About us
From 1998 to 2023, we, the Rederij van Linschoten, operated several traditional sailing ships on the Wadden Sea, IJsselmeer and East and North Sea. Having sold our last sailing ship, we now use our knowledge and skills in sailing charter and have made it our mission to actively support you in your search for a suitable sailing holiday. Of course, we take your individual wishes into account and are happy to take care of the entire booking process for you. Very importantly, you do not incur any additional costs for our advice and services. So you always pay the organiser’s original prices.
We at Rederij van Linschoten want to make our guests’ sailing holiday as comfortable as possible and let them experience a portion of our love for nature, sailing, and preserving old, traditional ships.
The ships that sail for Rederij van Linschoten consist of well-maintained and nationally or internationally certified sailing ships. They are sailed by experienced and thoroughly trained skippers and captains, who have mastered the tricks of the trade and know the sailing area like no other.
Safety and maintenance are of paramount importance to us. As a shipping company and former owner of several traditional sailing ships, we are constantly moving to optimise our service and quality and ensure we comply with existing laws and regulations. This way, together and in consultation with the industry organisation BBZ, we promote safety on board our ships and you can travel with confidence.
Our safety policy
Rederij van Linschoten strives to not only implement the current laws and regulations that apply to our industry, but as a long-time owner, we have been actively moving along with developments within the fleet in terms of safety for many years. Therefore, we follow a transparent safety policy that is an integral part of the Shipping Company. Ships can only join if their vessel meets the highest standards and can be proven to have valid safety certificates.
Certificates
To sail with guest crew members, all vessels must be able to demonstrate possession of various recognised safety certificates. The Dutch main certificate for inland vessels is valid for five years, while the mast and rigging certificate is valid for two and a half years. Both are issued by the Inspectorate for the Environment and Transport (ILT), and are renewed only after a comprehensive inspection by a certified inspection agency.
All seagoing vessels must have internationally recognised certification that is even more extensive than that of the inland fleet.
They are then inspected by RHC, Rina, BG-Verkehr, Bureau Veritas or Lloyd’s Register in addition to ILT.
These annual inspections cover not only the hull, or the underwater hull and the rigging, but also items such as fire safety, bilge systems, engine room equipment, radio inspection, medical equipment and medicine chest, life rafts, general life-saving equipment, the general condition of the vessel and the proficiency of the crew on board.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this.
Rederij van Linschoten offers a unique and environmentally conscious way of travelling on historic and traditional sailing ships, with nature, heritage and sustainability at its core. Here are the key aspects of our vision and approach:
1. Travelling on wind power
Our sailing ships are largely powered by the power of the wind. We avoid using engines as much as possible, resulting in significantly lower CO2 emissions and an environmentally friendly, almost emission-free form of transport. This may be inspiring, but is certainly sustainable travel in its purest form and a core value of our approach.
2. Preservation of historical maritime heritage
Often a sustainable alternative to modern means of transport, Rederij van Linschoten’s fleet is made up of historic ships, most of which have been in service for more than a century. Through careful maintenance and loving restoration, we preserve these ships as valuable witnesses of maritime traditions, while continuing to use them in a meaningful and environmentally friendly way.
3. Conscious handling of nature and ecosystems
Our national and international sailing trips focus on respecting and protecting nature. We allow our guest crew members to consciously experience the wonders of the Wadden Sea and its tidal currents, for example. With global attention to biodiversity and protection of vulnerable areas, we minimise disturbance to ecosystems and inspire environmentally friendly behaviour and are happy to contribute to the protection of our planet in this way.
4. Reducing waste and plastic
Waste separation and minimising plastic use are standard on board. We use ecological cleaning products, biodegradable products or sustainable alternatives as much as possible and encourage economical use of water, electricity and gas. Our guests are encouraged by the passionate crew on board, almost automatically, to be more conscious of the nature around them and we like to show them how conscious living can go hand in hand with comfort.
