The network for all cruising sailors

Anyone wishing to become part of the DSV's cruising sailing community should register with the DSV free of charge as proof of membership of a DSV club. What advantages does the DSV offer registered cruising sailors?

Rainer Tatenhorst (RT):
Through the Registration there are a whole series of plus points. In addition to the free, detailed cruise advice from my colleague Berit Kramer and myself, the Website numerous well-founded specialist articles on topics that really interest yacht owners and all cruising sailors. The texts are organised in such a way that they offer real added value and practical assistance. In addition, there is the nautical news and current information for water sports enthusiasts, which is updated daily via the website and the App of the DSV.

Claus Funk (CF):
In addition, registered cruising sailors receive a free ticket at events organised by the DSV Academy up to 30 per cent discount. That's a good offer, you can train yourself and the whole crew, which often consists of your own family, comprehensively.
RT: Another argument in favour of the free Registration is our cooperation with Pantaenius. If you are registered with us and take out insurance with Pantaenius, you only have to pay 50 per cent of the excess in the event of a claim.

Which events and seminars of the DSV Academy are particularly interesting for cruising sailors?

CF:
Actually everyone - sailing is an experiential sport, we learn more and more with every trip. The Meteorological seminars are in any case an indispensable basic, plus the courses on Navigation and Electronics. I recommend that all crews take part in the seminars Medicine at sea and the Sea Survival Training.

Do I get discounts in various harbours as a member of the DSV sailing community?

RT:
Many harbours abroad offer discounts when booking berths on presentation of the virtual sailing licence. In my experience, it helps to ask for this directly when registering at the harbour office, as you can often save between ten and 20 percent.

Where does the DSV offer its support?

CF:
Last year, we scrutinised the previously global network of contact points. We realised that there were a lot of "dead bodies", ports that were no longer manned and contact persons who had long since moved elsewhere. We have now started to build up a new network of DSV contact points, starting in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, the areas where the majority of our sailors are travelling. We now have 13 contact points where a competent contact person supports our cruising sailors with everything that goes beyond the harbour master's duties.

Will special sailing trips and voyages be organised again in the 2024 season as part of the Driving competition excellent?

CF:
Yes, the tender for the Driving competition has been published and we are looking forward to receiving many applications in the various categories by the end of the year. In the run-up, we have streamlined and simplified the traditional sailing competition. The aim is to make it easier to take part and to require less paperwork from applicants as a first step.

What has changed in the competition announcement and the prize categories?

RT:
We have agreed on very simple, easy-to-understand categories and now award one bronze, one silver and one gold medal each in the inland, coastal, sea and offshore categories. We also award the traditional Commodore Prize, the Gudrun Calligaro Prize and the Environmental Prize. New are special prizes for families and starters who have taken on the adventure of a long cruise for the first time. There is also an audience award for crews who inspire us with their special reporting.

CF:
However, the special prizes are only awarded if we have an application that really fits the bill and is worthy of being honoured. Receiving an award from the DSV for sailing achievements must be something special. If the community of cruising sailors finds these award-winning voyages so exciting that they want to experience something similar on their own keel, then we will have achieved our goal.

How do you want to celebrate the award ceremony for the award-winning cruising sailors?

RT:
The award ceremony will take place at a well-known maritime location and will be a celebration for all cruising sailors. Everyone should come, not just the prizewinners, but also families with their children, groups of friends and club crews. It should be a cheerful, joint sailing party, with presentations, a children's programme, communal dining, music, dancing and lots of fellowship.

When you look back on the 2024 season, what impressed you the most?

RT:
The current school sailing programme in Schleswig-Holstein, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, is an outstanding initiative. Sailing is offered as a school sport, so children get out on the water and we open up our sport to anyone who wants to learn to sail. Sailing as a school subject is a great idea that should find many imitators.

What feedback do you have on the Days of Sailing, which took place as part of the Ancora Yacht Festival in Neustadt, the Hamburg Yacht Festival in Wedel and the Interboot in Friedrichshafen?

RT:
All our taster sailing programmes, for adults as well as for children and young people, were always fully booked. The cooperation with the local associations and clubs worked excellently, we always had enough different yachts and dinghies in use and excellent skippers who knew how to awaken the desire and joy of sailing in all interested parties. These 'Days of Sailing' were so successful that we will be extending them further in the coming years.

What are you particularly looking forward to when you think about the upcoming 2025 season?

CF:
The first DSVSquadron tripwhich will take our fleet from Kiel through the Kiel Canal across the North Sea to Heligoland and back again in ten days. The trip will take place over Whitsun so that the DSV flotilla arrives on Helgoland in time for the North Sea Week. We will be accompanying the trip with a yacht the whole time and are looking forward to spending time under sail with the DSV cruising sailors, to many exciting conversations, happy hours together in the harbour and exploring Germany's only offshore island, Helgoland.
RT: The cruising sailing department plans the entire trip, reserves places in the harbours and prepares an interesting shore programme on Heligoland. The Squadron trip 2025 is the kick-off event for a joint cruise that will take place every year under the banner of the DSV.

What is important for the Squadron trip and how many yachts will be taking part?

RT:
On 13 November, an information evening will be held at the DSV in Hamburg and in parallel digitally, to which we cordially invite all interested sailors. We will then present the detailed programme, which, in addition to sailing together, includes many activities on Heligoland and, if desired, participation in the Capitell Cup Rund Helgoland. In order to be able to plan better, we need a non-binding registration for participation in the information evening. For participation in the Squadron trip there is no registration limit.

It is clear from all the activities this year and the plans for the coming season that, in addition to the service for cruising sailors, the community concept is always at the forefront. Why are you so committed to the community of cruising sailors?

CF:
If you listen carefully, the word association contains the word connect. We are not only the association of German sailing associations and clubs, but also the association of these approximately 190,000 sailors. We represent their interests, are there for them with our sailing expertise and form the basis for carefree touring sailing with our network of clubs, harbour facilities and marinas. We want to strengthen, promote and expand this community.
RT:
At sea, alone or with a sometimes small family crew on board, we enjoy the vastness, tranquillity and deceleration. But in the harbours, community is very important, sitting together in the cockpit, chatting on the jetty. Under the DSV banner, which has been flying on the port side of many yachts since this year, German sailors are easily recognisable everywhere.

You can find more information at www.dsv.org/segeln/fahrtensegeln