On July 19, 2019, we had the opportunity to spend the golden hour on board the J Craft’s Smeralda and Alberto Chimenti Dezani made his analogue magic while we were cruising in front of Saint-Tropez. The 41.43’ Torpedo boat was built in 2010 and refreshed by its owner with a meticulous custom rebuild in 2018. Work was undertaken at J Craft’s Stockholm yard where the boat was originally built.
An extensive work list transformed it, with the yard’s team of craftsmen carefully dismantling and restarting from scratch. Interior and upholstery were completely redone by the original artisan team who undertook its build, with woodwork finishing by one of the most renowned wood-specialist shipyards in Sweden. The final reassembly work took place at J Craft’s one and only appointed service centre in the South of France. Engines and drivetrains were sent back to Volvo Penta for a full restoration.
J Craft is an iconic yachting brand found in 1998 by Björn Jansson and Johan Attvik: the Torpedo design perfectly embodies the brand’s philosophy of ‘grace on the water’, combining exceptional performance with timeless lines, exquisite materials as well as the finest craftsmen work.
Each Torpedo build goes through no less than eighteen coats of lacquer applied to the deck; high quality suppliers include steering wheels by Nardi, suppliers to some of the best classic cars in automotive history.
The Smeralda is a special example of J Craft’s Torpedo. Thanks to its high levels of customization, it offers room enough to sleep four guests plus captain — two guest cabins + one bathroom — while the main deck is well equipped with cooking/food storage equipment, sun pads and entertainment systems. The vessel is incredibly stable and moves effortlessly through the water, powered by 2 x Volvo Penta IPS 500 engines able to make the Smeralda traveling for 350 nautical miles at 43 knots.
