Can anyone identify this boat?

Worldwalker88

Worldwalker88

.
Aug 27, 2013
41
Moody 346 Kenosha
Coming into the harbor in Milwaukee, WI, after you pass under the Home bridge to the right you will see a pretty good resturant, The Sail Loft. Good food, good people, but that isn't what this is about. Near the back attached to the ceiling is a folding sailboat. (see photos)
I have never seen one like this. The owner told me he thought it was German but didn't know for sure. Also, that he guessed it folded into a crate about 3'x2'x2'.
This can't be that old as the coaming looks like plastic and the connections aluminum.
Anyone know for sure?

Because quite frankly, I really want one! This would be great in the back of the truck, etc...

Thanks!

WW
 
Last edited:
trainmanjess

trainmanjess

.
Dec 7, 2012
515
Kittiwake 23, Irwin 43 .. Indianapolis / indianatown, fl
hello

I have seen this boat before.... it was in Europe.... I cannot remember where it was... I spent 4 years all over Europe... not sure if it is German made, but it has one of those old world names to it from Europe...

if I can remember it, I will post it later for you....

sincerely
Jess
 
Gunni

Gunni

.
Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
It is a Klepper Master. Folding sailboat circa 1960's. German made.
 
wflowe2

wflowe2

.
Oct 15, 2009
220
catalina 320 Perry Lake
I had a Klepper Aeius II folding kayak for40 years. It had the most remarkable engineering I have ever encountered on a boat. There are other folding boats but Klepper is heads and shoulders above the rest. You also pay for that quality.
 
Tim R.

Tim R.

.
May 27, 2004
3,626
Caliber 40 Long Range Cruiser Portland, Maine
Klepper made great stuff. I still have a Klepper 272 sailboard from the 80s. Sinker that would get up on a plane quickly and turn on a dime.
 
Brian S

Brian S

.
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
The concept of the construction of that boat, plywood frames connected to longitudinal stringers, also called "fuselage construction" from airplanes, was apparently very popular in Germany and Europe in the 20's. It's still very much alive and well:

http://gentrycustomboats.com

http://yostwerks.com

And a kayak I'm building:

 
Gunni

Gunni

.
Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
The proper term is frame and skin construction and dates back to the earliest human-built boats using animal skins. Klepper is an old name in the folding F&S business and builds an elegant (and expensive) series of folding kayaks. You see their frame here because the skins were not nearly as durable as the birch frames. The weakness was the cotton fabric used to deck them.

F&S boats have a loyal following. I have two, both Folbot, a company begun in England, moved to Charleston, SC after WWII and still producing an array of boats. The one hanging on my wall was a stick-built Folbot TSK nearly 30 years old, American white oak and mahogany (frame photo below) , with a fabric-PVC hull and polyester deck. The other is a folding variant (Greenland). It has a 6061 aluminum frame, hypalon hull, dacron deck. Both are adapted for sailing, you can see me at the helm sailing Core Sound during an expedition race. Sailing sea kayaks have a rabid following, this one folds into two duffles and has traveled the world as a pocket cruiser, it is very seaworthy.

Folbot has a storied past, having produced the F&S boats used during Operation Frankton - a British commando raid on the port of Bordeaux during WWII. 5 crews paddled nearly 60 miles from a sub in the Bay of Biscay. I believe only one crew survived. A movie called Cockleshell Heroes was adapted from the story.
 

Attachments

Worldwalker88

Worldwalker88

.
Aug 27, 2013
41
Moody 346 Kenosha
Is anyone making/marketing anything close to the Klepper Master currently?
The idea of a folding tender/dinghy that can mount a motor, or row, or paddle or sail, should have a following with sailors that have space at a premium and don't really want to tow one... like me.
Just seems less of a hassel for sub 30' boats to have something like that.
 
Last edited:
Gunni

Gunni

.
Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
The Klepper Master or little brother, Klepper Passat were designed as a closet boat for urbanites and ponds. They were compromise designs and would still take up a ton of room on <30' boat. For what you are looking for a quality inflatable with an inflatable floor would provide the right combo of size and seaworthiness. It is tough to beat an inflatable, and it is the only dinghy I would tow.

This past weekend our RIB proved it's worth once again when we wandered onto a sandbar and had to row out our kedge anchor. Dinner and a nice night's rest were rescued.
 
Tom G P-21

Tom G P-21

.
Aug 15, 2012
301
Precision 21 Newburyport MA
Make them an offer on the one hanging up. There is a place in Colorado (sorry forget the name) that can make replacement skins.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top Bottom