CHRISTOF WILKE PROFILE
An open mind and a lot of luck Over
the last
30
years the
Wilke
yard, by the shores of
has undoubtedly produced the most successful
5.5 Metres
Lake Thun
no sign of slowing up with a new design hitting the water in
O
ver the past three decades, the name of Christof Wilke has become synonymous with the 5.5 Metre Class. He built his first 5.5 in 1993, and 28 years later has now built more than 35. At the top of the fleet, it is almost a one-design class with Wilke built boats having won every world championship since 1999, and in 2020 the yard launched its latest 5.5 Metre design. His energy and enthusiasm for the boat is readily apparent and has driven growth in the class. His yard is located on the shores of Lake Thun, overlooked by the towering monsters Jungfrau and the Eiger, and the Thunersee Yachtclub further up
in
Switzerland, They show
in the world.
2020.
the lake now boasts one of the largest 5.5 Metre fleets in the world. He sums up his approach to the 5.5 Metre very succinctly. “I came into the class with no preconceptions and a fresh mind to try something different. I had an open mind and lots of luck.” Boatyard Christof Wilke was born in 1960 and after high school he obtained his engineering degree in boat building and construction. In 1986, together with his wife Yvonne, he founded his own company on the banks of Lake Thun. The yard specialised in building extreme and fast yacht prototypes for the lakes, as well as providing maintenance and wintering services to hundreds of local boaters. In 1993 Wilke moved his yard to the southern end of the Lake Thun at Leissingen, near Interlaken. The yard has capacity to store 150 boats of all sizes undercover and outside. Wintering services, painting
Top: Momo, SUI 229, at the Europeans in Sanremo Left: New Moon II in Sanremo The sharper chines are quite noticeable on the new boats Right: Christof Wilke Top right: Getting a 5.5 Metre ready for competition at the yard in Leissingen
