Tuckerboot Meeting Buxtehude

Tuckerboats — Small Maritime Heroes

Tuckerboats are small open or semi-decked motorboats, often built of wood, with slow-running diesel engines. They were widespread on North German waterways in the 20th century and are now lovingly restored and maintained by hobby skippers. Tuckerboat meetings have become regular fixtures in several North German harbour towns in recent years — Buxtehude is one of them.

Buxtehude Harbour — Historic Setting

Buxtehude Harbour on the Este is a compact, historic harbour with charm. The Este is a tributary of the Elbe and connects Buxtehude directly to Hamburg's waterways. Numerous traditional boats are moored in the harbour. The Kulturforum am Hafen e.V. contributes to the preservation of this maritime heritage.

Convoy Entry at 10:30 AM

The visual highlight is the joint entry of the participating boats in a convoy from 10:30 AM. The festively flagged tuckerboats and cabin cruisers enter the Buxtehude harbour in an orderly fashion, one after another, and are welcomed by visitors waiting on the shore. A sight that makes the maritime tradition of the Hanseatic city visible.

Festively Decorated Harbour

The harbour is decorated with pennants, flags, and maritime decorations for the meeting. The boats can be admired and visited at their moorings. The boat owners are happy to talk about their restoration projects and the history of their ships. Food and drinks at the harbour, maritime music, and a relaxed Sunday programme round off the festival day.

Kulturforum am Hafen — Custodians of Heritage

The association Kulturforum am Hafen e.V. is committed to preserving the maritime tradition of Buxtehude. In addition to the Tuckerboot Meeting, it organises other events related to Buxtehude Harbour and is involved in maintaining the harbour area as a cultural-historical ensemble.