The history of Vlaamse Yachthaven Nieuwpoort (VYN) is deeply intertwined with the rich and sometimes turbulent history of the city, its port, and the people who made it great. Here is a chronology of key events and developments.
The Port of Newport
Nieuwpoort was already a trading port for the city of Ypres in the 11th century and was granted the Freedom Cure by Philip of Alsace in 1163. The IJzer estuary, where fresh and salt water meet, provided a special ecological environment. Around 1500, Nieuwpoort was a prosperous town, one of the richest and largest in Flanders, with a population of about 5,000. The Battle of Nieuwpoort in 1600, during the 80-year war between the Netherlands and Spain, ended in a victory for Prince Maurice of Nassau, but left a trail of destruction. Centuries later, during the Great War in 1914-1918, the city and port were again badly damaged, but Nieuwpoort retained a key strategic and economic position. Only after World War II did coastal tourism bring real prosperity to the city again.
Development to Marina
In the 1960s, the idea arose to transform the port of Nieuwpoort into a major marina. This was helped by Robert Orlent, president of the Flemish Water Sports Association (VVW), who decided in 1969 to develop a marina on the east side of town. Construction of the marina was a major challenge. There was skepticism about the plan, as the area was often exposed to strong westerly winds and the marina was considered unsuitable. Nevertheless, determined efforts were made to realize the new marina, which eventually resulted in the construction of 400 berths for boats in 1970.
Robert Orlent and VVW Nieuwpoort
The development of the marina in Nieuwpoort was strongly promoted by Robert Orlent, who was determined to democratize water sports in Flanders. Orlent wanted to create a port that was accessible to all Flemish water sports enthusiasts, as opposed to the previously prevalent French-speaking yacht clubs on the Belgian coast. He received strong support from local politicians and Minister Leo Tindemans, which accelerated the realization of the project. In 1970, construction of the marina along the eastern bank of the Yser began, and the first berths soon became available. The plan called for 2,500 moorings, and a new clubhouse was erected in 1971. This became the basis for the growth of VVW Nieuwpoort, which eventually developed into one of the largest marinas in Northern Europe.
Growth of the Marina
With the growth of the marina also followed a growing number of visitors and boats, both from Flanders and France. The town of Nieuwpoort itself had an interest in the marina contributing to the local economy, especially through tourism and water sports. The VVW Nieuwpoort continued to grow, and in the 1970s and 1980s the port was further expanded, with plans for more berths and infrastructure. Step by step, the infrastructure was set up: A slipway was built, water pipes extended, jetties added. The marina became a veritable center for pleasure boating.
Flemish Sailing School
The demand for learning to sail increased with the number of boats, led by a group of enthusiastic and experienced sailors, the Flemish Sailing School began. A few years later it merged with the Vlaamse Motorvaartschool to form the name by which it is now known: De Vlaamse Vaarschool!
Nearly 50 years of training expertise is shared each year with more than 1,000 students, by 40 VTS certified instructors, on a fleet of 11 boats. For both theory lessons, power boating, and sailing you can turn to the Flemish Sailing School.
Nearly 50 years of training expertise is shared each year with more than 1,000 students, by 40 VTS certified instructors, on a fleet of 11 boats. For both theory lessons, power boating, and sailing you can turn to the Flemish Sailing School.
Novus Portus
There remained a demand for more berths and places for visiting yachts, Town of Newport and the harbor began dredging a muddy area east of the existing marina. The area where the harbor was built was once a war zone, and dredging very regularly found World War I munitions. The marina grew significantly in size, with 400 additional berths for members and passers-by, and the development of new pontoons and jetties. The official opening took place on June 28, 1979.
New Clubhouse
After the establishment of the new inner harbor, consideration was given to the construction of a new clubhouse. The location of the clubhouse was a topic of discussion, but eventually the building was placed on the headland between the old harbor and Novus Portus. Construction of the clubhouse began in 1985, after the death of Robert Orlent, who, of course, was also heavily involved in the project. The building, which would henceforth also bear his name, was dedicated on March 18, 1986, exactly 15 years after the opening of the first clubhouse.
