GAASTRA Rad FYTS 4.11 Men, available from february 2012

By this announcement we were very delighted – since in the upcoming year you wear Gaastra both on skin and on asphalt: Founder of idworx Bikes and quality-enthusiast Gerrit Gaastra brings out in february 2012 the new bike brand Gaastra with the kick-off of a new generation of the iconic FYTS bicyles. For the first time in family history under one’s own name. With founding father and bicyle-pioneer Andries Gaastra in 1904, the first progress of the FYTS bike began in Frisian Heerenveen – under the brand name ‘Batavus’ (still producing in Heerenveen), the wheeled success story took its course. The formation of bike brand ‘Koga Miyata’ by his son followed and then idworx Bikes by great-granson Gerrit Gaastra – recently voted as the best ‘Trekkingbike brand 2011′ in the german bike magazine RADtouren.

Now, the new bike brand GAASTRA in 2012! The two starting models GAASTRA FYTS 4.14 & FYTS 4.11 persuade as high-value steel city– and trekkingbikes with precision and fine details like the lite exzenter bottom bracket: Due to its balanced geometry and wide tires, the baloonbike-concept makes sure a comfortable ride in every situation – whether in day-to-day life or during longer bike trips, sitting position and arms are relaxed and in addition nerves as well: Owing to premium materials and workmanship, you go into gear the low-maintenance way on the new GAASTRA bikes for women and men. Whether Gaastra Sportswear or high-class bicycles: Quality has an obvious synonym: Gaastra!

Magie des Segelns, Franco Pace Best of, Delius Klasing publisher — Gaastra blog recommendation

On 200 pages, the recent most exciting publication in the genre of high-class sailing photography anchorings in the Franco Pace Best of Coffee Table Book ‘Magic of Sailing’ with a collection of his 100 best sailing photography: Since now more than thirty years, the in Trieste born renowned yacht photographer Pace captures in his photography in an exceptional way the magic of sailing at international regattas like the America’s Cup, the Copa del Rey and the Maxi Rolex Yacht Cup.

The luxuriously decorated illustrated book, reflects Paces’ photographic lifework in a very personal way. In addition decorated with in-depth descriptions (only in German), the reader dips in the particular history and situation of the photography and experiences the magic of sailing the photographic and narrative way at the same time. Ranging from classical yachts as the staged ALTAIR, MARIETTE und AGNETA at the Sardinian Veteran Boat Rallye in september 1982, the racing yacht classic MARIQUITA at Mahón in august 2006 during the IV Copa del Rey de Barcos de Época, the 12-metres-R-yacht VELSHEDA at a world championship of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda at Porto Cervo in june 1984, the Philippe Starck designed VIRTUELLE at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in september 2002, the CAMBRIA with the 47,8 metres high massive mast at Cannes in september 2007 at the regates royales, to the POLYTROPON, the white boat –photographed at Greece Cape Sounion in front of dark rocks, shining with the pillars of the god of winds poseidon temple on the height.

Let yourself blow away as well by Franco Pace’s sailing illustrated photography book ‘Magic of Sailing’ and grab your chance: We raffle 1 exclusive sample for our Gaastra blog readers worth 49,90 €! Simply leave a comment in this blog entry until the 10^th november 2011 including. The winner will be informed personally via e-mail and will be announced in the commentary box of this entry. Best of luck! „Magie des Segelns“, Best of Franco Pace has been published at the renowned Delius Klasing house, which celebrates its 100^th jubilee this year. As a specialist publisher including water sports literature and publisher of the popular German magazines ‘Boote’ and ‘Yacht’, the new Delius Klasing programme enfolds more than 1000 titles. Gaastra congratulates and perhaps you next week!

