MBT Valk class - Construction drawing Scale 1:10 (10.08.007)

The Valk class is a type of open sailing boat that is widely used in the Netherlands for recreational sailing and sailing lessons. Here are its main features:

Valk class (also known as: Polyvalk or simply Valk)

General specifications

• Length: approx. 6.5 metres

• Beam: approx. 2 metres

• Draught: approx. 0.85 metres (with fixed or folding keel)

• Sail area: approx. 16 m² (mainsail and jib)

• Weight: approx. 600 kg

Features

• Open keelboat (i.e. no cabin)

• Stable and relatively easy to sail

• Suitable for beginners and advanced sailors

• Widely used in sailing schools

• Often fitted with a centreboard (on older wooden models) or a fixed keel (on more modern polyester models, the ‘Polyvalk’)

Material

• Originally built from wood (mainly mahogany)

• Nowadays usually made of polyester (hence the name Polyvalk)

History

• Designed in 1939 by the famous Dutch yacht designer E.G. van de Stadt

• Thousands have been built over the years

• It became particularly popular from the 1960s onwards with the arrival of the Polyvalk (produced by Heeresma, among others, and later by Hoora Watersport)

Use

• Many charter centres and sailing schools in Friesland and other Dutch water sports areas offer Valk boats

• Used for cruising, day sailing, and sometimes also for racing

• Can be sailed with or without an outboard motor

Specifications: