The national wedding gift to the royal family of The Netherlands in 1937 is the newest member of the Feadship Heritage Fleet. The yacht Piet Hein has quite a history, too, which the membership will continue to preserve.
When Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard became engaged in 1936, fundraising began to build them a yacht. They preferred a motoryacht for use along the inland Dutch waterways. In August 1937, nearly five months to the day after the keel laying, they took delivery of the yacht Piet Hein. Subsequently, numerous international heads of state joined them for voyages. During World War II, however, Germany seized the 103-footer (31-meter). The yacht ended up in Hamburg, discovered there in poor shape after the war. Thankfully, the prince and princess were able to transport Piet Hein for restoration, and continued cruising aboard through December 1980. The year prior, they decided having a foundation maintain her like a museum was more prudent.
Stichting Piet Hein (“Piet Hein Foundation” in English) officially took ownership in 1980 and has kept her ever since. Specifically, volunteers maintain her mahogany wheelhouse and teak paneling. The foundation further permits groups to book her for cruises primarily in the spring and summer. The yacht Piet Hein has participated in the annual Sail Amsterdam celebration several times as well.
In fact, she just participated in this year’s waterborne parade through the city (above), as the lead vessel among 35 Feadship Heritage Fleet yachts. On August 19, she officially joined the Feadship Heritage Fleet during a signing ceremony. Representatives from the foundation, the National Maritime Museum, Sail Amsterdam, Feadship, and the Feadship Heritage Fleet board all attended.
The Feadship Heritage Fleet was founded in 2013. It unites owners who have Feadships that are 30 or more years old. While they enjoy private rendezvous, they also share insight into their historic vessels with each other. The late naval architect Henri W. de Voogt penned many of these yachts—further designing the yacht Piet Hein. On a related note, the shipyard that constructed her, De Vries Lentsch, was one of the original Feadship yards.
Wim van Kampen Feadship Heritage Fleet’s chairman, called attention especially to the group’s focus on historic preservation during the signing ceremony. ”This is the unifying mission of the 85 members of our fleet: to safeguard these unique vessels for future generations,” he says.
Feadship Heritage Fleet feadshipheritagefleet.nl
More About the Yacht Piet Hein
LOA: 102’7” (31.29 meters)
Beam: 18’0” (5.49 meters)
Draft: 5’0” (1.53 meters)
Guests: 6 in 3 staterooms
Engines: 2/315-hp Storks
Range: not specified
Builder: De Vries Lentsch
Stylist: H.W. de Voogt Technical Bureau for Shipbuilding
Naval Architect: H.W. de Voogt Technical Bureau for Shipbuilding
Interior Designer: not specified