The fog hangs low and a salty smell drifts in from the Weser on this morning in 1935. A fine mist and droplets settle on the windows of the boathouse. The wooden gates stand half-open, and a rhythmic thumping drifts out from within: the hammering, the whirring of the saws, the creaking of the hoists under heavy loads. Oak for the keel and stem, Tabasco mahogany for the hull. Wood shavings cover the floor like fresh autumn leaves. Standing amongst the workbenches and frame scaffolding is the shipyard manager, Henry Rasmussen, himself – his silver hair peeking out from under his cap, a measuring tape in his hand, his pipe unlit between his teeth. Before him lies the skeleton of a new vessel, the frames rising up like the ribs of a colossal fish. “A queen is being born here,” murmurs Rasmussen. Metal glimmers alongside the dark wood – some of the frames and the floor strakes are made of steel, with curved oak frames in between, spaced 32 centimetres apart. A new and bold interplay of materials.
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It must have been something like that. One thing is certain: the 100-square-metre seagoing cruiser ‘Königin’, built as construction number 2877, is still in fine fettle after 90 years, lovingly maintained and well-sailed – an impressive, seaworthy work of art by Abeking & Rasmussen and one of only five surviving examples of this type.
“Years ago, I wanted to charter a yacht to take some time out on the Baltic Sea – but I couldn’t find a suitable boat. Instead, I came across the ‘Königin’, which was still known as the ‘Wappen von Hamburg’ at the time.” Daniel Baumann has been the owner of this historic yacht since 2011. “It came as a complete surprise,” he recalls. “But after a few trial runs on the Schlei, I was completely captivated by the ‘Königin’s’ charm.” The ship’s clean, functional yet highly aesthetic lines immediately appealed to the architect. “My great dream has always been the sea – ocean sailing,” says Baumann, who grew up amongst high mountains and now lives in Zurich. Even as a child, he used to sail on the Swiss lakes. Many nautical miles later, he is now steering a 17-metre-long, seaworthy work of art from the Abeking & Rasmussen shipyard across the Baltic Sea – sharing both the responsibility and the costs with a dedicated community of users.
Why the construction method was ahead of its time
The client who commissioned the “Königin” was a timber importer from Bremen. He provided a carefully selected mahogany log himself and commissioned a yacht built using what was, at the time, a revolutionary composite construction method. This method marked a turning point in yacht and boat building: the transition from traditional woodworking to a modern understanding of lightweight construction. The combination of wood and metal resulted in greater strength with lower weight, coupled with reduced maintenance requirements. The origins of composite construction can be traced back to Anglo-American yacht building between 1880 and 1910, particularly in the 6mR and 8mR classes.
At Abeking & Rasmussen, composite construction had already become a hallmark of the company in the 1920s and 1930s – particularly for larger cruising yachts. Henry Rasmussen, a native of Denmark from a long line of boatbuilders, was both a visionary and a craftsman in one. He combined the practical experience of a boatbuilder with the design philosophy of an engineer. His style was characterised by clean lines, classical proportions and consummate craftsmanship. Rasmussen admired the American yacht designer Nathanael Herreshoff, whose forms and ideas had a profound influence on him. This combination of craftsmanship and innovation gave rise to the unmistakable style that soon brought Abeking & Rasmussen international renown. Clients from Northern Europe and overseas had their dream yachts built here.
A lot of work at the shipyard to ensure a long life
For a classic yacht to stand the test of time, it requires regular time in the shipyard and careful maintenance. The “Königin” has had a permanent home at the Stapelfeldt Yacht & Boat Yard in Kappeln for around two decades. Shipyard manager Jo Vierbaum says: “Over the years, boatbuilders have tried out many things on this yacht, made improvements and, at times, discarded ideas. That is precisely what makes it so exciting for us: learning from history and drawing the right conclusions for our day-to-day work.”
Over the years, the shipyard has carried out a great deal of work on the old seagoing cruiser. In addition to regular maintenance, the bilge area in the saloon was thoroughly overhauled: tanks were removed, floor battens and steel frames were replaced, and parts of the keel were renewed from the inside. “The condition of the steel components was generally much worse than that of the wooden parts – but the wood surrounding the steel had suffered severely,” explains the master shipwright.
Originally, the “Königin” was sailed with a double rig – as a yawl for cruising and as a sloop for regattas. Later, she was permanently rigged as a yawl, before being rigged as a topsail rig – as was customary in the 1960s. However, with a headsail of 90 and a mainsail of 55 square metres, this rig proved to be out of balance. “That was, of course, a massive break in style – and made the boat very leeward-biased,” recalls owner Baumann. Following a mast break off the coast of Norway, she was fitted with a new mast. Master shipwright Vierbaum and designer Juliane Hempel are devising a new seven-eighths rig – classic in appearance, but utilising today’s modern calculation methods and materials. Its position now corresponds once again to the original: no longer standing on the deck, but on the keel.
