History of Askoy

The Askoy II was built in 1960 for the renowned Belgian architect Hugo Van Kuyck. Askoy is the name of an island off the coast of Norway, located just outside the port city of Bergen.

It was designed by Raymond Derkinderen and built at the Vandevoorde shipyard. The yacht is 20 meters long, 5 meters wide, and weighs 40 tons.

Van Kuyck sailed the yacht in the Baltic Sea, around Norway, and around Scotland. In 1974, he sold the boat to Jacques Brel, who eventually sailed it to the Marquesas Islands.

In 1976, Brel sold his ship to the American Cathy Cleveland. She sailed the yacht in French Polynesia and New Zealand, eventually ending up in Hawaii. She later sold the boat to Harlow Jones, who launched a fishing trade project with local fishermen on the Pacific Islands, under the name Harlow Island Packet Trading Co.

The yacht was eventually sold again to a German man, who later turned out to be a drug smuggler. The ship was seized in the Fiji Islands and publicly sold in 1993 to Lindsay Wright, a maritime journalist from New Zealand. He sailed the Askoy II solo to his homeland, encountered a storm, and ultimately became stranded on Baylys Beach on the northwest coast. There, the yacht waited for its rescue.

 

In 2004, a few sailing enthusiasts and fans of Jacques Brel founded the non-profit organization Save Askoy II, with the intent to bring the wreck back to Belgium and restore the ship to its former glory.

The wreck was excavated from Baylys Beach in December 2007 and arrived in Belgium in May 2008. At that time, the ship was little more than a twisted and rusted hull.

 

In 2010, the Askoy II was transferred to the Nieuwe Scheldewerven shipyard in Rupelmonde, where extensive restoration work was carried out on the hull. A new deck was added. Meanwhile, wooden masts were made according to the original plans at the Van Damme shipyard in Zeebrugge.

 

The dilapidated sailing ship was painstakingly restored for more than fifteen years by volunteers and was officially recognized as sailing heritage in 2022, thanks to Flemish Minister of Immovable Heritage Matthias Diependaele.

 

On Thursday, March 24, 2024, after years of restoration, this gem finally touched the water again. After inspection, a minor adjustment was still necessary, and it was briefly placed back on the quay.

 

On April 9, 2024 (the day after Jacques Brel’s birthday), the moment finally arrived, and this lady enjoyed the spotlight during the official launch ceremony.

 

On May 4, 2024, the Askoy II will be officially christened by Mayor Dirk De fauw in the presence of Jacques Brel’s last partner, Maddly Bamy, at the Rederskaai in Zeebrugge.