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I could not start this venture without the memories, information and knowledge from Frank Denye, the last surviving owner of the Birkenhead Star Yacht empire, his support has been invaluable and to whom I am immensely grateful. I am happy to say that Frank Denye is now patron of the Birkenhead Star Yacht Appreciation Society.

To keep the marque alive, Graham Hunt is now trading as "Birkenhead Star Yachts".

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STAR offers a fresh perspective and draws inspiration from cutting-edge contemporary design, with an emphasis on geometric contours and glass. STAR is a family-oriented yacht for those who enjoy socializing and the outdoors.

It follows Oceanco’s sustainably-conscious LIFE Design, with a slim, elongated hull for enhanced efficiency and increased guest space onboard. Beneath its striking profile, guests have sense of space and light thanks to an extensive use of glass and full height windows. With a strong emphasis on relaxed outdoor entertainment, STAR’s expansive exterior decks feature a 7m infinity pool with lounging and dining areas, optional awnings, comfy seating and sit-up bars. One of the most distinctive features is its floating wheelhouse, affording a large observation lounge for guests with panoramic views enhanced by augmented reality displays. A futuristic look that has never been seen before.

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Founded in 1987, Oceanco is a shipyard that strives to do things differently, building custom superyachts that each stand out as iconic additions to the world superyacht fleet. With a tenth of the Top 100 largest vessels being Oceanco-builds, the Dutch yard has positioned itself as a brand driven by innovation, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to achieving the impossible.

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Oceanco, Marineweg 1, 2952 BX Alblasserdam, The Netherlands

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The History of Star Yachts of Birkenhead

These colourful little yachts were, as proudly boasted on the later deck emblem, “Guaranteed to Sail” and they could regularly be seen navigating the uncharted waters of the local park pond, delighting children when they reached the other side and frustrating parents when they didn’t…

The history of the Star Yacht company, including the varied products it manufactured over a period of almost 70 years, is a fascinating one and it’d be a shame if it all became lost over time. I have, since childhood, been an admirer of their products and, more recently, I have had the good fortune to have been allowed access to much archive material not only from the Denye family themselves but also from others who managed to salvage records from the factory as the bulldozers, quite literally, began flattening the site in 1991.

See also:  Star Yachts of Birkenhead 1935 Catalogue.

See also:  Star Yacht display stands.

Please note that the majority of images on this website can be viewed in greater detail simply by clicking on them.

How Star Yachts began…

It was at the outbreak of the First World War that Franz Marie Denye, the owner of a successful boatyard on the North Sea coast of Belgium, decided it was time to load his possessions onto a newly built fishing boat and, together with his wife Marie Valerie Vanassche and two little children, escape the imminent arrival of the advancing German army. His family had, for centuries, been building wooden fishing smacks and trawlers, originally at their De Panne yard and then, as demand had grown, at a new yard with two slips in Ostend. One can only begin to imagine their feelings of trepidation as they slipped anchor and, in the dead of night, sailed off with uncertainty as to their future…

When the Armistice finally came it was clear that the family business in Ostend had, together with their property, been destroyed taking with it all hopes of returning home and so the decision was made for them to remain in England. The family took on a small back street shop in Birkenhead from which Marie sold cooked meats whilst Franz, when not employed in the shipyards, would settle himself in a back room and carve the “little model yachts” that were destined to make their fortune.

Alongside this increase in production Franz was able to seek out agents that could promote his models to retailers in major cities and it wasn’t long before the orders came flooding in for thousands of toy yachts.

In an interview of 1927 Franz later reflected – “You see my knowledge of design and construction resulted in producing really sailable boats”. He had discovered an untapped market for his wonderful little yachts and it soon became obvious that a move to new premises would be necessary…

Star Yachts move to Marion Street…

In 1922, encouraged by the huge surge in sales, Franz took the decision to set up a factory in Marion Street, Birkenhead – an address that was destined to become synonymous with Star Yacht production for almost 70 years.

“I acquired a workshop in Marion street, installed lathes and other light machinery, and for a time my wife, myself, and elder children worked very long hours for six days a week. Still the orders increased.

More machinery followed and then we engaged young women and girls from the district, departmentalising the making and fitting of masts and sails under my wife’s supervision, and the hulls under mine.

Now we are turning out hundreds of wooden toy railway engines, model barrows, children’s blackboards and other useful toys which hitherto have chiefly come from Germany”

(Quote taken from an interview with Franz for the Liverpool Echo dated 25th November 1927)

The images below show the “Star Yacht Works” in Marion Street. The first was taken circa 1923 and shows the factory and staff with Franz, wearing his trilby hat, stood to the left of the group whilst to the right is his wife Marie. The second image shows the factory as it was circa 1931 and the two gentlemen stood outside the entrance are Jean-Jacques and Ferdinand-Andre, two of the sons of Franz Denye, who were destined to later take over the running of Star Productions until the 1960’s.

