Modern sailboats. Sailing ships of the world
A person's desire for scale and gigantism is due to various reasons. However, in recent years, more and more often this reason is a banal desire to stand out or become the owner of a record. Another thing is the times when sailing ships were the main type of maritime transport.
Today we have prepared for you a selection of the largest sailing ships in history. Moreover, we will measure in different ways and in different classes of ships.
The world's largest barque
The first place in size among the barges is the five-masted ship France II, launched back in 1912 and owned by France. A bark is a sailing vessel with a large (from three) number of masts, on which all the sails are straight, except for the stern. At the stern, the sails are slanting. The total length of the vessel "France II" was 146.2 meters. It set a considerable number of records for the speed of cargo delivery around the world. The ship sailed for 9 years, until in 1922 it ran aground off the coast of New Caledonia and was abandoned there. Later, the ship was finally destroyed during an American pilot exercise in 1944. In France, there is even a foundation that plans to restore the ship and return it to its homeland.
The world's largest schooner
But the largest schooner was created in the USA in 1902. Moreover, the ship "Thomas W. Lawson" is the only one in history that had as many as seven masts. A schooner is a sailing vessel with two or more masts, the sails on which are all oblique. The maximum length of the ship "Thomas W. Lawson" is only 2 meters and 20 centimeters less than the record holder. The ship sailed safely with bulk cargo between the US and Canada for more than five years. And then he went to his first and last flight across the Atlantic. The ship was twice caught in a storm and ran into the coastal rocks. 17 crew members out of 19 were killed. It happened off the coast of England.
The largest sailing ship in operation
Of the sailing ships currently in operation, the Royal Clipper is the largest in the world. It was built in 2000 and is cruise ship accommodating 227 passengers. The ship belongs to Luxembourg, although it was built in Poland and Germany. The maximum length of the vessel is 133.8 meters. The ship sails in the Mediterranean in summer and in the Caribbean in winter. In the off-season, it runs across the Atlantic Ocean.
The largest in the history of barquentine
The largest barquentine in history is the functioning Spanish ship "Juan Sebastián de Elcano". It was built back in 1927 and is still successfully plying sea spaces. Of course, the ship was several times overhauled. However, its dimensions and main features remained the same. This four-masted ship with a forward straight sail and all the rest slanted (signs of a barquentine) is a considerable 113 meters long.
The world's largest yacht
And finally, we have the largest yacht in the world. We are not going to resolve this dispute, since there is still a competition between the Eos and Maltese Falcon yachts, which ship is the largest. We start from the maximum length data. And in this dispute, it is the Eos that wins due to the longer 10-meter bowsprit. The total length of this giant is 92.92 meters.
As soon as humanity rose above the level of stone clubs and began to explore the world around it, it immediately realized what prospects the sea routes of communication promise. Yes, even the rivers, along the waters of which it was possible to move quickly and relatively safely, played a tremendous role in the development of all modern civilizations.
The value of sailboats for humans
We do not know and, most likely, we will never know where and how the first sailing ship appeared. But only one thing is indisputable - the person who invented it, in his influence on the future of civilization, is comparable to the inventor of the wheel. The latter, by the way, is also unknown to us, but the memory of him is eternal. By the way, it is called a ship driven by the force of the wind.
It was sailboats that provided the opportunity for the development of civilization. The first of the ancient sailors who perfectly mastered the art of "catching the wind" were the Greeks and, possibly, the Sumerians. Subsequently, the Phoenicians took the palm, as well as the Vikings, who, according to modern research, sailed on their longships to the coast of North America long before Columbus. So a sailing ship is the type of transport on which a person first crossed the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean, it was on such ships that Magellan first made a round-the-world “tour”.
The first "sailboats"
The first ships capable of sailing were most likely galleys. It all started with the simplest rowing boats of Ancient Egypt, and ended ... it is believed that the last ships of this type were used even after the invention of the steam engine, so they served humanity for a very long time.
Galleys were vessels designed to operate exclusively in shallow coastal waters, and among the Egyptians they were often flat-bottomed. Of course, such ships did not have outstanding seaworthiness. Their sail was the most primitive, straight, allowed to walk under the wind only when the latter was passing. So the types of galleys described below do not provide for. After all, it is impossible to consider them full-fledged sailboats.
Sailing vessel classification
Subsequently, the shipbuilders of the world mastered ever more sophisticated technologies that allowed them to build ships with ever better seaworthiness. The simplest classification of ships should be given on the pages of this article so that there is no confusion in the future:
- Ship (frigate). Yes, yes, not every sailing ship could be called that. Only those ships that had three masts were called that way. The sails are exceptionally straight, but on the mizzen, in addition, there was also a “oblique” rigging, which made it possible to walk on tacks. What other types of sailing ships were there?
- Bark was also called a ship with three masts, but the first two had only straight sails, and the third had exclusively slanting ones.
- A brig is almost the same as a frigate, only a two-masted sailing vessel. The mizzen also has a slanting sail, but the rest of the rigging is only straight.
- A schooner was any ship with two or more masts. But at the same time, at least two of them had to carry slanting sails.
- One and a half masted ships. They have a grotto and a mizzen, as it were, “merged” into one structure.
- Single masted ships. As you might guess, they had only one mast. As a rule, the sails were the simplest, straight.
It so happened that the most common type in the history of world navigation was a sailing two-masted vessel. Such ships were much simpler than a frigate or schooner in construction, and with a good arrangement of sailing equipment, they were distinguished by better mobility and speed.
Galleons and the seafaring revolution
The first sailing ship designed specifically for long ocean crossings is the galleon. It is believed that the first ship of this class was the Mary Rose carrack built in 1512, which belonged to the British. However, the Portuguese are sure that it is they who have the honor of creating galleons, since they were the first to build caravels.
But all these ships did not appear out of nowhere, since the possibility of their construction arose only when shipbuilding had already absorbed many technical achievements and discoveries of those years. For example, the galleon is the first multi-deck sailing ship. In order for the huge structure, made entirely of wood with minimal use of scarce iron, to simply not fall apart, shipbuilders had to have a very high degree of professional skill.
