Oosterschelde (ship)
The Oosterschelde - formerly Fuglen II for a time , then Sylvan - is a three-masted topsail schooner that was launched in 1917 in Zwartsluis in the Netherlands . In the 1950s, the ship was converted into a pure motor freighter and returned to its original condition in the 1980s. The Oosterschelde is one of the last representatives of a whole fleet of three-masted topsail schooners that carried the Dutch flag all over the world at the beginning of the 20th century. Today the ship offers carpooling for interested groups on single and multi-day trips .
The name Oosterschelde is traced back to the river Schelde , which forks in Dutch territory into the western (Schelde) and eastern (Ooster) river sections.
history
Even before the completion of the sailing ship, the shipping company HAAS from Rotterdam bought the Oosterschelde in the summer of 1917. The ship was launched in November and was delivered in the spring of 1918. Transporting clay, wood, potatoes and straw on the North and Baltic Seas . In 1921 the schooner was sold to Captain Warnder Kramer from Groningen , who mainly sailed the Mediterranean, Europe and the coasts of Africa with it for the next nine years. In 1930 the sailor received a new engine and the rig was simplified. Between 1932 and 1934 the rigging was reduced considerably, the mizzen mast was removed and a wheelhouse and a bridge were built.
In 1936 the ship collided with the steam trawler SN14 Ben Hope , but did not suffer any serious damage. In May 1939 the schooner was finally sold to the Danish shipping company Fuglen in Ærøskøbing and was given the new name Fuglen II - it was the most modern ship in the Danish fleet at the time. Four years later, the Fuglen II received a new, 119 hp engine. In 1943 the ship suffered considerable damage from a collision with a mine and was repaired in Svendborg between April and August .
In 1950 the ship got a more powerful engine again, this time a 240 hp machine. Two years later, further collisions occurred, this time with the motor ship Stentor and the motor sailer Christa - Captain AK Hansen then took over the command of the ship. In 1954 the ship was sold to Sweden and for the next few years sailed under the Swedish flag with the new name Sylvan, mainly in the Baltic region. The ship was converted more and more into a pure motor cargo ship.
The modernization continued until the 1980s; In 1981 the ship received a new main engine, this time with 360 hp. In 1987 the freighter finally went to the company "Tallship Travel BV" from Nijmegen in the Netherlands. The ship was given its original name Oosterschelde back, and the “Het Rotterdamse Zeilschip” foundation was set up to finance the restoration and return to its original condition.
In 1990 the Oosterschelde was handed over to BV Reederei Oosterschelde in Rotterdam, which began with the restoration true to the original. Taking into account modern safety standards, she was re-rigged, the hull overhauled and officially put into service again in 1992 by Princess Margriet .
Between 1996 and 1998 the first circumnavigation of the world with the Oosterschelde took place under Captain Dick van Andel, Gerben Nab and Pieter Brantjes. The course took them over Indonesia , Japan , New Zealand , followed by a circumnavigation of Cape Horn and a visit to Antarctica . In total, the three-masted schooner covered a distance of over 30,000 nautical miles .
In the 1990s, the Oosterschelde took part in many sailing events such as the Sail Bremerhaven (1995), the Sail Osaka (1997) and the transatlantic regatta of tall ships (2000). Further trips to the Caribbean and Antarctica, as well as regular participation in large sailing events followed.
The second circumnavigation of the world took place from November 2012 to March 2014 with great media interest. During the entire time there was a cameraman on board to document the trip. A documentation in 13 parts was created from the material, which was broadcast on the Dutch television station 'RTV Rijnmond'.
During an Atlantic crossing in February 2016, the crew of the Oosterschelde rescued an Italian single-handed sailor who was in distress on the Atlantic. The yacht was so badly damaged that it had to be abandoned.
Today the ship mainly offers one-day and multi-day trips for those interested. According to the shipping company, sailing experience is not absolutely necessary. The trips take place worldwide depending on the current program and include both round trips (e.g. to Cape Verde or the Caribbean) and ocean crossings. It is also possible to charter the entire ship for events.
photos
The Oosterschelde in Ostend (Belgium)
2005 in Ostend
2010 on the Outer Weser
Deck of the Oosterschelde
Ship data
- Rig type: topsail schooner
- Year of construction: 1917
- Home port: Veerhaven, Rotterdam, Netherlands (51 ° 54.40 ′ N, 004 ° 28.73 ′ E)
- Length: 50 m
- Width: 7.5 m
- Draft : 3 m
- Sail area : 891 m²
- Mast height: 36 m
- Hull: steel
- Engine: John Deere Diesel, 6 cylinder (450 HP)
Web links
- Oosterschelde website (Dutch / English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Bemanning redde solozeiler; burgemeester Aboutaleb reikt oorkonde uit | OOSTERSCHELDE. In: www.oosterschelde.nl. Retrieved October 16, 2016 (Dutch).
- ↑ Program | OOSTERSCHELDE. In: www.oosterschelde.nl. Retrieved October 16, 2016 .
- ↑ Day trips | OOSTERSCHELDE. In: www.oosterschelde.nl. Retrieved October 16, 2016 .
- ↑ Het schip | OOSTERSCHELDE. In: www.oosterschelde.nl. BV Reederij 'Oosterschelde', October 16, 2016, accessed on October 16, 2016 (Dutch).