The Rebirth Of Recluta
Robb Report Singapore|October 2021
How multiple generations of the Frers family came together to reproduce the classic sailing boat, Recluta.
Dennis Lai
The Rebirth Of Recluta

Across a span of two generations and 80 years, the design studio of German Frers – renowned for its successful racing yacht designs – has just completed its latest project: a racing vessel, Recluta. And upon her completion, she sailed for her first time, bearing parts of her namesake which was last seen during the Buenos Aires-Mar del Plata race of 1942.

Recluta’s story began when German Sr (18991986) helped change her rigging into a Bermuda type as a favour to his friend and her owner, Charles Badracco. That vessel had been built in 1901 by UK-based Camper & Nicholsons at its historic Gosport dockyard under another name and arrived in Argentina in 1940, where it was christened Recluta.

Alas, during the 1942 race, a terrible storm and an attempt to save an overboard crewmate caused her to run aground. Badracco salvaged what he could and dynamited what remained of the boat. Following this, he commissioned German Sr to design a successor to Recluta, which was to be the biggest sailing boat in South America at the time. Unfortunately, circumstances of the war led to a shortage of metals, causing its construction to be postponed. Over that period, the Frers family proved incredibly prolific, designing sailboats on commission for various boatyards and accounting for over 1,300 designs across three generations of Frers. Their boats would go on to grace Admiral’s Cup teams and America’s Cup campaigns, and German Jr also played a part in the Prada/Luna Rossa America’s Cup campaign in 2000.

German Jr, the man who successfully brought forth his father’s vision of a new Recluta, recalls: “When I first started working at my father’s studio, my father (German Sr) used to tell me about this one special boat that he never managed to build.”

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ROBB REPORT SINGAPOREView all
BREAKING DOWN WALLS
Robb Report Singapore

BREAKING DOWN WALLS

Georgina Atkinson, managing partner of Origin Private Office, on the evolving landscape of high-end real estate.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Aged Gracefully
Robb Report Singapore

Aged Gracefully

The Benromach 50 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail is a delicious single malt, touched by love, passion and the human hand.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
This Month's Feed
Robb Report Singapore

This Month's Feed

Only the best dining and drinking spots in Singapore.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Small-scale Thinking
Robb Report Singapore

Small-scale Thinking

Architect Todd Saunders wants to change the way we approach hospitality design from the ground up.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
Todd Snyder Is Exactly Where He Wants To Be
Robb Report Singapore

Todd Snyder Is Exactly Where He Wants To Be

\"Our whole goal is to present product in a way that guys get it and understand it, versus 'Here's some crazy aspirational brand-you go figure it out on your own'.\"

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
Depp Dive Into Sauvage
Robb Report Singapore

Depp Dive Into Sauvage

Johnny Depp on music, scents and the mystique of creativity.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
Time For Poetry
Robb Report Singapore

Time For Poetry

Pascal Raffy on his love affair with the 202-year-old house of Bovet.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
One of a Kind
Robb Report Singapore

One of a Kind

The incomparable Lange 1 turns 30 this year and A. Lange & Söhne marks the occasion with its trademark understatement.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
P For Personality
Robb Report Singapore

P For Personality

Enhance your swing, and inject your personal style while you're at it, with TaylorMade's new P-770 and P-7CB irons.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
The Short-hop-adventure-craft Category Takes Off
Robb Report Singapore

The Short-hop-adventure-craft Category Takes Off

Inside the flight deck of Pivotal's Blackfly eVTOL, an ultra-smart ultra-light with eight propellers, electric propulsion and no pilot's licence required.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024