Modern shipyards almost exclusively use plastic. Wood, on the other hand, ekes out an existence in an exclusive niche. Like at Ilensee Boote, where small works of art are created from this natural material. We visited the shipyard.
Wooden boats are becoming rare! Today, almost every modern boat is made of glass fibre reinforced plastic. Serial shipyards such as Hanse, Bavaria, Beneteau or Axopar dominate the market with this material. Wood is only used, if at all, in interior fittings - then usually as a thin veneer over plywood or sandwich panels. There are still a few exceptions. Some traditional Scandinavian shipyards in particular occasionally use solid wood. However, most manufacturers are gradually moving away from this. The Dutch luxury shipyard Zeelander, for example, has gone so far as to paint GRP parts so that the handrails look like wood. The grains are simply painted on with a thin brush and a lot of skill and look deceptively real.
Is boatbuilding losing its face or its craftsmanship as a result? Perhaps not necessarily, but certainly emotions, cosiness, warmth and craftsmanship. However, it also gains in modernity and diversity. Shapes can be produced in plastic that would not be possible in wood. It also minimises deforestation. Whether boatbuilding in GRP is more environmentally friendly, however, is another matter and a different topic. We don't want to get into that discussion here. Hard-boiled boat builders and enthusiasts will probably say, "It's all just yoghurt pots".
Can wooden boatbuilding be modern?
Kai-Uwe Eilts takes a similar view. However, he does not close his mind to the reality of the 21st century. Instead, he believes that wooden boat building can also be modern. CNC milling, epoxy resin and modern paint systems make it possible for traditional craftsmanship to still have its place today. The result is far more than just a floating object. It is a piece of art with its own history and, above all, something that is rarely seen in harbours today.
It is 8.30 a.m. when we enter the small hall in Schleswig on the Schlei, which is directly adjacent to Kai-Uwe Eilts' home. Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" is playing on the radio and the melody can be heard whistling from a corner.
It's a special feeling for me: standing in a shipyard again is like travelling back in time. I myself am a trained boat builder. For me, there is hardly a better feeling than standing in a workshop where you can feel that people are working with passion. The project that Eilts is showing is called Ilensee 16, a classic runabout. These boats are rare, but they do exist, for example at Boesch or Riva. They have one thing in common: if you want to own one, you need patience and, more importantly, a large and deep wallet. Buying new? That's hardly possible. This is exactly what Kai-Uwe Eilts wants to change. His goal: to build a boat that is affordable, available and yet special.
Kai-Uwe Eilts and his connection to boatbuilding
Of course, it won't appeal to the masses. But he will be a hit with enthusiasts. Kai-Uwe grew up on the North Sea island of Norderney and worked at the Dübbel & Jesse shipyard for around twenty years. The company was once a leading manufacturer of aluminium regatta yachts, but also built the "Kathena Nui" of circumnavigator Wilfried Erdmann, for example. On Norderney, Eilts built yachts up to 88 feet in length, mostly sailing boats. During this time, he fell in love with wood, the living material that smells, sounds and feels like no other.
A few years ago, he and his wife moved to the mainland, or rather to Schleswig. The plan was to cut back, only take on the projects he really wanted to do and have more time for life. "That didn't work," he says with a laugh. On the contrary, new ideas and work simply won't let him go. Together with Rainer Kuhlmann, a CNC and modelling expert, the idea for the Ilensee 16 emerged step by step. First it was a concept, then a 3D model, and finally a finished drawing. Around 1,000 hours later, the first prototype stood in the hall.
The building process at Ilensee Boote
In order to work more economically and precisely, not every part is manufactured individually by hand. Instead, the company's own CNC machine mills around 250 components from plywood with millimetre precision and labels them at the same time. The rest is produced by hand. This is how the frame is created, among other things. Putting this together is part puzzle, part painting by numbers. It is an effective combination of craftsmanship and the help of high-tech.
The computer programme calculates where the joints need to be in order to minimise waste and get the most out of each plywood panel. The parts are then put together, glued and bonded to the slipway. This is followed by a six millimetre thick plywood layer, reinforced with two layers of glass fibre fabric. This provides additional stability and waterproofness. For the elegant mahogany finish, the Ilensee is also fitted with 2.5 millimetre thick veneer planking. The boat builders apply this with epoxy resin using a vacuum process.
This is followed by the paint finish. 15 coats of clear varnish are necessary for the unmistakable, deep gloss that is a must for a boat like this. When Eilts talks about it, his eyes light up. You can immediately sense how much passion, but also pure pride, has gone into this project. It's obvious: this prototype is his showpiece, and he celebrates it.
The Ilensee 16 in the BOOTE test
We are the first to test the boat and are delighted. Of course, there are still a few teething problems. For example, one flap doesn't fit perfectly yet and one board was milled a few millimetres too small by the CNC programme. But that's complaining at the highest level. Many shipyards would be more than satisfied with this state of affairs. Eilts is not. He knows every weak point and has long since corrected them in the next drawings. The Ilensee 16 is his baby, and as we all know, you only want the best for your children.
Speaking of the best: he also favours quality and regionality when it comes to suppliers. Laroma, a mattress and upholstery manufacturer from Schleswig, for example, provides the cosiness on board, while Holm Segelmacherei supplies the custom-fit tarpaulin. Sailmaker Sven Kraja from Frog Sails, a former beach sailing world champion and also a boat builder, and CTM, a wholesaler and technology provider for fibre composites, also come from the region in northern Germany.
During the test drive, you notice a few other little things: Tighter bends can be taken in one direction than in the other. A question of adjusting the engine steering, explains Eilts. "I would install hydraulic steering on the next boat. It's easier and also feels better," adds the boat builder. If the boat goes into series production, these details will be perfected once again. Apart from that, it takes bends with confidence and without the stern catching. Even when travelling at 30 knots, it remains stable without losing grip. She glides effortlessly without the bow lifting excessively. Visibility is very good at all times when seated. A 90 hp two-stroke engine is still installed on board the test boat. In series production, there will be a choice of a modern four-stroke engine or an electric drive. In the electric version, the batteries are installed directly in the hull. This has already been taken into account in the stringer and frame drawings. A combustion engine may have a maximum of 100 hp. That's all that's needed on a 5.10 metre boat.
Our top speed was already 32.2 knots. However, with an optimised propeller pitch, speeds of around 40 knots are also possible. The shipyard achieved these speeds during the first test runs on the mirror-smooth Baltic Sea. Back at the jetty, we turn round once more. When something is this beautiful, you just have to stop and take another look.
If you want to stand out and own a modern, customised classic, you should take a closer look at the small shipyard in Schleswig. Because the Ilensee 16 proves that traditional craftsmanship and modern boatbuilding are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, the two harmonise perfectly and the result is inspiring!
