History

After the successful deep-sea regattas Newport-Bergen 1935 and Bermuda-Cuxhaven 1936 (Olympic regatta), Captain Ludwig Schlimbach (*18.9.1876, retired) and his friend, the naval architect and shipyard owner Henry Rasmussen were of the opinion that international regatta sailing at sea had now gained a foothold in Germany. Schlimbach, an admirer of Slocum and Pidgeon, and Rasmussen were of the opinion that one-handed sailing was a gap yet to be filled. This led to the confidential plan of a one-handed Atlantic crossing with a 10m boat and the conception of the STÖRTEBEKER III, in the construction of which Rasmussen implemented the experiences and requirements of Schlimbach. The boat was launched on June 3, 1937 in Lemwerder by Abeking & Rasmussen without a big ceremony. After being transferred to Hamburg, it was taken to Lisbon as deck cargo of the steamer “GENERAL OSORIO” of the Hamburg-Süd Reederei, where Schlimbach set sail for New York on June 19, 1937. After 58 days and 3,500 nautical miles Schlimbach reached New York – at the age of 60 alone. Major daily newspapers such as the New York Times, Washington Post and radio stations reported on the voyage. The experts noted a sailing peak performance for the time, with which STÖRTEBEKER III also became famous and received a lot of attention in the professional world.

After arriving in New York, Schlimbach sailed for several weeks through the Long Island Sound with which he was familiar, and met many old friends, including at the renowned New York Yacht Club and in Newport, where Schlimbach was an honorary citizen as a blue-water sailor. Among his close circle of friends were the Roosevelt family and Herbert L. Stone, editor of Yachting Magazine and Commodore of the Cruising Club of America (CCA). STÖRTEBEKER III took part in the “Columbus Day” (12.10.1037), the annual meeting of the CCA in Lloyds Bay, with about 150 seagoing yachts and about 1.200 sailors.

The boat started its return journey to Cuxhaven in autumn 1937 as deck load on the steamer “BERLIN” of the North German Lloyd. There the Yawl lay for some time in the barrel harbour Cuxhaven with horizontal masts. This was confirmed by Hans Peter Jürgens from Kiel, probably the last surviving Cape Hornier, on whose way to school the barrel harbour was located. After his return, Captain Schlimbach gave lectures about his voyage and the city of Kiel awarded him the Golden Crown Compass, which later became known as the “Schlimbach Preis” (can be seen in the display case of the KYC).

The boat received positive attention from the trade press and other yacht designers (Yachting World, 15.10.1937, p.342). The British Uffa Fox appreciated the construction in his famous work “Thoughts on Yachts and Yachting” as “Masterpiece” (1939, p.50-54).

The season 1938 began for STÖRTEBEKER III at the beginning of April with the participation at the water sports exhibition Berlin. At the shipyard stand of Abeking & Rasmussen the boat with standing masts was the visitor magnet of the then largest European water sports exhibition.

STÖRTEBEKER III had its water berth at the Weser Yacht Club (WYC) in Vegesack, received a DSV survey according to the RORC formula on 6.6.1938 and has been running the WYC’s pennant since 22.6.1938. Henry Rasmussen often sailed his boat himself and summed up in his notes: “I have seldom had a boat under my feet in which I felt so safe and comfortable as on this small ship, especially in bad weather”. In the summer of 1938 the Yawl took part in the international “Deutsche Ostsee Regatta” under skipper Christian Wilkens – the brother of the later “PIRAYA” commissioner and Commodore of the WYC, Henry Wilkens. (YACHT, No.39/1938 p.884ff.)

