The Vilm Yachts shipyard in Lauterbach on the island of Rügen has filed for insolvency. The company, known for its high-quality, seaworthy sailing boats, is insolvent and would like to reorganise itself independently as part of an "insolvency in self-administration". In this special procedure under insolvency law, the management retains control as far as possible and works closely with a trustee appointed by the competent local court. This procedure is usually chosen if the company is categorised as capable of being restructured and good prospects for successful restructuring are identified.
Vilm Yachts was founded in 1990 in Lauterbach on the island of Rügen and quickly became a respected name in the boating scene. With a combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern boatbuilding, the shipyard has created boats that are particularly popular in the North Sea and Baltic Sea regions. The current model portfolio only includes the Vilm 115an 11.50 metre Judel/Vrolijk design. What is particularly striking about the 7.5 tonne GRP slip is the cockpit with its low-lying floor, the high all-round coaming and, above all, the solid GRP sprayhood, which consistently protects the crew. The sprayhood also carries the traveller, which defuses jibes. Electric windscreen wipers work on the windscreen in the event of rain and overflowing water.
Prototype Insieme 40: Vilm Yachts did not carry out final work
It is still unclear what led to the shipyard's demise. The management of Vilm Yachts could not be reached by YACHT, nor did the insolvency administrator provide an explanation. The two long-distance sailors Julia and Markus Luckeneder had been working intensively with the shipyard for the last two years, as they had commissioned the boat builders to build a prototype of their Insieme 40 and took over the ship in May of this year. "The insolvency came as a great surprise to us," said Julia Luckeneder in an interview with YACHT. According to the owners, the new boat was due to be presented at the Ancora Yacht Festival at the end of May. After the shipyard failed to carry out the final work and the appearance at the show was cancelled, the Austrian owners organised a yacht transport for their fully paid-for Insieme 40 to a shipyard in Izola, Slovenia, where the final work was carried out.
Whether and how the shipyard can be saved remains to be seen. The "insolvency in self-administration" enables the management to continue the company, preserve jobs and achieve a higher repayment rate for the creditors.