Discoveries in the field of building a ship hull
It is believed that the classical scheme for building ships, when the hull is first made, and then it is sheathed, was invented by the Byzantines around the end of the first millennium AD. Prior to this, the craftsmen assembled the ships, initially making the hull, and only then the frame was “introduced” into its design. At the same time, it was difficult to achieve high accuracy, and therefore ships with high seaworthiness were rarely obtained.
The limit of perfection of those years was a small two-masted sailing vessel, on which it was already possible to make short sea crossings, but still its specialty was coastal shipping.
Most quickly, they switched to the Byzantine scheme in the south of Europe, where such ships were built already from the 14th century, the British began to do this somewhere from 1500, and in Northern Europe ships with the simplest clinker sheathing were constructed in some places in the 16th century. Initially, the names of ships made according to Byzantine technology always contained the root “karvel”, which meant the construction of a frame with its subsequent “smooth” boarding. From here - a caravel, a relatively small sailing vessel with excellent seaworthiness.
Benefits of the new method
Shipbuilders gained a lot of advantages when they finally switched to frame assembly of ships. Most importantly, from the first days of construction, the frame made it possible to visually assess the appearance of the future ship, its contours and displacement, and immediately identify possible design flaws. Besides, new technology made it possible to multiply the size of the ships through the use of a strong and "springy" frame, which evened out even very heavy loads.
In addition, much smaller boards could be used for sheathing, which made it possible to dramatically reduce the cost of construction and stop cutting down centuries-old oak forests. For example, a small two-masted sailing ship built according to this technique could be “cut down” from relatively cheap pine and birch, and its seaworthiness did not deteriorate.
About qualification of workers
Finally, it was possible to use the labor of much less skilled workers: only a few people were directly responsible for the design, and the carpenters only dealt with the sheathing. In the early types, each of them had to be practically a virtuoso in his field. The increased manufacturability of the building also made it possible to make much more huge sea ships.
Each of these large multi-deck sailing ships was more powerful than dozens of early clumsy vessels, which, by and large, were suitable only for coastal navigation.
Gunpowder artillery and sailboats
Already in the 14th-15th centuries, gunpowder artillery began to actively spread in maritime affairs, but for a long time it was placed exclusively in deck settings, which were originally intended for archers. This led to a strong "decentralization", made the ship very unstable even with relatively weak waves.
Soon the guns began to be placed along the longitudinal axis of the gun, but still on the upper deck. However, it was extremely difficult to conduct aimed fire from cannons, since round holes cut in the sides were used for this purpose. In peacetime, they were plugged with wooden plugs.
Real ports for guns appeared only by the beginning of the 16th century. This innovation gave way to the creation of large and well-armed. Such a large multi-deck sailing ship was perfect for both naval battles and expansion into the lands of the future Latin America.
Giants of the Middle Ages
But the first mention of the classic galleon is found in historical documents dated 1535. Its advantages were quickly appreciated by the Spaniards and the British. Unlike other ships of those years, this one was much lower, with “correct” hull contours, which provided minimal hydrodynamic resistance on the move. The masts of a sailing vessel of this type carried mixed sailing equipment, which, with due skill of the captain and crew, made it possible to tack in a wind close to the headwind.
Their displacement, even today, was decent - up to 2000 tons! At the same time, the cost of galleons even became lower due to the use of cheaper types of wood. The problem was delivered only by the masts of a sailing ship, for which only selected pines were required.
Design features
Spars were also made from pines, oak was used for the power elements of the hull. Unlike the karakk, the bow superstructure did not hang forward. The cut stern had a high and narrow superstructure, which had a positive effect on the ship's stability during rough seas. Traditionally, galleons were distinguished by rich carvings and other options for decorating the hull.
The largest sailing vessel of this type had seven (!) decks. During the construction of such giants, the work of mathematicians was in great demand (remember the Great Embassy of Peter the Great to Holland). It was not in vain that they ate their bread: the calculations made it possible to create a ship very large, but durable, capable of withstanding both the storm and the boarding, accompanied by collisions of ships, to survive.
Sailing rig features
The number of masts on the galleons varied from three to five, the front ones carried straight sails, and the rear ones slanted. The largest Spanish galleons could have two mizzen at once, which provided good speed performance even with a headwind and the need for a tack. As low as the carpenters involved in the construction of such ships could be, their sailors had to be trained as well, since they had to manage with several hundred kilometers of equipment.
By the way, the relatively small length of the first galleons made them a kind of "relatives" of the galleys, which we talked about at the very beginning of the article. If the ship fell into the zone of absolute calm, it could move on the oar. Of course, in a storm, using this option was suicide.
Ship " Royal Clipper» the largest sailing ship in the world that crosses the ocean in any weather. The ship recalls the glorious days of the dawn of magnificent clippers. Sailing ship owner Royal Clipper» Michael Kraft.
Was built in 2000. The owner personally supervised the construction, as he was attracted from childhood sailing. In the Polish port of Gdansk, he saw an unfinished steel hull for a training ship, but its construction stopped and he bought it. The refurbishment has begun. Bulkheads have been modified to create living quarters. The stem was decorated in the ancient style. After the conversion, the hull was sent to Rotterdam, where huge masts were installed on hinges to allow passage under bridges in some ports. And below deck, the best designers and decorators worked with the best types of wood and fabrics collected from all over Europe. They have created a luxurious interior that has never been seen before. clippers. After 14 months sailing vessel turned into a magnificent passenger liner. This is another cruise ship with masts instead of tubes. A boy's dream became a reality.
