'All-rounder Happy Hours 3.0 takes you everywhere'

From the Frisian lakes to the Göta Canal and from the Mediterranean Sea to the English coastal waters. Whatever the destination of your dreams, the all-rounder Happy Hours 3.0 will take you anywhere in comfort!

Avid water sports enthusiasts, that's the best way to describe Ernst-Jan and Sabina. While Sabina spent many hours sailing with friends as a teenager, Ernst-Jan was allowed by his father to get behind the wheel of their 10 meters longer Cruiser at the age of 6. "I loved being active on board at a young age," Ernst-Jan recalls. "And it has always remained that way. Give me as many locks and ports as possible along the way."

40 years on board

In addition to a passion for boating, Sabina also developed a great love for cooking. Those two hobbies have been coming together on board for 40 years now. "We sailed on several ships. Often Ernst-Jan could be found in the steering position and I in the kitchen. We made wonderful trips through the Netherlands, Belgium and France and also to England." One destination remained on the wish list a little longer: to and through Scandinavia.

As early as 2004 they saw the ideal yacht, an Altena Custom Trawler 53. Ernst-Jan: "At the time, that ship was not financially feasible for us. But the yacht always stayed in our heads. We found the atmosphere unprecedented, because it is classic and tough at the same time. Due to the large tanks for fuel and (waste) water, it is also almost limitless in terms of possibilities. Moreover, the living space is spacious, especially because the saloon and the aft deck are connected by French doors."

Dream yacht found

When a unique opportunity arose in 2021, they didn't hesitate for a moment. Sabina: "An Altena Custom Trawler 53 finally came on the market. We went for that!" The couple managed to buy their dream boat and set sail for Scandinavia not long after. "We made that 1.5-month trip without making a single adjustment to the Trawler 53. We wanted to experience what the ship had to offer and what could be improved."

After their first encounter with a Trawler 53, Ernst-Jan and Sabina had 17 years in their heads to form an ideal picture of all the requirements, wishes and needs on board this ship. "The trip to Scandinavia had to provide the right insight into our ideas," says Ernst-Jan. "Some would be confirmed, others would still ask for revision. For example, after returning we wanted to customize the ship completely to our standards."

Thorough renovation

It was a study trip in which 35 years of sailing experience were tested in detail. Sabina: "In 2022, the Trawler 53 went inside to come out almost completely renovated in 2023. Because we wanted to prepare the ship for boating fun our way!" The layout, the interior, the equipment, the comfort, the technique, the upholstery, the carpentry and painting and much more; Nothing escaped attention.

The thorough renovation made it a yacht of this time, while retaining its classic and sturdy character. Adding more comfort was the starting point. "The yacht was first insulated even better and then fitted with larger radiators, heated windows in the wheelhouse and overhauled windows in the other rooms," says Ernst-Jan. This was followed by a redesign of most of the rooms on board.

Redesign of the nave

Sabina sums up: "The salon was given a large sitting area for dining and drinks, the kitchen was upgraded with a quooker, dishwasher, fridge and freezer, combi oven and the bathrooms for the master bedroom and the guest cabin were given identical equipment with shower and sink. A leather sofa on the flybridge, extended steps below deck and a table for route maps in the wheelhouse were added."

The interior was also transformed by new floors, window coverings, roller screen doors and LED lighting. In addition, the focus was on the technology of the ship. Ernst-Jan: "We didn't do anything about the indestructible John Deere engines. But with enlarged flippers, we maximized sailing comfort."

Even more sailing comfort

More improvements followed in that area. "We provided both the flybridge and wheelhouse with a new navigation system. Now we have multiple screens, with dual VHF radios. We renewed the radar on the mast and we fulfilled our wishes to steer the ship with a remote control and to equip it with a dinghy," Sabina says with a smile.

The renovation process ended with antifouling below the waterline, after which the yacht was completely repainted. After the renaming to Happy Hours 3.0, Ernst-Jan and Sabina were ready for boating fun in their own way. Ernst-Jan: "Again we made a trip to Scandinavia, this time to sail the Göta Canal. Everything we came up with for ultimate convenience, comfort and fun on board turned out to work in practice."

Enjoyed on Göta Canal

For three months they fully enjoyed beautiful nature, idyllic places, narrow canals, vast lakes and the 65 (!) locks they encountered along the way. Sabina: "As a boy, Ernst-Jan wanted to be active on board. Well, with all those locks we could indulge ourselves! We thought beforehand that we had a challenge with our large ship to find a place in ports. But nothing could be further from the truth."

Whichever port Ernst-Jan and Sabina entered, they were welcomed as VIPs. "The size of Happy Hours 3.0 turned out to be an advantage," Ernst-Jan saw. The family also experienced this during trips of a day, weekend or week in the Netherlands. "It really makes our Trawler 53 an all-rounder. It sails over seas, coasts, lakes, rivers and canals and moors easily along the way."

Changed private circumstances

A ship that was put together entirely according to their wishes and could take them anywhere for years to come. That was the vision of the future that Ernst-Jan and Sabina had. But that outlook has now changed. Sabina: "Our lives have taken a turn that means that we will not be able to use our boat in the coming years."

Ernst-Jan: "This means that Happy Hours 3.0 will only be in our boathouse in the coming years. This boat is not made for that. He has to travel to the most beautiful destinations. That's why our Trawler 53 is going on sale. With pain in our hearts, of course, but also in the knowledge that a new owner will experience fantastic trips with the Happy Hours 3.0."