Steven Desloovere
An ambitious young man, Steven Desloovere was hired by the VVW in 1984. His work at Bloso in the 1980s, where he was involved in promoting water sports such as windsurfing and catamaran sailing, showed his innovative spirit and ability to improve what exists.
In 1990 he became director of the marina in Nieuwpoort, and immediately faced several challenges, such as improving the marina facilities and reorganizing the staff. He was determined to change the club's atmosphere and management. The marina's revenues increased rapidly under his leadership, doubling in 1992 from the previous year. His determination and entrepreneurial spirit were behind the port's continued expansion.
In 1990 he became director of the marina in Nieuwpoort, and immediately faced several challenges, such as improving the marina facilities and reorganizing the staff. He was determined to change the club's atmosphere and management. The marina's revenues increased rapidly under his leadership, doubling in 1992 from the previous year. His determination and entrepreneurial spirit were behind the port's continued expansion.
Innovation and growth
In 1997, space was again created for more boats, up to 2,000 berths. Of these, the VVW managed 1038, with the remainder distributed among neighboring clubs KYCN and WSKLum. The port became an important destination for many yachts from different countries, and the marina was promoted as "the largest marina in Northern Europe." Only La Rochelle, in France, was larger with 3,800 berths. In the following years, the infrastructure was modernized: The site was further expanded and equipped with new boat cranes, additional parking with barriers provided, new pontoons installed, and the creation of an environmental pontoon for refueling and wastewater collection. Desloovere was also responsible for establishing an international network of contacts within the water sports industry, and he became active in organizations such as the International Marine Committee, Euromarina, and TransEurope Marinas. The Golden Anchors seal of approval was obtained, a prestigious award that gave the port of Nieuwpoort a five-star status.
Political and legal struggles
One of the biggest challenges in Steven Desloovere's career was the legal battle with Bloso, the Flemish sports organization that wanted to centralize control of the marinas. The marinas would now have to be managed directly by Bloso, which led to much frustration within the clubs. Desloovere and his colleagues fought a legal battle against this centralization for years, which eventually resulted in a compromise, but not without much difficulty and conflict. He saw the need to preserve marinas as sports associations, and advocated more cooperation between federations such as the VVW and the VYF (Flemish Yachting Federation) to protect the interests of water sports enthusiasts and make the federations more financially sound. Desloovere saw the need to further develop marinas, particularly through a major expansion of the Nieuwpoort harbor, a project launched in the late 1990s. Despite the support of the city council, the plan encountered political obstacles and was eventually called off due to the dioxin crisis. But the dream of expansion remained alive.
Extension To The Lake
Close to the picturesque city center of Bruges is the Sint-Pietersplas, created by excavation during the construction of the expressway. Originally there were three wells which they later turned into one large lake. The 16 acres of water is surrounded by greenery and tranquility. At the time, Bloso (now Sport Vlaanderen) started offering water sports recreation on the Sint-Pietersplas, this grew into a good club operation where many learned to sail and surf for the first time. In the late 1990s, Bloso decided to leave Bruges and the Flemish Yacht Harbour Nieuwpoort took over. Next to the water sports building came a hostel with 90 sleeping places. Today you can sail, windsurf, kayak, raft, wingfoil, supp, and much more in this beautiful piece of nature.
Flemish Marina Nieuwpoort
In 2017, the VVW was renamed Vlaamse Yachthaven Nieuwpoort (VYN) because of the merger of water sports federations VVW recrea and VYF, to WWSV. Further challenges were not absent. In 2018, construction began on the storm surge barrier, a necessary evil that should protect the hinterland from the sea, but at the same time hinders pleasure boating due to the stronger currents in the harbor channel. In early 2022, the first sea farm was constructed off the coast of Nieuwpoort. Its location is pernicious for pleasure boating, and remains a thorny issue on our North Sea coast. Nevertheless, the marina remains ever hopeful for the future!
Future Vision
In 2023, Maarten Desloovere took over the torch from his father after working in the port for 9 years himself. With renewal of sites, a possible expansion of the port and refreshment of different aspects in the port, many interesting challenges lie ahead!
