MAKKUM – They started out in 1992, working from a single toolbox in a VW van. In 2022, the Gebroeders van Enkhuizen (the ‘Enkhuizen Brothers’) mark 30 years of building, maintaining, repairing, refitting, storing and marketing motor and sailing yachts.
In several halls, they build sailing and motor yachts and one-offs for individuals and other yards. These have included cruising sailing yachts, fast sailing yachts and motor cruisers in aluminum, steel and polyester.
The brothers (Marko and Ronald Van Enkhuizen + brother-in-law Jan Visser) had a modest start. In the early years, they handled yacht installations, sold Mastervolt and Yanmar products and imported the English sailing yacht brands Sadler and Starlight.
By now they market half a dozen motor and sailing yachts of up to 27m: steel Enkcrafts (13.5 to 24m) are for inland and offshore sailing and boast twin engines for maneuverability. The Sossego yachts (22 to 27m) are high-end, aluminum craft from the boards of Mulder Design, a studio known for drawing fast motor yachts. The Sossego Sport has a top speed of 40+ knots, courtesy of twin 1100HP diesel engines.
The yard’s pilothouse sailing yachts – the Enksail, Enksail Noordkaper and Enksail Orion – are for long-distance cruising.
The Orion comes in 49 and 54ft versions, with bare, low-maintenance aluminum hulls. The yard planned to show the ocean-rated Enksail Orion 49, drawn by Kees van de Stadt of Satellite Design, at the in-water HISWA show in the first week of September. But that show was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.
The Enksail Orion 49’s deckhouse offers 360-degree views and safety and comfort, especially in bad weather. Below deck is a large galley and three double cabins. There are also two full bathrooms – one opposite the galley, the other in the owner’s cabin.
Van de Stadt gave the Orion a sophisticated underwater hull with little displacement, making the yacht easy. A keel centerboard is optional and makes the draft variable.
