Dear readers,
Perhaps you feel the same as I do and have enjoyed reading about traditional sail shapes in the latest issue of YACHT Classic or on these pages. In this three-part article, Klaus Berger provides a detailed explanation of Junk and sprit sails or Gaff and spreader gaff I was particularly taken with the Rah and lugger sails. Broad jib, half-spitzer, head-ra – relics of a bygone era? Not an anachronism in sailing, as far as I’m concerned. I find it fascinating and enjoy delving into old-fashioned technical terms. Even if – or perhaps precisely because – few sailors actually come across them in practice, this knowledge should be cherished.
Just learning about the Dipplugger sail – marvellous! And then there are the lovely illustrations with brown cloth and handwritten explanations. Just as it should be. The details about the lugger reminded me of Roger Barnes think. For a while, I was completely hooked on his YouTube channel, his enthusiasm and his Northern English accent. The Brit lives in Brittany and often sails along the coast on his own in an old-fashioned cruising dinghy. One man, an open boat, one sail, many destinations.
Heavy traditional boats and ships involve far larger sets of sails, whilst complex rigging systems allow for a wide variety of combinations. It never ceases to amaze one to see how, in the appropriate wind conditions, scarcely a centimetre remains unfilled between the wooden or steel spars. In the IOR era, artfully shaped bloopers complemented and stabilised the propulsion provided by bulbous spinnakers, creating colourful scenes on the regatta courses.
The ‘we sail with what we’ve got’ maxim also comes into play, in a sense, with modern performance rigs. As the mast moves further and further aft, the foredeck becomes a testing ground for experimentation. In some cases, sailors choose from a whole range of headsails, which in turn can be combined with one another. Generally speaking, constantly adapting to the airflow is one aspect of sailing that makes it so exciting for me. This constant optimisation through trimming, tweaking or simply switching sails back and forth.
Whether the cloth is now green, purple, black, colourful, triangular, rectangular, trapezoidal, square, fan-shaped, distinguished, air-filled or even between the rows is no longer available, it’s the diversity swaying in the wind that makes it so appealing. It’s all there. To remain. Let’s hope so.
Sören Gehlhaus
YACHT editor
Editor’s reading recommendations
Interview
Fabian Boerger and Ole Puls on their bitter exit from the Vegvisir Race
For six months, YACHT editors Ole Puls and Fabian Boerger prepared their 54-year-old Erria 25 for the Vegvisir Race. But even on the way to the start, the boat began taking on water. In this interview, the pair talk about the nerve-wracking hunt for the leak, the decision to pull out of the storm race – and why they’ll definitely be back on the starting line next year.
New podcast episode
Janek Struchholz on youth sailing and competitive sailing
At the age of nine, Janek Strucholz watched children sailing Optis across the IJsselmeer from his family’s sailing boat and wanted to do exactly the same. In the 91st episode of YACHT – the sailing podcast, YACHT trainee Janek talks to host Timm Kruse about what children’s and youth sailing means in the world of regatta racing: what it demands of families, what it gives young people, and what remains of a competitive sporting career when you consciously decide to bring it to an end.
Series of thefts
Harbour master at Wieltsee speaks out
Following several break-ins and engine thefts at Wieltsee, the marina is now taking action. Its new operations manager has announced additional security measures
Yacht collision
BSU issues a warning – safety vessels must not themselves become a hazard
Following the collision between the “VB Rönnebeck” and the “Schöner Wohnen” off the coast of Rügen, the BSU has summarised the lessons learnt: traffic control vessels must maintain a safe distance and communicate at an early stage, even without radio contact.
Laura Lühnenschloß
What makes the ‘Thor Heyerdahl’s’ rigging so special
Sailor Laura Lühnenschloß explains why the ‘Thor Heyerdahl’s’ rigging is ideal for sailing training and why maintaining it remains such a labour-intensive task.
LA 28 review
A wooden beauty with a built-in accelerator pedal
The LA 28 combines moulded mahogany with a carbon rig and a large gennaker. The test shows how this unusual daysailer sails and what compromises it demands below deck.
Silverruder 2026
Records, rescues and passion
The Silverruder 2026 put the solo sailors to the test with strong winds, short waves and a dramatic night of rescue operations. Three records were broken, and 275 out of 332 starters crossed the finish line.
Croatia
Autonomous boat to monitor the coastline
The Croatian autonomous patrol vessel Faust V is designed to detect speeding, illegal anchoring, litter and environmental changes.
“Gorch Fock”
A grand welcome in Kiel
The Gorch Fock has returned from America after a long training voyage. She was seen sailing under full sail on the Kiel Fjord. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen that.
Défi Azimut
Sam Goodchild dominates the field
The main race of the Defi Azimut has finished. Sam Goodchild celebrates his second victory in the regatta with a dominant start-to-finish win
Newsletter: YACHT-Woche
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