The 2020 boating season is behind us and the year is drawing to a close. Time to look back at a year that we will all remember for a long time.

And we also show what our customers wrote about us and our boats in their experience reports this year.

The year starts quite normally with the boot in Düsseldorf. There is already talk of a new virus in the media, but at that point we all have no idea how these initial reports from far Asia would develop.

As usual, visitors stream through the exhibition halls and our new staircase on the SRX30 -YACHTLINE- is very popular – it allows a first curious look inside the largest trailerable boat (see the article Review of boot Düsseldorf 2020).

Shortly after the end of the trade fair, the first confirmed corona case is reported in Germany. And after the WHO has classified it as a pandemic, life in Germany will be shut down. Exactly at a time when our driving days and the first pickups from the winter storage are due.

Die Unsicherheit ist groß. And although the new boats are already lined up in the hall, the dates planned for the handover of the new boat are also on the brink.

In April, the first customers dare to pick up their new Yachtline boats in compliance with the distance and hygiene rules. Despite the circumstances, the joy of our customers is of course great and the first look at the boat is always unforgettable, not only for the new owner.

At the same time, a large part of the Öchsner team is temporarily on short-time work due to the uncertain developments of the pandemic and the effects on the economy.

Some restrictions are being gradually lifted and the collection of the new boats is in full swing. Handovers to the happy new Yachtline owners take place almost every day.

And there is also a noticeable increase in interest in trailerable boats in general. Who is surprised? Many a boat owner found that their own, non-trailerable boat was temporarily inaccessible and usable due to the restrictions. Owners of trailerable boats, on the other hand, had a clear advantage (see the article Vacation by boat during Corona).

In addition, we are introducing our new aluminum trailer x35v for the SRX30 -YACHTLINE-, which, in contrast to a steel trailer, offers a weight saving of approx. 100kg – a real luxury in the boat class (see the article New: SRX30 YACHTLINE with aluminum trailer 3500kg x35v).

The 2020 boating season is finally beginning, although not as carefree as in previous years. In many cases, planned trips have to be rescheduled, but that is precisely the advantage of a trailerable boat that has already been mentioned: flexibility.

And so many of our customers are discovering completely new waterways and coastal areas that they would not have considered under normal circumstances.

Meanwhile, we are busy at work and in July we present our further development of the popular 20 -YACHTLINE-: the SX20 -YACHTLINE- (to the brochure Upgrade SX20 -YACHTLINE-)

In August, Öchsner-Boats goes on annual company vacation. The past weeks and months have been exhausting, but the company got through the crisis more lightly than initially feared.

Those responsible for major events have given a lot of thought and developed concepts so that the first trade fairs since the lockdown can take place. Due to the lack of experience for trade fairs during Corona, we at Öchsner-Boats decide with a heavy heart not to take part in the Interboot in Friedrichshafen (see the article Interboot 2020 without Öchsner-Boats).

In order to still offer our customers the possibility of receiving comprehensive advice, we are launching online advice regardless of location. Interested parties can virtually view the boats via a video conference and can their dream -YACHTLINE- put together without obligation (see the article YACHTLINE online advice – the trade fair alternative).

This extraordinary boating season is coming to an end and our customers are gradually bringing their boats for annual customer service.

In order to largely avoid contacts, the necessary work can now be ordered online in the customer area. Bringing and collecting the boats is also contactless, as the boats are parked in front of the office. We value the direct contact with our customers very much, but security is currently the top priority (see the article New in the customer area)

In retrospect, we have come through the previous phases of the crisis well. We would like to thank both the Öchsner team, which has never lost faith in its success, and our loyal customers who, with their enthusiasm for our -YACHTLINE- boats, have carried the name of Öchsner boats into the boating areas of Europe. We are therefore looking to the future positively and will certainly survive the next phases of the crisis well.

We donated part of our income this year to the Missio Children’s Clinic in Würzburg and the KIWI e.V. of the University Children’s Clinic in Würzburg. Unfortunately donations of this kind seem to be remarkably low this year and we are pleased that we can offer urgently needed support with our contribution.

We wish our customers, interested parties, business partners and their families a Merry Christmas and a happy new year.