robbe berking classic yachts

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Robbe & Berking Classics GmbH & Co KG

About our office in Flensburg Germany

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We at Robbe & Berking yacht brokers have been paying our greatest attention to classic yachts since 1984. Yachts with a history and history were predominantly made from the most beautiful of all boat building materials: wood. In our portfolio you will find classic yachts handpicked by us from all over the world. In addition to these beautiful used boats, we offer restoration and new construction of yachts in our in-house shipyard.

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Robbe & Berking Classics

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HISTORIC 12-METRE TO BE RESTORED

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Robbe & Berking Classics: new life for old projects

It all started with the restoration of an old yacht. Since then, the Robbe & Berking Classics shipyard has been engaged not only in the restoration, but also in the construction of new yachts.

Norwegian sailor, constructor and shipyard owner  Johan Anker  (1871-1940), one of the initiators of the legendary conference held in London in 1906, where it was founded  IYRU  (now  ISAF, International Sailing Federation ), invited European yachtsmen to create formula rules for measuring yachts, which became the basis for the international handicap system. The essence of the proposal was to create identical boats. This simplified the procedure for determining the winner: the winner was the one who crossed the finish line first. New International Measurement Rules determined the appearance of new classes, for example, a 12-meter boat appeared  R-class  (racing boat 12mR).

There is also a hopeless case - a skerry yacht hangs as a decoration in a boathouse above the boats 12mR "Sphinx" and 6mR "Siesta"

The new formula has kept a certain balance between freedom and limitation for designers. Thus, in accordance with the new rules, 12mR boats could vary greatly in length: from 15 to 20 meters. In the first half of the 20th century, these rules were revised twice. These measurement rules, after the final version was approved in 1933, for 12mR yachts were valid until the 1980s at the America's Cup.

According to the formula he developed before the First World War,  Johan Anker  creates several more projects that bring him success. At the Olympic Games in 1908, his yacht  "Fram" 8mR  twice took second place, and in 1912 the yacht  "Brand IV" 12mR  won gold. In 1929 (and they write that in 1928) Anker developed his most famous project, familiar to every yachtsman - "Dragon", which is still a classic racing class. In 1939, Johan Anker began developing his last project - 434, which, due to his illness and war, was never implemented by him.

Oliver Burking  acquired the project 434 patent for his shipyard. Berking, general manager of the shipyard  Robbe & berking classics  in Flensburg, already has experience in the construction of monotypes. In 2005, they completed an order for the construction of yachts for  Flensburg Naval Academy "Murwik" .

Construction of the project began in a makeshift tent in 2006 under the direction of a restorer  Kai Volberg ... It was clear that some effort would have to be made. “But nobody thought the boat would have to be built from scratch,” says Folberg. For example: we replaced all iron parts with stainless steel parts. After more than two years of construction, in the summer of 2008, the boat was launched under its original name.  "Sphinx" .

6mR "Apache" - originally "Iselin" - remodeled by Robbe & Berking Classic. 6mR "Siesta" lifted by keel crane

Young Robbe & Berking Classic team at work

Company  Robbe & berking  He is very sensitive to the traditions of his manufacture and to all the classic things that become even more expensive over time, namely shipbuilding. Having restored the 12-meter Sphinx yacht, Robbe & Berking founded the Robbe & Berking Classics shipyard in the summer of 2008.

Located in Flensburg harbor, Robbe & Berking began restoring traditional motor and sailing yachts and building replicas of the purely classic yachts that have made history.

Sailing yachts accompany  Oliver Burking  since childhood. And acquaintance with the wooden classic  "Folkbotom"  made him obsessed with wooden boats. The decisive argument in favor of building classic wooden yachts was the "acquaintance" with the 8-meter yacht  "Lidia"  at the Norwegian Wooden Boat Festival. “She was beautiful,” the yachtsman recalls his first meeting with the yacht. Soon, he was already participating with his friends in the world championship in a 5.5 R boat, more and more immersed in the world of R boats. Soon, the name Berking sounded in the world of classic yachts.

Oliver Burking draws inspiration from old yachting magazines and finds inspiration for new projects.

