VIEW OUR SHIPS THAT SAIL ON THE WADDEN SEA AND THE IJSSELMEER

Our fleet consists of 2 ships. The Clipper called Waterwolf and the Tjalk called Lotus. Both are modernized antique ships built at the end of the 19th century.

THE WATERWOLF

The Klipper Waterwolf was built in 1899 in Capelle aan de IJssel under the name ‘Jacomina Maria’ and served as a cargo ship for the Dutch & Belgian inland waterways. In the early 1930s she was converted into a motor ship and the masts disappeared.

During this time, the Waterwolf sailed from Sas van Gent to the border with, among other things, flax & hay. At the end of the 1950s, the trend was to lengthen these ships in order to be able to transport even more cargo and a heavier engine was added. The Waterwolf, or then called ‘Juma’, was extended from 36 meters to 42 meters and sailed not only in Belgium and the Netherlands, but also over the Rhine towards Germany. The ship was rebuilt several times and served as a cargo ship until 1997.

THIS IS HOW THE WATERWOLF CAME TO US

She then came into the possession of sailing enthusiasts who, with their experience in this area, have brought the ‘Juma’ back to its original state, namely: An authentic sailing ship. She was renamed Waterwolf and sailed from Groningen & Enkhuizen with guests across the IJsselmeer. We took over her in 2017 and she is part of our fleet.

Book a sailing trip on the Waterwolf now

FACTS

Construction year 1899
Length: 35,5 m
Width: 6,25
Height: 29 m
Draft: 1,20 m
Ship type: Two-mast clipper
Rigging: Kits rigged
Sail area: 400 square meters, expandable to 1000 m

FACILITIES

2-person cabins: 11
4-person cabins: 1
Electric sword winches
Electric sail winches
Fully equipped kitchen
first aid kit
covered terrace
4 bathrooms
4 separate toilets

EXTRA

Gas barbeque
beer tap
Washer dryer
Towels
Music installation
Swimming ladder
Fishing tackle
Board library
Games
Dinghy with engine

Interior Waterwolf

THE LOTUS

The Lotus was built in 1889 as Baltic Sea Tjalk under the name Harmina. Baltic Sea tjalks were made to function as sailing freighters: They sailed in an area that stretched from the Baltic Sea to northern France and England. It was certainly in the 18th and 19th century in the Netherlands the workhorse and jack-of-all-trades of water transport. They transported from manure to cattle and from grain to sand.

LOTUS AS A WORK SHIP

Her last years as a work ship took place in the 1970s. She was used as a transshipment ship at the Koopmans factory in Leeuwarden. She had already lost her mast, because her only function was to transport flour from the large freighters through the smaller canals to the factory as a pusher. In the winter of 1980 she punctures during such a transport and sinks. Although she is brought to the surface again, the damage is so great that she has to be scrapped.

SAVED FROM DEMISE

A sailing enthusiast spots the particularly beautiful build of the Lotus, when she is only half above water waiting to be demolished and buys her. She is returned to her original sailing condition, with mast and daggerboards and room for passengers instead of cargo. She is finally put back into service in 1982 to serve as an authentic sailing ship.

In 1996 Olaf buys her and then sails from Makkum and later Harlingen with passengers across the Wadden area and the Frisian lakes.

REBUILD & RENAME

In 2008 we decide to completely modernize the ship. This in order to comply with all renewed safety regulations, but also to ensure that she meets all requirements and wishes, both in terms of sailing technology and for the comfort of our guests. With great care to preserve the authentic features of the ship.

In 2012, the Harmina was only renamed the Lotus, in memory of Olaf’s late brother, who for over 10 years was a coastal captain on his own ocean-going freighter called ‘the Lotus’.

Book a sailing trip on De Lotus now