Dehler takes Australia by Storm

by Deb Jeffreys on 15 Nov 2011 The Hanse Group bought fellow German yacht manufacturer, Dehler in 2009. Over the past 2 years Hanse have invested heavily in these iconic cruiser/racers working hard to improve every aspect of their design and production.

The results speak for themselves. The MD of sole Australian importers Team Windcraft sums up the market response Downunder.

'We have a Dehler 41 and 32 on the way to Melbourne, a Dehler 41 coming to Sydney Harbour, a Dehler 29 just launched in Queensland and one coming to Pittwater and another Dehler 32 just sold to Lake Macquarie. With a new Dehler 35 sailing already out of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, it really has been an amazing response to the brand and we are excited now to build on the momentum and grow with strength in Australia and New Zealand.'

The 2 models most in demand are the Dehler 32 and the Dehler 41. They both spring from the design rooms of America’s Cup winning designers Judel Vrolijk, with Ralf Vrolijk taking a leading role in the 41 from concept through to completion.

The 32 and 41have been designed specifically around the ORCi and IRC rules to compete with the best. Racing under the ORCi rules is at its strongest in Northern Europe so Dehler’s designers have a huge knowledgebase around this system. ORCi racing is becoming increasingly common in Australia. Yachting Australia will run a number of information seminars in November to help introduce the system here. Visit http://www.yachting.org.au/orc for more information.

Ralf Tapken Managing director of Dehler and formerly of X-yachts is excited by the growing marketplace for quality cruiser/racing yachts in Australia and New Zealand.

'Australia has a reputation for sailors who want not only to sail but to sail in a fast and enjoyable way. We look at your market and see that the 32 and 41 fit so well and are really great solutions for sailors who want not only a quality fit out but also a very competitive boat on the water'

With the current strength of the Australian dollar and the purchasing power of the Hanse group in their favour, the Dehler 32 is retailing at $188,000AUD. The Dehler 41 is priced from $351,000AUD. These prices are a huge retreat from 2-3 years ago and really bring in Dehler as a major competitive force on the local market.

Windcraft Australia Pty is the sole importer of Dehler Yachts for Australia and New Zealand.
Head Office is located on Sydney’s Pittwater and can be contacted on Tel: 02 9979 1709.

More at www.windcraftdehler.com