Dear readers,

The first working week of the new year is behind me and winter has northern Germany firmly in its grip. The snow, which fell just in time for the end of the festive season, caused slippery roads and all kinds of traffic problems. A handy excuse to avoid going to the cold winter warehouse at the weekend and instead destroy the last of the Christmas stollen that bravely held out over the festive period.

• Winter storage: When snow becomes a burden

The time between the years was filled with looking back, sumptuous meals and good intentions. While I spent most of the last few days off cosily at home, my boat stands stoically jacked up in the hall. It waits patiently for attention, which I have successfully withheld from it so far.

But there is actually enough to do. The floorboards are in the cellar, ready to be overhauled. The varnish is also ready, a new product that was recommended to me by a specialist. And then there are the new Maxi displays - a family present that I ordered myself and that was under the Christmas tree. The old ones are no longer compatible with the current instruments and have been staring at me for years with their blank displays.

I could tackle all of that this weekend - if only these roads were clear! At least that's what I tell myself. Instead, I prefer to look for the latest information on boot Düsseldorf, which starts at the end of next week. After a few slow years, there should finally be more yachts on show again. Over 20 premieres are expected - that sounds promising.

However, it is mainly the large shipyards that have announced their participation. The small companies and exotic brands will probably be largely absent. At least there is a ray of hope for Multihull-Fans: Two cruising catamarans will be on site - a clear improvement on last year, when the imposing multihulls were only available to marvel at as drawings and models.

For many of us, the trade fair marks the unofficial start of the season, even if the actual sailing season is still a long way off. In the well-heated, brightly lit halls, they stand: perfectly illuminated, immaculately polished dream yachts such as the HR 370 - without a hint of a maintenance backlog. Everything works, everything shines.

But strangely enough, I usually look forward to working on my own boat after a visit to the trade fair. No matter how cold and dim the winter storage hall is, no matter how much dust is floating in the air - it's my boat. Every screw I turn, every scratch I repair has a story. The perfect exhibition yachts may be impressive, especially when it comes to living space, but they don't (yet) have a soul. Nothing tells of shared experiences with their crews. It's a bit like looking at other people's holiday photos instead of sailing there yourself.

The floorboards have to be painted and the maxi levellers fitted before that can happen again. And I'm sure there are lots of other little things that come to mind as soon as you're back in the winter storage shed. Perhaps the wintry weather is a very practical excuse to put off another weekend.

The snow is sure to have disappeared by the time the boat is finished. Then there will definitely be no more excuses not to start working on the boat. This means that the trade fair is at least the start of the crafting season and it's a great time to dream about sailing. Especially as new sails, boom cover and sprayhood have already been ordered ...

Hauke Schmidt

YACHT editor

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