The yacht in sheep's clothing
Giving your own yacht a personal touch is a matter of the heart for many owners. Benk and Jenny Boldt have decorated their sailing yacht to match their favourite motif. “Black Sheep” is all about the sheep and attracts curious looks in many places. In an interview, the two sailing newcomers told us more about their extraordinary idea.
Since when do you have your yacht, and where is your home port?
Our Hanse 348 was christened in Greifswald, Germany, in March 2019, on the birthday of her skipper. In summer, we are moored in Hohe Düne in Warnemünde, Germany. This is the perfect starting point for varied sailing trips on the Baltic Sea. However, she spends the winter in Kröslin, Germany.
What do you use your yacht for, and why did you choose this model?
It is our weekend holiday home on the Baltic Sea. From April to October, we spend every free day together. It is the perfect place to forget the daily routine and let your soul dangle. For our two-man crew, the 348 is just the right size. It offers enough space for everything we need. Especially in times of the Coronavirus we learned to love the big bath at the beginning of the season, because in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein, for example, the showers in the marina were closed.
As a Greifswald native, it was clear to us from the very beginning that only a Hanse would be considered. We have not regretted this decision at all. It is top-notch in terms of both comfort and sailing performance. Somehow, the aim is always to overtake other boats and not to be the last to enter the harbour (laughs).
At first sight, a sailing yacht has little to do with a sheep. How did the name “Black Sheep” and your yacht design fit the theme?
We came across the name rather by chance and found it suitable for our boat. After ten years of motor boating, we dared the change and entered new territory. So we were quasi a “black sheep” among many experienced sailors.
What are you particularly proud of?
That the change from motorboat to sailing was relatively easy for us. We are happy if we succeed in everything, if we conquer the forces of nature such as water and wind, and if the sheep dances to our tune. We are also proud when other boaters get into conversation with us and are enthusiastic about our sheep, or when children stop and show their parents our sheep with a grin on their face.
What other accessories do you have on board, and where does the equipment come from?
Many things on board are now marked with our sheep logo. This does not stop at the wardrobe. The printed accessories are all from “Fender Design”. In the meantime, we already have implemented all kinds of ideas. For the foils we use, for example for lettering, our logo, or our crew clothing we use the home advantage with “Schulz Werbung” from Greifswald.
Do you also have everything in sheep design below deck?
If anyone thinks that there is a sheep grinning on the bedding or the towels, we will have to disappoint them (laughs). Otherwise, there are small details hidden everywhere, which make our oasis of well-being perfect for us. In the bathroom the rubber duck sits in sheep's clothing and on the sofa the plush sheep is waiting for us every week.
What are your next goals?
Next summer we want to explore the coasts of Denmark and the capital Copenhagen. Unfortunately, this plan fell victim to Corona this year. The year after next we plan a big trip along the coast of Sweden, through skerries to Stockholm. In terms of design, we actually have already implemented many ideas. Some of them are still buzzing in our heads, like a pink gennaker with sheep.
Follow the “Black Sheep” and the two sailors on Instagram @syblacksheep