| The oldest zeetjalk still sailing in The Netherlands. She is classified as “Varende Monument” since 2002. | ||
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1887 |
The ship was built for Roelof Snijder by G&H Bodewes (Martenshoek, Hoogezand) the same year as the Eiffel Tower in Paris and one year after the Liberty Statue in New York. All three were built in riveted puddle iron.
The shipyard still exist. Royal Bodewes pubished a book in 2012 which contains the history of the company and a list of all ships he built. The Koophandel is mentioned on page 264. |
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1895 |
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I found a public notice concerning the sale of a ship following a justice decision. She was called “Koophandel”, 75 scheepstonnen (75 m³) but we cannot claim it is the same ship (under investigation).
Then, searching the Web, I found the related announce in the Leeuwarden Courant n°186, 9/8/1895. |
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| 1903-1965 | Koophandel remains into the hands of the family Seinen for two generations. She was transporting turf from Hoogeveen to Alphen a/d Rijn. | |
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1/11/1906 |
Jan, 15 year old, the son of Siger fall overboard on the Zuiderzee and died. (Hoornsche Courant n° 6280 – 7/11/1906). | |
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| 1910/1911 |  |
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| This picture is probably the oldest one of the ship. It was taken by a notary who sailed through The Netherlands with his small boat. In the background, we can see the bathhouse of Amstel. It was published in ‘De laatste echte schippers’ by Hylke Speerstra (see LINKS page). Ron van den Bos painted a work for the “Westerdam van de HAL”. | ||
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| before 1912 | The ship’s length has been increased by about 3 meters to 24.75 m before 1912 for sure, but we do not know exactly when. | |
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| 1912 | Siger Seinen (1860-1912) died when Siger junior (1895-1987) was 17 years old. As Siger junior was the oldest on board, he became the skipper together with his young brother Arend. The aunt Dien (Berendina) and their mother were also living on board. | |
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| +/-1920 |  |
We can see that the roof is still in wood and that the steering is a plain solid wood tiller. In this times, a lion was lying on top of the rudder. |
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1928 |
Siger Seinen (father, 1860-1912) sold the ship to Siger Seinen (son, 1895-1987) for 4000 fl which was a large amount. Add 1000 fl and he could get new ship. His mother started living in Utrecht met the aunt Dien en later with her uncle Harm. | |
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| 1930 (?) |  |
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| 1933 | The wooden roof was rebuild in steel by Kempers in Alphen a/d Rijn. | |
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| 1937 | Installation of the first motor, a 2 cylinder Kromhout type 2M0 which was previously on another boat. | |
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| 17/5/1938 | The measurement report (“meetbrief”). | |
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| around 1945 |  |
A painting of the ship. |
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| 1946 or 1947 |  |
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| The ship lost her sail and lee boards. No sails were bought anymore. The length of the hold was enlarged and the mast moved forward to be used as a lifting crane. A wheelhouse was also built. The Koophandel was transformed into a motor ship, registered in Alphen a/d Rijn. | ||
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| 1962 | Siger Seinen junior stopped sailing and the ship stay close to the reformed church of Oushoorn in Alphen a/d Rijn. | |
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| 1964 | The family rent a house and sold the ship to the social services of Leiden, possibly for fl 4000. | |
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| 1964-1974 | The ship was sold to the “Sociale woningvoorziening” of the town of Leiden and to Caspar Schut. She became in a deplorable state, close from her dead. Everything which could be sold had disappeared, the shaft was cut, the propeller and the rudder sold, etc. |
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| 1974-1985 | Gert P. Reedijk from Zwolle bought the ship from Caspar Schut, a scrap dealer from Groningen, to use her as an habitation. He bought the ship under the nose of the Museum harbour of Groningen. He renamed her ‘Vrouwe Jèsje‘ and lived on the ship during 12 years. She retrieved her sails at the end of the years ’70. We can consider that the restoration process actually started at this time and that Gert saved the ship from total destruction (many thanks to him !) However, later, the life of the ship will not be quieter… |
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| 1985 | She was sold to Mr van Nek who intended to used her for charter which never happen : she sank due to a leak in a water pipe ! | |
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| 1987 | Mr Ossewijer renamed the ship Cui Bono | |
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| 1993 | The authors of “Stalen en ijzeren, (kof)tjalken op zee” published in 1993 (see LINKS page) gave information about ‘Cui Bono‘. It looks like they met the owner of the ship in this time (Osseweijer) and Hendrick Seinen, the son of Siger Seinen junior. | |
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| 1994 | The ship was bought by Mr Basten Batenburg who renamed her Schavuit van ‘t Waterland | |
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| 2000-2015 | Schavuit van ‘t Waterland was sold by Mr van Basten Batenburg to Joost Geerdink who renamed her simply Schavuit in 2006. He lived on the ship during 15 years, maintained her in good state and continued her restoration process. | |
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| 2001 | Joost Geerdink met Hendrick Seinen, the son of Siger Seinen junior, who was born on the ship. So, he got a large part of the story from this direct and reliable source. | |
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| 2015 |  |
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| The ‘Schavuit‘ was bought by Pierre Lang (Brussels, Belgium), the current owner. Gert Reedijk and Pierre Lang met on 7 September 2015 in front of a painting of Vrouwe Jèsje – Schavuit | ||
