One Ton Cup Revival 2016 - Update

Just over 50 years, after the first One Ton Cup was sailed at le Havre, France in 1965 and just 20 years after the last One Ton Cup in Marseille 2004, the event is back in Europe. A group of enthusiastic One Ton owners decided to organise the event ONE TON CUP revival 2016 at Breskens, the Netherlands from 25 – 28 of August.

The event will be open for all types of One Tonners and their sisterships, like the Oyster 41, Oyster 37, Standfast 36, X-1Ton, X-402, J-41, Huisman 37, Contessa 35, Sprinter, Optimist A + B, Swan 36, Ranger 37, Tina, Norlin 37, First Class 12, Swan 37, High Tension 36, Baltic 37, Swan 371, etc.

Vincent de Vries' classic Carter-designed One Tonner, Esprit du Morbihan

At this moment over 20 One Tonners are pre-registered, including yachts from France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. There are even rumours that Chris Bouzaid will try to get Rainbow II over to Breskens! Rainbow II was the One Ton Cup winner in 1969 and the winner of the One Ton Revisited regatta in 2015, held in Auckland, New Zealand.

Rainbow II - a first generation One Tonner (27.5ft IOR) and winner of the One Ton Cup in 1969, and the One Ton Revisited regatta 2015

Over the years there have been three One Ton classes: 22 ft RORC; 27.5 ft IOR; and 30.5 ft. IOR. During the years yachts were more and more built dedicated for the One Ton Cup and evolved from cruisers to cruiser/racers to flat-out racers.

French One Tonner, Fiere Lady (30.5ft IOR) - fifth in the 1985 One Ton Cup

The One Ton Cup revival 2016, will be sailed under IRC rules and IRC rating system, in the three above mentioned classes. The yachts will sail in one division, the results will be separated over the classes, per day. The best One Tonner over the event will be honoured with an overall prize. There will be a mix of races: from short windward-leewards to 30 nautical mile round the buoys courses. All races will be on the beautiful Westerschelde estuary.

The ONE TON CUP revival 2016 is a part of the Breskens Sailing Weekend 2016, the Dutch Open IRC Championships. In a few weeks’ time the website www.breskenssailing.org and www.onetoncuprevival.org will be launched to fully inform you and to welcome your registration. In the meantime please contact Vincent de Vries at info@onetoncuprevival.org.

Smiles (J/41 One Tonner)

Smiles was one of about twenty J/41's that were built by J/Boats between 1984 and 1987, and were notable campaigners in the IOR scene in the US over that period. The J/41, designed by Rod Johnstone, was designed to rate as a One Tonner (30.5ft IOR), with a different shape to many of its peers, with a notable rocker, fine ends and low wetted surface, giving it an edge in light airs.

The design first came to prominence in the 1984 SORC, when Dazzler finished third in Class E and third overall, while a fractional-rigged version Alethea finished fourth in class and fifth overall (Alethea and Dazzler were both built by Tillotson and Pearson in a bare nine weeks). The masthead design carried a bit more ballast than the fractional variation, while Alethea carried a larger headsail and smaller mainsail than other fractionally rigged boats of the size.

Smiles has a strong start to windward in Class 5 in one of the races during the 1985 SORC - to the right and to leeward are Brava, Gunslinger (another J/41), Glory and Innisfree (photo Guy Gurney)

The J/41's followed up their 1984 SORC success by taking the first three places in the  USYRU North American One Ton Championships, with Charlie Scott's Smiles winning, followed by Road Warrior, owned and skippered by America's Cup yachtsman John Kolius, with Dazzler taking third. Smiles followed up her One Ton Championship performance by winning the Onion Patch Trophy that year.

Smiles sails upwind during the 1985 SORC (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

The crew coax Smiles along upwind in moderate breeze during the 1985 SORC (photo Histoiredeshalfs)

Smiles went on to win the 1985 SORC overall - a large calm some 60 miles from the finish of the Miami-Nassau race benefited the smaller boats such as the One Tonners and gave Smiles a significant points edge over her larger competition. Indeed, the weather in the 1985 series was lighter than usual and this ideally suited the light air orientation of the J/41 design. 

