71 wooden boats on Lake Wolfgang: Classic sailors celebrate 125 years of the Union Yacht Club

From 25 July to 2 August 2026, the Wolfgangsee was all about classic wooden boats. Many of the participating yachts and dinghies are several decades old, some even more than 100 years. A total of 71 boats, carrying 210 sailors, took to the water. The crews travelled from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, the USA and Austria. According to the Union Yacht Club Wolfgangsee, this anniversary event was the largest regatta for traditional wooden boats ever held in Austria.

14 races on Lake Wolfgang

The anniversary week kicked off on Saturday evening, 25 July. The event then got underway with racing in the various classes. It concluded on Sunday, 2 August, with a long race along traditional courses, before the winners were honoured at the closing prize-giving ceremony.

The weather also played its part for the sailors. On the race days, the ‘Brunnwind’ – typical of Lake Wolfgang – reliably set in around midday. Under the right weather conditions, this thermal wind is caused by the temperature differences between the lake and the surrounding mountain slopes.

This meant that the organisers were able to hold all 14 scheduled races. As well as the sporting events, the anniversary week also featured joint events and a programme of festive activities.

Kites, racing dinghies and Hansa dinghies on the regatta course

The classic wooden kites kicked off the action on the water. They competed in their races from Sunday to Tuesday. Claas van Thülen from the Akademischer Segel-Club Berlin and his crew secured overall victory.

Over the next three days, it was the turn of the 22-class racing dinghies. They held their Euro Cup on Lake Wolfgang. Andreas Plettner from the Bavarian Yacht Club came out on top with his team.

The 10 m² and 20 m² racing classes also crowned their international class champions. In the 10 m² racing class, the winners were Andreas Knittel from the Union Yacht Club Mattsee and Georg Friedl from the Union Yacht Club Attersee. The title in the 20-m² racing class went to August Schramm from the Union Yacht Club Wolfgangsee and his team.

With 15 boats, the Hansajollen formed the largest single group among the entrants. 14 owners travelled from Germany with their boats. The victory went to Dietmar Schwarzpaul from the Kanu-Segel-Club Hemer, together with his grandson Levin.

The FRIGG special class wins a long race

To round off the Traditional Sailing Days, the classic wooden boats once again competed together in a yardstick regatta lasting several days. Georg Stadler and his crew, all members of the Union Yacht Club Wolfgangsee, took the honours aboard the FRIGG, a boat in the special class.

Three classic yacht races in the Salzkammergut in 2027

Three dates have already been set for classic yacht regattas in the Salzkammergut in 2027:

The dates have been chosen so that the regattas can be easily combined with a holiday. The three lakes are only a short distance apart; Mondsee, Wolfgangsee and Attersee are all within a radius of around 30 kilometres.

​This means that the Salzkammergut is set to become an important meeting place for lovers of classic wooden boats once again in 2027.

You might also be interested in:

• ​Hamburg Summer Classics: Wooden Boat Summit on the Alster
• German Classics: Wood, Patina and Passion
• ​Austria: Commotion at Mondsee – notice of termination for all tenants

​Book recommendations:

• Wooden boats – renovation and maintenance covers the care, maintenance and repair of traditional wooden boats.
• Winning regattas on dinghies and yachts – technique, tactics, trimming focuses on the sporting aspect of the subject. The book explains how the boat, sails and crew can become faster and more efficient through trim, technique and tactical decisions.