Participating in sailing races is a real rush! Feel the tension just before the start; see the sails being hoisted and the focused faces of the crew as the sailing race gets underway. Be a part of the joy at the finish and the subsequent End Party!
Organize your own sailing race
The ships from Rederij Vooruit are highly suitable for sailing races. You can organize your own race if your group has more than 10 people. We’ll use two ships for your group and race a predetermined route. Who will sail across the finish line first? Who will with this exciting sailing race?
Be a part of the action
In addition to us organizing a race for you, there are a number of unique races in the Netherlands with large sailing ships. This is your chance to get to experience what it’s like to be onboard during one of these real sailing races.
You don’t even need to be an experienced sailor to participate in races! The skipper will teach you all the tricks of the trade so you can help out during the race. You can rent one ship with a group and take part in the race and hopefully win it!
Individuals can also sign up for a sailing race. We’ll then form a group that includes all of the individual travelers and race together.
We look forward to welcoming you onboard our ships!
Sailing race calendar 2010
Sailing race | Port of departure | Date |
Pieper Race | Volendam | 10-11 April 2010 |
Klipper Race | Enkhuizen | 9-10 October 2010 |
Brandaris Race | Harlingen | 16 October 2010 |
Steile Bank Race | Lemmer | 23 October 2010 |
Beurt veer Race | Workum | 25-29 October 2010 |
Wadden Race | Harlingen | Probably 6-7 November 2010 |
Cost for individual participation
Pieper Race 2010 | € 185,- p.p. |
Klipper Race 2010 | € 185,- p.p. |
Brandaris Race 2010 | € 185,- p.p. |
Steile Bank Race 2010 | € 185,- p.p. |
Beurt Veert / Stron Race 2010 | € 360,- p.p. (4 days) |
Wadden Race 2010 | € 175,- p.p. |
Pieper Race
Departure/arrival port: Volendam
During this sailing race there are different classes of boats: Tjalken, Skûtsjes, Clippers and Fishing Vessels.
This competition for traditional sailing ships honors the Voelendammer Kwakken (big fishing boats found only in Volendam) which were used between 1943 and 1945 to sail potatoes (piepers) from Friesland to other parts of the Netherlands. The potatoes went to locations such as hospitals in Amsterdam.
Klipper Race
Departure/arrival port: Enkhuizen
The Klipper Race is the largest sailing event for traditional sailing ships and is held in October each year on the Ijsselmeer on the coast of Enkhuizen. Around 50 traditional sailing ships participate in this two day event.
The race is made up of two components, the Drie Steden (Three Cities) Race and the Olympic track. As long as the weather cooperates, the spectacular anchor start takes place in the Krabbersgat near Enkhuizen. Then two of the three designated buoys are rounded. There lie near Medemblik, Stavoren and Urk. The finish is back in the Krabbersgat.
Brandaris Race
Departure port: Harlingen
The Brandaris Race is the sailing race from Harlingen to Terschelling. It is the largest race in the Netherlands in terms of participating vessels. A stunning spectacle with 70 to 80 ships participating each year! At the end of the race there is an awards ceremony on Terschelling followed by a big party.
Steile Bank Race
Departure/arrival port: Lemmer
This is the sailing race to the “steile bank”, the famous sand bank in the Ijsselmeer. It is a fantastic spectacle with many ships participating each year! At the end of the day there is an awards ceremony followed by a big party.
Beurtveer Race
Departure port: Workum
Each October there is a service race between Workum and Amsterdam.
The event has the character of a real race: the goal is to get passengers from Friesland to the capital and back again as fast as possible. The vessels in this race are traditional sailing ships: clippers, Tjalken and Skûtsjes.
There are two routes which the skippers must choose from beforehand. The order of the ports is fixed per route.
Route M
Out: Workum, Medemblik, Houtrib, Amsterdam: Durgerdam Back: Amsterdam-Durgerdam, Houtrib- of Krabbersgatsluis, Lemmer, Workum
Route L
Out: Workum, Lemmer, Krabbersgatsluis, Amsterdam Back: Amsterdam, Houtribsluis, Medemblik, Workum
The ship with the fewest motor minutes that has visited the most ports, in the shortest time is the winner.
De Wadden Race
Departure/arrival port: Harlingen
On Saturday morning the ships prepare for this race on the Wadden Sea which starts in Harlingen. The competing ships will sail to the ports of Den Oever, Texel (Oudeschild), Vlieland and Terschelling (in no particular order). The race ends sometime on Sunday back in the port of Harlingen.
The difference between the Wadden Race and most other sailing races for such ships is that the skipper of each boat chooses the route. Overnight the water and tides have free reign. Experienced ship skippers have to battle both their competitors and the elements. Tactics, familiarity with the ship and knowledge of Wadden Sea will all play a role in determining the winner, while the wind and tides will be a big factor in route selection during this sailing race.
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