> MY HEADING

Hans Weerlink (74) took early retirement ten years ago. He found the work on board increasingly demanding, especially the night shifts. He may be retired, but he's still very much involved in boats. “I have spent my life working on sailing ships. First with a ‘Restricted small commercial shipping’ licence. At that time, I sailed on ships up to 36 metres long, on the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Skagerrak. Later, I obtained the ‘Small Commercial Shipping up to 3,000 tonnes’ certificate of competency and sailed worldwide. My first ship was the Brabander, a gaff rigged topsail schooner. After that, I sailed for a long time on the schooner Eendracht. And eight years on the clipper Stad Amsterdam.

I started as an officer, but I liked ship maintenance more, so then I switched to the position of boatswain. As I got older, I found the rhythm on board increasingly demanding. The work is always ongoing, and working at night was particularly challenging for me. I was able to retire early, so I did. Despite being happy to be retired, I had to get used to it. Naturally, I was used to that rhythm, and it was a big change. It took me a year to find my feet. I receive additional income besides my state pension and occupational retirement pension. I teach the boatswain course at the Enkhuizen Nautical College. And I am regularly asked to do maintenance on large sailing ships. Last year, I spent nine weeks in India maintaining two three-masted barques belonging to the Indian navy. Furthermore, I often sail with my wife on our flat-bottomed boat. This Hoogaars is moored in Sloten in Friesland, a beautiful sailing area. Staying active keeps me young and fit. So I'll keep busy with boats.” ←