Our German associate, Joachim Rieken, gives you a closer look st the Esse 850. We left some of the translations in for effect. Ed.

There are only a few boats I remember when I think about my visit of the Düsseldorf Boat Show back in January 2005. It´s the DK 46 for the big boats, because that yacht was announced for the Show but the freighter with the boat on board was headed up in the Suez Canal and didn`t make it on time. Beneteau had the First Class 7.5 again on their site and this time someone was so clever to clean up the bilge and remove the red hydraulic oil from the bottom of the hull before the show started. But the sailing boat that impressed me most was the ESSE 850. Josef Schluchter introduced his interpretation of a modern sports yacht: A design by Umberto Felci, the hull built in Italy and equipped with finest the finest fittings and completed in Switzerland. "Mini Wally" I often heard visitors saying after a close look at the fine hull lines in combination with the clean, pure deck layout.

The boat had demonstrated its sailing potential in 2004 when both first and second place at the Sportboat European Championships were gained by the ESSE 850. Unfortunately I had to wait even until summer 2006 to see my first ESSE on the water. Getting towed back to our Sailing Club, we saw one boat under an impressive big white Gennaker. We were still puzzled a little bit, but then recognized by the sail sign, that the first ESSE 850 had found its way to Berlin. A few days later we found out that the yacht found a new home at the SV Stößensee and was prepared by the owners for the participation in the Stößensee Cup Regatta.

Within the following weeks one could see the GOOD FRIENDS regular on the water now and watch the crew as it familiarized itself with the boat and did maneuver training. This year the Stößensee Cup was used at the same time for the holding of the Berlin Yardstick Masters. Five races, one a long distance race should be a demanding task for all participants. For the regatta at the last September weekend, unfortunately, only 25 boats entered. Some yachtsmen probably have preferred to go with their families on a fall vacation instead of being on the water, fighting for honor and silver dishes. Next to that usual suspects one from the Berlin Yardstick scene (Sweet Sixteen, Bijou, Quienta, Yellow danger, sailing.coover, Just Right, Avanti, Frau Friese, Nummero Uno, ...) the ESSE 850 also came for its first regatta appearance at the starting line.

Ehrhard Schüler, a helmsman with great experience from the H-Boot OD class, took the helm for the regatta and showed that he hadn't lost any of his racing skills in the meantime: With twice position 1 in race # 1 and # 2, a second in # 3 and the third rank in # 4 the bad result (17th) in the long distance race didn´t matter. During the races GOOD FRIENDS showed very good boat speed and it was a surprise for all to see that the boat was able to stay just behind the SWEET SIXTEEN - a 11.50 meter Georg Nissen one-off - which is known to be the fastest monohull yacht in Berlin. The ESSE clearly beat both Grand Surprise build by Archambault which raced at he same Yardstick factor (88).

At the end of the Regatta GOOD FRIENDS took the title for the Berlin Yardstick Masters in front of FARRBAR, a Beneteau 25. While waiting for the prize giving ceremony at the SVSt I had the chance for a short look at the ESSE and when the owners Sven and Björn Herbing offered me a ride with their new toy - I accepted it at once.

Next Friday Florian, Frank and I met Sven at the SV Stößensee in front of GOOD FRIENDS. The first thing you immediately notice when you look at the boat, is how narrow the hull is. In this case the hull reminds me of an old classic National - or Schärenkreuzer from the last century. However, the transom has a clear U-shape and shows its relationship with the modern IMS constructions. Next you will enjoy the clean foredeck with the Bartels jib furler below the deck. The cockpit rail is free, except one winch on each side for the jib and gennaker trim and some clam cleats, the cockpit floor is covered by teak, a carbon stick but some more trim lines as usual for the helmsman. The mast is made of aluminum with two spreaders and a single backstay. If you get on to the boat, you will notice the next big difference: Unlike most other sportsboats the ESSE is stiff as a morning prick! No matter where put my 85 kg, the boat remains as good as unchanged into their water line. Reason for the high stability of the yacht is 700 kg heavy lead ballast bomb that hangs at the end of a 2 meters deep keel fin and provides obviously an enormous righting moment.

