Helmut and Almute Kraus, founders and owners of 2K Yachting will experience their first Summer Sailstice celebration this coming June, both as sailors and as prize donors. And while they are new to Summer Sailstice, Helmut and Almute are old hands when it comes to sailing, and have based their business on the knowledge and experience gained throughout almost 40 years of racing and cruising.
The couple’s love for wind-powered action began in the 70s when they jumped onboard to join their fellow Germans in the newest water-sport - windsurfing. After many years they followed a natural progression and began dinghy sailing in the Mediterranean and on the Baltic Sea.
Helmut & Almute Kraus, Founders and Owners of Summer Sailstice supporter, 2K Yachting.
‘Our first sailboat was a beautiful wooden Dragon. Later we also got a cruising yacht, and after 8 years traveling with our cruising yacht we came back to Dragon sailing and now own a modern Dragon,’ Almute said.
The Dragon is a one-design keelboat created in 1929 by Norwegian, Johan Anker, when he was commissioned to create an affordable cruising and racing boat for the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club. The 29' boat became an Olympic Class in 1948, retaining this status until the 1972 Munich Olympics. Currently, Dragon owners enjoy a strong Class Association, and are active in over 26 countries with World and European Championships being held biannually and annually.
Helmut, Almute, and their friend, racing their Dragon 'Luminous' during a regatta in the Baltic Sea.
Over the years Helmut and Almute progressed to the larger yachts and worked their way through the entire range of sailing certificates available in Germany before spending eight years commuting from their home in Düsseldorf to cruise on the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. They sailed their Hallberg Rassy 37 named “Sunna Meri” to Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Italy, France, and the Balearic Islands, and it was during these voyages that the concept of 2K Yachting was formed.
‘While traveling with our yacht we developed a digital logbook for our own purposes. We loved to use the logbook software, because it made things so much easier. We thought this would be a great tool for others as well,’ Helmut said.
‘We brought Logbook to the market five years ago. Over the years we have also developed some sailing related apps.’
2K Yachting is now sharing their expertise with sailors worldwide, and has donated the Logbook and SignalFlags Tool apps as prizes for this year’s Summer Sailstice. This is 2K Yachting’s first official event sponsorship and they are very excited to be a part of the global sailing celebration.
As enthusiastic, active sailors and members of the Yachtclub Ruhrland Essen, how will Helmut and Almute celebrate Summer Sailstice?
‘We will join a very successful Dragon-regatta sailor on the beautiful Baldeneysee (Lake Baldeney) in Essen, Germany, for a weekend of Dragon-sailing training.
So what is it about sailing that has captivated Helmut and Almute, and inspired them to create nautical software and imagery to share with the global sailing community?
‘We love the numerous different aspects of sailing - from beach-cat sailing to regatta sailing and to yacht cruising, every thing is fascinating,’ Almute said. ‘We love the peace and power of the sea, and the seemingly limitless expanse of water and sky.’