5. Accessibility and green mobility
Our departure ports are usually well served by public transport, often within walking distance of train or bus stations. This encourages our guests to leave their cars behind, further reducing the carbon emissions of their trip. For group travel, we are happy to arrange a suitable bus so that travelling together ensures a smaller footprint and a more sustainable start to the trip.
6. Alternative ways of holidaying
Our sailing holidays combine culture, and history in a natural setting . We show that there are beautiful and numerous and sustainable alternatives to experience an unforgettable holiday. The historic ships, beautiful coastal locations and cultural diversity offer a fascinating mix of nature, history and adventure. So we are happy to prove to you, too, that sustainable travel can be surprisingly versatile and enriching. With Rederij van Linschoten, you not only make an unforgettable journey, but also contribute to the preservation of nature and heritage. Together, we create a more sustainable world.
On the Tiller at Rederij van Linschoten
Director and jack-of-all-trades: Herman van Linschoten
I, Harmannus Gerardus van Linschoten (Herman), founded Rederij van Linschoten on 22 May 1998. The reason was that I and my then girlfriend were actually looking for a small tjalk of about 14 metres. At the time, we were regularly racing small traditional flatboats and needed a place to spend the night comfortably.
But after looking at several boats, I came across the “Wakend Oog”, a 19.25m charter barge with room for 10 guests. A bit big, but I was attracted to chartering. The idea behind it was simple: I would now work seven days a week and chartering will not change that, but this way I can sail every day!
So I did not have to think long about it and with some help from my then employer “Stella Nova Jachtservice”, the financing was put together in no time and I was a shipowner!
And we sailed, the first few years about 120 days a season, which became more and more. At some point, we really had to get something bigger and I started looking at boats again and so a little later the “Victoria S” was purchased and a fleet was born.
Eventually, after the Waking Eye, the Victoria too was sold after thorough optimisation and I started a small shipyard in traditional ships. This was not long-lived. Not sailing was just awful and so the winter after I bought the Koftjalk Engelina. Which I renamed after the famous Dutch explorer and distant forefather Jan Huygen (van Linschoten)!
During this period, I also made an appointment with KNRM to sail on the lifeboat Arie Visser on Terschelling for a year. Shortly afterwards, I bought the seagoing clipper Elegant and so there was another fleet already. Only this time not in Dutch waters but sailing in the North Sea and the Baltic.
After a good 25 years of charter sailing, my body said it needed to consider a different way of life, and so I first sold the Jan Huygen, which was in top condition, and shortly afterwards the Elegant, to young entrepreneurs with a future vision for these venerable ships.
As sitting still is not in my nature nature and I am actually too young to retire, the Rederij van Linschoten continues as a travel agency and booking office for traditional sailing trips and I still occasionally fill in for a colleague to sail on one of the tallships as captain.
In addition, we can now book individual sailing trips and full charter on around 30 traditional sailing ships and that worldwide. This way, I still have contact with the customers and maintain my connection with sailing charter.
The objective remains the same even in this new phase:
I want to give my guests the most enjoyable holiday possible and try to pass on to them the feeling that has conquered me for years: the love of nature, sailing and preserving old ships.
Bookings and general enquiries: Julia Schlösser
I, Julia Schlösser, have been closely associated with traditional sailing for many years. After my graduation and several unforgettable sailing trips as a guest on various traditional sailing ships, I was increasingly drawn to the sea. Together with Herman van Linschoten, I managed the two traditional sailing ships Jan Huygen and Elegant for many years.
In the beginning, I worked as a sailor and accompanied numerous impressive voyages with guests on the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. Gradually, I took on responsibility for bookings and organisation of the voyages to provide our guests with a complete and carefree experience. At the same time, I completed a study in Ship and Shipping Management to further expand my knowledge and expertise.
After selling the Jan Huygen and the Elegant, I now want to use my organisational skills and my experience on board to plan the perfect sailing trip for you – fully tailored to your wishes and needs. Whether you are travelling alone, with friends, or in a large group: I will be happy to help you choose a suitable trip or organise a group trip.
However, I cannot do without sailing completely – which is why I still occasionally work as a sailor and, together with Herman, take over temporary positions on various traditional sailing ships and tallships.