Juno IV (Castro 44)

Juno IV prior to the 1989 Admiral's Cup (photo Seahorse)

Juno IV is a 44-footer designed by Tony Castro for Mike Peacock to seek selection for the British team in the 1989 Admiral’s Cup. It was one of the earliest all-carbon race yachts, with the structural design developed by the Castro design team, and was built by Killian Bushe in England.

Juno IV sails upwind in light airs (Riggarna Rigging advertisement)

Peacock had commissioned the earlier One-Tonner Juno for the 1987 Admiral’s Cup, and as part of the second-placed British team and had finished 9th in the individual standings. He was drawn to a mid-size yacht for 1989 because it was a vacant slot for the British team, with Alan Gray’s 50-footer Jamarella looking likely to gain the big-boat position, and because Graham Walker already had a well-advanced plan to try to win the 1989 One Ton Cup, and the One Ton position on the team, with his new Indulgence. Changes to the Time Modification Factor (TMF) for 1989 would benefit bigger boats, but they would still need to perform well.

Juno IV - note curved genoa tracks (photo Facebook)

After a late launch, early racing indicated that Juno IV was too stiff, although this yielded good results in a breeze. This lead to a series of keel changes, reducing the boat’s stability and rating, but also affecting her speed. In the pre-Admiral’s Cup analysis, Seahorse magazine noted that Juno IV had trialed different sails from three lofts but was still performing below expectations.

A view of Juno IV's underwater shape, at Lymington Marina (photo Shockwave40 blog)

The selection of the British team proved to be controversial. The team selectors, headed by Harold Cudmore, decided to send boats to Kiel Week, the last part of the German and Dutch trials, to measure them against the opposition. Jamarella generally proved her case, but Hitchhiker II, the ex-Jamarella (One Ton) was making a claim for either of Juno IV or Indulgence’s berth. Despite a poor result in Kiel Week, where Juno IV finished last of the serious contenders for a team place and appeared off the pace against the German 34-raters, the selectors decided there was sufficient time to re-adjust all of Juno IV’s parameters to give her more speed. Indulgence was selected because of her results in Naples, but as only a single One Tonner was sought, the nod went against Hitchhiker II in preference to Juno IV.

Juno IV in light air downwind conditions 

Said Cudmore at the time, “the third boat was a difficult choice and the selectors were in a quandary, as the bigger boats were proving to be more success with the new TMFs. Within the mid-size category, Juno’s performance had been disappointing. Hitchhiker was a proven boat with a proven owner…Juno was in extreme rating mode, more similar to the Kiwi boats, which was wrong for Kiel and wrong for the Admiral’s Cup. Whether in correct rating mode she would be more competitive was unknown. Size was the deciding factor, and Juno was selected”.

Juno IV (photo Peter Ludlow)

With only a month left to tune the British boats, Castro planned a longer, lower boom for Juno IV to increase her sail area by 5 percent, which was combined with the removal of 200kg of internal ballast (to reduce stability and the CGF measurement of the IOR) and further bow-down trim to offset the consequent rating increase of sail area changes. This lead to a final rating of 35.17ft for the Admiral's Cup, while the team also settled on a North Sails wardrobe, with the boat skippered by Mike McIntyre, a 1988 Star class gold medallist.

Juno IV (photo Facebook)

Observers remained sceptical that Juno IV was the best choice and Seahorse opined before the series that “something special needs to happen if Juno is to find the speed of the German team, and unless she does, this boat will be the weak link in the British team”.

Juno IV seen here leaving Lymington Marina (photo Shockwave40 blog)

The results of the initial stages of the 1989 Admiral's Cup suggested these concerns were well placed, with Jamarella’s first and Indulgence’s third in the first race being let down somewhat by Juno IV’s lowly 26th, after she was boxed in at the start and was never able to properly recover.

Juno IV

Juno IV was 24th in the Channel Race, although fortunately this was enough when combined with Jamarella’s third and Indulgence’s seventh, for the British team to move into the series lead.

