The Frisian island of Terschelling, which locals call "Skylge" in their native tongue, lies in the north country of the Netherlands. An immensely popular cruising ground, Terschelling draws yachtsmen from all over Holland. The locals are known for both their seamanship and resourcefulness. Few trees grow here, and the resulting lumber shortage has, over the years, driven islanders to be creative with anything and everything that washes ashore. Most of the farms and barns on the island were built with wood recovered from the innumerable shipwrecks surrounding it. The most famous of these is the 1799 wreck of the Lutine, whose bell hangs in the offices of Lloyd’s of London and was traditionally rung to announce a major maritime disaster.
 

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"My mother was born on the island, and I spent much of my childhood there," said the owner of 141-foot (43-meter) Skylge. She is a classic schooner with a wholly Dutch heritage. Her naval architecture is by Hoek Design, and she was built and launched by Holland Jachtbouw last September. "I think it is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and it seemed only natural to name my yacht after the island. (Click image to enlarge)

Built in high-tensile aluminum alloy, Skylge has the low freeboard, long overhangs and solid teak deckhouse of her nineteenth-century forebears. It is perhaps a surprising choice for an owner from the motor racing industry who previously owned a 70-foot Baltic Yacht and a 28-meter powerboat. "I’m actually very nostalgic, and I love the old-style yachts," he explained. "Modern designs are only modern for a few years, whereas Skylge is timeless. She will always be beautiful."

The impetus behind the owner’s decision to go to designer Andre Hoek and build with Holland Jachtbouw came from a sales advertisement he saw in a magazine for the 100-foot cutter Sapphire, the first large aluminum yacht by Hoek Design and built by the Dutch yard in 1996. Although Skylge shares Sapphire’s graceful lines, she is very different in basic concept and interior décor. Her carbon spars, Kevlar runners, high-aspect Spectra carbon mainsails and roached foresails all point to her racing pedigree, but her interior layout has been designed with convivial family cruising and chartering in mind. (Click image to enlarge) 

"The owner came to us wanting a schooner rig for its classic looks, and a shallow draft so he could use his existing marina berth in Spain, plus a deckhouse as far aft as possible to be able to see the full length of the deck," explained Hoek. Although the owner later acquired a deeper berth, the draft issue prompted the decision to go for an innovative lifting keel, for which Skylge won the 2006 ShowBoats International Award for Highest Technical Achievement in a Sailing Yacht (see TechTalk sidebar).

Interestingly, Skylge is the first schooner to be built with a lifting keel, and the first with a keel-fin chord length of such short measure. Chord length is the distance from the fin’s leading edge to the trailing edge and is measured parallel to the keel/rudder axis—not over the curved surface. Skylge’s chord length measures just 2.2 meters, making for a faster and more agile boat. (Click image to enlarge)

The lifting keel was also a consequence of Skylge’s interior layout, which is unusual for a yacht of her size. The Hoek Design team sought overall balance by placing the engine room amidships and master stateroom aft. The owner, however, was set on the opposite."In the Mediterranean, where you mostly moor stern to, an aft cabin isn’t practical, as everyone has to walk over your head to get on and off the boat. Besides, in the Med or the Caribbean, you spend very little time in your cabin," continued the owner. "As long as it’s cozy, tidy and bright, I’m happy."

The result is that the owner’s stateroom, VIP suite and two guest cabins are all of a similar size and located forward of the engine room. To accommodate such a layout and counteract the weight in the engine room, Hoek designed a T-shaped keel with a torpedo bulb extending beyond the front edge of the fin. This shifts the center of gravity farther forward compared to a conventional keel.

The main drawback of a lifting keel, however, is that it impinges on the interior volume. On Skylge this has been cleverly disguised by placing the corridor to the lower-deck accommodations just off of center. Hoek then borrowed three square meters (a little more than 32 square feet) of space from the two portside cabins.

In the end, both designer and builder were happy when the vessel turned out to be a couple of tons lighter than predicted. The result is a yacht that is fast on all points of sail and able to get into shallow anchorages, too. The mechanical steering is light and responsive enough to be managed with one hand when the sails are well trimmed, thanks to the narrow fin and high-aspect-ratio rudder. Hoek describes Skylge as "one of the best-performing schooners on the water today."

Holland Jachtbouw is renowned for its engineering, and Skylge is no exception. The two generators, for instance, operate on a synchro system developed by the yard. "Connecting hydraulics to generators has always caused power dips in the past," explained Paul Dielemans, managing director at Holland Jachtbouw. "But our engineers came up with a new system that automatically switches on the second generator when demand is high to maintain a power reserve for electricity."

Other thoughtful details include the six-millimeter recess above the countersunk and gold-leaf gulf stripe—a traditional feature on the old schooners. (The gold leaf alone added an additional €6,000—about $7,640—to the owner’s bill). The stanchions also have user-friendly rounded tops and are mounted into the deck rather than the cap rail for easier maintenance.The owner was quick to congratulate Holland Jachtbouw on the quality of the in-house engineering and joinery. This is all part and parcel of the company strategy. "Our vision is to be extremely efficient at building custom yachts for the highest segment of the market," said Dielemans. "My job is to focus on strategy, and we’ve implemented the same lean production methods used in the automotive industry." Lean production techniques concentrate on processes that add value for the customer. This means optimizing workflow to improve efficiency and eliminating negative factors that impact the client, such as waiting times. Skylge spent just 11 months in the shed and was delivered two months ahead of schedule. The 24th Hoek design built by Holland Jachtbouw, Skylge was, according to the designer, the quickest construction in memory.

Skylge’s owner-driven interior provides several surprises. Apart from the fact that there is no distinctly sized and appointed master suite, the choice of cherry and maple woods means that belowdecks Skylge is much lighter and more modern than most classic yachts, which traditionally use darker woods. "I like the light and sunshine and find heavy mahogany interiors depressing," admitted the owner.

On the lower level, the salon and galley are divided by a cabinet housing the flat-screen TV. The owner originally requested an open galley, but MCA regulations and the need for storage space meant that it had to be partially enclosed. Because there are no doors, careful thought went into the noise-producing galley equipment. The dishwasher, for instance, has a very short cycle, so by the time guests finish their coffee and are ready to retire to the salon to enjoy the Linn stereo system, the dishes are already washed and stowed.

The master stateroom, while only marginally larger than the other guest rooms, does feature a raised skylight—a trademark of Hoek’s modern-classic designs.

On deck, the helmsman has an uninterrupted view of the flush foredeck, which is dotted with no less than 23 ventilation funnels, negating the need for air conditioning on all but the hottest days.

And if onlookers are none the wiser after reading the yacht’s name on the transom, the owner has come up with another way of proudly displaying his Frisian heritage: The spinnaker reproduces the scarlet, heart-shaped lily leaves and diagonal cobalt blue–and-white bands of the provincial flag on a truly massive scale.