Sphinx 12 G 4

Design and Launch

Sphinx (G-4) was built in 1939 at Abeking & Rasmussen for the Norddeutscher Regattaverein (NRV), financed through subscriptions from Hamburg citizens, most notably the industrialist Phillip Reemtsma. Designed by Henry Rasmussen, Sphinx was the tenth and last 12 Metre yacht constructed by the yard, following his earlier 12mR Skeaf of 1914. In total, Abeking & Rasmussen built 102 Metre Rule yachts across several classes, including ten 12 Metres. Sphinx was launched on April 28, 1939, just months before the outbreak of the Second World War. That summer she was skippered by Consul Franz Brinkmann, performing strongly at Kiel Week and Travemünder Week before suffering a broken mast at the Dansk Øresund Week.

War and Postwar Years

The war brought European yachting to a halt, and the NRV itself lost most of its fleet and clubhouse. Sphinx, however, survived. After Germany’s capitulation, Allied authorities restricted German sailors to boats under 6 metres without special permission. To circumvent this, NRV chairman Erich F. Laeisz arranged a creative barter deal. Laeisz sold Sphinx to Hans and Wolfgang Freudenberg, NRV members who held Chilean passports and operated a large Hamburg timber business. Sailing under the Chilean flag, they were permitted to race the yacht. Payment was made in a wagonload of oak, larch, and mahogany, which NRV transferred to Abeking & Rasmussen. In exchange, Henry Rasmussen delivered a fleet of smaller boats, including 12 “Hummel” dinghies, five “Pirates,” two keelboats of the “Sonderling” type, and eight “Hansa” jolly boats—ensuring the club could continue sailing activity.

Provenance and Ownership

  • 1939–1955 – Owned by NRV, overseen by Erich F. Laeisz.

  • 1956–1960 – Sold to Hans and Wolfgang Freudenberg, renamed Lobito.

  • 1961–2005 – Acquired by the Mürwik Naval School as a sail training vessel, renamed Ostwind.

  • 2005–Present – Purchased at auction by Oliver Berking, Jochen Frank, and Gorm Gondesen, renamed back to Sphinx.

The Auction and Restoration

On September 30, 2005, the German Navy auctioned off its 12 Metre yachts Ostwind and Westwind. Despite local efforts to prevent the sale, Flensburg residents Jochen Frank, Gorm Gondesen, and Oliver Berking successfully acquired Ostwind to preserve her for Flensburg Fjord. In January 2006, under the direction of Kai Wohlenberg, an extensive restoration began. The work included replacing underwater planking, upgrading steel frames to stainless, and modernizing winches and rigging while preserving her historical integrity. When completed, the yacht once again carried her original name—Sphinx.

Legacy and Today

Today Sphinx sails under the Flensburger Segel-Club, restored to her original elegance. She remains one of the great surviving 12 Metres, embodying both pre-war German yacht design and the resilience of classic yacht culture. With her storied past—from NRV’s flagship to naval sail trainer to restored regatta yacht—Sphinx continues to race and inspire as part of the international 12 Metre fleet.