Barely two years ago, the "Alexander von Humboldt II" took up service as the successor to the famous "Beck's" ship as a sailing training vessel. The new build cost 15 million euros at the time. Now the operating organisation, the German Sail Training Foundation (DSST) SOS. In its online edition today, the "Nordsee-Zeitung" DSST board spokesman Jürgen Hinrichs: "We are up to our necks in water."
Too few bookings are to blame for the acute financial emergency. DSST is therefore changing the winter cruise programme of the "Alex II". Canaries instead of Caribbean is now the motto. "We were probably too ambitious with our idea of offering transatlantic voyages two years in a row," surmises Hinrichs. Although the cruise plan was generally well received, many regular crew members and trainees had problems coping with the comparatively high flight costs.
However, without a certain minimum number of regular crew, the tall ship is not allowed to sail, and the income from the cruise fees of the paying crew members is important for financing the ship's operation. "That's why we decided to have the 'Alex II' spend the winter in the Canary Islands, which are much easier to reach," explains Hinrichs.
The high flight costs may indeed be one reason for the declining interest in travelling on the square-rigged ship as a trainee. Another is probably the lack of marketing for the ship, as Hinrichs admits to the "Nordsee-Zeitung" newspaper: "Marketing solely via our website is not enough," says Hinrichs. "We have to tap into a new customer market in order to survive." Too little is known about the fact that active holidays can be enjoyed on the "Alex". "We have to emphasise that."
The Changed sailing plan now envisages one- to two-week round trips, mostly from the base harbour of Santa Cruz/Tenerife. However, the DSST team are not fooling themselves and expect that the "Alex II" will probably be moored at the pier for longer periods during particularly slack booking periods in the coming months.
The Christmas voyage from 21 to 28 December will take the barque to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where the New Year's Eve cruise will also begin and end. It will then return to Bremerhaven at the beginning of March 2014 with stopovers in the Azores and St Malo.
A large portrait of the new "Alex II" was published in YACHT 9/2012.
Background: the DSST
The German Sail Training Foundation (DSST) was founded in 1986 with the aim of introducing people to ocean sailing on traditional ships. More than 35,000 men and women have already taken up this offer in the past.
The DSST thrives on the voluntary commitment of its members. Its central concern is the training of young sailors on square-rigged sailing boats. This is not possible without a core team. To be accepted, you have to go through several stages.
The journey begins as a trainee. These are teenagers or young adults who are on board a ship for the first time on the "Alex". Anyone who can prove that they have sailed 1,000 nautical miles, are able to sail at sea and have mastered the basics of rigging, sails and manoeuvres can be tested as a light seaman and from then on only pay half of the travel costs.
After a further 1000 nautical miles and the acquisition of seamanship skills, the sailor's examination follows. If you want to become a top seaman, you have to be able to master all manoeuvres in your sleep and carry out seamanship tasks on deck and in the rigging. The "Toppsis" lead a watch, teach the junior crew, ensure safety and motivate their crew even in heavy weather. In addition to good people management, this also requires a good deal of pedagogical skill.
Pascal Schürmann
Editor YACHT