Juno IV in the midst of (possibly) Admiral's Cup trials action, with Jamarella (K-180) visible to windward (photo Bateaux magazine, Histoiredeshalfs website)

Juno IV during the 1989 Admiral's Cup (photo Auckland Maritime Museum)

The team then put in a dominant display in the third race, the second inshore, with Juno IV improving strongly to finish 11th. This was a good result considering the time lost on the last run, where she had tried to shake off Librah with a gybe set but managed to tangle the boom in a running backstay. The resulting broach led to a torn spinnaker which had to be replaced.

Juno IV sails downwind during the 1989 Admiral's Cup (although is sailing with an inshore mainsail without reefing patches) (photo Facebook)

The third inshore was less impressive, with Juno IV finishing 21st, although this was better than Indulgence’s uncharacteristic 27th. Jamarella’s third, however, kept the team in first position in the overall standings.

Juno IV powers along upwind (photo Bateaux magazine, Histoiredeshalfs website)

Juno IV went on to finish 11th in the fourth inshore and 12th in the Fastnet Race, to finish the series in 13th place overall, and this was enough to help Britain to overall Admiral's Cup victory after their second place in 1987 (Jamarella was the top individual yacht and Indulgence was 11th). 

Juno IV went on to race in the 1989 Southern Cross Cup as part of the British team, with owner Peacock leading the UK challenge for the Cup which they won. She then competed in the 1990 Sardinia Cup, finishing second (either individually or as part of the British team) and was winner of the 1990 Setimana Del Boque, also in Sardinia.

Juno IV arriving at Lymington Marina (photo Shockwave40 blog)

Juno IV as Australian entry in the 1991 Admiral's Cup Bimblegumbie (and photo below)

In 1991 Juno IV filled the Two-Tonner slot in the Australian team for that year's Admiral's Cup as Bimblegumbie, but finished seventh of the eight Two Tonners, although she collected more points than her team-mates Cyclone, the team's 50-footer, and Shardana II, the One Tonner. The Australian team finished last overall.

Juno IV was converted in the early 1990’s in private ownership to a cruiser/racer specification with easier deck gear to allow her to be easily sailed two-handed. In 2013 she was sold to another private owner who put her back into the racing circuit after 14 years and entered in the Round the Island 2014. Despite the lack of wind around the Needles, she was able to keep moving and won two trophies, the Field Barnacle (line honours) and the Renaissance Trophy.

Juno IV in more recent times (photo Challenge Yachting)

Juno IV was then re-established as a true racer. Further investment and improvements followed and she was entered in the Round the Island Race in 2015. Conditions were perfect for this classic racer and again the Juno IV team won the Field Barnacle trophy. The original aluminium mast was replaced with a carbon-fibre version in 2019, but it is understood that the boat is now being used purely as a cruising yacht and is based in Scotland.

Article updated May 2023

CGI (Andrieu One Tonner)

This article features two French One Tonners from the 1987 and 1989 period, designed by Daniel Andrieu and sponsored by French company CGI (Credit General Industriel). Both were built by Jeanneau Advanced Techniques. 

The first CGI (F-9213) was a development of Cifraline, featuring the signature trademark of the Andrieu IOR yachts of the period, with characteristic oval cabin windows and a gently curved sheerline that merged to an elegantly rounded transom. 

While showing promise in the early stages of the 1987 season, in light airs, she missed selection for the French Admiral's Cup team for 1987 (finishing fifth in the French trials, of 11 yachts) and was chartered by the Belgian team for the 1987 Admiral's Cup. CGI 87 finished as the best placed of that team, at 30th overall (26/24/36/32/21), but the rest of the team (Val Maubuee and Port du Crouesty) were lacklustre, and the team was well off the pace, finishing last.

The second CGI (F-8907) was less recognisable as an Andrieu yacht, with a straighter transom design that responded to the IOR rule changes to the measurement of the after girth station for the 1989 season, and with a windowless cabin top. 

