Support the archive. Submit your records or donate here!

Astrée II

Originally Z44, Astrée II was designed by Bjarne Aas and built at Frederickstad in 1951 for Pierre Biggar of Switzerland, who was based at Cannes.

In 1958 she was purchased by King Constantine II of Greece, renamed Meltemi, and renumbered GE1 and was also raced at Cannes. In 1960 she was purchased by a M. Camoletti and rather surprisingly re-named Mecara, still being based at Cannes.

By 1980 however she was based on the Bodensee, taking part in the preparatory regattas for the 1981 World Championships, raced by Ivo Lanka. In 1985 she was bought by M. J. de la Revelliere, who kept her until 1991 when she was bought by Pierre-Paul Heckly and re-numbered F44. In her he won the classics in the 1992 British Open Championships at Benodet, before taking part in the 1993 Worlds at Cannes, finishing well down, as the Moderns were now thoroughly outclassing the pre-1965 boats. However, Pierre-Paul then won the 1994 European Classic Championships in her at Benodet and the 1996 Classic Europeans at Cannes, as well as being runner-up in the Classic World Championships there in 1997. At the end of that regatta she was deliberately sunk by vandals alongside the quay and when raised, was found to be catastrophically damaged.

She was rescued, however, and over the next few years Philippe Durr spent a long time having her very carefully restored to original. In 2010, beautifully restored, she once again appeared at the European Championships at Brunnen, finishing third with Philippe Durr. Since then together they have maintained their very high reputation, finishing 2nd in the 2011 Coupe Banque Privee Edmond de Rothschild at Lutry, beating Irene and Mecara and only losing to the modern SUI100 Duclop with Thierry Graf and winning it at Geneva in 2014, beating three Moderns.

Information kindly supplied by Fiona Brown/Tim Street.

Boat ID
1952NO01
Boat Names
Original name: Astrée II Other names: Meltemi II (name changed in 1960) Mecara (name changed in 1961) Astrée (name changed in 1974) Constantin II Last name recorded: Astrée II
Build Year
1952
Build Country
Norway
Sail Numbers
First number recorded: Z44 (1952) Other numbers: F103 (used from 1955) Z44 (used from 1974) F44 (used from 1991) Last number reported: SUI44
Designers
Bjarne Aas
Builders
Bjarne Aas
Restored or rebuilt
Significant Dates
Boat Measurements
Rule Number
Website

Know something about this boat? Tell us!