Season 2025

Our good friend Ruben is friendly to bring us from Enkhuizen to Kollum. So we stack up a lot of stuff we want to take, like our sleeping bags and our aluminium case with all kinds of stuff for the boat.

He picks us up at 09:00 and we leave at around 09:10 to Kollum. He chooses to take the Afsluitdijk and we are there at 10:50! Pretty early! Traffic was really minimal, so we made good headway.
Being at LBB Motoren, we are unloading his car and we also get additional diesel fuel. Our new jerrycans (10 liter each) are filled and taken to the TOM. Here Jacco starts to do the things that need some additional attention:

• Attaching all the hoses to the toilet
• Putting the electronics on power
• Putting in the Transducer in Cooling Fluid (Let's see if that works!)
• Putting the fuel filter in place

Then, while talking with Ate from LBB, he says: Bro, you do know a lot, but you're not really smart! Why don't you use a fuel-pump-ball to make bleeding out the air easier?

He gets us one and yes, that makes life WAY easier! Filling up the new filter and making sure that all air is bled off, is now a breeze!

We start the engine and the engine runs perfect, so all air is out and the filter is working properly. We also take in water, and then we are ready to go. We say bye to Ate and Ruben and we take off, turning north onto the "Kollumer Kanaal". To our surprise, the depth shows up on the Onwa!

After a little bit, before turning west into the Alddjip and continue to the Nije Swemmer, we go underneath the bridge "Kollumer Nieuwe Zijl". Closed this bridge is 2.51 meters (and 9 meters wide). And this fits! We hear the Marifoon Antenna hit the bridge (Steel rod, so no damage)... Plink, Ploink... And we are on Alddjip. The following bridge is 3 meters, so we do not worry at all! And we are heading to the west.....

We are slowly turning to the south until we reach "Tankstation / bunkerstation Kukhernsterwei" (16:25). Here we notice that Tom likes to listen to the rudder while going forward, but backwards he only wants to go "straight". So it was already a bit tricky to get her on the quay but we managed. Mozes helps us, in a very friendly and informing way. He knows Ate, and is curious where we are going! Enkhuizen is the answer. We take 40 liters of Diesel and an "anti bacterial shot" and we continue our way. We head on to the Burgemermar where one of the beroepsvaart tells us that we look like a "freighter" on AIS. Shit.. We have to check that! After modifying some settings, we hope that it is now ok!

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As seen here, we now are also registering online! That is a good thing! And now we register for around 10 km/h (5.3 knots). (Later this trip we will see speeds up to 15 km/h - 8 knots)
We are heading for the Prinses Margrietsluis in Lemmer and the basic plan is: Try to cross the IJsselmeer. But sleep demands different and we arrive at Ligplaats Marrekrite SL 01 at 22:00, where we stay the night.

Weather - 05 April 2025

Temperature Average

10,3 °C (norm.: 7,8 °C)

Wind

Dominant Direction: Noordoost (39°)

Average Wind Speed: 3 bft - 4,7 m/s (16,9 km/u)

Sun

Duration: 12,2 hours

After a little bit rocky night, we wake up at around 06:30 and get ready to continue our trip. The temperature was close to freezing point, but due to all good measures of Shanaz, we have not been cold at all!
And the length of the bed in the bow: Hey, for now it is doable for someone of the length of Jacco.

So, first things first:

• Check the valves for all inlets/outlets for leaks (OK)
• Check the oil level (Needed some, so added)
• Check battery level (OK)
• The grease pot on the propeller shaft is tightened 2 full turns.
  (Ate already placed a new grease-cord and put in 4 full pots before we picked TOM up.)

Due to the cold temperatures, we use the "cold start button" on the engine. After a little longer turning over on the starter, the engine starts and we gently let it run and the cooling is checked. (OK)
Where the engine was smoking pretty much yesterday, the smoke is already way less today! So we assume that the engine has not been running for long hours, but only has seen "Short" trips. Hey, that will change!

We release the mooring lines and bring them on board. Then we slowly turn towards the buoyage and towards the Princess Margriet lock.

By marine radio we call the lock to ask if we are allowed to go from the canals to the IJsselmeer. So, switch to channel 20, and call the Lock. We are told to get in first so the freighter behind us can use the back part of the lock, due to the fact that they carry "hazardous substances". And after a very smooth change in water level, we are on the IJsselmeer! The Marifoon goes to channel 1 (Block channel for IJsselmeer), the Marifoon Porto goes to channel 16 and the receiver is going to listen on both channel 16 and 10. We are ready to get to Andijk!

