New Didi 26 in Germany

Ole Ehlert bought plans from us in 2006 to build a Didi 26 for himself in Kiel, Germany. It took Ole 6 years to build his boat because he lived 40 miles from the cow-shed building site, belonging to his in-laws. Two new kids and a house got in the way also but Ole kept going and launched his new boat last year.

Ole has sent me some photos of "Mary Jo", named after his daughters. It looks like he has made a beautiful job of building her. She looks very pretty on the water.

Oles new Didi 26 "Mary Jo".

 Ole says "I enjoyed building the boat from keel to mast top as well as sailing it now. It´s very fast and enters the waves as soft as cutting through butter with a hot knife!"

The Didi 26 is one of our most popular designs, a great option for those who want to compete round the buoys in a big sportboat that can also be used for weekending or short holidays. Added to that, it is of plywood construction that is within the abilities of most amateur builders, yet it looks like a round bilge GRP boat. With those benefits it is easy to understand its popularity with our builders.

Bow view of Didi 26 "Mary Jo".

 Congratulations to Ole on the beautiful conclusion to his project.

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Update on Didi 26 14

I designed the Didi 26 in 1997 and sold the first plans in 1998. I had drawn it as a speculative design, with no customer to commission it but a bunch of people asking about that concept. I went ahead and drew it to fill the needs that were most often requested. Along with that it also had to fit into an Australian trailer-sailer rule that existed at the time, did not gain a following and died a few years later.One of the first to be launched was "Butterfly", built by Ake Unander in Malbo, Sweden. Ake built her in a carport alongside his home.

The hull of "Butterfly", coming out into the snow to be turned upright.

"Butterfly" being towed to launch by a VW Golf

"Butterfly" on an early sail, in breezy conditions.

Last week I received an email from Ake. He still enjoys sailing "Butterfly", although he has toned her down somewhat by replacing her bright yellow livery with a more sedate white. He has also modified the cockpit and interior to better suit his advancing age and has replaced the retracting bowsprit with a shorter fixed sprit and furling headsail, making her easier to sail single-handed. I am very much in favour of these personal modifications because the whole point of a boat is to go sailing and you will do more sailing if you are comfortable with your boat.

A recent photo of "Butterfly" in relaxed mode on Lake Vättern

Thank you Ake, for building "Butterfly" and for using her as she was intended to be used.

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