• The week in pictures
• Recommended reading from the editorial team

Dear readers,

Have you ever dreamed of sailing all year round? Here, in northern Germany, with your own boat? For me, the thought of not ending the season in autumn and staying in the water was really tempting. I often went on board to do research with people who do just that and always found it really cosy.

This really doesn't make you exotic. Every year, more and more owners seem to want to cheat the end of the season by booking a winter berth. Dozens of yachts are currently in the water in my home harbour of Bremerhaven alone.

So while the first people were taking down the sails in autumn, we were dreaming of going sailing at weekends and perhaps on Christmas holidays. Instead of putting up the mast, we wrote to-do lists for boat projects that we wanted to work on in the heated cabin. So much for the plan.

On the first weekend of Advent, the weather forecast and tides promise a beautiful day trip with a return before dark. We want to get going. That means getting up at six and quickly taking a look over the dyke on the way to the boat to see if the promised wind is really waiting outside. We see - nothing. Thick fog has swallowed up the outer Weser. We turned round again straight away.

We have already tried the "winter in the water" experiment once, two years ago. Back then, our sailing results were poor. At eleven degrees centigrade plus, we had at least untied the lines for the New Year's Eve trip, and on a mild day in February we were the only sailors on the Weser. Shortly before that, the boat was still stuck in the ice - it had frozen harder than it had for a long time.

This time, when the first frost announces itself, only one neighbour takes down the sails. The others, including us, leave them on. Where to put them? The cellar and garage are out of the question for the cloths, there's enough equipment piled up in the living room and there's simply no room for anything else below deck. Besides, we want to sail ... But now we're winterising and looking forward to cosy weekends on board. Firing up the Refleks stove, grabbing a book, drinking tea.

However, after the first Friday evening with cold feet on ice-cold cushions, one thing is clear: in the sub-zero temperatures outside, the diesel stove needs hours to bring the boat up to a comfortable temperature. It's only at the highest setting that the warmth I need to work and enjoy myself here is distributed below deck.

So how often have we gone out now? So far: once, for two short hours. It was a test run after work on the engine. But we dutifully set sail and savoured the feeling of the boat gently lying on its side.

To believe that a winter in the water is synonymous with sailing and an endless season was - at least in the past few months - unfortunately an illusion. The inner bastard (or reason) usually protested vehemently at the thought of going out after a glance at the weather. But not just mine. The others also use the cold time in the water mainly as winter storage and don't seem to want to sail at all. And where to? Most harbours are closed and many jetties have been dismantled.

After all, there's no need to rig and unrig in spring and autumn. But winter in the water means checking mooring lines, tarpaulins and halyards when squalls sweep across the harbour. Winter in the water means keeping an eye on the weather forecast between October and Easter. Winter in the water means not forgetting how quickly the deck can turn into a slippery slope when going on board.

Would I do it again? Definitely! After all, as a sailor, I'm an incorrigible optimist. What's more, the sun tickled me last week. It wants to come, the season! Then we're already there.

Kristina Müller, YACHT editor

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The week in pictures:

Recommended reading from the editorial team:

THE OCEAN RACE

Always up to date- Daily updates

The Ocean Race fleet is currently on the final nautical miles of the second leg. An exciting battle for the lead has developed shortly before Cape Town. Here on yacht.de you will find daily updates and background information on the race!

DEATH AT SEA

A horror story that nobody wants to experience

In 2022, far off the east coast of the US, an accident occurred on the German yacht "Escape", type CNB 66, resulting in the death of the owner couple. The report that has now been published reads like a horror story at sea. And it raises questions

VENDÉE GLOBE

The background to Clarisse Crémer's sacking

The media response was huge, and Clarisse Crémer is still going strong. Last week, the young mother and ocean sailor was sacked by her sponsor. The outrage was huge - are Banque Populaire and the organisers of the Vendée Globe really to blame, or is it the sailor herself?

CONTEST 49 CS

Mini superyacht in a strong wind test

Contest is launching two new models in the 15-metre class, filling a gap between other luxury brands with a successful mix of performance and luxury. The 49 CS in a strong wind test

FLAT-BOTTOMED SHIP ON SPIEKEROOG

"Tuitje", the sailing classroom

The Spiekeroog island boarding school Hermann Lietz-Schule not only organises the annual Atlantic cruise High Seas High School for pupils. As the centrepiece of the school's own fleet of sailing boats, the flat-bottomed ship "Tuitje" also serves as a floating classroom in the East Frisian Wadden Sea

SAILING FILMS

An evening for everyone who loves the sea

The popular Ocean Film Tour is going on tour across Europe for the ninth time and has six impressive films in store. The tour kicks off on 7 March in Hamburg

FLAAR 24

One for all - and for everything

Flaar Performance Sailing in Hungary is showing initial plans for a new, small sports boat that can be a powerful racer, a pretty daysailer and a touring boat for the family. A real all-rounder

FEES FOR WATER UTILISATION

"The ruin for small clubs like us"

A new scale of fees for the use of water areas poses difficulties for sailors and clubs. The costs can double in some places

• here you can find all previous "YACHT Week" columns