We are nearly there! As soon as the steam boiler has been connected and we have crossed every ‘t’ and dotted every ‘I’, this unique and historic tug could sail again. We need your support to enable this last phase of the restoration to take place. It would make it possible for us to see the Noordzee back in steam, educating future generations and to see our industrious past in working order.

The Noordzee was launched in 1922 and is the last surviving coal fired seagoing steam tug in the Netherlands. In 1976 the tug was purchased by the well-known luxury yacht builder Kees Jongert. After his death in 2010, the tug’s condition deteriorated rapidly. The Noordzee’s ownership was transferred into a new trust, the Stichting Stoomsleepboot Noordzee (Steam tug Noordzee Trust). An ambitious restoration plan was started in 2017 and the aim is to finish this largescale restoration in the early part of 2019.

A massive amount has happened during the first restoration phase earlier this year. A lot of work was carried out by a dedicated group of enthusiastic volunteers. The Noordzee was lifted out of the water on a ship’s slope at Damen Shipyards Den Helder to clean below the waterline. At this yard the old condemned boiler was replaced with a nearly new second hand equivalent. This was all possible thanks to close corporation with the Stichting Museumhaven Willemsoord (Trust Museum Harbour Willemsoord) in Den Helder and financial support from several Dutch funding streams.

The restoration has now reached the final stages. This includes connecting the replacement steam boiler, more necessary painting and further tasks to make the boat a safe vessel. For this we rely on your much needed support. With your support we can return the Noordzee to full steam and sail her once more. Please donate on www.voordekunst.nl/noordzee and find a nice gift in the column to the right. We appreciate your donation! You also can donate directly to bank account number NL18 RABO 0159 88 1048 – BIC RABONL2U – in the name of Stichting Stoomsleepboot Noordzee quoting Crowdfunding Noordzee. These donations will be added to the total.

More information: www.stoomsleepbootnoordzee.nl