Exhibition Archive - Seite 3 von 4 - Hightide

Boot Düsseldorf / Your Disco needs you.

2. Februar 201715. Januar 2018Alex Beck

The Land Rover Discovery is back. On the „BOOT“ 2017 Land Rover had their Lounge at SUNSEEKER as every year. For me as a sailor, motor yachts are not the HighLight, but I have to say, these are really amazing. The whole appearance of the booth is amazing. Great architecture, perfect set-up of the boat up to the dress of the stuff. They did a great job. Perfect conditions for Land Rover and Jaguar in that environment.

In 2017 the Disco looks much more pleasing. It´s not anymore the angular Range Rover and the gentle Defender. Is that a pity? I don´t know, it is what it is, the brand new Discovery. In our regulated world everything gets more pleasing and mainstream. It is difficult to build a rough defender as in 1975, or a Mini at the end of the 60ies. There are so many regulations, safety aspects and sales needs that the character gets lost. Within that environment the Land Rover Discovers gets quite cool. The front is nice and the rear of the SUV looks a bit like an Asia car. In total it´s quite big. A wonder why, you can place 7 seats inside. That’s a bit. In the past the differentiation was stronger. If you look at the profile of the care and compare it with the Range Rover series, you will see, the rear lights and the design lines are quite similar. That makes it difficult to understand the four lines.

Above all you have the luxury Range Rover with two models. The second one is the classic mixture between luxury and the hard life; the Discoveries. The third line is more a tool than a car and we love it, the Defender. Last not least the revolutionary and outstanding Evoque with it´s different models.

At the end it´s a Land Rover and therefore it´s a story. What I need is a Plug-in Hybrid. Till now they I couldn’t get a info from Land Rover when the PHEV is coming. Hopefully soon. It´s a kind of social prestige.

BOOT Düsseldorf / MORE55 is the eyechatcher of the fair.

30. Januar 201731. Januar 2017Alex Beck

I was in between two appointments when I crossed the booth of MORE Boats. I don´t know anymore if I first saw the yacht or the corresponding hostess of the display. Both were exciting.

First of all the hosts were the most stylish on the fair and that should be an extra post. Back to the boat. The colour in light blue looks different to the rest of the yachts in that price range. On the first view you can see that it is a performance cruiser. Sporty lines, a low greenhouse and the tables in the cockpit are easily to restore complete. That´s a bid. Above that the deck is quite clean and promises racing. You see a lot of skylights which makes the cabin very light. The sheets are running under deck; looks great, but I´m afraid of it. Just in case something happens. At that point it is difficult to replace them.

With about 16m length and 5m wide you have also enough space in the cabin. The interior was too dark for me. There are other boats on the fair which are more modern in the cabin. But they told me that you can get a lot of different kind of wood and colours. We have to see. The Details are not clever and the colour matching is not really conservative maritim, but also not modern. That´s a pity compared with the exterior. Whereupon especially for the fair they made a plexiglas floor where you can see the stainless-steel frame of the boat. That´s a highlight. Also the different door handles, they look strange but they feeling good in your hands.

Another cool thing is the dinghy garage. Cause of the wide stern you can store the dinghy crossways. That´s cool but difficult to get in I think. In the version on the BOOT the yacht also had a skipper´s berth in the bow which is quite small, but everything is there. Fair enough.

The MORE55 is build in Croatia. Therefore you will find a big fleet there and above that MORE is also offering a charter fleet there. I know I will BOOK it. I´m really taken with the MORE55. It is a true performance cruiser. You feel the passion of the team. Their idea was to build a fast cruiser and they had a few meetings with different wharfs and no of them could realise their idea. Therefore they build it by their own. Good story!

BOOT Düsseldorf 2017 / CNB, that´s performance cruising.

29. Januar 2017Alex Beck

CNB was on my radar for the last years, but I hadn’t the chance to look at them. The days at the BOOT were always to busy. In 2017 it was my goal to look at them. That viewing changed my life.

