Spain’s prohibition on yacht imports in the 1960s stimulated domestic boat manufacture in order to meet the country’s expanding demand for vessels. This is how the first sizable group of fiberglass shipyards in Barcelona’s industrial area were established. Playvisa, Mistral Manufacturing, Puma, North Wind, Carabela, Lagos, and Udondo were a few of the early Spanish Sailboat Manufacturers. However, there are now no shipyards in Spain for the mass production of sailboats due to economic and industrial issues.
A Look at Notable Shipyards and Models
Spain has a long history of producing sailboats, with numerous illustrious shipyards and models created over the years. Following are some of the well-known shipyards:
Carabela: A Custom Sailboat Builder
Nicolas Kenyeres, a Hungarian fighter pilot who created Astilleros Carabela in 1961, produced more than 130 superbly crafted sailboats of all lengths, many of which were designed by Olin Stephens. Carabela boats come in a variety, but versions like the Orion stand out. Javier Ugarte commissioned Stephens to design the Orion for his solo regattas, and it is a noteworthy design. Another famous creation by Stephens is the Calima, which, many years after her debut, has already won the Fastnet in its class and the Giraglia in the general classification. the French Joubert-Nivelt-designed Furia 37 and Furia 1000, as well as the Furia 44. The big crisis of the year 92 put an end to the existence of this Spanish shipyard manufacturers and several others after they produced hundreds of boats that, for the most part, are still sailing and fill the marinas throughout all of Spain.
Furia: A Spin-off Shipyard
At the end of the 1970s, during one of the crises that put INERGA on the verge of collapse, Astilleros Furia broke away from the organisation. Some of the INERGA molds were purchased by Alberto Cabal and the commercial director, Jaime Pique, who then founded themselves. The Furia 25 went into production in 1981, and was followed by the Furia 37, the Furia 1000, which had already been created by the French company Joubert-Nivelt, and the Furia 44. The big crisis of the year 92 put an end to the existence of this shipyard and some others after producing hundreds of boats, the most of which are still sailing and fill the marinas throughout all of Spain.
Astraea: A Standout Shipyard
One of the final Spanish Sailboat Manufacturers to produce a line of sailboats is Astraea. Astraea was established in 1994 in Lopera, Jaén, and produced everything from dribblers like the Brenta 24 to initiation cruisers like the Albatros or Azor. At its height, Astraea was able to establish itself as one of Europe’s most competitive sports sailboat manufacturers. Additionally, it had a presence abroad in nations including Sweden, Denmark, and Germany.
Belliure: A Family Tradition
In Calpe, Alicante, there is a shipbuilding business called Belliure with a rich family history. Belliure integrated the building of cruise sailboats, motor yachts, and commercial fishing boats thanks to his superb carpentry skills. The Endurance 35, created by Vicente Belliure and Peter Ibold and displayed at the XIII Barcelona Boat Show, is its most notable product. It is a traditional-looking fiber-built ketch with a sturdy, seaworthy reputation that can handle any journey. This sailboat was followed by a number of further models, each of which saw continual advancements and included more cutting-edge methods.
Mistral: A Foundation of Nautical Sports
Shipbuilding company Mistral Manufacturing operated in Rub, Barcelona. In the early 1970s, he helped build the groundwork for nautical activities in Spain by creating small- to medium-sized fiberglass sailing cruisers. They were strong, seaworthy, and occasionally even swift. The emerging middle class that formed in Spanish society during those years had access to sport navigation thanks to these boats.
Conch: Pioneers of Aluminum Sailboats
Prior to the introduction of composite materials based on epoxy resin, aluminum sailboat building had its time. A series of 40-foot regatta boats, including the Tornado, Mar Menor, and Sunrising, were designed by Ron Holland and produced by the Cobo brothers in Guarnizo, Cantabria, during the end of the 1970s. In 1977, the Spanish squad participated in the Admirals Cup for the first time. The Cobo brothers also produced a line of excursions under the name Alcotan 27, which were live-edged boats that were incredibly sturdy, cozy, and seaworthy.
