The Batavia yard has a special ambition; to recreate the shipping from Hollands Golden Age, exactly as it was before, using contemporary methods and materials.

Founded in 1985 by William Fox, a builder of traditional wooden boats, so far the shipyard has completed the Batavia a recreation of a East Indiaman from the 1620s. “The Seven Provinces” a recreation of an 80 gun, first rate ship of the line from the 1660s is currently being built and is expected to be completed in 2015.

In 2008 the shipyard faced an authentically 17th century problem: fire. Though the sails of the Batavia were lost, along with a couple of buildings, thankfully the ships themselves were spared.

Visitors can explore every side of 17th and 18th century shipbuilding; from the slip where the keel is laid, and a mountain of timber is transformed to a ship, to the sail lofts and the forge.

Furthermore, one can explore the completed ship from the masthead down to the bilge. They’ll even give you a hand in swarming up the masts.