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Halbtrocken Sailing Team goes Doyle

After more than 35 years of cruising and racing it was time for German based, Michael Berghorn from Kiel Yacht Club and his wife to shift their focus into a more technical and high-performance programme. After sailing their previous boat, an X-41, in many international events, their passion continued to grow and racing began to become more of a priority.

The couple who both enjoy sailing their boats competitively are the driving force behind such an ambitious programme, matched with their understanding of the complexity of both the technical and human aspects of the new boat, it has allowed their new Mills 45 to launch with great success.

The crew is a semi-professional team mostly under 35, with one professional sailor on board in a coaching position to help the whole team develop their skill-set and raise the level as they look forward to the many upcoming events on the calendar.

Their new Mills 45 is an offshore-orientated, purebred racing yacht, previously known as “Concubine“ from Australia. The yacht was shipped to Germany ready to take part in their first season sailing of 2020 under their new Halbtrocken Sailing Team profile. With the season cut short by a global pandemic, plans were put in place for the 2021 season with the ultimate goal being the Fastnet Race, in August 2021. With Europe a flurry of activity on the racing scene as the world reopens and enthusiam is stronger than ever, the Halbtrocken Sailing Team will spend more time on the water in preparation for their bigger races by way of IRC racing on the Solent, UK.

While the world stayed home, Michael and the Halbtrocken Sailing Team was presented with the perfect opportunity to use the time to improve, which included a full analysis of the sail wardrobe. With Doyle Sails, the advantages begin with having a sailor and sailing expert join the team and in this case it was Doyle Sails Northern Germany experts and Grand Prix sailors Tammo Baldszun and Holger Lehning, who ensured that the sails from concept to delivery were at the highest level. The large emphasis is put on the design process at the beginning of the project, with a proven track record for showing results as Doyle Sails experts become involved from day one. The Halbtrocken Sailing team has adopted the latest Doyle Sails technology, involving a tight knit group of designers, sailmakers, and the sailing team and utilising the game changing Structured Luff technology to improve performance, handling and speed.

ABOUT HALBTROCKEN SAILING TEAM // Follow them here on Facebook or Instagram.

ABOUT DOYLE SAILS NORTHERN GERMANY // Tammo Baldszun and Holger Lehning are sailmaking experts with more than forty years of sailmaking experience between them, spending the majority of their careers as sailors and sailmakers to some of the most high profile Grand Prix and Superyacht campaigns. Based in three locations – Kiel, Bremen and Hamburg, Tammo and Holger will now offer the high performance and innovative STRATIS and DELTA membranes alongside the exclusive Cableless and Structured Luff technology that Doyle Sails is renowned for, to all German sailors.

Tammo has been a Master Sailmaker for more than 20 years, including many years with North Sails which saw him earn his stripes building sails for Volvo Ocean Races, America’s Cups, Superyachts and an integral part of the Classic Division at North Sails. Tammo is perhaps best known for his elite work as a sailmaker for Grand Prix campaigns including Maxi 72’s Momo and Bella Mente, TP52 Sled, J-Class Velsheda alongside working in collaboration with other Maxi Yacht programs such as My Song, Open Season, Aragon and more. Tammo is also proud to share his passion for the Meter Yachts, including the 6mR, 8mR and 12mR and has successfully gained many national and international titles.

Holger has grown up sailing, with a natural progression from the age of six through Optimists and 420s before moving into keelboats. After graduating as a Master Sailmaker in 2001, Holger joined the North Sails loft in Lake Constance before moving to Kiel. From 2009 onwards, Holger has built up extensive experience working as a rigger, professional sailor and boat captain on high-performance yachts. This offers German sailors with similarly high expectations and performance targets the unique opportunity to take advantage of his expertise in optimising their boat and equipment. Learn more here.

ABOUT DOYLE SAILS // As sailors, our obsession with sailing connects us to the water. The water is our playground, a sanctuary where we seek enjoyment, a competitive playing field where we race as comrades; it’s sometimes our home and always a place that unlocks our sense of adventure wherever that adventure might take us.

Our obsession with sailing takes us to every corner of the world and onboard every yacht. We become part of teams, share in the adventures of friends and families, sharing our knowledge and experience with those who have the same passion for sailing as we do. Sailing is in our DNA, where the water unlocks our sense of adventure. We are the custodians of a legacy that has been supporting sailors for close to four decades, and while our world changes around us, our commitment to sailors who seek the same enjoyment and adventure as we do hasn’t.

From our sailors to yours. We are your experts in sailing. Your adventure starts with Doyle. By sailors, for sailors.

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