Bestevaer

[Jacques Jullens]

Hello,

I'm not really an old student, but I'm always interested in the tabor boy, because my granddad was the captain in the period that the Tabor boy was named "Bestevaer"and was a pilot schooner in Holland. He was the captain in the period before world war 2. During the war the vessel was captured by the German, and the family stories tells us that my granddad did sail on his own the vessel back to Holland after the war...

This old picture is the only (old) picture we have of the vessel

[Edward "Ed" Callahan]

Jacques,

I can only echo the gratitude for your participation previously expressed.

Likewise the respect for the Dutch people and their long maritime tradition. Shortly after my time with the Tabor Boy, I spent a summer sailing the Nederlands on a wooden schooner. Met many a good sailor during and saw a beautiful country during those days.

Met vriendelijke groet.

[James Hutton]

Jacques,
I am so grateful that you found this site and have contributed to it with such an amazing memoir. I never would have thought that we would have a contributor from the BESTEVAER years. The schooner has been such an amazing vessel and has so deeply influenced so many lives. I am very grateful for how the program changed my life and lead me to my present career in the maritime industry.

I would have loved to have met your grandfather. I’m sure that he was an amazing man and mariner. Most importantly, he safely navigated the schooner during his years and safely piloted many ships and mariners in and out of port.

I spent a spring of 1989 in Vollenhove, Holland at the Royal Huisman Shipyard during the rebuild of the British J Boat ENDEAVOR. I was the vessel’s chief engineer and was lead to this job by Capt. Glaeser, the captain of the TABOR BOY at that time. It’s a very beautiful country and I very much enjoyed the Queen Mother’s Birthday in Amsterdam and any other excuse we could find to party with the Dutch. What a great country!

I would really love to read of some of your grandfather’s adventures; please post them. Also, have you been to Tabor lately? I think that it would be an amazing experience for you and your family to sail aboard the BESTEVAER again. As you can see from this site, her spirit is still strong and continues to touch many people’s lives.

Thank you so much!

[Chris Henry]

Wow! That's really cool.

[R.C.Glover III]

Jacques,
Many thanks for your contribution! what an awesome picture! It looks like the schooner may have had port holes when she was in Holland. Thanks so much for the historical ties to Holland and the vessel's origins. I have sailed to Amsterdam and Rotterdam and was overwelmed with the maritime history in those ports.
Thanks Again!