They Say You Can Never Go Back, But Sometimes You Can…
When the city of Amsterdam turns 750 years old, you can expect the Dutch to celebrate in style. And when that birthday coincides with Sail Amsterdam, the legendary nautical event held every five years, it becomes more than just a festival; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle that pays tribute to history, ships, and the Dutch people’s love of the sea.
Robin Stout
Amsterdam Sail 2025 was not only about tall ships, fireworks, and pageantry. It was also about coming home to an old friend: Compagnon, a 1976 Marak 10.6-meter motor yacht that my husband and I once owned. She’s a great old boat that is ideal for putting around the European canals, and we had planned to be part of Sail Amsterdam in 2020, but it was cancelled due to COVID. We sold her to our dear friends David and Kim a few years ago, and they invited us back aboard to join the armada of vessels filling Amsterdam’s waterways for the 2025 celebration. For me, it wasn’t just about celebrating the city’s milestone birthday and maritime heritage. It was also about enduring friendships and the boats that connect us through time.
Sail Amsterdam began in 1975 as a one-time event to mark Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary. The idea was simple: gather tall ships from across the globe into the IJ, the major waterway that flows through the city, and let the public share in their beauty. That celebration proved so successful that it has been held every five years since, drawing millions of visitors as the city is transformed into the world’s largest free nautical festival.
By 2025, Sail Amsterdam had reached its 50th anniversary, and the grandeur was unmatched. According to organizers, two million spectators lined the canal and more than 1,000 vessels, from historic tall ships to sleek naval frigates and even a Dutch submarine, would join the parade down the IJ. The parade began in IJmuiden, where the IJ meets the North Sea. As the fleet gathered, the masts of tall ships rose like a forest against the skyline, and music floated from decks where crews dressed in traditional garb mingled with festival goers. The IJ was less a waterway and more a stage where history, maritime pride, and modern joy converged.
For me, the festival carried an even deeper layer of nostalgia. Compagnon is not a tall ship. She’s not gilded with figureheads, nor is she a centuries-old clipper that once circled the Cape of Good Hope. She is, instead, something quieter but just as meaningful: a sturdy, steel-hulled motor yacht with a spirit of resilience. She was once our second home. When we owned her, Compagnon carried us across canals, rivers, and lakes, always steady, always loyal. Eventually, we sold her to our friends David and Kim, who took over her care and made her their own. Boats, like friendships, evolve, but stepping aboard her again for Sail 2025 was like stepping into a shared memory.
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