Dutch term – Pieremagoggel

A pieremagoggel is a vessel, but not a boat since it cannot have a keel. The term is sometimes used to denote a ship that was no longer considered sea-worthy. Other pieremagoggels are built for fun, rather than any practical applications.

Pieremagoggel contests score the vessels based on their creativity, and ingenuity of the propulsion mechanism, humor, and esthetics; with winners in different categories. It is not surprising that students of polytechnic schools often enter the competition. With water and canals being such a big part of Dutch culture, these competitions are very popular among contestants and spectators. I grew up watching Ter Land, ter Zee, en in de Lucht [At Land, at Sea, and in the Air], a television series which featured home-built aircraft, seacraft, and landcraft competitions.  

Here you can watch a movie of a pieremagoggel competition in 1976:

About Yvette Hoitink

Yvette Hoitink, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist in the Netherlands. She holds the Certified Genealogist credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists and has a post-graduate diploma in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee. She has been doing genealogy for over 30 years and helps people from across the world find their ancestors in the Netherlands. Read about Yvette's professional genealogy services.

Comments

  1. Mieke Poelman-Marquart Scholtz says

    Is het van Jiddische oorsprong?

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