Charter report: C55 | Area: Brombachsee, Germany | Ramsberg, Oktober 2014 |
Author: Horst Kessler | Charter company: Sailing School Fürst

On my way from Frankfurt to the Bavarian Forest I do a little detour to the Brombachsee (a large water reservoir in the north of Bavaria) to test the C55. The C55 is an open boat from Sweden with a lifting keel. It was designed about 10 years ago but despite its excellent sailing performance it was never really able to capture the German market. The sailing school Fürst owns 3 boats that are available outside of regular sailing courses. Booking is easily possible by email or phone.

The harbour in Ramsberg

I reach the Brombachsee on a wonderful blue morning in October. My only worry: there is not enough wind at the moment. The boat hirer helps me to get the boat ready for sailing and explains all its features in a very friendly way. It can be clearly seen that he loves his boat. Everything is in a very good condition. Because of the calm wind I decide to rent a Torquedo electronic outboard engine for a fixed price. A light breeze pulls me out of the harbour.

Sailing broad reach to west with the C55

After a short while a nice steady wind builds up from the east that gets the boat going and really makes fun. The Brombachsee is different to other reservoirs, as it is wide enough to sail into every desired direction. The landscape is nice, with forests and some small hills lining the shore. So there are not many barriers for the wind.

View to the west

The C55 has a modern hull and she starts and sails very quickly. 40 % of her weight is located in the L-shaped keel. This makes her very stable, but still gives her a certain dinghy feeling. I happily notice this when I am hit by a stronger gust of wind. For sure the open bow is very unusual. Because of that the sheet block for the jib sheets is located on the cockpit floor. I really like this concept, especially as the sheets are directed over the keel box and so the boat can be easily sailed singlehanded. The jib stands nicely at the highly tensioned forestay so that it is possible to sail at very high angle to the wind. The boat responds quickly and is agile to the touch of the rudder and allows tight turns. At the same time I am surprised by how well she stays on course. I can even let the tiller go for a short while to get something to drink from the bow. I am very happy alone on this boat but there would be enough space for the whole family too.

Sailing close-hauled to east with the C55

Because sailing is so nice I add on a third hour before I have to go back. For berthing I use the electric engine because I paid for it. I am really excited about its performance. I spent some wonderful time on the lake and imagine how much fun it would be to sail the C55 on a day with stronger wind.