Regenboog

It’s fair to say that wooden boats inspire passion like few other craft. For Robert Binnekade, that passion was sparked by a classic Dutch one-design racing dayboat that still draws ardent owners for its competitive fleet. Binnekade acquired a 1947 example of the class, number 61 name Regenbouw (Dutch for rainbow), from an old friend. Like any classic, however, she needed a lot of love to bring her back to her former glory. Luckily, Amsterdam Yacht Service has proven the perfect place for those works, with her experienced team that includes expert carpenters in the shipyard’s wood workshop.

“Being an old wooden ship, she has all the issues that go with that,” Binnekade explains. “She had parts where she was rotten, and she was suffering in places from woodworm.” With construction comprising mahogany planks on oak frames, the restoration got underway with the carpentry team replacing any rotten frames and replanking the yacht, then turning their attention to the teak decking which also needed multiple repairs. “We did vacuum glueing for the teak just like a normal teak specialist would do,” Binnekade enthuses, “and more recently we’ve been building up the varnish layers on the woodwork around the cockpit and elsewhere – 10 layers of PU varnish and then three layers of UV-resistant top coat gloss varnish.”

With the works completed in time for the summer season, Regenbouw will soon be showing her colours in the highly competitive one design race fleet, where she will boast both being one of the oldest of the class afloat while also showing her fine as-new craftsmanship from the AYS team. For Binnekade, it will be a chance to put the boat through her paces, although there’s also an element of nervousness about taking his pride and joy round the cans. “She will be raced, although not immediately as I first have to familiarise myself with her,” he says, adding with a smile, “although it’s a bit of a risk as the class is notoriously competitive!”