In 2001, the first  Robbe & Berking Classic Week,  in one of the Flensburg fjords, where in 1995 Berking competed in the 5.5 R class World Championship. Various R-class boats were presented. The revival in the classic yacht market provided a good foundation for Robbe & Berking Classic: "We want to create a classic yacht building center, but we don't know exactly what it should look like." And the company is confidently, step by step, moving towards its goal.  Robbe & berking classic  builds two yachts according to the project  Anchor 434  to the next World Championship, which will be held in 2013.

Also, one of the important initiatives of the company is the boat of the project  "Nirvana" designed by Olin Stephens, which was built by the shipyard  Abeking & Rasmussen  in 1939 and sailed under the flag of the German holding under the number G40. The yacht was completely destroyed in a large fire at the factory.  Michelsen  in the city of Friedrichshafen, Lake Constance, in 1959. Robbe & Berking Classic have purchased a full set of blueprints and are happy to take on this 6mR class boat. Nearby, in a smaller room, there is another boat of this class:  Apache / Iselin ... Apache was designed and built by  Bjarne Aas  in Fredrikstad, Norway, 1939. Initially, the name of the project was  "Iselin" , but the name was changed.  Apache  died in the USA in 1960.

Classic yacht cockpit "Siesta" - originally "Nirvana" - for helmsman and crew

It is not easy to determine what  Robbe & berking classic  actually create at their shipyard. Is it a restoration if a project that burned down more than 50 years ago is being re-created? Or is it creating a new blueprint project that has never been built? Oliver Burking this leads to the formula: copyright and restoration. Modern materials are not taboo. However, it is clear that each such yacht is unique in its kind and it is very important to adhere to the design drawings.

In 2008, the shipyard began reconstruction of the boat  "Jenetta" built according to the project  Alfred Mayne  (1872-1951), Scottish yacht designer.  "Jenetta"  a very special 12m yacht that Oliver Burking has high hopes for. Designed in 1939 for William Barton, it is the longest 12mR ever built and the fastest.

Oliver finds the necessary detailed information on classic boats in old magazines.  Rudder, Yachting  and others. They fill the shelves in his office above the boathouse meter by meter. “Every time I open a magazine from 1929, I can find the information I need to further work on the project,” says Berking. Between the yellowed pages there are bookmarks for further development. There are still a huge number of 12mR class yachts in the international yacht register that are lost, sunk or scrapped.

Restorer Kai Volenberg tidies up the 12mR "Sphinx"

Inside "Sphinx" - view from the stern

However, among the projects of the shipyard there is also a new one.  "9m COMMUTER" inspired by American small boats of the late 1920s, 50ft yacht built to design  Georg Nissen ... German Georg Nissen is one of the most popular and successful yacht designers  Robbe & berking classic .

No matter how the fate of this shipyard develops in the future, one thing is clear: such a love for wooden classic yachts and the desire to recreate as many projects as possible, Johan Anker himself would be glad.

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Buyer's guide: Everything you need to know before buying a classic yacht

Thinking of buying a classic yacht ? Sam Fortescue talks to experienced owners to find out out everything you need to know about owning a classic, from how much it costs to the importance of refits ...

There is something almost ethereal about the sight of a yacht from another era. You’ll know exactly what I mean if you’ve ever been passed by a tall ship under a press of sail or watched entranced as dozens of wooden Metre boats spar gracefully around a Baltic racecourse. With their long overhangs, elaborate rigs and gleaming brightwork, they are travellers in time, infusing their surroundings with the patina of the past.

It is an illusion, of course. Get a little closer, and you can see the deck hands wearing modern clothing, or hear the race crew yelling urgently about pressure and counting down to the lift before bellowing “send it!”, just like their counterparts on modern yachts. They may hide it artfully behind fin-de-siecle panelling, but these boats often pack many mod cons, from flat-screen televisions to air conditioning. And yet there is something that sets them, and their owners, apart.

One of the best-known classic yacht brokers, Barney Sandeman, describes it like this. “There are a lot of people who would like to own a classic but it’s a very special person that will commit. They are very passionate people who are careful what they do with their money, but owning a classic is not something they have suddenly decided to do. It’s in their DNA. It’s a love affair, something they can’t do anything about.”