Your first swim sailing vessel made from London to Monaco. Passengers have a special feeling when they get on board. For one person, the cost of the cruise is 2500 USD per week. It is manned by the best sailors. The crew also includes several Russian sailors, as they have extensive experience gained during training in the Baltic sailingfleet.
sailing ship «Royal Clipper»
sailing vessel "Royal Clipper" with snow-white sails
"Royal Clipper" is a very beautiful sailing ship
five-masted sailing ship
This ship also has surprises that were not previously known. sailing ships. Steel hull, stainless steel rigging, teak decks and 60m high masts. In the absence of wind, the ship has a spare, which allows you to move without breaking the schedule. For a sense of passenger comfort, a watermaker and an air conditioning system are provided on board. The anti-roll system guarantees an oscillation amplitude of at least 11 degrees. The required amount of water is pumped into or pumped out into the tanks using a pump. The chimney is in two masts. Interesting on sailing ship and screws, they change the angle of the blades, up to the level of zero degrees, so as not to interfere with the course.
on the decks of a huge sailing ship
luxurious saloons of a sailing ship
sailing ship atrium
For all this, the creators spared no effort to challenge the ocean winds and recreate the atmosphere of a victorious march through the world of the fastest sailing ships. A sailing ship travels 7,000 miles in 10 days on time. There are 42 rectangular sails on five masts. They are filled with the same winds that filled the sails of ships carrying tea and spices from the countries Far East to cities in Europe and North America. These called clippers, because they managed to arrive at their port a few days earlier than other types of sailing ships.
The rhythm of life on board remained the same as it was a hundred years ago: watch keeping, sailing and so on. manually removes and sets the triangular staysails and the two lower rectangular sails, and the rest, in order not to send sailors to the masts, use a hydraulic system on a sailing ship, which is controlled by one person. On the masts, the sails are folded on special yards - this is a novelty in sailing technology. Each yard has a small hydraulic motor attached to a bar that runs through the yard. This system allows you to fold and unfold sails without the participation of human hands. This is very handy when changing weather conditions and doesn't take much time. Sailors are on the mast when they need to unravel the sail or carry out maintenance work. sails on ship enough to cover 13 basketball courts.
Sailing vessel « RoyalClipper» in luxury can compete with. There are three swimming pools on board, one of them has a glass bottom, through which the atrium is illuminated, built between the decks of the vessel. Passing across three decks, it illuminates three levels of restaurants. The most expensive cabin will cost $5,000 per week. In others, the interior is no worse - there is a veranda or balcony overlooking the sea. The rooms are carefully cleaned by the staff. Everything is controlled by the hotel manager.
sailing ship captain
During each captain sailing ship « Royal Clipper» Juergen Mueller-Cyran gives the captain's dinner. This is a range of gourmet dishes, but the main ones are juicy lobster tails or Wellington beef. The best musicians of the Caribbean perform on board during dinner.
As entertainment for passengers, management is offered sailing ship, being at the helm or enjoying the seascapes, standing on the mast in a specially equipped place.
On sailing ship there is a platform in the stern that opens like a ramp and passengers can go ashore when " Royal Clipper» is within a mile of the coast or sandy island. Vacationers are provided with various water transport: inflatable and motor boats, in combination with them a banana boat and water skis can be provided. For lovers of water sports, surfing and diving are offered. Going ashore, on a flat-bottomed boat, you can taste the best barbecue in the Caribbean.
The co-owner of EuroChem, billionaire Andrey Melnichenko ordered the German shipbuilding company Nobiskrug to build a yacht that should become the largest sailing vessel in the world, its length will be 147 meters. According to CNBC, the new yacht will be named White Pearl (“White Pearl”) and will resemble the ship “Black Pearl” from the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean”.
While the White Pearl is under construction, let's take a closer look at other impressive sailing boats that are privately owned.
A and White Pearl
Billionaire Andrey Melnichenko already has a yacht - powerboat called "A". It was built at the shipyards of the German company Blohm & Voss. "A" was designed by Philippe Starck. The 119-meter yacht is designed for 14 guests and 42 crew members. It has a heliport, an amphibious vessel (which can easily move both on water and on sandy shore), as well as a car garage and three swimming pools. The master cabin, in which owner "A" travels, has an area of 240 square meters. m, the windows are equipped with 44-mm glass that can withstand a grenade explosion. This boat cost over $300 million.
When the White Pearl yacht is completed in 2016, Andrey Melnichenko will become the owner of two large yachts at once - a sailing and a motor yacht.
Despite the strict secrecy in the work, details of the construction of the new White Pearl at the Nobiskrug shipyard in Germany became known, and even photos of the yacht appeared on TheYachtPhoto.com and SuperYachtTimes.com.
“Next to White Pearl, megayacht A will look like a rubber dinghy,” said one worker familiar with the project. The White Pearl will be 147 meters long, making her the largest existing yacht in the world. The yacht will have a three-story atrium, large swimming pool, and some elements of the interior will resemble the scenery from the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean" (the main character of the picture, pirate Jack Sparrow, owned the Black Pearl ship). The vessel will have three masts made of lightweight, high-strength carbon fiber. The crew of the yacht will be 66 people.
Length: 92.92 m
Max speed: 16 knots
Shipyard: Lurssen
Owner: media mogul Barry Diller
Eos has competed with the 88m Maltese Falcon for the status of the world's largest sailboat since its completion in 2006. Competitors claim that although the Eos as a whole is 4.9 meters longer than the Maltese Falcon, this superiority is achieved due to the long bowsprit - a horizontal beam protruding forward from the bow of the sailboat.
The yacht is owned by media mogul Barry Diller, husband of designer Diane von Furstenberg. Judging by the news, the couple spend a lot of time on the yacht. Thanks to the star owners, there are often celebrities on board the boat - Madonna, Natalia Vodianova, actress and model Nicola Formby and others. The designer has amassed a collection of 1940s furniture on board, and the prow of the ship is adorned with a sculpture of Diana by artist An Duong. The cost of the yacht is estimated at about $100 million.
The boat can accommodate 16 guests, the yacht is served by 22 crew members - two chefs, three engineers, nine sailors, a captain and stewardesses.
Length: 88 m
Maximum speed: 24 knots
Shipyard: Perini Navi
Owner: Greek financier Elena Ambrosiadou
The three-masted sailing yacht was built in 2006 by order of the American investor Tom Perkins according to the innovative Dynaship concept proposed back in the 1960s. Thanks to this system, the yacht requires a minimum team - one person can control 15 sails at once. With the push of just one button, the Maltese Falcon raises its sails in 6 minutes and automatically retracts them into the masts. The yacht's sophisticated computer control system automatically measures and takes into account parameters such as wind speed.
