4/2022 New boat: POLLUX – we did it!
After a few detours and various visits, we have finally found our dream boat! POLLUX is a steel displacement boat from the Dutch shipyard Hollandia. Our Model 1000 was built in 1987 and completely – really completely – modernised in 2020/2021. The previous owners are a totally lovely couple (model and photographer) from Berlin, who had put months of work and lots of attention to detail into the “project” during Corona. Their reward was an extended tour of the Baltic and Baltic Seas. So, as a category C boat for coastal waters, POLLUX has even seen the sea!
No half measures were taken in the modernisation. The aft cabin (bedroom in the stern) was rebuilt from scratch, including new windows. The bathroom has been fitted with an electric toilet and chic ceramics, including an attached washbasin and outdoor shower. All upholstery is newly upholstered in green velvet fabric and all interior walls are painted black. The galley now has a two-burner cooker and oven. In addition, a water filter, 1,500 watt inverter and various lamps, displays and decorative items in brass have been added. The on-board electronics consist of 3 x 175Ah batteries. One of them powers the bow thruster and electric anchor winch with 20-metre chain. Also new is a 100Ah Lipo battery with Victron Bluetooth charge controller, powered by two flexible 135W Offgridtech solar panels. Of course, POLLUX has been completely repainted from the outside and also the underwater hull. The sanding and fivefold sealing of the mahogany railing and bathing platform certainly took a lot of work. The flybridge (second steering position) can be quickly converted into a convertible top and offers a great all-round view.
The work was worth it. The boat is a real pearl and stands there like a boating dream come true. We love the POLLUX and are very grateful to the previous owners Sandra and Marco that we will be able to experience numerous adventures with the POLLUX in the future. We would also like to thank Brauckmann Boote for the uncomplicated handling of the sale.
Key data: Length 10m, width 3.30m, height 3.40m, draught 90cm, weight approx. 10 tons, engine: Penta TMD 31 A with 100 hp, speed 12 to 16 km/h, consumption approx. 4 litres diesel, max. 6 berths, radio on board, 200 litres water, 200 litres diesel, 200 litres grey water.
At the weekend, we finally have the 120km transfer trip from the Brauckmann sales harbour (behind Brandenburg an der Havel) – via the Teltow Canal – down the Dahme to Königs Wusterhausen. So we also have a new area to discover. Our first boat Terasa will be for sale in the next few days. Interested parties are welcome to contact us at kontakt@captainyou.de.
11./04/2022 Why I love boot time ❤
I would love to spend every free minute, every free day and every free week on our boat! But why is that? What is it that makes #BoatLife so fascinating? I’m sure generations of family and friends have asked themselves this question. In the following, I have tried to find my answer.
For me, boating is first a childhood memory. With my father, as a teenager, I was on a large residential cutter on the Norfolk Broads in the UK. The wonderful experience left a lasting impression and still connects me closely with him today.
But how could I survive life without a boat for over 20 years afterwards? Honest answer: I ask myself the same question. It was only the constricted situation around Corona that gave us the idea to get a boating licence (SBF) and buy our own boat in 2020 (blog entry “Buying a boat”).
For me, the cherished ritual starts at home when the boat suitcase is packed. Of course, clothes, toiletries bag, fishing lures, reading material and so on come along on the tour. Then (usually on Friday evenings) we start the one-hour trip towards Potsdam. The duration of the trip is just right because the distance to the metropolis of Berlin also means distance from the stress and hectic pace of everyday life. Each additional kilometre makes the TV tower look a little smaller and the anticipation of the weekend in the water a little bigger. On the way, we discuss what to buy and what to cook in the galley and talk about the tour, including land destinations.
When they arrive at the water’s edge, they first swap their tight jeans for comfortable trousers and their sneakers for flip-flops. You don’t have to win a fashion show and there are no witnesses. After the material has been stowed, the fridge has been started, the technology has been checked and the engine has been allowed to run, the casting off manoeuvre follows – in teamwork, of course.
