Traditional sailors at the Kieler Woche

Naval units from all over the world, pleasure craft, cruise ships, regattas, celebrities from sport, politics and society: but what would Kiel Week be without traditional sailing ships?

They are the true heroes of pleasure boating: owners, skippers, boat people and clubs who keep the old ships alive - and that doesn't just mean swimming - but make them accessible to the public and thus bring some history into the present. It is the old traditions and craftsmanship, the passion and the stories behind old bulkheads, Hellegatts and bilges that make this historic cultural asset so fascinating. Against all odds to keep the ships in motion, old captains hold on to their old-timers to tell stories of the past: Of storms, wars, disasters and records. But it's not just the need for repairs, the time required and finding craftsmen who still know their trade that cause difficulties. First and foremost, it is the cost of such old boats. That is why trips are chartered out. That's why Dutch and Scandinavians from afar come to the events to get some money into their coffers. Do you think one hundred euros for a trip is a lot of money? It's not, because sometimes it's only enough for a "pot" of paint or sealant. And official regulations also make things difficult for the skippers, as fire protection and safety precautions would quickly put an end to the old ships without a sense of proportion.

But there are concessions and regulations. For example, in August 2019, the BMDV (Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport) announced the funding guideline on grants for the preservation and safe continued operation of traditional shipping. This funding guideline provides incentives for the implementation of construction and outfitting measures on traditional ships. It is intended to preserve the knowledge and cultural asset of the "traditional ship" in the long term and create an appropriate level of safety. Nevertheless, its continued existence is at risk, with an estimated 30 to 40 traditional ships having been lost since 2019. This is not only due to official requirements, but also to bureaucratic hurdles and the coronavirus pandemic. All the better that the marineforum editorial team was able to sail on the "Nordwind". Here are a few impressions of the old ketch. The "Nordwind" was part of a planned series of wartime fishing cutters that were to be used as outpost and warning boats. Planked with oak and rigged as a ketch, the Nordwind was laid down in 1945 at the Burmester shipyard in Bremen, completed in 1948 and acquired in 1951 by the new sea border defence, which wanted to use her as a training boat. As there was no German Navy at the time and therefore no "Gorch Fock", she was also used for protocol purposes, e.g. by German President Theodor Heuss in 1953 during Kiel Week. The "Nordwind" has therefore been a permanent guest in Kiel for over 70 years. When the German Navy was established in 1956, the "Nordwind" joined the navy and was used as a sailing training ship for officer cadets at the Mürwik Naval School from 1958 to 2006. Under pressure from the Federal Audit Office, the Ketsch then had to be decommissioned. The German Navy and the Military History Research Office agreed that the "Nordwind" had to be preserved, which is why the German Naval Museum in Wilhelmshaven took over the ship and still operates it today. The traditional sailing ship with its volunteer crew can be chartered for day trips and tours lasting several days. Take a look here too - from our friends at the German Naval Museum: www.marinemuseum.de

Photos: hsc