The overwhelming success of the business, together with the necessary expansion required to cope with the demands in manufacturing, meant that in 1937 land adjoining the site was purchased and the factory extended. Further expansion was possible when, in the early 1950’s, the company was able to purchase an old builders yard located behind the factory.

The third image, taken in the early 1970’s, shows the extent of the development along Marion Street and it was to remain like this until the sad closure of the factory for redevelopment in 1990.

The following quote gives a good insight into the workings of the factory itself.

“Inside the mysterious, dark buildings of Star Productions, the traditional skills of its craftsmen are jealously guarded. Few people are allowed through the locked doors except the company’s faithful employees. The air hangs heavy with the pleasant smells of freshly-planed wood, yacht varnish and paint. Along a labyrinth of passages, resembling below decks of a ship, the partly-made hulls of countless small-scale yachts await the craftsman’s touch”.

(Taken from a quote in Cheshire Life dated January 1986)

The photographs below show factory life as it was in around 1923 and, although the images are poor, it’s possible to see how well organised the whole production line had become.

The first image shows what was known as the “construction room” and you can just make out the 12 numbered workstations beginning with No 1 in the foreground on the right hand side. Throughout the early years production was extremely labour-intensive with each individual yacht being carved, by hand, from a solid rectangular block. It was only after this time, with the introduction of semi automatic lathes and then later fully automatic lathes, that production became simpler and more efficient.

The second image gives a good insight into how the Star “painting department” was laid out at the time. There are women standing busily painting the wooden hulls, painted hulls laid out to dry and finished yachts dotted about on shelves around the room. In the centre is a large pot belly solid fuel stove with Ferdinand, as a small boy, stood next to it minding the huge kettle. It’s difficult, in today’s “health and safety” conscious world, to imagine the working conditions of such a bygone age…

The third photograph depicts the “fixing and sail making department” and it seems clear, from the cramped nature of the workstations, that business was indeed booming at this time.

It’s interesting to note that all the work areas depicted above are located on the first floor of the Star Works building so, given the lack of evidence to the contrary, one can only assume that the ground floor was used for the storage of  both raw materials and the finished stocks of yachts ready for dispatch.

The earliest reference that I’ve been able to find, relating to the products of the “Star Yacht Works”, are three post cards that were almost certainly used as commercial advertising material in the 1920″s.

The first depicts an early model Fishing Smack and, as can be seen from the images below, although it share similarities to models shown in 1930’s catalogues (and contemporary models produced by Star that were retailed under the Tri-ang banner) there are subtle differences such as the omission of portholes.

The second and third postcards depict early examples of their popular “Solid Yachts” and show the original keel shape before the introduction of the more distinctive curved keel that featured from the early 1930’s right up until the factory finally ceased production in 1991. Another distinctive feature of the early yachts is the much shallower, hand carved hull which preceded the deeper, machine turned forms of the later models.

Early advertising postcards for the “Star” yacht works in Birkenhead, England.

Star Yachts at the 1929 World Scout Jamboree…

This 15 day event, which was attended by some 30,000 Scouts and over 300,000 visitors, featured a “Star Yacht Works” exhibition stand complete with a flagpole flying a huge flag with the, none-too-subtle, wording “BUY STAR YACHTS”. The stand itself proudly boasted “All Star Yachts are Guaranteed to Sail”, a clever tagline that featured from the companies early days right up until the factory closure.

Although the image is fairly poor it is possible to clearly identify, amongst the many yachts offered, two Fishing Smack models in the foreground and what appears to be a large Racing Cutter to the right of the stand.

Franz can be seen proudly standing at the edge of shot in front of a large motor car, his business was clearly doing rather well…

A Star Yacht lost at sea…

It was on a fine August morning in 1932 that the Master of the steam trawler Swan, a Captain C A Evans, spotted a tiny object bobbing up and down on the waves of the Irish Sea. As his vessel drew closer both he and his crew were surprised to discover that it was a toy yacht, its sails set as it majestically charted its course.

On Saturday August 20th 1932 the Daily Mail, under the headline “Toy Yacht At Sea – Found With All Sails Set” , reported –

“A remarkable sea voyage by a child’s toy yacht only 15 inches long, was revealed when the Fleetwood steam-trawler Swan arrived in port yesterday. While in the vicinity of the Calf of Man, Skipper C A Evans observed a small object sailing bravely along and, steaming closer, discovered that it was a toy yacht, with all sails set and in perfect condition.

An address at Bangor, County Down, was found on the sail, and it is presumed that the yacht’s child owner had been paddling at the resort with the yacht when it was carried away to sea.

That so small a yacht could weather a voyage of nearly 100 miles without being swamped or battered to pieces is considered remarkable among the deep-sea fishermen who inspected it at Fleetwood yesterday.

