Menno Leenstra holds a MA in Physics from the University of Groningen. During and after his studies, he worked as a sailing instructor until recently. From 1985, he took part in the project of the building of the replica of the return ship Batavia, specializing in the research of ships’ rigging. Since 1997, he is a researcher in archives and literature for projects, which are connected to 17th century shipping, for example the ships Duyfken, Avondster, 7 Provinciën and VOC-locations like Ayutthaya, Taiwan and Robben Island. His expertise on this knowledge and capabilities (e.g. paleography) are essential inputs for the CIE.
