Summer Sail: The Classics – Join us for night regattas, fleet cruises and Kiel Week

​On 12 June, the classic yachts will set sail once again for the night regatta, The Run. The finish line is at Æroskøbing, with the start taking place at Flensburg, Schleimünde, Kiel and Fehmarn. A week later, the fleet can be admired at the Classic Yachts’ Rendezvous during Kiel Week. In between, the traditional boats and yachts will sail together on their ‘Summer Sail’ squadron cruise in the Danish South Sea.

​On 12 June at 9.30 pm, the night regatta from The Run to Ærøskøbing will get underway. The route, covering around 55 nautical miles for competitors setting off from Schleimünde, Kiel and the Flensburg Fjord, takes them on a detour west of Helnæs to Lyø, where they must sail east of the island. From there, they set course for the finish line north of Ærøskøbing. The Fehmarnsund starting group rounds Skjolnæs Fyr and heads straight for the finish line. The large cruising yachts sail a long course from Kiel, with a detour east of Hælnes Fyr, covering around 62 nautical miles to the finish. The prizes on offer are the overall winner’s trophy (with a race rating up to KLR 130), the Toplicht ship’s bell, and the overall victory trophy, the Toplicht.

• Everything you need to know about The Run night regatta

The Run – Party in Ærøskøbing

In the morning, a hearty breakfast awaits the crews at the Nixe café-bar in the marina. The afternoon is set to be a relaxed affair, as you’ll need to save your energy for a night of dancing. You can enjoy jazz music by Jens Tolksdorf (saxophone) and Frank Schnelle (piano) on the pier at the old harbour, or have an ice cream and a coffee at Torvet.

The event that brings The Run 2026 to a close on Saturday evening also marks the start of SummerSail der Klassiker: a barbecue dinner followed by a party in the old workshop harbour! The Charcoal Sunset from Berlin will be providing a mix of laid-back and danceable tunes.

Sailing with a fleet in the South Seas

On Sunday morning, there’ll be breakfast once again at the Café-Bar Nixe and a relaxed start to our journey through the midsummer Danish South Sea – to where the wind takes us: the ‘Summersail der Klassiker’, a laid-back flotilla sail through the midsummer Danish South Sea. The destination is the opening event of the regatta weekend at the Rendezvous der Klassiker, on Thursday 18 June in Kappeln.

From the reports of the Friends of Classic Yachts: “Once the finish line of the night-time regatta ‘The Run’ has been crossed on the morning of 13 June and the crews set off for home the following Sunday, a very special chapter traditionally begins for some of them: Five days to enjoy the wind, the water and wonderful encounters – on the way to the classic yacht gathering in Kappeln and Kiel from 18 to 21 June.”

• Everything you need to know about the Classic Car Meet

This flotilla trip is more than just a bridge between two events – it is an invitation to take a breather, to sail together and to savour the experience. No competition, no entry fee, no starting signal. Instead: pure relaxation in one of Europe’s most beautiful sailing regions – the Danish archipelago south of Funen.

Whether in a small harbour, at anchor in a quiet cove or enjoying an evening barbecue on the shore – it’s not the destination that counts here, but the journey. The wind sets the course, the crew sets the pace, and the atmosphere is created by being together. Anyone wishing to round off the regatta night in style and kick off the evening with a touch of adventure and serenity is warmly invited to join this open, informal cruise. Simply wherever the wind takes us.

Destination: Classic Car Meet-up

This flotilla sail is not an official event organised by The Run or Klassiker-Rendezvous regattas. There is no central organisation, no compulsory registration and no fixed programme. The organisers simply wish to bring together people who are keen to sail together and enjoy each other’s company in a relaxed atmosphere. Everything else will unfold as the moment takes it – carried along by the wind, the crew and the joy of sailing.

More classics in YACHT classic

Are you interested in the world of classic yachts, traditional boatbuilding and the history of sailing? If so, read more about it in our special edition, YACHT classic.

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