So, while leaving the Lemmer, the water already is a tiny bit bumpy and the wind is a little harder than expected. The RWS Waterway info on the Marifoon is giving 4 - 5 Bft wind. And Rotterdamse hoek has no warnings. But I know that coming closer to Andijk, the water will be a little more rough than what we have now. Shanaz makes us something to eat and coffee. We make good progress and have an average speed of 10 km/h (5.3 knots). But when riding waves (like surfing), we have reached 15 km/h (8 knots!). Having the wind (and waves) in your back, might have the advantage of going faster, it also makes steering the boat more work. The stern of the boat wants to go faster than the bow and therefore you have to make sure that you intercept that on time... And most of the times that works, but sometimes it doesn't. So, the coffee-pot hits the ground. (Stainless steel, so nothing broken) From what I experienced, the waves were around 1.5 meters. And TOM doesn't care about that!

At 11:45 we arrive at Andijk and due to the fact that it is protected by the Dyke, it is an easy entrance. After riding the waves, this is very nice! We find our mooring spot on the jetty and (according to Shanaz) exactly 12:00 I turn off the engine. TOM is home! We do clean up the mess and call Ernst, who is going to pick us up. He'll be with us at around 16:00 so we have some time to just stow away our things and give them a better place. After checking our checklist:

• Valves closed - Check
• Main Switch off - Check
• All windows & hatches closed - Check

Logbook Entry 06-04-2025

IJsselmeer Log Entry

Date: 06 Apr 2025

From

Lemmer

To

Andijk
(home berth)

Course

~270°

Speed

~10 km/h (5.5 kn)

Conditions – IJsselmeer

Feels Like

~4,8 °C; cold wind from astern.

Wind

~6,8 m/s; 24,5 km/h eastnortheast (76°) (4–5 Bft).

Sea State

Short, medium choppy swell between Lemmer and Andijk.

Handling

Medior adjustments needed to avoid “surfing”; vessel “Tom” stable and responsive over wave sets.

Passage Notes

Lock Exit

07:43 (Prinses Margrietsluis, Lemmer)

Arrival

11:37 (Andijk)

Track

Broad reach toward Andijk; variable speed due to “surfing”.

Speed

Variable 9–15 km/h (5.3–8 kn).

Mooring

Alongside in assigned box; executed calmly and without incident.

Engine Notes

Overall Performance

Good

Oil Usage

High! Need more checking!

Cooling

Coolant (raw water) from exhaust in normal volume

Vibrations

Medior vibrations.

Remarks

Rocky passage: The 4–5 Bft winds from the east made it a not too pleasant trip.
Last part (approx. from Bol SPORT D) to Andijk very choppy and made gear fall.
Vessel performance steady; crew in moderate spirits.
VHF Radio performed with good result.
Crew has confidence in reliability of the engine.

Weather - 06 April 2025

Temperature Average

7,8 °C (norm.: 8,5 °C)

Wind

Dominant Direction: Oostnoordoost (79°)

Average Wind Speed: 3 bft - 4,8 m/s (17,3 km/u)

Highest hour average speed: 4 bft - 7,0 m/s (25,2 km/u) 11–12u

Sun

Duration: 12,3 hours

Yes, we know! It has been a couple of weeks. But due to weather, social commitments and work, it hasn't been easy to find time to really be "on the boat"
but we will go on trips from now on....

Also check the information regarding the dynastart for some more perspective regarding why we did not made trips yet! We also washed the main part of Tom. And here we figured out that there is some leaking going on. Not major, but still serious enough to get stuff wet. This means that we have to find where the leaking is coming from. We do have an idea where this might originate from, but to be sure, we have to check that.

Planning trips means:

Checking stuff before you run into issues and have to pay big fines. So, among other routes, we are checking a route to "Uithoorn" and "Ter Aar". But this implicates that you are going to navigate trough Amsterdam. And the city of Amsterdam introduced a Doorvaarvignet which will kost money. The only issue is that the information regarding this "vignet" is inconclusive on Amsterdam's own sites!

Therefore we will NOT buy the vignet to only pass trough Amsterdam.

Because as stated on their site:

Also, when you go to https://mijnvignet.amsterdam.digitaalvignet.nl/request-vignette/check then you will notice that the option: My boat does NOT lay in Amsterdam/Weesp does not exist. Therefore we are not going to spend any money on this due that Amsterdam is violating:

Also, Amsterdam does not comply with the User-Focused communication initiative (Direct Duidelijk) from the Dutch Government. From our humble perspective (backed by our lawyers), this vignet is deliberately called a "doorvaartvignet", while you don't need it to pass trough Amsterdam. (And you cannot even order it when you only pass trough!)

