Going Dutch: 10 of the best used boats from Holland
Rupert Holmes delves into the rich heritage of Dutch yacht design and takes a closer look at some of the Netherlands’ top used boats
A delve into the rich heritage of yacht design in the Netherlands
For outsiders looking at a map of the Netherlands it would be easy to assume that sailing in yachts of any size primarily takes place only from a handful of ports on the North Sea coast, around the Frisian Islands in the north and in the shallow IJsselmeer and Markermeer inland seas.
However, once you sail in Dutch waters you appreciate the full extent to which sea-going yachts penetrate the country’s watery interior and just how deeply embedded boating is in the psyche of the population.
For instance, two years ago I enjoyed a November weekend sailing from Strijensas marina, in the Hollands Diep. This mile-wide channel is some 30 miles from open sea, but offers plenty of sheltered sailing in flat water with a choice of historic towns to visit and marinas at prices that make many swinging moorings in the UK look decidedly expensive.
And this isn’t just a one-off location – with more than 2,000 miles of navigable waterways, sailing takes place across the whole of the country.
It’s perhaps no surprise then that the Dutch have one of the highest rates of boat ownership in the world, with almost one boat per 10 households scattered across some 600 mostly inland marinas.
Classic Skûtsje and Tjalk sailing barges are still cherished and raced competitively, but the country is home to many of the world’s most successful and forward looking naval architects, with names including Van de Stadt, Dykstra, Hoek, Koopmans, de Ridder (designer of my old Quarter Tonner,
Minestrone), Maas and many more.
As a result, Dutch companies have led the worldwide marine industry in many ways for more than 60 years.
The popularity of many Dutch designs, particularly those from the 1960s, 70s and 80s, means many of these boats can be found in both UK waters and across the globe. Taller readers may be interested to know many of them offer better headroom and longer berths than contemporary models designed elsewhere in Europe.
Over the years many Dutch yards have gravitated to the quality end of the market. As a result more recent Dutch designs may be expensive, but you’re paying for some of the best-built boats around and vessels whose designers were not constrained by an imperative to minimise costs.
‘The Dutch have one of the highest rates of boat ownership in the world, with almost one boat per 10 households’