Stories of sea and land
Big circumnavigators start in full stress. When Wilfried Erdmann picks up his Kathena Nui from the shipyard in August 1984, it is nothing more than a casco, a hull. Two months later, he starts fully equipped for the first non-stop circumnavigation of the world of a German. Donald Crowhurst is less happy. The Golden Globe … Read more
Practise blue water sailing: I want to sail long stretches in a row, anchor or let the ship drift. Only call at harbours, if necessary marinas, when electricity or food is scarce. Northernmost destination this summer are the sperm whales off Vesteraalen / Norway When I cast off from Burgstaaken, the plotter does not start. … Read more
Yes, dinghy and catamaran I have sailed from time to time. But no, I had no idea how to sail a yacht. In 2015 I set my foot on the first sailing ship that does not capsize immediately upon entering. 1000 obligatory Swiss-Offshore-Certificate-Miles later I know three yacht types after all: Hallberg-Rassy, Alubat Ovni, X-Yacht, … Read more
Twelve meters of steel, two masts, one ketch. Fifty years ago, the ideal blue-water yacht looked like this, the legendary JOSHUA by Bernard Moitessier for example. Today, the Ketch-Rigg is out of fashion, as are long keel and rudder skeg. PINJOE – built thirty years ago – has all the attributes of these classic sailors. … Read more