Royal Huisman’s 42.10m (138′) sailing yacht HANUMAN was originally built in 2009 as a J Class racing yacht and has now arrived at Holterman Shipyards in the Netherlands for a refit. Based on a 1937 design by Charles Nicholson, she has been a staple of the J Class racing scene where she scored victories in events such as the St Barts Bucket and the Superyacht Cup Palma.

Sailing yacht HANUMAN arrives for refit at Holterman Shipyard

Luxury yacht HANUMAN arrived in the Netherlands at the end of April, and after the rig was stepped and the yacht was carefully loaded onto a transport barge, she arrived at Holterman’s Meppel yard at the end of May for the full programme of works to begin in earnest.

“The idea of the refit started with the need to replace the teak decks, but that has expanded to include something in every area of the yacht,” Tim Wedzinga, Refit Manager at Holterman Shipyard explains. “We will be installing a whole new air-conditioning system, new fridge freezer systems, upgrading the hydraulic system, replacing some interior floor soles, moving some deck hardware to more optimal positions, varnishing wood elements, and painting the underwater body and the topsides.”

Luxury yacht HANUMAN on route to Holterman Shipyard

Wedzinga and other members of the Holterman team have direct experience with the yacht, having raced her as part of the crew or through their involvement with the original construction and engineering. The shipyard is proud of its hard working yet relaxed attitude and is planning a year’s worth of refitting work to be completed within seven months.

Work has already begun on the first stage of the refit which includes unmounting the rudder, removing 500 pieces of deck hardware, and stripping the old deck down to the bare aluminium. Before work commenced the shipyard had to make some minor alterations to its sheds to be able to accommodate her length.

Superyacht HANUMAN in the shipyard for her refit

“I think the Hanuman project will surprise a lot of people because it’s not what Holterman is known for, but I think it really shows our flexibility,” Wedzinga concludes. “We never say no, and we will always find solutions to accommodate a project. And HANUMAN will really stand as an example of the skills we have not only within Holterman in terms of craftspeople, but also in terms of coordinating a complex project with minimal fuss while ensuring maximum quality.”

Sailing yacht HANUMAN will make her racing debut, post refit, at the 2005 St Barts Bucket.