Sitka spruce and a bowman for 8-Metre yacht Hollandia

A modern Int. 8-Metre yacht, designed by Doug Peterson who had a simple design brief, design the fastest 8-Metre ever, able to win the Coppa d’Italia and the World Championships in a small but hyper competitive fleet. Doug took on the project during his time as lead designer of the Luna Rossa America’s Cup Challenge. He was joined by team mate Ian Howlett who took on the design of the wing keel and foils. Doug Peterson recommended her to be strip built, a core of clear Sitka spruce encapsuled and reinforced with GRP. Both her hull and deck were built this way, the highest stiffness to weight ratio possible under the rigorous Lloyds scantling rules.

Hollandia turned out as a winner, 7x World Champion, European Champion, winner of both the Coppa d’Italia and the Canada’s Cup. The only yacht in the 115 year history of the class to win all. Touchwood supplied all selected Sitka spruce for the cores and with John Lammerts van Bueren at the sharp end of Hollandia, Touchwood supplied the bowman too! Happy days!