How much does a classic superyacht cost?

Let’s tackle that point about money head on. There is a sense that classic yachts are more costly to take on than their modern counterparts. Not so, says Ed Kane, owner of the exquisitely restored Sparkman & Stephens yawl Bolero among others. “The normal maintenance and wear and tear is like on any other new boat,” he says. “It’s not inexpensive, but not out of line with a new 73-footer [22-metre]. Dockage and crew are the biggest costs, and that is the same regardless of the age of the boat.”

The nature of that maintenance might be a little different, however. Or as Daniele Canelli, owner of the stately 26-metre gaff ketch Javelin explains it: “They do not need more maintenance, only more love.” Instead of technical prowess with hydraulics, load cells and an arsenal of toys, there is instead acres of varnishing.

“It’s so much work that you can’t do it yourself,” says Wilfried Beeck, who owns two towering 12-Metres - Trivia , designed and built by Camper & Nicholson in 1937, and the gaff- rigged Cintra , a 1909 Fife. “I have a full-time employee who does nothing else, but we share him across our two 12s. When you see little damages, you sand and varnish it during the season. Every little cut is always varnished immediately. It is constant maintenance.” 

Both boats were acquired in the Med and brought back to the Baltic, where a vigorous 12-M racing circuit has developed. Beeck says that the difference in maintenance requirements is stark. “Two seasons in the Med, and you realise that you have to varnish the boat three times a year, as opposed to once a year in the Baltic.”

To buy a classic 12-Metre (which will in fact measure between 14 metres and 22 metres overall), you’d be looking at anything from £900,000 to £2.25 million, depending on the condition and pedigree of the boat. Beeck spends about £90,000 per year on each boat, including everything from mooring to insurance and repairs. 

Charter income covers half of that, but some spend twice as much. “The maintenance cost of the boat is much lower than many people think. You need a boatbuilder working on it constantly, but when you do, the cost is low. If you neglect the boat for three or four seasons, the cost can be huge.”

What do I need to consider when refitting a classic yacht?

Neglect in the classic boat world is part of the landscape. It is at once a threat and an opportunity, both endangering the survival of these beautiful boats and providing the raw material needed to transform them into head- turners and jaw-droppers. The sense of preserving a small but important, beautiful fragment of history is what drives some of the today’s keenest owners.

“We’re all keeping these things alive for the sake of history,” says Cameron Ridell, co-owner of Eros , a fine example of a staysail schooner built in 1939. “These classics are floating museums, but they are also operational. It’s a strange way to treat something that should be in a museum: take it out and beat it!”

Ed Kane, owner of 22-metre Bolero , believes that what he calls the “provenance” of the yacht is key to engaging with a restoration. “We spent as much time learning about the history and the ownership - its race record, where it sailed, its reputation - as you do studying the actual boat itself.”

In contrast to maintenance, restoration can be ruinously expensive, so an exhaustive survey is critical to understanding what you’re taking on. The work itself is a slow, precise process where traditional woodworking skills and an experienced eye are key attributes. Some owners insist there is a place for modern techniques such as laser measurement and epoxy sheathing, but if the aim is simply to build a modern boat that looks like a classic, it is better to start from scratch elsewhere.

Tara Getty is in the final throes of restoring his fourth yacht – an S&S yawl called Baruna which belongs to the same design family as Bolero , and he takes comfort in a degree of wonkiness. At one point, his skipper and project manager Tony Morse rang him from Robbe & Berking’s yard in Flensburg, Germany, with the news that the new stainless-steel water tanks they’d bought fitted on the starboard side, but not on port. “That’s good news in a way, because it means it is still the Baruna it’s meant to be,” says Getty. “It’s most definitely skew!”

Besides the basic fabric of the boat herself, there is a challenge in finding correct or appropriate deck fittings and equipment. Unsympathetic refits or desperate patch-ups can make it hard to identify what is an original part. “You need to be very careful not to detract from a classic,” says Getty. “We found one original cleat, so we’re having it recast. We also found the clock and barometer, but it took us a while to verify that they were the originals. We had to check against the pictures in the archive at the Mystic Seaport [museum].”