Smiles (photos above and below) powers along downwind with spinnaker and blooper set (photos by Guy Gurney)

The win by Smiles was an impressive result for a production boat and caused some consternation for the many custom boat owners. Scott had even finished Smiles himself, although he went to some effort to centralise the deck equipment and the internal arrangement amidships to minimise weight in the ends.

Smiles in two-sail power reaching conditions during the 1985 SORC

Smiles (above and below) sails upwind during the 1985 SORC

Smiles rounds a leeward mark just behind the Joubert/Nivelt One Tonner Innisfree (photo Guy Gurney)

The crew of Smiles enjoying some moderate downwind conditions during the 1985 SORC (photo Guy Gurney)

Smiles in the marina, displaying some IOR optimised bow-down trim (photo Histoiredeshalfs)

Article updated June 2026

Dazzler (J/41 One Tonner)

Dazzler was one of about twenty J/41's that were built by J/Boats between 1984 and 1987, and were notable campaigners in the IOR scene in the US over that period. The J/41, designed by Rod Johnstone, was designed to rate as a One Tonner (30.5ft IOR), with a different shape to many of its peers, with a notable rocker, fine ends and low wetted surface, giving it an edge in light airs.

The design first came to prominence in the 1984 SORC, when Dazzler finished third in Class E and third overall, while a fractional-rigged version Alethea finished fourth in class and fifth overall (Alethea and Dazzler were both built by Tillotson and Pearson in a bare nine weeks). The masthead design carried a bit more ballast than the fractional variation, while Alethea carried a larger headsail and smaller mainsail than other fractionally rigged boats of the size.

Dazzler had some interesting duels with Diva during the SORC, which was one of the first of the new breed of fractional lighter displacement yachts designed by Joubert/Nivelt. Dazzler was sailed by Bill Shore and Perry Harris, and breezed home in the heavily weighted Lauderdale race ahead of Diva, Allegiance (an Alan Andrews-designed One Tonner) and Alethea.  

Dazzler during the 1984 SORC (photo Historiedeshalfs)

Dazzler held onto her overall lead for two more races until Diva and Allegiance had a memorable first and second in the Miami-Nassau race, separated by just 3 seconds. 

The J/41 hull profile (above) and deck and internal arrangement plan (below)

The J/41's were also noted for their structural integrity, when five of them survived the rough 1984 Bermuda Race, and both Dazzler and Alethea survived the whole SORC that year without failure. Construction nevertheless pushed the limits of the time, utilising vacuum bagged unidirectional aircraft-grade Baltek Contourkote sandwich and 1/8th inch unidirectional carbon fibre skins for increased rigidity and impact resistance in critical areas.

Dazzler sails upwind in light airs during the 1984 SORC

The J/41's followed up their 1984 SORC success by taking the first three places in the  USYRU North American One Ton Championships, with Charlie Scott's Smiles winning, followed by Road Warrior, owned and skippered by America's Cup yachtsman John Kolius, with Dazzler taking third. Smiles went on to win that years' Onion Patch Trophy, and then went on to win the 1985 SORC (Smiles will feature in a future article).

Leeward mark action aboard Dazzler (photo Robert Hagan/Sea Spray)

The J/41 performance assessment at the time commented that "fractional designs (including J/41s so rigged) have the edge when jib reaching and occasionally downwind under 5 kts TWS (when gybing angles are tighter downwind), but the J/41 is unbeatable upwind over 10 kts AWS or downwind over 12 kts TWS. The exceptions are in conditions over 25 kts AWS upwind where small rig Farr 40s excel or in some marginal surfing/wave conditions when close spinnaker reaching".  

Dazzler during the 1984 SORC (photo Bob Fisher | Facebook)

The J/41's were not widely regarded as the fastest boats on the track, but were marketed at the time as being easier to sail than their fractional competition. Consistency was emphasised, with higher average speeds across the wind range which was considered to compare favourably to the "moments of blinding speed interspersed with unbelievably slows" of their competition. 

Dazzler during the 1984 SORC (photo Larry Moran)

Despite their initial success, the J/41's represented the end of the competitive masthead boats at the One Ton level, and after the 1985 season were considered something of an anachronism in the emerging trend towards fractional rigs in top level racing at the time.

