A change of course: New boat owners on their switch from sailing boats to motorboats

​“We didn’t want to miss the right moment.” For Karin Heijboer and her partner Bart Mornout, both aged 60, a new chapter began in April. After well over two decades spent sailing around Zeeland in the south of the Netherlands, they have now had their fourth yacht – a steel motorboat – built. Immediately after taking delivery, they set off on their first voyage through the canals of South Holland aboard their new “Dirk Pitt”. This major change was preceded by three years during which the couple had gradually come to terms with their decision. “We saw neighbours in the harbour who had waited too long and were eventually too old or too unwell to make the switch,” explains Heijboer. They wanted to do things differently.

The Road to a Motorboat

Both admit that their own health is not improving either and that the physical demands of sailing are taking their toll on them. It was not for nothing that, a few years ago, they had purchased a new, smaller headsail because the owner was losing her strength. For them, doing without the rig and trimmings is not a sign of defeat, but a timely decision taken as a precaution. They have not so much decided against sailing as in favour of new options and horizons. On several occasions in recent years, they had chartered motorboats to get to know ‘the other side’, for example in Friesland, France or on Lake Müritz. Even then, they discovered suitable types of boat and systematically ruled out others. This was followed by the obligatory visits to boat shows, discussions with experienced motorboat owners and their first visits to shipyards.

Two factors were particularly important: the clearance height under bridges for their future boat and an open-plan design. Bart dreams of a journey through France to the Mediterranean, whilst Karin is drawn to Denmark. And for the Dutch rivers and canals, with their countless bridges, bulky models with high superstructures or even multiple decks are unsuitable. At the same time, they wanted a boat where life could take place on deck during the day. “We want to look at the water, not over it,” says Bart Mornout. The weather, the water and the surroundings should remain directly accessible. Just like on a sailing yacht. They eventually found the perfect boat in Ter Aar, a small town between Gouda and Amsterdam, at the Vedette Jachtbouw shipyard, which builds semi-custom steel motor yachts in small batches.

Getting started with sailing

The couple had only taken up sailing relatively late in life. In their mid-thirties, after years of long, hard work, it was time to reassess their priorities in life. “We were both working 60 hours a week, even at the weekends.” They realised they needed a balance in their lives. Instead of their first sailing boat, they almost ended up buying a little cottage in Portugal, but in the end it was a small Comet that won the day – one that was, at the time, just a few kilometres from where they lived.

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However, one crucial detail was missing from their new life plan: any knowledge of sailing. After three intensive weeks of sailing lessons, that was sorted too, and life on the water began. After the Comet, they owned an Etap 28 for a season, followed by a Sun Odyssey 32 and, finally, a Catalina 375. At the time of purchase, this was practically a new boat; the German dealer had only used it briefly himself during the 2008 economic crisis before selling it on. From their home port of Bruinisse on the Grevelingen, the couple undertook short trips, mostly staying within Zeeland. Enjoying their leisure time on the water was always more important to them than a long crossing of the North Sea. They were out on the boat almost every weekend, including during their summer holidays.

“If we’d carried on sailing, we’d never have sold this boat,” says the software expert. “But we made our decision and have now gone down this path.” Nevertheless, not everyone managed to hold back their tears when it was sold in autumn 2025.

A new chapter begins for the new owners

Just half a year later, a new chapter began: Shortly before Easter, they took delivery of the ‘Dirk Pitt’, a Vedette Cabin Classic Line 41. One day after the christening, during which the usual minor tweaks were carried out, their first week-long trip began – and with it, the settling-in period to a new lifestyle on the water.

Even though “the new one” is meant to feel like a sailing boat, the differences are enormous. “The boat has absolutely everything. We don’t need shore power; we shower on board; there’s hot water at all times; we cook using electricity, which is always available,” says Bart Mornout. “The boat is designed entirely with comfort in mind.” On the sailing yachts – the last one was over half a metre shorter – almost everything below deck was more cramped, smaller and more basic. The helmsman sits rather than stands, and no longer has to change sides when manoeuvring, the owner notes with a smile.

The change of cruising area, too, marks a noticeable turning point – albeit a deliberate one. “We’re no longer travelling on the open seas and the estuaries of the delta, but on rivers and canals,” adds Karin Heijboer. Here, the focus is on leisurely cruising. But this also means more forward planning, taking into account lock operating times and bridge clearance heights. The radio has suddenly become the most important piece of equipment on board.

Another difference is the noticeably forward position of the helmsman: “There’s more of the boat at the stern, and it turns differently to our sailing yacht,” reports Mornout. The investment in a stern-mounted camera has already paid off, particularly when waiting to pass under bridges. “I can constantly keep an eye on what’s happening astern.”

Semi-custom means lots of decisions

On their first visit on board, less than a week after the handover, the owners appear satisfied and happy in every respect. They have clearly settled in. The journey to get there was also a new experience. “We had to make so many decisions,” laughs Karin Heijboer. The freedom of choice that owners have in semi-custom boatbuilding can sometimes be almost overwhelming.

The Vedette shipyard builds in very small batches and offers its customers the greatest possible say in every detail, from the position and shape of the superstructure windows to the location and number of deck hatches, the timber and colour of the interior fittings, the upholstery and curtains, right through to the shape and size of the galley unit or the shower drain. Even the side of the helm station is decided by the owner, as is the selection and arrangement of the instruments on the dashboard. “Here, we’ve focused on the essentials,” explains Heijboer, “and I then finalised the design at home on my computer.”

