VK Yacht Designers and Builders firm of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.

Build a classic racer yacht, an American schooner or a traditional sailing wooden boat. We have long experience using the wood as a boat building material. We know the techniques, the technicians and the yards. We have combined this method of construction with computer technology in order to achieve maximum results in shape, quality and structural strength. We have replaced the traditional loft floor by plotted full scale drawings. We carefully select the wood species employed in the construction in order to achieve long life and durability.

Traditional wooden boat building - known as plank on frames is the most used method in all centuries. We construct double sawn frames from iroko connected to the keel by floors. The planking can be single plank (carvel) made watertight by caulking or double plank with overlapping seams. Where metal fasteners has to be used (screws, bolts or floors) they are made of marine stainless steel. The deck is constructed from plywood over deck beams with teak deck glued over. The deck houses, cockpit and hatches are made of solid mahogany.
As a modern variation we replace the sawn frames with laminated frames and all longitudinally running construction elements are laminated.

Laminated wood boat building - we use the wood-epoxy strip-plank construction method. Narrow planks are stripped up over a mold made by permanent bulkhead and mold frames with the keel and stem placed first. The planks are nailed and glued by epoxy to each other along their full length. Diagonal layers of veneer planks are glued over the strip-plank hull. The last layer of planks runs longitudinally and is epoxy coated. For the strengthening of certain areas (keels, rudders, masts, front impact area) we use high strength synthetic fibres in combination with epoxy resin. We can also use the stringer-frame method and the mold method for laminated hulls.

Wooden planking over metal frames boat building - has been used in America Cup early racers (Columbia, Defiance) producing a strong and light boat. This composite construction is the use of double planking of Douglas-fir and mahogany over steel or aluminum frames. The planks are fastened to the frames by stainless steel bolts. The whole structure is reinforced by metallic longitudinal welded to the frames. The ballast is attached by stainless steel bolts. The boat skin is only wood both in the over and under water parts. This construction is relatively inexpensive, can be applied to any length and produces light hulls tight as drums and the carefully finished wooden surface can be polished to a mirror finish.