In an interview, Perkins said that he personally wrote some of the codes for the yacht's computer system.
But Perkins did not use the toy for very long. In 2009, the yacht was acquired by Greek financier Elena Ambrosiadou, founder and CEO of the Cypriot Ikos Foundation. She became the first woman to own a super yacht in the world. The purchase price, according to various sources, was about $100 million.
The yacht is served by a crew of 18 people, at the same time it can accommodate 12 guests. The interior of the boat is decorated in industrial and high-tech style. There is even a submarine on board deep sea diving- it was installed at the request of Perkins.
The yacht is rented from time to time, approximate cost- $540 thousand per week.
Length: 85 m
Shipyard: Oceanco and Vitters Shipyard
Aquijo is a fresh project of two eminent Dutch shipyards at once. The two-masted yacht is built entirely of aluminium. One of the largest yachts in the world, according to the plans of the developers, should be light and maneuverable, like a small boat. According to the shipyard, the owner, an experienced yachtsman, wanted a nimble and light yacht that could cruise around the world and stay away from shore for long periods of time.
The design of the aluminum hull was developed by naval architect Bill Tripp, but, as the authors of the project emphasize, he constantly consulted with the future owner of the vessel.
The construction of the hull of the yacht is completely completed, the last stage remains - the installation of masts and the passage of sea trials. The yacht will be handed over to the owner before the end of 2015, the name of the owner is not known.
Aquijo's three decks can comfortably accommodate 12 guests and serve her 18 crew members.
Length: 85 m
Maximum speed: 18.9 knots
Shipyard: Royal Huisman
Owner: Internet entrepreneur James Clark
The yacht of the Dutch shipyard in honor of the Greek goddess of wisdom has long been a leader in the Olympus of sailing yachts. The three-masted ship was built in 2004 for internet entrepreneur James Clark. The main request of the customer was to combine the traditional properties of a sailing schooner with modern technology. And the boat met all expectations - in 2004, Athena was recognized as the best sailing yacht over 40 meters long at the Show Boats International Award. The shipyard even published a book called "Athena - a classic schooner for modern times."
The yacht has a gym, two custom-built sailing tenders (essentially full-fledged 28-foot yachts), Zodiac inflatable boats, diving equipment. Serves the boat from 10 to 18 crew members and it can accommodate up to 10 guests.
In 2012, information appeared about the sale of the boat for $95 million, in June 2014 the price was reduced to $75 million. But the yacht is still not sold, so for now the owner rents it out for charter. The approximate price per week is $450,000. In summer, Athena usually runs in the Mediterranean, in winter - in the Caribbean.
Length: 75.2 meters
Shipyard: VT Shipbuilding
Owner: Former Avis Chairman and CEO Joe Vittoria
One of the largest single-masted yachts was built for former Avis car rental company chairman and CEO Joe Vittoria, but was mostly used for rental purposes. Recently, the owner took the boat off charter trips and began to use it for himself.
The uniqueness of the boat is that with a length of 75 meters, Mirabella carries a mast 88.5 meters high. True, due to the large length of the mast, the yacht cannot pass under any bridge - neither in the Bosphorus, nor in the Panama Canal, where yacht trips are often made. But it provides her with great maneuverability and speed.
In addition to six luxurious cabins and a saloon, the yacht has an outdoor cinema, wine cellar, gym and sauna. The yacht's own fleet - sailing and motor tenders, jet skis, water skis, diving equipment and even two radio-controlled one and a half meter copies of the Mirabella V itself.
Length: 75 m
Max speed: 18 knots
Shipyard: Toulon Naval Docyard
Owner: Lebanese entrepreneur Muna Ayub
Before the 85m Athena, Phocea was the largest private sailing yacht in the world. The yacht was built for himself in 1976 by the famous French yachtsman Alain Colat. Moreover, the four-masted boat was intended for transatlantic racing and for single yachtsmen. Cola named it Club Méditerranée. But in the important race OSTAR 1976 Cola came only second. Shortly thereafter, a fire broke out on the yacht, which seriously damaged the unique vessel. The yacht participated in several more regattas, and then began to be used for charters of the Club Méditerranée company. Then it was bought and renamed Phocea by millionaire Bernard Tapie. And in 1997, Phocea was bought for £17 million by Lebanese businesswoman Muna Ayub, the ex-wife of Saudi oil tycoon Nasser al-Rashid. To pay for the boat, she had to sell the famous 112.53-carat Muna diamond, the largest intense yellow diamond in the world, named after her.
The yacht was completely reconstructed, turning it into a luxurious sailboat for recreation. Now the sailboat could accommodate 12 guests with 15 crew members.
In 2005, Phocea hit the news feeds again after an accident while sailing in Sardinia. At that moment, Prince Michael of Kent and his wife were on the boat, several people were injured, and the boat itself was badly damaged.
Length: 69.24 m
Max speed: 11 knots
Shipyard: Van der Graaf
Owner: Dutch businessman Ed Castelain
Atlantic is an exact copy of the famous three-masted racing schooner built in 1903. The legendary yacht Atlantic at the beginning of the last century won regattas and set records. So, it was she who held the record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic for almost 100 years, it was broken only in 1998. A replica of the famous schooner was built at a Dutch shipyard in 2010 by order of the Dutch businessman Ed Kastelein. On board can accommodate 12 guests and 12 crew members. In addition, there is a cinema on board the yacht and everything for a comfortable stay, although the sports boat still sometimes participates in regattas. The interior decoration in colonial style also completely copies the interior of the original boat. Atlantic is rented from €95,000 per week.
Length: 67.2 meters
Max speed: 20 knots
Shipyard: Alloy yachts
The dizzying sailboat - the largest yacht in New Zealand - was originally built for cruising. Therefore, they decided to make a “pentause at sea” out of the boat. It has everything that the townspeople are used to and are not ready to give up even at sea - flat-screen TVs, computers and a gym, a separate office, a school room and a swimming pool. In addition, the yacht has a large outdoor area for relaxing and dining outside, as well as equipment for diving and water sports.
