Avatar to sail the world's seas

摘要

On 4 July 2014 the naming ceremony of the topsail schooner Avatar took place in Harlingen, the Netherlands. Akkie Sluiter-Van der Weij, spouse of the mayor of Harlingen Roel Sluiter, performed the christening of the charter vessel, which may be called a Tall Ship, because she has the possibilities to take trainees with her on sailing trips. The vessel is named in honour of the movie 'Avatar' by James Cameron, released in 2009. The 34.5 metres long and 6.4 metres wide Avatar is not a newly built vessel, but was originally constructed in 1941 in Wolgast, Germany, as a marine vessel with the looks of a fishing vessel to misguide the allies during World War Ⅱ. Eventually, the vessel sailed as Grietje Maria as a (sport) fishing vessel and in 2010 she was bought by Andre Hanzens who turned her into the schooner Avatar.