Infinity (Holland 47)

This post features a selection of photographs of the Ron Holland-designed 47-footer Infinity, taken by Phil Uhl and Larry Moran (and some others) during the 1981, 1983 and 1984 SORC. Infinity was commissioned and owned by US yachtsman John B Thomson Jr, and was in some ways a standard design approach for Holland, with a reasonably high freeboard, masthead rig, medium displacement and a flush deck, which was not dissimilar to many of her competitors during that era. She featured a straighter transom than Holland's previous designs which arguably gave the yacht a more elegant appearance than some of his earlier boats that had a pronounced curve in the transom profile. She had a rating of 35.9ft IOR for the 1981 SORC, which increased slightly to 36.2ft for the 1983 series.

Infinity finished 10th in Class B in the 1981 SORC (after placings of 6/7/10/11/14/13). She was fourth in Class B in 1983 (after placings of 6/7/1/5/1/3), behind a trio of Frers 51 yachts Carat, Bla Carat and Zero, and finished 33rd overall. In 1984 she came up against the likes of the Frers 50s Morning Star and Retaliation, and the Peterson design Artemis in Class B, and finished eighth, and was 42nd overall. 

A photo of Infinity in a nice upwind mode during the 1981 SORC (photo Guy Gurney | Facebook)

Infinity competing in the 1981 SORC (photo Phil Uhl)

Another photo from the 1981 SORC, with Infinity to leeward of Canadian yacht Amazing Grace (photo Phil Uhl)

Infinity powers upwind during the 1983 SORC (photo Larry Moran)

Infinity and Ichiban cross tacks during the 1984 SORC (photo Larry Moran)

Infinity at the Truman Annex after the Ft Lauderdale to Key West race in early 1982, with Aries alongside (left), and Locura and Rolling Time (right) (photographer unknown)

Infinity goes into a death roll (photographer unknown)

Infinity in somewhat dilapidated condition as of June 2021, as sighted in Richmond USA (photo Facebook)

Article updated March 2025