With just a day until the world´s leading boat show, Boot Duesseldorf, opens its doors for the 2025-installment I have some pretty cool news for you, dear boat lovers and yacht-affcionados: We have launched the brand new website for the Omega 42! If you cannot wait and check it out right now, here´s the link: www.omega-42.com. But before you leave this page, stay with me, there´s some interesting background story and informations for you in this article.
So, why a new website? Well, of course the shipyard doesn´t want to stop after two new built Omega 42-boats. We are keen to make some more. In this, I´ve decided to launch a new comprehensive page that covers the whole scope of the history, the iconography, the value and the properties of Peter Norlin´s masterpiece. The site will also describe the different areas where this 45 years old concept had been updated to satisfy owner´s needs from the year 2025. But most of all: The new website is made to make clear why the Omega 42 is an alternative draft to modern cruising yachts.
A boat for the sailing connoisseur
Since I´ve had the pretty intensive racing experience aboard WINDFAENGER, first new built hull #401, I had a kind of an impressive awakening experience. This boat really sails like no other. Or let´s put it this way: It sails like no other modern boat. Her movement through even sharp, choppy waves, fully reefed, pointing her nose hard upwind, was something I´ll never forget: Smooth, good-natured and safe – just cutting through. No knocking, no smacking, no pumping of the mast, just a very seakind, smooth motion. Absolutely amazing! Something, you simply don´t get in contemporary, flat, voluminous and of course not in planing hulls anymore. Perfect for a cruising boat. Perfect for a sailing yacht.
Also, the handling and maneuvering properties of this yacht are just stunning. The hull and rigging are so well-balanced, so perfectly finetuned for each other, that the boat almost steers itself. Holding the tiller requires only two fingers, even in strong winds. With the mainsheet rigged like this, an Omega 42 is practically sailed like if she was a 6 meter dinghy … stunning! So, the new website tries to transport all of these facts.
A Scandinavian icon – made for Scandinavians
Of course, the OMEGA 42 is a predominantly Swedish icon. I can see from the Google Analytics numbers of this blog: Every time I publish an Omega 42-article, usage from Sweden, but also other Scandinavian countries, skyrocket. In this, we´ve incorporated Swedish and Danish as language versions next to English and German. We are currently working on getting the .no-domain to launche the Norwegian language version. In this, many thanks to Walter Soiland, who did the translations. Great work, Walter!
Why is there so much interest from Scandinavia? Well, it´s of course because of the deep historical ties to Peter Norlin and the Golden Era of Scandinavian yacht-design. But there´s more to it. Scandinavian sailors proof to be kind of „immune“ against the cheap plastic cruising boats-virus. At least when it comes to Europe, Scandinavians seem to put much, much more emphasis on „proper“ sailing. Many of the grand brands and respected high-quality sailboats are made in Scandinavia, like Hallberg-Rassy, Faurby, Luffe, Linjett, Arcona, X-Yachts or Najad. And there´s always a connection to the old masters, like Peter Norlin, Knud Reimers or Pelle Petterson. Scandinavians seem to prefer „real sailing“. The Omega 42 is a true sailing machine, made by a passionate sailor – for sailors. By that, astonishingly, the price to get a new build Omega 42 isn´t that high, honestly. According to the price lists, which we have in German and in English, this yacht of course is an upper-shelf product, sure, but not far away from similar high quality yachts.
The modern Omega 42 – Made in Germany
It would be shortsighted to just look at her because of her beauty. Heiner Francke, initiator of this whole project, did much, much more. Taking all of the good, the fascinating, the practical things of the classic Omega 42 and bringing it back is just one half of the medal. The other half is to incorporate the 21st Century in that boat: Such as modern production techniques (vacuum infusion with most modern materials, like foam sandwich, to make the hull. A completely new designed and re-computed two-spreaders mast by Seldén. And of course modern electronic equipment, starting with a powerful integrated auto-pilot.
An owner of a newbuild Omega 42 will get to enjoy a boat manufactured to adhere to highest standards, with upper-shelf craftsmanship and equipped with the latest technology. CE-certified (Cat A obviously) by Danish Baadtjek Company. A new owner will get also a sleek, fast, seaworthy, well-balanced and powerfull hull. The website explains that as well: You are by no means travelling back in time with acquiring an Omega 42 yourself – you are forwarding the pinnacle of Swedish yacht design into the 21st Century! In this, being a semi-one off, as an owner you are (almost) completely free to define the details of your Omega 42. Just as I do with my ALPHA: The differences between my #402 and #401 make that very clear. You can follow the building progress of my boat here.
Spring ´25: New pictures & media
Are we finsihed after launching the new website? Hell, no! It has just started. You will see that we had to use many picture-material showing classic Omega 42-boats. Thanks and big shoutout to Omega 42 ORIOLE and Pasi Nuutinen! Once winter is gone and #401 WINDFAENGER is back in the water, I am planning to do a complete makeover of all pictures so that we will only have material showing the newbuild Omega 42-yachts. I hope to be done with this before May.
I am also starting a YouTube-Channel as the next phase of Omega 42 communication. Showing and documenting the details, sailing capabilities, building insights and such with video. That´s the best way to really dive deeper into the fascination of this boat. And with this all we hope to motivate, no – to elevate – the next passionate skipper among you to fall in love with this beautiful, powerful boat. To sign a purchasing contract and have his #403, #404 and more finally build. This yacht deserves to be revived.
See (and feel) the Omega 42!
Now, if you ask yourself when my ALPHA will be finished at last: That will be end of this year or the beginning of 2026 I guess. We have slowed down the building process a bit due to many reasons, one of which is my own occupation with so many projects I need to finish before I can „cast off and sail away“ anyway. This also gives me the chance to fully and in a detailed way document the building process and high class craftsmanship. If you want to visit the shipyard and the boat, just send a request: You are always welcome!
With famous „Cannes of the North“-boat show in Neustadt coming up end of May, we are planning to display #401 WINDFAENGER at Hamburg Yachtfestival this year as well. See the boat, check her out and even book a sea trial – we are happy to welcome potential new Omega 42-skippers aboard and showcase what this iconic yacht is all about. So. Lots to come. Please check out the new website, forward it to yacht-loving friends and don´t hesitate to send feedback and ideas, which are much appreciated.
Here are the links again: www.omega-42.com for the English and Norwegian users (until we get the no-domain), www.omega-42.dk for our Danish friends, www.omega-42.se for the Swedish sailors. Check out our new website – feedback welcome.
For those who want to meet me sooner: I am giving TED-talks about the Omega 42-project during Boot Duesseldorf on January 19, 20, 23 till 26th – check out the program here.
You may check out these related articles too:
How it all started: My first encounter with the Omega 42
Making my decision to buy the Omega 42
All building reports of Omega 42 #402 ALPHA