But at the same time, the fast and maneuverable boat easily accelerates to 20 knots, so most likely the guests will not have the desire to sit in an indoor gym or watch TV.
In 2012, Vertigo received the World Super Yacht award for "Best Sailing Yacht of the Year". Yacht charter costs from €225,000 per week. Vertigo cruises the Mediterranean in summer and the Caribbean in winter. The boat can accommodate up to 10 guests and 11 crew members at the same time.
Length: 66.9 m
Max speed: 25 knots
Shipyard: Baltic Yachts
With a classic design and high-tech materials, the Finnish yacht stands out from most in being the largest carbon fiber composite yacht. Thanks to this, the long boat behaves like a nimble and small yacht, and is also capable of speeds higher than many other superyachts. During the construction of the yacht, the customer asked to make a fast boat to participate in regattas, but another condition was the opportunity to pass under the Panama Bridge. Therefore, the height of the mast is 62.5 meters. The interior of the yacht is made in a laconic colonial style and light colors. The owner of the yacht has not been named, but is believed to be German businessman Otto Gappel, No. 690 on Forbes' global list of billionaires. The yacht is designed for 12 guests and 10 crew members. Hetarios is rented from €100,000 per week.
Length: 66 m
Max speed: 13 knots
Shipyard: Vitters Shipyard
Designer yacht built in 2011, the boat's hull is made of aluminum, it has the largest compound rudder in the history of sailing boats. True, all the engineering features of the yacht - like the name of the owner - are still not known. Dubois Naval Architects was responsible for the unusual design of the boat and the pattern on the sails. Also on board is the Code 1 painting by Norwegian artist Magne Furuholmen, the largest piece of art on canvas in the world, measuring 3,600 square meters.
In 2014, the yacht was renamed, from which the experts concluded that she had changed hands. The yacht is designed to take part in regattas, but the owners have not yet put the yacht up for competition.
0The largest sailing ship of the line...
"Santisima Trinidad"(“Santisima Trinidad”, Spain, 1769)
Length - 59.6 m
Width - 16.1m
Draft - 8.1m
Armament - 144 guns.
As a ship of the 1st rank, it was built in 1769 at the Spanish naval shipyard in Havana (Cuba). The hull and deck are entirely made of Cuban mahogany, while the masts and yards are made of Mexican pine. The thickness of the sides is 60 cm. For the first time, a ship of this class had four gun decks. Among the many hostilities that took place at that time, "Santisima Trinidad" participated in 1772. in the second siege of Gibraltar as part of the combined fleet mediterranean sea. Participated in the attack on British convoys. In February 1797, he takes part in the battle at St. Vicente, where he fights with 7 (!) British ships. The "Holy Trinity" fought as part of the combined fleet of Spain and France in the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805 against 5 British ships. In this battle, she lost her masts and was captured by the enemy, despite the heroic resistance - 312 killed and 338 wounded. Numerous volleys from the English ships could not sink the ship, but nevertheless it suffered a sad fate: the ship sank two days after the battle during a storm.
The ship of the 1st rank was built in 1769 at the Spanish naval shipyard in Havana (Cuba). masters Mateo Mullan, Ignacio Mullan and Pedro de Acosta. Initially designed as a 120 gun ship in accordance with the regulations English system brought to Spain by British masters.
The hull and deck are entirely made of Cuban mahogany, while the masts and yards are made of Mexican pine. The parameters of the ship were as follows: length 59.54 m; keel 50.83 m; width 16.09 m; depth 8.06 meters. The thickness of the boards is 60 cm.
The ship was rebuilt several times in order to eliminate defects, increase the power of an onboard salvo and improve seaworthiness. In 1795, the ship was thoroughly altered, and its dimensions were as follows: length 61.44 m; keel 51.83 m; width 16.25 m; depth 8.01 m. The number of guns on the ship also increased to 134: 36 32-pounder guns; 34 24's; 36 12-pounders; 18 8-pound and 10 24-pound mortars.
Among the many hostilities that took place at that time, "Santisima Trinidad" participated in 1772 in the second siege of Gibraltar as part of the combined Mediterranean fleet. Participates in the attack on British convoys. In February 1797, he takes part in the battle at San Vicente, where he fights with British ships: Captain (100 guns) and Culloden (74 guns), then Blenheim (98 guns), Orion "(74-gun), "Irresistible" (74-gun) "Excellent" (74-gun). The ship was saved from destruction by the Spanish ships "Pelayo" and "Principe de Asturias"
When repairing damage received in battle, a fourth battery is additionally installed on the ship. The repair ends in 1799 and 136 guns are installed on the ship: 32 36-pounder guns, 34 24-pounders, 36 12-pounders, 18 8-pounders, 10 24-pounder mortars and 6 "esmeriles".
Before the Battle of Trafalgar, 4 more mortars were installed on the upper deck. On October 21, 1805, the commander of the Spanish squadron, Admiral Don Baltazar Hidalgo, was on the ship. After many hours of battle with the English ships: "Neptune" (80), "Leviathan" (74), "Conqoueror" (74), "Africa" (74) and "Prince" (98) all the masts were shot down on the ship, 312 were killed and wounded 338 men and was captured by the British.
The English frigates "NAIADE" and "PHOEBE" are trying to tow the ship to Gibraltar, but due to worsening weather conditions, the damaged ship sinks on October 22, ending her 35-year service in the Spanish Navy.
Although the priority in the construction of the largest warships of the era of the sailing fleet is usually attributed to the British, the largest and most powerful ship of its time was the Spanish ship Santisima Trinidad.
In the last and most bloody battle of the era of the sailing fleet, which took place on October 21, 1805, the English squadron under the command of Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson defeated the Franco-Spanish combined squadron at Cape Trafalgar. The victory of England meant the end of Spain as a maritime power, and the English from then on were unrivaled in the field of shipbuilding. However, according to the sailors and captains of the ships of that time, the most powerful ship among those that took part in the Battle of Trafalgar was the Spanish battleship "Santisima Trinidad" ("Holy Trinity") with a displacement of 1900 tons, which was a "floating battery" with mahogany boards 2 feet thick. The crew of the ship consisted of 1200 people. Even the enemies of the Spanish crown admired the ship, and Admiral Nelson himself paid tribute to its design and extraordinary strength. However, the ship "Santisima Trinidad" suffered a sad fate: it was captured by the British, who, fearing that the ship could be repulsed by the retreating enemy or, due to damage inflicted in the battle and during the storm, would not withstand towing, sank it two days after battles. Therefore, the features of a wonderful sailboat can only be judged on the basis of its modern reconstruction.
