Schärenkreuzer: Out of the barn and into the sun The "Argo" sails again

For years, she dominated the legendary "Rund um den Bodensee" regatta as a serial winner and won the coveted Blue Riband several times between 1964 and 1984. However, modern lightweight yachts overtook the wooden classic, and after the death of her last owner Helmut Vetter in 1999, the dismantled shell stood in a barn for almost 30 years.

Archipelago cruiser as a youth project

Bianca Vetter, daughter of the last owner and heir to the yacht, decided to breathe new life into the "Argo" in 2022. She financed the elaborate restoration and founded a non-profit organisationto enable young people to sail on a historic ship.

Yacht designer Juliane Hempel scanned the hull digitally in 3D, calculated the stability and centre of gravity and designed a new, well-balanced sail plan. The mast was shortened by two metres, the foredeck reinforced and the heavy diesel engine replaced with a modern electric motor. The interior has been kept deliberately simple: Instead of luxury cabins, the yacht will in future offer eight berths in the form of cane bunks or hammocks - a real sailor's school.

Participation is expressly encouraged

Sailing clubs and sailing associations around Lake Constance can now book day trips for young people aged between 14 and 25. Basic sailing skills are required. The focus is on teamwork, joint planning, taking responsibility and classic seamanship.

With a young crew, the "Argo" will once again take part in this year's "Rundum" - no longer as a racing machine, but as a living piece of sailing history.

Technical data of the "Argo" skerry cruiser

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