Rekin (The Shark)

[jyre]

I recently viewed the movie "Knife in the Water" by Roman Polanski from 1962. Does anybody know anything about the boat?? I understand that it was once owned by Hermann Goering ? Who was the designer? Builder?

[Timo_N62.9_E27.7]

"Hai (Shark, in French Requin) is one-design, sloop-rigged keelboat designed in Finland. It was designed in 1930 by Finnish sailboat designer Gunnar L. Stenbäck as a cheap, racing and cruising yacht suitable for mass production. It remains a popular small yacht in Finland and France."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hai_%28keelboat%29

[Carl Cramer]

And they are great boats. There used to be an active fleet in Camden, ME.

[jyre]

Are there any drawings or information about these boats available??

[Timo_N62.9_E27.7]

Most of this is in Finnish. You can try googling more, the name of the boat in Finnish is "Hai" (=Shark) and it returns you a lot of hits.

http://www.wbboats.fi/haiveneet_historia_en.html

http://www.haipurjehtijat.fi/albumi/index.html

http://www.nic.fi/~miettja/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai_TWXqqnRo

[piobia]

You may find some pictures of this yacht (the first picture was taken two years ago, the others many years ago): http://forum.mazury.info.pl/printvie...7004a7ddc67dcb
In a few days time I'll translate history of Rekin.
Today Rekin is slowly rotting in Gizycko (NE Poland) . The boat hasn't sailed for many years. It is used as decoration during concerts - http://www.sail-almatur.pl/archiwum/budimex15.jpg -etc.

Here's another link, Rekin on water many years ago http://www.zegluj.net/forum_zeglarsk...pic.php?t=2401 . I'm not sure if it's Hai type, as fair as I know it's a german project. But I'll check it.

[jyre]

Thanks to all,,,,,, I can sleep now....

[piobia]

Ok, that's what I've found about Rekin on Polish forums and sailors sites.

Rekin was built around 1930 in Germany. Unfortunately I'm unable to say if it is Hai type, or not. Most people say it is an unique german boat. German Schärenkrauzers are pretty similar to Hais - sorry, canot find where true lies.

It is very possilble, that it was built for Georg Tepper, who lived in Ogonki, near Gizycko (don't know villages names before WWII). It's hard to say how did the boat got into Goerings hands. A gift? Did he buy it? Maybe Goering did not owned her, just used from time to time?

Most of sources say, that indeed that Herman Goering owned the boat during WWII. There are many stories about polish prisoners who were to keep it in perfect condition. Have no idea if it's true or a legend.

After war Rekin (sorry, didn't find what was it's name before and during the war) became, as most facilities and goods in Poland, Polish Comunist Party property. They called her Rekin.




And the you know - many years of sailing Masurian Lakes, Polanskis film etc. Nobody owned the boat, I mean it belonged to many different official organisations. It was not good for her, one day someone gave a layer of fiberglass outside good old wooden planks. It was the begining of the end. Wood started to rot soon, when they couldn't stop water comming in, they decided to put her ashore.





Today it is wreck. It lies in Almatur Gizycko shed (Almatur is kind of old organisation, with history started during comunism) and actualy her owner doesn't care. Some people where asking about buying her, but price is very high (it is not private property, so they are afraid of selling her resonably priced, it's better not to rescue, than having problems). Seems like this beautiful boat will not be rescued.

I've also found, that there was another boat very similar to Rekin - Pajac.

Worth noticing is that there's another classical boat named Rekin sailing Masurian Lakes. It's not the one from the film, but also very beautiful:
- historical: http://www.mazury.info.pl/foto/rekin...cia/index.html
- today: http://mazury.info.pl/foto/rekin-jacht/index.html

It's much younger - was built in 1964.

[Timo_N62.9_E27.7]

The Rekin in the pictures seems to have a raised deck as opposed to deck house in Hai. On the other hand, they share the characteristic feature of Hai, the stay in the middle of fore deck. Although Hai´s stay is even further aft.

[heimlaga]

At present one of the greater authorities when it comes to the haj or hai boats is Jan Backman in Jakobstad, Finland. He runs a two man company called "Jakobstads Båtvarv". There should be a homepage somewhere on the net.

[Timo_N62.9_E27.7]

Here:

http://www.jakobstadsbatvarv.multi.f..._boatyard.html

[jyre]

Thanks again, I checked out "Jakobstads Batvarv" http://www.jakobstadsbatvarv.multi.f..._boatyard.html

everyone should have a look... boat is so beautiful it should be in a glass bottle over the mantle instead of in the water.

[heimlaga]

Yep. That's it.

The line drawing he uses as logo on the homepage is the Virgo which belonged to my grandfather's uncle. Jan built a replica of the boat for a customer some years ago.... but being the artist he is he did modify the lines of the counter a wee bit.