You may have read my last article on my visit to Rosättra shipyard in Sweden where the Linjett yachts are made. Here´s a little sidekick, a seemingly unimportant story at first glance, but a nice flick I didn´t want to hide from you guys. I´ve learned something here, for sailing but also for life, so maybe you´ll find this interesting. It´s a story about boat ventilators. As we went through the production at Linjett Yachts, you can imagine, it made a huge impact on me. Two full working days at the workshop, looking at a dozen or so boats in all sizes and stages of the building process.
You get to see an awful lot of things and many, many details. One of those that catched my special attention had been these white ventilators which are mounted on top of the deck and coachroof of the Linjett. Upon seeing those, I went: „Oh no, do you use these cheap things as well?!“ I couldn´t believe that for such a high quality product, meticulously made and equipped with only the best upper shelf fittings of all the available those are utilized!
Sorry, Magnus!
For you to understand, here´s a little background: During 2024 edition of Boot Duesseldorf boat show I did a detailed walkthrough aboard the Hallberg Rassy 69. After all, this is the flagship of this apparently upper shelf brand. Upon seeing the ventilators mounted there, I foud it was such a stark contrast of the plastic versus the luxury sailing yacht. And so you can read this one sentence in the article, it goes: „… there are some details which I was not used to notice on a Hallberg-Rassy. / The white plastic air vents on the deck of the boat were just a cheap contrast to the otherwise spotless craftsmanship and attention to detail.“ Well. Apparently: I was so wrong in my judgement!
As Matti Wilkholm, Sales Manager of Linjett Yachts, tells me quickly after my „outburst“ upon seeing these plastic covers aboard their boats as well. „On the contrary“, he said: „Those are in our opinion the best working, most reliable and highest quality ventilators for a sailing yacht you can have!“ Really? He insisted. For real! I was astonished, displaying wide eyes and a questioning face: „Come with me, I show you!“. And so we were heading through the workshop towards the parts warehouse of Linjett, I thought: „Oh dammit! Sorry, Magnus … I´ll make up for this!“
AirOnly: An ingenious active principle
It takes Matti one question to the stockman and a few seconds later we arrive at the right rack. Matti opens one of the large cardboard boxes. Inside a few packages of the ventilators. „These are the best on the market“, he says: „In our experience the only product that achieves a true watertightness even in harsh weather when a lot of spray and wash is coming over the deck.“ The only problem: The company, called AirOnly, is based in Dnipro, Ukraine: Due to the ongoing war it may be tricky getting the products.
He takes out one of the AirOnly ventilators. I hold it: It is a plastic product, indeed, but the material does not convey the usual cheap China haptics. I am not an expert in the different types of plastic, but this feels kind of heavy. As Matti confirms: The cap of AirOnly is hand laminated and thus strong, reinforced and particularly break-proof. Something that is very important when mounted on a deck of a boat: We all know how often we step on things we otherwise shouldn´t.
The active principle of AirOnly ventilators is as simple as it is ingenious: The cap is mounted to a base. This base has twelve recesses. Into these recesses – you guess it by now – twelve lightweight, air-filled spheres are put. Those act like little buoys. In the middle a filter with a closing mechanism is mounted through which the fresh air can ventilate into the boat.
Now, the cool thing: When all is working normal, these floating spheres are resting on the bottom of the cap, letting in fresh air or letting out old atmosphere from within the boat. In case of water entering the whole ventilator – due to a wave coming over in bad weather for example – these spheres naturally float on top of this water. They go up inside the cap: Closing off the whole ventilator. No air can enter and – much more important – no water as well.
When the water is gone, the spheres sink down and the air can flow again. Matti says that they only have the best feedback from sailing clients. I am astonished and also a bit embarrassed. Never judge a book by its cover! So it is said and normally I try my best to live that way. I admit that my judgement about the Hallberg Rassy´s details, in case of these ventilators, has been half-cooked and uneducated. Of course did I adjust it as of today.
I think I´ll get those for my Omega 42 too …
So, something newly learned. Back at home I check their website. It is nice indeed to being able to spread those good news from Ukraine. A place otherwise war-torn and bleak. I couldn´t find the AirOnly ventilators sold by the shops I usually get my maritime stuff from, but you can order these directly online at the company´s website. As it is an absolute must to have fresh air and at least some ventilation in your boat to prevent mildew and mold from spreading, I think I´ll get two of these for my Omega 42 too!
We leave the warehouse of Linjett and I wonder which nice and interesting products would be here for me yet to discover? Anyway, I´ve learned something new today. And I got reminded that a bit more humbleness suits well in any situation, that forejudging isn´t such a good idea. And I thank Matti for that little lesson. In this, I am happy as I´ve got yet another item needed for my new own boat.
You´ll maybe interested in these related posts:
Walkthrough in Rosättra Boatyard where the Linjett is made
The Hallberg Rassy 69 where I first discovered these ventilators
More product reviews