Inquiries for the owner will probably be made, and if possible the child will have the toy returned.”

The yacht was clearly identifiable by the Star logo which was, alongside the name of the retailer in Bangor, emblazoned on the mainsail and Franz, ever the businessman, seized the advertising potential that such a story could bring in order to promote his products. Although attempts were almost certainly made to trace the young owner of the vessel it is unlikely that they were ever reunited with their pride and joy, instead the yacht was returned to the factory where a bespoke glass cabinet was constructed for it and it was to take pride of place on the front of the Star Yacht Works stand at the British Industries Fair, Olympia in 1933.

Star Yacht Works displays at the British Industries Fairs of 1933 and 1934

It is clear, from the photographs taken at the fairs of 1933 and 1934, that the range of yachts on offer around this time was vast and, judging by the catalogues, the period from the mid to late 1930’s represented the heyday for the Star company. Certainly, and as noted in a newspaper cutting dated 27th September 1935 titled “Birkenhead Firm’s Expansion” , the company was thriving and recognized the need to grow in order to cope with the increasing volume of orders –

“A substantial increase in trade during the past twelve months has been responsible for a considerable expansion and development in the output of the “Star” Yacht Works, Marion Street, Birkenhead.

Controlled by Mr F. Denye and family, the business takes the form of the manufacture of wooden toys and, up to the present, has employed eighty people. During the past year business has increased to such an extent as to make it impossible to cope with the output and, in the New Year, the number of employees is to be brought up to over 200 and the premises enlarged.

The firm sends its goods all over the world and is the only one in Birkenhead to be represented at the British Industries Fair”.

The catalogue of 1938 boasted a range of no less than 38 different yacht variants and alongside these were also offered 6 clockwork speedboats, a Star steam launch, 2 Star electric launches and 3 clockwork Star cargo steamers. Although yachts formed the mainstay of the companies business, the changes in seasonal demand for such products was managed by the production of other wooden toys – wheelbarrows, carts, blackboards, easels, bagatelle boards and billiard tables, to ensure the ongoing economic well-being of the factory.

Identifying the Star Yacht variants…

(To be continued).

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North Star: Inside the 63m custom superyacht built for first-time owners

Step on board North Star , the 63 metre custom superyacht designed by Espen Øino and Ozgun Yacht Design , complete with a crow's nest, cinema and golf practice machine

As the world turns, the North Star holds steady over the North Pole. A point of reference in the night sky, it is a literal and symbolic guiding light. A little closer to home, the yacht North Star is a refuge, a place for relaxation and family time. Like the celestial body, for her owners, she is a constant in an ever-changing world.

A custom-built 63-metre, she was designed by Espen Øino with hull and superstructure constructed in Turkey. For the owners, who have had smaller sport boats for day jaunts in the South of France, it is a grand entrance into the world of superyachts.

“The destination of Turkey was chosen because of their reputation for hulls,” says the captain. “The aim was to build their dream yacht.” There they amassed a team of industry professionals to turn their aspiration into reality, including Øino for the general arrangement and design, RWD for the initial interior concepts, Estel Design to complete the interior design and Burness Corlett Three Quays (BCTQ) for project management.

For their dream yacht, the owners dreamt big – it was to be spacious and bright, embrace the outdoors, offer flexible and versatile arrangements and provide plenty of comfortable communal spaces for the family of six to be together, as well as plenty of spots for them to hide away.

As he always does, Øino approached the project from the inside out, conceiving the general arrangement first. With the focus on creating airy and capacious interiors, he stretched the aft part of the upper deck to full beam in order to envelope a generous upper saloon that rivals the main saloon below. Both of these rooms are fringed with full-height windows and boast head heights of 2.2 metres.

They are also incredibly elegant. The director of Estel Design describes the style as “modern deco”, a blend of art deco’s classic elements with contemporary furniture and finishes. Pops of bright colour also modernise the deco- esque palette of silver, black and white. Glass and stainless- steel accents complement rich fabrics, such as bespoke leathers, shagreen and silver leaf, which were chosen to enhance the sense of space, says Estel Design’s director.

Over the formal dining table on the main deck, 16,000 crystal beads make up the chandelier by Ben Robinson of TwentyFourDesign. Each bead is custom tinted and affixed in strands of five to a stainless steel frame. Another of Robinson’s designs shimmers like crystal rainfall in the foyer: a chandelier that descends over two decks inside the winding staircase. Affixed to a skylight above, the piece has no internal structure; instead, 4,000 brilliant cut K9 crystals are strung together using 16,000 bespoke fittings making one homogenous structure. It was a true feat to fabricate and engineer it to withstand heavy seas.

