Our concept for trainees is not about separation of minds or abilities for 24 trainees. Anyone over 18 who trained, wants to follow or is doing a marine course is
welcome aboard. The journey takes about 6 months, payment is the legal (Dutch) minimum wage, including all insurance premiums, etc. regardless of the expense for
the training. It is not a pleasure trip, not an introduction, falls outside the (Dutch) compulsory education law, but, if desired, it is a (voluntary) part of a maritime school.
The students are assisted by an experienced regular crew and professional teachers.
To navigate the seas not needless we follow for example the Tall Ship Races and visit other maritime events worldwide. In this special cases, 40 trainees can invited
from all continents for an unforgettable experience.
There is an ongoing controversy about what constitutes an historic replica vessel. Basically, there are different degrees of historical accuracy in replicas and
reproductions. The most accurate are built with historically appropriate tools, methods and materials. This may imply being built with hand tools alone, having hemp
rigging and flaxen sails and, unfortunately, whole oak forests die for most of this large wooden not commercial vessels, most built as historic replicas, not for sailing.
After long years of building, this reproductions are limited to merely being displayed in a museum environment and it costs a lot of money to keep this ships floating.
It is unfortunate that people have to travel to see these vessels instead of the ships sail to the people and thereby can be used for travelers and trainees.
But if a vessel will be sailed, especially if it carries passengers for hire and in combination with trainees, some changes must be made for safety purposes and to satisfy
the regulatory authorities. These may include the addition of an auxiliary engine, the use of wire rigging and the modification of the historical form to gain a sufficient
range of stability.
FRIESLAND is the first of a reproduction, the FRIESLAND, builded in steel on an existing seagoing casco. That vessel, which was first built 1663 for the admiralty
of Friesland, was one of the biggest warships with 80 piece cannonry that time. It sails for nearly 30 years and just scrapped by age in 1692 after a lot of sea battles
under command of Tjerk Hiddes de Vries.
Also as part of the fleet "Verenigde Provincien van Holland" at the sea battle near Solebay against the British-French Fleet, 1672.
The new vessel will be licensed as both a small passenger carrying vessel and a sailing school ship on ocean routes worldwide.