Masuria 2026

Match under sail

Day 1

Bogaczewo (Zielona Zatoka) - ~~Sztynort~~ Łabędzi Ostrów

We set sail from the Zielona Zatoka marina at 10:29. Our destination was the port of Sztynort (loud quays). After passing the harbor breakwaters we headed east. After leaving Lake Boczne for Lake Niegocin, both boats (Sztos and Vabank) hoisted their sails.

~~At 21:00 the World Cup football final Spain - Argentina is scheduled to be broadcast (vamos)~~

~~At 23:00 the 1st round of the Captains’ Cup in “flanki” (a card game) is scheduled.~~

Vabank on Lake Niegocin

Due to the wind coming from the NWW direction, crossing Lake Niegocin required tacking.

After about 2 hours, both boats reached the entrance to the Niegocin Canal in Wilkasy.

Due to an earlier collision between two boats, a traffic jam formed in the canal. Getting through it required towing the boat by hand along the canal bank. The fact that the passage through the canal took longer, combined with the awareness of the distance still remaining from Lake Kisajno to Sztynort, put enormous psychological pressure on the crew of the yacht Sztos, which led to the mast breaking.

Sztos's broken mast Sztos’s broken mast

Meanwhile, the crew of the yacht Vabank indulged in a swim and lunch in a romantic little bay on Lake Kisajno. Afterward, in solidarity with the shipwrecked crew, they stayed at the nearest port - Łabędzi Ostrów.

Lunch on Lake Kisajno

After securing and stabilizing the mast, the yacht Sztos headed to its home port to carry out repairs. This was also an occasion to drink a beer on the mast.

Beer on the mast

We ended the day with a screening of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final - Spain won. The screening took place on a bedsheet, while our foreign friends watched it in a restaurant accompanied by high-proof spirits.

Drinks during the match

The final on bedsheets

Day 2

Zielona Zatoka / Łabędzi Ostrów - Rybaczówka

After spending the night in Zielona Zatoka, we decided to mix up the crews. Piotrek Czado and Zosia Knapik moved under the watch of Captain Maciej Wąsiel onto the yacht Vabank, and together with him explored the northern lakes Kisajno and Dargin, as well as the port of Sztynort. On the way there, the Vabank crew was accompanied by changeable weather. Luckily, Captain Wąsiel always had his first officer Limbur at his disposal.

Captain Wąsiel and 1st officer Limbur in the rain

After reaching Sztynort, the crew ate a delicious lunch at the iconic Zęza.

Lunch at Zęza

Then they set off on the long journey back to the Rybaczówka marina in Bogaczewo (it rained again along the way).

At 10:30 the crew of the yacht Sztos removed the broken mast from the boat, replaced the brake pad, pumped out the sewage, and at 14:00 headed to the Rybaczówka marina in Bogaczewo.

Sztos without a mast

Dinner on Sztos was served at 5 p.m. in the form of a giant sturgeon. It was delicious.

Giant sturgeon

Both crews spent the end of the second day feasting together and playing “flanki.” The crew of the yacht Vabank came out victorious.

Day 3

Rybaczówka - Nawigator

At 8:30 the mast on the yacht Sztos was scheduled to be replaced. This meant Captain Rudy had to wake up at 7:30, shower, and set off for Zielona Zatoka at 8:00. Sztos arrived punctually for the mast replacement. Unfortunately, it did not go as scheduled, and it was necessary to wait for the new mast until 17:30.

Installing the new mast

After receiving the new mast, Sztos set off on a solo voyage across empty lakes to the Nawigator marina on Lake Tałty. Unfavorable weather meant the entire distance (about 3 hours) had to be covered under engine power. During the trip, the crew repeatedly got soaked, in solidarity with Captain Rudy.

Selfie with the new mast in the rain

Upon entering Lake Tałty, Sztos was greeted by a strong wind gusting up to 6 on the Beaufort scale, which, combined with pouring rain, made for demanding conditions for stepping the new mast. Thanks to the crew’s dedication, the procedure was carried out safely, and the boat reached the Nawigator marina without any damage.

Stepping the mast with the capstan in pouring rain

To make matters worse, upon arrival it turned out that the Vabank crew had set a trap for their friends in the form of a taut cable - #StopCham (Stop the Boor). Stop Cham

Meanwhile, the day looked completely different from the perspective of the Vabank crew. Crew member Finn showed off his good fortune while sailing under full sails across Lake Jagodne. Happy Finn