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New podcast episodeStarting her own sail-making business in her mid-20s – Lea Rambadt

David Ingelfinger

 · 08.09.2026

Lea Rambadt set up her sail-making business in Rendsburg two and a half years ago.
Photo: Catharina Deho Foto und Film
Lea Rambadt is already running her own sail-making business in her mid-20s. In the 88th episode of the YACHT sailing podcast, she talks to host Timm Kruse about her journey to self-employment, the craft behind it, and the mistakes boat owners should avoid when it comes to their boat covers.
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Fewer and fewer people are learning the craft of sail-making these days. Lea Rambadt has nevertheless chosen this path, even though she originally thought she would end up in a traditional office job. It was only a school work placement at the age of 14 that changed that.

After completing her training as a sailmaker and spending her first few years working for other companies, she decided two and a half years ago to take another bold step: setting up her own business. What began with a sewing machine, a small table and just the bare essentials has grown into a large workshop complete with winter storage facilities.

Lea Rambadt: From an internship to her own workshop

How do you go about setting up a business when you know your trade but know little about entrepreneurship to begin with? Lea Rambadt explains what support proved crucial in those first few months, what role the Chamber of Crafts played in this, and why she now says it was the best decision of her life.

What fascinates her so much about her job is its versatility: every sail and every cover is one of a kind. Two yachts of identical design can be moored side by side in the harbour and still not be identical when it comes to taking measurements. That is precisely what makes the job so appealing to her. The sailmaker explains what this means for her day-to-day work and why she is convinced that artificial intelligence cannot replace this craft.

Common mistakes boat owners make with their covers

Many boat owners invest a lot of money in equipment, sails and paintwork, but then cut corners on the boat cover of all things. In the podcast, Lea highlights the three most common mistakes and explains what really matters when it comes to care and storage. If you skimp here, you’ll end up paying more in the long run.

​You can listen to YACHT’s sailing podcast with Lea Rambadt here:

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David Ingelfinger

Weit entfernt von den Küsten im Rhein-Main-Gebiet aufgewachsen, fand David Ingelfinger erst im Alter von elf Jahren auf den niederländischen Gewässern zum Segelsport. Was als Familienurlaub ohne großartige Vorkenntnisse begann, mündete in einer steilen Lernkurve, aus der die dauerhafte Leidenschaft fürs Segeln entsprang. Seine praktischen Erfahrungen festigte er über die Jahre mit dem Erwerb des SKS und zahlreichen Meilen als Skipper auf Charteryachten im Ijsselmeer, der Nordsee sowie im Mittelmeer. Nach seinem Studium der Publizistik schlägt er nun die Brücke zwischen dem journalistischen Handwerk und der Praxis auf dem Wasser und bringt seine Begeisterung für den Sport als Volontär in die Redaktion der YACHT ein.

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