Rattle off the names Hetairos, Nilaya, Pink Gin, or WinWin to sailing-superyacht enthusiasts, and chances are high they’ll know each is a regatta winner. Furthermore, they’ll know each launched from Baltic Yachts. The Finnish shipyard may be far from the warm waters its clients prefer, but its advanced-composite construction keeps them coming. They’ve been coming since 1973, taking delivery of 566 lightweight, fast yachts and superyachts. Baltic Yachts is soon hosting 500 people, from international clients to its own craftspeople,at its Jakobstad headquarters for an anniversary celebration.
Co-founded by Jan-Erik Nyfelt and four others, all Nautor Swan employees, Baltic Yachts got its start due to their belief in lighter, stiffer construction for performance. They set up headquarters in Bosund (above), just north of Jakobstad. In Bosund, generations of woodworkers constructed warships and trading vessels for Finland and Sweden dating back centuries. Though its first few months of business were tough, since it was winter, the shipyard finished its first launch, Diva. The 46-footer (14-meter) embodied the yard’s philosophy, going on to serve the Canadian Admiral’s Cup team in 1975.
That same year brought 15 sales, with 26 coming in 1976. All launches were production boats, but the Baltic 42 Tina I-Punkt had significant customization. The raceboat survived the 1979 Fastnet Race, in which a massive storm killed 15 sailors and necessitated the rescuing of hundreds more. (It remains the deadliest yacht race in history.) Just one year later, the Baltic 39 series sold out, becoming Baltic Yachts’ most successful, leading to 75 sales. She combined fast upwind performance with family-friendly amenities.
Unfortunately, the tide turned for the yard’s founders in the late 1970s. The global oil crisis spurred them to sell the company, with the large shipbuilder Hollming stepping in as the buyer. Hollming held onto Baltic for 12 years, leveraging its composite knowledge for a then-secret Russian sub. The same technology went on to support the Baltic 43 Bully, interestingly enough.
During the 1980s, Baltic began using carbon fiber and making its own masts. Further by then, customers were requesting bigger, faster projects, and fully custom ones, too. The era saw the delivery of the Baltic 80 Midnight Sun, the world’s first entirely composite racer. She was an IOR maxi that later became a cruising yacht. Baltic Yachts’ entry into the superyacht world finally came after 1990, the year when 34 managers and employees bought the boatbuilder from Hollming. Hollming wanted to focus instead on its core commercial business lines. The buyers included Nyfelt and PG Johansson, a fellow co-founder. Lisbeth Staffans (above) became managing director, having been the marketing director. Under her watch, which lasted 18 years, Baltic Yachts rose to further prominence.
Several motoryachts emerged from Baltic Yachts in those years, as did sailing superyachts that both raced and cruised. The turn of the 21st century brought significant changes, especially in the form of the Baltic 147 Visione (above). From delivery in 2002 to today, she embodies performance superyachts, a capable and repeat winner of superyacht regattas. Furthermore, she embraced new ideas in engineering and design, and continues serving as a testbed for more new developments.
Yet another advanced commission, the Baltic 141 Canica, came in 2003. Specifically, she has half the displacement that a yacht of her size normally does, without impinging on comfort. A Siemens PLC computer-control system and a “floating” interior did the trick. (A floating interior means the structure sits on vibration- and sound-absorbing materials, effectively damping the effects from the hull.)
With a new waterside facility in Jakobstad (above) inaugurating in 2010, Baltic Yachts began taking on even larger and more complex commissions, plus refits. It then took on a new majority owner, who not coincidentally was also a passionate customer. Hans Georg Näder (below left), who names all of his yachts Pink Gin, soon became full owner of the company. Of course, he also commissioned another project, Pink Gin VI (top of page). Launching in 2017, the 175-footer (53-meter) is the world’s largest carbon fiber sloop. She further features two healthy-size fold-down platforms, including one serving as a balcony/private swim platform for the master suite.
Advances like this continued to come, with the Baltic 142 Canova becoming the first superyacht employing several noteworthy technologies. She’s the first Dynamic Stability System foil-assisted superyacht, for example. Deploying to leeward beneath the owners’ suite, the foil reduces heel angle reportedly up to 34 percent and pitch reportedly up to 40 percent, dramatic figures. Moreover, Canova is among the first to use an electric motor, with the freewheeling prop (under sail) recharging her batteries. Known as hydrogeneration, this is becoming increasingly common overall in yachting.
Just in time for the anniversary celebration, Baltic Yachts has launched the Baltic 110 Zemi. She’s its second project featuring design by Malcolm McKeon, a fast global cruiser with racing in her blood as well. And although she’s not quite finished, the Baltic 111 Custom is at the yard for the party. The shipyard considers her its most extreme project to date in terms of engineering. Although it can’t disclose much, it does say she’s pushing its lightweight prowess to new degrees.
Perhaps most fitting of all, the Baltic 46 Diva, now Queen Anne, is on site for the party. She wrapped up a refit in Bosund, bringing the yard’s story full circle.
Baltic Yachts balticyachts.fi
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