The Scheurer shipyard in Nidau celebrates its 55th anniversary this year.
Text: Samuel Kaeser
The story of the Scheurer boatyard began in Büren an der Aare, a small town 15 kilometers from Lake Biel. It was here that Andreas Scheurer, a 22-year-old boatbuilder, achieved a real feat. He had to build four boats for a total budget of just 3,000 francs. With his know-how extremely solid for his young age, he succeeded in completing the project, into which he poured his heart and soul. Even today, he has lost none of his unfailing commitment. In 1980, the shipyard moved to Nidau, where it has benefited from an excellent infrastructure since 2013 and is now home to around 100 boats for winter storage.
One of the yard’s key features is the diversity of its offering. In addition to the usual work on sailboats and motorboats, such as maintenance, repairs and wintering, it also offers its expertise in the purchase of pre-owned boats. However, according to Aron Steinmann, the yard’s director, this service is still under-utilized. “It’s the customers who pay the price,” he says. Unpleasant surprises are not uncommon, as repairs can turn out to be much more expensive than expected. To complete its range of services, the yard also runs a sailing and motor school. This range of services enables him to advise interested parties right from the start of their project, and to accompany them right through to the purchase of a boat.
Multihull DNA
Another pillar of its business is the construction of A-Cats. Since its creation, it has delivered over 200 units. Between 1976 and 2007, when the Tornado was Olympic, the yard concentrated on building this multihull. As a construction class, the A-Cat still has great potential for innovation. After the Tornado era, collaboration with engineers has enabled us to move from conventional boats to flying boats. To test developments, the shipyard can count on Robin Maeder, its composite manager, who chairs the class and regularly takes part in international regattas. But the Nidau specialists don’t just build new boats, they also convert existing ones.
Last year, Andreas Scheurer, now 78, handed over the reins of the company to Aron Steinmann, who employs twelve people, including two apprentices. To celebrate the yard’s anniversary, the team will travel to Barcelona to soak up the atmosphere of the Louis Vuitton Cup. This trip will certainly fuel their enthusiasm and spirit of innovation, and provide them with new inspiration.