Well, tomorrow a new day for some planning!

Today we try to continue our attempts to plan some routes for the rest of the year....

Nachtmarkt Kolhorn!

This year, as already for 40 years now, the Nachtmarkt in Kolhorn is organized. This year, on the following dates the Nachtmarkt is held:

Nachtmarkt Kolhorn 2025 dates

27 June 2025

Missed this one......

18 July 2025

Posibility......

8 August 2025

Our preferred date!

If everything goes as planned, we will visit the Nachtmarkt on one of the two available dates!

The trip will take us over the IJsselmeer to Medemblik, there trought the locks and head for Middenmeer, take a turn and head to Kolhorn

Weather is reasonable, so go.....
Ok, Tom can be in the harbor for 24/7, but that is not why we got him. We got Tom to have fun. So today we go out and see where we end up!

Andijk - Den Oever (Stontelersluis)

Here we go—gently heading out of the harbor. Yes, we take it slowly. Since we don’t like waves in harbors, we try not to create them ourselves. Leaving Andijk around 10:45, we arrive at Den Oever (Stontelersluis) at approximately 13:15.

The wind is coming from westerly directions (West–Southwest) and is quite strong. This means we’re not taking the "straight-line" approach, but instead following the coastline slightly. This results in fewer waves and a more pleasant ride.

At an average speed of 5.3 knots, we are heading toward Den Oever. As mentioned earlier, the weather is lovely, and it's actually very enjoyable to be on the water, despite the wind. We stay closer to shore so the waves, coming in from the port (rear) side, won’t be too bothersome. With hardly any clouds and very pleasant temperatures, we continue toward Den Oever. Thanks to the good weather, we enjoy beautiful views over the water and along the shoreline. Tom has a very gentle rocking motion, which is quite comfortable.

At around 12:00, we pass the harbor "Oude Zeug", where Jongert is located—famous for their beautiful yachts (approximately €1 million per meter).

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Fun Fact:They started in Medemblik, but the size of the boats they were building became too large for the location, locks, and bridges, so they decided to move to the 'Oude Zeug'.

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The closer we get to Den Oever, the calmer the water becomes. However, we’re also getting closer to the coastline, which has an effect as well. We call the "Stontelersluis" because it doesn’t use Marine Radio communications. The lock keeper is surprised—he hasn’t seen us yet—but we called ahead, since when the water level is low, it takes some time to rise. This is especially true when the doors are already open. But we’re in luck—he tells us the doors are open, and we can enter once we arrive. In the lock, he assists us and mentions that another boat will join us for the passage down. No problem! We descend gently, and as the doors open, we enter the Den Oeversche Vaart.

Den Oever (Stontelersluis) - Slootdorp - de Haukes

We ease gently out of the lock under power, entering the ferny shade of the Den Oeversche Vaart. According to the water charts (and online sources), the speed limit for recreational boating on the Den Oeversche Vaart is 9.0 km/h. That suits us perfectly, as the dynastart requires a minimum speed. At a steady 8–9 km/h, we make good progress, and the battery charges nicely. By the way, the solar panel is also doing its part.

I’ve discovered that I need to set up a cooling system for the marine radio/navigation cabinet. The Onwa doesn’t cope well with heat—it tends to freeze a few times when it gets too warm.

Het Bos Roept

Kleine passantenhaven bij kampeerterrein.

Ligplaatsen

Vaste plaatsen: 28
Passantenplaatsen: 28

Faciliteiten

Container
Bootverhuur
Douches
Kleedkamers
Passantenhaven
Restaurant
Speeltuin
Toiletten
Wastafels

While sailing, we pass the cute and cosy 'passantenhaven' 'Het Bos roept'. Not big at all. In hindsight, we should have moored there: well-kept jetties, solid mooring poles, and neatly mowed grass. Absolutely wonderful! Definitely something to keep in mind for next time.

As we glide past, we wave to the visitors and of course, they wave back. We’re now on our way to Slootdorp, where we’ll have a choice of direction.

Shortly after passing the marina, we also left the "Robbenoordbos" behind. Even though the canals are relatively straight, it’s still wonderful to cruise through the heart of nature. You can hear the birds singing—even above the engine noise! We glide smoothly over the water.

Near the bridge in the Klieverweg, our stomachs start to rumble: it’s time for a sandwich. A delicious 'sammich' with strawberry jam, and a great cup of tea! To our port side, the canal runs alongside a row of trees bordering the Den Oeverseweg. To starboard, we see meadows and fields with vegetables, grain, and potatoes and here and there wild flowerbeds. There are also smaller canals and ditches on the starboard side, though they’re not navigable for us.

