In the beginning, it is just a picture on the wall in Otto Schröder's study. It shows a fishing boat from the century before last. High bow, low working stern - so close to the water. And if you take away the smell of fish: a sailing dream. Only with its 18 metres would the original be too big to be suitable as a cruising yacht for two people. But what if the hull were smaller, around ten metres?
Schröder is an architect, he knows about the effect of shapes and lines. They are marvellously asymmetrical on the ewer, which arouses emotions. And so, 30 years ago, he began to draw a sailing refuge for himself and his Bruni, who still bore her maiden name Lauff, but whom he wanted to marry the following year.
Otto from Ganderkesee on the Weser and Bruni from Mardorf on the Steinhuder Meer have both been addicted to sailing since they were teenagers. But they only got to know each other when they were around 50. And so the name was decided before the keel of the boat was laid: "Alte Liebe".
More portraits of traditional boats:
An original ewer as a role model
A trip takes the couple to Munich. A Finkenwerder Fischewer from 1880, the "Maria", is on display in the Deutsches Museum. The panelling is cut out in places, allowing a clear view of the hull construction and proportions. The pair have a cornucopia of ideas for their own project.
However, Bruni Lauff-Schröder also has her own ideas that she wants to see realised. After all, she has been a dinghy sailor since the age of 15 - no regatta without her. In 2014, at the age of 76, she took her 42nd golden sports badge. And in 1994, sport is even higher on her list. "The bow is far too full. We want to sail, not bob along," she says, for example. "If we want to set off, then make the bow narrower, even if it costs the double berth!" And that's what Otto does. He draws two pilot berths overlapping at the feet in the forepeak. This even creates space for a dressing bench.
And so it goes on. They plan together, he puts their ideas on paper. Below deck, they decide on white surfaces - they bring in more light - as well as contrasting mahogany mouldings to emphasise the classic lines. Brass bulleys and, on the deck, brass nails, teak blocks and even self-tailing bronze winches go well with this.
A cruising yacht with tradition
They continue to develop their boat with this combination of traditional elements and modern technology. Because they don't want to copy a Fischewer at any price. Rather, they want a cruising yacht that brings their love of the sea together on long journeys.
The boat should be neither too high-maintenance nor energy-sapping. A wooden hull is therefore out of the question. Applying eight coats of clear varnish year after year is something they have celebrated since they were young. Now they want to have time to sail. With a ship that is visually distinctive and robust enough to survive even a minor collision undamaged. They decide in favour of a steel construction.
Professionals help with the planning
When the sail plan for the Ketsch is finalised, the professionals have to get to work: shipbuilding designer Matthias Jetschke draws the hull. The Wilhelm boatyard from Wilhelmshaven, an hour's drive from Ganderkesee, was awarded the contract for welding.
Six millimetre thick steel plates hold the 30 millimetre thick floor plate. The keel gangway is five millimetres thick, the sheerlegs are four millimetres thick and the deck is three millimetres thick. Before painting, the hull is sandblasted and receives various two-component anti-corrosion coatings from paint specialist Wohlert, who, like them, is from the banks of the Weser. Finally, the rubbing strakes are made of stainless steel.
The construction time is tight, the wedding date is approaching and Bruni and Otto want to set off on their honeymoon with "Alte Liebe". They actually manage to complete the project in just one year.
Off to the honeymoon
When the shipyard crane lowered their boat into the peat-brown water of the Ems-Jade Canal in Wilhelmshaven in mid-June 1995, they were relieved. The hull is tight, they only have to put 75 kilograms of lead on the bottom at the front for fine trimming. Then their "Alte Liebe" is ready to go.
You can go anywhere with the boat, 90 centimetres of draught offer plenty of freedom of movement in shallow waters. The powerful floor plate is both collision protection and ballast. And thanks to the one metre wide keel sole, you can fall dry without tipping over, even on stony ground.
But how does she perform under sail, this "fish box" from the century before last with its low masts and proud weight of eight and a half tonnes? You have more or less constructed it at random and invested 360,000 marks in the process - without being able to orientate yourself on reference objects. Last but not least, this requires a great deal of courage and confidence.
The first blow - pure suspense
After rigging the main mast and mizzen, the couple waited anxiously for the gates of the Wilhelmshaven lock to open for the first stroke on the Jade. Otto Schröder remembers: "Bruni had insisted on extending the one-tonne centreboard to make it easier to cross." For this reason, a step in front of the galley was necessary to accommodate the centreboard in the hull, "but with a draught of 2.20 metres, we now have a considerable lateral plan." It works.
Schröder estimates that her "Alte Liebe" sails 45 degrees upwind, but this cannot be precisely verified during the trial run in the tidal current of the Jade. The boat also cuts a fine figure downwind: although a light Gib'Sea 282 has set a blister, she only passes very slowly. The gaff mainsail is very effective on downwind courses, and the mast rings fall down easily without pinching when the boat is hoisted.
