SAIL TRAINING is an intangible cultural asset
Sail Training
... means active sailing on traditional ships as part of the crew. It demands and promotes comradeship, tolerance and readiness for action. In addition, life on board teaches, demands and promotes self-assessment, self-discipline and social behaviour. The aim is for (young) people to learn traditional seamanship, become part of a team and take on responsibility.
No previous experience is required, as all the skills and knowledge of sailing, navigation, ship operation and ship maintenance are passed on to the trainees by a volunteer core crew and practised on board.
Intangible cultural heritage
"... is based on human knowledge and skills and is passed on from generation to generation," writes the German UNESCO Commission. It names the Sail Training as one of 16 good practice examples that show how the preservation of intangible cultural heritage can function successfully and innovatively. In addition to the practical examples, the Federal Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage contains 128 cultural forms, which also include the Zeesboote in the Bodden landscape of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Insights
At major maritime events such as windjammer meetings or harbour festivals, the volunteer regular crews provide insights into the sailing tradition and life on board with public tours of the ship. The regular crews are also trained in regularly held courses.
The association LebenLernen auf Segelschiffen has now published the collected knowledge from the training on board the brig "Roald Amundsen" in the "Handbuch des Schiffserhalts für Bootsleute und Matrosen auf traditionellen Segelschiffen". Mike Marquardt and Helge Neumeister have completely rewritten the crew's own work "Der kleine Bootsmann", which is much more comprehensive.
The result
is a "textbook, handbook and reference book for all the crafts necessary to maintain the rigging of the brig "Roald Amundsen" and other traditional tall ships. It is intended to impart the knowledge and skills of the boatmen, as well as the physical and technical principles involved, and to preserve them for the next generation. Techniques proven over centuries as well as current standards and procedures can be found."
Here, traditional sailors are very clearly provided with the tools to maintain and sail these beautiful, old ships for a long time to come. A book with the potential to become the standard work on the subject of ship preservation on traditional sailing ships.
Handbuch des Schiffserhalts 65,00 €