German Frers boats

Have you sailed any Frers designed boats, particularly the older ones? I find them to be good seaboats and overall fast. One designs, like the Grumete, made no compromises to racing rules.

 

Sure... the Frers 36, Frers 48, Frers 50, Frers 62, Frers 70 as well as many Frers Swans. Great boats. Frers draws beautiful sheer lines. These boats are still sailing .

Article about Frers.

http://www.bridgerconwayinteractive.com/frers/admin/modulos/press/press/nh376_A_Chat_with_German.pdf

 

I raced these in my teens
http://www.grumete.com.ar/

 

IOR pictorial

http://rbsailing.blogspot.co.nz/search/label/IOR Regatta

 

Nice photos.

 

My Dad , Uncle and a crew of navy midshipmen raced "Alliance" in the 79' transatlantic to a win, and then "finished" the Fastnet of that year. A testament to the speed and strength of the Frers boats. I think she was 54'Loa as I remember.

 

We are just finishing a stunning "Rebuild" of a Frers 52 "Custom" sailing yacht. Although has kept her elegance of the 80ties, she has all the modern equipment you can wish. The ship is now completely build to the Dutch super yacht standards. We are very much looking forward to the first Sea trials soon. Anyone is welcome to visit the shipyard in Zaandam Holland.

Kind regards,
Erik van Leeuwen

 

150ft Frers Classic

[FONT=&quot]When Dennis Kozlowski, the former chief executive of Tyco International Ltd., went to jail in 2003, he left behind at Derecktor[/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot] Shipyards [/FONT][/FONT] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]in Bridgeport [/FONT]a 150ft retro sloop, beautifully designed by Frers. Alu hull and all structural work completed, interior 75% finished, I believe.
Last I heard was a broker quite desperately looking for someone to finish that project. The plans and renderings I saw looked great - so if you love Frers designs ...
pool
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Oh... a one hundred and fifty footer ? Tough to sell these days...the rich guys all want 300 footers.

Perhaps they should chop her into three 50 footers for quick sale.

 

I'm an absolute fan. A German Frers Snr fan as well, heading down to Buenos Aires in October to case the place for more classics and photos of classic racing in Rio de la Plata. I know of a few in the med that are tired and would be fantastic projects.

http://www.germanfrers.com/upload/Vagabundo.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50YTfBWhZRI

 

That's where I grew up sailing and racing. Frers designed boats were very common and always a joy to sail. Besides good looks, they are always good seaboats.

 

I does look like a great place to sail, I'm looking foreward to visiting the YCA. I was wondering if you knew where we could find out a bit more about the vessels and designs of German Frers snr, and more photos of the classics sailing.

Something like an Argentinian equivalent of Beken of Cowes. I have found a few of the boats dotted around including my boat but their history is usually elusive and old photos almost impossable to find. I only have a few classic photos of Vagabundo and would like to find more about her and the boreal class and about Escorpion ex Plush.

 

I think the YCA should be a good place to get information. He designed the Grumete class in 58 for the club. It later became a common design raced in most clubs in the area, both in Argentina and Uruguay. If you are going to Buenos Aires, the boatbuilding yards West of the city is where most of them were built. German's dad had a yard, I believe, in Tigre.

 

For those having interest on the beautiful work of German Frers senior ("the father"), including the Grumete, Fjords, Vagabundo etc. etc.:

Germán Frers
VIAJES, DISEÑOS, REGATAS (Trips, Designs, Regatas)
Págs. 260 (2a edición)
USD 29.50 (inside EEUU, Canada & México)
ISBN: 978-987-1316-06-9

http://www.letemendia.com/catalogo.php?id=43

(German Frers is known as a very kind person, I bet he will answer any e-mail related to his father's work, from who he's rightly proud, off course)

Grumete complete information, including his 1940 presentation in society, plans and data to build it (12 pp):
http://www.grumete.com.ar/frers.php
http://www.grumete.com.ar/planos/Planos_Grumete.zip

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"Back when boats were made of wood, and the men made of iron .... "