D'n Bruinen

Since February 2014, Flanders has gained a sailing heritage monument: "D'n Bruinen"! This boat of the type 'Hengst' was built in 1902 by order of the Wijnen family from Flanders at the yard of Alphonsius Verras in Paal (Zeelandic Flanders) and registered as the "PI77" (Philippine).

Ten years later the ship was extended to install a Kromhout engine (the first in Zeeland!). The fishermen had problems due to the silting up and damming of the creeks along the Scheldt. That is why the Wijnen family moved to Harlingen in 1917. In 1919 the boat was sold and he left for Yerseke. The new owners, the de Rooij family, would continue to fish and trade with the ship for almost 50 years. Towards the end of World War II, the engine was hidden in a shed and the ship was deliberately sunk. After the war the ship was refloated.

Until 1958 "D'n Bruinen" was a mussel fisherman and cargo ship. This was followed by a series of private owners who used the ship for various purposes. In 1999 Tolerant bought "D'n Bruinen". The last restoration dates from 2003 to 2006 at the CNR shipyard in Rupelmonde.