Bootswerft Neuhaus

Bootswerft Neuhaus is a small, traditional boatyard and ship repair business located in Neuhaus (Oste) in northern Germany, at Schleusenstraße 6. It is operated as a registered sole proprietorship (e.K.) by boatbuilder Martin Skadow, who has led the yard since 1992. The yard traces its origins back to 1752, when the shipbuilder Hans Setags was documented as its owner, making it one of the oldest continuously used shipbuilding sites on the Oste river. Over the centuries it has served coastal and small-ship shipping as well as the fishing industry, building and repairing wooden and later steel vessels. The yard occupies a site on the Aue, a tributary of the Oste, just above the confluence of the Aue and the Oste. Its facilities include three slipways capable of handling vessels up to 40 metres in length, a crane, two storage halls for boat wintering, a workshop hall, and a residential building that also houses office and sanitary facilities. The yard specialises in traditional boatbuilding, carrying out new builds and repairs of all kinds, and also produces complete rigging. Owners are offered the possibility of working on their own vessels on site. The range of work spans from the smallest dinghy to high-seas cutters, covering both privately used craft and vessels of the commercial shipping trade. In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s the yard lengthened and converted many coastal motor ships (Kümos) and built numerous new wooden fishing cutters. After German reunification and the decline of the East German fishing fleet, the yard restructured and adapted to the requirements of the time under Martin Skadow's leadership. Today Bootswerft Neuhaus is described as the last of the many former Oste shipyards to have survived. It remains a family-scale operation focused on repair, maintenance, winter storage and traditional new-build work rather than industrial series production. Its long history and its location in the small harbour town of Neuhaus make it a notable example of the maritime craft tradition of the German North Sea coast.

The shipyard site in Neuhaus (Oste) was first documented in 1752, when the shipbuilder Hans Setags was named as its owner. The yard is located on the Aue, a tributary of the Oste, just above the point where the Aue flows into the Oste. In its early period the yard mainly carried out repair work but also built new Ewer, a traditional flat-bottomed sailing vessel type of the region. Over the following centuries the ownership changed repeatedly, generally passing to shipbuilders who found a livelihood in this favourable yard location. The harbour town of Neuhaus had numerous commercial enterprises: alongside a long-established tobacco industry, a sugar factory was founded in 1823, and the surrounding brickworks generated much cargo, especially for Hamburg. This commercial activity supported the shipyard's repair and new-build business. At the beginning of the 20th century the yard was taken over by Carl Girnth from Wilhelmshaven, who converted the operation to steel shipbuilding. In the 1930s the yard was operated by August Hahnefeldt. After the Second World War there was a strong upswing. In 1949 Hans Dodegge took over the yard, modernised it substantially and expanded it. In 1970 his son-in-law Peter Unruh took over the business and managed it until 1991. During the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s the yard lengthened and converted many coastal motor ships (Kümos) and also built many new wooden fishing cutters. This period represented the yard's most intensive phase of fishing-vessel construction and conversion. Since 1992 Martin Skadow has led the yard. He has further restructured it and adapted it to the requirements of the time. After the decline of the East German fishing fleet following reunification, the yard shifted its focus towards repair, maintenance, winter storage and traditional new-build work for private owners and smaller commercial vessels. Today the yard site comprises three slipways for ships up to 40 metres in length, a crane, two storage halls for boat storage, a workshop hall and the residential house, which also contains the office and sanitary rooms. The yard carries out new builds and repairs of all kinds, especially in traditional boatbuilding, produces complete rigging, and offers owners the opportunity to work on their own boats. Its field of activity extends from the smallest dinghy to high-seas cutters, covering both privately used vessels and those of the commercial shipping trade. It is regarded as the last survivor of the many former Oste shipyards.

• 1992

  Martin Skadow becomes head of the yard, restructuring it and adapting it to modern requirements.

• 1970

  Peter Unruh, son-in-law of Hans Dodegge, takes over the business and manages it until 1991.

• 1949

  Hans Dodegge takes over the yard, modernises and expands it substantially.

• 1823

  A sugar factory is founded in Neuhaus, adding to the town's commercial cargo base that supported the yard.

• 1752

  Shipbuilder Hans Setags documented as owner of the shipyard on the Aue near Neuhaus (Oste).

• Carl Girnth from Wilhelmshaven takes over the yard and converts it to steel shipbuilding.

• August Hahnefeldt operates the yard during the 1930s.

Traditional, craft-oriented boatyard specialising in repair, maintenance and custom new builds for private and commercial vessels, from dinghies to high-seas cutters.

• New-build wooden fishing cutters

• Lengthening and conversion of coastal motor ships (Kümos)

• Ewer (traditional flat-bottomed sailing vessels)

• Complete rigging

• Repairs of all kinds

• Boat storage and slipping

1. 1Bootswerft Neuhaus Inh.: Martin Skadow e.K. – official websitebootswerft-neuhaus.de
2. 2Bootswerft Neuhaus – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Schiffswerft Neuhaus – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org