For Laura Lühnenschloß, the path to becoming a rigger did not begin in a workshop, but out on the water. Through windsurfing, a degree in sports science and experiential education, she found her way to the ‘Thor Heyerdahl’. It was there, on her first training voyage in 2014, that she learnt the traditional craft of taklering.
More than just a craft
Lühnenschloß later worked with the Hamburg-based rigger Jochen Gnast, on vessels including the ‘Rickmer Rickmers’ and the ‘Peking’. Today, she runs its own workshop in Marstal, Denmark. At present, the ‘Sea Cloud’ is also one of the ships on whose rigging she is working.
However, their connection to the ‘Thor Heyerdahl’ goes beyond the craft itself. The ship represents a community in which young people take on responsibility and grow through their experiences. The rigging not only defines the appearance of the three-masted ship, but is also a central element of the training on board.
YACHT: What are the distinctive features of the ship’s rigging?
Laura Lühnenschloß: It is a three-masted topsail schooner. This type of rig is particularly well suited to a training ship because it features almost all the main types of sail: three square sails, gaff sails, topsails, staysails and headsails.
The handling is labour-intensive. However, thanks to the rather generously proportioned rigging, everyone in a crew of 30 pupils can get involved. This is precisely where its value for training lies.
The ideal training ship
What’s it like to sail?
As a former cargo ship, the vessel does not sail particularly close to the wind. On the other hand, it is ideal for practical training in setting, striking and reefing the sails. Because the vessel is very stiff, it can still carry a comparatively large sail area even in stronger winds.
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What are the rig’s weaknesses?
The many small sails create areas where the wind is not utilised to its full potential. Fewer, larger sails would be more efficient. For training purposes, however, this division is an advantage: having many individual tasks makes it possible to involve more crew members in a meaningful way.
Requires a lot of care
How much maintenance does the rigging require?
It involves a great deal of work. A maintenance schedule sets out the tasks to be carried out at various intervals: the leather in the rigging is greased every two weeks where possible, and the wires in the standing rigging are treated every six months. Worn running rigging is replaced.
At the shipyard, wooden caulking nails and dismantled wooden blocks are also boiled in linseed oil. This ensures the material remains durable.
More about the “Thor Heyerdahl”:
- Opinion: What binds us together – A flagship volunteering project
- Interview: Detlef Soitzek on his life’s work at sea
- “Thor Heyerdahl”: How volunteers keep the tall ship moving
- A classroom under sail: the “Thor Heyerdahl” has returned to Kiel with 34 pupils on board
- Here Click here to visit the training ship’s website
How does this ship differ from others?
Above all, through the youth work that has been carried out on board for many decades. This is the ship’s key distinguishing feature. The aim is to show young people the experiences and opportunities that life at sea can offer.
More about Laura Lühnenschloß’s work Find out here.
Fabian Boerger
Editor News & Panorama
