For three days from September 8-10, the new festival for boating was celebrated in the Hamburg marina. On Friday morning, Magdalena Finke, Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Interior, Local Government, Housing and Sport of the State of Schleswig-Holstein opened the first Hamburg Yacht Festival under a bright blue sky with a long toot from the ship's horn. In her opening speech, she underlined her support for the initiative of a new maritime marketplace and meeting place for boating enthusiasts on the Elbe.

Heiko Zimmermann, the founder and captain of Yachtfestival 365 GmbH, summed up after three intense days accompanied by long nights: "The premiere was a complete success. People are looking for opportunities to meet, exchange ideas and try out new things. I could clearly see this in the beaming faces during the day, the many positive conversations and the exuberant mood in the evening in the party hall. Our innovative concept for a great celebration of boating, combining exhibition, InWater boat show, lectures, demonstrations, a children's program, hands-on activities, a maritime flea market and great evening events, has worked. I am delighted that more than 50 exhibitors responded to our call at our first event and are already looking to sign up again for next year. This is also true for our partners, who are unanimously enthusiastic. Our goal is to develop Hamburg's marina into an important focal point for boating enthusiasts in the coming years. We have already successfully taken the first step in this direction."

Best atmosphere with Mediterranean temperatures.

The belated high summer in northern Germany attracted around 10,000 visitors to the Hamburg marina. The In-Water Boat Show was just as much a center of attraction as the more than 80 program items on two stages and on the water. On the two party evenings, people celebrated exuberantly until late into the night. The yacht festival offered something for everyone - whether beginner or expert, whether taster sailor or motorboat enthusiast, whether adult or kid.

Many boat enthusiasts strolled along the pontoons in the Osthafen to marvel at the boats on display from brands such as Jeanneau, Dehler, Tide, Elling, Drago, Delphia, Karnic, ZAR, Sterk, Grand, Candela and Quicksilver, or even to enjoy a test drive on the Elbe.

The German Sailing Association hit a nerve with its trial sailing offer at the water event area. The sailing opportunities offered on a sailing touring cutter and a sailing yacht were always fully booked, both for those interested in sailing and for children. Particularly exciting were the demonstrations by the Well-Sailing sailing school, which included live rescues from on board. Likewise, the expert demonstrations by Oliver Ochse on the correct trimming of a racing yacht on the jetty attracted the attention of visitors and proved to be real crowd pullers.

The expert presentations on safety on board at the CKA Safety Day stage in the harbor apron of the Cruiser Division Club were also heavily attended and met with great interest from both power boaters and sailors.

A highlight on the large lecture stage in Hall 2 on Friday morning was the panel discussion organized by the Hamburg Sailing Association in cooperation with the Schleswig-Holstein Sailing Association. The topic of water sports on the Elbe was intensively discussed with representatives from politics and tourism.

Reuse and resale contributes to the theme of sustainability. At the very well-attended maritime flea market on Saturday in Hall 4, many treasures changed hands.

On Friday evening, more than 2,000 people enthusiastically sang along to the charity event "Wedel sings" in Hall 2 and then danced off into the small hours at the "BRONX Pensioners' Party", which has been well-known on the Elbe since 1990. The marina party on Saturday was a must for all Elbe sailors, as special guest "Sailor Schönfeld and the Lifejackets" made a stop in Wedel on his European tour.

The next Hamburg Yacht Festival will take place from September 6 - 8, 2024 .

Partner of the Hamburg Yacht Festival 2023:

Hamburg Yacht Harbour Association, German Sailing Association, Hamburg Sailing Association, Schleswig-Holstein Sailing Association, Cruiser Section Club, Delius-Klasing Verlag with YACHT and BOOTE magazine, Wedel Marketing

About the HAMBURG YACHTFESTIVAL:

The organizer is the agency Yachtfestival365 GmbH with its partner TMI World, which also organizes the largest German InWater boat show, the ancora Yachtfestival in Neustadt in Holstein on the Baltic Sea. Date for the ancora Yachtfestival: 31 May - 2 June 2024.

More information: https://www.yachtfestival.de/hamburg-yachtfestival/

Media download: https://www.yachtfestival.de/hamburg-yachtfestival/media-download

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