Dear readers,
I sometimes talk to my boat. This fact worries me far less than it might worry those around me, but they haven't even known about it yet. Now comes the time of confession. I talk to my dinghy in particular, a Finn dinghy, because I'm always alone on the water and don't have to embarrass myself in front of a crew with my admittedly rather peculiar behaviour.
For example, I greet my boat when I go out for training or to the regatta course. I tell him what I'm planning to do, what my goals are for the day and how I want to organise my tactics for the upcoming races. And I also ask my boat for its opinion from time to time. Sometimes I even think I get an answer in some way. You just have to be very attentive and listen very carefully - with all your senses.
At best, you may call this behaviour strange, perhaps unworldly, completely crazy or simply infantile. But I firmly believe in it, and I stand by it: I have an emotional attachment to my boat, and I nurture it accordingly.
Ultimately, the conversations with my floating vessel lead me to a relevant question that has preoccupied Christian seafaring in general for centuries and me in particular for a long time: Do boats really have a soul? Or is my peculiar behaviour only based on imagination and mere superstition?
Now this is not a very easy question for me to answer, and certainly not a universally valid one. Despite my perhaps somewhat surreal delusions, as the test editor of YACHT, I am basically and professionally a very pragmatic person when it comes to boats, with few esoteric or even transcendental motives. It is therefore also clear to me that a cruising boat, for example, that comes brand new off the assembly line of a largely automated production line at one of the major series manufacturers, does not yet have a real soul - where does it come from?
I believe that the soul only finds its way onto a ship over time. It comes on board together with the owners and the way they use their ship, with eventful voyages and exciting adventures on the world's oceans, with successes or failures on the regatta course or with destruction and repairs.
So at some point, every boat has its very own story to tell, of blood, sweat and tears, but also of happiness, joy and hope. These are the foundations for that certain something, for the spirit of a boat - for its soul.
Michael Good,
YACHT editor
Newsletter: YACHT-Woche
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The week in pictures:
Charter special: Enjoy a carefree and relaxed sailing holiday
Whether you are an experienced sailor or a layman, chartering a sailing yacht offers the opportunity to explore new places, experience the beauty of the sea and create unforgettable memories. To make your charter holiday a success, we have put together the most important tips in this special.
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New podcast episode
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Kissing allowed, braking forbidden
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SEK operation on the Flensburg Fjord
Conflict over fishing net takes a surprising turn
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Linjett 36
Linjett 36 in the YACHT test – What the new Swedish yacht can do at sea
In the YACHT test, the Linjett 36 demonstrated plenty of speed, control and quality. This is what makes the new Swedish cruising yacht 2026 so appealing to discerning cruising sailors.
Motorboat fire in Langenargen
Boat burns to the ground in the marina alongside sailing yachts
A motorboat caught fire at Langenargen Marina. The fire brigade prevented the fire from spreading to other boats; no one was injured.
Distress at sea
Sailor stranded on Norderney following a second incident
A Dutch sailor had run aground on Norderney a week and a half ago with his boat, the ‘Filou’. Now he finally wanted to leave the island. He didn’t get very far.
Five Sisters Trophy
“Gorch Fock” wins the race alongside her sisters
Five Sisters Trophy: The "Gorch Fock" wins the race against her three sister ships on the Atlantic Ocean off Boston.
Dufour 54
Plenty of volume, a substantial boat and plenty of variety
With the new Dufour 54, the French shipyard is crowning its comprehensively revamped model range. The flagship combines a spacious cockpit, flexible sailing and interior layout options, and plenty of space below deck. *YACHT* magazine was on board for the maiden trial run in La Rochelle.
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:
