ACO: Shining in secret
About flagpoles, keel bombs and far-reaching aura
Everyone has met one of these people in their life who are rather quiet and reserved, but then outshine every conversation with shiny statement. It is a similar story with the many colourful flags visible from afar on the Kiellinie: who knows that the many masts in almost invisible, cast-iron brackets come from the Carlshütte iron foundry, from whose concrete division ACO emerged in 1946.
© ACO
The historical roots of the brackets go back to Carlshütte, which was founded by Marcus Hartwig Holler in 1827. Thanks to its location on the River Eider, the factory benefited from good transport links. From 1883, the Ahlmann family became increasingly involved and finally took over Carlshütte in 1931. By 1909, the company employed around 1,100 people. The Ahlmann companies mainly produced castings and machines; from 1946, concrete construction elements were also part of the product range.
At The Ocean Race Europe in Kiel, the Kiellinie, where the Ocean Live Park will be located, will also provide many splashes of colour with its flagged masts.
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The Ocean Race Europe 2025
I can feel your halo, halo, halo
I can see your halo, halo, halo
I can feel your halo, halo, halo
I can see your halo, halo, halo, ooh
- Beyoncé, Halo
At The Ocean Race Europe in Kiel, the Kiellinie, where the Ocean Live Park will be located, will also provide many splashes of colour with its flagged masts. The 29 metre high masts of the participating racing yachts moored at the Blücherbrücke will also be particularly eye-catching.
They will be sailing with the so-called IMOCAs (International Monohull Open Class Association). They can be recognised by the distinctive foils, the wings, attached to the sides. These ensure that the boats can get out of the water even in relatively light winds and reach speeds of up to 70 km/h with reduced water resistance.
Team Malizia's "Seaexplorer" flies over the water off Alicante
By the way:
There are different words for the term ‘flag’ in German: some are hoisted, others are carried on a pole, for example during a parade. Good to know: The term for flags carried is in German also used for an “alcohol breath”. You should be aware of this.
Another thing that cannot be seen here: to prevent the boats from capsizing in strong winds, they are equipped with keel bombs weighing up to three tonnes under the hull.
The keel bombs can also be swivelled to keep the boats as upright as possible. If the wind pressure causes the boat to tilt to leeward (the side facing away from the wind), the skippers can use hydraulic cylinders to tilt the keel bomb to windward (the side facing the wind).
Just as the cast-iron flagpole holders on the keel line ensure that the flags are visible from afar, ‘The Ocean Race Europe’ ensures visibility beyond Kiel and the region – both nationally and internationally. You can see it: A lot of things that are hidden from view can have a far-reaching aura
NordArt
The Carlshütte, where iron was once smelted, is now a melting pot of a very different kind. International art tells a common story of our time on the site: NordArt, one of the largest art exhibitions in Europe, takes place from 6 June to 5 October this year.
The exhibition is redesigned and curated every year. Every year, NordArt receives around 3,000 applications from all over the world.
© ACO
© ACO
© ACO
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© ACO – Report: Ralf Löwe / sonofasailor.de
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