The best sailing ship. Sailboats of Russia (19 photos)

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 palm was taken by the Phoenicians, as well as the Vikings, who, according to modern research, sailed on their drakkars to the coast 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 ancient egypt, and ended ... it is believed that last ships this type was also used after the invention of the steam engine, so they served mankind 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.

The 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 Mediterranean fleet. 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. " 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 of 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 sides 2 feet thick. The ship's crew consisted of 1200 people. Even enemies admired the ship Spanish crown, 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 most big ship who 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, there were about 50 settlements in Spanish America. 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 common in the Middle Ages mainly in the fleets of the Mediterranean. maritime powers. (The last major battle of the era of the rowing fleet, in which the combined squadron of Spain and other 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 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 sailing on modern sailing ships with steel hulls 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.

Availability of hardwood stocks that could serve 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 great 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 1st rank from the keel to upper deck 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 the living quarters for the crew. 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 talk only about the military exploits of the Spanish Navios without mentioning their huge role in the field. geographical research and discoveries. 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 exploration of the western coast of South America. As for Admiral Nelson, the battle of Trafalgar was the last in the life of these two captains.

10

It was the largest sailing ship of its time. It had four full decks (the upper one was flush with the sides, as later on some ships). According to the project, he had to have a huge cargo capacity, while maintaining, in order to reduce costs, the usual crew size.

Unfortunately, before the first voyage to Britain, as a result of a fire, the ship burned out to the waterline and sank. After being raised and restored, it lost its upper deck, sail area and volume. cargo spaces have been reduced. The crew (130 people) was reduced by half. The Great Republic went through several owners until, during a storm in March 1872, she was wrecked and sank.

9

The last five-masted barque, built in 1921 by the Scottish shipyard Ramage and Ferguson by order of the Danish East Asia Company after the First World War in Copenhagen. On December 14, 1928, with 16 regular crew members and 45 cadets on board, he left Buenos Aires and headed southeast. The ship had to reach Australia in ballast, where it would receive the cargo - wheat - and deliver it to Europe.

On December 21, the last communication session with the sailboat took place, since December 22 the ship has not been in contact and has since been considered missing. What caused his death - a sudden squall or a collision with an iceberg - remained unknown.

8

Huge five-masted barque. It became the first sailing ship in history, whose tonnage exceeded 4000 gross register tons.

7

One of the largest barques of its time. France was preparing to host the World Exhibition in Paris, dedicated to the entry of the world into the coming 20th century.

A colossal steel tower has already been built - a symbol of triumph technical progress; later it will be called by the name of the builder Eiffel. Another such symbol, demonstrating the wide possibilities of metal, was to be the new French steel sailboat. The new sailboat and the giant tower were equally talked about.

6

A five-masted four-star cruising sailing ship built in the image and likeness of Prussia (1902-1910). It was designed by Zygmunt Horen, a Polish specialist in ship devices, entered service in 2000 and, being the longest sailing ship in the world, can accommodate 227 passengers. The ship can reach speeds of up to 20 knots.

5

The six-masted 125-meter double-deck schooner, built mainly from Canadian pine, is the height of perfection in wooden shipbuilding.

This is the world's largest and the only all-wood vessel in our top ten giants, which is of particular interest to both shipbuilders and sailors.

4

The only seven-masted ship in the world. It was launched from the slipways of the For River in Quincy in 1902. The famous shipowner Deon Crowley had a great desire to create the most big sailboat all over the world, as a result of which he was the inspirer and author of the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bbuilding this giant.

Almost all the time, the sailboat was operated on the same line and transported more than one thousand tons of coal and other bulk cargo between the USA and Canada. However, in 1907 it was chartered by an oil company to transport oil products through Atlantic Ocean. The vessel with full holds of barrels of oil products set off on its first and tragically last transatlantic voyage.

3

Merchant ship, five-masted barque. Like all ships built by AG Rickmers, the hull was traditionally painted green. Below the waterline - red.

