a competitive level far faster than it took some of the previous new Js like Ranger and Velsheda.

The original Rainbow was launched in May 1934 to a Starling Burgess design and was selected to defend the America’s Cup against Endeavour later that year. She lost the first two races and it looked as though Sopwith was going to lift the Cup but Rainbow rallied to take the next four races for a successful defence.

The yacht was sold to Chandler Hovey and may have defended against Endeavour 11 in 1936 had it not been for the emergence of Ranger. Rainbow was sold for scrap in 1940.

The new yacht has been designed by Dykstra & Partners Naval Architects, based on Burgess’s original, who have developed the concept for modern use and to suit the current J Class Rule.