Legends Reborn - Younique Yachts rebuilds a Swan48 and a Feadship
by Peter Melchers 14 Feb 2020 20:48 NZDT
Legends Reborn - Younique rebuild a Swan48 © Younique Yachts
The Swan was the first yacht in the Legends Reborn to be finished. The Feadship is the second, it is was delivered in the spring of 2019. Good news for people with fond memories of wonderful sailing vacations when they were kids. But it also is a great example of how yacht builders can contribute to a sustainable future.
A beautiful yacht should have a long and active life, and does not deserve to waste away prematurely. That in itself is enough reason to embrace a concept like Legends Reborn, but Younique Yachts also sees it as way to do their part for a sustainable world. Rebuilding old legendary yachts requires less materials than building new ones; and at Youniques shipyard waste material is sorted carefully and then recycled.
Yachts are built with as little waste as possible and Younique uses FSC-certified wood for construction and finishing. Peter Melchers of Younique Yachts: 'We always work with the same supplier, because we know his FSC-label and paperwork are up to date. We want our clients to be able to check.' Certified wood is produced in a sustainable forest, with respect for the natural environment, animals and plants and consideration for the rights and safety of the people who work there.
To compensate Younique wants to replace the wood the shipyard uses. Their aim is to plant some 2,000 trees in five years, spread across two areas of one hectare each. One hectare is in the Netherlands, the other in a protected reserve on the slopes of Mount Malindang, an inactive volcano in the Philippines. In the past deforestation in the area led to widespread erosion, flooding and mudslides, making agriculture in the lower valleys practically impossible. The forest has since recovered and these days it is managed sustainably.
Younique Yachts has moved into a new building a year ago. 'The new location will offer great possibilities to run a CO2-neutral business. We are considering several options: solar panels and a heat exchanger combined with floor heating and LED lights. There is quite a number of things we can do.
More information: www.legends-reborn.com