The well-known, almost legendary Waarschip brand from Holland has been quiet for a long time. After years of uncertainty with numerous takeovers and changes of ownership, the shipyard from Delfzijl now seems to have regained its footing. And, an exciting project has also been announced. A new series boat, the Waarschip W36, is planned. In keeping with the shipyard's tradition, the decks and hulls at Waarschip will continue to be built from plywood and covered with several layers of GRP.
Excitingly, the W36 will be available in two completely different versions. The Life version presents itself as a true performance cruiser with a T-keel, a powerful rig and a cockpit layout with two steering wheels geared towards team performance. The Duo version, on the other hand, is an offshore racer with a strong focus on single or double-handed operation. A long bowsprit is permanently attached to the Duo version, along with a T-keel with even more draught but less ballast and two rudder blades. This ship is steered with a tiller. The companionway is fitted with a small dodger to protect it from overflowing water.
There are also differences inside. The Life version, which is suitable for touring and families, has a separate forward cabin and a separate wet room next to it. A kitchenette is built into the main bulkhead at the front of the saloon. Two additional people can sleep on the sofas in the saloon, and single berths are available aft on both sides. In the sportier Duo version, the foredeck remains empty and can be used as sail storage space. Here, the toilet is functionally reduced to the bare essentials. This boat also does not have a saloon table.
The heavily modified prototype of the W36 was already used at the ORC/IRC Offshore Sailing World Championship in The Hague in Holland in July 2018. The bright yellow racer without a cabin superstructure, named "Hubo", achieved 12th place (out of 50 participants) in the smallest class C from a standing start and with only minimal preparation time. In an unusually high-calibre field, this result can certainly be seen as a success. Incidentally, the skipper of the "Hubo" was the Dutch top sailor Erik Van Vuuren, who now wants to take over the Waarschip brand as the new owner together with his wife Yvonne Beusker. Negotiations are still ongoing.
However, the keel of the first series boat is to be laid soon and it will be launched on the market as a new product in 2020. There are currently no concrete type specifications or price lists. Erik Van Vuuren expects a base price of around 232,000 euros for both versions of the W36 at launch.
Downloads:
Michael Good
Editor Test & Technology