W.V. Amstelmeer

Quietly located club marina, visiting boats are welcome to use berths temporarily vacated by regular berth holders.

Ligplaatsen

Vaste plaatsen: 162
Passantenplaatsen: Variable

Faciliteiten

Container
Douches
Kleedkamers
Passantenhaven
Trailerhelling
Walstroom
Toiletten
Wastafels
WiFi

Slowly but surely, we approach Slootdorp, where several canals meet. We’re arriving from the northeast via the "Den Oeversche Vaart". To the south lies the "Slootvaart" heading toward Middenmeer, to the west the "Nieuwesluizer Vaart", and to the north, the northern branch of the "Slootvaart". As planned, this is where we decide which way to go.

(Note for next time: a short mooring along the "Sluisweg" in Slootdorp is possible. Handy if you want to do some shopping at the "John Elfring Supermarket" in the village.)

We decide to follow the Slootvaart northward toward the Haukes.

We turn starboard into the Slootvaart and cruise in fairly sheltered conditions toward the Haukes lock. Here, we rise again about 3 meters. Once again, a very friendly older lock keeper greets us and recommends the Haukes marina. We exchange a glance and decide to spend the night here.

Definitely not a bad choice, at least in terms of marina facilities. We’re starting to recognize Tom’s specific quirks. Tom is perfectly fine reversing, as long as it’s in a straight line. At moderate to high speed, Tom prefers to take a turn to starboard, which makes sense given the propeller effect (something we’ll learn more about later). When maneuvering slowly, however, Tom seems to listen more to the wind than to the rudder or the helmsman. So yes, getting into the box was a bit of a struggle.

Luckily, this is a welcoming club marina, where the regular berth holders are quick to lend a hand. And yes..... it becomes quite clear to others, too, that this is still “new” to us.

After mooring, we first decide to create a bit of order so the boat doesn’t look like a floating renovation project. We also take a look at whether using the second sleeping berth might be an option, since the skipper feels a bit cramped in the two-person bunk. After tidying up and doing a bit of cleaning, we sit down for a relaxed meal.

We enjoy a simple but satisfying dinner that consists of bread, ragout, and soup—then head over to the watersports club’s canteen for a drink. There, we meet a lovely couple, and it turns out that our paths, or rather, our boats, have crossed before. Enjoying their company and the beautifully colored evening sky, we eventually say goodbye for now and turn in for the night.

Weather - 04 Juni 2025

Temperature Average

18,7 °C (norm.: 18,4 °C)

Wind

Dominant Direction: zuidwest (231°)

Average Wind Speed: 4,8 m/s (17,3 km/u)

Sun

Duration: 13,8 hours

Weather turned into more wind and rain....
Hmmm.... being woken up by hard rain... That is not what was expected? And the wind also increased in strength... Let's see what the morning brings.

De Haukes - Pishoek - Middenmeer - Andijk

After waking up several times during the night due to strong gusts of wind, waves, and heavy raindrops, we still wake up feeling refreshed. Since the galley isn’t yet set up the way we’d like, we have to improvise a little. After the usual morning routine and breakfast, we prepare for departure, assuming the rain doesn’t ruin the plan!

In any case, the standard checks are done: oil level, fuel level, and tightening the grease cup on the propeller shaft. These things need to be checked every time before we leave.

Then it looks like the weather will hold. Both Windy and Buienradar suggest there may be a light drizzle, but no real rain is expected. We take the chance and cast off from the Haukes at 10:45, heading onto the Amstelmeer, toward the Ulkesluis bridge, and onward to Kolhorn. We follow the Waardkanaal (9 km/h), passing Pishoek, where we notice green stakes that don’t appear on any of the water map apps (!). Later on in the Waardkanaal, we’ll come across more of them.

We approach the Nieuwesluizerbrug, which we have opened just to be on the safe side—there’s conflicting information about the clearance height, and better safe than sorry. We float calmly, reasonably sheltered by a line of trees, while we wait for the bridge to open. It truly now becomes clear that Tom does not like going backwards..... Then they open the bridge and despite the grey and dreary weather, we sail in peace and enjoy the surroundings.

Then the lunch monsters strike: hunger! We spot on the map that there should be a mooring spot nearby. Cruising slowly and scanning the shoreline, we finally see the jetty appear (52.80798, 4.91070).

Jetty in Waardkanaal - Westfrieschesluis - Overlekersluis

Mooring? yes, there are two ways to do it: port side or starboard. We choose to moor on the port side so we don’t have to hang the fenders to the other side. The canal is wide enough here to turn around, so that’s no problem.

