Geschichte

From a boat builder to a maritime centre on Lake Traunsee

Our history

From a boat builder to a maritime centre on Lake Traunsee

The history of Frauscher Harbour is closely linked to the history of Lake Traun and Austrian boating culture. What began as a small boatyard has developed over the decades into a comprehensive maritime centre.

1945–1950
The early days at Lake Traunsee
The Frauscher Harbour in Gmunden has been an integral part of the company’s history since 1945 and remains a key location within the Frauscher Group to this day. This is where the company’s roots lie on Lake Traunsee; this is where boats are tested and showcased; and this is where the harbour office, complete with shop and showroom, is now located. During the Second World War, the workshop of the company’s founder, Engelbert Frauscher, on the Alte Donau in Vienna was severely damaged in a bombing raid. During the American occupation of Gmunden, the yacht club was looking for an experienced boatbuilder to maintain the confiscated boats. In Engelbert Frauscher, they found the ideal expert. His new place of work and residence became the former shipyard in the Weyer district of Gmunden – exactly where Frauscher Harbour is located today. Following the withdrawal of the American occupying forces, Engelbert Frauscher took over the shipyard, thereby laying the foundations for the company’s successful development on Lake Traunsee.
1950–1964
Rising through craftsmanship and entrepreneurial spirit
In its early years, the boatyard focused on repairs, the construction of rowing boats and the manufacture of O-jolles. The takeover of a rowing boat hire business, combined with a start-up loan for the further development of the business, provided a significant boost to growth. Together with his sons Ernst and Hans Frauscher, he developed a diverse range of services. Alongside boat hire and repair work, the first wooden electric boats were built. At the same time, a water-skiing school was established, and the first sailing boats were produced in-house. In 1954, Hans Frauscher also officially joined the family business. The boatyard developed into a thriving enterprise. Alongside rowing and electric boats, the first motorboats, the ‘Fish’ and ‘Starfish’, expanded the range.
1964–1971
Expansion of the Weyer site
The site received a further boost in 1964 with the establishment of a successful sailing school by Hans and Dorothea Frauscher and the construction of a second boathouse. The range of services was expanded to include a shop selling sailing and motorboat accessories as well as sailing clothing. In 1968, Ernst Frauscher erected a new building right by the lake, housing a workshop, a boatyard office and a sailors’ guesthouse. The site increasingly developed into the centre of the company’s activities on Lake Traunsee.
1971–1979
The dawn of the plastic boat era
A decisive turning point came in 1971 with the decision to build boats from polyester. Together with experienced staff, Frauscher embarked on a new manufacturing technology, thereby ushering in a new era for the company. In 1972, the businesses run by the brothers Ernst and Hans Frauscher were merged. Under the name ‘Ernst und Hans Frauscher OHG’, a modern family-run business was established with a clear division of responsibilities between production, finance and sales.
In the late 1970s
From motorboat to electric boat
The statutory ban on motorboats on Lake Traunsee in the late 1970s presented a major challenge. At the same time, it opened up new opportunities: Frauscher began to focus more heavily on the development of electric boats. Thanks to innovative propulsion technologies and high quality standards, the Frauscher electric boat became a great success. In the years that followed, several hundred electric boats were manufactured at the shipyard in Moosham, which had been newly built in 1976. Today, the Moosham shipyard serves as the winter storage facility for the Frauscher harbour and houses the repair department.
1979–2002
International successes in sailing
Frauscher achieved another milestone when he acquired the H-Boat licence from the Finnish Sailing Federation in 1979. More than 600 boats were sold, and the class went on to become a sporting success story. In 1982, Hans Frauscher won the world championship title in the H-Boat class. His son Stefan repeated this success in 2002. In total, four world championship titles were won in the H-Boat class – impressive proof of the company’s expertise and innovative strength.
1980–2001
The development of the modern Frauscher Harbour
In the early 1980s, the Weyer sailing harbour was completely rebuilt. With the construction of the building at 10 Traunsteinstraße in 1988, a modern centre comprising offices, an exhibition hall and a shop was created. The site increasingly became the company’s flagship location. Today, the showroom and the harbour office are located right next door at 14 Traunsteinstraße.
2001–present
A New Beginning and the Present Day
In 2001, the entire boathouse was destroyed by a devastating fire. Around 60 boats were lost in the blaze. As early as 2002, a new, modern boathouse was built on the same site, which continues to define the character of Frauscher Harbour to this day. Further expansion in 2015 saw the infrastructure extended once again. Today, Frauscher Harbour is far more than just a marina: it is a test centre, a meeting place for customers and water sports enthusiasts, home to the Frauscher Shop, and at the same time a vibrant place where the company’s history has been continuing for almost 100 years.