With sunglasses on our noses and house music from the Bluetooth box, we head towards the sunset at a leisurely pace. In an instant, the stress of the week falls away. Problems at work become a distant memory. Upsets dissolve into nothingness. Thoughts of material things that you absolutely do not need disappear. The proximity to nature and water bring you down in no time. You feel as if you have arrived in a world of your own – the boat bubble. As soon as the anchor is set, the cosy part of the evening begins. A glass of wine, cooking together, some reading, a podcast, fishing or a round with the dinghy. There are many ways to get active. Or you can just sit quietly and listen to nature. If you can then watch a bird in its natural habitat or a rolling fish on the surface, the natural spectacle is perfect. A special highlight are of course the sunrises and sunsets. Often at this time the wind calms down and fog settles on the water. A mystical scenery emerges and the sensory perceptions become more intense. You find yourself in a perfect dream with your floating home, directly on the water and in pure nature. What more could you want from life?
That’s why I love boating time ❤ and like to invest time and money in a very special hobby. You can decide for yourselves whether the term “hobby” applies here. Feel free to leave us a comment.
03/04/2022 GOT BAG >> sustainable backpacks, bags and co made from marine plastic
Advertising: Today we would like to introduce you to products that are really close to our hearts. These are sustainable backpacks, bags, accessories and more from the label GOT BAG, which was founded in 2016.
The mission of GOT BAG is to do something about the low recycling rate (only 9% worldwide) of plastic and pollution of the environment. The holistic approach is to produce and use less plastic. The waste infrastructure is to be improved and more recycling made possible. And last but not least, plastic is collected from the environment in clean-up programmes and reprocessed into new products. Special focus of the activities is on SE Asia (especially Java), where a large part of the plastic used is collected by a network of now more than 2,000 fishermen. You can read more about GOT BAG’s extremely honourable approach with Impact online on their website.
We were allowed to test the following products for you:
The 31-litre ROLLTOP backpack is sturdy, waterproof and very pretty to look at. A practical 15 inch laptop bag is included free of charge. The wide straps guarantee good carrying comfort and various pockets and straps turn the bestseller ROLLTOP into a practical everyday helper. A whole 3.5 kilograms of plastic are collected and recycled for each backpack. For us, the perfect companion on the boat for laptop, camera, books and all the gadgets you like to have at hand.
With 60 litres, the WEEKENDER is the largest bag in the GOT BAG range. We find the roll closure extremely practical because it gives you flexibility in terms of capacity. For us, the bag is easily big enough for the two of us to spend a long weekend on the boat. But it is also not oversized for a day trip. Various side pockets inside hold small items like sunglasses or our business cards. For the Weekender, we even collected 4.5 kilograms of plastic.
If you don’t want to compromise on design and still want to do something good for the environment and future generations, the high-quality products from GOT BAG are a good choice – a clear buy recommendation.
We have arranged a cooperation with GOT BAG for you. With the discount code CAPTAINYOU10 you can save 10% per order.
21.03.2022 Boat fishing >> Anything but boring
What is the biggest advantage of boating as an angler? That’s right, you spend a lot of time on the water. That’s why it makes sense to combine boating with fishing.
Dirk has been a passionate angler since he was 16. It all started with sea fishing in Denmark and a few plaice for dinner. Spurred on by the quick success, the efforts were intensified in the early years, together with Senior Heiberger, at the quarry lakes around Karlsruhe (Baden). The target fish were mostly carp, which were outwitted with high-tech fishing including feeding, self-hooking, boilie bait, electronic bite indicators and all kinds of lures. Even on holiday trips, at least one small rod was usually in the suitcase. We have fished fresh and salt water in England, on the Canary Islands, Italy, Indonesia, South Africa, Malta, Poland, Cyprus, Norway … with more (rarely) or less (often) success.
