Ancora Yacht Festival: In-water boat show attracts visitors with world premieres

It will soon be time again to raise the curtain on the largest German and now internationally important in-water boat show: from Friday, 31 May to Sunday, 2 June, the Ancora Yacht Festival will take place at the Ancora Marina in Neustadt, Schleswig-Holstein. Around 180 exhibitors will be presenting their 180 boats and yachts on the jetties, in around 90 pagodas and in the 1,500 square metre modern exhibition hall in the Bay of Lübeck.

After a successful edition with over 15,000 visitors from Germany and neighbouring European countries as well as satisfied exhibitors last year, the organising team led by Heiko Zimmermann wants to further increase the variety of products on offer at the 56,000 square metre exhibition site this year. At the 15th edition of Germany's most important in-water boat show, boats and yachts from six to 24 metres in length from all relevant brands and many niche providers will be on display; hardly any shipyard now does without a presence in the Ancora Marina.

These premieres will be on show at the Ancora Yacht Festival

What's more, the yacht festival will also feature world premieres. The Saare 47the new flagship of the shipyard from Estonia with the German owner Thomas Nielsen from Yachtsport Eckernförde, was on show there for the first time.

In addition to the trade fair premieres, there are various other highlights. Most visitors will certainly also be able to see the Sunbeam 29.1a boldly designed and highly interesting daysailer from Austria, and the sporty and exclusive Arcona 50 which was voted European Yacht of the Year in the Luxury Cruiser class.

The largest ship at the fair comes from Hallberg-Rassy from Sweden. The HR 69 celebrated a highly acclaimed world premiere at boot Düsseldorf and will be on display in German waters for the first time at the Ancora Yacht Festival.

The exhibits also include current boats from large-series manufacturers such as Bavaria Yachts, Beneteau, Hanse and Jeanneau, as well as catamarans from Lagoon and Excess, performance cruisers from Italia and X-Yachts and deck saloon boats from the nearby Sirius shipyard in Plön, which are presented in their natural element. Other boats worth seeing include customised yachts from the small series such as the Linjett, Shogun, Saffier and Winner models.

Entertainment and information on two stages

In addition to the display of floating yachts, visitors will also be offered advice on equipment and accessories on land and in the exhibition hall. There will also be an entertaining infotainment programme with expert talks, workshops and demonstrations on two stages and at the water's edge. The organisers of the Ancora Yacht Festival are also promoting various hands-on activities. The latest equipment can be tested on the beach. There are taster courses in wingfoiling, windsurfing and catamaran sailing. The German Sailing Association and the Schleswig-Holstein Sailing Association offer taster sailing for all age groups. Children can try their hand at Opti and boat building. The harbour night on Saturday evening promises live music and an extensive gastronomic offer in a maritime setting.

There will be a special challenge at the BOOTE and YACHT stand: All visitors can guess the length of a rope from our partner Gleistein at the "rope guessing game". All participants who submit the correct solution will be entered into a prize draw to win four ReBob festive makers worth 400 euros. ReBob is an environmentally friendly mooring line and balanced universal line, made from 100% recycled PET bottles, extremely efficient, flexible and durable.

What can I find where at the trade fair?

1. Entrance: Welcome area with ticket sales and information counter
2. Exhibition building: In the 1500 square metre exhibition hall you will find the lecture stage, maritime art, publishers and magazines, lifestyle, equipment, land yachts and trailer boats
3. Peter Wrede Yachtwerft: Shipyard tour and demonstrations
4. 140 years of Beneteau: One of the oldest boatbuilding companies in the world celebrates its anniversary
5. Yamaha Helmet Master EX Trials: Innovative boat steering systems to try out for yourself and demonstration of joystick steering on the water event area
6. Exhibitor bars: At jetties T and U: motor yachts and sailing yachts, jetty V: sailing boats and yachts, jetty W: motor boats, also with electric drive, jetty X: catamarans, motor yachts
7. E-Motion Boats: The front area of jetty W is dedicated to electric boats and RIBs
8. Stage and water programme: Food truck village, stage, event tent, water demonstration area
9. Beach: Fun sports area with taster courses in wingfoiling, windsurfing and cat sailing

Tickets are available on site and at www.yachtfestival.de to buy. A day ticket costs 12 euros (online: 10 euros), senior citizens/students/people with disabilities pay 10 (8) euros and young people 6 (5) euros. Children up to the age of 6 are admitted free of charge, a family ticket costs 25 (23) euros.

The Ancora Yacht Festival is open from Friday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. Car parking spaces near the marina cost five euros a day. During the opening hours, the free shuttle bus runs between the train station, the centre of Neustadt with additional parking spaces and the exhibition grounds.