Report: Motorboats that are driven in the scene
Whether insurance expert, DMYV president or motorboat importer - almost all experts in the motorboat industry have turned their passion into a profession. When Anna Schroder, Frank Dettmering and the others are not in the office, they spend their free time on the water. And they do so on motorboats. But which boats do the people in the boating industry use? We spoke to them. Other personalities from the motorboat scene are introduced in the first part of the report presented.
Anna Schroeder: Classically beautiful
Insurance specialist with a sense of style.
Pantaenius is one of the big names in the world of yacht insurance. Behind the well-known name is the Baum family from Hamburg and their daughter Anna Schroeder: "I sail an 18-metre Dickie & Sons from 1954, built in Bangor (Wales). The boat has two Gardner diesel engines and reaches eight to ten knots.
My father, a passionate sailor, bought it and it has been part of the family ever since. I've been travelling on the boat since I was five years old and practically grew up on it. The very first time we brought it over from Greece, the boat still had a lot of leaks, and as a little girl I spent the first night in bed with an umbrella. My brother and my parents put pots everywhere to catch the water dripping in. After an overhaul in Porto Santa Stefano, it became the classic motor yacht that it is today.
I went on my first solo girls' trip at the age of 18. Back then, we discovered numerous bays and great spots for snorkelling. Today, I mainly use the boat with my four children as a family boat. We often travel in the Mediterranean and appreciate the comfort of the motorboat. The most exciting experience was a crossing from Corsica to San Remo. We encountered whales and even jumped into the water with them. I was just 20 years old at the time. Today I wouldn't do that so easily in 1000 metres of water. It was also great when we were moored next to Bud Spencer's motorboat years ago. He was so enthusiastic about my blonde hair that I was allowed on and off his old tugboat without any problems."
Frank Dettmering: Mr President goes boating
The DMYV President is an experienced touring skipper.
With around 460 affiliated clubs and a good 100,000 members, the German Motor Yacht Association (DMYV) is the largest organisation representing the interests of German motor boaters. DMYV President Frank Dettmering therefore knows what he is talking about when it comes to motorboats.
"We have been sailing a Linssen Grand Sturdy 470 AK for twelve years now and lived on it all year round for ten years after we bought it. We owe this purchase to a very good salesman who showed us round numerous boats. After this tour of the boats, we decided on the type and equipment. In addition to the finish, which we knew from our previous boat, a St. Josef Fleth, the space and volume were important to us because of my size. The practical equipment, the quality, the design, everything hydraulic, stabilisers and the good choice of materials were decisive factors.
In the twelve years since we've owned this boat, we've only ever seen one other boat that could have rivalled ours. I think we are satisfied and convinced Linssen customers and will probably not give the boat away again. However, the start was also rather modest for us: After a total failure with a "soul seller" in 2002, we bought our first small 6-metre cabin cruiser in 2004 and spent a wonderful holiday on the waters of Mecklenburg. It never rained during the three weeks, but I kept asking myself the question: how often will we be able to experience this in Germany? As a result, I sold the boat that same year and bought a 35-foot steel cabin cruiser from St Josef Fleth, which I sailed until the end of 2012. Germany, Poland, the Baltic Sea, Denmark, Holland and Belgium. We still like the Dutch waters the best.
Patric Polch: The sportsman
The motorboat as a means to an end.
Boote Polch from Traben-Trarbach is one of the most established German motorboat importers with locations in Germany and abroad. The range includes such illustrious names as Nimbus and Axopar. Company owner Patric Polch runs the business, which is located directly on the Moselle, and anyone who knows him knows that sport plays a major role in Patric Polch's life - whether on land or on the water. This is why the sporting aspect of motor boating is also at the centre of his life. As the owner of a Ski Nautique GS 20, and previously a Ski Supreme, he spends a lot of time monoskiing or wakeboarding behind his boat. "I have the Moselle on my doorstep, and the conditions for water sports in all their facets are perfect - I simply have to take advantage of that." When asked about his coolest experience with the boat, Polch adds: "That was the moment when I managed to surf on a foil board in the Hecksee for the first time - an unforgettable experience."
Robert Marx: The lobbyist
Keep it simple: big fun with small boats.
Marx Technik in Hamburg is a household name in the world of boat drives. Engines, for example from Yanmar or Tohatsu, as well as drive parts make up a large part of the portfolio and the brand's reputation. It is therefore only natural that company owner Robert Marx also indulges in motorised water sports in his private life and can look back on a long boating career. In addition to managing his own company, Marx is also President of the German Water Sports Industry Association and the European Boat Builders Association.
"We currently sail a Saxdor 605, which has a great design and is perfect for the waters we sail on: the Elbe, Hamburg harbour and the Baltic Sea. Thanks to the narrow, stepped hull, the boat is fast and gets through the waves well. In typical Hamburg weather, the T-top helps us stay dry. Naturally, we have fitted a Tohatsu, 140 hp with electronic shifting. The Saxdor runs at just under 70 km/h with it. We previously had a RibJack RIB. It was basically a great boat, but the width of the air hoses made it confusing to trailer. Before that, we had a Zodiac Milpro MK5 with a Yamaha 150 Vmax 2-stroke for a long time. That was great, but life-threatening. Somewhere between a hovercraft and a flying carpet. But an eye-catcher. I usually ride somewhere around here because it doesn't take much "set-up time". After the office, a quick dip in the water in Oortkaten or Entenwerder and off I go. When the weather is nice in summer, I head towards Wedel to watch the sunset - that's real relaxation. Unfortunately, we don't do it often enough, but with the Saxdor we do it more and more."
Thomas Jungblut: Better safe than sorry
Successful regatta sailor with a passion for motorboats.
Thomas Jungblut from Hamburg is well known in the sailing world, both as a regatta sailor and in the sale of high-quality sailing equipment and accessories. Although he has retired from active business, he is still happy to provide advice at the North Sails stand at trade fairs such as boot 2025 in Düsseldorf. He has taken part in numerous regattas and has often won, including several world championships.
In recent years, however, he can often be seen on his motorboat, a Sargo 33. How does a successful sailor come to drive a motorboat? The reason lies in the Elbe cycle path from Dresden to Hamburg, which Thomas Jungblut cycled together with his wife. This gave rise to the idea of travelling this route by water - and what could be better than a motorboat? He initially chose an Admiral's Pinasse from 1955 for this journey, but he didn't make it as far as Dresden because the low water level of the Elbe thwarted his plans and he had to give up about 100 kilometres from the Saxon capital. He suffered a similar fate with his second pinnace, a "One Off", which he had built at the Mittelmann shipyard in Kappeln. Here too, low water on the Elbe forced the boat and crew to return early; the boat was loaded onto a low-loader in Meissen and brought back to Hamburg.
He discovered his current Sargo 33 through sailing. A regatta took him to Copenhagen in 2019, where he spotted a Sargo 33 on the jetty and immediately fell in love with the concept. The good room layout, the modern touch, the suitability for rough water and the ability to cover longer distances quickly at a top speed of around 30 knots inspired him. His Sargo 33 is moored in Teufelsbrück harbour on the Elbe. From there, he has already travelled far and wide, for example to Kaliningrad or the Gulf of Bothnia. "We live on the boat for about three months a year," says Thomas Jungblut. He has not received any negative comments about the fact that, as a dyed-in-the-wool sailor, he now drives a motorboat. On the contrary, many sailors even express interest in the boat. However, he can't imagine stopping sailing altogether - he continues to take part in regattas regularly and successfully.
