"I would prefer to sail exclusively!" The message from skipper Jörn Kallas is clear. The almost 36-metre overall length of the three-masted topsail schooner "Albatros", which he is in command of, is no excuse to perform a casting off manoeuvre under engine power. At nine o'clock on Saturday morning in Eckernförde's town harbour, the 51-year-old has the gaff mainsail, the Mars and the foresail jib, inner and outer jibs set at the quay wall.
The westerly wind, force four, gently pushes the stately wooden ship off the quay a little later. The 120 hp engine chugs along at idle merely as a safety backup. As they pass the harbour mole, the crew hoists the schooner sail. This allows the "Albatros" to pick up enough speed up to the "kink" to make the 40-degree course change in the fairway under sail. The engine falls silent; a start to the cruise to Kallas' liking.
Traditional cruise on board the "Albatros"
The traditional sailing ship "Albatros" has been moored in Eckernförde since March 2020. The weekend cruise, which began under sail in mid-June 2021, is a thank you to the helpers who have looked after the ship from time to time or worked on it. Skipper Kallas wants to offer them (and himself) maximum time under sail. So he turns the bow to the north at the exit of Eckernförde Bay. In fine weather, the "Albatros" sails towards the Flensburg Fjord, and some people on board wish that this could be the start of a longer sailing trip.
Between spring and autumn, the "Albatros" usually undertakes one- and two-week trips in the German and Danish Baltic Sea. Either groups, often school classes, book the entire ship or individuals book a berth on the so-called single-booker cruises. Up to 20 trainees can learn traditional navigation from the regular crew on the topsail schooner. The crew consists of a skipper, three helmsmen, a cook and a machinist.
From Cherbourg to the Åland Islands
Clipper - Deutsches Jugendwerk zur See (see below) has been doing this since 1979. Supported by the city of Bremerhaven, the organisation bought the wooden ship in 1978 as the third in its fleet. In the winter of 1978/79, it underwent extensive restoration work, including the addition of more berths. The ship's name was changed from "Esther Lohse" to "Albatros" (initially still "Albatros C").
In the early years, summer voyages under the Clipper flag lasted up to three weeks and took the ship to Cherbourg, the archipelagos of western and eastern Sweden and the Åland Islands. Thorsten Tietjen summarised the ship's history in his 2017 book "Albatros. From cargo-carrying motor galleys to three-masted topsail schooners". The author joined Clipper in 1989 and, as a trained mechanical engineer, was the technical ship's officer of the "Albatros" for decades.
Fishing, freighter, stone fisherman- the "Albatros" has an eventful history
It was built in 1942 as the cargo-sailing Galea "Dagmar Larssen" with an auxiliary engine made of oak planks on oak frames in Hobro, Denmark. The shipyard in North Jutland, which was managed by K. A. Tommerup at the time, is considered to be the oldest wooden shipyard in Denmark still in operation today. The client, Ole Larsen from Århus, who had received considerable state support for the construction, initially used the "Dagmar Larssen" for fishing on the North Sea after launching, then as a cargo ship. In 1951, he sold her to Erik Lyndahl Thye from Marstal on the island of Ærø. In addition to sawn timber, Thye also occasionally transported coal and coke from East and West German harbours on the ship, which was renamed "Iris Thy". In 1953, the boat's sails and masts were reduced and in 1956 the original Vølund glow-head engine was replaced by a two-cylinder Alpha diesel.
After another change of ownership within Marstal in 1957, the ship remained in the coke and coal trade and mainly called at German and Polish harbours. The "Iris Thy" was sold again in 1961. From then on, her home port was Juelsminde on the east coast of Jutland. The new owner, Erling Lohse, named the ship after his wife Esther. "Esther Lohse" was used as a stone fisherman. The boulders she lifted from the bottom of the Baltic Sea were also used in the piers of the Rødbyhavn ferry harbour and the Olympia yacht harbour in Kiel-Schilksee.
The "Albatros" as a television star
In 1973, Erling Lohse looked around for a larger, steel boat for stone fishing. He sold his wooden ship, which was now a pure motor vessel, to Tony and Fleur Davies from near Colchester in south-east England. The brothers rigged it as a three-masted topsail schooner. The mainsail as the only square sail improves the manoeuvrability of this schooner version. A cosy mess room, a galley and six guest cabins with two berths each were built into the former hold.
