Wylde Swan

Story Wylde Swan

The Story of Wylde Swan
The tale of the Wylde Swan is a classic; a story of sailing through storms and adjusting course to make a dream come true.
The Wylde Swan is the largest and fastest topsail schooner in the world. The Wylde Swan's history began in 1920 with the hull of the German-built herring vessel, Jemo. Originally a steamship for bringing fresh catch from the North Atlantic, her sleek design continued to capture attention long after it was decommissioned. It was the hull that captured the attention of captain Willem Sligting. He had a dream: to build a ship for training youngsters and that would win races, using its light hull and over-rigged sails. In 2007, the Jemo's hull was brought to the Netherlands to fulfil his dream. Hard work and long hours, passion and love was poured into this ship; but then tragedy happened. Willem Sligting suddenly died in 2009, halfway through the project. After his sudden death, his widow and their friends decided to carry on his legacy. The project resumed, transforming the nearly 100-year-old Jemo into the beautiful topsail schooner Wylde Swan as we know it nowadays. The Wylde Swan was launched on June 11, 2010, and its crew set sail for the first time.
15 years have passed since Wylde Swan set sail for the first time. The ship changed owner, but luckily Sligting's dream continued with the creation of the Masterskip program: a school at sea where students experience their first world trip while continuing their education. A program with positive impact on the trainees' lives; personal development and life-long lasting friendships were found and build on sea. The program gained popularity, and the sails caught the wind as applications poured in. Now fully developed, Masterskip continues to offer training at sea, sailing for eight months a year with secondary school students in international waters. The founders' dream has been realized and the Masterskip team now sails toward an even brighter future.