Conger on foils: Regnoc: 1 - YACHT: 0. Rarely have I enjoyed losing a bet so much!

Everything about this project is actually crazy. So you shouldn't be surprised at anything. Firstly, there is the initial idea, which is not only a little reminiscent of the nautical counterpart to "Werner: The Race", now Europe's biggest car happening (for real!).

Frank Schönfeldt, some 127 times German champion in at least 18 classes, including several times in the Conger, thought that the heirloom of Hanseatic post-war history, not exactly known for its exhilarating temperament, absolutely had to be made to fly. This has already worked with the Opti and Laser, and several generations of America's Cuppers have also been known to sail happily across the water.

The approach was therefore contemporary, yet sufficiently obscure and Frank's enthusiasm so infectious that even Martin Fischer was persuaded to join in. He is unquestionably the most recognised foil expert among German designers, most recently in the service of Prada Pirelli and already under contract again elsewhere. No, not just with Regnoc, which is an honorary position, but with a new Cup syndicate that will soon be making a name for itself.

And Martin is far from alone. Regnoc, this quirk that became an idea in its own right, now has more than 1800 supporters from absolutely all areas of sailing - from equipment suppliers, material experts, club presidents, former Olympic participants to cruising sailors. More enthusiasm and expertise can hardly be found anywhere else, with the possible exception of boot Düsseldorf.

What the fans are capable of is yet to be seen. There is a vision of a sailing festival around Hamburg's Outer Alster lake, of a foiling conger, plenty of wind, without which it will hardly be able to get on its carbon stilts, but also lots of loud music, energising drinks, friendly law enforcement officers with "Foilizei" banners on their uniforms and other toodles. Just what the otherwise rather, well, reserved Hanseatic city needs after an agonisingly long period of pandemic lockdown.

We believe in it! We know what the power of a crazy idea can do. Because we have fallen victim to the Regnoc clan in recent weeks.

Our colleague Fridtjof Gunkel negligently accepted a bet that we knew we could only lose. It went like this: When Frank Schönfeldt realised that YACHT author Tatjana "Tati" Pokorny, currently on assignment in Enoshima wearing a mask, would be reporting on the Regnoc project in YACHT 14, he proposed a deal. If his supporters buy 500 copies of the same issue, we will report on it again. If they don't manage that, he will take the entire editorial crew on a sightseeing flight around the Alster. As it was about sport and a quirky but endearing cause, we couldn't say no, of course. So the bet was on.

The result was, of course, foreseeable.

From all parts of Germany and a number of international destinations, it started raining emails with proof photos of the YACHT 14 purchase, including all kinds of funny variations: Regnoc fan bathing with YACHT 14, Regnoc fan's cat playing with YACHT 14, children and grandchildren of Regnoc fans with YACHT 14.

So many letters were received that our mail server went on strike twice and our IT colleagues at Delius Klasing Verlag in Bielefeld had to expand the storage space. Our sales partner was literally flooded with online orders. And when the supply of magazines in the greater Hamburg area came to a standstill, an Edeka store manager in Bahrenfeld became a wholesaler by placing special orders and was henceforth dubbed the "dealer of trust" by fans.

The official final result, solemnly announced in the Regnoc group on Facebook by Peter Meyer, a kind of Old Surehand of yachting in general and master of cheerfulness in particular, was: 658 copies. So it was clear: Regnoc: 1 - YACHT: 0.

And so that you know who the people are who brought us to our knees: Here is the official and updated hidden object picture with (hopefully!) all the competition kings and queens.

This is also printed in the new YACHT 16, which is now available in well-stocked newsagents such as Boris' in Hamburg-Bahrenfeld. And of course online ( click here! ). The proceeds from the campaign will of course go to the project, which we will continue to report on in detail. Despite our neutrality and distance, we have long since become addicted to the movement ourselves.

As Frank Schönfeldt sings so aptly in one of his latest songs: "Fly, Regnoc, flieeeeg!"