I get on the booth for my appointment with Vincent. Unfortunately he was not available at that time and the CNB team was very sorry that he wasn’t available. They were very committed and asked me if it is OK when another colleague will show me the yacht. For sure it was fine for me and I met Cedric Beaumont, he´s not just a expert of CNB, he is always the skipper of the wharf. He´s a real genius in sailing. He startet his Ocean Career four years ago. He was at a point where he asked himself what to do? He had a save life, but he decided to do something with passion. Chapeau. He did, what all of us wanted to do. Right now he´s the skipper for CNB and for the owners of CNB yachts who needs his support on the oceans around the world. From my point of view CNB get´s the right man for that job. He has the skills and the passion you need for that job. Perfect conditions to get the boat explained by him. With his expertise, I get the info I need.

The CNB 76 is quite pure, the first impression is the flush-deck. There is nothing where your eyes get stopped. It´s all in the flow and a pleasure if you like it pure and simple. The lines are straight and elegant. It´s a unique styling of the yacht. One USP is the decksaloon. If you are insight you have a 360° view. That´s really awesome. Especially when you see the mega winches in Front. At the back you see the two outboard helms, which are at the right place. The finish of them is one of the best I´ve ever seen. A mixture between carbon-fibre and wood. Really awesome craftmanship. Back in the insight; the design is outstanding. There is no yacht which has a interior like that. It´s quite light and open. Above that you see a lot of good ideas. Most of them I like the sofa on starboard. You can combine it as one sofa, or you have two club chairs beside a sexy storage for your drinks. You have to see that awesome. The only thing which doesn’t match my style are the Philipp Starck lamp FLOS Miss K ALU. That´s a relict out of the 90ies.

CNB itself stands for Construction Navale Bordeaux and is part of the Beneteau Group. That makes them convenient to produce, in which convenient is relative. We are talking about luxury yachts. We don´t talk about the price. It´s enough. But much more importantly in this group construction is the way CNB can produce for that price. You will get a modular build scheme which make your yacht semi custom. Another benefit of that modular system is the time to build. You will get your dream within six month.

When you are aboard it takes no minute that you realise for what the boat is build. Yeah you can do races with it. Yeah you can do a show-off in St. Tropez. The real sense of the yacht is performance cruising and you can feel it. It´s not a yacht for posers. It´s a beautiful boat for connossieurs.

You can also see that in the daily needs aboard. There is for example a powerful pump in the storage for a fast inflating of the stand-up boards.

At the end I´m addicted to that yacht. I cannot understand why I haven´t been there before. For now on CNB is always on my radar. I´ve checked the charter possibilities today on MerexYachts. I have to be on one, sooner or later and than I will give you the cruising report.

BOOT Düsseldorf / A Day for a Daysailer.

25. Januar 20174. Dezember 2017Alex Beck

Sailing is the essence of all. It helps you very fast to find yourself, or it helps you to forget all around you. Yes, it´s a kind of a meditation. With a big ship it´s sometimes very complicated to go for a quick cruise in the evening or on a sunny Sunday. On the other hand the catamaran, or the Laser is much to wet and you don´t want to wear a neopren, or wetsuit all the time. If these thoughts are not unknown for you, I bet you are a fan of a daysailer.

These kind of boats are really booming and beside the well known MELGES, b/one, XTREME26, J/70 or the legendary DYAS and TRIAS and at least don´t forget the DRACHEN. Which is perhaps the definition of a daycruiser.

You see the concept is quite old, but still modern. It reduces sailing to the max. No electric, no hassle. When you have wind it will be cool, if there is no wind, it is your island of serenity with a beer or wind in your hands.

At the BOOT 2017 the topic shows us more the premium site of that kind of boats. We had a look at the TOFINOU which is since two years on my radar. But in that year I visited their display an I was excited. The materials and the design is a mixture of the elegance of the past combined with the step ahead. I like the carbon fibre elements, the colours and the wonderful lines of that boat.

