Dear readers,
A special magic emanates from small boats. The magic of simple, uncomplicated sailing. On 17, 20 or even 25-footers, you can always find a spot somewhere in the harbour, even if it's full to bursting. Costs for equipment, mooring fees, simply everything, are kept within limits. The small boat follows us faithfully on the trailer behind the car to any sailing area and spends the winter frugally on the trailer behind the house.
It's no wonder that the small cruiser fan community is huge, whether among regatta and after-work sailors, cruising sailors or even circumnavigators. Last week, the news spread that 2025 a regatta around the world on self-built plywood minis is to be organised. The response, both among potentially interested parties and among readers, is great: there are even two German candidates on the provisional starting list.
It certainly sounds like a daring endeavour. On the other hand, skippers of much smaller boats have already proven that it is possible to make it around the world. The Frenchman Yann Quenet recently completed a set off on his second circumnavigation of the world in a small boat he built himself, which was only four metres(!) long. On the plywood minis there was already a transatlantic raceand experienced sailors like the Pole Szymon Kuczynski have also shown that it is possible, sailing around the world in a small production boat like the Maxus 22. And even non-stop.
It would probably be wise to stay in sheltered areas with all these small boats, whether self-built or series-produced, whether made of plywood or GRP. On inland lakes or on the coast. But then many exciting sailing trips would never have taken place, let alone extreme journeys such as those of the Habeck family, who even sailed around the world in an Etap 21i. An email recently received by the editorial team shows the impact such trips can have and their potential to inspire others, especially young sailors. A young sailor from southern Germany, just in his mid-twenties, described how much the trip, the book and the boat described had inspired him - even though the adventure took place several years ago.
In the end, he also bought an Etap 21i. Not to sail around the world, but to fulfil his own big sailing dream after completing his bachelor's degree: a tour of the Mediterranean. The interview with this young man, which will soon be published about his trip on yacht.de and in YACHT, makes it clear once again what the great attraction of small boats is. The skipper decided to chug across France from Heidelberg on his own keel instead of bringing the boat there on a trailer. However, he can determine the end point of his Mediterranean voyage - which is still ongoing - flexibly by bringing his boat back on the trailer after all.
This example shows once again that you have a choice with small cruisers. This gives you freedom and flexibility - and makes the small ones the real big ones.
Kristina Müller,
YACHT editor
Click on it to see through:
The week in pictures
Recommended reading from the editorial team
SailGP Sassnitz
15,000 fans, a multi-million impact and plans up to 2030
15,000 fans, a new speed record and plans up to 2030: at the SailGP Sassnitz, the venue on Rügen was the real winner.
Ocean Race Atlantic
Live debut with Boris Herrmann’s “Malizia 4”
Will the 24-hour record be broken? Boris Herrmann’s new “Malizia 4” is one of the six IMOCs set to take part in the inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic on 1 September.
Following a collision and engine failure
A ‘Steel Buddy’ brings the ‘Soggy Dollar’ home
Engine failure off Heligoland: Sea rescue services tow the ‘Soggy Dollar’. A Steel Buddy then builds an unusual emergency diesel supply system.
Sophie Steinlein
Between Foils and Design Language
Sophie Steinlein is setting her sights on the 2028 Olympics. In an interview with YACHT, the 49erFX helmswoman talks about making decisions at 50 knots, the balancing act between top-level sport and her studies, and the role of women in professional sailing.
Y6
The new luxury cruiser from Greifswald in front of the camera
The first pictures show the new Y6 from YYachts under sail. The gallery also offers a detailed look at the deck and the bespoke interior of this luxurious blue-water cruiser from Greifswald.
Baltic Sea
Remains of piles at a depth of just 1.5 metres – danger off Großenbrode
A dangerous underwater obstacle has been discovered off the coast of Großenbrode: the remains of piles, lying just 1.5 metres below the surface – and this is a heavily trafficked stretch of water.
Oyster 825 ‘Viva La Vida’
Capsized following severe keel damage
The Oyster 825 ‘Viva La Vida’ has capsized in Australia; the lower ballast section of the keel is missing. The incident is reminiscent of the ‘Polina Star III’, but the damage patterns differ significantly.
Linjett 36
The versatile Nordic boat in our test video, Part 2: What it’s like living on board.
The second part of the video presentation on YACHT-TV takes us below deck on the Linjett 36: we show you the interior fit-out, layout, storage space and on-board technology, and take a detailed look behind doors, hatches and panelling.
100 years ago
YACHT 5/1926 – ‘Albert’-class cruising yacht
In issue 5/1926, the editorial team described the construction of a new vessel based on a shipyard class by Abeking & Rasmussen that was already 19 years old at the time. The “Albert class” was a cruising boat that had evolved from an early design for the metre class.
‘Pavane’
How a young boatbuilder saved a classic
The ‘Pavane’ had been left neglected on land for years before the young boatbuilder Kyrell Becker took her on and restored her. Now, a new rig is set to give this classic Olin Stephens racer better performance in light winds.
Newsletter: YACHT-Woche
Der Yacht Newsletter fasst die wichtigsten Themen der Woche zusammen, alle Top-Themen kompakt und direkt in deiner Mail-Box. Einfach anmelden:
