70 Years of Sail making | Witnessing great developments

70 years of Elvstrøm Sails is not only a story of the past and present day – it's also about the future.

And there is much to it. What are the trends going to be in the coming years, what types of sailing boats will be the popular choices – and how is it going to impact the choice of sails?

Another big aspect is sustainability and the quest to use and produce sailcloth in the most efficient way possible – and with the use of recycled materials to an even wider extent than we do today.

One of those with a first-hand experience of the development is Jochen Rieker from Yacht in Germany. The German magazine is the World’s second oldest publication of its kind, and Rieker has been with the 125-year-old magazine since year 2000.

It has been almost a quarter of a decade full of changes and developments in the industry – and being with Yacht, Rieker has tested many hundreds of boats and been right in the line of the way boats and indeed sails have taken shape.

- I think I have tested more than 500 boats alone on being a chairman of the jury at the European Yacht of the Year. So much has happened through the years. With Elvstrøm Sails, it has turned into being a long-standing relation as we see a lot of boats fitted with Elvstrøm Sails – especially for the trials of the European Yacht of the Year.

Through the testing and reviews for this jury – as well as reviewing boats for the rest of the year on Yacht, he has experienced first-hand what sails, setup and fine-tuning means for the experience of hundreds of boats. This is also a good reason why the Yacht editor has a clear suggestion:

Consider your next set of sails carefully. Sails are as important as ever.

- This is one of the points I often make about sails. They are your main source of propulsion, and thus it’s a very, very bad place to save money. I know sails and especially good sails are quite an investment on top of a boat, which often already is a big deal for the owner. The sails do, however, play a big role in the handling of the boat – and the sails will ultimately also have an impact on how much you enjoy sailing your boat. I would always suggest everyone to spend the money it costs to get a better option if possible – even if it means you must live without other optional extras.

The matter of supplying OEM’s with sails is an important part of Elvstrøm Sails. And being at the forefront of testing the latest boats with Yacht, Jochen Rieker has seen much of the development taking shape.

- In terms of marketing, it does of course weigh a lot that Elvstrøm Sails is the factory choice on so many boats, and I remember we were really impressed two years ago at the European Yacht of the Year in La Rochelle to see so many Elvstrøm Sails on serial production boats. Often, the boats we sail have the better option on it, and when you guys are also involved in the tuning, it’s amazing to see what difference it makes – and I’m sure it must have won over some customers along the way.

Testing the latest boats also means that Jochen has seen how sailing boats have developed. One of the primary changes of the trend for sailing boats and especially cruising through the later years, is size. And while a shift towards bigger boats seems to be the way things are heading; it may not necessarily be the best direction if you ask Rieker.

- We do see boats getting bigger as the demand is there for sailing boats, which also work as a good, floating home for the weekend or for the longer trip. But it is a contradiction to aim for a sailing boat, which handles great and is fantastic to sail, yet it also must have a lot of comforts, he says and adds:

- I would honestly call myself more of a sailor-sailor, and I’m personally more for the experience of something that handles great without having a ton of luxurious features for the times where the boat is in the marina, Jochen Rieker states.

The change was however easy to spot. It has been on its way for many years – and for someone who has covered the business for almost 25 years and sailing for even more years than that, it’s all very clear:

- The shift is very evident. When Yacht and leisure sailing was at its big peak in the late 70s, through the 80s and into the 90s, all the PR pictures showed all the latest models heeling over like crazy and they were always sailed to full capacity so to say. Today, we do more often just see images of very casual sailing or even just the boat mooring. One could say that this is a big change in the style and tone of the marketing side of a new boat – but there’s more to it. This shift also underlines that the average customer has a different focus today. And it really applies for first-time customers, too, Rieker says.

He fears that some of the magic of sailing could be lost – or forgotten:

- In my view, it’s an approach to sailing, where you may miss out on some of the magic. I do, however, still see a strong community for sailing, and I hope it lasts – but in the end it will always be a contradiction to build a sailing boat that must sail and handle great, if it also must double as a luxury home away from home, in my personal opinion.

This is also why Jochen Rieker has a big hope for the future. Not necessarily only for sails or sailing boats, but for the way of sailing in general:

- In my opinion, we should all remember to appreciate the joys of the early mornings, sailing at night, or simply sailing more. It’s so easy to sit there with a phone in the hand and overthink stuff rather than doing it – such as letting the weather report dictate everything in detail rather than setting off at 5am in the morning at having a fantastic experience sailing in the sunrise. Sailing should be a highlight of simple living a way to enjoy and live in the moment. This is something we should all continue to cherish.

Thanks to YACHT and A. Lindlahr for the photo - and thanks to Jochen for the chat!