The year abroad under sail combines school lessons with traditional seamanship on a classic sailing ship. Teachers teach on board throughout the entire voyage, while the regular crew of the "Johann Smidt" leads the schooner. The Ocean College organisation has now officially announced this plan and the expected route.
The route: From Kiel around the world
The "Johann Smidt" will leave Kiel in August 2027 and first head for Vigo in Spain. From there, it will cross the Atlantic through the Panama Canal into the Pacific. The route continues via Tahiti and Fiji on the so-called barefoot route, south past Australia through the Indian Ocean to Cape Town. The return journey follows the Atlantic from south to north with stopovers in Brazil and the Azores. The ship will cover a total of 33,000 nautical miles on this voyage.
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The "Johann Smidt" and the clipper fleet
The two-masted schooner "Johann Smidt", built in the Netherlands in 1974, is the youngest ship in the clipper fleet of the German Maritime Youth Organisation (DJS). The organisation has been in existence since 1973 and is dedicated to promoting traditional seamanship.
Today, the association with over 4,000 members manages four traditional sailing ships: the "Seute Deern" (built in 1939), the "Albatros" (1942), the three-masted gaff schooner "Amphitrite" (1887) and the "Johann Smidt" (1974). The association organises numerous cruises every year, mostly in the Baltic Sea between Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The "Johann Smidt" also sails long voyages and has crossed the Atlantic several times.
Application and costs
Young people aged 15 and over can apply for the 27 places. The closing date for entries is 10 January 2027 and the participation fee is 64,500 euros and includes meals on board, team clothing, entrance fees, shore excursions and visa fees.
Further information and the application form can be found here.