"Santisima Trinidad" - the largest ship that participated in the battle of Trafalgar. This is how he is depicted in a painting by the artist of that time, Alejo Berlinguerro de la Marca y Gallego. The ship was built in 1769 from the naval shipyard in Havana. As a building material, mahogany was used, which grew in Mexico and in Central America. In the aft part, the windows of the officers' quarters are visible. It was the most vulnerable place during the fighting. The ship had four gun decks, and due to this, its armament was the most powerful compared to other ships of the 18th century. During the Battle of Trafalgar, 1,200 sailors and marines were on board the ship. Cannon salvos from the English ships failed to sink this ship. The painting is kept in the Madrid Naval Museum. History has not paid due attention to the shipbuilding of Spain for the reason that in the XVIII century. the Spanish fleet suffered a series of defeats, which, however, were more likely the result of superior military tactics at sea and more skillful navigation of the British, and not miscalculations in the design of the Spanish ships. The glory of the British overshadowed the merits of Spain in the development of marine trade routes to the New World.
And yet the Spanish sailors of the late 15th and early 16th centuries, obsessed with religious zeal in the fight against the Reformation, achieved tremendous success, discovering new lands. Moreover, already in 1600, only 80 years after Cortes first landed on the coast of Mexico, in the territory Spanish America there were about 50 settlements. Communication with most of them, as well as their defense, was provided only from the sea. The fact that they continued to exist successfully can also be explained by the fact that the Spaniards were traditionally considered the best shipbuilders and did not know their equals in this area for another 300 years.
The colonization of the New World would hardly have been successful if the Spaniards had made their voyages to distant shores in ships such as galleys, although they played a significant role in the history of shipbuilding. The galley, which was a sailing and rowing vessel with sheer sides, was distributed in the Middle Ages mainly in the fleets of the Mediterranean powers. (The last major battle of the era of the rowing fleet, in which the combined squadron of Spain and others European countries defeated the Turkish fleet, took place in 1571 off the coast of Greece.) This type of vessel could hardly be considered suitable for a long voyage across the Atlantic. Columbus and subsequent navigators began to use the so-called round ships, which by the end of the 16th century. pushed out the galleys. Round ships were larger and had several decks, which made it possible to place on them large quantity provisions, cannons, as well as to increase the area of \u200b\u200bthe sails and the number of crew. All this was an important factor in the long voyage. And finally, the new ship had good seaworthiness, since its hull had an enlarged underwater part.
There were two types of three-masted round ships: galleon and navio. Galleons were merchant ships carrying gold, silver, provisions, and passengers. Navios were considered warships and had thick sides and a large number of guns. The most powerful navios were battleships and were considered the main force in all battles. The Spanish navios marked the heyday of the three-masted round ships, the most perfect creation of which was the ship of the line "Santisima Trinidad".
What was the Navio of the 18th century? The Spaniards used the shipbuilding technology common in other maritime powers of Europe. The basis of the skeleton, or skeleton, of the vessel was the keel and keelson - one of the longitudinal ties of the vessel, located directly above the keel and providing its longitudinal strength. A stem was attached to the keel in front, a stern was attached to the back, and frames, or ribs, firmly fastened to the keel both outside and inside the set, were installed on top of the keel. The connecting elements included wels - large wooden beams holding the set behind the frames, and transverse deck beams that connected the opposite side branches of the frames.
The hull set was fastened with dowels made of oak or mahogany or forged bolts, which were made in royal shipyards. Bolts were inserted into holes drilled in wooden structures and secured with metal or wooden nuts. While the ship was being built in the dry dock, sails were sewn by hand from linen fabric, cables and ropes were twisted from hemp, which were supposed to fasten the masts and sails.
The most important for maritime practice was the behavior at sea of the ship's structure as a whole - a wooden hull, sails and rigging. Considering that thousands of wooden elements, fastened with wooden dowels and metal bolts, were constantly under heavy loads as a result of the action of wind and waves, the navio - more than a modern sailing vessel - had to be carefully balanced in order to maintain a dynamic balance, for which all the time followed by the captain and crew members. Navio creaked, moaned, breaking through the waves of the ocean. Sailors floating on modern sailing ships Those with steel hulls will undoubtedly feel much more secure.
The secret to the success of the Spanish Navio was the excellent quality materials used by the Spanish shipbuilders. The hulls of the English and French ships of that time were built of oak, and the masts and yards were built of pine. The Spaniards, on the other hand, used hardwoods to build their ships, such as mahogany, which grows on the coast of Cuba and present-day Honduras. Compared to oak, mahogany is much less susceptible to dry rot, caused by the vital activity of fungi that devour the cellulose of dry wood and turn it into dust. Everyone is subject to this type of destruction. wooden ships Therefore, it was extremely important to have hardwood stocks for the construction of new ships and the repair of old ones.
The availability of hardwood stocks, which could serve for a long time until the next repair, became the key to the successful development of the Spanish fleet. While the British and French had to seriously think about how to provide enough oak and pine for the construction of new ships, Spain had huge supplies of hardwood imported from the American colonies. Most of this timber was delivered to the royal shipyards in Havana, where 74 of the 221 three-masted navios built by Spain in the 18th century were launched. By the 70s, the Havana shipyards had become the largest supplier of battleships. The Santisima Trinidad, whose hull and deck were built entirely of Cuban and Honduran mahogany, was launched in the shipyards of Havana in 1769.
