A hot summer's day in 2023: Sailing friends Sören Reineke and Arne Stoll are driving through the harbour area of Wilhelmshaven. From a bridge over the Ems-Jade Canal, they discover a burnt-out boat shed. The clear view through the charred ruins reveals a big surprise: a neglected traditional sailing ship, well known to the friends, is moored on the jetty behind it. It is the "Klaus Störtebeker III", on which Reineke sailed from Vigo to Ireland as a teenager in 1998 as part of the Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Race. Stoll also had formative sailing experiences in his youth during club trips on this ship.
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Curious, the friends sneak onto the site, which is cordoned off with tape, to take a close look at the two-master. It is in a truly sorry state. A layer of leaves and dirt has covered the deck and the rotten superstructure has already lost the battle against the wind and weather. It seems to be only a matter of time before rainwater penetrates and destroys the once proud ship from the inside.
Foundation of an association for boat purchase and rescue
That evening, Reineke tells his father about the chance find. The senior is also very familiar with the ship, and so the sailing family quickly agrees that something must be done to save the "Klaus Störtebeker III". The Reinekes got creative and founded a special association to join forces to preserve this maritime cultural asset.
Shortly afterwards, financial professionals from the local business community and a lawyer are also on board. After lengthy negotiations, the traditional sailing ship is finally acquired via the non-profit organisation Jadewind e. V., despite entries in the ship's charter.
"The 'Klaus Störtebeker III' was able to inspire many young people for sailing and nature - it will do so again!"
Despite its good substance, the association will have to dig deep into its pockets to restore the old ship. At the very end of the long list of necessary repairs is the refurbishment of the golden coat of arms at the stern. Before that, the sheerlegs and cabin superstructure are to be replaced, followed by the entire electrical system. New sails and running rigging are also on the shopping list, as the old cloths went up in flames together with the storage shed. The ambitious project could cost up to 200,000 euros in total.
Commissioner Chance and a lot of enthusiasm
Here, too, the foundation of the association with around 20 members to date is paying off. As the ship is not private property, it is possible to obtain funds from sponsors and foundations. This is already the third rescue for the "Störtebeker". The Gaffelketsch was launched in Cranz on the Elbe in 1921 under the name "Bille III". From 1934 to 1967, she won numerous international races, in the meantime renamed "Wappen von Bremen". In 1981, she was finally purchased, restored and re-rigged by the "Klaus Störtebeker" sailing club from Wilhelmshaven. She is currently moored at the Bültjer shipyard in Ditzum.
In the summer of 2026, she will set sail again and inspire young people for sailing and nature - just like the young boys Sören Reineke and Arne Stoll once did. Talks are already underway with the Sail Training Association Germany, and there are already interested parties for the core crew training.
"We will miss the beautiful lines and the original sailing. We hope that this wonderful emotion will be preserved."
The salvage of the "Störtebeker III" was aided by chance and the enthusiasm of the new club members. But keen rescuers or future boat owners can also search specifically for treasures that would otherwise either go to the bottom or end up with the scrapper sooner or later.
Six-metre racing yacht "Petite Aile" seeks new owners
Sven Akermann builds avant-garde RIB tenders in his shipyard on Lake Constance near Lindau. But he also has a big heart for wooden classics, which he restores with passion. Sometimes damaged wooden boats or boats that have been abandoned due to age find their way to his shipyard, for which he has no repair order. In such cases, Akermann helps to find new owners for the historic gems. "It would be terrible if they had to be sawn up at the end of the day," says the shipyard manager.
One of these boats is the six-metre racing yacht "Petite Aile", which was built in 1927 at the Chantier de La Hève shipyard in Le Havre, France. It was commissioned by the legendary Virginie Hériot, who sensationally won the gold medal at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. Hériot became an advertising icon of French shipbuilding and was nicknamed "Madame de la Mer". She died in 1932 on one of her ships after crossing the finish line of a regatta.