Restorations can yield up some glorious nuggets, like time capsules from the past. Getty recounts how they had to remove tonnes of concrete from the bilges of his yacht Bluebird when she was brought back to life. Using pneumatic drills, they were stunned as they began to uncover the metal forms of the original deckhouse windows. Naturally, they cleaned them and returned them to their rightful place.

And when Daniele Canelli rescued Javelin , a process that required 57,000 working hours, they found more hidden treasure. The refit was extraordinarily detailed, touching every part of the boat’s fabric and interior, from the oak frames to the fireplace and the bathtub in the master cabin. And when they removed the mainmast, there it was: a silver shilling coined in 1884, wedged into the oak step for good luck. 

It was eventually replaced under the new mast. He compares the process to that of philology “You must be prepared to take all the actions necessary to give a new life to a literary work, respecting the work and the intent of the author. There is nothing worse than a boat refitted by someone who does not respect her spirit.”

There are other surprises. As word gets around about the rescue of a yacht, people emerge with tales, documents and sometimes even whole fittings. “We’re getting lots of information from people who knew Baruna ,” says Getty. Far from looking down their noses at a restoration and critiquing every detail, the classic boat fraternity has been helpful, says Kane. “People give me magazine articles, things that say ‘ Bolero ’, or used to be on the boat. I even have some leather-bound scrapbooks that people have collected.”

What is the difference between a restoration yacht and a replica?

One of the most vexed questions relating to the rebirth of a wooden boat is whether it can remain “original” after everything has been replaced. “We say a boat is a restoration, not a replica, if during the entire time of construction you can recognise the hull shape,” explains Bolero owner Ed Kane. Despite his boat being completely taken apart for restoration, she has retained the original deck furniture, doghouse, keel, some planking and most of the interior.

At the other end of the scale, the recently relaunched 12-M Jenetta has just one small piece of original woodwork left, scarphed into a deck beam. Oh, and 17 tonnes of lead in the keel. Oliver Berking, who runs the Robbe & Berking shipyard where she was rebuilt, likes to say that she is 63 per cent original by weight. And yet the International Twelve Metre Association has accepted her as an original, allowing her to race in the classic classes. The main thing is to save the boat, as Tara Getty says: “As long as you can stop her from going to the knacker’s yard, then I’ve got no problem with that. It doesn’t have to be a perfect restoration.”

Why should I buy a classic yacht?

When you take on the ownership of a classic yacht , you are making yourself a public figure. That’s because people don’t just stand and admire these yachts as they screech round the mark or slide into their berth; they want to come and talk to the crew, the owner and admire the details. They galvanise people around them.

“When I go into a yacht club, and people know that I own Bolero , I never have to buy my own drink,” laughs Kane. “I’ve probably saved enough on drinks to buy another boat!” He has been invited to join eight clubs around the world, all keen to have Bolero on the membership list.

Classic boats are a natural conversation starting point for many. “One of the most fun parts of all this is the people we meet in all sorts of wonderful places,” says Cameron Riddell, co-owner of Eros . “The locals come to the boat because it’s big and beautiful, and they turn out to be really interesting themselves. The human contact is one of the most rewarding parts of the classic yachting scene.”

In a different way, Wilfried Beeck would agree. His 12-M Trivia was and still is a mean, lean racing boat of astonishing beauty. He always wanted nothing more than to campaign her, and his first challenge was to find the crew of 16 people necessary to do so. “You learn quickly that you can’t win in the first season. Building the crew is the bigger concern, not so much the maintenance of the boat.” After that, you have to find your place in the crew. He was always keen to helm, but not all owners do. One of the joys, he says, is the immediate, honest feedback you can get from a crew. “Most of us would love to have that in our own companies.”

He also warns that you will eventually have a collision if you’re too aggressive at the starting line. Fortunately the shape of a 12-M means that damage is rare, but it can still be dangerous. “Pro crew from more modern boats will produce crashes because they’re used to boats that turn more quickly and are more manoeuvrable. They sometimes underestimate how long it takes to turn 30 tonnes around. You have to prepare in advance.”