The one which is the definition of asceticism ist the ESSE with their three models. Every type of them is awesome. Incredible colors,whereupon colour is the wrong term. It´s just a attractive mixture between grey and white combined with a teak that makes you insane. The lines of the boats are so simple that you ask yourself; why I haven´t done it. The normal thing when you see something such beautiful. Think about Giacometti or the 911.

Last not least the Black Pepper Code#. I saw it for the very first time at the BOOT. On the first view I walked by and than I stopped and thought, huh, that´s outstanding. A few minutes later of friend of mine told me the same and than we had a closer look. That daysailer is a benchmark. Unfortunately the price is also massive.

BOOT Düsseldorf 2017 / CLUBSWAN 50

25. Januar 201725. Januar 2017Alex Beck

In 2016 SWAN celebrated its 50th anniversary. For that reason the Fins launched a outstanding yacht; the ClubSwan50. The 4th one-design-class in the history of Natur´s Swan.

The yacht is a revolution in pure and powerful sailing without loosing the pleasure in style. This boat is a hell of a yacht. Powerfull enough for an ambitious crew and a dynamic performance cruiser for a easy crew of two.

When I came on the Swan booth at the BOOT I was impressed by the yacht. You approach the ClubSwan50 from an angle and your eyes get lost at this massive keel. Your pulse get´s higher and than you will recognize the wavepiercer bow and the fat stern with the double rudder. Each of them has markes at the end like a samurai sword. It´s all for the hydrodynamic and it is a pity that you cannot see it all the time.

The Rigg is very modern and inspired by the VOR65 Racers. The mast is quite in the middle of the boat with an extreme rake to the back. In combination with the boom, which is longer than the end of the yacht it is spectacular. It´s a kind of a PS4 optic. You know that design from rc yachts. I like that, it´s so excessive and WOW.

The deck is huge and clean. Everything is at its place and reduced to the max. It´s all a question of the weight. You see that also in the cabin. It´s not the typical look of a swan, but you feel the Swan DNA. It´s all about weight. There are everywhere options to reduce more. In the inside there are also a few options which you can choose. E.g. the galley could be placed in the front. Whatever you like.

At the end it is a real beauty and state of the art in yacht engineering. A kind of little TP52 which can also be sailed by a sporty family. The only weakness for me is the low freeboard with that open stern. Both looks great and sexy, but I cannot imagine that this combination is helpful for a amateur crew in heavy weather. From my point of view a Swan must always be ready for the ocean.

Foiling is sailing in the 3rd Dimension.

3. August 20164. Dezember 2016Alex Beck

What a stunning experience last weekend. HighTide was invited from Land Rover for their ExtremeSailingSeries in Hamburg. That´s a request I don´t need a second to say, yes for sure. The regatta is a racing series all over the world and last weekend it takes place in Hamburg. The really good thing on the event is, that the races are quite close to the spectators.

That race series is running around the world. GC32 is the type of catamaran which is used for that race. It is a foiler in form and type like the America´s Cup catamarans, just smaller. The America´s Cup racers are 45ft long and therefore bigger than the and the GC32 with it´s 32ft. The crew counts 5 very strong men and the boatspeed gets up to 30kts.

You will find much more infos about the race direct under this link, ExtremeSailingSeries. Back to Hamburg. The event started on Thursday with the press conference of the team members of the Ben Ainslie Racing Academy and on Friday till Sunday the Race was on. I arrived on Saturday at the Cruise Center in Hamburg and met the Land Rover Team there and I got my briefing for the next two days.

