Woerden annual harbour day: Classic Ships, Tugs, Yachts and more

But without a boat, doesn't mean no nautical adventures. Yesterday I took my bicycle on the train to Leiden. From there I cycled along the oude Rijn (Old River Rhine) to Woerden.

BHPian Jeroen recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

On Friday afternoon I called Rien to hear how it was going with the teak on Sirion. Very pleased to hear he had all finished. He told me they had to use three coats of oil, because the teak was so dried-out. Sounds good.

The crane has been booked for this Monday 13.00 hours. So I should be back in our marina around 1500 hours. I also called the marina to inform them, Sirion would be back. When you leave the marina for more than a single day you are supposed to notify the harbour master. He/she can then use your mooring to accommodate visiting yachts. You let them know two days in advance when you are returning. Its important for a marina such as ours, which is just a society/club run by volunteers to have as many visitors during the season as we can. Brings in a lot of revenue!

But without a boat, doesn't mean no nautical adventures. Yesterday I took my bicycle on the train to Leiden. From there I cycled along the oude Rijn (Old River Rhine) to Woerden. Woerden had its annual harbour days. I had been there before. Nice event.

Just before I got to Woerden I noticed this Drammer 935 moored along a canal.

Nobody onboard. It is the same yacht as Sirion but without some of the features. (e.g. no mast, less teak and so on.). Still nice to bump into these sister ships.

The harbour days in Woerden always attract a good number of classic ships, mostly tugs, but they always bring in some of these gorgeous-looking yachts.

Lots of classic tugs!

There are also a lot of these little push/tug boats. We call them "opduwer". They were used to push barges through the small canals. They are proper workboats. No creature comfort. Just about indestructible!

You will see some more in action too.

I did not do a count, but there must have been about 40-50 tugs and about 30 of these "opduwers".

Along the harbour are market stalls. Some of them are showing stuff, e.g. models, and others are selling stuff.

They also have some old (stationary) engines. I liked this one, it was actually running. You can still see the stern of the ship. So it gives a good idea of how the engine and propshaft were installed. It's an old Danish engine, Hundested. It was built in 1954, 70HP, RPM 90-365. 27 liters. It weighs 3,5 tonnes

Some more engines

Another engine was positioned on a barge.

Lots of "opduwers".

Some more impressions

Here another well-known steam tug, "Jan de Sterke" from our local nearby town Gorinchem.

As I arrived they had just started a "bollard pull contest" for the "opduwers".

If you look closely at the image of "Jan de Sterke" you see a tug moored in front of it. With some guys handling ropes. That rope is attached to a device that can record bollard pull. All the "opduwers" got a turn. Here you see them, waiting for their turn.

Here one of them is doing its bollard pull run.

This guy had its engine belching out a lot of dark smoke!!

By far the smallest tug was this tiny, electric one! Dad with two of his kids, being out on the water, very happy!

I look forward to tomorrow. I hope the teak looks good! And of course, to have Sirion back in the water too.

Jeroen

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