Feadship Heritage Fleet goes to its roots
The Feadship Heritage Fleet is organising a rendezvous for all of its classic yachts this coming weekend. In a nod to the fleet’s roots in the Netherlands, the event will take place at the Feadship Aalsmeer yard.
“The board is proud to have this Feadship Heritage Fleet event take place in the home base of the historic yachtbuilder,” Chairman Victor Muller says. “We will gather together in the country where our beloved yachts were crafted, amid the rich nautical tradition which our Feadships represent and celebrate.”
“No fewer than sixteen classic yachts have already registered, adding up to 240 metres of sailing heritage between them,” Muller notes. “This turnout is higher than any of us expected, and we are still receiving last-minute registrations as we speak. This shows that classic Feadship owners are eager to celebrate their boats together, which is, of course, the raison d’être of this association. In addition to various social events staged exclusively for members, collective member benefits are also developed through partnerships with yacht-related service providers, such as Pantaenius Yacht Insurance.”
The upcoming event will include a yacht hop in the evening of Friday 27 June, and the relaunch of the 1966 motoryacht Katja after an extensive four-year refit. The first general assembly of the Feadship Heritage Fleet will take place the next morning. Members will gather to reflect on a successful first year after the foundation, and will discuss future plans and expected developments.
The meeting will be followed by a tour of the yard and a presentation of its history by Feadship’s distinguished archivist. Owners will see the latest superyachts under construction – which will themselves be eligible to join the club in thirty years. In the afternoon, the entire fleet will go out for a rally on the local lakes, to end the event in style with a barbecue at a location of considerable historic significance: Fort Kudelstaart, constructed between 1881 and 1914 as part of the defence line of Amsterdam, which is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“This great event will be the ideal way to celebrate the Feadship legacy,” Muller concludes. “And where better than at the very place where it all began.”