First of all we started with a Experience Cruise with the Defender in the Park. Word up, a Defender ride is always exciting and a good ride. That´s such a pity that the regulations will stop that fantastic offroader in the nearby future. His successor is still prepared. We will see how it will work. It would be great if there will be a evolution similar to the MINI, or the 911. Above that the black fleet which stands in the front row of the test-drive-area was impressive. I´m curious how Land Rover will realise the eMobility in the Future. From my point of view hey have to launch a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) till 2020. Time is running fast and soon Land Rover will open their innovation centre in Warwick, NAIC. I personally think that the race is on and first of all I expect a Plug-in-Hybrid (PHEV) and after that the BEV is coming. In that way all the car manufacturers will do it. The PHEVs will bridge the way from traditional powertrains to eMobility. We will see.

After we get our oilskin we went to the pier and entered the Zodiac and get out to the river Elbe to look for the Land Rover BAR Racing Machine. The first moment when I saw it was breathtaking. When I get aboard I couldn´t believe. This is once in your life. WOW.

One second later we were on course. The conditions were perfect. We had a windspeed of 10 to 13kts. and the catamaran feels really different to my cats I sailed before. It´s a funny feeling. You know it, but the movements on that foiler are so brute, so powerful, that´s awesome. Especiall when the cat is coming on his foils. The sound was outstanding. Overall the noise on that boat is unbelievable. You can hear the fractious power.

The crew under Elliot Hansen did a few downwind and upwind courses and I get a feeling when the accelaration hits the boat. The catamaran is so agile. You can feel it so direct when the change the courses or hoist up the Code Zero. It was fantastic to see how the crew handeled the Code Zero. In, out in a speed that my eyes had difficulties to follow. Above that they did the tacks and jibes in a way you can´t imagine.

After that kind of training we came back to the dock an Land Rover was a great host. I had a wonderful lunch and good entertaining. The absolut highlight was still coming. I will be part at the race. Live aboard on a GC32 Foiler in race mode. Could there something which is more exciting? Let me think about it . . . NO! My Pulse gets high. There were a few minutes left till the start. I used the time for little chats with SAP regarding the analytics and their engagement in sailing and why they do it. That was quite interesting, but that´s another story.

The time has come, racing. Unfortunately we had a bad start and we canot get back to the lead, but that was more a problem for the crew than for me. For me it was an highlight. Thank you Land Rover for that Experience.

Where to stay?

Hotels are always a sign of time. After the pure and clean look we´re getting cosy. For that trip I found a very outstanding hotel in the middle of Hamburg. A friend told me about that awesome place, named HENRI HOTEL. It´s direct in the heart of HH between the central station and the shopping street Mönckebergstraße, which is also the Metro Station for the Hotel.

The look of the hotel ist very contemporary and there is a lot to see. The furniture is a mixture between modern, classics and other creative things. In the room you really feel like home or being at a friends flat. Above that it is quite funny if you need something to eat or drink. You can just order it at the reception. The reception itself is placed in kind of living room with a bar and a fridge. You can also go down and take your drink in that common room.

HERE you will find my review on TRIPADVISOR.

Get the PULSE.

6. März 2016Alex Beck

Meine Segelerfahrungen sind ja sehr geprägt vom Katsegeln. Mir gefiel schon immer dieses Speedgefühl und die Einfachheit, die diese Spezies ausstrahlt. Wobei hier Einfachheit nicht zu verwechseln ist mit einfach im klassischen Sinne. Seglerisch ist ein Kat etwas anderes. Er ist viel sensibler und es braucht ein paar mehr Tricks, oder sagen wir Know-how. Mit Einfachheit meine ich mehr die Technik, die hinter den Booten steckt. Das Einhaken vom Groß am Topp, keine Klampen, oder die Rudermechanismen. Sagen wir so, Details am Kat sind oftmals cleverer gelöst und die Community die dahinter steht sind auch mehr Freibeuter wie Admiralität. Das ist schön, das macht es auch aus.

Auf der Hanseboot ist mir der Corsair Pulse 600 zum ersten mal in´s Auge gesprungen. Es war das erste Schiff welches ich auf der Messe gesehen habe und es war auch noch auf der diesjährigen BOOT faszinierend.

