{"id":112774,"date":"2025-08-05T10:19:16","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T08:19:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vetus.com\/?page_id=112774"},"modified":"2026-03-19T12:13:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T10:13:20","slug":"blog-electric-boating","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/vetus.com\/usa\/blog\/blog-electric-boating\/","title":{"rendered":"Blog – Electric boating"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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When Sander van Dijk, a creative engineer from Alkmaar, began dreaming about long summer cruises on the canals, he didn\u2019t expect that dream to lead him back to his own family\u2019s past. Along with his friends, he began searching for a traditional Dutch barge, something with history, character, and charm.<\/p>\n

What they found wasn\u2019t just a boat. It was a connection to Sander\u2019s grandfather, a forgotten piece of local maritime heritage, and the start of a multi-year restoration that would ultimately marry a century-old hull with a fully modern electric drivetrain.<\/p>\n

Meet Cornelis<\/em>, a restored cabbage barge reborn as a silent, sustainable cruiser powered by a VETUS E-LINE<\/strong> electric propulsion system.<\/p>\n

The heritage of Cornelis, a barge with roots<\/strong><\/p>\n

The story of Cornelis<\/em> begins nearly a hundred years ago, in the vegetable fields of Overveen. Sander\u2019s grandfather Bart was a greengrocer in Haarlem. He grew vegetables just outside of Haarlem and transported them, by barge to the produce auction at Donkere Spaarne. For Bart, the boat wasn\u2019t a luxury; it was a working vessel, a part of daily life.<\/p>\n

Years later, that memory stayed with Sander. Together with his friends, he searched for a similar boat, what they called a \u201ccabbage barge\u201d, to reignite that heritage and enjoy a slower, quieter style of boating.<\/p>\n

After months on Marktplaats, they found what they were looking for: a flat-bottomed, riveted steel barge in Enkhuizen, weathered and worn but full of potential. They sailed her to Alkmaar, rechristened her Cornelis<\/em><\/strong>, and got to work.<\/p>\n

Restoration, Reviving a Legend<\/strong><\/p>\n

The restoration began in 2016 and quickly became a full-scale rebuild. Decades of exposure had left the hull compromised and the Arona diesel engine rusted and barely operational.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe diesel engine was beyond saving, it was loud, smelly, and difficult to maintain,\u201d<\/em> says Sander. <\/strong>\u201cIt just didn\u2019t match the kind of experience we wanted on board. At first, I was worried about the range of electric systems available, but after some research, I realised those fears were unnecessary. In reality, I can cruise for several days without recharging.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

They reinforced the hull with new sheet metal, restored the riveted design where possible, and built a beautiful traditional wheelhouse. At first, they hoped to get the old diesel engine running again, but its smoke, noise, and unreliability quickly made the case for a cleaner alternative.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section><\/section>\n\n\n

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