Folkboat at a sailing regatta at Laboe, wikimedia, author VollwertBIT, Creative Commons License

Sweden, late summer 1941: The Royal Swedish Sailing Association (Skandinavisk Seijlerforbund) publishes the final drawings and building regulations for the Nordic Folkboat. In total, 59 design drafts have been submitted – a number non-expected to attend – the jury made their choice on. The basic idea for a ‘scandinavian unity-class’ moved into gear already 1939 through C.G. Fast, member of the Gothenburg Sailing Association on the Scandinavian sailors day. Challenges which have been made on the Nordic Folkboat, were a relatively advantageously priced production, made of local lumbers, and affording a bedroom and living space for three to four people.

Today the allrounder Folkboat has an international fanbase from Europe to the USA with more than 4000 by now built boats. The German Folkboat Association is firmly established in the Nordic Folkboat culture and counts a proud number of about 800 members. For all, who would like to respire this historic airstream, we recommend you the oncoming hanseboot boatshow 2011 at Hamburg. With a special exhibition area on 200 square metres in fair hall B4 (opening 29 october, 16 pm) with boats of 7 decades and the premiere of a special edition, the 70th Folkboat birthday will be celebrated on the 52. boatshow edition of the hanseboot 2011. Fitting, nautical-solid elegance for Men and Women on– and offshore offers you the latest Gaastra Basic Collection with allrounders perfect to combinate like Gaastra shirts, blouses polos, pullovers and winterjackets. Ahoy and Happy Birthday!

Sailing Calendar 2012, DuMont calendar publisher, Heinrich Hecht Photography

Streamlined yachts, imposing tall ships, unique perspectives: Photographer Heinrich Hecht, dedicated sailor himself and formerly press spokesman of the German regatta ‘Kieler Woche’, refreshes the eyes of demanding water sport friends with his latest sailing photography. The published by DuMont sailing calendar 2012, anchors in its calendar programm 2012 – including more than 250 titles in sea & coast, landscape, journey and sports amongst others– in an elegant portrait format (33,8 cm x 68,5 cm). Estimated for its quality calendars made in Germany since 55 years, the DuMont calendar publisher has been rewarded this year anew.

On the Frankfurt Book Fair 2011, eight titles belonged to the award winners within the gregor international calendar award 2012: The photo art calendar ‘Watercolour’ and the ‘Turnowsky Together Children Calendar“, each one has been decorated with one gold medal. Gaastra congratulates! For our Gaastra blog readers, we raffle 2 Heinrich Hecht Sailing Long Size Calendars 2012 worth 24,99 € — to participate, just leave a commentary at the end of this blog entry until 27 october 2011 midnight at the latest revealing your favourite motiv of the sailing calendar 2012. The winners will be informed via email and announced in this blog entry at the end of the Gaastra blog sweepstake!

Sailing Calendar 2012, DuMont calendar publisher, inside view

Sailing Calendar 2012, DuMont Calendar publisher, inner view 04

Sailing Calendar 2012, Heinrich Hecht Photography, inner view 08

Sailing Calendar 2012, Heinrich Hecht Photography, inner view 10

Gaastra Super-Fans in the Cala Salada Bay of Ibiza

As far as passion can go for Gaastra, prove our Gaastra Super-Fans in the dreamlike bay of holiday paradise Cala Salada at Ibiza. Puristically held in Gaastra design and with Gaastra logo, presents the sailing boat of our Gaastra friends in the by private boat owners estimated and beyond the tourist ferries situated bay of Cala Salada.

Only four kilometres away of San Antonio, surrounded by mediterranean pineforests and nearby to ‘The Caves at Ses Fontanelles’ – popular for their cave paintings of the Bronze age and indeed worth a visit – locates the holiday– and vacation paradise Cala Salada with its golden yellow sand and clear waters. PS: In case you spot our Gaastra Super-Fans, feel free to make them a compliment Gaastra – pure nautical passion since 1897!

Gaastra Blog recommends music of Nylon band, www.nylon-music.de

For closing of summer, we take you on a boatrip through musical fresh water: The German band Nylon with the estimated female jazz-singer Lisa Bassenge, bassist Paul Kleber, keyboarder Hagen Demmin and Arnold Kasar (in the beginning also with Stefan Rogall), have formed already in 2004 and published since then three enchanting and celebrated albums. The German KulturSpiegel emphasizes the last published album ’10 Lieder über Liebe’ (10 songs about love): ‘New German Wave – the Berlin band Nylon moder-nises the chanson’ and the magazine Stern reckons ‘The sound unites chanson, pop song and danceable clubmusic and twangs at the same time very retro and ultramodern’.

