Trip reports from real sailing trips

An all-round successful trip through the Croatian islands. The boat was an absolute stroke of luck: superbly balanced, very easy to handle and extremely well organised. In calmer phases the yacht was easily manageable single-handed. In higher seas and strong winds on the final legs, however, the well-practised three-man crew proved an unbeatable advantage for quick manoeuvres and full sailing enjoyment.

Exhausting, stressful and with very short nights: that's how I had imagined my SKS sailing trip. A huge amount of material that all participants must learn within a week, full days with lots of practical exercises, a tight schedule and a tough exam at the end – no, it wasn't quite that bad! We learnt and practised a great deal and did indeed get up early, but it was a wonderful, interesting and sunny week that I look back on fondly.

A fantastic sailing week in the Ionian Sea! We sailed through Ithaka, Atokos, Kastos, Meganisi, Lefkada and Kefalonia. Quiet bays, lively Greek villages, spectacular white cliffs, swimming, good food and of course the famous black pigs. We followed the wind, adapted the route to the weather and even experienced a little dinghy adventure without petrol. Most importantly: a crew became a group of friends!

Another fantastic sailing week in Sardinia – with perfect wind, fast passages and crystal-clear water. From Olbia we headed via Cala Moresca, Porto Palma and Capo Testa to Santa Teresa and continued through the Strait of Bonifacio to Corsica. Bonifacio, Lavezzi and La Maddalena brought new impressions before we sailed on to Tavolara. Along the way there was sail training, swimming, island exploration, good food and a few little adventures.

Week-long sailing trip through the Cyclades from Lavrion to Naxos, via Makronisos, Kythnos, Serifos, Sifnos and Antiparos. The trip's greatest highlight: a freshly caught tuna, caught on the way to Kythnos and eaten the same day in Loutra, prepared raw and Mediterranean-style.

A strong Mistral weather situation changed our plans: instead of heading directly north, we first sailed to Tavolara and San Teodoro. We found stunning bays, crystal-clear water and even flamingos. Later we continued to the La Maddalena archipelago with Budelli and Santa Maria. Swimming, snorkelling, hiking, birthday cake and karaoke made the week perfect. To finish, Cala Moresca and back to Olbia – a week full of surprises and beautiful moments.

A relaxed sailing week on the Dalmatian coast around Trogir: beautiful islands, quiet bays, historic towns and crystal-clear water. Alongside plenty of sailing fun, the crew practised manoeuvres, sail handling and mooring. Added to that were swimming, local specialities, sunsets and convivial evenings on board. A perfect blend of sailing, learning, exploring and relaxation.

A week's sailing amongst volcanoes, turquoise waters and the Italian way of life. We explored Vulcano, Stromboli, Salina and Lipari, trained for the sailing exam and enjoyed the islands under sail. Highlights included Stromboli's eruptions at night, the ascent of Vulcano, the White Canyon on Lipari and, of course, good Sicilian food and wine. A week full of sailing, learning, discovering and savouring.

Sailing for free, palm trees, sunsets and cocktails in the net over the catamaran. That's probably how one imagines hand for a bunk in Thailand.

This isn't a travel report, but my genuine experience, my unique journey. I'll tell you about arriving for the first time, the work on the sailing boat, about surprises, conflicts and shared compromises. And about an uncomfortable decision I made for myself.

A wonderful, relaxed family sailing trip with many little highlights: cats, bays, walks, good food and plenty of time together. The mix of short legs, safe harbours and child-friendly stops worked perfectly – and we're already looking forward to next May in Croatia.

With Levi, Frank, Angela and the skipper, we dodge our way between showers and thunderstorms from Heiligenhafen into the NOK and from Brunsbüttel across to Heligoland, the stepping stone to the North Frisian Islands. We take our time on Heligoland, Föhr, and Amrum. On Pellworm there's sadly only time for a one-night stand, what a shame. Finally, between showers and thunderstorms again, back through the NOK to the Baltic
to our home port.

One-week sailing trip through the western Cyclades from Marina Lavrion, with stops at Makronisos, Kythnos, Serifos, Sifnos and Cape Sounion.

Highlight of the trip: a freshly caught tuna, eaten in the bay of Loutra on Kythnos. Plus secluded anchorages, the Cycladic village of Chora on Serifos, the special anchorage at Cheronissos Beach on Sifnos, and a finale with a view of the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.

