Balk Shipyard was founded in 1798 by Sijbrand Balk, who purchased the shipyard in Elburg where the Balk family had been employed from its inception in 1787. Sybrand paid the sum of 1.220,- Dutch Guilders, quite some money in those days for the facilities. The first wooden fishing smack was built that same year and sold for 812 guilders. The next recorded smack to leave the slipway was in 1803.
225 years of expertise
The Balk family business opened its doors in 1798, building wooden vessels on a small slipway in Elburg, the Netherlands. Passing through seven generations of Balk across 225 years, the shipyard has evolved into a leading survey, refit and rebuild yard for luxury superyachts.
After many successful years in Elburg, the shipyard eventually outgrew its location in 2004 and moved to its current premises in Urk, the Netherlands. The old facility in Elburg is now a museum, preserving the unique skills of traditional wooden boat building. Cutters are still being built at Balk Elburg, and visitors can learn past techniques and see an important part of the Dutch maritime heritage.
Over the past few decades at its current facility in Urk, Balk Shipyard shifted its primary focus to refitting and rebuilding yachts. It has successfully completed well over 70 yachts in the past 10 years alone, proving its expertise time and time again. Rooted in Dutch quality, Balk Shipyard continues to be built for every refit and rebuild, and trusted for every survey.
Our focus today is exactly as it was in 1798: craftsmanship, care, and continuity, delivered with precision. Schedule a call with our team and discover how we can support your next project: personally, professionally and reliably.
Sijbrand Balk, 1774 - 1841
Harter Rensen Balk, 1798 - 1883
In February 1838 Sijbrand sold the yard to his nephew Hartger Rensen Balk, who later passed it on to his oldest son Hendrik.
Hendrik Roelof Balk, 1825 - 1891
Under Hendrik Roelof Balk, the shipyard maintained the tradition of building wooden vessels in the port of Elburg.
Hartger Balk, 1853 - 1923
The recession of the late 1800’s took its toll and Hartger was forced to sell the yard. Another shipyard bought the premises, before finally selling it back to Hartger’s younger brother Cornelis Balk.
Cornelis Balk, 1863 - 1933
The geography of Elburg underwent great change in the early twentieth century, with the installation of the 32-kilometre Afsluitdijk (IJsselmeer Dam) in 1932, transforming the Zuiderzee into a lake. The dam is vital for the Netherlands and protects the country from flooding, but it was disastrous for the medieval seaport of Elburg and the northern Holland marine industry. The little port town changed completely.
Daan Balk, 1904 - 1986
Daan Balk took ownership of Balk Shipyard in 1937 and reformed the yard. He was an innovator and shifted the shipyard’s focus to steel. Building barges and small yachts for private customers and steel constructions for other yards. The technical innovations during this period were many, and the yard prospered. Winches replaced horses and a trolly slipway replaced the traditional sledge slipway.
Bart Balk, 1939 - 1998
When Daan’s son Bart Balk took the helm, the shipyard shifted its central activity from building vessels to refitting and repairing them. Bart Balk worked in the yard before training as an engineer. Once qualified, he spent long periods at sea working onboard several vessels.
Daan Balk, 1968
Daan Balk took over the company in 1998 after his father Bart Balk passed away. Balk Shipyard was awarded the exclusive quality mark ‘By Appointment to the Court of the Netherlands’ just four years later in 2002. During Daan’s reign, the shipyard was also presented with a unique opportunity to build a ship in honour of Queen Beatrix’s Silver Jubilee. The company outgrew its premises in Elburg and Daan decided to move to the harbour town of Urk in 2004. The new premises were bought from the Metz family. After three years of preparations and construction, the new shipyard opened in June 2007. This is the site where Balk Shipyard can be found today.
Back in Dutch hands
After seven generations of family ownership and over two centuries of craftsmanship, a remarkable chapter in Balk Shipyard’s history came to a close in 2021: Daan Balk sold the shipyard, as there was no successor within the family to take over the company.
Today, Balk Shipyard is once again under Dutch ownership. The company is not only based in the Netherland, it is also fully Dutch-owned.