Our fleet
A versatile boat for cruises and groups
From northern Germany via the Rhine to Lake Lipno: Smetana is a versatile vessel for easy-going outings and time together on the water.
- Indoor deck
- 60 places
- Outdoor deck
- 80 places
- Bicycles
We recommend booking bicycle transport online, as spaces for bicycles are limited.
- 6 places
- Onboard bistro
Our onboard team will be happy to tell you which snacks are available today.
- AvailableBistro menu (PDF)
History
Smetana was built in 1999 by Deutsche Binnenwerften GmbH in Berlin-Köpenick. Her early service took her to northern Germany under the name Ahrenshoop. She later moved to Speyer on the Rhine, welcoming excursion passengers as Sea Life.
The vessel joined Lake Lipno in 2020 after a journey that was an adventure in its own right. She travelled by water to Linz before continuing through the Mühlviertel on a heavy transport vehicle. The move brought both a new home and her present name. The fuller story of the transfer, with photographs, follows below.
On board today
On Lake Lipno, Smetana serves regular cruises and group outings. Her indoor and outdoor decks offer different ways to enjoy the scenery, from a sheltered seat to an open-air view across the water. There is time to settle in and let the lakeside landscape pass by.
The vessel can also host a private charter. For a celebration, club outing or company event, we discuss a programme that suits your party. Groups can alternatively join an advertised regular departure without chartering the whole vessel.
Technical specifications
| Vessel type | Passenger excursion vessel |
|---|---|
| Year built | 1999 |
| Shipyard | Deutsche Binnenwerften GmbH, Berlin-Köpenick (DE) |
| Length × beam | 24.2 × 5.3 m |
| Draught | approx. 0.9 m |
| Main engines | 1 × Cummins Diesel |
| Total power | approx. 186 kW (253 PS) |
| Cruising speed | 16 km/h |
| Maximum speed | approx. 20 km/h |
| Bow thruster | Yes |
| Crew | 2 |
| Former names | Ahrenshoop, Sea Life |
The boat in pictures
Photo gallery
The journey to Lake Lipno
From Sea Life to Smetana
Built in 1999, the vessel was initially named Ahrenshoop and operated around the Baltic island of Hiddensee. From 2003 she sailed as Sea Life for Fahrgastschifffahrt Speyer on the Rhine.
In 2020, she travelled from Speyer along the Rhine and Main, through the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal and 56 locks to Linz. Her wheelhouse was removed for the road section, reducing her height from eight to six metres. The approximately 41-metre-long, 160-tonne convoy took three days to cross the Mühlviertel to Frydava. There she was relaunched and began her new life on Lake Lipno as Smetana.
| Former names | Ahrenshoop, Sea Life |
| Former cruising areas | Hiddensee and Speyer |
| Route | Rhine – Main – Danube – Linz – Mühlviertel – Frydava |
| Arrival at Lake Lipno | 2020 |
View transport photos and video: ORF Oberösterreich · Mühlviertel.TV
Kmtextor · CC BY-SA 4.0