It took 22 days at an average of about 9 knots. But, Thorwald Westmaas completed one of the first major steps in seeing his dream come to a reality. In fact, he took the North Sea trawler he bought in 2006 across the Atlantic Ocean for conversion into a yacht.
The marine mechanical engineer details the trip, from Holland to Columbia, on his Expedition Yacht blog. There, he additionally takes friends, family, and other interested readers step by step through the construction process. From his first post in November 2006 to this month, Westmaas describes every detail. Firstly, he describes how he came to buy the 40.2-meter (132-foot) trawler. He also reveals how he’s peppering experts with questions to learn all he can about this big undertaking. For example, through both words and dramatic pictures, Westmaas reveals the seaworthy and durable reputation of this type of trawler. He also reveals that a naval architect from her original design firm is helping put his ideas on paper, amending as necessary.
And amend he has. Recently, Westmaas redesigned the galley to add ports for the chef’s pleasure. Simultaneously, he added a door to a stern platform to ease loading provisions. (On a side note, if you’re a yacht chef, he welcomes your input on the design.) In yet another post, he describes how MCA safety regulations on damage stability led to reducing the large engine room.
The Expedition Yacht blog, chockablock with photos and detailed drawings, is an interesting look into what’s clearly a labor of love.
As for his choice of a shipyard in Columbia–specifically Cartegna–Westmaas acknowledges that the region isn’t known for yacht conversions. However, it is home to the country’s navy as well a Dutch-owned shipyard, Navtech. He visited the yard and was impressed, plus has great hopes for a good working relationship.
I do as well. I’ll be following the conversion and post updates accordingly.
Leave a Reply