Burmester Schiffswerft 77

BARRACUDA has to be a spectacular option as mother ship to a yacht short on crew accommodation - or equally for charter for which she is MCA coded Cat 2. With her massive on deck areas for entertaining she is moreover tastefully finished with superb craftsmanship to make a very stylish and comfortable yacht. Her former owners spared nothing in meeting the challenge of her restoration and under her current owners she has been maintained to a high standard.

BARRACUDA owes her origins to a rather remarkable class of warship; the KFK – Kriegsfischkutter, of which there were numerous builders - typically small German boat yards but also even in neutral countries such as Sweden. BARRACUDA herself was built in 1944 by the Ernst Burmester Schiffswerft KG; one of some 400 such boats from this yard founded in 1942 for the specific purpose of building them. Their dimensions varied a bit – as did their armament but they did carry variously; depth charges, 37mm cannon, 20mm machine gun and mine sweeping gear according to role as minesweeper, patrol boat or submarine hunter - and a crew of up to 20.
Post war; hundreds of KFK were employed as minesweepers within the German Minesweeping Administration under British control until 1947. Many in British or US possession were then chartered and later bought back by German fishing companies, who appreciated the robustness of the design as ideal for their task. The majority however were given as war booty – mainly to the Soviet Union, France, Denmark, Norway and Greece. Only a few; identified as KFK 94, 105, 332 and 474 - were in British service from 1947 to 1950.
From 1951 to 53 twelve KFKs were converted or newly built for the German Border Guard, where they served until 1956, when the crews and boats of the border guard were taken over by the then newly formed Federal German Navy. Here they then served as small patrol vessels and harbour service boats until gradually taken out of service up to 1990.
Fast forward somewhat and Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim, probably enticed by his boat-loving tour manager, Jim McNulty acquired the vessel and has had her seriously renovated. "We called it a refit but actually (the boat) had to be rebuilt," says the DJ. "We didn't want a gin palace super yacht—we wanted it funky." This meant a mixture of teak, mahogany, pine and beech instead of gold or marble, resulting in lots of colour combined with soft furnishings and hand-picked retro trinkets.
As Norman and his wife, TV presenter Zoe Ball, are tall, they sidestepped pokiness with roomy cabins and spacious bathrooms. The ample beam enabled extra luxuries such as proper porcelain loos en suites and berths not far off regular beds, modern conveniences such as round-the-clock hot water, a washing machine and dishwasher. Previously chartered but not currently, she is nevertheless MCA Cat 2 certified to do so.

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