The Hondsbossche Sluis is the historical lock in the center of Zaandam, The Netherlands. After some five ages the lock still functions and is operated by a group of fifty volunteers.
The latest news
Open
The lock is open every day from 09:00 to 18:00. It is advisable to be at the lock a quarter of an hour before closing time so as not to miss the last protection. The 2025 annual calendar can be found here On the green dates the lock is in operation. When the Zaangemaal is running the lock is closed because then an unsafe current is created on the north side. On the webcam of Zaanzicht ,with some effort, you can see at the top left of the screen whether the three red lights are on.
New signs about the history of the lock
On Monday 14 April 2025, new signs were placed on the bridge railings telling the history of the lock. In two languages, with a slightly larger font and with somewhat shorter texts than on the old signs. You can find them here
Passages
In 2024, 7990 ships passed through the lock. Although that number is one of the lowest scores in the past 10 operating seasons, it was not too bad. In 2024, the lock was closed for 108 half days because the pumping station had to discharge water from North Holland. That is almost 1/3 of the number of half days that we wanted to be open. The busiest day of the year was Sunday 11 August 2024: 292 passages. At the end of the season, it was again a wet affair: on those 18 half days, we let 13 boats through.
This is the overview of the number passages 2025-2024
Registrations
New volunteers are very welcome! If you would like to be a lock keeper, please contact the board of the Volunteer Lock Keepers Hondsbosschesluis Zaandam Foundation by using the contact form at the bottom of this page.
De Orkaan
De Hurricane is the unparalleled newspaper about the Zaanstreek. Half of the content is filled by people who are interested in the history and development of the region. The editorial staff fills the other half of the website. De Hurricane started in 1986 as a paper newspaper but went under after just five issues. In 2014 a new start was made (just like our lock) and since then the Zaanse news has been omnipresent on social media: the Web, Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and Youtube.
Over the past year, the Hurricane has regularly posted messages that tell something, indirectly but sometimes directly, about the Hondsbossche Sluis. Lock keeper Ger keeps an eye on the Hurricane and has made the following selection.
- Groote sluis met accijnshuisjes en Hotel Suisse
- Achterzaan vanaf de Hondsbossche Sluis
- De ‘Oude Sluis’ in Zaandam
Read that magazine!
Repairs
Now that the lock is closed, repairs are being carried out on the lock walls. The joints of the masonry are in poor condition here and there or have even disappeared completely. A specialist company is -partly under water- carrying out repairs.
Stories about the lock
The Zaandamse Overtoom, March 2024: “Between 1609 and 1718, there was a wooden ramp to the west of the Hondsbossche Sluis to drag ships over the dam from the Binnenzaan to the Voorzaan: the Zaandam 'overtoom'….”
Cottages and 'smuigers', July 2023: “There are two houses on the south side of the lock. They were built in 1724….”
The bridge was open…. , April 2023: “If you thought that getting stuck in traffic is a modern annoyance…”
A lock keepers family, February 2023: "In 1935, Cornelis Swartsenburg and his young family lived at Hoogedam 11, in the cramped, damp house on the southeast side of the lock...."
Near miss, December 2022: "This photo from 1955 shows that there was not only sailing and waiting in the lock...."
Lock keeper Groot, December 2022: “The photo below from 1930 clearly shows that recording memories is full of pitfalls...”
Contact
You can send a message to the board of the Volunteer Foundation Hondsbosschesluis Zaandam using the form below. For example, to register as a new volunteer or to give tips, ask questions, share an opinion or send a compliment.
EN 
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