History

Ocean racing in the post World War 2 era was a changing sport. A far cry from the once ‘gentleman’s sport’ yacht racing was fast becoming a highly competitive field with new technologies and initiatives from progressive competitors. Stormvogel was the result of the radical ideas of Cornelius Bruynzeel, a Dutch construction timber manufacturer and a close collaboration of well-renowned designers.

Cees Bruynzeel was mainly interested in speed, boat for boat, to be first across the line, to achieve line honours, that was his goal. His experience with Van de Stadt design, in 1949 Zeevalk, a 12.5 meter offshore racer, and in 1956, Zeeslang, a 9 meter radical light weight racer convinced him that light displacement was the key if you wanted to be first boat home. Both yachts were hard chine construction, built of Bruynzeel plywood, and had a spade rudder and attached fin keel.

 

 

In 1959 he decided to apply this to the biggest possible yacht that was allowed to enter races, a boat with a 70 foot rating, and a length of approximately 23 meters, better known today as a Maxi. The yacht had to be as fast as possible, but it also had to be safe and easy to handle in all conditions, because it would be used as a charter vessel in between regattas. Celebrating his 60th birthday, Bruynzeel asked Van de Stadt to design the boat and make all the construction plans.

 

However, the Van de Stadt Zaandam drawing office was very busy towards the end of 1959 so Bruynzeel subsequently turned to Olin Stephens, but Stephens did not dare risk his reputation as a designer with a project that he felt involved a considerable risk. Bruynzeel then asked the English designer Laurent Giles, who had experience with building large, lightweight stringer construction wooden hulls to come up with a design. While Giles was still working on a preliminary design, Bruynzeel by chance meet Capt. John Illingworth, a man who loved to experiment and Bruynzeel could not deny him the opportunity to put his vision down on paper.

 

 

However, the Van de Stadt Zaandam drawing office was very busy towards the end of 1959 so Bruynzeel subsequently turned to Olin Stephens, but Stephens did not dare risk his reputation as a designer with a project that he felt involved a considerable risk. Bruynzeel then asked the English designer Laurent Giles, who had experience with building large, lightweight stringer construction wooden hulls to come up with a design. While Giles was still working on a preliminary design, Bruynzeel by chance meet Capt. John Illingworth, a man who loved to experiment and Bruynzeel could not deny him the opportunity to put his vision down on paper.

 

Bruynzeel was thus given two widely differing designs, making it difficult for him to choose. He asked Van de Stadt what his preference was, but he appeared not to be very enthusiastic about either plan, so during the following weekend Van de Stadt developed a preliminary design including lines.

Bruynzeel subsequently had models of the three preliminary designs tested in the towing tank of the University of Southampton. The tests showed the Van de Stadt round bilge design had by far the best characteristics. The Van de Stadt Zaandam Office, however had absolutely no time available to develop the plan in great detail. It was therefore agreed that Van de Stadt would design the hull, the keel and the rudder, Illingworth would work out the rig plan, and Giles would take care of the construction plans and the overall co-ordination.

Bruynzeel subsequently had models of the three preliminary designs tested in the towing tank of the University of Southampton. The tests showed the Van de Stadt round bilge design had by far the best characteristics. The Van de Stadt Zaandam Office, however had absolutely no time available to develop the plan in great detail. It was therefore agreed that Van de Stadt would design the hull, the keel and the rudder, Illingworth would work out the rig plan, and Giles would take care of the construction plans and the overall co-ordination.

 

 

The project became even more complicated when no suitable shipyard could be found to build such a yacht. Bruynzeel then decided to have the yacht built by his own company, Lamtico, in Stellenbosch, South Africa, where he had moved by then. That also had the advantage that he could supervise the building himself on a daily basis. Despite the complicated start-up phase, the actual building process went smoothly.  Much credit also reflects on the personnel charged with the building of Stormvogel at Table Bay, South Africa. To build such a vessel and launch her on time in a yard unaccustomed to large yacht construction was indeed a great achievement.

After the briefest of trials off Cape Town, Stormvogel sailed for England on the 3rd May, 1961 with a ships company of fourteen. She called at Saint Helena, Ascension Island and the Azores and arrived at Dartmouth, England, on the 22nd June. In spite of predominately light winds, the 7,660 mile voyage was completed in a good time averaging a speed of 7.6 knots.

Her high basic speed was proven time and time again, particularly by her records in the Fastnet and Dinard races.

Over a period of more than ten years Bruynzeel competed in virtually all the major races in all parts of the world. Particularly well known were the personal duels with the famous American ‘maximum raters’. In this way he promoted boat-for-boat racing on these big yachts. Stormvogel was the predecessor of the modern, lightweight Maxis.

stormvogel-beken-son

 

We invite people involved in Stormvogel’s past to rejoin the Stormvogel network.