CGI 89 started with a fourth in Spi Ouest France, but was a lowly 20th in the 1989 One Ton Cup held in Naples. She was selected for the French Admiral's Cup team for the 1989 Admiral's Cup, and contributed to the team's fourth place of the team (alongside Corum 89 and Xeryus de Givenchy), finishing 17th yacht overall (23/7/42/26/25/11). Her result was bolstered by strong showings in the offshore events (the Channel Race and Fastnet Race), but with average placings inshore, and a disastrous last place in the second inshore race (following a penalty). 

CGI approaching Lymington Marina during the 1989 Admiral's Cup (photo Shockwave40 blog)

CGI 89 became Argonaut and competed in the 1990 One Ton Cup in Marstrand, Sweden. 

CGI 89 now known as CGI Antheor, as seen recently (Facebook)

One Ton Cup 1990

Marstrand (Sweden) provided excellent sailing conditions for 27 One Tonners, including four new yachts, from ten different countries that competed in the 1990 One Ton Cup, with winds generally fair and up to 30 knots during the short offshore race. 

Okyalos VI - One Ton Cup winner for 1990, in reaching conditions in which she demonstrated a slight edge over her competition

The new boats included Italy's Pasquale Landolfi's new Farr designed Brava, which looked as impeccable as his previous boat (the 1989 One Ton Cup winner that had been bought by Russian yachtsmen and re-named Maestro). Peter de Ridder's latest Mean Machine VII, an impressive looking Judel/Vrolijk design, was part of the line up, along with sistership Amsterdamed. Last but not least of the new boats was the Jeppesen-designed Okyalos VI, built by X-Yachts. 

Russia's Maestro, the ex-Brava - won the first race but then slipped off the pace to finish ninth overall

The first race saw the new Mean Machine with a three-minute lead at the first weather mark, but such were the vagaries of the breeze on the first reach she was almost in last place at the second mark. Other than that first reach the breeze was steady and Mean Machine was able to claw back to seventh place. Maestro won the race in impressive style. However, both offshore races showed the talent of the Okyalos crew, who had won the previous two editions of the Three-Quarter Ton Cup. This, along with their good all-round speed, especially reaching, earned them a win in the long offshore race and third place in the short one, both of which carried a higher points loading than the three inshore courses.

Germany's Saudade soon after rounding a leeward mark chases the pack

Mean Machine was second best offshore, with a third place in the long race and a first in the short one.  Many campaigns were lost in the short offshore race - six yachts lost their rigs: Saudade's just went, Brava lost hers downwind when the runner tail broke, and ABAP/4 lost hers for no obvious reason at all, although her experimental carbon rigging had caused problems before. Fram XI damaged her mast but finished in sixth place under an unusual arrangement of trysail and spinnaker. Okyalos broke a checkstay but the crew managed to keep the rig intact. 

The near-winner of the One Ton Cup, Amsterdamed, approaches a windward mark and prepares for a spinnaker hoist

As a result of the short offshore, only 22 boats were able to make the startline for the fifth and final race, which saw Okyalos and Amsterdamed vying for the Cup, with Amsterdamed needing to finish five places ahead of Okyalos to win. Mean Machine was out of the running due to a DSQ for a premature start in the third race, but won the finale by almost a minute.  Although Amsterdamed started poorly, she came through the fleet and closed in on Okyalos. On the third beat, Okyalos's checkstay broke again. Somehow the rig stayed in the boat, and the crew tacked to effect repairs in time to tack back on the layline to the windward mark. She rounded just ahead of Amsterdamed, but there were enough boats close enough that Amsterdamed sould still take victory. 

Saudade broaches during a pre-Cup training sail

On the downwind leg, the repair team on Okyalos went up the mast once more and Amsterdamed was close enough to attack, but were too close to avoid a luff from Okyalos and their boom touched Okyalos's runner. They immediately hoisted the 'I' flag and accepted a 20% penalty. It was a big mistake as Amsterdamed was able to power up the next beat to put enough boats between them and Okyalos, if not for the 20% penalty. Okyalos were able to nurse their rig to finish in tenth place and claim the One Ton Cup. Amsterdamed took second, while Mean Machine's win in the race gave them third overall. Zurich finished fourth, and Fram XI fifth.

