Field report SX20 -Yachtline-: Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine

After the death of my wife (I cared for her for 15 years), I wanted to take off again at the age of 70 and got my boating license in October 2022. The thought of buying a new boat was no longer far away. Only one manufacturer in Germany came into question. After extensive research on the Internet, I came across the Öchsner company in Kürnach. I liked your offers very much and requested brochures.

I immediately liked the SX20 -Yachtline- boat and contacted Mr. Küffner, I got a good offer and bought the boat without having seen it. This is certainly a somewhat unusual approach. I saw the SX20 for the first time at the BOOT ’23 trade fair in Düsseldorf. It corresponded exactly to my expectations! Only the seats had to be changed a little, they were too narrow.

Handover & transportation to the home port

On April 14, 2023, we (my girlfriend and I) picked up the boat from Kürnach. After the handover by Mr. Küffner, we drove to the Main with the company boss Mr. Öchsner to launch the boat. After intensive instruction from Mr. Öchsner, I slipped the boat out of the Main under his supervision. We were able to start our journey home.
The next day we took the team to the Neuss marina and moored the boat at its berth.

In the days that followed, it was equipped with life jackets, tools, crockery, etc. Now it was time for the maiden voyage. I drove alone, without any experience, from the port of Neuss in the direction of Düsseldorf-Benrath. The boat touched down under the Fleh bridge. I tilted the outboard up and saw that the propeller was damaged. After getting an overview, I carefully drove back to the harbor in Neuss, where I was able to repair the damage with the tools I had with me, and I also had a replacement for the propeller with me.
In the days that followed, I practiced mooring at the jetty, which I quickly learned. Over the next few days, we traveled back and forth by boat between Leverkusen and Kaiserswerth to get 20 operating hours for the Honda outboard motor so that the break-in oil could be removed from the engine. This was done in a workshop in Hattingen.

On the Rhine

Now it was time for our first further trip. She was supposed to go to Emmerich. In the cabin there were 2 custom-made toppers for sleeping, the water tank was filled with fresh water, the gas tank was full and we were registered as guests in the Emmerich harbor “Hüthumer Meer”. The journey went from Rhine kilometer 735 down to Rhine kilometer 852. The next day we met a good friend who was there with her car and helped us to get 2 more 40 liters of Super from a petrol station.

After 2 wonderful days, it was time to go home. The same route, but this time uphill. We had underestimated the counter-current of the Rhine, and the engine was not yet fully retracted (gliding was not yet possible). The gasoline went down to 15 liters. We decided to head for the Crefeld marina and spend the night there. The friendly harbor master drove me to the nearest gas station, and I was able to fill up my canisters and top up the tank. We visited the Crefeld harbor several times. It is very idyllically situated in a bay that invites you to swim, and there is also a very nice restaurant.

We continued our journey to Neuss and arrived there safely in the morning. The next trip was on 09.07. to the Duisburg marina, where we stayed for 3 days. The harbor is very spacious, a large main jetty from which the individual jetties lead off, the sanitary facilities also leave nothing to be desired, there is also a gas station for fuel. Many different restaurants complete the picture. On the 1st Sunday of the month there is a large sales event in the harbor. You can buy everything from bread rolls and fruit to summer dresses.

The next trip was to Koblenz (Rhine kilometer 592). At Mondorf near Bonn (Rhine kilometer 660) we stopped for an overnight stay and to refuel.

The next day, we continued on to Koblenz and the port of Koblenz-Rheinlache. After 3 wonderful days and an overnight stay in Mondorf, where we also refueled, we returned to the Neuss marina.

On Sept. 5. we spent 3 days in Cologne and moored in the marina. There is also another gas station. Cologne is always worth a visit.

On 11.09. the water police arrived, the boat was moored in the Neuss marina and the outboard motor was coded. An eventful summer came to an end. We spent 72 hours on the Rhine and were able to observe the many beautiful landscapes from the Rhine.

On 01.10. we brought the boat back to Kürnach, where it will spend the winter. As part of the warranty service, some defects will be rectified and a few more things will be added that I would like to see.
A wonderful time lies behind us. We are looking forward to summer 24 with our boat SX20 -Yachtline-.

Best regards Willi with Ulrike

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