Gezonken Bootje

Surfboards are used for all kinds of purposes in the canals of Amsterdam: rest areas for ducks, signboards, etc. But would it really be possible that someone would be using a surfboard to actually windsurf in our murky waters? Who knows, this one seems functional anyway.

where: Herengracht @ Korsjesportsteeg

You see these kinds of banana-boats a lot in the canals of Amsterdam, but what are they exactly? Former militairy floating devices? I have no idea. Anyway, the big drawback to inflatable bootjes seems to me that inevitably they go pssssssss as has happened to this one.

where: prinsengracht @ brouwersgracht

Just a little iron sloop, looks in fairly good condition. Probably caught too much rain while the owner forgot about it. A lot of cars passing by here, on the Haarlemmerweg.

where: Haarlemmerweg @ Limburg Van Stirumstraat

Once student leader Maarten van Poelgeest was my hero, or at least the guy who led us to demonstrate against the evil Minister of Education Deetman (what exactly the issue was, I forgot, I must admit). Now Van Poelgeest is in power himself. He’s is an alderman in Amsterdam (wethouder Waterbeheer) and he’s trying to pull a stunt that makes one very, very cynical about former student leaders.

He wrote a letter this week, addressed to all bootje-owners of Amsterdam, saying that the city is going to raise taxes for bootje-owners by 250 to 400 percent. This will make it very difficult, if not impossible, for lower income people, arguably the constituency Van Poelgeests own Green Party, to have a bootje in Amsterdam. If Van Poelgeest gets his way, it’s the yuppies completely taking over our canals (and you will have no more great looking gezonken bootjes either, I can assure you).

The only party at this moment that is againt the measure is, I am forced to admit, the VVD.

People, please protest this ridiculous measure.

The addres for Binnenwaterbeheer: info@bba.amsterdam.nl

Maarten van Poelgeest is here.

update: more people are upset, tientje.com for instance.

They’ve got Gezonken Bootjes in Montenegro as well. It’s hard to see but the one in the middle is definitely going down.

where: Perast, Montenegro