And then, of course, we use the boat hook. But you should never rely on tools you haven’t bought and used yourself because the tip of the boat hook snaps off! Not exactly helpful… (now, and in the near future) Still, we manage to moor neatly and treat ourselves to a simple but satisfying lunch: soup and bread. Nothing fancy, but tasty nonetheless.

In the meantime, we take the opportunity to scrub the port side of Tom. And yes, we’re beginning to figure out where the leaks are coming from. It’s leaking around the windows. Not dramatic, but annoying. So that’s something we’ll need to fix before we start rebuilding and restructuring everything inside.

And off we go again. It’s a shame the weather is so grey and dull, but there’s not much we can do about that. We call the Westfriesche Sluis on VHF channel 20. Since we’re still “just around the corner,” the lock keeper can’t see us yet. But as soon as we round the bend and enter the Westfriesevaart, the lights turn red-green and the doors open promptly.

At that moment, we really notice how helpless you are without a boat hook! We nearly spin around like a cork in a bucket—but thankfully, it all works out. We descend about 5 meters. And with a bit of fumbling, we realize that sometimes a female helmsman handles things far better than a male one.

We chug along quietly toward Middenmeer and after taking the turn to starbord at Middenmeer, we pass under the Alkmaar Bridge. According to the water charts, the clearance is 2.6 meters, but our antenna doesn’t even touch anything? Either way, better too high than too low! We continue at a leisurely pace toward the Overlekersluis in Medemblik.

Overlekersluis - Westerhavensluis - Andijk

And again: without a boat hook, everything becomes a bit of a bruising struggle, especially with a long keel, which doesn’t exactly “spin on a dime”.... Unless Tom decides otherwise, of course.

We rise another 5 meters in the Overlekersluis and then cruise out of the lock toward the next one, which will lift us up to the IJsselmeer. But along the way, something catches our eye on the quay.... No way! Could it be? Yes! It really is: Tom’s family! There’s a Viksund 27 sailing yacht standing on the quay!

It’s quite something to see a Viksund 27 in the wild, and now here we are, cruising right past one! There’s something special about encountering a sister ship; it instantly creates a sense of connection. Naturally, we wonder who the owner might be. Wouldn’t it be nice to get in touch?

The Viksund is standing at a company’s quay, and when we inquire, they kindly offer to pass on our details to the owner. A big thank you to the folks at MYS—how thoughtful of them! It would be wonderful to exchange experiences, stories, or perhaps even photos of both boats together someday.

While we’re still recovering from the surprise encounter with the other Viksund, we continue on toward the Westerhaven lock. In our distraction, we initially make a call by phone—but we later realize that communication for both the lock and the bridge is handled via VHF channel 9. After a brief moment of confusion, everything falls neatly into place.

And once again, we’re reminded how essential a boat hook really is. Trying to moor or maneuver without one feels like trying to tie your shoelaces without using your hands—frustrating and unnecessarily complicated. It’s simply one of those tools you don’t miss until it’s suddenly not there.

We proceed calmly through the Westerhaven and approach the bridge, which is already partially open. The bridge keeper had already given us a heads-up: we’re welcome to sail through on red-green.

As we sail through the Oosterhaven, we carefully navigate between the piers and head out onto the open waters of the IJsselmeer. The first impressions are quite good—there’s a light chop, but nothing too dramatic—and Tom rocks along in his usual steady rhythm. The open water feels familiar and spacious, and we enjoy the movement after the narrow canals of the past days.

As we draw closer to Buurtjeshaven, we notice a change. The water becomes noticeably shallower in this area, and as expected, the waves build slightly in height. But Tom doesn’t mind at all—he takes it in stride, and we continue calmly toward the harbor entrance. Despite the bumpier conditions, we feel in control and confident as we line up with the harbor mouth.

Once inside the protective embrace of the piers, the water immediately calms down. But then comes the real test—turning into our designated berth. Ah yes, the infamous box maneuver. As always, it proves to be a bit of a challenge, especially with Tom’s long keel and unpredictable moods at low speed.

Luckily, we’re not alone. A helpful neighbor sees our struggle and offers a hand, making all the difference. With some teamwork and a bit of patience, we manage to get Tom neatly into the box. He’s finally back in his place—safe, sound, and moored. We reflect on the journey with satisfaction. It’s been a good trip, full of learning moments and new experiences.

As the saying goes: learning by doing—and that certainly applies here.

