Finally…
After five years without a boat, we found our new ship and were able to take it over through Jachtbemiddeling Sterkenburg in Drimmelen.
After months of searching, we came across this ABIM Classic 128 Exclusive, and after viewing it several times, it became clear—this had to be the one.
The name has been changed, and as of May 2023, the boat has been renamed “Mister Bojangles.”
At the beginning of June, the moment finally arrived! Our journey could begin—with a long trip from southern England, taking the ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland, followed by a short drive to Drimmelen. At last, we were back in the place where we can once again find peace and capture beautiful memories. After about two weeks of unpacking, organizing, and rearranging, we were finally ready: “The Maiden Voyage” could begin.
First, a quick fuel stop at the Bunkerstation on the Donge. We called ahead, because you get a discount when paying in cash! We filled up almost 600 liters, so we’re set for a while!
From Drimmelen, we headed toward Heusden, and then sailed via the Afgedamde Maas to Gorinchem. That first trip was quite exciting—every sound was new, and we had to get used to how the boat responds while maneuvering. Fortunately, with plenty of experience under our belt, it didn’t take too long before I got a good feel for the boat.
The weather was amazing—around 30 degrees Celsius—so what a perfect start! After two hours of sailing, we reached Heusden, where we spent our first night. The next day, we continued our journey via Gorinchem to Vianen, our next stop.
After Vianen, the first real challenge begins: the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. We pass through the Prinses Beatrix Lock, heading toward Maarssen, and from there toward the Vecht.
Things get really tense near Maarssen, as the fixed bridge there has a clearance of 3.60 meters. Our boat’s height with the canopy up is 3.75 meters, but we can lower it to 3.40 meters. That doesn’t leave much room—so a stern wave from a passing vessel could potentially cause damage. Fortunately, our timing is perfect: at the moment we want to pass under the bridge, there’s no shipping traffic on either the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal or the Vecht.
We continue our journey at a wonderfully relaxed pace and instantly feel at home again on the Vecht, where we had sailed for many years. We spend the night in Maarssen and head the next day toward Loenen aan de Vecht.
After a night in Maarssen, we continue our route along the Vecht. Cruising past all the beautiful houses never gets old—it’s always a joy, no matter how often you’ve done it before. Passing through Breukelen, we eventually arrive in Loenen aan de Vecht, where we stay for a few days as friends and family are eager to come and admire our new boat.
We then set off on a “long” journey, with our final destination being Huizen. Carolyn has to return to England for a week, and Huizen is the town we used to live in before we left the Netherlands. It also gives me time to catch up with friends and pick up the car that was still in Drimmelen, as it needs to be brought to our new home port in Ossenzijl.
Passing through the charming villages along the Vecht, we arrive in Muiden. Locking through is always quick thanks to the double lock, and we pass by the Muiderslot castle heading toward the Randmeren. We continue along the fairway beneath the three islands and make our way to Almere Haven. The weather is warm—and it’s only getting warmer—but we’re not complaining!
After a long day of cruising, we finally arrive in Huizen, where we’ve reserved a spot along the long guest jetty. We’ll be staying here for almost two weeks.
After spending two weeks in Huizen, Carolyn has returned and we can continue our journey northward. We travel further along the Randmeren, with Elburg as our destination for the day.
We depart early because we don’t want to arrive in Elburg too late—it’s always busy there. Besides, we plan to stay in Elburg for a while, as a severe storm (Polly) is approaching, and we certainly won’t be the only ones seeking shelter.
We’ve been through storm Polly, and it was a terrifying one. At the height of the storm, we had to press against the canopy doors to keep them shut. Our canopy really needs replacing—it’s starting to tear, and we were afraid it might actually be ripped off. Some boats sustained damage, and several trees in the harbor were knocked over. Fortunately, we made it through without any damage, but it was far from enjoyable.
