The Frog Sails Crew
started on September 26th, 2011 with Sven Kraja as sailmaker and Gitta Steinhusen as office worker. In 2012 we got the first helpers to support us: Our mini-jobbers Lea, Tobi and Anna-Lena. Various interns have also been able to get a taste of the sailmaking trade with us. Diana Wagner was a permanent member of the team from 2013 to 2020 and then completed her training as a sailmaker with flying colours. She then passed the training position on to Sarah. Sarah also passed a great exam and supported us until spring 2021. Sven 2 has been employed as a permanent helper since 2018. Lennard Bahls found his way to us in the summer of 2021. Trained as a sailmaker and aspiring master, he will now be part of the Frog team.
Sven Kraja – In the first life – so in childhood – I spent my time on the airfield gliding in the Sauerland. Therefore, I dealt very early with the topic of aerodynamics.
After a change of residence to the island Norderney I started with 14 sailing and windsurfing. On the well-known boatyard “Dübbel and Jesse” I completed a boat carpentry apprenticeship in yacht building. During the training I started to build surfboards and beach sails.
After the apprenticeship followed a one-year trip abroad. Back in Germany, I came up with an idea: I wanted to become a sailmaker, because back then there were no good sailmakers for my hobby, the beach sailing. Said – done, and I started another apprenticeship at Holmsegel in Schleswig.
I did not hesitate for long and started training in 1997 to design and sew my first own beach sailing sails. Crazy about aerodynamics, crafts and sailing, I learned to design the sails on the computer and make really good sails.
“Despite space technology, no sail gets better than its seamstresses and craftsmen make.”
Tom Whitten
It did not stop at beach sailing: I had to try ice sailing because of Gitta, and on the water I started to sail X79. No matter what I sailed, regattas gave me the most pleasure. Thus, I was able to develop my knowledge in all areas. To make the whole thing around, there was another hobby: kiting.
I achieved my greatest success in 2012. In France, I was able to win the 1st world title in beach sailing to Germany. I won in the class of mini yachts.
SO EASILY BECOMES INDEPENDENT WHAT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY.
On September 26th, 2011 I started my own business with FROG-Sails. At Renz-Yachting at the Wikingturm, I got a lot of fun with my sailmaker.
Gitta Steinhusen – My partner, is the ruler of the paperwork. She grew up on the sailboat on the Schlei and the Baltic Sea. At 19, she bought her first own sailboat. In 1991 she decided on an X 79 – her “Frau Krause”. At the beginning of the 90s she came to the ice sailing and Sven also awoke interest in beach sailing.
Gitta was in 2013 in St-Peter Ording European champion in beach sailing – also in the class of mini-yacht
Why the name Frog Sails?
After I had made up my mind to set up my own sailmaker’s shop, I saw two 14-footer sails in the old sailmaker’s shop. One was from Alligator Sails and another from Butterfly Sails. That’s when I came up with the idea of using an “animal” name. The name FROG SAIL was born. Logo Frog Sails The symbols in the logo were also invented very quickly. The 4 elements: We changed fire to ice for ice sailing, earth for sand yachting, water for yacht sailing and air for kiting and airplanes.