Surprised and delighted, the couple realised during their first outings that their boat was running quite smoothly and that the pre-balanced oak rudder was easy to handle. The wife only found the many "brown rags" awkward at first, whereas the husband found them practical because they could be adjusted to any wind.
Under full sail, the "Alte Liebe" has a whopping 95 square metres of sail area - impressive for a ten-metre hull. The sail plan is divided into main (26.1 m²), mizzen (10.1 m²), jib (14.2 m²), tacking jib (10.9 m²), botter jib (16.6 m²), topsail (7.2 m²) and mizzen staysail (10.2 m²).
Doesn't the mizzen bother you when steering? Definitely not: "Its shrouds in particular provide additional support - you can always find something to hold on to in rough seas. Even the halyards find their place on the brass nails without getting in the way," says Bruni Lauff-Schröder. The cockpit table has special recesses for this purpose.
Amazing comfort
Only when they had passed 70 did they retrofit their boat to make it a little more comfortable to manoeuvre. First and foremost, the 2.60 metre long jib boom is stored away; they replace it with a furling jib that is only one metre short. This not only makes setting sail and harbour manoeuvres easier. Climbing over the bow onto the jetty is also a little easier.
The fact that Otto Schröder not only knows how to use a pencil and ruler is evident from the many details on and below deck. For example, the tiller in the shape of an eel the length of an eel lies perfectly in the hand. The owner carved it himself, just as he turned all the ornamental woodwork on the coaming below deck and neatly set the windows of the companionway in brass.
The charcoal stove that dominates the main bulkhead is also an eye-catcher. Not a bad idea, as the small burner produces hardly any ash and no flying sparks from the short chimney on deck. What's more, charcoal does not smoke, which pleases neighbours.
Clever heating solution
A discreetly concealed radiator is connected to the machine's cooling water circuit so that it is already warm when mooring on cold days. Hot water is then also supplied from a 30-litre boiler. "In tidal waters, the odd engine hour is unavoidable," says Otto Schröder. Hot water, regulated by the engine thermostat, is quickly available from the taps or in the heating system. Why not make use of this when any plumber can make the connections, the owner points out.
A pump is connected to the boiler and a shower head is installed in the cockpit. The water flows out through the bilge pipes in the cockpit. Advantage: No moisture forms below deck, otherwise a large hatch would have been necessary in the small bathroom. And with a flow temperature of 80 degrees, the small boiler is always sufficient for mixing with cold water.
On the other hand, who wants to shower in the cockpit, especially at this latitude? "That's not a problem. When you're at anchor or at sea, there are no other people looking at you," explains Lauff-Schröder.
They don't need to worry about running out of water either. They carry 280 litres of fresh water in three tanks. The diesel supply is 200 litres.
The motto: "Ora et laboura"
The pilot berths also catch the eye. Rays of sunlight stream through the bulleys with their solid wooden surrounds over cushions decorated with maritime motifs. Although easily accessible, every sailor has the feeling of having their own retreat.
Back on deck: The radar antenna is attached to the top of the mizzen mast, and at the foot of the main mast is a cogwheel winch in the age-old maritime tradition. The words "Ora et labora" - "pray and work" - are appropriately emblazoned above it; this is less about the religious background than the discipline and labour required to build a special boat and steer it safely on the high seas. In the past, this winch was used on workboats to lift heavy loads: full nets, barrels, cargo of all kinds. It is mounted high enough on deck to replace the anchor winch if necessary or to operate a warp anchor. Admittedly, it is rarely used, but it is a wonderful eye-catcher.
They have hardly had any breakdowns on their travels so far. Only once did their Peugeot-based Vetus diesel engine falter when they were sailing off the French coast. A problem with the fuel pump from the separate day tank, easily fixed.
Sailed as far as the Bay of Biscay
The Schröders have also been to the Gulf of Morbihan, the Channel Islands and Belle Ile. They put the bow into the Bay of Biscay. All challenging destinations. "The boat has proved its worth," says Otto Schröder. "We can get anywhere with a shallow draught." And if they were waiting for the tidal current to capsize en route or needed a break in heavy weather, they could easily turn round with the boat.
After a long day of testing, chops with potato salad are served. Their attention to detail is reflected in the table setting of the "Alte Liebe", a wedding and christening present: the boat's name is engraved on the cutlery and the handmade clay mugs are mementos from a trip to Hallig Hooge. You can also get there very well with little draught.
But the Schröders' time with their "old love" is coming to an end. Old age! They are planning to sell the boat, "without haste", as they emphasise. As long as nothing comes of it, they just keep on sailing.
This article first appeared in YACHT 23/2014. The "Alte Liebe" was sold shortly afterwards and is still sailing in the Netherlands today.
Technical data "Alte Liebe"
- Design: O. Schröder
- Construction: M. Jetschke
- Shipyard/Year: Wilhelm/1995
- Length over everything: 11,40 m
- Length above deck: 9,88 m
- Waterline length: 8,72 m
- Width: 3,60 m
- Depth: 0,90-2,10 m
- Weight: 8,5 t
- sail area: 95,3 m²
- Motor: 4-cyl. Peugeot, 52 hp