Given that the ship was equipped with a steam engine, it did not appear on the lists of the largest sailing ships in Germany, despite the fact that since 1914 it has occupied one of the leading places in terms of size and displacement. Some sailors jokingly called it a sailing steamer. The maximum carrying capacity was 7,900 tons. To increase the carrying capacity, even the coal bunker was reduced.

2

French five-masted barque. Considered one of the most big sailboats in the history of shipbuilding. Laid down at the Chantiers et Ateliers de la Gironde shipyards in Bordeaux in 1911.

During the Second World War, in 1944, the ship, which until that time was aground, came under the sight of an American bomber and was destroyed during a bombing exercise.

1

Five-masted sailing ship with an all-steel hull. It was the largest straight-sail ship in the world and the only five-masted sailing ship of this class in the world merchant fleet.

In 1910, Prussia collided with another ship while on a voyage with cargo for Chile and eventually sank.

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“Prussia” is a five-masted sailing ship with an all-steel hull. Previously, she was the world's largest ship with direct sails, as well as the only five-masted sailing ship of this class in the world merchant fleet. The sailing ship was built in 1902 by order of the Hamburg shipping company Layesh. Hamburg is the home port of the sailing vessel. Unlike many others, the Prussia sailboat was never equipped with auxiliary engines. The length of the ship is 147 meters, the width is 16.3 meters, the displacement is 11,150 tons, the volume of the ship is 5,081 RT (registered tons), the sail area is 6,806 square meters, and the years of operation are from 1902 to 1910.

France II is a French five-masted sailing ship. This sailboat is considered one of the largest in the history of shipbuilding. "France II" was laid down at the shipyards "Chantiers et Ateliers de la Gironde" during French city Bordeaux in 1911. The length of the sailboat is 146.20 meters, the width is 17 meters, the displacement is 10,710 tons, the volume of the vessel is 5,633 RT, the volume of sails is 6,350 square meters.

“R.C.Rickmers” is a German five-masted sailing ship and also served as a merchant ship. The length of the sailboat is 146 meters, width - 16.3 meters, displacement - 10,500 tons, volume of the vessel - 5548 registered tons, sail area - 6,045 square meters.

Schooner "Thomas W. Lawson" is the only seven-masted sailing ship in the world. It was launched in Quincy in 1902. The famous shipowner Deon Crowley really wanted to create the largest sailing ship in the world, and therefore he became the inspirer and author of the idea of ​​its construction. The length of the sailboat is 144 meters, the width is 15 meters, the displacement is 10,860 tons, the volume of the vessel is 5,218 RT, the sail area is 4,330 square meters, the gross tonnage of the Thomas W. Lawson schooner was 5.218 (brt), which is 137 (brt) was at that time more than the five-masted barque "Prussia", which was put into operation a few months before the schooner "Thomas. W. Lawson.”

The Royal Clipper is a five-masted, four-star cruising sailboat that was built in the image and likeness of the Prussia (1902 - 1910). The layout of the sailboat was developed by Zygmunt Horen, a Polish specialist in ship devices, and the sailboat itself was put into operation in 2000. The longest sailboat in the world can carry 227 passengers. The Royal Clipper can reach speeds of up to 20 knots. The length of the ship is 134.8 meters, the width is 16.5 meters, the displacement is 5,061 tons, the volume of the ship is 4,425 tons, the sail area is 5,202 square meters.

“Potosi” is a five-masted sailing merchant ship, which was built in 1895 by order of the Hamburg shipping company “Layesh”. The route of the sailboat passed between Germany and Chile. The length of the sailboat is 132.1 meters, the width is 15.1 meters, the displacement is 8,580 tons, the volume of the vessel is 4,026 tons, the sail area is 4,700 square meters.

Copenhagen "Kobenhavn" - the last five-masted barque, which was built in 1921 by the Scottish shipyard "Ramage and Ferguson" by order of the Danish East Asiatic Company after the First World War in Copenhagen. The length of the barque is 131.9 meters, the width is 15 meters, the displacement is 7,900 tons, the volume of the vessel is 3,901 RT, the sail area is 4,644 square meters.