Japan's Ninja rounds a leeward mark behind Saudade

The top boats were all considered close in speed - Jeppesen designs took first and fourth, while Judel/Vrolijk had second and third, and their boats looked good all round with a bit extra upwind. Farr designs took fifth and sixth, and would probably have looked better if Brava had not lost her rig, as she was felt to be close to Mean Machine and Amsterdamed.  The first four boats all sported Diamond sail inventories.

Danish yacht Zurich, finished fourth overall

Okyalos was bought by French interests and became Corum Diamante, forming part of the 1991 French Admiral's Cup team. She returned to Greece after the 1993 Admiral's Cup and has since been repainted in her original scheme and was recently offered for sale by her present German owners.

Corum Diamante (ex-Okyalos VI) during the 1991 Admiral's Cup

Okyalos VI seen more recently, and still looks in race-winning condition

Jockey Club (Billoch One Tonner)

Jockey Club (A 3232) was an interesting, if unsuccessful, One Tonner from the design board of Martin Billoch for the Argentinian entrepreneur Alberto Urani, and built by Ast.Sarmiento in Buenos Aires. She was designed and built in 1989 for the One Ton Cup and to compete in the Argentinian team for the Admiral's Cup in the same year. Her name came from her sponsor, a local brand of cigarettes.

Jockey Club sails upwind in the Solent during prior to the 1989 Admiral's Cup (Shockwave40 blog)

Jockey Club sails downwind in fresh conditions (location unknown, photo Facebook)

While Jockey Club carried a conventional rig in terms of spar manufacture (Sparcraft) and sails (Norths), the yacht had a number of obvious differences from the typical One Tonners of the period, with her rig set reasonably far aft, with the forestay well inset from the stem and the boom overhanging the deck/transom line. This meant that the cabin top mostly sat for'ard of the mast, and appeared to require an aftward extension to the cabin top to provide space for the companionway area. It also seems from the photo below that the vang strut was attached to the mast below the cabin profile. One can assume that the internal accommodation was somewhat compromised as a result of this arrangement.

Jockey Club in early trials (photo Seahorse)

Jockey Club heads out of Lymington Marina on her way to a race during the 1989 Admiral's Cup - note the aftwards placement of her rig, and stepped cabin-top profile (Shockwave40 blog)

Jockey Club sails downwind with one of her team-mates Tango Too

The hull featured an attractive sheer, not dissimilar to earlier European One Tonners, but did not take advantage of IOR rule changes that had been invoked for the 1989 season that allowed a more upright transom arrangement that did not affect the measurement of the after girth stations. Jockey Club displayed the typical IOR hard point in the topside area of the maximum beam measurement, and this was married to an apparent concavity in the stern area with possibly less of a bustle around the skeg.

Jockey Club sailing upwind in the Solent off Hurst Castle (Shockwave40 blog)

These design characteristics did not point to a new trend for One Tonners, as Jockey Club, while expected to perform in medium-to-heavy winds, put in only a very modest performance in the 1989 One Ton Cup in Naples, finishing 22nd of 28 boats, with placings of 25/24/27 in the first three races, before showing some improvement to finish with a 13th and 12th in the final two races.

Jockey Club sails her way back to Lymington Marina (note the aft rake in her rig) (Shockwave40 blog)

Three months later Jockey Club joined team-mates Daphne and Tango Too in the 1989 Admiral's Cup, racing with a slightly increased rating of 30.66ft. Unfortunately Jockey Club was again an also-ran, finishing 37th of 42 boats in the series (with placings of 33/38/27/18/36/38), and 17th (of 22) One Tonner. Her team-mates were equally unspectacular and the Argentine team finished in last place.

Jockey Club racing in 1990 with a redesigned stern in response to changes to the IOR (photo Facebook)

Above and below - Jockey Club during Cowes Week 1990 (photos Rob Hartnett | Facebook)

A photo of the stern of Jockey Club in her current location (2024) at Puerto de la Plata, taken by her designer Martin Billoch (Facebook)

Article updated June 2024