That’s exactly the bridge building Nylon expresses in a splendid and charming way. Sailing with a light breeze in the background, debonair and sung in Bessanges’ crystal clear pronunciation, the song about the popular Berlin Wannsee Lake ‘Wannsee Ahoi’ presents in their second album ‘Eine kleine Sehnsucht’ (A little longing’). ‘Liebe macht blöd’ (Love makes dumb) slides with a wink and decelerating, lounge-jazzy with playful Hawaiian-sounds on the other hand the song ‘Unter den Sternen’ (under the stars). Amongst Nylons’ seven self-composings, you’ll find as well three modern covers of Friedrich Hollaender and Theo Mackeben (‘Like sea is life / eternal ebb and flow’) on their second album.

Although ‘Eine kleine Sehnsucht’ (published at Universal Classics & Jazz) is not a new release of this year, we would like to entrust these timeless pieces to you due to self-experienced delight at the Berlin ‘Deine Stimme gegen Armut’ (Global Call to Action Against Poverty) benefit concert in september. Nylon audio samples you get here and the chance to win the album here in your Gaastra blog: Just tell us your favourite Nylon song until october 9 midnight at the latest by leaving a comment in this blog entry and you will participate. The winner will be informed via e-mail and published at the end of our raffle! 

Search and Win!

As a Gaastra Blog reader, you have this month in september anew the chance to take part in our monthly Search and Win Competition: Which product hides on this detail picture? Find it out by easily browsing the current assortment in your Official Gaastra Online Shop! If you would like to win that special and fashionable Gaastra item we are searching for, then simply send an e-mail with the correct name of it to denis@gaastraproshop.com till Wednesday, the 21^st september midnight at the latest (incoming answers beyond this date can not participate). The winner will be informed personally and then announced in the commentary box of this blog entry next week. Have fun and Best of luck on your Search & Win course!

Gaastra Blog Contest August 2011, Search & Win!

This month as well, our Gaastra Blog Contest is on deck: Going from 15 to 21 of august 2011, we raffle amongst all participants with the correct answer in this period an elected, high-value item from the Official Gaastra Online Shop! Cast Off and go on Gaastra ‘Search & Win’-Tour and tell us the name of the mapped product on the detail picture to the left. You’ve discovered? Congratulation! Then simply send an e-mail to denis@gaastraproshop.com with the correct product name and yet you participate automatically in the Gaastra raffle in august 2011. The winner will be informed on the 22^nd of august via e-mail and afterwards announced in the comment field of this blog entry. Good Luck on your route in the Official Gaastra E-Store!  

FLENS SURF CUP Windsurf Cup Sylt Westerland, © clauskiessling.de

FLENS SURF CUP at Sylt in Westerland, © clauskiessling.de

Racing, Wave, Slalom and Freestyle: In these disciplines the well-known German Windsurf Cup takes place these days in Westerland on famous Sylt at the ‘Brandenburger Beach’, where the best national windsurfers will challenge for this years German Champion Title 2010/11. The German Windsurf Cup takes place already for the 19th time and is the most senior national reggata series in windsurfing. The current Champion Bernd Fleissner from Norderney, Vincent Langer from Kiel and Sebastian Koerdel from Bodensee have the best chances to win this annual’s DWC-Title in the racing class. Since August 2008, the German Windsurf Cup is held as a championship-series, meaning that points are earned during the whole DWC Tour, that runs from August till the end of July of the following year. The narrow ranking by points till now, really promises to be an amazing and adrenalin-flowing surf event on German island Sylt these days! Gaastra Blog and Gaastra Sails — offering high-quality sails, rigs, equipment and waterwear like spring suits — wishes all participants and visitors Good Speeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed and entertaining days!