Home Port: Saint-Petersburg, Russia

The yacht came off the stocks in Bremen’s (Germany) shipyard ABEKING&RASMUSSEN in 1936. She was called after a bird Ibis. There were built nine yachts of such construction and all of them were given bird’s names, so the line was called “the avian line”.

This yacht was used by Luftwaffe pilots to study navigation and sailing directions. At that time she took part in many competitions.

There is a rumour that in 1945 this yacht was used by the German supreme command to escape to Argentina via Denmark. In the point of destination the yacht was left to the mercy of fate, so there was no wonder that it was pillaged. But then there was a field-day for her, because she was found out by the Soviet yachtsmen who were enthusiasts of a sailing sport and part of the European liberation forces. In spite of all postwar hardships, yachtsmen restored that discovered treasure, and so gave the yacht… her second life.

In 1947 the yacht was driven to the Soviet Union. In 1951 she was included in the sailing fleet of the Central River Trade Union Yacht Club of the Leningrad city. She was given a new name, and so became Neva after the major city waterway. Later on the vessel participated in a various races and sailing competitions. In her crew several generations of the Soviet yachtsmen were nurtured.

By 1966 the vessel had exhausted her resource and utilization was looming ahead. During the following five years she had been abandoned, but another field-day caught her up: young and enthusiastic yachtsmen decided to restore her, once they had seen the beauty of her lines.

From 1971 till 1974 the major repair of the yacht was done: keel girder, stem, and horn timber were replaced; new frames were made and placed with crew’s own hands; numerous strakes and covering board were replaced; Canadian ship pine-tree decking was restored. And what is more, according to the up-to-date sailing security regulations internal decoration was changed and diesel engine set.

Enormous efforts made by yachtsmen during the repairs were not wasted: the vessel found her new life and was reborn to become one of the fastest yachts in her class.

From 1975 the yacht again became the part of the Leningrad’s sailing fleet and began to take an active part in all sailing competitions.

Thanks to the crew and constant help of the enthusiastic young yachtsmen joining the crew, Neva won a lot of prizes in sailing races.

1991 was the starting point for Neva’s participation in international competitions and, of course, the counting out of her victories.

Every year since 1995 the yacht has been going for a long training trips along the Baltic Sea. The goal of such trips is really noble – passing priceless sailing practice experience from the sailing sport veterans to young generations of yachtsmen.