The replica Hanseatic cog "Wissemara" is no longer allowed to set sail until further notice. During an inspection, the transport employers' liability insurance association discovered safety defects in the wooden outer skin of the ship, which led to its immediate decommissioning. The trips still planned for this season had to be cancelled. The Poeler Koggen Verein, which operates the ship, is now facing considerable financial losses. Association chairman Gerd Lemke described the closure as a "hard blow" for the association, which is mainly financed by membership fees and donations. "Unfortunately, we already have to end our season now, as the BG Verkehr has discovered damage to the wooden outer skin and has banned us from continuing to operate the boat for cruises," said the association in its statement. Website. "For our cog, this means that for the time being we can only load onto the horizontal ship until docking."
Shipyard date in November
A previously scheduled appointment at the Tamsen shipyard in Rostock in November is intended to repair the damage. The cancellation means a considerable financial loss for the association. The costs for the maintenance and operation of such a historical replica are considerable. The approximately 450 members of the association are now faced with the task of closing this financial gap and at the same time covering the repair costs in order to make the "Wissemara" seaworthy again.
Although no more trips are possible for the time being, the association is hoping that some customers will be able to think about rescheduling their event on the deck boat.
The "Poeler Kogge" support association has around 450 members and sees it as its task to present and preserve the replica of a 14th century Hanseatic cog, the largest shipwreck from the Hanseatic period found to date, to all interested parties. You can find more museum ships in our special article on the subject: Museum ships and maritime museums from A to Z
Jill Grigoleit
Editor Travel
Jill Grigoleit was born in Hanover in 1985. An early childhood memory is the large collection of YACHT and SURF magazines from her sailing and surfing enthusiast father. However, growing up in a small Swabian village on the Neckar, she had less to do with water sports in her childhood, apart from a few trips to the Baltic Sea with her family. After studying journalism in Bremen and Hanover, she went into television for a few years. Through a few lucky coincidences, she ended up on the water in 2011 and then returned to the written word professionally. For over ten years, she lived with her family on a houseboat in their own harbor south of Hamburg and wrote a book about houseboat building and life with children on the water. Since 2020, she has mainly been writing travel reports and features about people who live and work on and near the water for BOOTE. She has been a permanent member of the Delius Klasing water sports editorial team since January 2024.