Der Tri ist für mich der Inbegriff eines Daycruisers. Eigentlich prädestiniert für Binnenseen mit leichten Winden. Für Bayrische Seen ideal. Zumal das Schiff auch eben bei leichten Winden sofort anspringt. Klar, es fehlt der Bleikiel, kaum Tiefgang und er hat einen Carbon Mittelrumpf. Damit bist Du auf der Siegeseite. Schade nur, dass die Carbonstruktur nicht sichtbar ist. Bei viel Wind bringt er Spaß und und gut Druck in´s Schiff. Actionreich, wenn der Leeschwimmer durch´s Wasser knallt. Da gibt es dann am Ammersee dieses Französische Gefühl; Loick Peyron gleich über die Ozeane zu fliegen. Single handed eben, BÄMM. Wobei der PULSE auch mit bis zu 4 Personen gesegelt werden kann. Bei seiner Länge von 6m schaut das Ding eben auch scharf aus. Erst recht, wenn man ihn mit den Variantas aus den 60ern vergleicht, die da sonst so rumschippern. Auch die Mädels werden es lieben, denn die Trampoline zwischen den Rümpfen sind die wohl bequemsten Liegewiesen die man sich vorstellen kann und bei Wind kann man auch mal den MUSTO Kram raus holen und Spaß haben, ohne gleich im Neopren im Trapez zu hängen. Dafür bin ich nämlich langsam zu alt.

Der ganze Tri ist im Handumdrehen trailerbar. Mir persönlich ist das nicht so wichtig, da ich lieber im Revier bleibe. Da aber hat das Schiff den Vorteil, dass es locker um die Boje schwojen kann und das bei eigentlich null tiefgang, das macht ihn auch zum Bojenkönig in seichtem Gewässer.

Bleibt zum Schluss noch der Preis zu erwähnen. 40.000 EUR, eher einen Deut mehr sollte man sich schon dafür bereitlegen. Dafür gibt´s dann aber eine echt heiße Optik, dabei möchte ich nur die drei negativen Steven erwähnen. Irre. Wobei am heißesten finde ich die Kiste, wenn man die Schlupfkajüte abnimmt und der Mast dann auf diesem Targa Bügel steht; das hat Style. Im Frühjahr beginnt das Testseglen, wir werden sehen, wie es sich dann anfühlt. Bericht folgt.

BOOT Düsseldorf / Marine Composite with a gaff sail.

22. Februar 201622. Februar 2016Alex Beck

There was one thing at the BOOT which was really amazing. I just walk through the exhibition hall and I saw that stunning hull in light blue. Cool lining and a wonderful wooden deck.

When I looked ahead of the rig I was astonished. I expected a cool Fat Head and spectacular spreaders, but I saw something different. There was a gaff rig. I´ve never seen such an old school rig in such a modern mode. Awesome. The sales man of Marine Composite told me about the advantages of that rig, which I couldn´t share. The main reason for the rig is that you get more power at the top with a lower rig; if I understand that right. Above that it´s something different, why not. Above that I saw about 3 manufacturers who had a gaff yacht in their programme.

BOOT Düsseldorf / OYSTER is really a class of it´s own.

15. Februar 2016Alex Beck

My first encounter with a OYSTER YACHT was at the Antigua Sailing Week in the noughties. You have to know that is quite a familial race. At one evening in any bay we were invited on a OYSTER of an Italian owner and we had espresso and lots of Heineken. That was the Moment I realized that the decision for a yacht of that wharf is a decision of your heart. This boat gives you a feeling of security combined with performance.

A few years later I saw that kind of ocean going majesties of the sea at the ARC and there I felt it again, the spirit of the OYSTER Owners. It ist a special cohesion they have. After that I started to have a closer look to that boatbuilder. The funny thing is, that the wharf was est. in 1973, like me. That increased my feeling for Oyster, of course. Above that the OYSTER WORLD RACE which was invented by OYSTER istself is another milestone in the character of OYSTER. The idea is quite simple, if your are a owner you can be part of that rallye which goes around the world. It´s a world rounding within a community of people with the same toy. Good idea, Bro!

