EGRS
Founded in 1987 on Lake Ratzeburg. 55 members, five classes, one shared goal: getting more people onto the ice and the beach.
Who we are
Eissegelgemeinschaft Ratzeburger Seen e.V. is a registered non-profit club promoting ice and land sailing. With 55 members we are one of the largest ice sailing clubs in Germany.
We support, teach and help beginners. Through membership, everyone can travel with the group to go ice or land sailing and never has to stand on the ice alone. Through our network we know where sailable ice is – our scouts travel all over Europe in winter.
Top performance is not the goal, fun is. If you still want to measure yourself against the best in your class, we will help you make your yacht fast. And we run fun regattas where the result is beside the point.
History
Almost forty years of ice sailing – written down by those who were there.
- 10 April 1987
Founded in Groß Sarau
After a very good ice sailing season, the sailors who had spent the winter together on the ice of Lake Ratzeburg meet at the suggestion of Wolfgang Reiner to found EGRS – to represent the interests of ice sailors. 23 ice sailors join. First board: Wolfgang Reiner (chairman), Eckhard Pagel (vice chairman), Günter Wegener (treasurer and secretary). One of the first tasks: safety. Rescue equipment is bought, knowledge passed on in training sessions.
- 1989
The border opens
For the 1989 season we experience the opening of the inner-German border. The club immediately makes contact with the ice sailors in Schwerin – ties that are kept up to this day.
- 14 October 1994
New board, 64 members
Günter Wegener becomes chairman, Eckhard Pagel stays vice chairman, Bernd Retzlaff takes over as treasurer and secretary. With 64 members the club joins the state sailing federation and the district sports federation.
- 1996
The first ice yachts, the first regatta
In January the first ice yachts arrive in the club, two 12-metre-class boats – a sensation; until then we had only seen such boats in pictures. In March the first club regatta takes place on 35 centimetres of ice with our own race equipment, and training for the ice sailing licence begins. Some members turn into true ice nomads: from Sweden to Italy, from Germany to Latvia, no ice is safe from them. On 10 May club founder Wolfgang Reiner sets off on his last sail, aged 83.
- 20 September 1997
Ten years of EGRS
The anniversary is celebrated at Segelverein Wakenitz, where the club has found a permanent rigging site on the lake.
- 1998
Windward-leeward instead of figure eight
A decisive change in racing: the figure-eight course for the DN is abolished and the windward-leeward course introduced.
- 2000
New navigation rules
New navigation regulations come into force for Lake Ratzeburg. Ice sailing is not affected in any way.
- 2001
Eckhard Pagel takes over, the first Monotype XV arrives
At the general meeting Eckhard Pagel becomes chairman, Rainer Klörres vice chairman and Inge Klörres treasurer and secretary. Shortly afterwards members collect the club’s first 15-metre-class ice yacht – a Monotype XV – from Estonia as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The following winter the first of us travel to the class’s European championship in Sweden.
- 2003/04
Ice all over Europe
A winter with an enormous amount of ice sailing in Europe – including, once again, Lake Ratzeburg. Two Monotype XV from the club start at the European championship.
- 2005
Line thrower
A new line-throwing device is bought – for the safety of the sailors and to rescue skaters and walkers who have fallen through the ice.
- March 2006
EGRS hosts the European championship
For the first time in its history EGRS hosts the Monotype XV European championship – with six competitors from its own ranks. A highlight made possible only by the members’ commitment.
- 2009/10
New statutes, open to the world
Hartmut Fiebig becomes vice chairman. New statutes are adopted – from now on the club can admit members from all over the world; the first comes from the Netherlands. Sailing runs from November to March, including on Lake Ratzeburg. Ralf Kaufmann becomes treasurer and secretary.
- 2012
25 years of EGRS, 80 years of Monotype XV
For the double anniversary EGRS hosts the Monotype XV European championship in Sweden. At the same time there is 25 centimetres of ice on Lake Ratzeburg. The tally after 25 years: sailed every winter but three, a summer party every year, 60 members – the youngest 13, the oldest 77.
- 2026
egrs.net
The club gets a website. (to follow)
Board
- Eckhard PagelChairman
- Beate NeuenhoffVice chairwoman
- Reinhard HänischTreasurer and secretary
Our burgee
Two sails above the ice, the coat of arms of the town of Ratzeburg and the founding year 1987 – in blue, white and red on a yellow ring.
Associations and partners
- DN-Germany – German DN ice sailing fleetFleet North; sail numbers, events, ice reports
- Monotype XV class associationClass rules and European championships
- German Sailing Federation (DSV) – ice sailingIce sailing licence, regulations
- German Sailing Federation (DSV) – land sailingPilot licence, regatta calendar
- Buchholzer SegelclubOur neighbouring sailing club on Lake Ratzeburg (to follow)
The statutes in brief
- Purpose
- Promoting sailing, in particular ice sailing with ice sleds and ice yachts. The club is a registered non-profit and neutral in party-political and religious terms.
- Board
- Chairman, vice chairman and treasurer (who is also secretary), each elected for three years – one office comes up for election every year.
- General meeting
- Once a year within the first six months, online if desired. Members aged 18 and over are entitled to vote.
- Joining and leaving
- The board decides on admission. Resignation is possible in writing with three months’ notice to the end of the financial year (calendar year).
- Fees
- Fees and the admission charge are set by the general meeting; we tell you on request.
Downloads
- Statutes (PDF, German) 2021 version, 2 pages
- Membership application (PDF, German) (to follow)