Time to move on…
Today, we’re heading toward the IJssel and, for the first time, we’ll take the new shorter route via the Reevediep. We had to wait two hours at the Reevesluis, as it’s been experiencing frequent malfunctions lately.
We continue on our way and need to lower the canopy slightly again, since the bridges there have a clearance of 3.60 meters. Just past the Scheeresluis, there are a few jetties where you can spend the night. We found a lovely spot, and there’s even a tiny “beach” where the boys can swim and cool off.
After two days, we continue—there’s no wind at all, and we’re heading toward Kampen. The IJssel barely flows during this time of year, and the water is as smooth as a mirror.
We pass Kampen, head into the Ganzediep, and continue toward the Zwarte Meer. At the end, we turn to starboard into the Vollenhover Canal. The bridge opens quickly, so we don’t need to moor.
We cruise past Vollenhove and end the day in the always cozy town of Blokzijl.
We made a separate video of our arrival in Blokzijl, as this is truly one of the most special harbors in the region. We sail in through the lock gates and find a lovely spot right next to the lock, where there’s also some grass. Perfect for the boys to lie in the shade and cool off a bit.
After spending a few days in Blokzijl, we continue our journey toward Ossenzijl, where the ABIM shipyard is located. We have an appointment there for upcoming maintenance and also to see if we can secure a winter storage spot in the shed.
We decide to go via Kalenberg, which is known for being a beautiful route through the Weerribben nature reserve. All the houses in Kalenberg are located along the water, and they are stunning. I’ve adjusted the 360 camera so that anyone watching the video can control the view themselves.
We sail through Kalenberg and eventually arrive in Ossenzijl, which is also home to a lovely marina, Jachthaven De Kluft. From De Kluft, you can enjoy beautiful bike rides through the surrounding area or rent a small boat with an electric motor to explore the nature reserve. It’s definitely worth staying here for a few days.
During a visit to the shipyard, we arranged for a winter spot in a heated shed — one less thing to worry about when you don’t live in the Netherlands. In the new spring, we’ll see what we want to do for the following winter. For now, it’s time to enjoy our new boat!
We leave Ossenzijl and head toward the Driewegsluis. Everyone calls it that, but the lock is officially named the Linthorst Lomansluis. The actual Driewegsluis is a little further on but is no longer in use. You can still moor your boat there comfortably, even though the mooring posts are no longer in the best condition. From this island, you can also take fantastic bike rides to various villages or just through nature.
We continue sailing toward Echtenerbrug and cross the Tjeukemeer heading for Langweer. The weather is amazing, so we’re enjoying it double! Between the Driewegsluis and Echtenerbrug are several nice mooring spots, including Echtenerbrug itself. We’ve now arrived in Friesland, and whenever we’re here, we love using the Marrekrite moorings. At the local watersports shop, we buy a small flag to contribute to their upkeep. You can also refuel here and buy all kinds of boating supplies. As we sail onto the Tjeukemeer, we finally feel at home again. Before moving to the UK, Friesland was our go-to cruising area for the weekends — always a different spot to spend the weekend and escape the workday stress. We cross to the north side and eventually reach the Scharsterrijn bridge, which is 3.60 meters high. We decide to lower the canopy to 3.40 meters — not much clearance! This will be the last time we do this; next time, we’ll just wait for it to open.
We’re spending a few days just outside Joure, on a canal that flows into the Sneekermeer. Unfortunately, the weather isn’t looking too good for a few days, so we decide to head toward Sneek to do some shopping, refill our water tanks, and wait for the sun to return. Due to the rain, I kept the camera inside, so the next footage starts as we sail from Sneek toward Akkrum, cruising along the Prinses Margriet Canal.
The Prinses Margriet Canal, often referred to as the PM Canal, runs from Lemmer all the way to Groningen and is heavily used by commercial vessels during the week. Especially on weekends and during the summer holidays, it can get quite busy. Unfortunately, not all skippers of small boats keep to the starboard side or regularly check behind them to see if a “big guy” is coming up fast. Sadly, accidents have happened because of this. We always try to keep as far to the starboard side as possible, and thanks to the AIS system, I can see these ships on the screen long before I actually see them in person.
