Known as “mini J Class” yachts and steeped in sailing heritage, Q Class yachts were originally built under the Universal Rule of Measurement in the early 1900s. This rule was developed by the renowned naval architect Nathanael Herreshoff and adopted by the New York Yacht Club in 1903 to set entry criteria for the America’s Cup and facilitate competitive racing. In the 1920s and 30s, at least 16 Q Class boats were constructed, some of which still compete today.
Spirit’s current project, “The Falcon Study,” is commissioned by Peter Silvester, the owner and founder of Q7 Yacht Designs. He owns an original Q Class yacht named Falcon. Built in 1926 by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and raced under sail number Q7, Falcon recently relaunched on the U.S. west coast after extensive restoration, ahead of her centenary anniversary in 2026.
Peter Silvester commented, “The ‘Falcon Study’ is a unique partnership of world-class industry leaders set up to honour the history and legacy of Falcon and to celebrate her centenary with a new commission launching in 2026. The ‘Falcon Study’ will re-imagine Falcon’s original design using the best systems, materials, and craftsmanship available today.”
Peter added, “Imagine taking the beauty, sailing pleasure, and race winning pedigree of an original Q Class like Falcon and refining her to deliver optimum performance combined with modern maintenance characteristics and ease of use.”
Dykstra Naval Architects were engaged to adapt Falcon’s original line drawings by Burgess, Swasey, and Paine for modern sailing and contemporary construction. Their task was to preserve the original hull lines, full keel, and fractional rig, while incorporating state-of-the-art rigging, systems, and deck hardware.
The design brief from the client Peter Silvester was to “create a ‘modern masterpiece’ that could inspire generations of sailors for the next 100 years”.
Thys Nikkels, CEO Dykstra Naval Architects said, “We love to focus on projects that make our hearts beat faster and the Falcon Study is certainly one of those. To be able to be part of a team that creates a new, re-imagined version of a Q Class Yacht is time well spent.”
After extensive research into wooden boatbuilders worldwide, Spirit Yachts was selected as the chosen yard tasked with creating the yacht, which will be named ‘Q7 Victoria’ / the ‘Victoria commission’.
Spirit Yachts Managing Director Karen Underwood said, “Our roots are embedded in wooden yacht construction, marrying timelessly classic design with modern technologies. The Falcon Study is a perfect fit for our in-house skills and fulfills our passion for custom projects commissioned by visionary owners.”
Julian Weatherill, Head of Design and Production at Spirit Yachts, added, “It has been a pleasure working with the talented team at Dykstra to realise the dream of a passionate and committed owner. Re-imagining a yacht with such historical sailing significance is both an honour and an exciting new challenge. Working closely with Peter and Dykstra, we will retain the authenticity of the Falcon whilst bringing our expertise in modern wood construction, sailing performance, electric propulsion, and luxury interiors to the project.”
The project is in the final design stages with the build due to start this spring leading up to launch in 2026 to coincide with Falcon’s centenary anniversary.