Kystliv Holbæk is based in the old harbour of Holbæk, where the ferry leaves for Orø and historic wooden ships line the quays. The association works with coastal culture in practice: boatbuilding in natural materials, sailing small wooden boats, fishing and outdoor life along the shore. Its activities are aimed at young people, at schools and institutions, and at anyone else who wants to get closer to life on the water. Current courses, trips and events are listed on the association's own website.

Historic wooden ships in the old harbour of Holbæk

In Holbæk's old harbour, where the ferry leaves for Orø, a fleet of beautiful old wooden ships lines the quays.

Around 20 wooden ships are based in Holbæk, among them galeases more than a hundred years old, historic fishing cutters and cargo vessels. Holbæk was the first harbour in Denmark to become a free port for historic wooden ships worth preserving, which means old wooden vessels can lie alongside free of charge.

Not all 20 ships are in port at once – many are out sailing during the summer – but there are always some wooden ships at the quay, so you will never come in vain.

The slipways

At least once a year every ship has to go up on the slipway to be inspected and have its bottom painted, so with a bit of luck you may see a very large ship out of the water. Holbæk harbour has two slipways, taking vessels of up to 20 and 120 tonnes.

The bark cauldron

You may notice a tall, white, square brick chimney in the harbour that looks like something from a factory. It is in fact a traditional bark cauldron.

More than a hundred years ago, bark cauldrons were found in every fishing harbour. They were used to treat nets and sails made of natural materials so that they would not rot too quickly. Nets and sails were typically made of hemp, flax or cotton.

To treat a net or a sail, the cauldron was filled with water mixed with oak bark or catechu, a concentrate from the bark of acacia trees. A fire was lit underneath, and sails or nets were lowered into the boiling liquid to soak it up. Large sails were instead spread out on the ground and the liquid brushed on. Finally everything was hung up to dry.

From the 1960s onwards, modern synthetic materials that do not rot took over for nets and sails.