In most cases, the specifics of manoeuvring and trimming a rig that was designed 80-plus years ago are enjoyable. Owners appreciate the peculiarities which have to be mastered. Eros , for instance, has a large rectangular “fisherman” sail strung between her two masts, clewed down to the boom. “She doesn’t look right without the fisherman, but we only use it for racing because it takes a team of eight people to get it up,” says Riddell. “We keep one on each side because you have to take it down on one side and raise it on the other every time you tack or gybe. The manoeuvre can take between five and 10 minutes.”

If you have reached the end of this piece with the sense that you are not alone, or with a nagging memory of a classic boat that you saw as a child, then beware: you could well be a future owner . And, if Barney Sandeman is right, you have little choice in the matter. “I sometimes feel I’ve got an orphanage and I’m getting the children out to the right families,” he explains. “To a degree, these boats pick their owners.”

This feature is taken from the September 2020 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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Robbe & Berking Silver Cutlery

A piece of cutlery will only be a piece of cutlery unless it is created by Robbe & Berking. Each piece of Robbe & Berking silver cutlery is a work of art, handcrafted in the Flensburg silver manufactory. We apply the highest quality standards imaginable. Each piece of cutlery goes through several quality controls until it reaches the status of perfection. There is no compromise or second choice at Robbe & Berking, only silver of flawless craftsmanship leaves the manufactory.

All Robbe & Berking silver cutlery is available in 925 sterling silver and 150g massive silver plating.

New: Metropolitan – The Modern Classic

An absolute classic of Robbe & Berking history is coming back to mark the 150th anniversary of the silver manufactory – Metropolitan . Like no other pattern it embodies the flowing and organic lines that characterized the middle of the 20th century. Many of the classic Mid-Century designs have become true design icons and are inspiring creatives today more than ever. The Modern Classic!

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Even after several centuries, classic cutlery patterns of the silversmith's art, such as Spaten, Chippendale or the hammer stroke flatware patterns, keep their timeless charm. Their harmonious shapes also act as a powerful contrast in modern interiors. Robbe & Berking timelessly beautiful silverware can be passed down through generations as family heirlooms.

Robbe & Berking offers a purchasing guarantee (non-discontinuation of flatware patterns) on all current silver cutlery patterns until at least 2040.

Periods such as Art Nouveau and Art Deco are still influential in art, architecture, fashion and design today. Clear, elegant shapes combined with deliberately used decorative elements create a special aesthetic. Some of Robbe & Berking's most successful silver cutlery patterns have been influenced by these art movements and have since risen to become true design icons of table culture.

Silver cutlery patterns such as Sphinx or 12 pose special challenges to the silversmith's skills. Tense arches or the interplay of material distribution and design can only be realized in this highly demanding form through genuine manual craftsmanship. Industrial mass production cannot create silverware with this aesthetic standard. "Manu factum" – stands for "created by hand" and this is what silver cutlery by Robbe & Berking has stood for since 1874 and continues to do so in the future.

Most of Robbe & Berking's silver silverware patterns is expressive in character; hence their design has been manufactured unchanged for decades or even centuries. Other patterns have been deliberately inspired by modern trends. However, all Robbe & Berking silver cutlery patterns have one in common: the timeless beauty and the highest standards of design and quality. A piece of silver cutlery that is a design icon today will still be so in many years to come.

Robbe & Berking

The silver manufacturer Robbe & Berking was founded in 1874 and is still a pure family business today – now in its 5th generation.

Manu Factum – made by hand – is everything that bears the name of the company. The master silversmiths in the silver manufactory and the master boat builders in the Robbe & Berking yacht manufactory are responsible for the unrivalled quality worldwide. It is not the limited possibilities of rational large-scale production, but the hands of the master craftsmen and women alone that determine the form and quality of each piece of work.

This is how cutlery and tableware of timeless elegance and beauty are created, which never just follow passing fashions or trends, but are made to last for generations. As the market leader in silver cutlery, Robbe & Berking is a supplier to the world's finest businesses.

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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