The motor barge De Tijdgeest and its engine, a 20 hp Van Rennes horizontal petroleum engine with an open crankshaft, date from the same year: 1897. They have now been together for 125 years. De Tijdgeest was built by shipbuilder A. Pannevis in Alphen aan de Rijn and transported peat between Vinkeveen and Amsterdam. The current owner, Gooike van Slooten in Amsterdam, acquired De Tijdgeest in 1964 at the age of 17 when the previous owner, farmer Toon Voordeveld, had to part with it for health reasons. Gooike explains the continued existence of the almost unique engine from the fact that the last three owners were in no hurry. 'When the diesels came, in the 1920s, they snatched the cargo at the shipping exchange, because they could get there first. At that time, these engines were tuned up by mixing petrol with the petroleum or by holding ether in front of the air intake. So they all exploded or crashed. And fortunately, it has always been in the hands of people who were not in a hurry.' Gooike demonstrates the starting procedure using two 'human starter motors' and takes us out sailing on the Amsterdam canals and the Amstel. More information about De Tijdgeest can be found on the website De Tijdgeest Amsterdam ( https://detijdgeestamsterdam.wordpres... ). The outside shots were shot from the saloon boat Grutto. 00:00 Intro 00:47 About the engine 1 01:52 Filling the oil glass 02:45 Filling the oil reservoir 03:00 Filling the Primus reservoir 05:52 About the engine 2 07:20 First start attempt 08:00 Second start attempt 08:35 Sailing away 09:09 Under the Magere Brug 09:45 Running engine 10:04 About the reversing gear 1 11:10 About the reversing gear 2 12:16 History The Zeitgeist 13:55 Switching off the engine