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Test Vilm 115The ship for retirement?

Fridtjof Gunkel

 · 28.09.2015

Test Vilm 115: The ship for retirement?Photo: YACHT/N. Krauss
The ship for retirement?
With the Vilm 115, Bootsbau Rügen has launched a yacht that is aimed particularly at older customers. The Judel/Vrolijk design put to the test
Travelling well with a fixed cockpit roof: new Vilm 115Photo: YACHT/N. Krauss Travelling well with a fixed cockpit roof: new Vilm 115

With the new boat, the shipyard is once again focussing on comfort and individuality. The cockpit with its low-lying floor, the high all-round coaming and, above all, the solid GRP sprayhood consistently protects the crew in most conditions. The sprayhood also carries the traveller, which defuses jibes. And electric windscreen wipers are installed on the windscreens.

In terms of sailing, the Vilm 115 shows real taker qualities, both in pushers and in consistently strong winds. However, the cockpit layout with halyards and sheets running along the side of the superstructure takes some getting used to in certain conditions.

With the Vilm, the owner chooses his personalised boat. On the test boat, for example, the customer dispensed with navigation in favour of a princely, completely white bathroom with a large separate shower cubicle. The galley is also special: cooking is done using only electricity from a large battery bank that powers the induction hob and microwave.

More about the new Vilm 115 in the new YACHT, issue 21 (on newsstands from 30 September).

Strong winds and rain - the Vilm 115 with its hardtop and sheltered cockpit can cope with them
Photo: YACHT/N. Krauss

Downloads:

Vilm 41 DS (pdf)

Fridtjof Gunkel

Fridtjof Gunkel

Deputy Chief Editor YACHT

Fridtjof Gunkel was born on Helgoland in 1962; he started his sailing career there in the Opti and quickly switched to keelboats. North Sea Week, Cowes Week and Kiel Week were early stops, followed by many years in the Admiral's Cup scene on the cuppers “Container” and “Rubin” World Championships and international regattas in the Starboat, with the mini-maxi “SiSiSi” and various tonner yachts as well as participation in the Whitbread Round the World Race were further formative stations, flanked by extensive cruising trips. Fridtjof Gunkel joined YACHT back in 1985 as part of a traineeship, where he later became Head of the Test & Technology department and then Deputy Editor-in-Chief around 25 years ago. He is also responsible for the regatta and sports section. Fridtjof Gunkel privately sails a performance/cruiser moored on the Baltic coast, his favorite areas are the eastern Swedish archipelago and Brittany.

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