Vereniging De Zeilpunter
Vereniging De Zeilpunter is a sailing association and group accommodation near Giethoorn on the Belterwiede in the Natura 2000 area De Wieden in the Kop van Overijssel region. The club with more than 100 members preserves traditional sailing with authentic wooden punters and maintains its site in a wooded peat bog landscape by the water. The grounds, accessible only on foot or by boat, feature a clubhouse with kitchen, sanitary facilities and piano, seven Bell tents, a boat house and eight sprit-rigged sailing punters of various types. The programme includes club weekends throughout the year, sailing trips through the Weerribben and Wieden, boat maintenance by members and rental to groups of 20 to 50 people. Founded after purchasing the former NCSV camp site in the late 1970s, the association combines nature, volunteer work and the transfer of punter-specific knowledge.
History
The site of Vereniging De Zeilpunter had already been used by punter enthusiasts for decades before the association was founded. The Dutch Christian Student Association (NCSV) organised summer camps here for school pupils from across the country; for six weeks during the summer holidays, separate or mixed camps were held, led by NCSV students with sufficient sailing experience to make day trips with the punters. At least ten participants slept in the same tents as today together with the leaders. In the late 1970s the sailing camps ended and the NCSV wanted to sell the site. A large group of former camp leaders, most no longer students, had already been involved with the site and boat maintenance for several years. They purchased the land with their own and borrowed money. Almost 35 years later, many founders are now parents and grandparents; some have passed on their enthusiasm for the place to their children. With friends and new members, a new generation ensures the association continues. The club owns eight sailing punters of different designs, including Gieterse, Kamper, Beulakermeer and Boatien punters plus a polyester Gieterse shuttle boat restored in late 2017. It is funded through membership fees, rental income and donations and is run entirely by volunteers.
Information
Youth section
Boatien punter for youth sailing, open club weekends for visitors
Parking
No, site not reachable by car