Her six-seater "Petite Aile" would later spend most of its life on Lake Constance and was extensively restored in 1990. In 2020, the boat was given a new sternpost, while the keelson remains original to this day. The current owners are forced to part with their favourite boat for reasons of age and are looking for a successor who will take over and continue to look after their maritime heritage. The price for the ready-to-sail classic is a negotiable 10,000 euros - as long as it is in good hands!
Shipyards can arrange boat purchases
Another wooden pearl in Akermann's yard is a folk boat from Begré in Switzerland. Around 40 of these Nordic classics were built in Altnau between the 1970s and 2011. The ownerless example from Lake Constance has already been partially restored, but the work still needs to be completed. However, the price of 2,000 euros is extremely attractive. If you don't want to do the work yourself, you can of course call on the services of the restoration specialists from Team Akermann.
In general, it can be worth asking shipyards that offer refit and restoration work whether old boats are available for sale at favourable prices. This could be the museum shipyard in Greifswald or the Robbe & Berking smithy in Flensburg. The wooden boat enthusiasts all have one thing in common: on the one hand, they are well connected in the scene. But above all, they shy away from scrapping a classic like the devil shuns holy water. The same applies to the associations Freundeskreis Klassische Yachten and GFK-Klassiker, on whose websites long-serving boats are regularly offered for sale.
The highest prices that can be achieved are often not the main focus here. What counts are the sympathy points of the interested parties and the knowledge that the favourite boats will stay alive and continue to spread joy.
Sometimes only scrapping helps
The devastating Baltic storm surge of October 2023 not only destroyed entire harbours, but also countless dreams of a lifetime. Many yachts sank directly onto the jetties or were thrown ashore. For the affected owners, it was a personal catastrophe, while settling the claims was a Herculean task for the insurers.
"Non-professionals can also mess up a refit project. Then, in case of doubt, an expensive disposal is required."
A number of boats were total losses and had to be disposed of. The salvaged wrecks reappeared at boat fairs and in classified adverts and were sometimes sold for ridiculous prices. However, despite some of the equipment still being valuable, most of them were never sold. Sooner or later, they ended up in a disposal centre.
The long-established boat dealer André Hochfeld from Siek in Schleswig-Holstein is new to the yacht disposal business. Even though some of the boats for which he has accepted disposal orders have caused him emotional pain, he warns against ill-considered bargain purchases. These could turn out to be incalculable financial risks. Hochfeld: "Laypeople in particular who are seduced by the initial euphoria run the risk of being overwhelmed by the amount of work involved and the associated costs, so that at some point they give up in despair. And then they are suddenly confronted with the costly disposal." This costs a waste and recycling company 390 euros net per tonne of ship weight.
Costs often unclear
As if that wasn't enough, in addition to the crane, the transport required for scrapping also drives up the price. In addition, the ship must be de-polluted, as the jargon goes, before it can be dismantled. This means that the engine and tanks have to be removed and the oil extracted. In the future, Hochfeld expects further, even stricter requirements from the environmental authorities and the associated cost increases. Sitting out is therefore not a sensible strategy, and his business model, in which he offers the all-round carefree package, including the final trip to the scrapper, is accordingly booming.
The interest is so great that Hochfeld has even set up his own YouTube channel for it. "People are fascinated by the brute destruction of a yacht," explains the resourceful businessman with a grin.
But the waste disposal specialist also sometimes becomes the saviour of a boat that was thought to be lost. It was only in February this year that he transported a scrap-ready 50-foot Bavaria to Szczecin, where the ship was lifted into a private garden by a telescopic crane. There, the new owner now has all the time in the world to realise his restoration project.
"The successful YouTubers Salty Brothers also started with a refit boat. Today they sail around the world."
In order to keep the costs of such an endeavour as low as possible, some hobbyists take further risks. Hochfeld knows of another large Bavaria whose port side was completely destroyed by the forces of the Baltic storm surge. The ship's side was provisionally sealed with screwed-on chipboard so that the ship could then also be transported to Poland by water. In this way, the buyers saved themselves the expensive transport by lorry over land.
