Askoy II

Askoy II, Jacques Brel’s Sailing Dream Reborn

The Askoy II is an impressive yawl, 20 meters long and weighing 40 tons. The steel sailing yacht was designed in 1960 by Raymond Derkinderen and built for Antwerp architect Hugo Van Kuyck. He sailed it along the coasts of Norway, Scotland, and the Baltic Sea. In 1974 he sold the vessel to Jacques Brel, who pursued his ultimate sailing dream aboard. For Brel, the Askoy II was his “cathedral”, a sailing symbol of freedom. With this ship he voyaged to the Marquesas Islands, until illness forced him to bid the ocean farewell.

What followed was a turbulent journey. The yacht changed hands several times, sailing to French Polynesia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. Eventually it even fell into the hands of a German drug smuggler and was seized in the Fiji Islands. During a solo voyage by journalist Lindsay Wright in 1993, the Askoy II ran aground on Baylys Beach in New Zealand, where it slowly sank into the sand.

In 2003, Belgian brothers Piet and Staf Wittevrongel discovered the wreck during a Jacques Brel exhibition. To their astonishment, his legendary yacht lay abandoned and half decayed. What followed was an eighteen-year mission: to recover the vessel, bring it back to Belgium, and restore it. With perseverance, the help of volunteers, and a dedicated foundation, the Askoy II was gradually brought back to life. In 2022 it was officially recognized as sailing heritage.

Today, the Askoy II sails again, just as Brel once did, seeking freedom, peace, and inspiration. Its presence at SAIL Amsterdam 2025 is no coincidence. In this city, immortalized by Brel in Le port d’Amsterdam, the same raw passion that once inspired him still lingers. This stopover is not only a tribute to his music, but also to the spirit of his final great voyage. An impossible dream has come true.