“The owner was keen to source and utilise unusual fabrications so we were challenged to look beyond our normal suppliers and source new collaborations,” says Estel Design’s director. “To meet the owner’s brief we chose a unique array of finishes rarely seen on boats.” This included the woven metal fabric by Sophie Mallebranche that adorns a feature wall at the aft entrance to the main saloon. In addition, “a specialist resin surface, Killon, was sourced from America after the owners fell in love with it. This was used extensively in all the bathrooms, main deck saloon and master suite.”

Also in keeping with the owners’ wishes, the en suites and dayheads – one by each foyer – are ultra-modern, featuring white Thassos marble trimmed in stainless steel. The sinks in the master bath are particularly sculptural, cut from a single piece of marble, and the mirrors above these vanities can slide open to let in natural light through a hidden window.

Incorporating dual-use and transformational spaces was another priority. For instance, the main saloon can be used as a cinema, with a screen and projector concealed in the overhead. In the guest quarters on the lower deck, the wall between the two aft cabins can be moved to create a large VIP with sitting room and cabin.

While the interiors are striking, the outdoor areas demanded just as much attention – perhaps more. “There was a lot of emphasis on the sundeck space,” Øino recalls. “That was the pièce de résistance of the whole boat.” To make this area as large as possible, he extended the deck to full beam and created an indoor/outdoor space with a central interior section whose bi-folding doors open fully forward and aft. “It’s really nice up here when you are at anchor with a 10-knot breeze just trickling through,” says the captain. “It’s the most stunning place on the boat, I think.”

Not surprisingly, it’s where the owners spend most of their time, the captain reports. Dressed in limed oak with pale blue fabrics, the covered midships space features deep sofas to sink into, as well as a full dining area for when leaving this haven for a meal feels like too much effort. Forward is a massive spa pool and sit-down bar , while aft is more lounging space, in the sun or under removable awnings. Above all this is a crow’s nest, a breezy cushion-covered hideaway for anyone seeking solitude.

The beach club and gym at the stern is another area that successfully makes the indoor-outdoor connection the owners desired. The transom opens to reveal a semicircular sofa and coffee table ideally situated for cocktails or coffee at the water’s edge. A starboard-side opening just forward of the beach club exposes the gym, which includes a Technogym treadmill and cross trainer recessed into the floor. And if your idea of fitness is enjoyed on the greens rather than the gym, there’s a golf tee practice machine that can be set up on the platform here or on the sundeck aft. On the opposite side of the yacht, the port shell door opens to launch the Chris-Craft and Williams tenders.

It’s hard to think of a water toy that North Star does not carry. With the transom door unfolded, a substantial four-metre swim platform is created, yet that’s not enough to handle the yacht’s complement of playthings. So the deck crew can erect a string of NautiBuoy inflatable platforms to provide a temporary dock for the WaveRunners, Seabobs, Reverso Air sailing dinghy, foiling and electric jet surfboards, stand-up paddleboards and more. Trailing this, an inflatable jungle gym with slide and bouncy “blob” can be set up. All of this is devised to tire out the family’s four children, but North Star will also cater to charter guests in the future .

Simple, clean lines define the yacht’s sharp- looking exterior, which is typical of Øino’s creations. “Really detailed and complex surfaces, in my view, tend to go out of fashion quickly, whereas simple straight lines generally tend to survive the test of time better,” he says. The full beam-upper deck and sundeck did give Øino a bit of a challenge. “It’s tricky because both of these decks are quite high up,” he says, “hence the importance of playing with tumblehome [the narrowing of a boat’s hull as it ascends above the waterline].” This, he explains, is how the superstructure appears to tuck in as it goes higher, if you’re looking at the boat from head-on or from the stern. “It makes it more dynamic and also alters and defines the way the light falls on the boat,” he says.

In terms of propulsion, North Star is straightforward, with twin screws powered by 2,000hp 12-cylinder MTUs, which allows speeds of up to 16 knots and a range of 4,500 nautical miles.

In the flat, calm seas off Antalya, sea trials were merely procedure, the captain says. It was the journey to Malta last September, then on to Barcelona, that was the true test. Hardly the optimal time of year for favourable weather, they were faced with gales up to Force 8 on the way to Malta, with seas uncomfortably on the beam, and even stronger winds in the tropical storm force range underway to Barcelona. While the weather laid low many crew with seasickness, North Star was rock steady. “She handled it very well; it impressed me really,” says the captain, who previously commanded two Lürssens of considerable size. “I’m quite impressed with the basic construction and the seaworthiness. You like to be able to grab something and notice that it does not flex. I can feel the sturdiness in the hull,” he says.

Of course, no one relishes that kind of passage, and the owners spent their first few weeks on board this past winter enjoying the opposite kind of experience: Caribbean anchorages with all-round protection like Antigua’s Nonsuch Bay and Virgin Gorda’s North Sound, where the still water and sunshine provided an idyllic setting for an escape. It shows just where faithfully following that North Star can get you.

This feature is taken from the July 2020 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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