Weather - 05 Juni 2025

Temperature Average

18,5 °C (norm.: 18,1 °C)

Wind

Dominant Direction: zuidwest (228°)

Average Wind Speed: 4,4 m/s (15,8 km/u)

Sun

Duration: 0,7 hours

precipitation

Total: 2,2 mm

Prepping for our long weekend Kolhorn.
Because we are heading for Kolhorn for a couple of days, we are already bringing stuff on board.

Enkhuizen - Andijk - Enkhuizen (by Motorbike)

Yep. Waking up, and getting the stuff to the boat. Clothes, Toilet paper, and other important things. Also turning on the very old fridge.... Let's see if that old one is still functional when put on shore-power. Also, We needed a new Propane hose and a new pressure regulator, which we got at Joosten Watersport in Enkhuizen. Now we can cook a bit nicer! Also, the locks on the doors are now renewed and fixed. And the canopy windows (or hatches) will now open too.

Weather - 06 Augustus 2025

Temperature Average

16,6 °C (norm.: 19,4 °C)

Wind

Dominant Direction: westzuidwest (255°)

Average Wind Speed: 2,4 m/s (8,6 km/u)

Sun

Duration: 11,1 hours

precipitation

Total: 0,0 mm

Groceries and then....
We wake up at a very early time. There are only some small things that we need to bring to Tom and we need to get some fresh "supplies".

Andijk

Before we can go, we need supplies. We need to eat, right? Amongst others we need:

• Bread
• Butter
• Cheese
• Beverages

So we head for Lidl in Andijk and fetch our groceries.

We end up with a bit more than expected, but lucky it is just "around the corner" of the harbor, so we tie the crate on top of the top case and head for Tom. The weather is beautiful so it promises to be a great day!

Arriving at the Marina, we unload the bike and get the groceries stowed away. The old fridge works and is already nice and cool after a night of being turned on, so our groceries can be stored nice and cool! Time to do the Standard Checks: oil level, fuel level, and tightening the grease cup on the propeller shaft. These things need to be checked every time before we leave and those become already a form of "routine" and that is important. Let's head for Medemblik!

At Medemblik

The first "object" on the route, is the Kwikkelsbrug in Medemblik. This bridge is in between the oosterhaven and westerhaven. We need to pass this and use VHF channel 9 to contact the Medemblik Harbor, who is operating both the Kwikkelsbrug and the Westerhavensluis. There seems to be a bit of confusion on which end we are, and whilst approaching very slowly, we still have to wait a little at the bridge. No problem because there is very nice waiting berth available.

The only downside is, that the skipper of Tom now has to face the sailboat from "het zeilmeisje" that made name by violating multiple laws, and now has a huge sailyacht at her disposal. A bit unfair from the skipper's point of view! But whatever... After about 10 minutes waiting, we pass the Kwikkelsebrug into the Westerhaven and head for the Westerhavensluis. Here we moor behind the boat, that we did see pass the bridge in front of us. Gently we glide into the lock and put our line on the Bollard on top of the wall. With the canopy open this is a breeze! This was already a revelation when we had to wait for the bridge!

Passing the lock, we head trough the water along the Waterborg, to head to the Overlekersluis.

Towards Middenmeer - Overlekersluis

We already passed this one a couple of times, first with tom² and then with Tom on an earlier trip.
So we know what the drill is here. Going a long way down. And we have longer lines now! (2 x 15 meter). And that makes life way easier. Going down, we are probably the last before "lunchtime"! As always, the lockmaster helps by putting your lines on the Bollards. As usual, in a couple of minutes we are on the level of the Wieringermeer canals. Doors open and we are heading for the Westfriesche Vaart. The weather is just marvelous and the temperature with the canopy open is just perfect! It is such a pleasure to travel trough the canals like this! We pass the (two) Hoornse Brug underneath the A7 Highway and make our starboard turn to continue on the Westfriesche Vaart. The next object is the Alkmaarse Brug, (2.6 meters) right before Middenmeer. At Middenmeer, Port and continue on the Westfriesche Vaart to reach our next object, the Westfriesche Sluis.

Middenmeer - Westfriesche Sluis

We are now in the last stretch of the Westfriesche Vaart. We are actually on our way to meet up with our friends from Friesland! There is a chance that they will pass us because there is a huge possibility that they will take the road that is next to us: N248. The reason that we are heading for Kolhorn is to meet up with them and to visit the Nachtmarkt. Last year (2024) we met them when we where visiting the Nachtmarkt with Tom² and our tent. So this seems to become a yearly event.

