Andreas Book and Claudius Callsen will not forget this day in a hurry: In the spring of this year, the two boys from Kappeln went about launching their new acquisition. As they have often done on other ships, they knocked off the harness when the crane entrusted the "Suzanne" to its element to be moved under the mast crane. This piece of jewellery, which they had previously only known from the hall, was to become a sea-going ship again.
The "Suzanne" is a 7-KR yacht built entirely from Burma teak in 1965 by Meeusen in Holland according to plans by Anton Miglitsch. The two sailing friends came to her literally like the virgin to the child. And when they decided to get involved with this traditionally built wooden ship, they became passionate classic fans overnight.
Click through the details of the "Suzanne":
"Sure, the ship has been ashore for a while and had to swell up," says Callsen. Now he sits in the cockpit, looks contentedly into the mainsail and pulls on the sheet. Book has the tiller in his hand and continues: "I didn't think the ship would go down so quickly. I said after slipping: 'I'll have a look', but by then it was already full. The batteries, everything was under water, the floorboards were floating. The boat builder then provisionally sealed the plank seams in the underwater hull with tallow on land. And there were no problems on the second attempt."
Today the "Suzanne" is watertight. Under the floorboards, the Owatrol-coated bilge is dry as dust. The entire ship is in immaculate condition. The paintwork surfaces are gleaming, the teak deck is a silvery grey, and below deck it smells fresh and not at all like an old wooden ship. The large aluminium rig from 2004 carries a little-used sail wardrobe and keeps both the "Suzanne" and her crew on their toes.
"Ready for the turnaround!" Andreas Book doesn't wait long for an answer. He doesn't have to. He and Callsen are well-rehearsed as they tack up the small width behind Arnis against a fresh north-westerly wind, and when Book leaves the channel neither of them has to look at the plotter.
"We've both always been on the water," says Book, who went sailing with his parents as a child and later had an intense time on various regatta boats. Callsen learnt to sail as an Opti child at the Arniss Sailing Club, sat in various dinghies and sailed regattas in an H-boat.
An inconspicuous advert attracted the owners
The fact that they now own a classic boat together is pure coincidence. In autumn 2021, an inconspicuous advertisement appeared in the "Schleiboten" with the text "Wooden boat for sale". "Without a picture, without anything," remembers Book. "We stumbled across it, were amused and didn't take it seriously at all."
Until one day they learnt which ship it was. "We knew it, because it had been parked here at Ancker for some time," says Callsen. And Book describes how surprised they were that such a treasure was hidden behind the inconspicuous advert. "We had initially joked that someone was trying to get rid of their flowerpot from the front garden, but it was this fantastic boat!"
From that moment on, it was all over for the friends. "We were shockingly in love," says Book. And they decided to form an owners' association. "We thought that if we did it together, it would be easier to tackle a classic. Because the suffering is then shared. We realised that a wooden boat like this involves high costs and a lot of work."
They didn't know much more back then. Not about wooden boats in general and certainly not about the "Suzanne" in particular. They only gradually learn what kind of gem they are dealing with here as part of their research.
The previous owner had taken over the ship on the Elbe in 2012, managed it as "Libertas II" with its home port of Hamburg on the Schlei and won the restoration prize of the Freundeskreis Klassische Yachten in 2014. And this is where the yacht's CV was finally found.
The eventful history of the "Suzanne"
The Kiel secondary school teacher Dr Horst Pudenz had the sea cruiser's keel laid in 1965 in Breskens near Meeusen in the Netherlands and sailed it on regattas and voyages under the banner of the sailing club Baltic with its home port of Kiel. Pudenz named his ship "Suzanne". The first measurement certificate identifies it as a 7-KR yacht, sail number 177.
After being sold to Dr Gross from Flensburg, the ship was renamed "Silke IV" and measured as a 6-KR yacht. Gross also took the ship on numerous sea races until he sold it to Peter Baer from Hamburg. He used his "Karolin" as a cruising ship until 2010.
The restored Taylor paraffin cooker, which is now back in use, is a good example of the meticulousness of the restoration work. The same applies to the ship's still first, completely original lull slide.
