Our History
'Maybe' is a traditional Dutch sailing ketch, launched in 1933 and was designed by her original owner, Jan Jacob van Rieschoten, as his dream tall ship to sail around the world with his family. She was built by the well respected boat yard De Vries Lentsch in Amsterdam, as an incredibly safe and strong ship with steel frames and teak planking.
During the Second World War ‘Maybe’ was taken to the Dutch town of Jutplaces where she was hidden in the mud in a remote backwater. After the war ‘Maybe’ was completely restored at the same boat yard where she had originally been built but with a new rig replacing the original gaff rig. Many happy years of sailing were enjoyed by the van Reitschoten family during the time ‘Maybe’ was in their ownership.
A major milestone in ‘Maybe’s history is that she took part in the first ever Tall Ships Race in 1956. In 1962 ‘Maybe’ was bought by the Swiss family of Hans Fehr, who were experienced sailors and enjoyed sailing in warmer climates. She sailed mainly around the Mediterranean and in the 1970’s regularly crossed the Atlantic between the West Indies and the Mediterranean. In the 1980’s she also sailed through the Panama Canal and up the east coast of the USA to Canada.
‘Maybe’ was sold to her present owners in 1989 and underwent another complete restoration returning to sailing in 2007. She returned to the Tall Ships Races in the Baltic's in 2009 and successfully completed a full season of Tall Ships Races and Regatta’s in 2010. During the winter months of 2010/11, ‘Maybe’ underwent a further facelift to transform her back to her former glory, sailing with an original gaff rig again for the 2011 sailing season. Plans for the winter months of 2011/2012 are to continue refurbishment of the cabins and gaff the mizzen.
Informal Presentation to be held in Bradford on the 9th February.
Date: Thursday 08 Dec 2011.
Location: Waterways Museum, Dutch River Side, Goole DN14 5TB.
Time: morning session 10.30am mainly for Education Visits Co-ordinators, and afternoon session at 1.30pm mainly for school.
Contact us for more information.
Extended report on the adventures of Maybe as she took part in the Tall Ships Races 2011. Read of her travels sailing through Waterford, Greenoch, the Orkney Islands, LamLash, Tobermory, Stornoway, Scarpa Flow, Lerwick, Kvitsoy, Halmstad and many other places.
Maybe sailed from Greenock to Oban last week, stopping off at the Isles of Arran and Gigha and travelling through the Corryvreckan! All the crew enjoyed this short journey as they took in some of the most beautiful scenery in the UK. The west coast of Scotland is breathtaking for the landscape and abundant wildlife.
‘Maybe’ sails from Hartlepool up the East coast of England and Scotland, across the Caledonian Canal and across the West coast of Scotland to Greenock during August and September 2011.
