Overview
We sing sea shanties and sea songs.
They sing acapella, shanties and forebitters and try to stay as true to the original form as possible. The group have sung at maritime events in the Netherlands and the UK. – Harwich International Sea Shanty Festival
The Ol’ Hands Shantymen is a Dutch a cappella quartet from Apeldoorn that has specialized entirely in singing authentic shanties and sea songs. The group has been singing together since 2003. It is a small, close-knit ensemble consisting of four singers. They sing primarily a cappella and try to stay as close as possible to the traditional, pure form of the original work songs. – AKF website
Curated History
From a 10 Feb 2026 Facebook post by the FelixStowaways: "We have received the very sad news this evening, that Jan Nak of the Ol’ Hands Shantymen, Apeldoorn, has passed away. We first met him when we travelled to the Netherlands to sing at a Shanty Café in Leeuwarden. We immediately became friends. So much so that we invited Ol’ Hands to sing at two of our early UK Shanty Café events here in Felixstowe and they gave memorable performances on both occasions.
Video
Band Members
Henk de Groot Jan Nak (RIP)