Our Story
Ship & Crew
Brigantine NEPTUN is a 30-metre ocean-going sailing vessel operated by a nonprofit community of volunteers and professional sailors.
Brigantine NEPTUN was built in 1947 at the D.W. Kremer Sohn shipyard in Elmshorn, Germany. Originally a motor coaster, she was seized by Poland after the war and sailed under the Polish flag for decades. In 1959 she was rebuilt and continued trading in Northern European waters.
In 1990, a Danish sailor named Henny acquired the vessel and began converting her into a sailing ship. Over three decades, the ship was lovingly rebuilt — first as a schooner, then in 2025 re-rigged as a brigantine with square sails on the foremast and fore-and-aft sails on the mainmast.
In 2022, Foreningen Neptun purchased the vessel as a nonprofit, member-owned community. Today she sails the world with rotating crews of volunteers who come aboard for weeks or months at a time — learning seamanship, exploring remote coastlines, and building a community at sea.
NEPTUN by the Numbers
Our Mission
What drives us.
Sail Training
Provide hands-on maritime education — from basic seamanship to Yachtmaster certification — in a real ocean-going environment.
Community
Build a diverse, inclusive crew community where people of all backgrounds learn, grow, and sail together.
Preservation
Maintain and sail a historic vessel, keeping traditional seamanship and maritime heritage alive.
Sustainability
Travel under sail. Minimize our footprint. Prove that wind-powered exploration is still the best way to see the world.
The Nonprofit
Brigantine NEPTUN is owned and operated by Foreningen Neptun, a Danish nonprofit (CVR DK-43797336). All revenue goes to maintaining and operating the ship. There are no shareholders — only members.
Want to Know More?
Read about our history, meet the crew, or get in touch.