Traditional sailing for all: Sailing trip connects trainees across national borders
Four days together on deck, braving wind and waves and navigating a historic sailing ship safely across the Baltic Sea as a team - for 16 trainees from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Lithuania, this was an unforgettable experience. As part of the "Baltic Friendship" project, they sailed with the "Belle Amie" to the Hanse Sail and learnt not only nautical skills, but also a lot about teamwork and international understanding. At a follow-up meeting in Rostock four months later, the enthusiasm was still palpable, according to Rostock City Hall. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat," enthuses Piet Baumann, apprentice boat builder at Tamsen Maritim in Rostock.
Maritime craftsmanship connects
The colourful group of budding boat builders, sailmakers, ropemakers, shipping merchants and harbour managers did not know each other for the most part before the trip. However, contacts were quickly made on board. The project was organised for the second time by the Hanse Sail Office in cooperation with the East Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Chamber of Skilled Crafts and the Rostock Chamber of Industry and Commerce. "It's about connecting people, skills and maritime trades," explains Christina Fink, Head of Education at the Chamber of Skilled Crafts. "And we want to show how up-to-date the skilled trades are."
The first leg began in Kiel and took the group straight into choppy waters. This passage lasted twelve hours, during which the participants gradually familiarised themselves with the various tasks on board. "It was wonderful to experience how it works to set sail together with several people," reports Bjarne Uhthoff, also an apprentice at Tamsen Maritim.
The initial language barriers with the Lithuanian participants were quickly overcome. "We spoke a lot of English," recalls Piet Baumann. "It was also a kind of cultural exchange." This shared experience brought the group even closer together. "It wasn't easy to say goodbye," says Bjarne Uhthoff. "We would have been happy to stay on board for a few more days." His colleague Piet adds: "Weeks! I feel sorry for everyone who didn't go through with it."
Bettina Fust, Head of the Hanse Sail Office, is delighted with this positive feedback: "With the Hanse Sail, we not only want to celebrate a great festival, but also ensure that the traditional ships that visit Rostock continue to sail for a long time to come and that maritime craftsmanship and international exchange are promoted."
The "Belle Amie" - a ship with history
The "Belle Amie" is the ideal ship for educational projects like this one. The 110-year-old traditional sailing ship was built in 1915 at the shipyard of the van der Windt brothers in Vlaardingen in the Netherlands and launched on 30 July as the "Wilhelmina Klein". Originally, the sailing lugger was used for driftnet fishing in the North Sea, which was already unusual for the time, as motorised luggers had long been in use. Over the course of its history, it has had various names, including "Maria Catharina", "Helga" and "Prins Axel", and has served as a fishing vessel and cargo ship.
In 1968, the ship was given the name "Belle Amie" and was used for passenger cruises following a conversion. In 1974, the municipality of Danderyd in Stockholm took over the "Belle Amie" as a sail training ship. Since 2019, the "Belle Amie" has belonged to Jörg and Mareike Charles, who, with their Experience the sea" association operate the traditional ship. Jörg Charles runs the ship as captain and professional nautical engineer, while his wife Mareike, who has a degree in education, mainly organises school trips and sailing trips for groups, companies and individual bookings.
The 200-tonne steel colossus with a hull length of 27 metres is one of the larger steel sailing luggers. What is unusual is that the hull has been preserved in its original form to this day and has not been lengthened or shortened. The ship has seven sails: the foresail flyer, jib and foresail, the mainsail and the mizzen as well as a topsail above each. The "Belle Amie" is a fast sailer that can reach up to 10.5 knots and runs a good height at the cross.
With a hull length of 27 metres, it can accommodate up to 25 people on trips lasting several days. On board, everyone can experience traditional seamanship. Under the guidance of the experienced regular crew, participants learn all the necessary skills to sail the ship.
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More about traditional shipping and the lugger "Belle Amie":
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Continuation planned for 2026
Following the success of this year's cruise, the Hanse Sail office is now planning a continuation for 2026. "We are already working on making such an experience possible again next year," says Bettina Fust. To this end, companies throughout the north are currently being sought that support the project or train maritime professions and are prepared to give up their trainees for a few special summer days.
The 35th Hanse Sail will take place in Rostock from 6 to 9 August 2026. If you would like to sail on one of the participating traditional ships yourself, you will find Here is the complete programme with all participating ships. Cruises can already be booked now.
