In the Netherlands the traditional professional sailing business has been rejuvenated to get the best from its prestigious past. Shipping, a sector, which for decades has been used solely for transport, has now acquired a flourishing offshoot: Tourism.
In the course of only a few decades an almost extinct business has begun to flourish again. In the fifties and sixties some enthusiasts started the restoration of old discarded sailing ships. In order to cover the cost they took groups of people on trips for a fee. In this way the public gradually discovered a new leisure activity. This enabled more and more sailing ships escaping oblivion and becoming seaworthy again.
Today, hundreds of classic, though comfortable and well-equipped sailing ships sail the Dutch and European waters.
Every year they carry hundreds of thousands of people on holiday trips. The sailing skippers not only sail their ships, but they are also businessmen operating a modern tourist trade. They are adapting to today’s demands without losing sight of their very old sailing traditions.
The Dutch fleet of sailing ships, which operates professionally, numbers about 550. Most ships still retain their traditional character, while some are also built on modern designs.
The ships can be chartered by groups or individuals for short or long trips: From a single day up to holidays of some weeks. Every ship has a permanent crew of two or more. They sail the ship with the assistance of the passengers.
The facilities on board are modern, comfortable, and suitable for a longer stay. The level of comfort can be classified on a scale ranging from one to five stars.
Each year some 350,000 people avail of the sailing and holiday facilities offered by the professional sailing business.
About 40 percent of the passengers come from the Netherlands. The remainder come from countries like Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain and France. The most important waters in the Netherlands are the IJsselmeer and the Waddensea. In the high season many ships go further afield to Northern, Western and Southern Europe.
The total turnover in the professional sailing business amounts to about 45 million Dutch guilders. It offers jobs to over 1,000 people. In addition this business indirectly stimulates employment in shipyards, shipbuilding and sail-making firms, charter agencies, and not least in the retail and catering business.
The interests of professional sailing are promoted and protected by the BBZ, formerly the Belangenvereniging Beroeps Zeilschippers (Professional Sailing Skippers Association), now given a more comprehensive name, after the motorcharter union has joined with the BBZ.
The BBZ was founded in 1979 and aims to promote the interests of its members to ensure the best possible conditions for conducting their business in national and international waters.
In addition the BBZ seeks to improve the nautical-technical circumstances under which professional sailing has to operate.
Approximately three-quarters of all sailing skippers in Dutch shipping are a member of the BBZ.
The BBZ offers an opportunity for structured consultation between professional sailing skippers and various other parties involved, such as charter agencies, tourist organizations, aquatic and consumers’ organizations, the authorities, nautical bodies and ecology groups.
The BBZ acts as a medium for its members whereby it keeps them informed of economical, social, nautical and legislative developments pertaining to professional sailing.
There is also a link with the Waddenadviesraad (Waddensea Advisory Board) in order to put forward the points of view of the sailing business in matters concerning the Waddensea.
There is in depth discussion about the potential future of the IJsselmeer with all user and environmental organizations involved in this sailing territory. Furthermore, the BBZ contributes to the research into the environmental effect of large sailing ships and their passengers.
The BBZ is continually trying to improve harbour facilities, among other ways by regular consultations with local authorities. In this way the interests of professional skippers, local authorities as well as local companies and organizations are considered. In some cases this resulted in the building of special facilities for the professional sailing business. In order to help prevent possible inconvenience in the harbours the BBZ has drawn up rules of conduct for the passengers. These are printed on stickers in several languages.
The BBZ aims to secure the best training for skippers and shipmates. For this purpose there are among other things close contacts with the Enkhuizer Zeevaartschool (Nautical College of Enkhuizen) which was founded with the support of the BBZ.
The fact that there is a special training for first mates either in great navigation or coastal navigation means that there is recognition of the professional sailing business in the Netherlands. It is also possible to obtain a so-called zeilbewijs (sailing license) which permits the sailing of passenger ships in inland waters.
The BBZ in cooperation with the Koninklijk Onderwijs Fonds voor de Scheepvaart (Royal Foundation for Nautical Education) organizes an annual course called ‘leerling zeilschipper’ (apprentice sailing skipper) for the training of permanent crew members and future sailing skippers.
The follow-up course is a practical training on board according to the guidelines as set down in the brochure ‘Maatwerk’ (Sailor-made) issued by the BBZ.
Safety on board is a matter of course that makes a positive contribution to the good image of the entire business. Therefore, the ships, their equipment and the actual sailing have to comply with strict safety requirements.
These are laid down by the authorities in conjunction with the professional skippers. In establishing the safety requirements the basic principle has been to find a reasonable balance between safety, and technical and financial feasibility.
Inspection of the ships is carried out by a special independent office that was established on the coinitiative of the BBZ. This office, Register Holland, is officially recognized.
For passenger ships sailing Dutch inland waters the rules will apply nationwide and the ships will have to comply with the requirements of the Binnenschepenwet (Law on Inland Navigation).
For sailing the seas and coastal waters, safety requirements apply which are derived from the Schepenwet (Shipping Laws). The status of passenger sailing ships as thus acknowledged is, in international terms, unique. The BBZ is striving to have this status acknowledged in time outside the Netherlands.
The BBZ has regular contacts with other organizations in the field of water sports, with organizations for sea navigation and inland navigation, with fishing organizations, environmental organizations, national, regional and local authorities etc.
Through these contacts the parties keep each other informed of new developments. Furthermore, it offers an opportunity to join forces whenever a development poses a threat to one or more parties in any way involved in the sailing business.
In this way it is also possible to check that everyone keeps to the agreements made and if any of these arrangements need to be reconsidered.
The Houseboat Museum, the only one of its kind in the world, gives you the unique chance to personally experience how exactly life is on board a houseboat in an Amsterdam canal. Unique location in the Prinsengracht canal on the edge of the Jordaan provides a fitting background for the museum vessel.
On board one can see how this authentic barge was converted to a comfortable houseboat, provided with authentic skipper’s quarters with sleeping bunk, sizable living room, kitchen and bathroom. One shall be dumbfounded at the space and comfort on board. As a foretaste you can virtually visit a small part of the museum, the deckhouse, where the skipper’s family in former times lived.
The vessel on which the houseboat museum is reconverted was built in 1914 and bears the name “Hendrika Maria” ever since. In those days the ship was propelled by sail.
The vessel was engaged in transporting sand, gravel and coal until the Sixties. Thereafter the “Hendrika Maria” was converted into a houseboat in such a way as to maintain the historic outer appearance. The vessel has actually been lived in for about 20 years. Even though it is now no longer lived in, it seems though as if the residents just popped out to do the shopping. The museum is a living museum where one can poke about and sit where one wishes.