From 10 a.m. today, the narrow fairway off Svendborg will be crowded again. This is where the annual Silverrudder race starts. The participants sail non-stop for around 134 nautical miles around Funen, Denmark's third largest island. This unorthodox race has long since achieved cult status and is undoubtedly one of the most important single-handed sailing events in Europe.
The Silverrudder: an event for the bucket list
The combination of a sporting challenge, the special format as a non-stop race and the family atmosphere makes the event an annual highlight for many sailors. So it's no wonder that the coveted starting places were snapped up shortly after the start of registration this year too. It took just 62 minutes and the race was sold out, according to the organisers. Since Wednesday, the time has come and the harbour is filling up. According to the organisers, there were over 300 boats in large packs filling the harbour basin on Thursday afternoon.
This is what it looks like in Svendborg harbour - one day before the start:
At this point, you will find external content that complements the article. You can display and hide it with a click.
Ideal conditions await the participants
The conditions for the coming days are promising. After a stormy week, the wind decreases to around 15 knots and continues to blow from the west. It weakens further during the night and turns to the south. On Saturday it will remain rather gentle, at around 10 knots, before a new area of low pressure moves in on Sunday, which is expected to bring gusts of up to 35 knots. However, hardly anyone should be travelling then. Deadline is Sunday 12 noon.
450 boats registered in 7 groups
In recent years, it has become clear that the race not only tests the sailing skills of the participants from 15 nations, but also impresses with the diversity of the boats. This year, around 450 boats are registered in seven groups, ranging from small multihulls to particularly large keel yachts.
- You can find all participating boats here.
The spectrum ranges from classic yachts to ultra-modern racing machines. There are also some unusual boats. We present a selection below:
"Ilvy": junk rig meets GfK classic
Paul Schnabel's "Ilvy" is certainly a particularly unusual boat. The striking yellow junk rig will attract attention not only on the Kiel Fjord, but soon also in Svendborgsund. The sail of the old Maxi 77 is stiffened by robust aluminium tube battens. You won't find a boom or foresail on this boat. According to the organisers, the "Ilvy" is the first boat with a junk rig to take part in the history of the race.
For Paul Schnabel, the focus is on the challenge, not the ranking. "In this single-handed regatta, I'm particularly looking forward to the easy handling and relaxed sailing that the modern junk rig offers," he explains in an interview with YACHT. Schnabel plans to circumnavigate the island in around 30 to 40 hours - without a break and without sleeping. "I think it's going to be pretty exhausting, but also awesome," he says in a post on the Instagram platform.
At this point, you will find external content that complements the article. You can display and hide it with a click.
Technical data of the "Ilvy":
- Length: 7,70 m
- Width: 2,64 m
- Weight: approx. 2.0 tonnes
- Depth: 1,45 m
- Mast length: 10,70 m
- Width of the panels: Bottom 1 x 4.9 m; top 1.9 x 4.9 m (triangular)
- Lugger sails: 35,0 m²
Read more: "Ilvy": converted Maxi 77 with junk rig
"Black Maggy": "Old hand" and annual eye-catcher
In order to win the Silverrudder in the large class, Wolfram Heibeck gave his "Black Maggy" a radical makeover in 2018: he sawed the boat in half and gave it a new foreship. The original version had already impressively won the medium class of the famous single-handed regatta in Denmark, but lacked the length to triumph in the large class. The master boat builder from Hooksiel therefore took to the saw and cut his boat in half. The conversion ultimately led to the first class victory in 2021. Heibeck has also been on the starting line several times in recent years.
Technical data of the "Black Maggy:
- Torso length: 12,14 m
- Waterline length: 11,80 m
- Width: 3,93 m
- Weight: 3,2 t
- Ballast/proportion: 0,7 t/22 %
- Sail area on the wind: 72,5 m2
- Sail carrying capacity: 5,8
- Gennaker/Code Zero (max. each): 158/84 m2
"Gloria": between modern and classic
This is also not the first time that skipper Peter Kohlhoff has raced his twelve-metre-long "Gloria" in Svendborg. This retro one-off design was already part of the race in 2024. The yacht, designed by Horst Stichnoth and built by the Wegmann shipyard, impresses with its classic lines and sporty, modern sailing characteristics. The boat, which is mainly used for cruising, shows its strengths particularly on rough courses, supported by the large gennaker.
Technical data:
- Design: Horst Stichnoth
- Shipyard: L. Wegmann
- Lüa: 11,99 m
- Width: 3,85 m
- Depth: 2,45 m
- Displacement: 6,7 t
- Ballast (water): 2,0 t
- Large: 60 m²
- Fock: 31 m²
- Gennaker: 185 m²
The whole boat portrait of the "Gloria": Retro-One-Off mixes classic timber construction with high-tech
More information about the Silverrudder Challenge:
- Start is on Friday, 19 September. From 10 a.m., one of the seven groups will start every half hour. The small keelboats start. The last group of large multihulls will follow at around 1 pm.
- Saturday morning the first boat back in the harbour expected.
- Sunday, 12 noon, is the Deadline for participants.
