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As the main sponsor of SAIL Den Helder 2023, Damen Naval was allowed to raffle off three traineeships during the Tall Ship Races. Colleagues and children of colleagues under the age of 25 could enter the draw. The winners were Andreas van Acker (21), son of Senior Project Controller Wim den Acker, and brothers Thomas (21) and Thijmen (19) Verdonck, sons of Project Manager Procurement Rini Verdonck. As such, they were allowed to take part in the eight-day race from Den Helder to Hartlepool, England.
In this leg of the Tall Ship Races, 38 Tall Ships participated in various classes. Together with an international group of youngsters, the three Damen trainees were part of the crew on one of the ships. From navigation to cooking: from the moment they stepped on board, the trainees were involved in every aspect of the activities on board. Read how the three Damen trainees experienced their journey here.
Andreas van Acker sailed on De Gulden Leeuw.
Andreas van Acker
“I got to sail with De Gulden Leeuw tall ship. We motored out of Den Helder, leaving for the start of the race. I only realised how fierce the weather was after we left the harbour: 30+ knots and up to 6-metre high waves. So it was no surprise that during the first few days, many of the trainees and crew suffered from seasickness. After a couple of days, I felt a little better, although I wasn’t sure I was motivated enough to keep going. However, when I stood on the ship’s bridge, my feelings changed completely.
The sea was beautiful, still not calm, but long, deep blue waves and nothing on the horizon except a few showers in the distance. We spent hours looking at the sea and it didn’t get boring. The sea was essentially a form of poetry. We had many different types of weather and headwinds for the whole race. Therefore, it was clear that our type of ship with her ‘square sails’ was not going to win the race. And finally, the wind dropped completely.
But we didn’t have it so bad in the end…We were told that another ship – the Ocean Scout – was not going to make it to the end. This ship’s engine had broken down and its battery was draining fast, which would cause their communication equipment to fail. Our captain then decided to end our race and go to help the Ocean Scout. So we did not win the race, but we got to see real seamanship.
The trip was far too short, I long to go back. It took a while to get used to life at sea; the constant movement, your schedule, the names of all the lines and sails, and so on. And by the time I got used to it, we were almost in England. This SAIL Traineeship was an excellent and unique experience and I am very grateful for it.”
Thijmen Verdonck in front of Statsraad Lehmkuhl.
Thijmen Verdonck
“I was the lucky one to get to live on a sailing ship for a week. I chose the Statsraad Lehmkuhl. This is a ship from Bergen, Norway, 98 metres long.
The sea was very rough at the beginning, and it took some getting used to doing normal things like going to the toilet or showering. You had to walk carefully and keep your balance or lean against something to avoid falling over. Especially at the front and back of the ship, it was difficult to stay on your feet at times. Especially in the dark, you had to stay alert.
My traineeship was fantastic, I did and learnt a lot. With a sailing ship like the Statsraad Lehmkuhl, you need a lot of manpower to operate the ship. It was a very big job to hoist the sails so we could increase our speed. I thought the best part was that we got to climb the mast. We didn’t climb all the way up but up to the first platform. From this platform, you could see the whole ship and the beautiful view of the sea.
This was really a spectacular adventure, and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss it. I learnt a lot about sailing. Especially daily life on a ship, which I find perhaps even more interesting because it is a totally different life than on land. What’s more, having no phone reception for a week brought peace of mind.”
Thomas Verdonck hanging off De Gulden Leeuw.
Thomas Verdonck
“The trip started on 1 July on tall ship De Gulden Leeuw where we were waved off by a crowd of sea lovers. In between Den Helder and Texel is the Schulpengat, where two currents meet and form big waves. This was the start of two days of rough seas. Almost all on board suffered from seasickness. I had never suffered from seasickness before, so I naively and confidently went on board. Fortunately, I got used to life at sea I soon got back to my old self.
After two days of rough seas, the wind dropped. This changed the dynamics on board and the silent watches were replaced by on-deck karaoke sessions and sunbathing. In the evening, we were able to enjoy the beautiful sunset over the North Sea.
During the fourth day at sea, we came into radio contact with the Ocean Scout, a small sailing ship that had lost its engine and communications. We chose to withdraw from the race and help the stranded vessel. Using ropes, we towed the ship behind us to Hartlepool, England.
The English fishing town then hosted a crew parade, where all the crews walked through the town to celebrate crossing the finish line. This finished with an awards ceremony; from fastest boat per category to best decorated boat. A new prize this year was the friendship prize: because we had dropped out of the race to help Ocean Scout, we were rewarded with this prize!
Looking back, I really enjoyed the time at sea. What surprised me most was how much I enjoyed it. I am an avid cyclist and quickly feel trapped if I can’t cycle. The sailing and socialising were so much fun that I never felt like I was stuck on the ship. The week flew by. I am now back on land, but would love to go back to the middle of the ocean.”
