The Passion of a Yacht Builder in Guatemala
A boatyard out of the ordinary
The workshop is tucked inconspicuously behind high walls in a suburb of Antigua de Guatemala in Central America. A generously sized forecourt provides a view on a boatyard, which does not meet the usual standards. It is located at 1,600 meters above sea level in the middle of a beautiful volcanic landscape. No trace of sea and any water as far as I could see. The place looks a bit like a carpenter’s shop as exclusively wooden boats are made here. By entering the yard I noticed local artisans finishing carefully the cockpit of an 18-foot centerboard sailboat, whose outboard is already coated with epoxy. Just next door is the finished hull of an 8-foot dinghy. It has a lot of similarity with the Optimist, but is built exclusively of wood. Pierre Turlin, native Parisian, inspects the centerboard trunk and remarks: «With this boat I want to make the sport of sailing accessible for enthusiasts in Guatemala».
Why Guatemala?
When I asked, how at all a yacht builder got lost in such an exotic place, Pierre shrugs: «Here I met my wife and settled down. Sailing sport and boats are my passion since my youth. A passion is like a religion. You practice it, wherever you are on this earth, right? It took me 3 years to build my first boat right here. A 35-foot sailing yacht with a steel hull».
However, there are other good reasons to produce wooden boats in Guatemala. Pierre explains me, how he buys local precious woods such as mahogany and cedar at particularly favorable prices. The import to Europe or the United States would increase the prices by a multiple and would seriously affect the production costs. Furthermore Guatemalan artisans are gifted carpenters, who know how to record and convert very fast. Thanks to these conditions Pierre succeeds to produce beautifully crafted wooden boats, which are also affordable for the domestic market. «After I have worked half my life with plastics, I wanted to work with natural materials and reclaim the traditional boatbuilding handcraft. A handcraft that is almost no longer affordable.»
And where is the market?
Currently the boatyard offers 18- and 15-foot centerboarders, which are roughly based on the design of the popular Caravelle of the sixties. According to Pierre, the design has to match the following conditions:
- Stable and accordingly durable
- Very easy to use as a sailboat
- Able to operate not only as a sailboat but also as a motorboat.
The same conditions also apply to the small 8-foot dinghy, which is just about to enter the market.
The demand for sailboats in Guatemala is currently very small. But Pierre and his business partner Jean Vajssier thought ahead and just opened a sailing school at Rio Dulce to introduce their love of sailing to Guatemalans. The school teaches at the same level as U.S. Academies of the American Sailing Association and trains their students with the specially designed 15-foot boats from Pierre. With this effort the business partners are hoping also for a natural growth in demand. Flanked by two oceans, Guatemala offers beautiful waters for sailing, such as the Rio Dulce and the lakes of Izabal, Atitlán, Amatitlán and Ipala.
The two inspected boats in the shipyard are already sold and additional requests for quotes were submitted. Also for lovers beyond the border of Guatemala the selling price is more than tempting. Should all the efforts be crowned by success, the next project is already fixed. Pierre’s eyes light up: «We would love to build a beautiful varnished wooden runabout according to the plans of Chris Craft. A piece of handcraft for boat-aficionados like me!».
Author: Frank Gerber
Добрый день! Меня зовут Шестакова Татьяна Викторовна, я врач-косметолог с многолетним опытом работы в области эстетической медицины. Сейчас я отвечу на ваши запросы и поделюсь полезной информацией о уходе за кожей. Моя цель — помочь вам понять, как правильно ухаживать за кожей и какие процедуры могут помочь вам достичь желаемого результата.
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