Wustrow (dpa/mv) – In sunshine, blue skies and a light wind, between 30 and 40 boats set sail on Saturday at the 36th Wustrow Zeesbootregatta. The manoeuvrable wooden boats with the distinctive brown sails traditionally fought for top spots on the Saaler Bodden. According to the spa administration of the Baltic Sea resort of Wustrow, the regatta ranking is divided into three classes according to hull length. Winners are chosen for the large, medium and small classes.
Zees boats have been part of the image of Fischland for centuries. According to the information, the first Zees boats probably date from the 15th century. “Traditionally, the boats were zeested until the 1980s, when bottom trawling, the ‘Zeesen’, was discontinued,” explained the spa administration. The color of the cotton sails was created by impregnating them with ocher dye, wood tar, cod liver oil, oak bark brew liquor and beef tallow.
