The Borkumriff IV was built for an experienced yachtsman, a big Hamburg entrepreneur who already owned three yachts with the same name. All of them had the armament of a schooner - such was the owner's passion, and he actually designed the very first Borkumriff himself in 198. Over the next 20 years, he ordered himself three more schooners, successively enlarging their size, improving their layout and sail plans. In a sense, Borkumriff IV, the pinnacle of this peculiar evolution, may well be considered the closest to perfection of any schooner that has ever sailed the world's seas. And this is not surprising, since two famous design bureaus were involved in its designing. Alden Design was responsible for the hull, and Gerard Dijkstra, builder of the Maltese Falcon and the Athena (indeed he wouldn't know any better than Dijkstra on sailplanning for such a large schooner).
