Grey Seal is a GRP Nordic Folkboat built by class builder Eric Andreasen
in Denmark. After being shipped to Auckland in 1986 by her second owner, John Macfarlane purchased Grey Seal in 1999 and restored her to class rules.
The Folkboat (people’s boat) design came about when a Swedish design
competition asked for a cheap, fast, seaworthy, one-design racing boat that could also be used for family cruising during weekends and holidays. The competition failed to produce an outright winner, so the organising committee commissioned an amateur designer, Tord Sunden, to take the best features from the top four designs and the Nordic Folkboat was the result.
Immediately successful in Sweden, the design spread around the world, and has inspired many derivatives over the years such as the International
Folkboat, Contessa 25, Stella, Viking, Folkdancer and several others.
Today it is estimated there are around 6000 Folkboats sailing worldwide.
However, the proper Nordic Folkboat is a one-design class, governed by an
international association.
Class rules are specific regarding instruction, sails, weight, equipment and crew numbers. GRP replicas have been allowed by the class since 1975, and there is no performance difference between the clinker timber versions and the GRP versions.