We turn starboard into the Kromme Knillis and end up in Akkrum. Just past Akkrum, there are beautiful, quiet spots where you can sunbathe, fish, and take the dogs for a walk. The weather isn’t great yet, as you can see in the video, but it’s dry and comfortably warm — so no complaints!
With better weather on the way, we’re deciding where to go next. After a few days in nature with lots of cloud cover, our batteries are in need of a proper recharge. Even though we have four solar panels, the batteries are at 60%, and without sunshine, there’s no charging. So, we’re heading to Grou for a night to recharge the batteries, do some shopping, and refill the water tanks. After that, we’ll spend a few days at Rengers Polle — one of our favorite spots in Friesland. You can walk around the entire island in under an hour. There are lovely docks and the paths are regularly mowed, making for great walks. Just watch out for ticks — they’re definitely around!
After a few great days there, we decide to sail toward Leeuwarden. It’s a beautiful trip of a few hours, but we choose the “fast” route via the PM Canal, Van Harinxma Canal, and then into the Harlingervaart, ending up at the Prinsentuin. With Sneekweek coming up, we’d prefer to avoid the crowded waterways — hence, Leeuwarden. We arrive at just the right time, just before all the transient boats head out again, so we can pick a lovely spot.
We really hit the jackpot in Leeuwarden! A beautiful spot, and all the large clippers were also docked there, preparing to head to Sneek. We were treated to an amazing “sail pass” when they left Leeuwarden the next day in a large convoy. You can see those clips on our Instagram account: @motoryachtmisterbojangles We had a wonderful time in Leeuwarden — it remains one of our favourite harbours and cities to spend a few days.
Then we got word that our friends had arrived in Friesland too. They haven’t seen our boat yet, so we decided to meet them halfway, and we met up in Akkrum. That meant heading slightly south again, sailing via the Pikmeer toward the Boarn. It’s such a fun experience to sail over the highway, and just past the railway bridge, we found our friends.
A lovely reunion — it had been quite a while since we last saw each other!
We’re expecting a guest on board, so we head back toward Grou to pick her up. She’ll be staying with us for a few days, along with her small dog, so we’re curious to see how things go with our older dogs. Luckily, everything goes smoothly — what a relief!
She’s never been on a boat before, so she’s absolutely loving the experience. Unfortunately, the weather is a bit unpredictable, but that doesn’t spoil the fun.
We take a nice loop through the Alde Feanen: crossing the Pikmeer from Grou and continuing via Earnewald through the nature park. The dogs also want to stretch their legs, so our final stop is once again the Rengers Polle — a favourite for all of us.
Our guest left after four days, and despite the weather, she really enjoyed herself. We’re glad we could take her along — she’s sadly been through a very tough time fighting cancer (K). It was a small effort on our part but gave her such huge joy and welcome distraction.
After that, we cruised to Sneek, and then back to one of the islands just north of Terherne. We decided to continue our journey via the Engelenvaart toward the Tsjonger. The route takes us through Heerenveen, and we noticed that the Engelenvaart has had a major upgrade.
In the past, it used to be packed with boats moored for weeks or even months — we used to call them the “grey fleet,”mostly retirees who had their bikes or even cars next to the boat. For holidaymakers with only a few weeks off, it was quite frustrating, as there was never any space. Fortunately, those days are over.
At the end of the Engelenvaart, we turned starboard onto the Tsjonger. (If you go port, you’ll end up on the Turfroute.) We found a beautiful spot at a Marekrite mooring, where we plan to stay for a few days.
We’re slowly but surely getting the boat ready for the long winter ahead. From mid-September until sometime in 2024, we’ll once again have to wait patiently for our next adventure aboard our new ship — and what a ship it is!
Until next season, in 2024! 🌊⚓🐾
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