Skipper training is the holistic preparation for taking command of yachts and involves more than just harbour manoeuvres. The aim of the training is to gain experience, competence and confidence in handling the yacht safely, even in difficult situations. Skipper training means practical experience on board in constantly changing roles and requires preparing yourself and the crew for manoeuvres, leading calmly and confidently, and letting yourself be guided at the bow line, the fender or the helm.

Our first trip combining sailing with remote working was a complete success! During the day we lay at anchor to work on our laptops – whether cosily in the cabin with the laptop on our lap, in the cockpit with a view over the anchorage, or at the saloon table or chart table.

Not everyone worked eight hours a day, but some did. In the afternoons and evenings we usually took two-hour sailing trips to a new anchorage, plus one energetic four-hour sailing trip.

Family sailing holiday in Croatia with five adults and five children aged nought to five – deliberately chosen for the sheltered island world, short legs and the option of travelling by car. Aboard a catamaran (Excess 11) from Zadar: sandy beaches, a secret pirate bay, crystal-clear water and unforgettable family moments. The area around Dugi Otok and Ist is ideal for families with small children.

Greece in November: calm, authentic, unforgettable. With a crew of five we set off from Alimos, sailing via Aegina and Poros into the western Cyclades – Kythnos, Loutra, Syros – and back via Kea to the Temple of Poseidon. Empty harbours, friendly Greeks, clear water and real adventure instead of high-season crowds. October and November are Greece's best-kept sailing secret.

The crew (from left) Jens G., Martin, Jens K., Levi and the skipper actually wanted to sail Skagen Rund, but we must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. Too much wind from the western quadrant took us in 24 hours from Heiligenhafen straight to Roenne/Bornholm. On trips like this, not everything goes smoothly, but better read it for yourself - click the link ...

Skagen Rund in two weeks from Heiligenhafen? Doesn't always work out well, the weather window simply has to be right. In June 24 we did it again with Levi (from left), Eike, skipper, Dirk and Martin (the photographer in this case). An ambitious trip - with unexpected stopovers and escort service by Dolfin. Curious? Click the link.

With Uli (from left), skipper, Martin, Harald and Dirk, we set off on a windy trip into the Danish South Seas. Two absolute beginners on board offer no sacrifice to the lurking Neptune – that's just how it has to be. The skipper, along with Martin & Dirk from the regular crew, do their utmost to introduce the budding sailors to the art of seamanship. Will they succeed? Click on the link ...

Levi, Kay and Marion (from left) set off from Heiligenhafen without the skipper (right) for now. He only comes on board in Cuxhaven and doesn't interfere with a crew that has already bonded. The photo above shows the crew on the highest mountain in the district of Pinneberg ... and that happens to be on Helgoland. Between Borkum and Sylt, everything revolves around Helgoland. It will be a wonderful voyage through tidal waters. Anyone who wants to know how to sail an "Ostseeschiff" (Baltic Sea boat) in tidal waters should click the link

With Rainer (from left, regular crew), Noah, Stefan, Sven and the skipper, we set off from Heiligenhafen on 26 April 25, heading for Bagenkop, with the SKS exam coming up next Friday. An intensive week full of surprises awaits the crew and skipper, who of course is determined to keep up his successful track record. So far, of 139 SKS candidates, only one sailor has failed. That number must not grow. Curious? Click the link!

With Hans-Jürgen (from the right), Frank, Markus & skipper we train for three full days, almost day and night. We sail just about every berthing manoeuvre, practise man overboard recovery (including the Hamburger manoeuvre) and navigate through the night without a plotter. An ambitious programme, but does it work? Click on the link ...

With Christian (in the photo, from the left), Swen-Olaf, Armgard, Ruben & Skipper Ralf, we sail a wonderful training trip. The crew, thoroughly experienced in sailing, trains everything there is to train and even enjoys a swim at a water temperature of 13 degrees. We sail through the night (without a plotter) and one crew member goes overboard several times. You can't learn more than that in one week – or can you? Click the link ...

We had a lovely trip with good wind and sunshine.
There was a small problem with the charter boat's power supply – the onboard battery was no longer charging, having apparently failed over the winter months. After speaking with the charter company, a new battery was fitted in Murter, and we were able to continue our trip on a slightly altered route, but with the reassurance of a reliable power supply.