At the Westfriesche Sluis, we have to wait a little because there is a ship coming "down" to our level. After about 15 minutes, we get the green lights and head into the lock. This one goes up, so we have to attach to the cables to slide up. And yes, here we go! The lockmasters do not open the doors "instantly", but gently. And in just a couple of minutes, we are at the level we need to be. From the lockmaster we do understand that it's pretty busy and off he goes! To the next lock.

Westfriesche Sluis - Kolhorn

It's just a chicken-hop to Kolhorn, trough the Kolhornerdiep. (There is a flood-lock that is always open. The lock is called the "Zeesluis") And in just a couple of minutes, we arrive at "De Strook" (The Strip). Some others are alreay moored there, and there are a couple of people fishing. We ask politely if they would make some room, so we can actually moor and we can step on to the dock a little more easy. Very friendly they comply with our request and we can moor at the end of the wooden dock. We arrived!

To our surprise, our friends already arrived whith their camper!

So they have passed us! We make sure everything is fine and we are moored properly and join them to catch up!

Weather - 07 Augustus 2025

Temperature Average

19,1 °C (norm.: 19,0 °C)

Wind

Dominant Direction: zuidzuidwest (212°)

Average Wind Speed: 3,0 m/s (10,8 km/u)

Sun

Duration: 4,4 hours

precipitation

Total: 0,1 mm

Nightmarket Kolhorn
So, today is the Nightmarket. The skipper is cleaning the boat on the outside and we get a better spot at the jetty.

Kolhorn

Today we take it slow. We calmly walk after a good night of sleep towards the Harbor office, where the restrooms and showers are, so we can take a shower. Everything is (just like last year) very neat and clean! After showering, we stroll back to Tom and get our breakfast going. Our friends also are awake and after doing some stuff on and around Tom, we join them for a nice chat an a cup of coffee.

People come and go on the Camper-spot. An older german couple is arriving and they haven't used the Aan-Uit app at all (just like we where confronted with it). So we help them to use the app to get power. And then, they cannot see the "Water" option. So the skipper uses his app to help them with water. They (the older couple) where so happy we've helped them! We truly hope they enjoy their stay!

Besides that, we take it calm today because it is nice weather, and a bit too hot to really do stuff. The skipper checked the oil and did add some grease to the grease-pot for the rudder stock. Some minor things, that still have to be done.

Some things he did:

• Calibrating the depth-measuring setting on the Onwa
  Trough the main menu - Calibration - Keel option
• Measuring the true hight above the water (Air draft - Freeboard) (2,20 m)

The morning and late morning pass pleasantly. We’re enjoying ourselves with our friends, and halfway through the afternoon we each go our own way. We do a bit of cleaning, some tidying up, and calmly prepare for the evening. And that evening still has a surprise in store!

After our first round at the market, during which we got the perfect fries on the bridge, the skipper gets a call from one of his colleagues who’s on his way to Kolhorn! So, he’s coming over for a visit. We decide to meet at Eilanderij Kolhorn and wait for him there. The weather is absolutely wonderful! After about 45 minutes, he arrives, and we take a leisurely stroll around the market. Of course, we let him enjoy the amazing fries and the tasty treats along the way. After finishing our round, he walks with us to the boat, and we chat for a little while longer.

Because he has to travel still some distance, we "boot" him out and tell him to be careful! We missed out on our "after market" drink with our friends, but we guess that they'll understand when we explain the why.

The bigger surprise will reveal itself tomorrow when we arrive home!

Weather - 08 Augustus 2025

Temperature Average

19,5 °C (norm.: 18,5 °C)

Wind

Dominant Direction: westzuidwest (251°)

Average Wind Speed: 2,5 m/s (9,0 km/u)

Sun

Duration: 6,7 hours

precipitation

Total: 0,0 mm

Heading home and then....
Slowly we wake up and realize it is the day we will head back home..... Unaware of the surprises of today.

Kolhorn

And the morning starts with coffee, breakfast, and another coffee with our friends. Then it is time to head home. We set our course towards the Westfriesche Sluis and after a couple of minutes we arrive. Using VHF channel 20, we announce ourselves and after a couple of minutes, the lockmaster tells us that the lock has a mechanical issue and that he's going to call a mechanic. In the meanwhile, others joined us to wait. And after half an hour, the lock-master tells us that the mechanic takes about 30 minutes to reach and that it then is still unsure how long it will take. After hearing this, we decide to head north up, using the Waardkanaal towards the Amstelmeer and then going south on the Slootvaart. This is partly the opposite route as we took the last time, but at least there everything is working. We tell our temporary neighbors that we are going to use that route.

