At about midnight on the 30th of July 2009, the replica 17th Century VOC ship ‘Prins Willem’ was destroyed by fire. A sad day to many pirate fans, history fans and lovers of beautiful things, the loss is tragic to the world. Although only a replica, there is a rapidly decreasing number of tall ships in the world, so news of this ship burning to the ground is shattering. Built in 1985, the ship has been an attraction, an inspiration and an amazing insight into 17th Century ships – now, she is reduced to ash, her steel frame and a memory.
Visit the Pirate forum to pay your respects and let us know what you’ll miss about the Prins Willem replica.
