Prior to the launch, Janet Hering and Piet Spaak had welcomed the invited guests from the various partner organisations and members of the Jaag family. In spite of the driving snow and cold, around fifty spectators gathered to enjoy Piet Spaak’s humorous speech and the aperitif which followed. Eawag has been carrying out research on Greifensee for decades, recording, among other things, how the lake has recovered from the pollution of the 70s and 80s. In addition, Eawag has supported research projects on Greifensee for many years, as well as educating ETH students on the lake. The «Otto Jaag» is the only motorised vessel on Greifensee that is not used for public sailings.

As the launch and christening of the boat took place as part of the Open Day of the Schifffahrtsgesellschaft Greifensee (Greifensee shipping company), the team from the Eco department made the most of the opportunity, offering the public an insight into the research carried out on Greifensee. Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at a stand on the «MS David Herrliberg», inquisitive members of the public were able to get an idea of the research activities, peer through microscopes at daphnia and ask questions of the Eco crew.