The 12 metre class were used for America's Cup Racing, but the class is still alive.

[westhinder]

A couple of shots from the balcony of the Hotel Sube.

Ha, happy memories.
You haven’t been to Les Voiles (or La Nioulargue) if you haven’t had a couple of drinks in the Sube

 

[Bajansailor]

Did you have anything to do with the building of Ruth ?

No, not really - I took a keen interest in her construction (over a 15 year time frame), and I helped her owner a bit when he had questions about things (like how to register her and such), and I was involved in doing an inclining experiment on her to calculate where her VCG was - this was some years ago, and the info was submitted to a naval architect with a stability program who was supposed to do the full works stability calculation for Ruth, but I am not too sure if this ever happened.
I posted some photos taken during her construction on my Facebook page - they are 'public', so anybody with a FB account can see them -
Facebook

And some photos of her launch -
Facebook

And some photos of her maiden sail -
Facebook

She is currently anchored off Grand Case bay in St Maarten -
RUTH (Sailing Vessel) Registered in Barbados - Vessel details, Current position and Voyage information - IMO 0, MMSI 314246010, Call Sign 8PYQ

 

[Frogmogman]

Thanks for posting those links. What a great project; building a boat like that on the beach is quite some undertaking. Some very interesting photos of the build, launch and sailing.

As to Grand Case, it's one of my favourite spots; their claim, back in the day of being the gastronomic capital of the Caribbean was not unreasonable. I do hope the town has got back on it's feet after Irma; the images of the utter devastation at the time were really shocking, and some of my favourite restaurants and watering holes will never return there (Calmos Café and Le Tastevin for example)

Damn, I'd love to be out in the Caribbean right now, rather than cooped up at home, wondering if my business will ever be allowed to re-open.

Calmos Café, le déjeuner, pieds dans l'eau. Mai 2017

 

[Bajansailor]

Yes, popular opinion in the early years predicted that Ruth would never be finished, as there were long lulls in between stages, I presume while her owner raised additional finance.
Up until about 20 years ago there was a traditional timber schooner that used to bring fruit and veg to Barbados from Dominica under sail - she was one of the inspirations for Ruth's owner Ian wanting to build a vessel to carry on with this tradition.
However a lot can change in 20 years - pretty much the only break-bulk cargo being shipped between the islands now is bulk cargoes like raw materials and steel coils - everything else goes by container.
Ruth has been officially accredited as a sea school, and has taken folk on (I think) RYA or similar courses - I think that this is what she might be doing now.
However she still has a refrigerated and insulated cargo hold, which Ian is still keen to use for transporting fruit......

Changing tack re Grand Case, yes, it has had a legendary reputation in the past for fine food - and Frog's photo above looks absolutely idyllic.
I think that SXM recovered fairly quickly after Irma - but Corona has had a much worser effect economically on the islands than any of our major hurricanes in recent years.

 

[adamstjohn]

This has been one of the joys for me of the Voiles de Saint Tropez; in some years there have been as many as six J class racing; and on occasion we have had courses that coincided with theirs.

I'll never forget one race in 2013 when shortly after rounding the leeward mark, Velsheda rounded just after us, and powered through to weather of us, no more than 2 boat lengths away, and seconds later Hanuman sailed through us on the other side. Amazing spectacle.

A guy i worked for had Wings, that boat Won 3 times the 12-Metre class in Les Voiles de St Tropez (2002-2003-2007) sadly i never got an outing on her, would have been the stuff of dreams.

 

[Bajansailor]

I remember seeing the 12 Metre 'Flica II' working as a charter yacht in the Grenadines in the early 70's - by then she had a ketch rig, and basic accommodation for 4 guests and 2 crew.
She was designed by Laurent Giles, and built at the Fife yard in 1939 -
Flica II – Laurent Giles Archive

Here they say that she was restored (back to her original rig?) in 1990
Flica II - Classic Yacht Info

Not to be confused with Flica I -
Legendary 12 Metre racing yacht Flica restoration project now online

 

[dunedin]

I remember seeing the 12 Metre 'Flica II' working as a charter yacht in the Grenadines in the early 70's - by then she had a ketch rig, and basic accommodation for 4 guests and 2 crew.
She was designed by Laurent Giles, and built at the Fife yard in 1939 -
Flica II – Laurent Giles Archive

Here they say that she was restored (back to her original rig?) in 1990
Flica II - Classic Yacht Info

No wonder she was restored. If she was truly the last Fife yacht built, then she is like the last Stradivarius violin - a unique and extremely valuable classic and the perfect entry for Les Voilles de San Tropez.

12 metres are interesting, but Fife built boats from Fairlie are the most sought after classics (albeit as not a Fife design, perhaps this is a downside value wise).

 

[Concerto]

Just found another video showing the J Class yachts in Cowes Week in 1935.

 

[Concerto]

There are some good shots of 12M racing in Cowes Week in 1963