Superyachts
longitudinal bulkheads and framework in the upper corner between hull and deck to create the required stiffness,’ Johansson recalls. The Baltic 43 Bully was the first
Even now, 20 years after her launch, the Baltic 147 Visione stands out as a remarkable technical achievement
offshore yacht built entirely in epoxy resin, in 1985. In technical terms this was a spin-off froman earlier R&D project, developing ultra-strong vacuum-infused sandwich laminates for a Soviet deep-sea submarine, which ruffled diplomatic feathers when the Americans found out about it. ‘Themain unit was solid steel; we built a streamlined cover around the equipment,’ he says. ‘If you send a normal laminate down to 6,000mit will not be the same afterwards.We learned a fewthings fromthat project.’ In 1990, Baltic regained its
independence. Finland’s industrial sector was in recession and Hollming needed to focus on its core business. ‘They asked us to arrange a management takeover,’ Johansson explains. ‘The yard was an important workplace for the local community and to shut it would have been very destructive.We were 32 employees who got together, took over and continued the business.’ Marketingmanager Lisbeth
An exceptional project by any standards, launched in 2011, the 221ft LOA Hetairos is the largest carbon fibre yacht in theworld and a truewolf in sheep’s clothing
Staffans stepped up to bemanaging director and led Baltic Yachts for two decades froma challenging start. ‘With a bad order book and uncertain future there were sleepless nights at the beginning of this new era,’ Johansson says. ‘Lisbeth was a very good person for that job.We couldn’t afford tomake anymistakes and she made sure we didn’t. But this period is the one I’mmost proud of.We did a good job,moved up in the size of our projects and stayed profitable.’ Innovation continued apace with
productionmanager Christer Lill running a remarkably tight operation as the yachts ramped up rapidly in sophistication and size. In 1996 they launched 67ft Aledoa, the world’s first pre-preg carbon cruiser, and 87ft Anny – their first with a lifting keel, twin rudders and complex hydraulics. She had full push-button sail controls and a tender could be driven straight into the automatic opening-and- lowering garage in her stern. The following year, the Baltic 70
Lisbeth Staffans led Baltic from1990, throughmany of its greatest achievements 82 SEAHORSE
Vittfarne heralded a new style of yacht combining classic appearance and fine traditional craftsmanship with hi- tech construction, light displacement andmodern hydrodynamics.
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