Greetings From an Over-The-Hill Newbie

[Neeltje]

Originally Posted by pikv

Hey Neeltje
I'm impressed with your tjalk in America! I've just returned from Amsterdam and forgot how many of these beautiful ships we have! I was brought up with these babies and live in Oz now, but everytime I go back I go and check them out. Hey, in Holland we still race these, and there is a special race for the old manure barges, called the s**t race. Maybe you could sail her over and join in? You'd certainly get the prize for the furthest village

Thanks pikv (et al),
Now that Neeltje has her new hull and bottom paint, new stern thruster, new & improved wet exhaust system, new isolator, new chargers, new shaft tube, cutlass bearing, couplings and stufffing box, all that I need to do before splashing her is to tent her for termites and find a way to mount the 60 lb. Danforth emergency anchor on her stern.

The bad part is that she draws way too much attention around here, and the ham that I am can't resist showing her off to each and all. Since this has been putting serious dents in my productivity, I've decided that the only way to get things done is to hide her in some out-of-the-way place.

The good part is that I've found such a place. I'm not about to disclose it's location, but suffice to say that it's in fresh (or slightly brackish) water and has a deep water pier.

The bad part is that I had to buy the house that goes with it, but I'm comforted by the fact that it'll be saving me about $15,000 a year in parking meters, and that nobody can tell me what I can or can't do on her while she's tied up there.

I'll send pics as soon as she's back in the water.

Jacques

[boatman61]

Welcome to CF... nice boat..
Great to see someone keeping the 'traditional's' alive.. over the ditch we have the Thames barges etc.. Kudos Sir..

[weavis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB1QeSro_gI

[gonesail]

congrats on 64 years. hope all goes well in st. augustine and beyond

[Brad Marshall]

Jacque, I owned Neeltje from 1997 through 2004. As you may know, Dan Rowan (of Laugh In) owned it before me. Ihe had given her the name Encore. I have her original registration papers form 1903 with the name Neeltje so I restored her name. and I know well the craftsmen in the yard in Muiden who converted her into a jacht. I'm glad Neeltje has another devoted owner. Did you know I had obtained a Jones Act waiver for the vessel?

[biker6977]

Hello! and Welcome!! What a neat boat! I've never seen such and am very intrigued. Looking forward to here's more of your life together.

[Neeltje]

Originally Posted by Brad Marshall

Jacque, I owned Neeltje from 1997 through 2004. As you may know, Dan Rowan (of Laugh In) owned it before me. Ihe had given her the name Encore. I have her original registration papers form 1903 with the name Neeltje so I restored her name. and I know well the craftsmen in the yard in Muiden who converted her into a jacht. I'm glad Neeltje has another devoted owner. Did you know I had obtained a Jones Act waiver for the vessel?

Fact is, Brad, I "almost" bought her myself in '97, and it's thanks to the article about your new novel in the Baltimore Sun that I was able to track her down again in 2004. I was already living in Saint Augustine at the time, and when I found out that you'd sold her to the Canwrights, I called Bob to let him know that if the new owners wanted some "pre-refit" pictures of the Encore, they should call me, and I'd be happy to mail them to them. Keep in mind that I only left my phone number, not my address.

Some six months later, I get a call from a lady asking me if I could send them pictures of the Neeltje care of the Saint Augustine Municipal Marina, since that's where they'd be staying for a few days. Once we'd established that the Neeltje was, in fact, the Encore, I told her that since I lived closer to the Marina than the Post Office, it might make more sense if I handed them to her. They invited us for a drink aboard, Bonnie fell in love with the boat, and since we couldn't find one just like it floating around here, we ended up moving to France (where they abound). Six years of combing the Dutch, Belgian and French waterways didn't turn up anything, so when I accidentally found her up for sale again in Fort Lauderdale, we bought her sight unseen, put the keys under the mat, and moved back here. The rest is history, as they say.

I did find your Jone's Act waiver in the pile of documents that came with her, but what I didn't know was that it was you (and not the Canwrights) who had researched and re-baptized her. Thank you, Sir!

After a year on the hard, she's back in the water now, awaiting the completion of her new dock on the Saint Johns River in Palatka where I'll be better equipped to keep up with the rust and bright work and take her out on a daily basis.

I'd like to thank you for all the work you put into her at the time, and I assure you I'll do my best to emulate you in the future.

Jacques

[mlaudermilk]

What a great story! It would be interesting to know how Dan Rowin got her to America in the first place?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Neeltje]

Originally Posted by mlaudermilk

What a great story! It would be interesting to know how Dan Rowin got her to America in the first place?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

He had her shipped. Although tjalks do cross the English Chanel and venture out into the North Sea on good days, I've never heard of one crossing the Pond. My understanding is that their ribbing was kept to a minimum in order to maximize hold volume, and that what actually kept the boat together was the riveted hull itself. This worked fine in relatively calm waters, but wasn't conducive to wave hopping, especially when you factor in the fact that the bulbous bow doesn't "slice" through the water, it "plows" through it.

Jacques

[lcanright]

Congrats Jacques on purchasing Neeltje! I am Larry Canright- talked to you and your wife aboard Neeltje in Saint Augustine.
I have been trying to find where Neeltje went after Ft Lauderdale. I think I might have some old photos and some history info about the boat. I'll dig around and see.
I got kind of attached to that boat on the trip down from Baltimore. I'm glad she is in good hands.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF , Brad, & Icanright.

[Neeltje]

Originally Posted by lcanright

Congrats Jacques on purchasing Neeltje! I am Larry Canright- talked to you and your wife aboard Neeltje in Saint Augustine.
I have been trying to find where Neeltje went after Ft Lauderdale. I think I might have some old photos and some history info about the boat. I'll dig around and see.
I got kind of attached to that boat on the trip down from Baltimore. I'm glad she is in good hands.

Hi Larry!

I remember our visit well, and especially your hospitality. Neeltje has been resting quietly in Saint Augustine ever since she left Dania Beach 1 1/2 years ago, but she'll be moving to her new home in Palatka come November. I think both she and I will like it there (less aquatic growth, more elbow room for sailing, calmer seas and less plastic boats to run into than on the ICW).

I'd really love to see any photos and documents you might be able to dig up. I fell in love with her in Baltimore 17 years ago, and things haven't changed, so yes, I think she's in good hands for the time being.

Jacques

[JPA Cate]

Hi, again, Jacques,

Welcome aboard, too.

I'm sure you will find your time of stewardship of Neeltje to be very rewarding. You've already accomplished quite a lot!

Ann

[Neeltje]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Hi, again, Jacques,

Welcome aboard, too.

I'm sure you will find your time of stewardship of Neeltje to be very rewarding. You've already accomplished quite a lot!

Ann

Actually, Ann, all I've done so far is throw money at her, while others did the work. But I must admit that the addition of the bow and stern thrusters was worth their weight in gold. She now parallel parks like a Smart Car, and cuts tighter doughnuts than a Ducatti!. I'm not really sure if her ability to cut doughnuts will impress many sailors out there, but being able to slip her into your generic marina finger pier without incurring life threatening injuries or major property damage will probably strike a chord with owners of similar vessels.

My time left with Neeltje will henceforth be a labor of love and elbow grease. I was kind of hoping that ALL of her varnish would have peeled off by now, but helas, I've still got a lot of scraping and sanding to do. The good part is that the rust seems to be coming off more easily than I thought it would.

Jacques