I bought this motor yacht in Mallorca in 1992 as a kind of 'never ending project'. The time had come to turn my sailing days into motor yacht navigation, and so i chose a ship that would allow 6 people to live comfortably on board.
I took the ship to Belgium via the Mediterranean sea, the Rhone and Saone river, the canals, the Meuse and Schelde river. I brought the ship to the shipyard of Rupelmonde (on the Schelde river) for a deep revision and a series of technical repairs. After that, we navigated a few years in the Netherlands and Belgium, for inland and sea boating. After we went back to France (via Le Havre and the Seine river) and then further to Spain and Italy.
Since a few years, traveling has become more complicated due to my old age (83 years) and my health situation (collapsed vertebrae) and is now almost impossible. We use the ship now as an apartment at the coast with a lovely mooring in Ostend (Mercator Marina) in the very centre of town, the ideal mooring for the 'après voile' for the old captain. Now I'm really coming to the end of the never ending project!
I hope that the next owner will enjoy navigating and being on board of the Gentiana as much as i did, truly a ship with history! The Gentiana has now officially become a 'historic monument', licensed by the Flemish Government (Maritime Heritage). This offers the great advantage that substantial financial support can be obtained for maintenance and repairs.
I wish you a great trip!
Luc Van Steen
March 2016