Belgian brothers look to float Brel’s boat

ZEEBRUGGE, Belgium: Belgian singer Jacques Brel famously crooned about clinging to love in iconic hits like “Ne me quitte pas” and now two brothers in his homeland are engaged in their own enduring passion project to restore his cherished sailboat.

In the North Sea port of Zeebrugge, Gustaaf and Piet Wittevrongel are close to returning the yacht to the sea, 15 years after it was salvaged as a wreck from a New Zealand beach.

The red and blue hull of the 20 metre Askoy II looks almost as good new as the final work is done ahead of a planned launch in September.

That will be almost 45 years after the death of the Belgian songster, whose French-language ballads such as “Quand on n’a que l’amour” made him a global star in the 1950s and 60s.

“We’re waiting for the green light from the maritime inspection,” said older brother Gustaaf, 84.

Brel embarked on two epic ocean…