Under Baer, the ship was lovingly cared for over many years, with regular major overhauls carried out at the Wegener shipyard in Wedel. A new engine foundation was built, the stern tube was replaced, the teak deck and superstructure roof were renewed and the entire underwater hull was refurbished. In addition, the ex-"Suzanne", which was still measured as a 6-KR yacht, was given a new rig. The higher mast profile now allowed for a sail that had almost ten square metres more surface area than originally planned.
In 2010, the yacht was then sold to Danny Podeusz, who called it "Ravelin Horn" in the Haseldorfer Marsch and then sold it on to Günther Meyer after two years of intensive work. Meyer also had the ship repaired at the Wegener shipyard. He christened it "Libertas II" - because that was the name of his first ship - and returned it to the original sail number of the 7-KR survey. He had the keel bolts replaced and bolted together with new stainless steel cradles. The ship was fitted with new tanks, new pipes, new sanitary facilities, a boiler and heating. The sea valves were replaced and the original Volvo Penta MD 2 from the year of construction was overhauled. All the necessary woodwork was carried out on deck, the electrics were renewed below deck and minor changes were made to the fixtures and fittings.
After viewing the yacht during the German Classics in Laboe in 2014, the jury of the restoration award praised the yacht's originality in particular: "The jury is particularly impressed by the saloon, which has now been restored to its original state, and all the lovingly realised details. With an interior layout that reflects the spirit of the time and not today's convenience. The restored Taylor paraffin cooker, which is now back in use, is a good example of the meticulousness of the restoration. The same applies to the ship's still first, completely original lull slide. Here, the harbour manoeuvres have to be carried out as in the past, and the cruise planning is dictated by the weather conditions - that's how it is, sailing a classic."
"Suzanne" should not be a museum piece
Book and Callsen have given the ship back its first name and want to sail it in future in the spirit of the client, primarily in regattas, but also with family and friends in their native Baltic Sea region. Maintaining a classic is new territory for the pair. "We don't yet know how long we'll enjoy it," says Book, "we're also spoilt by the ease of maintenance of our modern boats. Nevertheless, we're taking a very relaxed approach."
We always hear that in the harbour: 'Great ship! But we were never looking for a classic."
Their attitude may have something to do with the support they receive from the wooden boat builders in their home town. Even before the first season, "Suzanne" received the necessary care at a shipyard, and the order for various jobs in the coming winter has already been placed. Always with a view to ensuring that "Suzanne" can be moved. She should not be maintained as a museum piece. "We are people who live like this," says Book. "We both have an old farm, we drive classic cars and have always had an affinity for classic yachts." And so, although neither of them had ever looked for a classic yacht, the "Suzanne" is the fulfilment of a dream that lay dormant deep inside them.
Regattas from Laboe to Saint-Tropez
"When you're sitting in Schleimünde, looking out over the water and a boat like that passes by ...", says Callsen, stopping in mid-sentence. Nevertheless, it is clear what he wants to say. That it was this image of wood and traditional lines that he has had in his head since childhood. Together, the friends have now realised this secret dream. And created space for new desires. "We want to do something with the ship," says Book. And Callsen talks about the debut this year at the German Classics in Laboe, when the owners took part in a classic regatta with their regatta crew for the first time.
"We felt right at home there and immediately sailed to second place, despite having a new boat and a crew sailing on it for the first time." The experience fully confirmed the decision in favour of their "Suzanne". "We quickly understood the boat," says Callsen. "You quickly get to know the old lady well."
Motivated by this, Andreas Book and Claudius Callsen are already planning their next adventures for the coming season. The boat is to be transported by land to the south of France to take part in the famous Mediterranean regatta Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. "We want to attack with the boat," say the two, looking at each other mischievously and laughing.
Technical data "Suzanne"
- Design engineerAnton Miglitsch
- Building yard: Meeusen, Breskens 1965/66
- Material:Teak on oak
- Length × width:11,15 × 3,18 m
- Depth: 1,50 m
- Weight: 8,0 t
- sail area: 68 m²
