Cup legends rally in support of Rick Dodson

built to the original lines of earlier models. The current Rainbow was built in Holland in 2012 and passed through several owners before Crichton secured her earlier this year.

Despite his jokes, he is thrilled with the purchase. “It is a really nice boat, which has not been raced” he says. “I am excited about it and looking forward to campaigning it. It is smaller and lighter than the other Js and with some tidying up and good crew, we feel it will be competitive.”

Rainbow has been put on the hard at Palma, Majorca, where a sixmonth refit is planned. “We are going to manage the refit ourselves with sub-contractors undertaking the various specialist projects.”

The refit will be extensive including fully fairing the hull below the waterline, particularly around the rudder area, a repaint, new decks and revised deck layouts with winches and sail tracks repositioned, and the hydraulic control systems upgraded. To come into racing compliance, the Southern Spars carbon mast will be shortened by 850mm and there will be a completely new wardrobe of racing sails.

“The plan is to have Rainbow back in the water in July,” Crichton says. “We will do no formal racing in 2023, but there are a number of Js based in Palma and we hope to establish a relationship with one or more of them to hook up for some tune-up sailing ahead of the 2024 season.”

Crichton says most of his key crew positions have already been allocated and he is talking to former crew from his supermaxi, Alfa Romeo, and others, including a number of Kiwi sailors.

“We definitely believe that with the refit work we are doing, the planned programme of training leading up to 2024 and with enough talent on board, we will be competitive,” he says. “I do like to race to win.”