Coolest Yachts: The Nordic Folkboat

We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. This month Leo Goolden nominates the Nordic Folkboat

“The humble Nordic Folkboat is, in my opinion, the ‘world’s coolest yacht’, because it is so simple, so beautiful, and so versatile,” says Goolden.

“It can be taken for a leisurely picnic sail, quickly transform into a finely-tuned class racer, or even set up for ocean voyaging – and will excel at all three, with minimal expense. What could possibly be cooler than that? As long as you don’t mind low headroom and minimal amenities, a Nordic Folkboat will do whatever you ask it to.”

Designed as a clinker sloop in 1942, more than 4,000 Folkboats have since been built and they can be bought cheaply in various states of repair.

“My own experience was very formative,” says Goolden. “Lorema (1947) was a beautiful boat, but had rot in the planks and lost a chainplate (and very shortly after, the mast) in the first blow.

Photo: Tim Wright

“I rebuilt her and, after a trip down the European coast, felt confident enough in Lorema to do a single-handed transatlantic voyage. I’ve now moved on to bigger boats, but still miss the simplicity of the Nordic Folkboat, and one day I might just go back.”

Take a look at the full list of Coolest Yachts

Nordic Folkboat stats rating

Top speed: 6 knots
LOA: 7.68m/25ft 3in
Launched: 1942
Berths: 2-4
Price: £5,000-£25,000
Adrenalin factor: 50%

Leo Goolden

Leo Goolden is a boatbuilder specialising in wooden boats, and a sailor and writer from Bristol in the UK. He bought and restored the 1910 gaff cutter Tally Ho over seven years in the US, documented on a popular YouTube channel. Prior to that he sailed his Folkboat to Antigua solo, and worked on big classics, including the 210ft schooner Adix.

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