Dutch Mermaid down under

Having enjoyed your discussions for about a year, I thought I might post something about ourselves, even though we probably don't have "a trawler".
We live in Havelock in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand, and are sort of part-time liveaboards in the summer.
Our boat is a Dutch steel "Kotter", by Vripack, built in 2003. The design is based on a traditional Dutch coastal fishing vessel. She is 49 ft, weighs 33 tonnes, powered by a single John Deere 6068, carries 4000 litres of fuel, 1500 litres of water.
Zeemeermin (Mermaid) was imported from the Netherlands in 2016 on a freighter for most of the way. The last 1000 nm from Auckland she motored on her own keel.
She is an unusual sight in the marinas in NZ, as almost all boats are wooden, aluminum or fibreglass.
Having emigrated from Holland almost 40 years ago, we are enjoying a touch of home in a much warmer climate.
Wilfried

Really beautiful and seaworthiness looking boat. There, the European craft certainly a rare sight, you can be proud of him.

Nice boat and nice part of the world to be based in. Enjoy.

Welcome to the forum! Very nice pilothouse. What speed does she cruise at?

Ted

I really love what Vripack doing, that m'i favorite architect office, some are really wonderful boat..

Like your.

Hugues

Very nice! These Vripack vessels were one of the fine Dutch pedigreed vessels we were looking at when we did our deal there last year. Ours was likely on a freighter going West at the same time yours was going East.
Congratulations on this ship and welcome to the forum.

Welcome and that's a nice vessel.

Thank you all for your warm welcome.
Ted, she cruises at 7.5 knots at 1500 rpm. Herewith some interior shots of the pilothouse.

Hugues, thanks for your nice comments. Vripack is indeed one of the largest and most innovative design studios in Holland. They have done some amazing superyachts, but ours is a traditional design done by Dick Boon, the founder of Vripack. I think he is now retired.
We love the abundance of woodwork inside but are very happy to have none on the exterior. No varnishing to be done.
We thought long and hard about the name, as it is not the best one to shout in a Mayday call. In the end we decided not to challenge the traditions of the sea.

Hi Bill. What a coincidence. Our kotters must have passed each other in the middle of the Atlantic.
As we had not seen our boat in the flesh before arrival, our biggest challenge was to familiarise ourselves with the systems quickly. The man on the freighter was happy to hold the lines for 15 minutes. After stepping on board with our unfamiliar bunch of keys, that is not much time to find the seacocks, battery switches, fuel switches etc.
We spent a few days in Auckland and then went on our maiden voyage south. Fortunately everything worked as it should, and we made it safely to her new home port.

Welkom Wilfried.

Mooie boot en leuk om te zien dat je de Nederlandse bodem blijft behouden en veel succes daar!
I Immigrated to the US 6 months ago from UK and NL of course.

Cheers

Zeemeermin said:

Hi Bill. What a coincidence. Our kotters must have passed each other in the middle of the Atlantic.
As we had not seen our boat in the flesh before arrival, our biggest challenge was to familiarise ourselves with the systems quickly. The man on the freighter was happy to hold the lines for 15 minutes. After stepping on board with our unfamiliar bunch of keys, that is not much time to find the seacocks, battery switches, fuel switches etc.
We spent a few days in Auckland and then went on our maiden voyage south. Fortunately everything worked as it should, and we made it safely to her new home port.

Click to expand...

Wil,
Your photos of the pilothouse and the cargo ship disembarking are so familiar. I have one boat that has a pilot house that is similar to yours which shows such great visibility even to aft. That is Klee Wyck and is also from NL designed by Peter Beelsnijder and built in the Lowland/Nethship yard.
Libra was built in the Jachwerf van Wezel-Heijen yard. Both in the late 80s.
Libra has less visibility especially aft, but much more suited to withstand boarding seas. Klee Wyck is 28 tons and Libra is 57 tons.
Both are a joy as I am sure yours will be for you.
I had the benefit of several hours aboard Libra in NL during the survey and sea trial in April but had only a foggy memory by the time she arrived here in August so was also ill prepared to operate her as you say. We were as you according to the picture, standing by on a tender to board our new vessel as they dropped her into the water from her transport ship. Our maiden voyage was further complicated by severely contaminated biodiesel. Your trip to home port sounds like much more pleasant but we survived ours. I am sure it is the same for you in that all of this was an experience we shall long remember.
Photos here are three of Klee Wyck and two of Libra during her trip to North America. For Libra, first is loading after arriving Antwerp Harbor, Belgium via canals from Elburg NL. Second is unloading where we take over in North America.

I know the excitement you experience. Best wishes for safe and wonderful cruising your excellent new kotter.

Very impressive yacht, thanks for sharing pics and story. Welcome aboard..

Welcome to the forum, good to have another Kiwi on here. Lovely vessel, and boy, what a place to have her. I am a native born Kiwi myself, now in Australia, but I often regret I did not pursue my initial reaction when I passed through that part of the world on my way to Dunedin to Medical School, and return to Picton or Havelock to practice once I qualified.
One of the most picturesque places on the planet in my view - and that of untold others.

Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand | Things to see and do in New Zealand

Never too late Pete !
I am an ED doc in Wairau , plenty of specialists and GP vacancies here .
Wilfried

Welcome to the forum.
Love your boat which would (unfortunately) be too big for us.
We imported a Swedish Nimbus 380 Commander from N.Ireland just before last Christmas which we keep, at present, at Hobsonville Marina. We have ambitions to bring her round East Cape and down the Wairarapa Coast at some stage. It would be great to spend a few months in the Sounds. We have a soft spot for Picton.
We have much exploring of the Tauranga to North Cape area to be done first.
Fair winds and safe harbours. .... G