From a Teenage Dream to Timeless Journeys
Boudewijn Metzelaar’s love for boats began at 14, giving tours on a small family boat. After graduating from the Pangbourne Nautical College in England and the Hotel School in The Hague, his passion turned into something more than a just summer job.
Starting with his first solo boat, Drift Away, Bow eventually fulfilled a lifelong dream by acquiring Sophie, a 1911 salon boat named after his mother. Fully refurbished and electrified in 2024, Sophie stands out with her unique bow seating—an inspiration for the name Bow's Journeys
The Full Story
Bow is a 5th generation boat enthusiast
The story starts around the 1860s when Boudewijn's great-great-grandfather, Adriaan Cornelis Metzelaar, became a first mate on a trade ship after graduating from the Royal Naval College. He laid the cornerstone of what would soon become the family's obsession with boats.
His son, also Adriaan Cornelis, the great-grandfather of our captain, worked as the managing director of a national ship company (Nederlandse Scheepsbouw Maatschappij) - you can see him in a picture on his boat, Scaldis.
Another Adriaan Cornelis, the great-great-unc, embarked on the merchant ship Europa in his youth. He later described his adventures in a book he wrote in the 1940s titled "Ahoy Europa," which became a national bestseller.
Bow's grand-uncle, Jan Metzelaar, was a marine biologist who tragically died on one of his missions in Michigan, USA. Later, the authorities named the bay where he died "Metzelaar Bay," near Presque Isle.
The history of boat lovers from both sides of the family
Bow's maternal great-great-grandfather, Adriaan van Rossem, is featured in the top photo with his boat. "The Greyling," taken around the 1920s, was his hobby. This boat resembles a "sister" to our "Sophie."
Great-grandfather Gerard Sieverts was the owner of a very rare sailing boat, "Prikkebeen," which sank during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
Jan Sieverts, Boudewijn's recently passed grandfather, was a truly passionate mariner who embarked on his annual months-long trips to the North Sea. His boat Walta, is in the bottom right picture. He also spent his entire life working at the port of Rotterdam, managing the piloting operations for ships coming in and out.
Modern history
Boudewijn's uncle, Jelle Metzelaar, was a super yacht captain, sailing the seven seas, as shown in the top picture on the right. He was true naval captain up until his sudden death in 2000.
Allard Metzelaar, Bow's father and a business inspiration, used to sail along the Dutch shores his boats, Zonnevaart I and II. You can see her in her full beauty in the bottom right picture.
This rich family story has inspired Boudewijn to pursue his own journey, with a passion for boats literally embedded in his DNA. In the bottom right picture, you can see Bow at the age of 16 at the Naval College in England, where he studied for three years.