We untied the boat and when we were free of the boat boxes we furled the jib out and Frank lifted GOOD FRIENDS into the wind to hoist the mainsail. The ESSE inclined to leeward and immediately speed up when the mainsheet was pulled in. After we had passed the narrowness at the exit of the Stößensee, the wind still added something and blew with 12-14 kns true on the nose. Under the full set of sail the boat heeled up to 25-30 degrees but did still fast and pointing high. The TACKTICK log showed roundabout 7,0 kns. In these conditions we had to work only with the traveler sheet to control the boat. Later the wind increased up to 15-18kns in the gusts and we had to work with the mainsheet too. At this time the leeward rail of GOOD FRIENDS started kissing the water but again no loss in boat speed or pointing ability. That sailing behavior reminds me back in time when I crewed on PINGUIN, a 60 Squaremeter Nationaler Kreuzer build in 1925 by Abeking & Rasmussen. In over 12 kns true PINGUIN healed down, gets her deck wet but goes faster and faster because of the increase in hull length

But while PINGUIN takes some seconds of delay on rudder maneuvers GOOD FRIENDS immediately reacts to the helm and tack fast and smooth. While sitting on the rail it was a new experience to me that hiking on the ESSE is almost worthless. The righting moment provided by the bulb and the fin is so high that the influence of crew wight goes to zero for the stability of the boat. After that I believe that there is no need for more than 3-4 crew for racing the boat. Another reason for less crew it the well designed deck layout. The line for the jib furler is leaded below deck and enters the cockpit within the reach of the helmsman.

The lines for controlling the traveler is endless so the helmsman can work with it from both sides of the cockpit. The mainsheet runs on a swiveling ratchet block at the traveler car and can be managed by the helmsman to. So there is only need of another sailor doing the jib and the gennaker. I think it should be easy to sail the ESSE with 2 crew in wind up to 9-11 kns, if the wind is over that you would be glad to have a second hand for hoisting and fast take downs of the 80 sqm of gennaker cloth.

While we were sailing upwind down the Unterhavel waters Sven told us that he, his brother and a third co-owner have been in Switzerland to check the ESSE. After the sail trial they decided to go for the boat and ordered one. The price for the package including a set of race sails by North Sails, road trailer and Teak at the cockpit was roundabout 58 KEUR ex.VAT. If you dont like the teak it will save you 4.200 EUR. Well that is money for true and much more than I have on my bank account but if you compare it with a new Melges 24 you cannot describe the ESSE as an expensive boat at all.

But stop talking about the money - enjoy the fun you have when sailing the boat. In the meantime Florian took the helm and he was impressed by the sailing behavior of GOOD FRIENDS too. But it turned out again that the Berlin waters can get small quite fast with 2 meters of draft. 8, 6, 5 meters and falling further showed the depth meter and Florian already had started to tack as we hit the ground at 6.5-7,0 kn. Shame on us - I do not know anything more embarrassing during a sail test with a new boat than this. There is no motor on GOOD FRIENDS so we moved her of the ground in the old fashion style. Setting the jib back and 2 men hanging at the upper shrouds to leeward the boat slowly got off the mud and sailed back into deep water.

When we reached Schwanwerder Island we hoisted the gennaker, feeding the sail behind the shrouds right out of cockpit up to the mast top and the end of the pole and when Frank lifted the boat up to the windward the asso got filled with air and I got power at the sheeds. The boat immediately turned the wind pressure into boatspeed and accelerated up to 9,0 -9,5 kns.The water at the stern broke off cleanly and smoothly, in gusts the yacht accelerated over 10 and later in the top on 11.0 kn. I fucked up the first gybe - as a result we got a wet gennaker but without a single fish in it, when we had him back inside the boat. The second attempt turned considerably better and we sailed back home under the Gennaker to the north. We noticed how deep we could drive with the Gennaker downwind, the sail has a relative long luff leach which permits that the shoulder of the gennakers can twist to the windward. We found out that we can support this move still further by easing the tackline, so we were able to run nearly as deep as with a conventional spinnaker up.

It didn´t took much time to clear up GOOD FRIENDS after our sailing trip. Folding the mainsail at the boom, putting the sail covers over main and jib, stuffed the gennaker back into its bag. A quick look into the cabin showed a naked hull but a very good finish of the surface below. As a true sportboat the ESSE has no need to offer standing height inside the cabin but there is place for 4 people to rest under deck without a problem. Nothing much more to see inside: GOOD FRIENDS is not equipped with the diesel saildrive which is available by the yard as an option for extra money. 15-20 minutes later the boat was ready and we where sitting at the bar with a beer. What can I say about the ESSE what I have not already written? "Sweet and fast" I think that will fit to describe best our thoughts and feelings, when sailing this new sportboat.

The plan of the shipyard to develop a modern sportboat, which connects the positive features of a keel yacht with the speed of a sportboat hull, which is able to surf easy, works fine. The great stability by the heavy lead bulb and the deep fin makes it possible to sail and even race the boat shorthanded. The ESSE 850 is a great boat and I can suggest every sailor to have a look at this design if he wants a fast and good looking sportboat. I think the ESSE can be a perfect replacement for old style sportboats as the Dragon or the H-Boat. But please don´t be afraid of Speed - just remember the days back when you sailed a dinghy or a skiff and remember your smile when surfing downwind.