History.

The Dutch sail trade has by its watery surroundings an impressive history, everyone knows the tales of the brave Dutch sailing the world seas. But also the inland shipping, particularly which of the former Zuiderzee, has a rich history. These, initially wooden, sailing ships were age-long the most important means of transport in the Netherlands. A vast system of canals, rivers and lakes linked the Zuiderzee with the rest of the country. The hard and sometimes dangerously existence on board offered only a miserable income for the skippers family and the many children. Thousands of ships sailed these waters and if there was no wind they moved the ship by pulling it, the rich skipper rented a horse, the poorer one made his family do the work. Well-known ships types such as Tjalken, Clippers, Aaken and Botters, were build in a lot of conformations. Every shipyard had its own design, but also available construction material and the sailing area (depth of the canal, width of a bridge or the length of the locks) led to the eventual result. Then as from 1850 iron, and later steel, was introduced in the ships construction, slowly but certainly the wooden cargo liners disappeared. But the sail remained, mainly because the meanwhile invented steam machine was still much too heavy for the relatively small inland shipping ships. Till far in the twentieth century sailing ships continued set the scene and also such were still built. Just in the thirties a small diesel engine was used for short trips, and sailing in or out of the harbour. In the fifties the sails disappeared completely, a heavy diesel engine in the ship made it always possible to sail. Twenty years later also the ships were abandoned, they were simply too small to make a profit: a modern cargo liner measure nowadays up to 140 meters long and 22 meters wide. A lot of ships were demolished and, others converted to houseboats. But in these days there were also people who were aware of the fact that these ships were a substantial component of our history. The rusty hulls were bought for the price of old iron and the work could start. First of all knowledge had be rediscovered in old books, on old photograph but especially conversations with still live captains who have all experienced it. Beside a lot of time such a restoration also costs money. Trips where organised with friends, family, acquaintance, etc. in order to solve this. At present there are in the Netherlands approximately 500 traditional sailing ships in business. They serve annually over 200,000 tourists transport and directly provide work to 1500 persons. The "Catharina of Mijdrecht" has been built in 1916, as of the last sailing cargo liners on the shipyard Mol at Dedemsvaart. This "Overijsselse Klipperaak' has used its sails until it got an engine in 1950, a Deutz 3 cylinder with 57 hp. This engine lasted till 1996 (!) when it was beyond repair. At last the ship sailed under the name Catrina with sand around the city of Zwolle. When in 1971, the last freight skipper by of old age had stop, it seemed it was also the end for the ship. For quit some time she was docked in a canal with an uncertain future. Until she was bought in 1975, now the renovation could start. After the plans for a work shop ship had failed in 1977, she were resold and renamed to Catharina of Mijdrecht. In the next years the renovation was successfully carried out, whereupon she in 1980, her second career as a passenger ship started. The restoration has been carried out with much attention for original appearance the ship. With skilful discretion an interior was manufactured that still satisfies.