Also on our boat Terasa there is always a selection of fishing rods and equipment on board. Most often, Dirk uses a 2.40 metre feeder rod with a very sensitive tip that acts as a bite indicator. The rod is powerful enough to cast a metal basket filled with special food, which then spreads a tempting cloud of food right next to the hookbait (maggot or worm). You can catch almost all whitefish with this rig, from roach to bream to carp and even the occasional perch or eel.
A five-metre tip rod is also used to “gamble” on baitfish, which are then offered to the predators (zander, pike, eel, etc.) on the bottom. And of course a “twister rod” with which you can actively offer artificial lures to the same predators. And of course there is still a passion for carp, which are still pursued with boilies on a so-called self-hooking rig and electronic bite indicators.
A big challenge in boat fishing is the bite indicator, because there is almost always a lot of movement due to wind and waves. Since Dirk is not a big fan of float fishing, he prefers to use a simple plastic ring with about 20-30g additional weight, which is simply hooked into the line and – depending on the movement of the boat – can move up and down up to 100cm. This means there is always enough tension on the rod tip to be able to detect a bite. In addition to the 9kg Delta main anchor at the bow, we also use an additional 6kg folding anchor at the stern to give the boat as little “freedom of movement” as possible.
To be able to fish in Germany, it is usually necessary to have passed a fishing test. In addition, you have to pay a state tax and you need a daily, monthly or annual permit for the respective water body (complex). For tourists in Brandenburg, there is a special regulation that allows you to pursue white fish without a fishing licence. Various fishing permits for the Havel and more, bait, equipment and tips are available from our favourite fishing shop Fischerman’s Partner in Geltow.
If you would like to delve deeper into boat fishing, please leave us a comment here. If necessary, we will be happy to go into more depth on individual topics or even make a video special. Requests for topics are also always welcome.
4/2021 Our first holiday with Terasa
In April, we already started our first one-week holiday on our new boat Terasa. After a quick stop at the supermarket, the weather was beautiful and we were ready to go. We spent the first night anchored only about 45min from our mooring in Glindower See. The route is one of our favourites and can be watched as a video in real time under #Trips.
The next day, after a sumptuous breakfast, we continued north up the Havel. The route is particularly beautiful when the river narrows a little from Töplitz onwards. A few kilometres later we arrived at the Ketzin town jetty to spend the night. On the tour, we never rode for more than three to four hours at a stretch. The site is in excellent condition, there are rubbish bins, water and even showers on land. There is also a cute little old town and a good Italian restaurant nearby. The next day, we continued towards Brandenburg an der Havel. Halfway there, we were able to moor at the Yachthafen Eden campsite, a very small and narrow harbour with a very friendly operator. Finding accommodation for the night at the beginning of April wasn’t easy, because many marinas don’t start their season until May. The great harbour guide Berlin & Brandenburg (affiliate link) was a great help. Without this clever book, we would have been lost many times. The evening ended with our best boat meal – wraps that make almost no wax – and a few Desperados including a wonderful sunset in nature.
The next day, after a short drive, we reached the Neustädter Wassertor mooring in Brandenburg an der Havel. We were able to park there for a few euros to do some shopping in the nearby mall and freshen up our supplies. Afterwards, we continued directly in the direction of the Brandenburg an der Havel lock. Shortly before arriving, we made a quick call on our mobile phones to register. We were very excited before our first lock. However, the staff on site were terribly nice and relaxed – everything worked out wonderfully and our pulses quickly calmed down again. Ahead of us lay the Silokanal, which is industrially romantic and dead straight. Many boating enthusiasts find canals boring. I’m always fascinated to see the big push boats or to watch the big cranes loading. We spent the night in the huge Breitlingsee at the wonderful Marina Beetzsee. The fishing in the Beetzsee was particularly productive. And the view of the never-ending water constellation with Möserscher See and Plauer See was really impressive.
