Report: Which boats does the yachting industry actually sail? This one ...
YACHT-Redaktion
· 19.02.2025
Whether shipyard manager, designer or sailmaker - almost everyone involved in the leisure boat industry has made their personal passion their occupation. When Helge von der Linden, Michael Schmidt and the many other characters are not in the office or at work, they also prefer to spend their time on the water. But on which ships do the makers of the German companies plough the Elbe, the Mediterranean and the like? We spoke to a wide variety of people in a survey and present a selection here. Read the second part of the report here. We also reveal this in a separate article, which boats the YACHT editors sail.
Michael Schmidt: "I just think she's so beautiful"
The Hanseyachts founder, maxi yacht builder and regatta sailor is privately into old wood, but not only.
His dream boat is an 18.80 metre long wooden ketch built in the USA in 1931. She is moored in Barth when she is not travelling in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Estonia or on a shipping regatta. "Bounty" was based on a design by Herreshoff. However, it was designed by Lewis Francis, the son of the legendary Bristol magician Nathanael Greene, and a master of harmonious lines. The junior referred to GRP as "frozen snot", thus qualifying the material with which the boat was built. Schmidt grew up. But he loves wood and traditional lines in private. In addition to "Bounty", he also manages a 17-metre mobo from the 1950s and has sold a classic metre yacht, but he remains loyal to the dragon class and sails the winter series off Palma de Mallorca.
Stefan Zimmermann: Preferably fast and sporty
Hanseyacht's top technician goes off the beaten track and races around the Baltic Sea in a trimaran. That is about to change, of his own free will.
Surprisingly, the graduate engineer is one of the few active sailors in senior management at a German shipyard: Stefan Zimmermann only came to Greifswald in 2022 and was assured during his application that he would find time for the Wednesday regattas in Stralsund. He contests them with his Dragonfly 28 Performance, the hot version of the already hot trimaran. He also uses it for cruising in the Baltic Sea, but sometimes he also takes it to the Mediterranean on a trailer. This season, however, he wants to say goodbye to the easily achievable 15 to 19 knots of his multihull and fly the flag with a boat of his own production. In future, Zimmermann will be racing the new sports version of the Hanse 360.
Morten Nickel: The versatile
The Grand Soleil 40 "X-Play" is sailed by Morten Nickel and his girlfriend as well as by Nickel's parents. "We've already sailed her in a wide variety of regattas," says the sailmaker, listing: "North Sea Week, Kiel Week and World Championships." Since 2001, the family has logged over 90,000 nautical miles with their "X-Play". They have even been to Russia and Portugal with her.
Daniel Baum: Racer cruiser made from fine wood
Because he couldn't find what he was dreaming of on the market, the Pantaenius boss became project manager of his own yacht.
It had to be fast and offer all the comforts of travelling. But because he didn't like what the market had to offer, Daniel Baum's dream boat became more and more concrete in his mind's eye. Until he commissioned a designer and the boat builder Jan Brügge to realise his wishes. From the very first draft, the owner was able to accompany the construction of the moulded yacht and contribute ideas such as sustainability. The result is a truly customised racer that Baum and his dedicated crew have already successfully steered across the regatta course. For the family, however, the "Elida" offers everything the heart desires below deck, from heating to a refrigerator.
Henning Mittelmann: GRP classics from Nautor
About 15 years ago, his "Kokkola" came into the hands of Henning Mittelmann. However, the Swan 46 first saw the light of day in 1986. The previous owners sailed the boat on extensive trips and regattas. As Mittelmann mainly travelled with his family, some modifications had to be made. A bow and stern thruster make manoeuvring easier, while lazy jacks, a new autopilot and electric sheet winches make it possible to sail with a small crew.
Helge von der Linden: Mono and Kat
Whether one or two hulls - for a real epoxy specialist, it is important that the base was built with the West system.
Sailing with their "Naja from the Linden and his wife a piece of boatbuilding history. The half-tonner is the first production yacht to be built using epoxy. And it was built in England. At boot Düsseldorf 1979, von der Linden's parents exhibited the Naja 30 as agents of Whisstock's Boatyard. Friends had previously bought the boat, which was advertised as a cruiser-racer. Since then, Wesel has been its home port, and ten years ago, von der Lindens bought the Naja from the son of the first owner. Since then, they have taken it in turns to sail on the Baltic Sea, in Holland or to England - when Helge von der Linden is not sailing his 10-metre catamaran. It was built in the USA by the Gougeon brothers, who popularised epoxy resin in boat building.
