21/02/2026
Behold!
It's finally time for the Rota Saga to be told (and I dearly hope that my video editing skills and speed will improve).
But here's Part I of the tale how we somehow got quite literally roped into skipping an over 100 years old wooden boat that hadn't sailed for 17 years from north-eastern Germany to Copenhagen.
The main ingredient is definitely having a friend whose levels of idealism combined with foolishness are sufficient to acquire an old Hajkutter in order to turn it into a sustainable cargo and event project.
Add the temporal joys of working freelance, a list of weird skills, and a pinch of masochism - and suddenly you're boarding a night bus/train to Greifswald, where you'll spend 11 days under the charming late fall German weather, prodding and poking at the old wooden lady. You'll encounter the eccentric (ex-)owner and his slightly curious political stances (hoisting the Russian, Cuban, Iranian and Palestinian flags) and a whole bunch of extremely friendly and helpful locals. You'll get pig fat from a confused market vendor to grease the leather and marvel at the pastry selection of German bakeries. You'll make use of your mother tongue to negotiate a last minute appointment with a notary and learn lots of interesting insults from the older generation.
You'll end up very wet, dirty, smelly, and tired - yet it will be all worth it!
Part I resumes the first inspection and preparation works to get the girl home (after all, she was initially built in Denmark!).
Huge thanks first and foremost to Vivien, who launched this crazy project for trusting us to assist him in those crucial first steps.
Special shoutout and thanks to my co-skipper and overall partner in crime Thomas () for providing most of the great video footage.
Big thanks to Marwin for braving 6 different trains to add a competent opinion, great caulking skills, and a neat taste in music to the board.
Stay tuned for the next episodes!
Coming soon: "The Puzzle" - how to piece together a sailing ship with a pile of fabric, a heap of ropes, and a few cryptic sketches.
Please spread the word - Rota is looking forward to all the great support this marvellous community can offer.
Thanks a lot for watching and reading!
Sophia
(from Sophia Jh on FB or on IG)
Video: Streamlabs & YouCut (free versions)
Music:
1. "Thierry La Fronde" Jacques Loussier
2. "Moldau" Bedřich Smetana
3. "Tico-Tico No Fubá" Zequinha de Abreu, by The Black Market Trust
