The two-masted schooner was built in 1913 at the Pattje shipyard in Waterhuizen, the Netherlands, as the sailing cargo vessel Hermann, designed for navigation in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Initially, she operated without an engine.
In later years, the vessel was sold to Denmark, where she was lengthened and renamed Laksen. Until the end of the 1980s, she served as a coastal transport vessel.
In 1989, she was converted into a comfortable charter sailing ship, with her original hull dimensions restored and her traditional character preserved. In 1998, she received her current name Abel Tasman, in honour of the Dutch explorer who reached, among other places, Tasmania and New Zealand in the 17th century.
In 2024, she underwent a long-awaited refurbishment. The vessel can comfortably accommodate 24 passengers and a crew of 4–6 people. During day cruises, she can take up to 60 passengers on board.
The vessel belongs to a family of three sister ships – all of them have survived and are still sailing today.