The weather is nice and we head towards Pishoek, and the Amstelmeer. Being on the Waardkanaal, we see more boats coming from Kolhorn. We guess that the Westfriesche sluis is more broken than expected. And yes, when we just passed the Ulkesluisbrug, our "temporary neighbours" are catching up with us. They decided to take the same route as us. And yep, we end up with them in the Haukessluis.

Going down in the Haukessluis is, with the new long lines, a breeze and before we know it, we are on the level of the Slootvaart. While passing the 2 Kilometer marker, we decide that we will take the "Den Oeversche Vaart", towards Den Oever and take the Stontelersluis into the IJsselmeer. This will make that we passed the following objects on the route:

Bridge heights and other objects on this route

• Waardbrug – 323 cm
• Nieuweslizerbrug – 245 cm
• Ulkesluisbrug – 440 cm
• Haukessluis – 530 cm
• Bridge N240 Slootdorp – 390 cm
• Bridge Wierweg – 390 cm
• Bridge Schelpenbolweg – 390 cm
• Bridge Klieverweg – 390 cm
• Bridge Hippolytushoeverweg – 390 cm
• Bridge Robbenoord – 390 cm
• Bridge Stontelersluis – 395 cm
• Stontelersluis
• Bridge North Side Stontelersluis – 420 cm

Leaving the Stontelersluis, we are heading for the IJsselmeer. While the temperature in the canals was around 23 °C, (with a real-feel of 26 °C) it feels more like 18 °C out on the IJsselmeer. And when sailing between the banks of the canals, the sun did sting quite a bit whenever it peeked through the clouds. Luckily, there was some cloud cover; otherwise, it would have been far too hot in the canals. But now on the IJsselmeer? Nice and cool! We’re sailing on a broad reach, heading toward Andijk (approx. 145° compass course). At a steady speed of 10 km/h (5.5 knots), we’re making our way to the home port. We leave the lock around 15:07 and arrive in Andijk around 17:37.

Funny enough, it’s pretty much the reverse of the trip we did on 4 July from Andijk to Den Oever…

The stretch between Oude Zeug and Andijk turns a bit choppy due to the wind and waves. By weaving slightly up and down, we prevent ourselves from just rolling around. It’s noticeable that Tom can hold a steady course over the waves and remain nice and stable. After a wonderful trip, we moor in our berth (which, once again, goes smoothly this time — with calmness and precision).

Logbook Entry 09-08-2025

IJsselmeer Log Entry

Date: 09 Aug 2025

From

Stontelersluis

To

Andijk (home berth)

Course

~145° (broad reach)

Speed

10 km/h (5.5 kn)

Conditions – Canal

Water Temp

23 °C (approx.)

Weather

Warm/close between banks; sun intermittent through clouds (glare/heat moderate).

Notes

Cloud cover beneficial; otherwise uncomfortably hot.

Conditions – IJsselmeer

Feels Like

~18 °C; cool breeze from astern.

Sea State

Short, choppy swell between Oude Zeug and Andijk.

Handling

Minor up/down adjustments minimize rolling; vessel “Tom” stable and responsive over wave sets.

Passage Notes

Lock Exit

15:07 (Stontelersluis, Den Oever)

Arrival

17:37 (Andijk)

Track

Broad reach toward Andijk; steady speed maintained.

Mooring

Alongside in assigned box; executed calmly and without incident.

Engine Notes

Overall Performance

Good

Oil Usage

Decreasing compared to first trip

Cooling

Coolant (raw water) from exhaust in normal volume

Vibrations

The more hours, the lesser vibrations.

Exhaust

No smoking during cruising. Some (blue) smoke when the engine is warm and runs at low rpm's.

Remarks

Fine passage: cooler open-water run after warmer canals.
Vessel performance steady; crew in good spirits.
VHF Radio and AIS test performed with good result.
Crew has confidence in reliability of the engine.

Weather - 09 Augustus 2025

Temperature Average

16,9 °C (norm.: 18,5 °C)

Wind

Dominant Direction: westzuidwest (259°)

Average Wind Speed: 2,0 m/s (7,2 km/u)

Sun

Duration: 11,5 hours

Precipitation

Total: 0,0 mm

Boating Information - 09 Augustus 2025

Trip Duration

5 hours, 50 minutes

Set Cruising Speed

10 km/h

Average Speed

9 km/h

Please check our Routes page for routes. We moved this section there.

The last few months have been a bit busy with work. There is a great company that decided to close a datacenter at 31-12-2025. And I am working with certain customers that are a little "dense". So, every day, that closure is getting closer, but those dense customers don't move anything. I bet that they will ruin not only my, but also co-workers christmas.