Every summer, many German yachts head for Copenhagen. Quite a few of them carry on to Skagen and Gothenburg, or even eastwards to Stockholm, Bornholm and Visby. Why do so few find their way to the Netherlands? ‘Ah, the North Sea!’ is the usual response. High and low tides, and nowhere to find a harbour to take shelter in when the weather turns. No cosy anchorage for a peaceful night’s rest. It’s all true! But one mustn’t forget that the Baltic Sea has its own whims too and, if you’re unlucky, can leave you stranded in some backwater for eight days, even in the middle of summer. If the barometer is reasonably stable, the route across the North Sea from the mouth of the Elbe along the coast is certainly manageable, and once you’re in Dutch inland waters, that’s when the comfortable sailing begins. The only difficulty perhaps lies in the draught of our seagoing cruisers. For boats with a draught of more than 1.60 m, sailing there is naturally difficult, but for inland motorboats, the Dutch sailing area is ideal. There, you discover a new and very appealing way of sailing, and what puts some people off – the tides – is skilfully exploited by the Dutch.
For example, the races on the Meuse take the form of ‘relay sailing’. At an agreed time, such as on a Friday evening, the starting signal is given. A course announced in advance must be sailed, and a specified number of points must be visited. The relevant lock keepers must issue a certificate confirming that the yacht has actually passed through there. The skill involved in these races, which always last several days, lies in navigating the Meuse – which branches into many channels – and its tributaries whilst making the most of the tides, as the flood tide begins at different times at various points and counter-currents come into play. A thorough knowledge of the terrain is, of course, essential. A ‘fox hunt’ is also a popular activity. One of the participating boats is designated the ‘fox’; it is given a head start of around twelve hours and must then go into hiding. The task of the others is to track down this ‘fox’ in the intricate waterways. It goes without saying that speed is not the decisive factor in this type of sport.
The Dutch therefore almost without exception display the type of their fishing vessels. They are either ‘Bojer’ – heavy, high-sided vessels, very full-bodied at the bow and stern, with leeboards and a flat bottom – or, similar to the Zuidersee fishing boats, so-called ‘Boter’, which are also high at the bow but have a sharper profile with a gently sloping stern. Of course, there are also proper centreboard boats.
In order not to neglect training through competitive sailing on small, nimble vessels, various standardised boat types have been introduced. At the invitation of Mr van Campen, editor of the Dutch water sports magazine *Het Nederlandsche Zeewezen*, I had the opportunity to watch a dinghy race at the rowing and sailing club ‘De Kaag’. The club’s distinctive boathouse, converted from an old thatched farmhouse – the former cowshed is now the dining room – is situated near the university town of Leiden, not far from Amsterdam. In little Holland, everything is ‘not far away’ and easily accessible thanks to the excellent transport links. Around 18 members had gathered to compete in a number of qualifying races in ten one-design dinghies. The winners were awarded points, and at the end, a joint race takes place between the points winners from the various clubs to decide the national championship. The dinghies procured for this purpose are made by Rasmussen and are sailed by a single person. In strong winds, it takes a great deal of sailing skill to handle the slender boats without reefing, and the ‘heavyweight champions’, who use themselves as living ballast, then have the advantage. The dinghies belonging to the Dutch Yachting Association are excellently maintained, may only be used for races, and are towed from one regatta venue to the next.
It is hard to imagine a greater contrast to these light, pretty boats than the heavy, comfortable cruising yachts moored at the clubhouse jetty. I was a guest on ‘Brandaris’, the large, exceptionally well-maintained yacht belonging to Mr Lucassen, chairman of the ‘De Kaag’ club and president of the Dutch Yachting Association. Never, neither in Scandinavia nor here at home, have I seen a yacht’s living quarters that were so luxuriously and, at the same time, so extraordinarily cosily furnished. It was clear that this was the home of a married couple for whom the boat served as a floating home for many summer months. In keeping with the cold spring weather, a sturdy iron stove radiated cosy warmth, and an Indian steward in crisp white uniform mixed sophisticated cocktails with a wistful smile. As I left the hospitable vessel, my gaze fell upon an inscription affixed to the cabin stairs, which is characteristic of the Dutch people’s hospitable and gracious nature. Translated into German, it read: “When will you visit us again?”
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