As part of the refit, the rudder blade was also replaced as faithfully as possible to the original. The steering column, which is brand new but crafted according to historical models, lends the cockpit a new splendour. The original interior layout of the ‘Königin’ was characterised by a clear separation between the owner and the crew. The boatswain and the crew accessed their area in the foredeck via the forepeak hatch – which contained a small cabin, a toilet and a pipe berth. In the cramped, low-ceilinged galley, meals were prepared for the owners and served in the saloon. This has been preserved almost in its original condition to this day – its centrepiece is the gimbal-suspended table. Not quite original, but decidedly ingenious, is the current solution in the chart room: the bench seat can be pushed back, creating a separate berth on either side – exactly where the owner’s berths once were.
How the ‘Queen’ sails today
“The long-keel yacht, which weighs around 20 tonnes and has a sail area of up to 125 square metres, is easy to handle when sailing close to the wind,” explains Daniel Baumann. Sporty yet stress-free, the “Queen” glides as if on rails in winds of around 4 Beaufort – with a moderate heel of 25 to 30 degrees and fresh Baltic Sea water splashing over the coaming.
On a half-wind course, she responds increasingly sensitively to the helm, and when sailing downwind with a spinnaker, you need someone who really ‘understands the Queen’ at the helm – especially when the 230-square-metre light-wind spinnaker is hoisted. Up to around 5 Beaufort, the 150-square-metre spinnaker is used. “Then the ‘Queen’ rewards us with pure, dynamic vigour,” says Daniel Baumann. And even though he has sailed many miles single-handed – for him, camaraderie and life on board remain at the heart of this regal pleasure.
Why ocean-going cruisers still fascinate us today
Ocean-going cruisers were a huge success. Spurred on by the Second Industrial Revolution, a prosperous middle class emerged in Germany and Scandinavia which, for the first time, could afford leisure time and their own boats. Sailing became a sport for the middle classes, and as enthusiasm for offshore sailing grew, so too did the demand for suitable yachts – affordable, seaworthy boats that could be sailed by a small crew. Alongside Henry Rasmussen, the yacht designer Max Oertz also recognised these new needs at an early stage and produced designs that combined comfort with performance. Fast, elegant and seaworthy all at once – these innovative designs had a decisive influence on German yacht building, and a new generation of cruising yachts had emerged.
The seagoing cruiser was Germany’s last major class of wooden boats – the pinnacle of traditional yacht building. The concept, however – fast sailing and comfortable living – has endured to this day. Yachts labelled ‘performance cruisers’ can be found in almost every shipyard’s portfolio, even following a shift in materials and construction methods towards GRP. But these boats cannot hold a candle to the ‘queen’.
The recipe for success
In the 1920s, there was still a veritable jumble of classes, formulas and association regulations. It was only after lengthy debates that, in 1927, the German Sailing Association (DSVb) and the German Offshore Sailing Association (DHSV) agreed on standardised regulations for the new offshore cruiser classes. The first boat to be launched was the ‘Athena’ – now known as the ‘Alraune’ – by Abeking & Rasmussen in 1928.
Despite their success, new-build activity remained sluggish. Swedish archipelago cruisers were still popular, as they were easier to sail and were all the rage. Then there was the cost: the robust seagoing cruisers had to be built and certified under the supervision of Lloyd’s Register. Whilst these strict regulations ensured safety and quality, they came at a higher price. It was not until the 1930s that the so-called ‘seagoing cruiser era’ began, though the boom in boatbuilding had actually been kick-started during the dark era of the Nazi regime. By 1938, 239 seagoing cruisers ranging from 30 to 150 square metres had already been registered – including 18 yachts in the 100-class alone. The Second World War brought an end to private cruising.
Technical specifications of the seagoing cruiser “Königin”
- Type: 100-m² sailing cruiser
- Shipyard/Year of construction: Abeking & Rasmussen/1935
- Construction method: Composite/mahogany, steel
- Total length: 16.99 m
- Waterline length: 11.00 m
- Width: 3.40 m
- Draught: 2.20 m
- Displacement: 20.6 t
More classics in YACHT classic
Are you interested in the world of classic yachts, traditional boatbuilding and the history of sailing? If so, read more about it in our special edition, YACHT classic.
Is a classic yacht like this a piece of sailing heritage that must be preserved without compromise, or is it acceptable to alter its historical character in the interests of greater practicality? Share your views in the comments.
Nico Krauss
Freier Fotograf
