BOATS 9/26: Frauscher 650 Alassio, shock absorber test and Stern von Berlin

​His first time

​Accompanied by Head of Testing Ole Puls, our trainee David Ingelfinger (pictured) travelled to Sweden. There, he tested a boat for the first time himself: the Husky R5. Ingelfinger was amazed at just how much meticulous data collection a BOOTE test like this requires. He’d imagined it would be different. The cornering manoeuvre with the Husky But at 35 knots, a grin did finally spread across his face.

​On the rack

​They are among the most important, yet unassuming, components on board: shock absorbers. They reduce peak loads on cleats, thimbles and mooring lines in strong winds and storms. To test these devices, editors Michael Rinck and Hauke Schmidt travelled to Berg in Upper Franconia to visit the Liros rope factory, which operates a precision tensile testing machine there.

​Owner of 264 boats

It’s just like so often in life: someone has to keep track of things, otherwise chaos reigns. In the case of the Berlin’s Stars, the annual mega-event on the River Havel, is Klaus Fronmüller (on the left in the picture). Together with his team, he led a highly distinguished group of crews who set out to form Germany’s largest anchor circle. It’s a job you’ve got to be cut out for!

I hope you enjoy reading this

The BOOTE editorial team

BOOTE 9/2026 is available at newsagents or can be ordered conveniently with free delivery throughout Germany here in the DK Shop! You can find the Print + Digital Value Subscription here.

BOOTE 9/2026: Here’s what’s in store for you!

Panorama​

Magazine

​The ‘Gorch Fock’ in New York; a lock instead of a lift; mooring buoys adrift in Denmark; munitions recovery.

Pros and Cons

North or south: where’s the best place to spend the hot summer weeks?

Anchoring – knowing where

How a project in the Stockholm archipelago is using apps to protect seagrass.

Record attempt

Germany’s largest anchor district was to be established in Berlin. Did it work out?

Uninvited visitor

Column: Anni and Sven on their first holiday sailing trip aboard their ‘Late Love’.

An odyssey in the eternal ice

The incredible story of the steam freighter ‘Baychimo’, which drifted as a ghost ship in the Arctic for almost 40 years.

A different kind of sundowner

Recipes for popular drinks, accompanied by surprising stories.

The contentious issue of boat costs

How to avoid arguments at home about spending on the boat.

Everything in view beneath the keel

Live sonar: Which technology is most useful and how it is changing boat fishing.

Premiere party

All the models that will be on display for the first time at the Inwater Show in Cannes.

Good second-hand items

Four top deals for under 20,000 euros: Fiberline 180 CD/SE, Goldenship Aura 470, Bayliner 175 GT, Stingray 200 CS.

Hey, lovely lady!

It once belonged to the French rock ’n’ roll legend Johnny Hallyday: a profile of the Bertram Baron 28 ‘Dont 3’.

Journey

Sweden’s rock garden

Exploring the archipelago just outside Stockholm. Suggested routes and the most beautiful stops along the way.

Croatia’s tranquil north

Why the Kvarner, with its many islands, is still one of the Adriatic’s best-kept secrets. A guide to the region.

Test

Electric cars with style

Low hydrodynamic drag, timelessly elegant lines: what makes the Frauscher 650 Alassio Europe’s best-selling electric boat.

A speedy lightweight

An exclusive test of the five-metre-long aluminium bowrider, the Husky R5 from Finnmaster.

Technology

Tough test

Shock absorbers compared: Which ones are both flexible and durable? Twelve models put to the test.