"Albatross" starred in the BBC television series "Onedin Line" and in a documentary about Charles Darwin"
The owners dispensed with modern, bulky superstructures on deck. This guarantees the helmsman a clear view to this day. It also offers plenty of free space. The low superstructures and harmonious lines also ensure that the ship looks almost true to the original. "Esther Lohse" sailed on adventure trips with passengers and played an important role in some episodes of the highly successful BBC television series "The Onedin Line", which ran from 1971 to 1980 and was also shown in the German early evening programme. Filming on board was to take place much later. Parts of an ARD-Alpha documentary about Charles Darwin were filmed on the "Albatros" in 2009.
"We are still in contact with Kent Lohse, the son of Esther and Erling Lohse, to this day," says Jörn Kallas. "For the ship's 75th birthday in 2017, we took 'Albatros' to the harbour festival in its former home port of Juelsminde. Some other older Danes came on board who still knew the ship as the stone fisherman 'Esther Lohse'." Juelsminde will definitely be called at more often. But not today. Around 1 p.m. it's time to turn back. "Ready to tack," calls helmsman Matthias Janke. However, the Baltic Sea wave proves to be just too high for "Albatros" to turn sufficiently far through the wind until the jib comes back. So a jibe after all. It always succeeds, and today too at the first attempt. Now on a southerly course, the mizzen is also set, which allows more height upwind. "She sails quite well downwind," says skipper Kallas. The fact that the sails, which are calculated according to the latest findings, are only four years old also contributes to this. "A half-wind course is perfect for us, of course, but she doesn't behave so well downwind."
Kallas states a maximum speed of 9 to 9.5 knots. On longer trips, however, he prefers to couple very cautiously with an average speed of just three knots. The engine should really only be used in exceptional circumstances. Towards the Kiel Fjord, "Albatros" is now running impressively well downwind. From the wing of the steeply rising jib boom, she gives an impressive impression as she pushes powerfully through the Baltic Sea. Only the topsail over the main and the flyer as the fourth headsail are missing for full sail.
Skipper Jörn Kallas grew up on the "Albatros"
The fact that the sail area is spread over three masts makes handling the individual sails easy and uncomplicated, which is particularly advantageous for (young) sailing beginners. Jörn Kallas also came on board the "Albatros", the ship on which his father was already sailing as an engineer, for the first time at the age of 13. At first, Kallas was simply a co-sailor, then trained as a machinist on traditional ships, eventually acquiring a recreational sailing licence in 1997 and later a traditional skipper's certificate and a recreational offshore skipper's licence.
I have also chartered, although I don't necessarily have to be the skipper on a yacht. But I do on the 'Albatros'."
"I only very rarely sail on a yacht," says Kallas. "I've also chartered, but I don't necessarily have to be the skipper on a yacht. But I do on the 'Albatros'." It is his favourite boat, which he represents as a member of the Clipper Skippers' Council. "But I sail on all Clipper ships. I also really like the 'Amphitrite', and on the 'Johnny' ('JohannSmidt')I enjoy sailing further afield than just on the Baltic Sea."
"But I've been sailing on the 'Albatros' for 38 years and have met most of my friends here on numerous trips," says the 51-year-old, who is responsible for dangerous goods in northern Germany at Deutsche Bahn Cargo. Of course, the knowledge of his technical profession always comes in handy on the 80-year-old wooden ship.
"Albatros" is in good condition
After the purchase by Clipper in 1978, it soon became clear that the "Albatros" had not been left unscathed by its time as a stone fisherman. Since then, numerous frames and planks have been replaced, and the keel, which was clearly sagging, has been replaced. Damage caused by ramming also had to be repaired from time to time, as Thorsten Tietjen reports in his book. Founded in 1867, the Ring-Andersen shipyard in Svendborg has been a competent partner for the volunteer crew in all aspects of wooden shipbuilding since 1983.
The engineers take care of the ageing machines, aggregates and piping systems, and the constant tightening of safety regulations for traditional ships means that there is no room for boredom either. "But the 'Albatros' is in good condition, we have that in writing," explains Jörn Kallas. "This is certainly also ensured by the fact that, in addition to the safety certificate as a German traditional ship, the class as a merchant ship is still maintained."
'Albatros' is in good condition, we have that in writing"
"Life is normal at sea", Felix Graf Luckner is said to have once said. 15 people are visibly enjoying this top-class sailing day. Only the several machinists on board can't resist tinkering here and there. Below deck, the functional galley is a hive of activity as the "Albatros" sails into the Kiel Fjord. Smutje Rainer Beckmann prepares dinner together with his daughter Skadi.
