Sailing for beginners: Interview with the DSV about the step into sailing

How did you get into sailing, Mrs Küppers?

Mona Küppers: I fell in love with a sailor. I either had to send the man home or learn to sail. I opted for the latter - and I was in!

What was it like for you, Mr Tatenhorst?

Rainer Tatenhorst: Back then, a school friend invited me to go sailing with him and his father. I was already a water sports enthusiast at the time - albeit a muscle-driven one. I wasn't yet 16, so I decided to take the plunge. When my father pulled the cord and the thing took off silently, without any noise or odour, I thought: "How cool is that?" I knew I wanted to carry on with it - and that's how it stayed.

What is the general process of getting into sailing?

Küppers: That is very different. On the one hand, there are our clubs. The whole family is represented there - grandad, grandma, parents, children and so on. You're part of a community. And if it's a great club with good programmes, it attracts more and more members. On the other hand, there is the emotional aspect of sailing. People see the sport and think: "Wow, I want to do that too." Then they look for a sailing school or a club to make the images in their head a reality.

A prejudice about sailing: It's expensive and complicated. How can such reservations be overcome?

Tatenhorst: We cannot prevent prejudices. Everyone forms them themselves. We try to keep the entry thresholds low and get people on the water. 90 per cent are then enthusiastic and ask how they can continue. We then recommend a club to them. It doesn't cost much, there are always people looking for fellow sailors and you can look over their shoulders.

Küppers: As an umbrella organisation, we support our clubs in doing just that - for example with the "Days of Sailing" (this year from 23 to 25 May at the Ancora Yacht Festival in Neustadt, Red.).

Are clubs really a favourable choice? High membership fees could put many people off.

Tatenhorst: I don't know which clubs you know, but the prices range from to . You can become a member for 25 euros, but also for 500 euros. We have around 1,300 clubs in the association. You can always find one that suits you.

Küppers: It also depends on how you want to sail after you start. For example, some people are inclined towards regatta sailing and others towards cruising. Sailing is all about the community and the club must fit in with your lifestyle.

Are there generally more beginners in competitive or popular sports?

Tatenhorst: Roughly speaking, you can say that more people are starting out with recreational sailing, but this can also be the start of a competitive sport. Not everyone just wants to drift across the water; sometimes you want to be faster than the other person. There are different clubs for this.

Küppers: After all, other things are important in popular sport than in competitive sport. It requires different structures, different equipment, different coaches. Fundamentally new questions arise.

Are there any other pull factors that attract people to sailing?

Küppers: People like Boris Herrmann or successful media events such as the SailGP or the Vendée Globe certainly have an influence on demand. It's a bit like Boris Becker and Steffi Graf back then. There was a lot of hype and suddenly the whole world was staring after the tennis ball.

But sailing requires more than a bag of balls and a tennis racket - a problem?

Küppers: I hardly know of any club that doesn't have equipment - and many even make it available to their members free of charge. I also don't know of any club where new members are not allowed to sail with the old ones.

Tatenhorst: It's not quite that simple. We need an area of water. Depending on the size and conditions, you can start with RC sailing or dinghy sailing. So first of all with relatively "small" equipment.

Küppers: The DSV has been organising virtual eSailing championships since 2018. For a long time, we thought it was just for couch potatoes - but no, the last world champions were also competitive sailors in Olympic boat classes. We also use eSailing for sailing training. Many manoeuvres and techniques can be demonstrated virtually. In short, it's about making people curious and introducing them to it.

Facts and figures about sailing

• 194.592 members were recorded by the clubs belonging to the DSV in 2024, the second-highest number of members after 2023.
• 70 % of all members were male in 2024, while the gender ratio in the youth sector is somewhat more balanced at 60 : 40 (men / women).
• 12 % of members are young people. That's 23,411 boys and girls across Germany.
• 1.300 There are sailing clubs and surf clubs all over Germany. While the number of clubs has decreased in recent years, the number of members has risen slightly.
• 29.893 members have been added in the last 35 years. The number rose from 164,699 in 1990 to 194,592 in 2024. In recent years, the number of members has remained constant.
• 2 % of the German population are interested in sailing, according to a market analysis.

In addition to clubs, there are other entry options, such as sailing schools. What makes more sense?

Küppers: That is very different. My heart beats for the clubs, of course. I think that the opportunities there are more extensive than at a sailing school. On the other hand, I understand if it's too much for you or if it takes too long to get your licence. In that case, a sailing school with its clearly defined schedule certainly makes sense. But what about afterwards? It's good to have a place to practise where you can talk to like-minded people. Ultimately, however, everyone has to decide for themselves.