Another source for favourable boat purchases: Residual value exchange
Since the beginning of the year, the start-up company Brokeboats from Oldenburg has also been dealing with the brokerage of junk boats and the countless abandoned ships that sit in almost every harbour and winter storage facility. The business idea of young entrepreneurs Hannes Häger and Robin Alexander Lorenzen: a salvage exchange for boats in Germany, similar to those used in the automotive industry. Such an exchange already exists in the United States, as the hurricane season takes its toll every year. And there too, as everywhere else in the world where GRP boats are sailed, there is the problem of the immortal fibreglass hulls.
The online platform for broken and neglected boats run by the two Germans is still in its infancy, which is why there are only a few offers on it so far. One of these is an old Vilm from the traditional shipyard in Lauterbach on the island of Rügen. Even though the company filed for insolvency in 2024, the ships enjoy a formidable reputation and are known for their build quality and seaworthiness. It is not known which model the Vilm, which is located in Wangerland in Friesland, is. It is assumed that it is a motorised sailer from the Vilm 106 model series, possibly even the construction number one, i.e. the prototype.
Apart from the approximate length and width specifications, potential buyers learn little about the advertised boat. The functionality of the on-board instruments is just as unclear as that of the sails and the old Volvo Penta engine, which have evidently been in use for a very long time. The weather has clearly taken its toll on the deck and the wooden cabin superstructure. It is therefore not surprising that moisture and spak have settled inside the ship.
Treasures on board
A look below deck also reveals a rather chaotic state. However, it cannot be ruled out that there are still valuable items of equipment on the ship. The pictures show a radiator, a six-pack of black beer and a photo of the two-master from better days.
For people with manual skills and sufficient time, the investment could still be worthwhile. Comparable, but well-maintained and ready-to-sail models are traded on the market for between 30,000 and 80,000 euros. The expected costs for a complete restoration are still in the stars. However, the price of the Vilm offered by Brokeboats was stable at just one euro at the time of going to press!
Whether it's the Salty Brothers or Leo Sampson Goolden with his "Tally Ho": examples of successful refurbishments of old ships can also be found on Facebook, Instagram and the like. We also showed on the YACHT YouTube channel in a 32-part series how the Refit of an old Dehlya 25 can succeed. If you report on your restoration project in an exciting video documentary, you may be able to build up a loyal fan base that you can later take out to sea with you virtually. With the right reach, you can even earn money. Just like the old saying: Do good and talk about it!
Discover the possibilities! Ways to your own boat
There are many ways to realise the dream of owning your own boat at low cost - and save one at the same time.
- The notice board in the harbour: Small selection of offers, but they are usually in the immediate vicinity.
- Used boat exchanges: The classic with a large selection of boats in all price ranges. Sometimes you can find bargains.
- Harbours: Almost every harbour operator has to contend with abandoned boats and is happy about every one that is taken from them. With luck and research, a boat can be picked up for free.
- Expert: For them, inspecting and evaluating old ships is part of their daily business. That's why they are well connected and always good for a tip.
- Vebeg: Ships belonging to public organisations are also offered in auctions and tenders. However, the offers are only aimed at associations and companies, not private individuals.
- Auction houses: Foreclosures or insolvency auctions can be an opportunity to obtain a ship at a favourable price.
- Residual value exchange: Still largely unknown in Germany. A good address for hobbyists on a tight budget.
- Boat dealer: We regularly trade in used boats or sell them on behalf of customers.
- Repair yards: It is worth enquiring at shipyards. Sometimes restoration orders that have been started are not completed.
- BrokerThey know their way around the used boat market. Even though they generally broker higher-priced boats, they have a broad network.
- Friends of Classic Yachts: The association is a forum for owners and enthusiasts of classic yachts. On the Among other things, the website contains sales offers.
- GFK-Klassiker e.V.: The association is committed to the cultural and historical value of the old boats and operates a marketplace on its website.
- Classifieds: Thanks to the free adverts an important platform for favourable boat offers. Disadvantage: Nothing is binding, deals should be agreed in writing if possible.
- Blocket: On the Swedish classified ad site there are many surprisingly favourable ships in all sizes. Germans can also register there.
- Museum shipyards: Their hearts beat for old ships. Anyone looking for a historically valuable boat can find it here. The members are well networked in the scene.
