Auction Dehlya 25: "Willy" is sold. New home will be Austria

An almost four-year chapter has now come to an end for the YACHT. The extensively modified and refurbished Dehlya 25 has a new owner. After an at times heated bidding battle between 26 interested parties and almost 200 bids, an entrepreneur from Baden-Württemberg, who does not wish to be named, bought "Willy" at auction. The passionate hunter, angler and keen sailor will be travelling with the Dehlya 25 on a lake in Austria.

"I really like these types of boats," he says, "the small, simple inland sailing boats. My first boat was a Wanderer IV." And "Willy" had a special appeal for him: "I think it's fantastic when it's so elegantly spruced up. The outfit, the tastefulness, the sails, I find it molto elegant."

For all those whose pain threshold was perhaps only just exceeded financially and who may now be annoyed, there is one consolation: "Actually, I only wanted to spend 60,000 euros. But then the devil got the better of me. I thought 100,000 would be too much, so I put in a maximum bid of 99,999 euros." His reasoning: "It's a man's toy, it's not really worth anything."

But he still has one more investment to make: "I have to buy some grey oilskins like the ones you're wearing. I can't just squat in there with my hunting trousers."

We will report on the use of the proceeds in the coming weeks. Non-profit organisations and foundations with the aim of promoting the sport of sailing can apply for by mail with specific project ideas for which they need support.