STEINLAGER 2 REPOWER PROJECT
Earlier this year, the legendary Steinlager 2 received a major upgrade with the installation of a brand-new Volvo Penta engine by General Marine Services, marking an exciting new chapter for one of New Zealand’s most iconic racing yachts. This repower ensures the yacht remains reliable, efficient, and ready for many more miles in her role as a living piece of New Zealand yachting history.
A yacht with a unique legacy
Steinlager 2 was built for Sir Peter Blake’s victorious 1989–90 Whitbread Round the World Race campaign and became the first – and still the only – yacht to win every leg of that race. Designed by Bruce Farr and launched in 1989, the 25.5‑metre maxi ketch, affectionately known as “Big Red”, also claimed line honours in the 1989 Fastnet Race and helped cement New Zealand’s reputation as a powerhouse in offshore sailing.
Today, Steinlager 2 is owned and operated by the New Zealand Sailing Trust, sailing not as a museum piece but as a working classroom for young people and community groups. Multi‑day voyages aboard Steinlager 2 build teamwork, leadership, resilience, and a connection to Aotearoa’s maritime environment, giving students and participants life skills that go far beyond the time spent on board.
The repower project partners
This significant repower project was made possible by a group of committed partners working together. Volvo Penta supplied the new engine, with Volpower, the Volvo Penta representative in New Zealand, supporting the package to suit Steinlager 2’s demanding offshore and training role. Funding support from the Lion Foundation helped turn the project into reality, ensuring this historic yacht can continue to operate safely and sustainably for years to come.
On the tools, General Marine Services and Attest delivered the installation, combining specialist marine engineering experience with careful workmanship around a complex and highly customised vessel. The New Zealand Sailing Trust team oversaw the project from planning through to completion, coordinating stakeholders and keeping the yacht available for her core education and sailing programmes as much as possible.
General Marine Services and NZ Sailing Trust
General Marine Services has a long-standing relationship with the New Zealand Sailing Trust and is proud to support the Trust’s work preserving New Zealand’s sailing heritage and developing the next generation of sailors. Through ongoing engineering support and project involvement on Steinlager 2 and other Trust vessels, GMS helps keep these iconic yachts safe, reliable, and ready to deliver youth development voyages, school programmes, and corporate experiences on the Hauraki Gulf and beyond.
This latest repower is part of that commitment, ensuring Steinlager 2 can continue to inspire future generations through sailing, education, and adventure on the water. For General Marine Services, it is a privilege to contribute technical expertise to a project that connects performance engineering with New Zealand’s rich maritime story.
