J Craft’s home of Gotland through the ages

You need only look to Gotland’s 92 medieval churches to get a sense of its evolutionary journey. Towers and spires mark the land, from Visby’s imposing cathedral – whose chapel is home to the country’s most beautiful Gothic room – to humble parish churches set on barren, windswept terrain. Encompassed by the merciless Baltic Sea, Gotland – Sweden’s largest island – was a Viking stronghold and Visby the centre of the Hanseatic League. The network of merchant guilds and market towns in central and northern Europe shaped Sweden’s economy, trade and politics, yet religious beliefs fell to the individual. The island’s myriad churches form a patchwork quilt that traces a path from the old Norse gods to the successful raids of Christian missionaries.

One Viking attribute that never succumbed to foreign influence was their maritime prowess. Large dragon-prowed longships defined the Viking age, while Visby’s natural harbour played a pivotal role in securing the town’s strategic position at the epicentre of international commerce. Today, Visby, Gotland’s capital and home to the J Craft boatyard, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised as the best-preserved fortified commercial city in northern Europe.

Gotland’s advantageous geographical location again rose to prominence during the 20th century, when infantry, artillery, air force and naval elements were stationed on the island as a core part of Sweden's defence system. In 2005, all permanent military units were stood down and reabsorbed into the country’s fabric. The original J Craft facilities were housed at an abandoned military shipyard on the north end of the island, before the boatyard moved to Visby in 2021. Today, Gotland, often referred to as Sweden’s largest and unsinkable aircraft carrier, remains Nato’s Baltic Sea bastion — the last line of defence in preventing Russia from dominating the Baltic Sea region.

Sweden’s military presence has touched the lives of Gotlanders, both young and old. Johan Hallén, J Craft’s CTO, was drafted in 1981 to serve as a mine diver in the Swedish Navy following his graduation. He rose to the rank of second lieutenant and served in his home regiment in Fårösund in the northern part of Gotland as a training officer, with a speciality for navigation and battleship management. Yet his relationship with the sea was forged during his teens when, aged 16, he renovated a 6-metre wooden fishing boat that he used for coastal cod fishing. He was also a member of Gotland’s handpicked sailing racing crew and represented Sweden in the Kiel Week regatta.

Seafaring is in Gotlanders’ blood. It has shaped their lives and skillsets for centuries, underpinned by a tangible pride for their cultural heritage. Hallén, who has built every J Craft since inception, and his expert team of craftspeople have mastered the art of building J Craft vessels over the past 25 years. Now in its third decade, the company continues its legacy of exceptional artisanry combined with 21st-century innovation.

Each J Craft Torpedo is a passion project. Every build a labour of love, destined for meticulous owners who demand the highest quality, finesse, performance, but also the rare, the handmade and the one of a kind. The 42” (12.6m) boats comprise handcrafted mahogany veneer mounted on a fibreglass hull capable of slicing through hell and high waters. Sixteen layers of epoxy resin are brushed onto West African mahogany, with every fourth layer cured and sanded by hand until smooth. A final four layers of clear varnish give depth of colour. Spruce is used for the decking with hand-routed grooves and rebates. Each stage speaks to the exquisite design and style executed at the hands of J Craft’s workforce, from carpenters and varnishers to welders and joiners.

It’s a similar story when it comes to the hand-cast and hand-moulded stainless-steel elements, from the impressive torpedo shaped cleats to the jackstaff or the beautiful windscreen. The convertible open cockpit features diamond-stitched leather upholstery. Inside the impressive, high-gloss mahogany panelled cabin, the “throne” – an elaborate mahogany day head – doubles as a shower seat. The Z-box humidor and sterling silver picnic set come as optional extras.

Alongside marrying old-world craftsmanship with 21st-century mod cons and boatbuilding techniques, a J Craft’s comfort, range, maneuverability and stability in any sea state is another string to the brand’s ever-increasing bow. With an impressive 300-nautical-mile range and a top speed of 47 knots, it’s a maritime package the Vikings couldn’t conceive of. These are the cornerstones of the heritage-rich runabouts. Built for the few, appreciated by the many, made by Gotland.

Julia Zaltzman is a freelance journalist specialising in superyachts, travel and luxury lifestyle. She has written for The Times, The Telegraph, Robb Report and Boat International