Frans I is one of the largest five-masted barges. The sailing ship was built in 1890. It was the first French sailing cargo ship and the second in the world during this era. The length of the ship is 133 meters, width - 14.9 meters, displacement - 7,800 tons.

The Wyoming is a six-masted, 125-meter, double-deck schooner that was built primarily from Canadian pine. At that time it was the height of perfection of wooden shipbuilding. Wyoming is the world's largest all-wood ship. The length of the ship is 137 meters, the width is 15 meters, the displacement is 8,000 tons, the volume of the ship is 3,731 tons, the sail area is 3,700 square meters.

The Great Republic is the largest wooden clipper ship of the 19th century. It was built by the famous American shipbuilder Donald McKay. Clipper "Great Republic" was not equal in size. Most American clippers of the 19th century were about 70 meters long and were considered the largest in the world, English clippers averaged about 60 meters. The length of the Great Republic was 101.5 meters, the width of the clipper was 16.2 meters, and the displacement was 4556 tons. The height of the grotto "Great Republic" reached 70 meters. The total sail area is 6070 square meters.

The Viking is a four-masted steel barque built in 1906 in Copenhagen. This is the largest sailing ship ever built in Scandinavia. The length of the Viking is 118 meters, the width is 13.9 meters, the displacement is 6,300 tons, the volume of the vessel is 2,959 rt, the sail area is 3,690 square meters.

“Sedov” is a four-masted barque that was built in 1921 under the name “Magdalene Vinnen II”. Since 1936, the name has changed to "Kommodore Johnsen". And in 1945, the barque was transferred to the USSR by Great Britain and was renamed in honor of the famous Russian polar explorer Georgy Yakovlevich Sedov. Today, the Sedov is one of the largest sailing training ships in the world. Length - 117.5 meters, width - 14.6 meters, displacement - 7,320 tons, vessel volume - 3,556 RT, sail area - 4,192 square meters.

The Union is a training sailing vessel of the Peruvian Navy. The sailboat has a four-masted steel hull. The Union was built in 2014 by Shipyard Marine Industrial Services of Peru, also known as SIMA. The length of the barque is 115.75 meters, width - 13.5 meters, displacement - 3,200 tons, sail area - 4,324 square meters.

The Kruzenshtern is a four-masted barque, a Russian training sailing ship. It was built in 1925-1926 in Germany. During the descent, the bark was named Padua, but in 1946 it became the property of the USSR and was renamed in honor of the famous Russian navigator Admiral Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern. The ship's home port is Kaliningrad. The length of the sailboat is 114.5 meters, the width is 14.4 meters, the displacement is 5,805 tons, the volume of the vessel is 3,064 tons, the sail area is 3,900 square meters. The ship made numerous transatlantic and round-the-world expeditions. The travel club of Mikhail Kozhukhov provides a unique opportunity not only to visit Krusenstern, but to go on a trip to.

Pamir is a multi-masted sailing vessel. At one time, multi-masted sailing ships, which received the unofficial name “flying “P”, gained worldwide popularity. This series of sailboats was built at the end of the 19th century by order of the German shipping company “F. Laeisz. Bark "Pamir" is one of them. The length of the vessel is 114.5 meters, the width is 14 meters, the displacement is 3,910 tons, the volume of the vessel is 3,020 RT, the sail area is 3,800 square meters.

Juan Sebastian de Elcano is a Spanish Navy training ship. It is used as a training base for cadets of the Naval Academy. Elcano is the largest of the world's training schooners. According to the type of sailing armament, “Elcano” refers to topsail (marseille) schooners, on the foremast it carries four straight sails and three oblique, on the remaining three masts - only oblique sails. The ship was designed and built at the shipyard "Echevarieta and Larinaga" in Cadiz, and launched on March 5, 1927. The schooner was named after Juan Sebastian de Elcano (1476-1526), ​​the first sailor to make circumnavigation. The length of the vessel is 113 meters, the width is 13 meters, the displacement is 3,670 tons, the volume of the vessel is 2,464 RT, the sail area is 3,153 square meters.

