Lifeboat Gebroeders Luden from the Englishman plate by Karen Brouwer

About "Lifeboat Gebroeders Luden from the Englishman plate"

by Karen Brouwer

About the artwork

This photo was taken from the Engelsmanplaat in the Wadden Sea, between the Wadden Islands of Ameland and Schiermonnikoog. Twice a day, this sandbank falls dry. Then you don't have all the time either, because after a while everything floods again. This day it had been bad weather all day, rain and strong winds. Just before we reached the plate it was still raining, but in the distance the sun broke through the clouds. Beautiful skies and beautiful clouds over the sea. The boat Gebroeders Luden had just dropped us off at the Engelsmanplaat. The motor lifeboat Gebroeders Luden was built in 1965 at the Niestern brothers' yard in Delfzijl. The boat was funded from the bequest of Mr J.W.A. Luden following the drowning of his brother Hendrik in the North Sea on 21 July 1924.

She entered service at Oostmahorn station in 1965 as successor to the legendary self-aligning lifeboat Insulinde.

When the Lauwerszee was closed in 1969, the Gebroeders Luden moved to Lauwersoog. In 1996, a faster lifeboat was stationed at Lauwersoog and the Gebroeders Luden and two sister ships were sold to the Icelandic Lifeboat Company (ICE-SAR). She sailed as mrb Hafbjörg and as mrb Sveinbjörn Sveinsson.

After 9 years in Iceland, the Gebroeders Luden returned where she belongs at Lauwersoog. In 2006, the Stichting tot behoud van de Gebroeders Luden was founded and the boat was purchased from KNRM.

During the KNRM period, 967 rescued people were brought ashore.

It is now active with tours on the Wadden Sea, round trips, seal tours, ash scattering and attending events. The Foundation has donors, service providers and has enthusiastic volunteers for maintaining the boat, see www.gebroeders-luden.nl