The amount of wood required to build warships was impressive. About 3,000 trees, each of which could be sawn into boards with a total length of over 200 m, were used to build one warship of the 3rd rank, called the "workhorse" in the navies of Europe. Pine, used for making masts and yards, or crossbars to which sails were attached, grew mainly in what is now Mexico. Up to 40 pines were required in order to make 22 yards of a three-masted warship of the 3rd rank. As already mentioned, the Havana shipyard was the largest in the 18th century, and, no doubt, the ships of the line built on it were unparalleled in size in the era preceding the industrial revolution. Nevertheless, the mass of all three-masted, three-deck ships taken together that took part in the battle of Trafalgar was 120,000 tons, which is equal to the deadweight of a modern supertanker.
The reconstruction of the ship "Santisima Trinidad" was made on the basis of data collected by Rafael Berenguer Moreno Guerre, an employee of the administrative department of the Spanish Navy, from various historical documents. The length of the ship from bow to stern was about 63 m, and it weighed almost 1900 tons. After the addition of the fourth gun deck, 144 guns could be installed on the ship - more than on any other ship. Kofel-nagels, bitengs and nedgeds, on which running rigging was attached, were placed on the upper deck in strategically important places. Hanging berths, which were not used during the daytime, were folded and placed in special racks at the rails along the sides on the upper deck.
Part of the hull of the ship "Santisima Trinidad" showing the set and deck equipment in the middle part of the ship. The construction of the ship began with the laying of the keel and kilson; frames were attached to them, which were held by pillers, deck beams and wels. Most of the stores for sailing were stored in the main hold. On the orlop deck there was an infirmary and ammunition depots with gunpowder and charges for guns. The largest and heaviest guns were placed on the lower deck, directly above the orlop deck. The living quarters for the crew were mainly located on the middle and upper decks; the sailors hung their berths between the guns. Repair of a warship in the 18th century. was not limited to the deck, cabins, masts and sails, as on modern ships made of steel, aluminum, plastic and fiberglass; updates also required parts of the hull set, although, of course, the ships participating in the battle of Trafalgar were no longer like the first warships. How the repair work was carried out at that time is well known to today's yachtsmen. Ropes were attached to certain rigging of the ship, passing through hoists installed on the shore. And after the guns were removed from the ship, the ship was heeled, i.e. tilted to one side. Then began the replacement of rotten wooden parts. If this was not required, the hull was simply cleaned of marine growths and covered with a compound that protected it from decay. The bottom was often sheathed with copper sheets for additional protection against decay and woodworm.
Such repairs, of course, increased the life of the ship: the Santisima Trinidad served 36 years before it was sunk off Cape Trafalgar, and Admiral Nelson's flagship Victory was 40 years old. The clean bottom of the ship had its advantages: a ship free from marine fouling could develop greater speed and had better maneuverability. However, speed was not always the key to success. According to the chronicle of those times, in the Battle of Trafalgar, the English ship Royal Sovrin, the bottom of which was recently sheathed with copper, went far ahead of its squadron and was attacked by the Spanish 112-gun ship Santa Ana.
The repair of warships was not cheap for the governments of maritime powers. According to economic historian José P. Merino Navarro of the National University of Madrid, the warship Victory, which cost England £63,000 to build in 1765, required repairs until the end of the Napoleonic Wars (1815). g.) in the amount of about 372 thousand pounds. However, to protect its interests in America and the Philippines, Spain had more shipyards than England and France. The Spanish ships were always in better fighting shape than the English. The English admiral Lord Cuthbert Collingwood, one of the greatest navigators of his time, repeatedly reported to Nelson and the Admiralty about the deplorable state of the English ships of the line. Historians wrote that England was unable not only to win, but also to participate in another battle like Trafalgar without "cleansing the royal fleet of rot." This task would undoubtedly have required enormous expenditures from the British government.
Renovation of the Spanish fleet in the XVIII century. was part of a modernization program in various industries undertaken by King Charles III, one of the "enlightened despots" of his century. Charles III improved methods of management and long-term planning in the industry of the country; this also affected the royal shipyards. One of the innovations was the standardization of warship designs. At the beginning of the XVIII century. each warship built was unique in its design. By the 70s of the 18th century. The Navios were divided into six main ranks, and ships of each rank were built according to common design requirements. Moreover, the structures of the hulls and decks where the weapons were located, as well as the sailing equipment of ships of different ranks, had to be the same. All this contributed to a sharp increase in the productivity of shipyards, which was important at a time when Spain was in dire need of new ships to protect its sprawling possessions.
In each of these six projects, measures were taken to combine the stability of the platform for the guns with good maneuverability and propulsion under sail. The classification was based on the number of gun decks and guns on board. Navios of the 1st rank, such as the Santisima Trinidad, were considered the largest and were armed with the most powerful artillery. The Santisima Trinidad was the only warship to have four decks with 144 guns. Other ships of the 1st rank were three-masted and three-deck. Navio 2nd rank also had three decks and 80 to 98 guns. The ships of the 3rd rank had only two decks and from 74 to 80 guns. The ships of these top three ranks were generally considered ships of the line.
The classification of ships by rank was based on the number of guns and gun decks. Warships of the 1st rank were the most powerful. Most of them had 80 to 110 guns on three gun decks. Ships of the 2nd rank - from 80 to 98 guns on three decks, and ships of the 3rd rank - from 74 to 80 on two decks. The ships of the line only belonged to these three ranks. Ships of 4.5 and 6 ranks were lighter and therefore faster. They were used as cruisers and for postal service. Ships of the 4th rank had from 50 to 60 guns on two decks, the 5th rank - from 32 to 44 guns on a single deck and the 6th rank - from 20 to 28 guns also on the same deck. Ships of the 4th, 5th and 6th ranks, which had a small number of guns and could reach high speed, were considered cruisers. Ships of the 4th rank had two decks with 50-60 guns, ships of the 5th and 6th ranks had one deck each; the number of guns was 32-44 and 20-28, respectively. Ships of the 6th rank were considered the fastest in the Spanish fleet and were often used for postal communications with distant Spanish colonies.
The height of the Spanish navio of the 1st rank from the keel to the upper deck was equal to the height of a modern five-story building. Above the sleighs was the main hold, above which was the orlop deck, or the lowest deck. Above it were three main gun decks - lower, middle and upper. The high location of the three heavy decks caused a strong side roll, and often the guns of the lower deck (mainly for British ships) were below the waterline.
