Navigation Legendary "Landi" ship soon to set sail again

SDA

19.7.2024 - 16:44

The motor ship Oberhofen can set sail again at the beginning of September. Private individuals have saved the legendary "Landi" ship from being scrapped.

The Berner Oberland Charterschiff AG announced to the media on Friday that it will be sailing on Lake Thun again from September 1. The ship is currently being refurbished in dry dock.

In future, it will be possible to charter it for groups of up to 60 people. The operators can envisage wedding celebrations, birthdays and business events, as well as funerals and burials.

The ship has an eventful history behind it. It was built as the "Ente" for the 1939 National Exhibition, where it delighted visitors on Lake Zurich together with its sister ships "Taucherli", "Schwan" and "Möwe".

Popular with the population

After the "Landi", the boat was taken to Lake Thun, where it was named after the village of Oberhofen and affectionately called the "Oberhofnerli" by the locals due to its rather modest size.

For years, it was used extensively for extra social trips. In May 1999, after 747,000 kilometers, the ship was taken out of service and sold to Holland. Under the name "Vriendschap" (Friendship), it chugged along on Dutch waters from then on.

When the Dutch owner's plans to sell the boat became known, ship enthusiasts from the Thun region got involved. A couple from Oberhofen bought the ship and donated it to BLS Schifffahrt. The motor vessel was used for private extra trips until the end of 2021.

BLS then decided to reduce its Lake Thun fleet and returned the "Oberhofnerli" to the couple. With the help of many stakeholders and voluntary commitment, it was possible to save the ship from being scrapped, Berner Oberland Charterschiff AG announced.

SDA