A Weeks volunteering on the 1989 replica ship Halve Maen, Hoorn. Holland
The original ship set sail in 1609. Captained by the Englishman, Henry Hudson, who was commissioned by the Dutch East India company to discover a North West passage to China.
As they have already found the passage, the plan for the week was to make a new mast from two old ones, alter the knee on the transom to take the mast and add a donkey head. All to fly a spectacular ensign, after which a few rigging alterations were made to test the launch and recovery of the ships boat via the yards. Then at the opening weekend of the sailing season, to entertain the visitors with a series of demonstration, sailing the ship with a bunch of characters from a historical re-enactment group in the harbour of Hoorn.

A view of the inner harbour

Riggers bucket

Ghosts of the past

An interesting logo in the ships yard – VOC, officially known as the Dutch: Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie or United East India Company. Established in 1602, the Dutch East India Co is often considered to be the forerunner of modern corporations.

Halve Maen on the quayside

A riggers presence

The bow of the Halve Maen

Ships leaving Hoorn in the early morning

Early morning, Hoorn

The plan for changing the knee

Ron Groenestein explains the changes we are to make

Altering the knee from the transom

Sketching out the cutting marks

Finishing the measurements

Extending the original bolt holes

Putting the revised knee in place

Fitting the bolts

Creating the two sides of the scarf joint to make a new mast

A general view of the new mast glued up

A view of the glued joint

A good join was made

On both sides

Ron Groenestein working on the Donkey head

The progress on the donkey head

The workshop

Climbing the rig

Checking the rig over

Descending the main mast stay in a bosuns chair

Explaining the rigging procedure

The view below

Altering the rig to haul the ships boat via the yards

A weekend of Historic re-enactment displays in Hoorn harbour.  Featuring the Halve Maen ship arriving and departing under sail, cannon fire, the launch and recovery of the ships boat using the yard arms as cranes and the charging and discharging of cargoes by crew in period dress.

Canon fire

Boats toing and froing

Setting sail

Setting sail

Working in the rig

Setting sail

Keeping the decks clear

The ship underway

Coiling the ropes

Preparing to tack

Heading for open water

Departing Hoorn

Pretty as a picture

The Dutch flag flying from the stern

The ship underway

The ship underway

The ship underway

The ship underway

Entering the harbour undersail

Our new flag pole doing the job

The Donkey head is clearly visible

The sunlight streaming in catches the smoke below decks

Canons fired at intervals

The ships boats approaching

Recovering the boats

Recovering the boats

Recovering the boats

Launching the boats

Launching the boats

Launching the boats

A stern view of the launch and recovery rig

Panorama from the Halve Maen masthead, a little distortion but still interesting

View from the Halve Maen mast head

Rob on accordion

Below a few of the characters from the weekends historical re-enactment of a ship of the period. All given titles are suggestions only.

A sailors view of the town of Hoorn

I hope the world isn’t flat

I wonder when I will see her again

“She had a tail like a fish I tell ye. I saw it with my own eyes”

“Shall I compare thee to a summers day”

Waiting for the ship

“Haul on them oars”

Gunports, A 17th century tradesman’s entrance

Its not just the locals who take an interest in a ships arrival

Swivel gun

Preparing to load the rum

Approaching the ship with cargo

Discharging a cargo

The Capitan waiting impatiently for the cargo to be loaded. The weather is changing and he wants to get underway

On the look out for stowaways

I hope I’m not gonna be sea sick this time

Hey you! Step lively there, this is a sailing ship!

Feeling a change in the weather

Peering through the fog

As soon as you have hold of her get a rope around and secure us

A watchful eye

A letter brings news from home

I hope this voyage pays better than the last

As a sea mist drifts into the harbour

keeping out the cold

Heading to the shore

Read more   Halve Maen website – Hoorn, Holland