Ship profile for the sailing ship: "Albatros"

Technical data of the sailing ship:

Name:Albatros
Registered port:Amsterdam
Base port:Wells next Sea, Norfolk, UK
Nation:NL
Type of rigging:KETSCH
Type of ship:Nordseeklipper, Gaffelketsch
Year built:1899
Yard:Kalkman Yard, Capelle aan den IJssel, NL
Overall length:40.00 m
Length (hull):33.20 m
Breadth:6.20 m
Draught:1.90 m
Sail area:415 m2
Ship's hull:Stahl / Steel
Power:160 PS
Engine:2 Zyl. Hundestad

Portrait of the sailing ship:

Last update: 14 Jan 2003

  • built 1899 for Capt. Jon Muller from Middleharnis near Amsterdam and used for carrying cargo between Holland and the Baltic, survived World War I under Capt. Muller.
  • 1920 Muller sold "Albatros" to Capt. Lolk from Svendborg/DK.
  • 1933 installation of the first engine (80 hp.).
  • 1941 sold to Capt. Rasmussen from Hobro/DK.
  • 1941-45 Rasmussen keeps trading through World War II and uses "Albatros" to rescue Jews and political dissidents out of Nazi-occupied Denmark to neutral Sweden carrying back guns and explosives for the Danish Resistance crammed between her cargo.
  • 1964 reduction of the rigging to steadying sails and installation of a stronger engine.
  • 1978 Capt. Rasmussen retires after 37 years on "Albatros", the ship was laid up in Copenhagen.
  • 1980 purchased by Capt. Ton Brouwer, he sails her to Amsterdam.
  • 1983-1987 complete restoration under supervision of Germanischer Loyd, restoration of her original rig.
  • 1987 recommissioned as a sailing cargo vessel with classification to carry cargo under sail by the Germanischer Loyd.
  • 1987-97 Ton Brouwer captains the ship as Europe's last cargoship under sail in the Home Trade and the Baltic taking on disaffected youths as crew, trainees from Dutch nautical colleges and the German organization 'Liekedecker Verein', sailing about 20,000 nautical miles per year to several ports around Northwest Europe, regular contract between Ghent and Wells carrying soyabean meal for a local mill, other freights included timber, phosphates, soda and corn between ports in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Estonia, Germany, Scotland, the Channel Islands and on the East and South Coasts of England.
  • 1990-1996 "Albatros" becomes a regular visitor in the port of Wells-next-the-Sea bringing more than 100 cargos of soyabean meal from the continent.
  • 1997-1998 cargohold refurnished and "Albatros" is converted to a fully licensed sailing passenger ship.
  • 1998-2000 chartered by Greenpeace and used as a waterborne venue for children's enviromental education along the coast of Holland, at weekends and in school holidays, Albatros operated as a charter vessel for adults and children in the same areas.
  • August 2000 "Albatros" is officially invited to visit the Sail Amsterdam.
  • 2001 the vessel based in Wells-next-the-Sea where members of Wells maritime community have formed a trust called "The Albatros Project" to support the use of the ship as an educational centre. In order to keep her commercially viable the Albatros is avialable for luxury cruises, sail training, executive development and corparate entertainment. She is suitably equipped for these different functions.
  • run aground in April 2002 when she entered the habour of Wells-next-the-Sea, spent a month ashore before a Dutch salvage team dragged her off with the use of air bags and four huge anchors.