Living in a maritime hut atmosphere
Directly adjacent to the open galley is the rustic, cosy mess room, where name boards with the former ship's names hang and the solid interior planking of the wooden schooner can be seen. There is an aft cabin and two twin cabins in the foredeck. Aft of the mess room there are two six-person cabins and two toilets. At the end of the corridor is the engine room. On the aft superstructure is the heavy diesel exhaust pipe, which has to be lowered when the mainsail is set. The main boom cam cannot get past the exhaust on the starboard bow.
"With 120 hp, the ship is not particularly well motorised," says Jörn Kallas. "The jib boom and the yards also offer a lot of windage." The fact that the engine has no reversing gear makes engine manoeuvres even more challenging. The main engine and the pitch of the controllable pitch propeller are controlled via handwheels at the helm. Steering itself requires strength. A chain leads from the steering wheel directly to the quadrant on the rudder blade. From the helm station, you enter the navigation room, which is adjacent to the captain's cabin with its two berths.
We have also sailed close to a pier."
Heikendorf-Reede is almost reached. Kallas wants to anchor here overnight so that he can sail back to Eckernförde with the south-westerly wind forecast for tomorrow. An anchoring manoeuvre under sail, what else? The engine is not started at all. "After all, we've already sailed close to a pier." The sails are gradually hoisted. It is shortly before 9 p.m. when the starboard anchor is dropped. The square-reefed Mars ensures a slight astern movement to bury the anchor. The log shows 49 pure sailing miles just twelve hours after casting off from Eckernförde. This is truly sailing in its most original form.
Technical data three-masted topsail schooner "Albatros"
- Building yard: K. A. Tommerup, Hobro, Denmark
- Year of construction: 1942
- Owner: Clipper - Deutsches Jugendwerk zur See e. V.
- Home harbour: Bremerhaven
- Displacement: 99 t
- Torso length: 25,77 m
- Length over everything: 35,70 m
- Width:6,87 m
- Depth: 3,05 m
- Mast height above WL: 25,8 m
- sail area: 300 m², spread over nine sails
- Machine: Alpha diesel 120 hp (88 kW)
- Berths: 26
Clipper Association - German Youth Organisation at Sea (DJS)
The Clipper - Deutsches Jugendwerk zur See (DJS) association was entered in the Bremen register of associations on 5 March 1973. The Clipper's aim was and is to keep traditional seamanship alive and make it tangible. The underlying "Outward Bound" idea was developed in the 1940s by the educationalist Kurt Hahn. Hahn wanted to combine leisure activities and education in responsibility, adventure and service, cheerfulness and - sometimes - hard work.
More than 50 ships and yachts came to Kiel for "Operation Sail" in 1972. Among them was the "Seute Deern", a gaff-rigged ketch built in 1939 in Svendborg, Denmark, as the "Havet". At the end of 1963, the Foundation for Training Ships and the German Training Ship Association bought the 36 metre long boat, which was then called "Noona Dan". As the "Seute Deern", it was to continue to provide nautical training on a sailing ship after a conversion, which was no longer required as a prerequisite for obtaining a nautical licence in the manning regulations for merchant ships after the sinking of the "Pamir" in 1957.
However, the demand from shipping companies for cruises on the "Seute Deern" soon dried up. From 1973, the founding members of Clipper were able to charter the "Seute Deern" to teach young people seamanship on sailing ships. The first season was difficult with just seven sailing trips and hardly any money in the coffers. But Clipper gained a foothold and grew steadily. The association now has over 4,000 members and organises around 75 trips a year. Since the association was founded, over 75,000 sailors have been guests on the four ships owned by the association.
In addition to the "Albatros", the three-masted schooner "Amphitrite" (built in 1887), the gaff ketch "Seute Deern" (built in 1939) and the two-masted schooner "Johann Smidt" (built in 1974) sail under the Clipper flag. Their cruising area is the Baltic Sea, mainly between the coasts of Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. During the Tall Ships' Races, however, it also travelled to southern Finland, the Baltic states and Russia. The "Johann Smidt" also sails outside the Baltic Sea. The regular crew on clipper ships consists of a captain, three helmsmen, an engineer and a cook. Since 2007, annual training cruises have been organised for prospective volunteer crew members, of which there are currently around 500.
- Further information at clipper-djs.org
