The Stopover boats in Sète 2024: the Morgenster, 100 years later, naughty, she is still sailing

Cette année, le Morgenster a fait une longue escale à Frontignan. Midi Libre – PHILIPPE MALRIC

This Dutch sailboat, present at Escale à Sète 2024, is now more than a hundred years old. Shorter, and intended for fishing in the North Sea, the Morgenster has, in its life, been lengthened, dismasted, before being saved by its current owner.

When in 1993, Harry Muter came across what remained of the Morgenster, it took a lot of imagination to project himself into the future profile of this boat. A line that he still wears today. All that remained was a steel hull damaged by the wear and tear of time after nearly 75 years of navigation. But the one who still owns this two-masted ship has made it a specialty, since its first operation in 1977, to save the maritime heritage of the Netherlands.

Three-masted fishing boat

And to give new life to these glorious representatives of a now bygone period. Because this sailboat, then propelled by three masts, touched the water for the first time in 1919, as a fishing boat. It was then called Vrouwe Maria and measured 25 m long. His specialty was North Sea herring.

Logbook

Name: Morgenster
Type: brig: two masts.
Launched in 1919.
Flag: Netherlands.
Home port: The Helder.
Length: 46 m.
Post height: 28 m.
Sail area: 600 m2.
Number of sailors on board: 10.

A resource that he continued for around ten years before experiencing his first modifications. In order to equip it with an engine allowing a greater radius of action, its three-masted ships were sacrificed. Its hull is also lengthened to better pass the hollows of the open sea and accommodate more storage spaces.

It took its current name in 1959

As the campaigns progressed, the boat changed owners and it was the one from 1959 that gave it its current name, which means Morning Star. The Morgenster, after so many years of good and loyal service, will leave the fishing fleet in the 1970s.

Where and when to see it ?

From March 26 to April 1, Quai de la République. Entrance with the single ticket which gives access to the deck of all tall ships. Ticket office: Quai de la République or at the tourist office and on the website escalasete.com

But it will still remain in fishing since it becomes a pleasure vessel for sport fishing. It was also, for a time, an offshore radio transmitter to broadcast Radio Del Mare programs before gradually being forgotten. Until Harry Muter arrived and had it transformed after a very long construction period into a brig, one of the most beautiful ships of its kind.

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