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ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE

Division: Class 2

DATE LOCATION REGATTA RACE COURSE RACE 1 RACE 2 RACE 3 RACE 4 OVERALL RESULT
18th October 2008 Malta Rolex Middle Sea Race Offshore 3rd       3rd
      Overall Result for the season on Corrected time 3rd
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ARC 2008, ATLANTIC RALLY FOR CRUISERS

Division: Racing Division A

DATE LOCATION REGATTA RACE COURSE RACE 1 RACE 2 RACE 3 RACE 4 OVERALL RESULT
23rd November to 9th December Gran Canaria to St Lucia ARC 2008 Offshore 1st       1st
      Overall Result for the season on Corrected time 1st
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II REGATTA BALEARS CLASSIC

Division: Classic

DATE LOCATION REGATTA RACE COURSE RACE 1 RACE 2 RACE 3 RACE 4 OVERALL RESULT
21st to 25th August 2008 Spain, Palma – Cabrera – Mahon Soria Natural Trophy Offshore 1st  1st     1st
      Overall Result for the season on Corrected time 1st
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XXIV TROFEO ALMIRANTE CONDE DE BARCELONA

Division: Classic

DATE LOCATION REGATTA RACE COURSE RACE 1 RACE 2 RACE 3 RACE 4 OVERALL RESULT
11th to 17th August Palma de Mallorca, Spain XXIV Trofeo Almirante Conde De Barcelona Coastal 1st  1st  1st   1st
      Overall Result for the season on Corrected time 1st
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VELE D EPOCA NAPOLI 2008

Division: Classic

DATE LOCATION REGATTA RACE COURSE RACE 1 RACE 2 RACE 3 RACE 4 OVERALL RESULT
26th to 29th June 2008 Napoli, Italy Vele D’Epoca Napoli Coastal Race 1st  3rd  2nd  1st 1st
      Overall Result for the season on Corrected time 1st
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PANERAI CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA : 2008

Division: Classic

DATE LOCATION REGATTA RACE COURSE RACE 1 RACE 2 RACE 3 RACE 4 OVERALL RESULT
4th to 8th June 08 Antibes, France Les Voiles D Antibes Coastal Race 5th  4th  3rd  3rd 4th
14th to 17th June La Spezia, Capria, Argentario Deuxieme Regate de Haute Mer Long Race  1st  1st      1st
 19th to 22nd June  Porto Santo Stefano, Italy  Argentario Sailing Week  Coastal  1st  2nd  1st  2nd  2nd
 26th to 30th August 08  Mahon. Menorca, Spain  VI Copa del Rey de Barcos de Epoca  Coastal  2nd  6th  4th  4th  4th
 31st August to 2nd September  Mahon to Imperia  Troisieme Regate de Haute Mer  Offshore  1st        1st
 10th to 14th September  Imperia, Italy  Vele d’Epoca Imperia  Coastal  2nd  4th  1st  1st  1st
 23rd to 27th September  Cannes, Frances  Regates Royales Cannes  Coastal  1st  3rd  1st    1st
      Overall Result for the season on Corrected time 1st
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PANERAI CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA : 2007

Division: Classic

DATE LOCATION REGATTA RACE COURSE RACE 1 RACE 2 RACE 3 RACE 4 OVERALL RESULT
 30 May to 03 June  Antibes, France  Les Voiles d’Antibes  coastal race  5th  1st  1st  4th  2nd
 11th to 12th June  La spezia, Italy  La Spezia to Capraia  long race  1st        
 13th to 17th June  Porto Santo Stefano, Italy  Argentario Sailing Week  coastal race  6th  1st  1st  4th  1st
 27th to 31st August  Mahon, Spain  Vela Clasica Menorca Copa del Rey  coastal race  6th  1st  1st    2nd
 1st to 3rd September  Mahon to Porto Rotondo  Mahon-Porto Rotondo Haut mer 2  long race          1st
 6th to 9th September  Portorotondo, Sardinia  Vele d’Epoca  coastal race  6th  5th  1st    4th
 12th to 15th September  Porto Cervo, Sardinia  Rolex Veteran Boat Rally  coastal race  3rd  1st  4th    3rd
 17th to 19th September  Maddalena, Sardinia  Maddalena-Cannes Haut mer 3  long race          
 24th to 29th September  Cannes, France  Les Regates Royales  coastal race          
      Overall Result for the season on Corrected time 2nd
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PANERAI CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA : 2007

Division: Classic

DATE LOCATION REGATTA RACE COURSE RACE 1 RACE 2 RACE 3 RACE 4 OVERALL RESULT
 30 May to 03 June  Antibes, France  Les Voiles d’Antibes  coastal race  5th  1st  1st  4th  2nd
 11th to 12th June  La spezia, Italy  La Spezia to Capraia  long race  1st        
 13th to 17th June  Porto Santo Stefano, Italy  Argentario Sailing Week  coastal race  6th  1st  1st  4th  1st
 27th to 31st August  Mahon, Spain  Vela Clasica Menorca Copa del Rey  coastal race  6th  1st  1st    2nd
 1st to 3rd September  Mahon to Porto Rotondo  Mahon-Porto Rotondo Haut mer 2  long race          1st
 6th to 9th September  Portorotondo, Sardinia  Vele d’Epoca  coastal race  6th  5th  1st    4th
 12th to 15th September  Porto Cervo, Sardinia  Rolex Veteran Boat Rally  coastal race  3rd  1st  4th    3rd
 17th to 19th September  Maddalena, Sardinia  Maddalena-Cannes Haut mer 3  long race          
 24th to 29th September  Cannes, France  Les Regates Royales  coastal race          
      Overall Result for the season on Corrected time 2nd
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