Tradewind (schooner)

The Tradewind is a Dutch topsail schooner. She was built in the Netherlands in 1911 as a herring lugger named "Sophie Theresia".

In 1952, she was refitted for use as a coastal merchantman and an engine was added. She was renamed "Aaltje en Willem". In the 1970s, when it was no longer economical to run her as a commercial vessel, she was converted to a house-boat, then later to a charter boat.

In 1986, the ship was sold and renamed the "Tradewind". She was restored as a topsail schooner. In 1987-88, she sailed from England to Australia as part of the First Fleet Re-enactment for Australia's bicentennial celebrations.

The "Tradewind" remained in the South Pacific during the late 1980s and early 1990s, based in New Zealand. She was used for charter cruises to the Sub-Antarctic islands south of New Zealand, and around Fiji. During this period, she appeared in the romance adventure film "Return to the Blue Lagoon".

Returning from one of the voyages to the Sub-Antarctic Islands the "Tradewind" ran into a storm south of New Zealand and was struck by a rogue wave. [Conversation with the then captain of the "Tradewind", Mark Hammond, Dec 1991.] The radar, situated 14 metres above the waterline, was carried away and the charthouse was flooded. The ship was knocked down, with the mastheads in the water, but righted itself. Only one crew member, the helmsman, was on deck at the time the wave struck. He saved himself from being washed overboard by thrusting his arms through the spokes of the wheel, although he was injured.

In late 1991, the "Tradewind" left New Zealand to sail around Cape Horn to join the tall ship fleet sailing from Europe to America in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. During the voyage to join the tall ship fleet, she visited the Antarctic Peninsula and the Falkland Islands.

After the Columbus celebrations in 1992, the "Tradewind" returned to England where she was sold to a Finnish owner. She was used for charter cruises around the Baltic Sea and the North Sea.

In 1998, the "Tradewind" was sold to a Dutch owner and renamed "Sodade". She was refitted and used for charter cruises in the Cape Verde Islands. By 2003, the condition of the ship had deteriorated and she was laid up in the island of Sal. In late 2003, she was taken over by another Dutch owner to save her from a horrible fate on the Cape Verde Islands. She was sail to and refitted in the Canary Islands. After this refit, she was renamed the "Tradewind" again. In early 2004, the ship made an atlantic crossing to the carrabian, azores, baltic and eventually back to the Netherlands

In 2006 under the care of "Stichting Loggerbehoud Nederland" a complete refit started again. She is currently being rebuilt under BV class for world wide service. This project should be finished around sept. 2008.

References

ources

* [http://www.schoonerman.com/trade.htm Schoonerman Tradewind page]
* [http://www.zeilschiptradewind.com Tradewind website]
*cite book|last=Schauffelen|first=Otmar|title=Chapman Great Sailing Ships of the World|publisher=Hearst Books|year=2005|pages=p 242|isbn=1588163849|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=QgMRudqoLGQC&pg=PA242&lpg=PA242&dq=schooner+tradewind+%22home+port%22&source=web&ots=9RyzTOBO8f&sig=uRikCjU8za3LDNXY9Jsst-pf01I&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result|accessdate=2008-10-07