Jakob

Former US Army ST 252

Jakob was built in 1943 by Levingston Shipbuilding Co, Orange, Texas, as US ARMY ST.252.
The ST STands for Small Tugs, which are ships of 50-86 feet in length.

The ship participated in the invasion of normandy in June 1944, where she was used to transport material across the English Channel until the end of the war.
After the end of the war US ARMY ST.252 was stored in a Belgian port where she stayed until 1952, when she was acquired by the port of Århus, Denmark
She sailed to Maskinfabrikken Nordhavn A/S in Århus, where she underwent a major rebuild. Her stern superstructure was cut down to make room for a towing hook,
for harbour towing and a new funnel and mast where constructed. Her engine was a 660 hp Superior Diesel engine. She was renamed Jakob after the former mayor of Århus Jakob Jensen,
in 1973 Jakob was sailed to Frederikshavn to receive a new 990 hp B&W Alpha 409-26VO diesel engine and new propeller with 11 tons of pull.

In the period 1952-1986 Jakob towed wast amounts of shipping in and out of Århus harbour, which contributed a lot to several businesses in Århus harbour.
In this time ships grew in size, and Jakob became outpowered. She was sold in 1986 to Haahr Transport in Vejle, she left Århus in 1987 under her new name Haahr Trumf and was in use until 1990 towing barges in Danish waters.

In 1991 she was sold once again to Dansk Bjærgning og busering and renamed Louise Diver, her main job for some years was towing around a floating crane to work on several jobs in Scandinavian waters.

In 2004 Århus Søhistoriske Selskab saw the opportunity to take ownership of the vessel, and save this piece of Århusiansk history. After some help from several sides and the support of Ole Eriksen from Dansk Bjærgning og busering, they finally managed to preserve the vessel and create a new society with the aim to to preserve and keep Jakob operational.

On 2 September 2005 she was once again renamed Jakob by then major Louise Gade.

At the start of 2006 Jakob was declared worthy of preservation by the Ship Preservation Trust, with the aim to preserve the vessel as a piece of cultural heritage, which meant that the vessel would be returned to her 1952-1986 condition.

Over the next year Jakob underwent an extensive overhaul, she was drydocked and looked over. It was found that her hull was in good condition, she was fitted with a new fire extinguishing system and the modifications to the superstructure where removed, she was then sandblasted and repainted.

In 2007 the Tall shps race was held in Århus, and Jakob recieved a temporary sailing permit and could be seen amongst some of the worlds largest sailingships.

In 2008 the preservation trust had the money to drydock her and fix the rudder, and also worked to bring back teak doors and repair of valves, pipes and a new navigationsystem.
After all this work they applied for a permanent sailing permit, which they received in the fall of 2014
After 2 support campaigns from Herman Salling and Maersk Fonden, they could finish her restoration.
The work on her interior continued well into 2015, and in the fall of 2015 the society started offering ash scattering from aboard Jakob.
It is hoped that in the future Jakob will recieve a sailing permit for 36 pax.

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