Baltic Sea Challenge

Sailing on the Bodden, July 25 – July 29, 2024

Sailing adventure for sailing canoes, small dinghies, sailing dinghies, all boats that can be sailed, paddled or rowed

If you enjoyed the Raid Extreme Netherlands or the Raid Extreme Germany, you’ll love the Baltic Sea Challenge. Five days of sailing, rowing and paddling your heart out in the beautiful German Bodden areas on the Baltic Sea.

This year we are launching a test balloon with 8-10 sailors from different nations who we know are up to the challenge. If you are interested in doing something like this, here is some information about the challenge. If it goes well this year, the event will grow and you can take part.

The challenge

A five-day trip for experienced sailors in sailing canoes and dinghies, a true ‘indie’ event: not affiliated with a sailing or canoeing association.The start is on the em² campus on Thursday morning, July 25, 2024 (the day after the Raid Extreme Germany).

• Finish on the em2 campus in daylight on Monday, July 29, 2024. Sailing area: the Bodden between Ribnitz (W) and Ralswiek Rügen (E)
• Distance: 200+km, which means 40-50 sailing kilometers per day.
• Catering: Bring your own food for 5 days, there will be no possibility to buy in a supermarket.

Overnight stay

• In the boat, in your own tent on the coast or on a campsite with access to the water.
• We try to sleep on a proper campsite on the 2nd and 4th day.

Daily program

Discussion of the day’s destination at 08:00, start at 09:00, sail to the finish or give up. It is possible to make your own plan and meet up with the group again at a later time.

Evening program

Arrive in time for the daily prize-giving, eat by yourself, enjoy each other’s company, have a beer, make a fire on the beach, go to sleep.

Costs

Everyone bears their own costs. Bring enough cash as bank cards are not always accepted. Bring enough money to pay for a hotel and a cab to the starting point if you give up.

Safety

It’s every man for himself, we don’t have lifeboats. So you must be able to help yourself and not rely on another participant. If you are stranded or give up, send us a message to let us know you are safe and organize the transfer back on your own.

Sprache

Pidgin English with a touch of Dutch, German and French.

The Team

The organizing team consists of Ingo and Bert Müller from em2 as well as Hubert Bakker and Koos Winnips, the inventor of Raid Extreme.

Bert and Ingo have spent many summers at the Bodden for years and know the area very well. Koos and Hubert covered 185 km in five days during Raid NL 2018, which prompted Koos to go on many long single-handed sailing trips in Denmark and Sweden.

Our belief is that less organization by us means more fun for you.

About the sailing area

The Bodden are located in a beautiful and quiet part of northern Germany close to the Baltic Sea coast. The Bodden are a series of shallow coastal lakes between Ribnitz and Poland. Stralsund and the em2 campus on the Strelasund are roughly in the middle.

Possible route of the Baltic Sea Challenge

The water is salty, halfway between sweet and salty. The shores are mostly sandy and surrounded by grassland. The winds are mostly westerly, with W3-4 on most summer days. There are no tides, but the wind can create large waves on the coast.

Boats

The conditions are ideal for sailing

• Canoes with daggerboard.
• Centerboard canoes,
• dinghies or inflatables: If you’re not dragging the boat through mud or sand, maybe a nuisance, but not a problem.
• Keelboats: Forget it.

Hubert ran aground several times with his Norwegian “baby carriage” Hatseflats with centerboard, but he didn’t have to use his spare centerboard.

Under normal conditions, the Baltic Sea Challenge will start and finish on the em2 campus near Marina Neuhof on the Strelasund. We will then sail east or west for the next few days, depending on the prevailing wind direction.

Should the weather conditions force us to make a “Plan B”, we will switch to a different starting location on Thursday, July 25 and start sailing on Friday, July 26.

If you want to take part next year but aren’t sure if you have the right boat, skills or stamina, let us know. BSC 2024 may not be the right event or the right time, but we want to know what’s on your mind!

The Baltic Sea Team
Koos, Bert Hubert, Ingo