When legendary high latitude sailor and naval architect Gerard Dijkstra set out to design his own dream yacht, he had a crystal clear vision: a yacht offering excellent performance, even in the toughest of conditions. A yacht that he could comfortably sail single-handed. A strong yacht. And: a gorgeous yacht. That yacht was Bestevaer 2: the driving force behind the now legendary Bestevaer range.
The Bestevaer II was made in 2003 for short-handed, long distance voyaging in cold climates (although she is equally at home in the tropics). She is the first of the well proven Bestevaer sailing yachts known for their comfort, strength and performance. Bestevaer II is a fast-cruising version of the original single-handed racer Dijkstra designed back in 1976. This Bestevaer 53 is less extreme (more beam, less draft) than her predecessor yet she retains many of the original characteristics.
Gerard Dijkstra: “You know a Bestevaer when you see one. Recognizable by a certain type of structure, a solid hull, efficient underwater ship and rigging. An example of a perfect compromise between functionality and aesthetics for the Bestevaer is the sharp bow, which looks beautiful but also has a function for its seakeeping ability. Yet, it means that the front cabin is smaller than at comparable yachts. For the Bestevaer yachts, we were inspired by the design philosophy of the old commercial sailing cutters from the 19th century. The Tea Clippers too had a sharp bow, perfect sail capacity, seaworthy, and good ergonomics – since they had to be able to sail these large yachts with manpower. And of course, wonderful aesthetics. True elegance.”
The simple shape combined with rounded corners and edges allows the yacht to be seen as beautiful and pure as it is. The unpainted aluminium, without further frills. Minimum maintenance. Simple and effective. This appearance and functionality of the Bestevaer 53 II appealed to more people and so the Bestevaer series was born.
