The "Woy 26", an innovative wooden yacht from Schleswig-Holstein, has won the German Innovation Award 2025. The sports boat developed by boat builder Jan Brügge came out on top in the main category "Transformative Solution" and in the category "Travel, Sports & Outdoor Goods". The jury recognised the combination of sustainable use of materials, technological innovation and exceptional craftsmanship. The award represents an important milestone for 37-year-old Bruges and his team. YACHT has already honoured the "Woy presented in detail.
Innovative wooden construction
The "Woy 26" measures 26 feet in length with a width of 2.40 metres. The flat hull is equipped with a lifting keel, which enables a variable draught of up to 1.90 metres. The use of wood as the primary construction material is particularly noteworthy. The hull consists of four layers of wood veneer, each 2.5 millimetres thick, which are glued together using a vacuum infusion process. This method, known as "Bio-Based Boats", was developed in collaboration with the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development.
Despite - or perhaps because of - its wooden construction, the "Woy 26" reaches remarkable speeds. During test runs on the Schlei, the prototype has already reached 18.7 knots. Jan Brügge describes his boat as a "day racer" - a daysailer with a clear focus on speed and performance.
Sustainable choice of materials
When selecting materials, Brügge placed great emphasis on sustainability. Only light-coloured local wood species are used and tropical woods are completely avoided. The deck is made of Oregon pine (Douglas fir), which is grown in Europe. Silver fir with particularly fine annual rings was used for the interior. The absence of plastics wherever possible emphasises the ecological approach of the project.
The "Woy 26" will not remain a one-off for long. The Königstein shipyard in Grödersby has already received two orders. Jan Brügge expects each boat to take around six months to build. The first two boats will later be seen on Lake Wannsee and Lake Constance. According to Brügge, there are already other enquiries. The boat builder and his 21-strong team are already working on the larger successor models "Woy 28" and "Woy 35" at the same time.
Technical data "Woy 26":
- Length: 8 metres
- Width: 2.42 metres
- Draught: 1.10 - 1.90 metres (with lifting keel)
- Weight: 1,120 kilogrammes
- Ballast: 360 kg
- Mast length: 11 metres
- Mainsail sail area: 21 m²
- Sail area jib: 14 m²
- Sail area gennaker: 70 m²
About Jan Brügge:
Jan Brügge, 37, founded the Königstein shipyard in Grödersby on the Schlei nine years ago. The father of two completed his training as a boat builder at the Stapelfeldt yacht and boatyard in Kappeln and graduated as a national winner in 2013. After his master craftsman's examination, he set up his own business and built up a team that now consists of 21 employees.
