Experience report SR30 -Yachtline-: Rhine and IJsselmeer

The first season with the SR30 -YACHTLINE- on the Rhine and IJsselmeer

The starting point

As experienced trailer captains of a Crownline 250cr with a rather high and unfortunately not permissible total weight of 4100kg, we decided after 8 years to get another boat.

After careful consideration, we looked at trailerable boats up to 2700kg with trailers at the Interboot trade fair in Friedrichshafen 2018. Since our ideal towing vehicle can pull 3500kg with ease, many variants were possible in the “trailerable segment”.

The only important criterion for us was a shelter with a toilet. However, since we need some space, the plan for a smaller boat was discarded after the first day of the fair. Instead, we even included the new idea of ​​following a good offer and bringing a new twin-engine Bavaria to Croatia. But after a lot of nightly reflections in the Hotel Wasserburg, we decided to look again for the second planned day at the fair. And then it happened, as it had to happen: we canceled the offer for Bavaria on the second day of the fair and then passed the SR30 -Yachtline-. OK, so this is the largest trailerable boat with adequate space.

So up on the boat and made contact with the hitherto unknown Mr. Küffner. Mr. Küffner explained to us the refinements with which this SR30 is provided. After we realized what added value this boat offered us with the possibility of legal trailers, we immediately made an appointment in Kürnach. There should be something special to see, namely a special model of the SR30: the SR30 Panorama with an even larger bathroom.
We were shown how easily slipping in and out this large boat works. It was funny that, as experienced trailer captains, we received one or two tips. You never stop learning. At this point, thank you again for that.

During the short test drive it was immediately clear what added value the “Öchsner technology” would bring us this year in terms of weight reduction and the WideBeam hull. And I was convinced that I had made the right decision with a boat of this class. It is true friends how this boat with the Volvo Penta 280PS engine pushes and literally lifts out of the water. Added to this is the enormous lateral stability, which I believe is one of the best in its class for a boat with this critical length-width ratio. This lateral stability should pay off this year on the Rhine and the IJsselmeer.

After we had the boat out of the water again, the ultimate goal was reached on the calibrated scales. With its trailer and approx. 50 liters of premium gasoline, the boat fell slightly below the 3500kg mark. Admittedly without “putt and pan”, but that’s how it was agreed. After the papers were done, it was off on the motorway towards Cologne.

The day in Kürnach with the viewing of the special model SR30 Panorama convinced us and prompted us to order this boat with a full equipment with a few tears of joy.

The handover

Thus began the 8 month waiting time for the ordered new boat, which should come to an end in June 2019 with the handover and instruction by Mr. Öchsner.

We combined the pick-up with the end of our vacation and on the way back to Cologne made a detour via Kürnach for pick-up. There Mr. Öchsner received us and he drove with us and the new boat for a test drive to a slip area on the Main.

The team ran like an express train on the autobahn, so that the boat was slipped into the water with a glass of Kölsch under the crowd of tense harbor berths that afternoon.

The first trips

After the boat was equipped with all the essentials, it first went to the gas station in Cologne’s Rheinau port. On the way there my wife announced that this boat no longer tilts like our old boat.

In Cologne, the Rhine is surrounded by walls in some places, which prevent the waves of commercial shipping from escaping. It is not uncommon for unpleasant cross waves to occur here, which our old boat often laid on its side while gliding. It is different with the WideBeam hull: the boat tilts a little and quickly gets back into position. The average consumption displayed on the glass cockpit of just 0.8 liters per kilometer in a decent glide also put a grin on our face. Combined with the very large 300l tank for a boat of this size, combined with the low consumption, we achieve very large ranges. This means that the problem of finding a gas station is no longer necessary in the future.

The boat christening

There were a large number of harbor boaters at the inauguration of the boats in the harbor. Almost everyone was convinced of the quality of the boat and were particularly surprised by the universally usable bathing platform with dinghy mount. The fact that exactly one box of Kölsch fits in the water seat was another pleasant side effect. The trailerability of the boat was questioned by many, but accepted after a few Kölsch.

Our first trip to Düsseldorf

Our first excursion led across the Rhine to the “forbidden city with the dark Altbier” for Cologne residents. As expected, the 120km over the waterway towards Düsseldorf was child’s play for the crew and the boat. The good sailing characteristics were also confirmed by the accompanying two sports boat captains. The boat lies extremely well on the water when planing and does not sink at the rear.

On this trip we also realized how comfortable it is to spend the night in such a spacious boat of this class. There is plenty of storage space for two people and the freedom of movement with the standing height is enormous.

Our trip to Holland and the IJsselmeer

We made the longest trip with 360km from Cologne to Lemmer in two very comfortable days. We cast off in Cologne at 11 a.m. and entered a beautiful harbor on the Kissel for the night at 7 p.m. shortly before Kampen. The next day we drove over the Ijissel into the IJsselmeer near Kampen and, with the best weather and smooth sea, we passed the lock in Lemmer in the morning with a lot of fun. A house with a jetty was available to us in Marinapark Lemmer for three weeks. We used the house as a base and set out in a star shape by boat on many trips across the IJsselmeer and through the canals. Of course, we have experienced many varied sea conditions. The boat has never made us feel unsafe.

Even in the canals of Holland with the speed restrictions, driving the SR30 Panorama was a lot of fun because the inevitable yaw was kept within limits.

Résumé

After driving more than 1000 kilometers on the Rhine, several lakes and the IJsselmeer with many day and weekend trips, we would like to express our great praise to the Öchsner team for the quality construction of our SR30 Panorama. We are very happy that we chose this boat because it fulfills our wishes in all respects.

We wish the Öchsner team continued success and are already looking forward to the next season.

Your family D. from Cologne

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