Technical Moa: The Fortuna
The designer Javier Vissiers established the Monotipo trademark to promote one of his most well-known boats, the Fortuna. The capable Galician shipyard Moa Técnica always constructed models like the Fortuna 9 and Fortuna 12, of which significant numbers would be made.
INEGRA: A Famed Sailboat Manufacturer
With designs by Holman & Pye, Angus Primrose, Ron Holland, and even Alberto Cabal himself, the founder of the shipyard and an avid sailor, Astilleros INEGRA built a long and successful trajectory of decades with several stages under the Puma name. The Puma 23, Puma 26, and Cougar 34 are a few of their more well-known models.
A Puma 23
Construction on the Holman & Pye-designed Puma 23 started in 1971. It makes a great first cruiser and can handle significant voyages as well.
A Puma 26
Even with racing aspirations, the Puma 26 was a genuine cruiser for its time. With hundreds of pieces manufactured, she is one of this family’s most accomplished ships. There are four sleepers, a dinette, a sizable kitchen, a bathroom, and a nice chest in the interior, which is quite roomy. There are four sleepers, a dinette, a sizable kitchen, a bathroom, and a nice chest in the interior, which is quite roomy.
The 34 Cougar
The Cougar 34 was created with big sporting ambitions in mind in addition to being a superb family cruiser, as seen by the fact that the deck was constructed using a PVC sandwich to increase stability. She is a sizable ship by modern standards, a capable ocean cruiser, seaworthy, sturdy, and safe with superb accommodations, especially for use in navigation. Between 1975 and 1984, more than 200 units were produced.
Lagos: A Traditional Spanish Sailboat Manufacturers
Fernando Lagos established Astilleros Lagos in 1915. It is a classic shipbuilding company from Vigo with a strong carpentry background that produced the iconic wooden Snipes that remained competitive for many years in the plastic era.
Mistral: A Foundation of Nautical Sports
Shipbuilding company Mistral Manufacturing operated in Rub, Barcelona. In the early 1970s, he helped build the groundwork for nautical activities in Spain by creating small- to medium-sized fiberglass sailing cruisers. They were strong, seaworthy, and occasionally even swift. The emerging middle class that formed in Spanish society during those years had access to sport navigation thanks to these boats.
North Wind: An Extension of INERGA
INERGA has another branch in The North Wind. Prior to its closure, Mistral Manufacturing had already completed half a dozen of Angus Primrose’s North Wind 40’s molds. When it came to the major domestic and international offshore regattas in the 1970s and 1980s, the North Wind 40 was a symbol of Spanish sailing. The Westwind 35 is one of the superb, longboats that the new shipyard manufactured. This Spanish Sailboat Manufacturers was forced to close during the economic crisis of the 1990s, although it would eventually be saved and relocated to the former Astilleros INEGRA facilities.
Roga
One of the earliest Spanish Sailboat Manufacturers to use fiberglass in the manufacturing of sailboats was Playvisa Astilleros Playvisa, which was established in 1962. They created a variety of designs, from little cruisers to bigger ocean-going ships. The Playvisa 30, one of their most well-known models, was a cosy and seaworthy cruiser that was ideal for both short trips and longer journeys. Another popular boat was the Playvisa 42, which was renowned for its roomy interior and superior sailing capabilities.
Udondo Shipyard
Udondo\sAstilleros Getxo, a town close to Bilbao, was home to the Udondo shipyard. They were renowned for their cutting-edge designs and use of cutting-edge materials, and they were experts in building high-performance racing sailboats. Their most famous design was the one-design class boat known as the Udondo 25, which was well-liked in regional and international regattas. The Udondo 30 and Udondo 35 were renowned for their speed and maneuverability and were particularly well-liked models.
In conclusion, Spain has a long history of sailboat production, which has given rise to a number of illustrious shipyards and models. Even though many of these shipyards are no longer in business, sailors from all over the world continue to love and sail on their vessels.
Also read our guide to French Sailboat Manufacturers
