In response to his request to the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS) about the reform plans for recreational shipping revealed in the current YACHT, a forum participant received an answer after his presentation that led to suspicions damaging to his reputation.
The forum participant quotes the response of a BMVBS employee to his inquiry as follows: “The magazine YACHT was invited, along with other relevant magazines, to the safety conference for recreational shipping in the maritime sector (April 6, 2006), which was cited several times in the article. However, no representative of the YACHT appeared."
Other users deduce from this that the YACHT “overslept” the topic because of the publication that has only now taken place and consequently, in summary, has not complied with its reporting and due diligence obligations. In this context, there are words such as “insolence”.
The editorial team notes:
1. The YACHT never received such an invitation.
2. The editors-in-chief and senior editors of the following magazines deny having received the invitation mentioned:
- boats - boats exclusive- Sailing- Sail Journal- Sailor newspaper- Sailing Journal- Bowline- Boat exchange- Water sports- Sportschipper- Charter horizon
We are not aware of any other relevant “relevant magazines”. According to the list of participants, there was no media representative at the conference.
3. The YACHT published the story when it was researched. It is not the case that the participants in various specialist conferences, such as those held over the year in small groups, provided the YACHT with the relevant information. The YACHT first had to verify individual vague indications that have since become known. Sensational reporting based on half-truths does not correspond to the style of the YACHT.
4. The editors strongly reject the accusation that they have waited until today for tactical reasons to publish. The YACHT does not clock. There is no reason for that either. Why should the editorial staff have waited so long to publish it? So that the story appears first among the competitors?
The response of the BMVBS contradicts the representation of the German Sailing Association that the topic is already in the implementation phase. Rather, “we are in this examination phase”. The YACHT still offers its readers the opportunity to protest against the reform plans that have become known.
Uwe Janßen Deputy Editor-in-chie
You can read the corresponding article in the YACHT forum directly via this link