Dazzler winning the 1985 'Super Mac' (photo Larry Moran)

Article updated April 2026

Road Warrior (J/41 One Tonner)

Road Warrior - 1984 Newport-Bermuda Race

Road Warrior is one of about twenty J/41's that were built by J/Boats between 1984 and 1987, and were notable campaigners in the IOR scene in the US over that period. The J/41, designed by Rod Johnstone, was designed to rate as a One Tonner (30.5ft IOR), but first came to prominence in the 1984 SORC, when Dazzler finished third in Class E and third overall, while a fractional-rigged version Alethea finished fourth in class and fifth overall. The masthead design carried a bit more ballast than the fractional variation, while Alethea carried a larger headsail and smaller mainsail than other fractionally rigged boats of the size.


Dazzler had some interesting duels with Diva during the SORC, which was one of the first of the new breed of fractional lighter displacement yachts designed by Joubert/Nivelt. Dazzler was sailed by Bill Shore and Perry Harris, and breezed home in the heavily weighted Lauderdale race ahead of Diva, Allegiance (an Alan Andrews-designed One Tonner) and Alethea. Dazzler held onto her overall lead for two more races until Diva and Allegiance had a memorable first and second in the Miami-Nassau race, separated by just 3 seconds. 

The J/41's followed up their 1984 SORC success by taking the first three places in the  USYRU North American One Ton Championships, with Charlie Scott's Smiles winning, followed by Road Warrior, owned and skippered by America's Cup yachtsman John Kolius, with Dazzler taking third. Smiles went on to win that years' Onion Patch Trophy, while Road Warrior finished third.  

The Main Bear (left) during the 1985 SORC

Smiles went on to win the 1985 SORC overall - a large calm some 60 miles from the finish of the Miami-Nassau race benefited the smaller boats such as the One Tonners and gave Smiles a significant points edge over her larger competition. Indeed, the weather in the 1985 series was lighter than usual and this ideally suited the J/41, with its notable rocker, fine ends and low wetted surface. The win by Smiles was an impressive result for a production boat and caused some consternation for the many custom boat owners. Scott had even finished Smiles himself, although he went to some effort to centralise the deck equipment and the internal arrangement amidships to minimise weight in the ends.

Despite their initial success, the J/41's represented the end of the competitive masthead boats at the One Ton level, and after the 1985 season were considered something of an anachronism in the emerging trend towards fractional rigs in top level racing at the time. They were not widely regarded as the fastest boats on the track, but were marketed at the time as being easier to sail than their fractional competition. Consistency was emphasised, with higher average speeds across the wind range considered to compare favourably to the "moments of blinding speed interspersed with unbelievably slows" of their competition. 

Jack Knife (photo One Ton Class Facebook page)

The fine ends and slightly bow down trim of the J/41 in IOR mode (photo J Boats)

The J/41 performance assessment at the time commented that "fractional designs (including J/41s so rigged) have the edge when jib reaching and occasionally downwind under 5 kts TWS (when gybing angles are tighter downwind), but the J/41 is unbeatable upwind over 10 kts AWS or downwind over 12 kts TWS. The exceptions are in conditions over 25 kts AWS upwind where small rig Farr 40s excel or in some marginal surfing/wave conditions when close spinnaker reaching." 

One of the many J/41's, Merrimac (photo J Boats)

The J/41's were also noted for their structural integrity, when five survived the rough 1984 Bermuda Race, and two survived the SORC that year without failure. Construction nevertheless pushed the limits of the time, utilising vacuum bagged unidirectional  aircraft-grade Baltek Contourkote sandwich and 1/8th inch unidirectional carbon fibre skins for increased rigidity and impact resistance in critical areas. 

Road Warrior missed the 1984 SORC but raced in the 1985 event as The Main Bear, and was later renamed Lorimar. She is now owned by a Dutch yachtsman Jan Kuffel who bought the boat in 2008 in Long Island and she is now called Red Gull after her sponsor. Red Gull regularly lines up in IOR regattas hosted in the Netherlands against other older boats such as 45 South II, Canterbury, Container, Caiman, Jamarella, Lady Be, Morningstar, Marionette, Pinta and the like.

The happy crew of Red Gull, now sailing in Europe (photo Jan Kuffel)