It was precisely this opportunity to configure the boat from bow to stern to suit their own tastes and needs that was the reason they decided not to buy a second-hand boat. “The price differences are fairly small,” especially when you factor in the refit costs involved in adapting it to our own needs, says Mornout. “This boat is now, in every detail, our boat.”

In fact, countless requests from the owner have been incorporated into the construction of the “Dirk Pitt”. This is most evident in the saloon: initially, a teak finish was under consideration, but given the additional cost of 18,000 euros, this was rejected in favour of oak with a teak-like colour tone. In the cockpit, large, deep storage compartments with wooden doors were originally planned. The new owners requested drawers instead – and that is what they received. The guest cabin has only a single berth, but offers more storage and headroom. On other models, there are bunk beds in this area.

Above the galley unit, the owner had asked for a storage shelf at eye level. With or without a fender rail? How wide? How thick? How high? And on the other side? However varied and tricky the many individual decisions may have been, they meant that the buyers knew their boat down to the last detail by the time of handover.

What the new owner looks out for

Bart Mornout paid particular attention to the area beneath the cockpit floor. The engine compartment is as spacious as a ballroom. Alongside the oversized 110 PS Yanmar common-rail engine, the generator, boiler, a battery bank comprising four 210 ampere-hour batteries, an inverter and an automatic fire extinguisher all have more space than they need.

“We have deliberately left space for a blackwater treatment system, once the available systems have proven to be reliable.” The owner is an expert in the field: a qualified naval architect, he works as a project manager and surveyor. Unlike many other customers, he does not make decisions primarily on a gut feeling, but remains rational, particularly when it comes to technology, stability, quality and issues of maintaining the boat’s value. He therefore takes a relaxed view of the manageable number of necessary touch-ups. In fact, there isn’t much to it. There are minor unevennesses between the floorboards, a cable that’s been connected incorrectly, door hinges that need adjusting, and when the short aerial mast is folded down, the autopilot veers erratically.

A great deal more thought goes into how the technology is used. As sailors on an 11-metre yacht, the couple aren’t used to conveniences such as a generator, an inverter or solar power. Heijboer: “When I switch on the hob, the generator starts up, even though the battery capacity would be more than enough. We still have a lot to learn here and need to optimise the settings to suit our needs.” Other conveniences, such as the electric oven or the washer-dryer combo, which stands in the galley next to the huge fridge, have not yet been tried out.

After completing the first round trip between Ter Aar, Alphen aan den Rijn, Haarlem and Amsterdam, we headed back to the shipyard to sort out precisely those details, have the 25-hour engine inspection carried out, and bring the last few missing parts on board. The custom-made solar panel arrived too late, as did the stainless-steel end cap for a fender line at the bottom of the hull.

Long-term cruise planning with the ‘Dirk Pitt’

The owners, who plan to retire in three years’ time, are now considering their long-term cruising plans. They intend to live on board for periods at a time. The size and number of cupboards, cupboards and storage spaces on board have been deliberately chosen for this purpose. Both the Danish South Sea and the French Mediterranean coast are on their wish list for future extended voyages.

But before that, back in 2026, Brussels will be the destination for their first holiday trip, travelling from Willemstad through the Meuse Delta to Antwerp and on via the canals. “When sailing, the focus is always on the sailing itself; it’s more of a sport, and we’ve often just set off on a whim. It’s different now,” says Bart Mornout. “With a motorboat, you explore the countryside, the surrounding area and attractive towns. We want to buy bikes and stow them on board.” It’s no coincidence that the shipyard is fitting out a large bike garage beneath the aft cockpit canopy.

The loss of sailing enjoyment is offset by a wider range of exploration. The Overijssel region, for example, is virtually inaccessible to sailing boats. The same applies to the countless canals in South and North Holland beyond the Staande Mastroute. These, however, are perfect sailing grounds for the new ‘Dirk Pitt’. During our first year on board, our weekend trips will include sailing on the Maas in the Biesbosch, to Dordrecht, along the Oude Maas, into the Haringvliet – or visiting old mooring neighbours in Bruinisse.

Even though there are still many aspects they don’t fully understand, the owners are absolutely delighted with their decision. They are swapping sportiness for a huge gain in comfort. They are swapping coastal sailing for the opportunity to venture far inland.

The hardest moment for the new owners

According to Karin Heijboer, the hardest moment was signing the sales contract. From that point on, the break from sailing was a done deal. So too was the farewell to the open waters of the Delta region and, last but not least, the start of a new chapter in their lives. The long delivery time of 12 to 15 months had intensified the mixed feelings during the ‘separation phase’. But: ‘We’ve been sailing for 24 years. If we spend another 24 years sailing a motorboat, our plan will work out perfectly.’

There is one thing, however, that the former sailor misses in particular: “We’d usually set sail early from the harbour on our sailing yacht, with hardly any other boats around us. The best moment was always when the sails were up and the engine was switched off – all you could hear were the seabirds and the sheep on the dyke.” No matter how much effort and material Vedette puts into insulating its boats – and especially the engine compartments – new motorboat owners will always envy sailors that moment of tranquillity.