WebreaderShopNewsletterTop harbours

The special boatTrailerable, 12 metres long, different

Fridtjof Gunkel

 · 04.03.2018

The special boat: trailerable, 12 metres long, differentPhoto: YACHT/N. Krauss
A striking shape: The waterline is as wide as possible due to the deep chines, the boat is only 2.55 metres narrow when not on the road
The "Alpha Tauri" is only 2.55 metres wide and weighs less than three tonnes, making it roadworthy

The chances of large-scale production are very slim - the boat is too special, too unconventional, too blatant. But it fulfils its purpose, it serves its owner, and he had special wishes. The quick change of territory is one of them. And the realisation of his own ideas.

"Alpha Tauri" belongs to Dr Walter Pelka, the chancellor of the Hafencity University in Hamburg, who has given the boat two electromagnetic drives that are driven out of the hull, among many other details. Basically, however, the boat was to be kept simple and low-maintenance. The specifications meant that no designer could fall back on existing designs. The design was by Dieter Blank from Flensburg and the boat was built in Gdansk.

In the current YACHT: on a test drive with "Alpha Tauri"

Other special boats (selection)

Test runs in the home waters: the boat off Schleimünde
Photo: YACHT/N. Krauss
Motorised glider from Italy
Photo: YACHT / M. Strauch
Opus 68 with schooner rig
Photo: T. Eibenberger

Downloads:

AC72 (pdf)

Chriscostar (pdf)

Comanche: Maxi-Racer (pdf)

Brenta 30 (pdf)

(pdf)

Saudade (pdf)

AC-45-Catamaran (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.

Home

Most read in category Yachts