Dear readers,
Is it just me, or is it the comparatively good weather and the fact that the trees haven't turned colour yet? I'm just not in the mood for the end of the season this year.
There usually comes a time in autumn when you no longer have to go boating every weekend. The cool and damp weather gets on your nerves and you secretly look forward to the moment when the boat is in the wind and rain-protected hall. At the same time, the list of winter jobs is growing - and yes, I'm a tinkerer and handyman, so I enjoy the screwing, sanding, polishing and painting in winter storage almost as much as the summer on the water.
But this year is different. I'm trying to delay the crane date as much as possible. While more and more boxes remain empty at the jetty or are occupied by yachts without a main boom or rig - they look like they've been plucked - I'm still happily hauling provisions for the weekend to the boat, while others are hauling the sails and the leftover supplies from the summer trip off the boat.
The mast rack in the harbour is filling up as the harbour master brings one yacht after another ashore. At the same time, there is more life on the jetties and boats than on many a beautiful summer weekend. Instead of the usual question about the destination, the focus is now on the crane date. "When are you leaving the water? Have you already winterised everything? It's our turn on Monday." - "At the end of October? That late? Was everything full before then?"
For a moment, I'm tempted to just say yes to have my peace of mind. But if I'm honest: I'm not done with the season yet. There are still the anchorages for which the wind direction is not yet right, so many sunsets and the marvellous starry sky, which can be better enjoyed with the earlier onset of darkness. The thought of mothballing the boat now just feels wrong. A bit like saying goodbye to a good friend prematurely.
Autumn on the water has its own magic - the clear air, the calm harbours, the intense colours. Maybe that's what's keeping me here this year. Or maybe it's simply the realisation that every day on the water is a gift that you should savour while you can.
Hauke Schmidt
YACHT editor
Recommended reading from the editorial team
Severe weather
Several yachts have sunk – storm wreaks havoc on ports in the US
On Sunday (27 September), a storm tore boats from their moorings in the harbour of Marblehead in the USA. Several boats ran aground or sank.
Oyster 36M
New flagship with Frers lines
Oyster Yachts is expanding its model range at the top end: the new Oyster 36M is a 36-metre sloop designed by Frers Naval Architecture. Designed to combine the comfort of a superyacht with the demands of long blue-water voyages, the flagship model offers owners plenty of flexibility in terms of layout, equipment and sail plan.
MOB at the Silverrudder 2026
Almost too late – what emerged after the rescue
During the Silverrudder 2026, a sailor went overboard at night. Here’s what has since emerged about the dramatic rescue: fellow sailors and sea rescue workers tell their stories.
Distress at sea
Steel sailing yacht runs aground off Skagen
Three nautical miles off Skagen, a steel sailing boat is stuck in the sand, with the surf crashing against its side. What follows is a race against time involving pumps, tow ropes and a helicopter.
Route du Rhum
A star-studded line-up and Herrmann’s first solo race on ‘Malizia 4’
The next countdown is underway for Boris Herrmann and the new “Malizia 4”. The Route du Rhum gets underway on 1 November, with many prominent figures from the offshore sailing world in attendance.
Electrics
Firmware update for the Victron Orion XS – it now charges in reverse in an emergency
Firmware 1.15 turns the Victron Orion XS into a stopgap solution when the starter battery is flat. What the recharge function can do and where its limitations lie.
First 36 Spirit
Sail fast, live more comfortably and save money
Beneteau is adding a third variant to the First 36 range: the new Spirit features a simpler interior layout and a lower entry-level price. The planing sailing yacht will make its world debut in January 2027 at the Düsseldorf Boat Show.
America’s Cup
Luna Rossa dominate – the Azzurri get into the Cup spirit
The Red Moon is shining brightly on the road to the America’s Cup: the Italian team Luna Rossa has also won the second pre-regatta, setting the standard in Naples.
Second-hand boat of the week
Regatta fever with the X-79
The X-79 is a lightweight racer with cult status. Fast on downwind legs, responsive at the helm and surprisingly practical below deck. What buyers should look out for, and whether it’s worth buying second-hand.
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.
Newsletter: YACHT-Woche
Der Yacht Newsletter fasst die wichtigsten Themen der Woche zusammen, alle Top-Themen kompakt und direkt in deiner Mail-Box. Einfach anmelden:
