History
Our Eendracht was named after a sailing vessel operated in the 17th century by the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (United East India Company) which is often abbreviated to VOC . The word Eendracht is from early Dutch and means harmony or unity both fitting virtues for a motor yacht.
The VOC Eendracht has a connection with the early exploration of Australia when on 25 October 1616 the VOC Eendacht captained by Dirk Hartog was the first European vessel to visit Western Australia. The crew landed on what is now called Dirk Hartog Island and nailed a flattened pewter plate to a post which they erected on the cliffs on the northern end of the island. The plate was inscribed with the details of Eendracht’s visit and the details of her senior crew. That plate is now in the Amsterdam Maritime Museum in the Netherlands. A copy of that plate is featured in the saloon of our Eendracht.
It is interesting to note that some of the early Dutch maps showing Australia referred to the then largely unknown continent by various names including “Landt of Eendracht” and “Terra Austral is Incognita” (The Unknown Southern Land). The latter was eventually to be shortened and anglicized to become Australia.