In September of 1938 Henry Rasmussen sold to Mr. Carl Otto Bohnenkamp, Düsseldorf. Before the transfer to the Rhine, A&R converted the boat according to the wishes of the new owner from a “deep-sea experimental vehicle” to a comfortable touring boat. Amongst other things it received a 2-cylinder 10 HP Penta engine with wave exit on the port side, some upgrades of the interior to increase comfort as well as a skylight in the saloon. The mast which had been put through up to now was converted against a mast which is upright on deck. 1940-1942 the boat was mainly used as a touring boat on the Rhine with a pennant of the DYC.
Around 1943, the boat was taken up the Lahn together with other yachts up the Rhine to Balduinstein to protect it from the effects of the Second World War.

After the end of the war, the boat was sold via the Hamburg shipbroker Adolf Fricke to the British naval officer John Seward Roe. After protracted negotiations with the French occupying forces, the boat was towed to Niederlahnstein on 11.7.1946 together with other yachts. It then continued its journey down the Rhine to Brohl, where it waited for the clearance certificate from the French command until the end of September before continuing in tow to Rotterdam. There the boat was transported as deck cargo to Torquay, UK; arrival 15.10.1946. (Contact to son exists)
Schlimbach, Bohnenkamp and Rasmussen took intensive care of the boat during the war, the safe transfer from the “hiding place” by the French sector including the formal imponderables until the handover to the subsequent owner Roe.

1947 – 1948
Repair of various transport damages, use as a touring cruiser in the South of England, among others in Fowey, shipyard care, sold to the British doctor and early retiree Dr. Ivor John Franklen-Evans at the end of 1948 for health reasons; Dr. Franklen-Evans was a founding member of the British Ocean Cruising Club (OCC)

1949
Trip to Norway, recording crew member Frank Jensen, planning and equipment for the long trip, installation of a tube shortwave receiver “Eddystone” and an oven (which could also be used for toasting)
Cowes – Photographer Beken of Cowes takes 4 photos of the Bermudian Yawl on the Solent
Trip from Poole, UK via the Cape Verde Islands to Bermuda, qualification for membership in the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC), longer round trip in the West Indies (Caribbean)

1950
Panama Canal, journey via the Marquesas, Takaroa, Tahiti to New Zealand, arrival Auckland on 8.12.1950

1951
Overhaul of the ship in Auckland West Haven, copper plate tar coating of the underwater hull

1952
Planning and equipment of a South Seas voyage Auckland – Rapa – Raivavae – Tahiti – Marquesas – Hawaii; sailing out with 3rd crew member on 30.8.1952, 5,697 NM, winning the Challenge Cup of the Royal Cruising Club, London

1953
Hilo/Hawaii – Victoria (Vancouver Island), arrival on 16 May 1953

1954
Trip to the Queen Charlotte Islands, circumnavigating Vancouver Island clockwise

24.11.1954
Sold in Victoria to Sylvia-Magaret and Dr. Theodore Rose (Sylvia died in 2005 in West Vancouver, contact with the descendants is still existing), mooring at the RVYC in Victoria; used as family boat

30.3.1973
Sold to the physicist John Edgar Harvey, contact to his son Brian Harvey; oceanographer who learned to sail on STÖRTEBEKER III

6.9.1979
Sold to Christopher Grant Denny (architect / illustrator / technical draughtsman), contact with widow

1980
Repairs and “modernisation” of the interior layout / conversions of rudder coker, cockpit, repair of stern beam with central wave system, renewal of transom/major boom/mizzen, equipment for one-handed cross-country sailing

1981
Trip Victoria – San Francisco – San Diego – La Paz/Mexico – Marquesas

1982
Trip Marquesas – Tahiti – Hawaii – Victoria / One-handed (in the South Seas temporarily female guest crew)

15.9.1995
Sold to Robert William Rogers and Katryn Anne Pineo; Daysailer, Berth RVYC

13.7.2000
Sold to Edward Perry Louchard, Port Townsend, Washington B.C.; used as a family boat, annual participation in the famous Wooden Boat Festival; winter mooring in sheltered bay at Mooring; 2006 break of Mooring, stranding in storm, last season in the water 2007, afterwards storage in the local wood shed.

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