The J/125 Jackknife (GBR) has delivered one of the standout performances of the 2026 RORC Transatlantic Race, securing third overall under IRC and victory in IRC Two—powered by a partial UK Sailmakers inventory including Matrix spinnakers and a combination of Titanium and X-Drive upwind sails from UK Sailmakers Ireland.
Owned and skippered by Sam Hall and sailed alongside his father Andrew, the 30-year-old yacht proved that experience and preparation can still triumph at the highest level. Racing with a corinthian crew on one of the oldest and smallest boats in the fleet, Jackknife completed the crossing in 11 days and 13 hours.
“She’s one of the smallest and oldest boats in the race, and plenty of people thought we were mad to take her on,” said Andrew Hall. “It’s tight down below and physically tough, but it was always Sam’s dream, and it was absolutely worth it.”
The key to success? Relentless consistency. The crew hand-steered the entire Atlantic crossing, day and night, maintaining performance through the demanding 3,000-mile passage.
“The team worked unbelievably hard. We hand-steered the entire way, and the consistency of our performance made the difference. Racing this boat together as father and son just felt right. We know her inside out, and that trust really showed when it mattered.” – Sam Hall
Throughout the race, Jackknife’s UK Sailmakers inventory delivered the reliability and performance needed to compete against newer, larger yachts. In the demanding conditions of an Atlantic crossing, the sails proved their worth, contributing to the consistency that brought Jackknife to the podium.
Congratulations to the entire Jackknife team on a truly memorable performance—proof that with the right crew, preparation, and equipment, even veteran boats can achieve extraordinary results.
You can follow the along with the team for their next adventure on Instagram @jackknife.j125