The following day we drove up the Havel towards Rathenow. In this area, the Havel flows very slowly, the stream is quite narrow and the environment untouched. We looked for a nice bay to anchor in and took our first ice-cold bath of the year. So far, we haven’t dared to go further out of our area. Next time, we’d like to head further west down the Elba-Havel Canal to the mouth of the Elbe and then on to Hamburg. On the way back, we anchored again overnight shortly after Ketzin. Those were our first five nights on Terasa. When I think back on that time, I would love to pack my bags and go on a water tour right away.
2/2021: ERSTE ERFAHRUNGEN >> WINTERLAGER >> AUSWINTERN
In retrospect, buying the boat in November was not necessarily the best idea, because it meant that one of the first investments went into winter storage. But not quite so quickly … fortunately, our Terasa already had a 5kW auxiliary heater from Webasto with one outlet each in the cabin and persening (the covered area in the stern). With it, we were able to heat the cabin to a bearable 18 degrees during our first winter excursions, even at outside temperatures as low as – 3 degrees. Thick sleeping bags and thermal clothing do the rest. But an auxiliary heater is definitely worth its weight in gold and extends the season by a good 2-3 months.
But in mid-November it was really over and the first “slipping” was due. With the help of a hydraulic device and a powerful tractor in front of it, the boat is pulled out of the water via a ramp and then jacked up in winter storage. It’s quite a sight when your beloved boat is suddenly out of its element.
Because we could hardly wait, we started removing the old varnish from the upper deck again at the beginning of March with the help of two orbital sanders. To be honest, that was a hell of a job! This was followed by a comprehensive cleaning of the surface, two coats of primer and then two coats of varnish – both 1K systems from International Yacht Paint, which are highly recommended.
After two days drying time, it was straight back into the cool water by “slipmaster”. To do something good for the engine, we decided to do a complete oil change, including oil and fuel filters. However, we trustfully left this to a professional. Terase was ready for its first real season, which we will gladly tell you about.
11/2020: BOAT PURCHASE >> OUR FIRST OWN BOAT TERASA
Many water sports fans who have obtained a sports boat licence do not buy a boat and more or less regularly charter motor boats from specialised providers. As a rule, you can’t get a charter boat for less than 200 to 300 euros a day. So if you want to pursue your favourite hobby regularly, you should think about buying a boat.
Beginners are often advised to buy a steel displacement boat with an inboard motor because they are virtually indestructible. We primarily looked around on eBay Kleinanzeigen. However, we also recommend the specialised website Boot24.de.
For us, it was important to find a boat that was as compact as possible, but still offered the possibility of staying on the water for several days. A decent bed, a flush toilet (not a separating or chemical toilet), large tanks and a solar system, a fridge and possibilities for cooking are therefore a must. With Terasa we found a great boat that we fell in love with at first sight. You can find more details about the boat in the About Us section.
Boats with the above-mentioned features are often available for less than 10,000 euros. Compared to a car, the purchase price is moderate. Running costs are a berth, which costs at least 15 euros per running metre and month. Unfortunately, berths are in absolute short supply in Berlin and this is being exploited. Some windy providers charge monthly rentals of 500 euros and more for an 8-metre berth. More realistic is probably around 150 euros. In addition, the boat has to be registered once. We did this through the ADAC and also took out liability insurance there for about 60 euros per year plus about 130 euros fully comprehensive insurance. The running costs are manageable at 2-3 litres consumption, even with the current high diesel prices. There’s always something, so you should plan on spending about 500 euros a year on knick-knacks such as fenders, tools, cables and the like. Conclusion: you will probably pay a lot more for your car and certainly have less fun with it.
13.03.2022 #Boat Life Blog – let´s go
Here in our #Boat Life blog, we report on our experiences in retrospective and live from the water and try to provide insides for experienced water sports enthusiasts and interested newcomers. Enjoy reading and feel free to leave us a comment.
