More about Niels Jeppesen:
Niels grew up first in Kristinehamn, at the northern part of Sweden’s biggest lake Vänern, and from the age of six in Stubbekøbing, in the south of Denmark.
His best friends’ father, Bjørn Olsen, was one of Denmark’s pioneering yacht designers and boat builders. Bjørn was production manager for, at that time, Denmark’s biggest production boat yard, Botved Boats, and established his own boatyard Nimbus in Stubbekøbing in the early 60s. He taught Niels about yacht design, how to use spline weights, made of lead, holding onto thin wooden battens, and how to create the beautiful curves, which a good-looking design consists of.
Niels started sailing with Bjørn and with Niels’ parents, both in local races and summer holiday cruising. Most summer cruises were spent in the West Swedish archipelago just north of Goteborg.
Later in life, some of the most prestigious yacht races where Niels’ designs won, took place from Marstrand, namely in 1985 winning the ¾ Ton Cup and in 1990, winning the One Ton Cup.
Niels loves Scandinavian design philosophy; clean, functional, and elegant, bordering on being minimalistic. This design philosophy blended with the elements that ensure good quality and performance, which appeals to sailors who enjoy real sailing pleasure, has always been the DNA he includes in his designs.
Arcona’s previous designer Stefan Qviberg, who passed away a few years ago, shared the same design philosophy and Niels will do his best to continue Stefan’s legacy.