The lowest deck (orlop deck) was considered the safest. It housed the infirmary, which was rarely empty during fierce battles and in which urgent amputations and wounds were treated. On English ships, the orlop deck was usually painted red, on which the blood stains from the surgical table were less visible. On the battleship Santísima Trinidad, a large crucifix hung on the bulkhead above the surgical table, a symbol of religious faith, for which many gave an arm, leg, or even life. On the lowest deck was also an ammunition depot, which stored ready-to-use charges for the guns.
Cannons and mortars of warships of the 18th century. On the lower deck of the Santisima Trinidad, thirty 32-pound guns (so named for the mass of the cannonball they fired) were installed. At the end of the XVII century. The 32-pounders were the largest in the fleet. They had a barrel length of more than 3 m and could hit the chain at a distance of 1.5 miles. On the middle deck of the Santisima Trinidad were two 18-pound and twenty-six 8-pound guns and a mortar. When the fourth gun deck was added, the number of guns increased from 120 to 144. Rigging for mounting the guns after recoil is shown for the 32-pounder gun. In order to reduce rolling, the hull of the Spanish Navio was built in such a way that the width of the lower deck was greater than the width of the middle and upper decks. Naturally, the lower deck was more stable, and the largest cannon (3 m long) was installed on it, firing 32-pound cannonballs. On the ship "Santisima Trinidad" there were 30 such guns, 15 from each side. WITH close range a cannon ball could pierce a side of oak about 1 m thick. Two or three cannon balls could cause serious damage to an enemy ship. The 32-pound core was capable of hitting a target at a distance of up to 1.5 miles.
On the middle and upper decks, in addition to the guns, there was most of living quarters for the team. The bunks were hung between the guns and folded and removed before the battle. In the middle part of the ship there was a galley, on the often single stove of which the sailors cooked food and boiled water. The Spanish Navio team was oversized and consisted of both professional sailors and people with no seafaring experience. The crew of the ship "Santisima Trinidad" while participating in the Battle of Trafalgar consisted of 1200 sailors and marines, many of whom were still recovering from the epidemics of malaria and cholera that raged in southern Spain in 1802-1804. For comparison: the team of the English ship of the 1st rank "Victory" consisted of only 900 professional sailors.
In contrast to the cramped and stuffy sailors' cockpits, the officers had at their disposal separate, comfortable cabins, not much different from the fashionable apartments in which they lived on the shore, and a luxurious salon in the stern, where they had an exquisite table at their service. Often, a well-aimed volley at the stern of the Navio from an English ship turned all this luxury into a pile of debris.
A large crew was needed not only during battles: all work on the ship was done by hand. Before going to sea, the sailors brought on board everything they needed: ammunition, provisions, and even guns. On the way, I had to constantly raise and then remove the sails, which was a very laborious task. Pumps installed on the middle deck in order to pump out water from the holds were also operated manually. During the battle, additional pumps were included in the work to extinguish the fire and flush the blood from the deck. Tali, which served to lift cargo on board, haul or release anchor and set sails, also had to be rotated manually.
Unlike the British, the Spaniards and the French considered warships as combat platforms for soldiers and guns. This strategy often led to a lack of discipline on the Spanish ships, which, in my opinion, was one of the reasons for the defeat of Spain at the Battle of Trafalgar. In principle, the combat tactics of the Spaniards was to demolish the masts of enemy ships with well-aimed volleys. The wrecked ship was boarded. The tactics of the British were different. It consisted in aiming at the hull of the ship. Partly because English ships were more prone to roll, the British were the first to replace the traditional fuse fuse with a flint fuse. This allowed the charge to be ignited almost instantly, which increased the chances of the cannonball hitting the target before the ship began to roll again.
In all cases fighting were undertaken taking into account the fact that the guns of the XVIII century. most accurately fired direct fire. When the Navio managed to make a successful maneuver and approach the enemy ship from the stern, a single salvo from several 32-pounder guns was enough to demolish the richly decorated but poorly protected stern. Moreover, such a volley could disable the gunners on the deck, overturn the heavy guns and, breaking the wooden planking into debris, litter the deck with burning pieces of wood, which were no less dangerous than deadly projectiles.
When two warring warships were side by side, the muzzles of the cannons were retracted inward through the ports; volleys were fired from within and had tremendous destructive power. The roar of volleys that carried across the decks was so powerful that sometimes the sailors lost their hearing forever. Red-hot cannonballs were rolled into the muzzles of guns with the help of special hand tools. After each volley, the red-hot cannon rolled back had to be manually installed in its original place. In the continuous smoke from the guns, the gunners often, not seeing the gun rolling back, fell under its wheels.
The accumulation of powerful military equipment on board the Spanish navios did not reduce the ability of this type of vessel to withstand close combat for a long time. The Santisima Trinidad, for example, was the flagship of the Spaniards during the blockade of Gibraltar in 1779-1782, fought off Cape St. Vincent in 1797, and also at Trafalgar. Double and even triple volleys from the side of the English ships could not sink the ships. And although the victory remained with England, the great firepower of the Spaniards inflicted great damage on the English fleet.
It would be unfair to speak only of the military exploits of the Spanish Navio without mentioning their enormous role in the field of geographical research and discovery. Organized by Charles III round the world expeditions were no less important to science than the travels of James Cook and George Vancouver. The purpose of these expeditions was to study the biology of the seas, obtain oceanographic data and improve the navigation technique. Ship captains, as well as botanists, geographers and cartographers who took part in the voyages, compiled detailed reports on their observations. Many of the Spanish captains who participated in the battle of Trafalgar were not only skilled military strategists, but also excellent navigators, explorers, cartographers and mathematicians. For example, the name of Captain Dionisio Alcala Galliano, a glorious navigator, is immortalized in geographical names on the maps of Chile and Canada. Brigadier Don Cosme Damian Churruca was known not only for his work in the field of navigation and mathematics, but also for his research west coast South America. As for Admiral Nelson, the battle of Trafalgar was the last in the life of these two captains.
