On 19-05-1997 Finland issued a booklet with 6 stamps, and all stamps depict a vessel which have been sailing under the Finish flag
The TRADEWIND was built in 1911 on the yard of Van der Vuijk, at Capelle aan de IJsel, Netherlands, as a steel hulled herringlugger under the name SOPHIE THERESIA.
Tonnage 99 gross, 52net, dim. 35.0 x 6.8 x 2.9m..
She was rebuilt in 1952 as a coaster for use as a merchant vessel, renamed in AALTJE EN WILLEM.
She got also her first engine, a three cylinder Industrie diesel, 150 hp..
In the seventies was she sold to Jan Brandse, first used by him as a houseboat, later re-rigged as a charter boat, she made some voyages from Amsterdam.
1986 Sold to the New Zealander Marc Hammond, re-rigged as a gaff topsail schooner, renamed in TRADEWIND.
In 1987 she took part in the First Fleet Re Enactment sail from England to Australia and in 1992 she participated in the Columbus 500 celebrations as the flag ship. She did three seasons to the Sub-Antarctic and two Fijian seasons.
She participated in the Columbian pictures movie "Return to the Blue Lagoon".
She participated also in 'Tall Ships Australia 1988', and the Columbus celebrations.
1993 Sold to Christian Johansson in Finland, (Oy Feie Yachts) while the TRADEWIND was berthed in Liverpool. He sailed her to Helsinki, from there charter-cruises in the Baltic.
Took part in the Tall Ship’s Races of 1995 and 1996.
1998 Bought by the Dutchman Kees Rol, and brought back to the Netherlands, will be renamed SODADE, and used as a charter boat from January 1999 from the Cape Verde Islands., under Dutch flag.
She was first complete broken out on a yard in Urk, Netherlands the 12 ton heavy Industrie engine built out, and replaced in a tug owned by Jan Koehoorn from Harlingen. The engine was replaced by a 440 hp. Carterpillar V 8 diesel. She was then brought to Enkhuizen for recondition as a topsail schooner, sail area 540 m².
Accommodation: 7 two berth cabins, and one four berths, crew 7.
Homeport Santa Maria on Sal, Cape Verde Islands.
By 2003, the condition of the ship had deteriorated and she was laid up in the island of Sal. In late 2003, she was taken over by another Dutch owner to save her from a horrible fate on the Cape Verde Islands.
She sailed to and was refitted in the Canary Islands. After this refit, she was renamed the TRADEWIND again. In early 2004, the ship made an Atlantic crossing to the Caribbean, Azores, Baltic and eventually back to the Netherlands
In 2006 under the care of "Stichting Loggerbehoud Nederland" a complete refit started again. She is currently being rebuilt under BV class for world wide service. This project should be finished around mid 2009 according the web-site of the vessel.
Finland 1997 2m80 sg 1475, scott 1044
Source: Some Dutch magazines, Wikipedia