10th August 2020 – The new owner asked me to help picking up another engine for the Hornblower. Not really worth mentioning, but once the ship is moving again with her new engine, I might remember this post.
10th August 2020 – The new owner asked me to help picking up another engine for the Hornblower. Not really worth mentioning, but once the ship is moving again with her new engine, I might remember this post.
9th August 2019 – I had a phone call in the morning asking to verify a few numbers found in the hull. After a bit of research I managed to get her historical record. She was built in 1902. The new owner just found the ‘brandmerk’ numbers by cleaning the hull. After all these years, we finally know where and for who she was built. The ship stayed for a longer period than expected in commercial service.
The Hornblower was measured in 1902 and carried the name ‘Borgercompagnie Groningen VV’. Owned by J. Bakker from Borgercompagnie. The ship is 16.04 meters long and 3.42 meters wide. It was built that the yard G. & H. Bodewes in Hoogezand.
12th July 2019 – I got the anchor winch back from the Hornblower. I bought it in 2011, but it never really got in use. Now it is time to restore it to her original condition and put her in the museum.
10th June 2019 – My friend managed to get the alternator running. The indicator light was not strong enough to give a pulse to the alternator. The wires are in position. There was an issue with a leaking injector pipe, but that is now fixed as well. Nearly ready to go, to leave Ghent.
8th June 2019 – My friend spent a whole day in the engine room, connecting the new alternator, fixing the cooling system and insulating the exhaust. He came home a bit disappointed since the alternator didn’t work….
31st March 2019 – I sold my share of the Hornblower to my friend. There are a few reasons why I can’t continue with this project.
Firstly, I’m spending to much time on Museumschip Tordino and her collection. This is a project that will run and take my energy for at least a few more years.
The second reason is I lost interest in the ship. It is what it is. An old hull, with a younger built cabin. The interior is well done (I spent three years converting her between 2011-2014). The technical bits done by the next owner are acceptable but need some adjusting to last longer then one journey. What I try to say is the Hornblower was a nice project and with some energy she can become a nice cruiser. But sailing boats have never been my top priority…
6th January 2018 – We went to Ghent to measure the Hornblower and see how to solve a few issues.
3rd Janaury 2019 – My neighbour moved the ship forward. He used new ropes and cleaned the quay. Everything looks better now. The officials will be happy, or at least that is what I hope.
13th December 2018 – My neighbour and I just bought the Hornblower back from the previous owner. He wanted to scrap the vessel since he didn’t get a mooring for the ship.
We met at 7 o’clock in the evening, had a look around and made a deal. She will need a big cleanup, a rebuilt of the wheelhouse and a lot of paint.
7th December 2018 – I had a phone call last week from the owner of the Hornblower. He wants to sell the boat.
The Hornblower is moored in Ghent. I went to have a look at the ship. She was in not such a good condition and a lot of work I’ve done was lost or badly damaged. a bit of a dissapointment.
20th June 2014 – It is not my intention to keep my website up-to-date with what other people do to my ships I have owned or worked on. I like to follow these ships in the background. I had the chance and honor to sail the Hornblower to the yard on the 7th June 2014. A few days later, she was dry docked.
A week later, the new owners called me telling the yard costs are to expensive and they will scrap the boat. I went to the yard and had a look. It is sad to see her in a condition I shall not further describe….
I will remember the Hornblower as my yacht, where I had a laugh and a cry, where I met nice people, where friends helped painting and the ship I have done the most welding jobs by myself. I spent two years converting her, making her looking shining again.
Thanks to all my friends in the support of saving the Hornblower in 2011. I will not save her again.
PS: For all the people who follow my website: Don’t send me pictures from her at the scrapyard!
7th June 2014 – The new owners of the Hornblower asked me to join the trip and move the boat to a yard near the Dutch border. After all this time, I could steer her again…
I didn’t refuse the job because I knew she had a reliable engine and she is a good ship.
20th April 2013 – Putting primer on the wood in the wheelhouse and the bathroom took me a whole day. I’m happy with the result.
18th April 2013 – Since I have a table in the wheelhouse, we decided to eat on the Hornblower. A close friend came and we had a good meal! She liked it, I was looking at all the work that still needs doing. After two years of heavy work, I realize I still need to do a lot of things. Instead of talking of years, it is now a mater of months. When I bought the Hornblower, I always said it will take me three years and I’m not far off!