“If we work in cycles of one boat in the mould and the other in finishing, we can produce two boats a month. When we hand over the product to our clients, they can set sail immediately. We can, to an extent, vary the interior furnishing and supplies according to the wishes of our clientele but, as it is a standard boat which is used at large competitions in Germany and Scandinavia, all details correspond to the type and can also be pre-produced.
The classic Nordic picnic boat
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Polar Shipyard near Pärnu has no shortage of commissions The joint Estonian-German company Polar Shipyard produces the cult-status sailing boat Folkboat, and the classic motorboat line Nordic Cruiser. The flagship of the company is the Polar 55, which will be presented at hanseboot, the Hamburg International Boat Show in 2012. Polar Shipyard started operations in 2009, when the economic crisis disturbed the plans of countless companies. “In those difficult times, there were dramatic changes in the work processes of many companies. We saw an opportunity at the time, purchased equipment which was no longer in use and offered new jobs to workers with years of work experience,” explains Vaido Absalon, the executive director of the company. “Of course we would like nothing more than to see our boats sail in Estonian waters. But, unfortunately, the small size of the market and low solvency set limits. As we get all our materials from other European countries, in order to guarantee high quality, and our products have to meet the high expectations of German and Scandinavian customers, we are not able to produce at a lower cost. Therefore, we do not
The fast displacement Nordic Cruiser is also produced in Uulu. Absalon explains that they don’t own the brand, but the production of the boats takes place in the Polar Shipyard from beginning to end. This 7.3 metre powerboat has a nostalgic look: at the bow there is a cabin with two or three bunks and the cockpit can be covered with a tent. This boat, with its economical diesel engine, wide picnic table, pantry unit and fridge, and rotating wicker chairs, is best-suited to navigating in skerries and archipelagos, due to which 100% of the customers are from abroad.
even have a sales representation in Estonia,” says Absalon, with a hint of regret in his voice.
The Folkboat – made in Estonia Polar Shipyard’s most famous product is the Folkboat (Folkeboot). Since 1942, over four thousand Folkboats have been made and the model is still popular in Germany, Denmark and Scandinavia. Although the original was made of wood, the Folkboat made in Uulu, near Pärnu, is constructed of fibre-reinforced plastic, which copies the original clinker planking. According to Absalon, the company has the right to produce and sell the Folkboat.
Polar 55 – a sailor’s dream Completed in the summer of 2011, Polar 55 was initiated by Wolfgang Rathert a couple of years ago, when he decided to finally order a real masterpiece for himself, both in terms of technology and design. Polar 55 has been designed and constructed on the basis of Rathert’s long experience in sailing and there were two main goals during construction: the boat should be comfortable and safe for a sole sailor and, regardless of its size, the yacht should be able to enter small harbours and bays. Consequently, Polar 55 is equipped with very complex technology, all sails can be moved by hydraulics and the keel can be raised to decrease the draft by more than a metre. See more at: www.polar-shipyard.com
FALL 2012
I LIFE IN ESTONIA
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