Rolpalen
On the Oldehoofsch Canal, near Feerwerd, stands a roller post: a yellow-painted iron beam with an I-section and a wooden roller.
Take a closer look
In the past, these poles were used as an aid for chasing ships. This involved towboats being pulled by people or horses. Sailing ships were also sometimes pulled in this way. For example, when there was a headwind or no wind. The rolpalen (also called roll poles or tow poles) were located at places where the canal bends. The rope between the boat and the tractor was placed around the rolling pole, with the rope rolling along a wooden or iron roller. The skipper then steered in the opposite direction so that the boat would not hit the side. Today, most of the rolpalen have disappeared from the landscape, but in Groningen quite a few have been preserved in their original locations.