All in all that SemiCustome Yachtbuilder is really a Brand of the Ocean. In 2016 the yhad just one Boat at the fair. In 2015 there were two of them. Nevertheless every boat they show at the BOOT is always a owner´s boat. Therefore it is unfortunately not allowed to make pix inside. That´s a pity since I visited them the first time. Perhaps we can handle it in the future.

Above that we talk about the problems with the keels, but I just get a standard PR answer regarding that tremendous topic. I will look at that fact in the future and will inform you regarding that keel subject. Above that I will tell you soon more about the OYSTER WORLD RALLYE. Till that point; save your money. The OYSTER is no bargain.

BOOT Düsseldorf / The World is chaning and BENTE is in the Lead.

2. Februar 2016Alex Beck

Diversifikation ist das Zauberwort. Anders formuliert, es ist schwierig nur ein Produkt auf dem Markt zu haben. Da kann einem schnell die Luft ausgehen. Auch hier macht BENTE wieder einiges richtig. Eben erst war der Launch der BENTE24 und die Crew um Bente denkt schon an die nächsten Entwicklungen. Das faszinierende daran ist auch hier wieder das Mindset der Burschen. Sie denken nicht shclicht an andere Boote, sondern um das Drumrum, was können wir noch neu machen, wo ist noch Spielraum, um Neues zu formen. Inspiriert Durch die Automobilbranche geht es nun um Sharing, ähnlich eben wie DriveNow. Ein Thema das brandaktuell ist und die Welt verändern hat. Klar, Eignergemeinschaften gibt es seit je her, aber auch die Gemeinschaften müssen sich um Antifouling und Liegplätze kümmern. Ein Grund z.B, warum ich keine Yacht besitze. Das klingt immer so übertrieben, aber Fakt ist, eine Yacht ist machbar, aber der Wille ist nicht da. Klar, wir reden hier nun von 40ft Mainstreamdingern auf Malle, nicht von der SWAN oder WALLY in der Karibik.

Also angenommen wir besitzen eine 42er Hanse auf Malle. D.h. wir buchen uns billiger Flüge und sind so oft es geht dort und sind im stress zwischen schreienden Kindern und Reparaturen. Außerdem haben wir auch noch ein Wetterthema, was unsere Lust vielleicht auch einbremst. Darüber hinaus können wir an einem Wochenende in Palma nach links, rechts und wieder zurück. Kurzum es nervt, kostet viel Geld und es ist eine persönliche Einschränkung. Das Ergebnis ist, ich will gar keine Yacht. ich bin überzeugter Charterkunde und hab‘ meinen Sportkatamaran am Ammersee liegen. Der kostet nix, bringt einen irren Spaß und beim Chartern bin ich all over the World am Start und muss mich nicht um Kram kümmern.

Genau diesen hasslefree Approach will BENTE unterstützen. Dafür arbeiten sie an einer BENTE 20, die über eine APP gebucht und genutzt werden kann. Das Boot selbst konnte ich auf der BOOT in einer Art Peep-Show bereits sehen. Auffällig war, dass sich Stephan Boden und Alex Vrolijk sehr bedeckt halten, was den Antrieb betrifft. Also einen Mastfuß z.B, konnte ich auf dem Concept der BENTE20, die in einer spektakulären Peep-Show-BOX ausgestellt war, nicht erkennen. Denke nun auch nicht, dass es ein Motorboot wird, wobei?! Nein, ich denke eher an eine Cat-Takelung, also wie ein LASER. Vielleicht ja aber auch ein Laser-Rigg plus Gennaker. Das wäre geil. Wir werden es sehen und bleiben an der Story dran.