Dear readers,
What two fantastic years lie behind me? Around Skagen, 24-hour regatta off Kiel and lots of "A day with..." stories. Over 700 days have passed since my first day at work on 1 August 2023. A lot has happened since then. Not only have I researched and written many stories, but above all I have met many new people. And (almost) all of them shared my and our passion for sailing.
I travelled a lot: Damp, Schilksee, Flensburg, Heiligenhafen. Especially on the German Baltic Sea coast, I got to know many beautiful places that were new to me as a native of Sauerland. I met inspiring people, shared their stories and was able to join in the celebrations of the world's most famous shipyard bosses, who were delighted to receive the "European Yacht of the Year" award at boot in Düsseldorf. I also left the European continent for the first time. And directly on behalf of the publisher! I was able to fly to Taiwan for our sister magazine BOOTE EXCLUSIV and immerse myself in the world of superyachts there. All in all, I wouldn't want to miss these memories and encounters. For me personally, however, it is now time to take on a new challenge.
That's why I'm limiting myself to being a fan again in future. Of YACHT, but above all of the team behind it, which I was able to get to know intensively over these two years.
Nils Leiterholt
YACHT editor
PS: If you want to experience great journeys, write exciting stories and get to know interesting characters as part of an editorial traineeship in the Hamburg water sports editorial department of Delius Klasing, have a look here. In addition, applications from writers interested in sailing are always welcome in our editorial office.
Recommended reading from the editorial team
Malizia 4
First the damage to the foil, now the mainsail has torn
First the damage to the foil, then broken hull reinforcements, and now a tear in the mainsail. Two new videos show how Team Malizia is repairing and further developing the IMOCA ahead of the Route du Rhum.
Silting up of the Elbe
Small ports are fighting for every metre of water depth
The Lower Elbe is silting up, time windows are shrinking and ports are becoming difficult to reach. With flat-bottomed boats and homemade dredgers, sailors are fighting to preserve their fishing grounds.
Propulsion
Max Bianchi variable-pitch propeller, which adjusts its pitch whilst the aircraft is in flight
A variable-pitch propeller that automatically adjusts its pitch whilst in flight: this is what Max Prop’s Max Bianchi model is designed to achieve in powered flight and motor-sailing.
Interview
What is it like to work on board the ‘Thor Heyerdahl’?
The ‘Thor Heyerdahl’ has been sailing the world’s oceans for more than 40 years. YACHT editor Fabian Boerger explains why this historic vessel remains relevant.
Hurricanes 2026
Dramatic rescue off the coast of California – El Niño shapes the storm season
A lifeguard rescues a sailor from a partially flooded yacht off the coast of California. Why the 2026 hurricane season is turning out so differently between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Blue-water yachts
These five are heading to the ends of the earth
Five blue-water yachts, five designs: the Boréal 56, Kraken 58, Pure 49, Stem 50 and Breehorn 55 demonstrate their strengths and weaknesses on a long-distance voyage.
Record low water level in Lake Zurich
Sailing yacht flown by helicopter to its winter storage facility
Water levels in Lake Zurich are below the previous record low. Because his sailing yacht was stuck in the shallow water and in danger of capsizing, a 65-year-old owner had his boat airlifted out by helicopter. The operation cost around 2,000 francs and highlights just how much the exceptionally low water level is now affecting navigation.
Series of thefts continues
Thieves make off with two 300 PS outboard motors from Wieltsee
Thieves have struck again at Wieltsee: they have stolen two boats and removed heavy outboard motors. This is already the fourth such incident in three months.
Second-hand boat of the week
Arietta 31 – the dawn of an era
A narrow waist, mahogany hull and elegant overhangs: the Arietta 31, designed by Olle Enderlein, prioritises balanced lines and seaworthiness over maximum living space. As a forerunner of later Scandinavian cruising yachts, it is now an interesting classic for sailors seeking a traditional, compact cruising yacht.
Breehorn 55 review
Is it the ideal home at sea?
A pilothouse, teak fittings and an unusually accessible service tunnel: this is how the Breehorn 55 works below deck, and these compromises remain.
Newsletter: YACHT-Woche
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