Esmeralda is a training sailing ship of the Chilean Navy built in the middle of the 20th century. She was laid down at the Cadiz shipyard in 1946, and six years later the ship was sold to Chile as part of the repayment of Spain's debt to that country. On May 12, 1953, the ship was launched, and on June 15, 1954, the Chilean flag was raised. The length of the vessel is 113 meters, the width is 13 meters, the displacement is 3,673 tons, the volume of the vessel is 2,400 RT, the sail area is 2,935 square meters.

“Mir” is a three-masted training ship, a frigate according to the accepted classification of training ships, or a “ship” according to sailing equipment - a ship with full sailing equipment, which belongs to the State University of Maritime and river fleet named after Admiral S. O. Makarov (St. Petersburg), and since 2014 - to Rosmorport. Mir was built at the Gdansk shipyard in 1987. The length of the vessel is 109.6 meters, the draft is 6.6 meters, the total sail area is 2771 square meters, the height of the middle mast is 49.5 meters. Accommodates up to 200 people.

Nadezhda is a three-masted training ship. A ship with full sailing equipment, in the register is listed as a frigate. Currently, it belongs to the Federal State Unitary Enterprise of the Far Eastern Basin Branch "ROSMORPORT". The length of the vessel is 109.4 meters, width - 14 meters, displacement - 2,297 tons, sail area - 2,768 square meters.

Training sailing ship “Dar Molodezhi” is a Polish three-masted training sailing ship, frigate. It was built at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk and launched in 1982. Heir legendary sailboats"Lwоw" ("Lions") was launched in England in 1869, one of the first steel sailing ships. Length - 108.8 meters, width - 13.94 meters, displacement - 2,946 tons, vessel volume - 2,384 RT, total sail area - 3,015 square meters.

“Pallada” is a three-masted training ship (a vessel with full sailing equipment, in the register it is listed as a bark, in the press it is sometimes called a frigate), owned by the Far Eastern State Technical Fisheries University (Vladivostok). Length - 108.6 meters, width - 14 meters, displacement - 2,284 tons, total sail area - 2,771 square meters.

“Khersonesos” is a training three-masted frigate (a ship with full direct sailing armament), the training base of the Sevastopol branch of the State Maritime University named after. Admiral F.F. Ushakov (port of registry - Sevastopol). The length of the frigate is 108.6 meters, the width is 14 meters, the displacement is 2,987 tons, the total sail area is 2,770 square meters.

The Libertad is a training sailing vessel of the Argentine Navy. It was built in the 1950s at the Rio Santiago shipyard near La Plata and has become one of the largest sailing ships in the world. The first exit to the sea was made in 1962. Passed more than 800 thousand nautical miles (1.5 million kilometers), visited about 500 ports in more than 60 countries. The length of the vessel is 103.7 meters, the width is 13.8 meters, the displacement is 3,765 tons, the total sail area is 3,652 square meters.

Amerigo Vespucci is an Italian training sailing vessel. The three-deck sailboat “Amerigo Vespucci” is a reminiscence of a linear sailing steamer of the 50s-60s. XIX century. It was launched in February 1931 in Naples. The length of the vessel is 100.6 meters, the width is 15.56 meters, the displacement is 4,146 tons, the volume of the vessel is 3,545 RT, the total sail area is 2,580 square meters.

“Stadsraad Lemkul” is a three-masted Norwegian sailing ship, a barque, built in 1914. Assigned to the port of Bergen. It is the oldest and largest sailing ship in Norway. The length of the vessel is 98 meters, the width is 12.6 meters, the displacement is 1,516 tons, the volume of the vessel is 1,701 RT, the total sail area is 2,026 square meters.

“Yacht Eos” is a three-masted Bermuda-rigged schooner. The schooner is one of the largest private sailing yachts in the world. It is owned by billionaire media mogul Barry Diller, husband of fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. The length of the yacht is 92.92 meters, width - 13.47 meters, displacement - 1,500 tons, total sail area - 3,600 square meters.

And I would love to write letters to you,

We continue to replenish our piggy bank

Not so long ago it was reported that it was being tested. This is certainly interesting, but let's get back to the historical classic sailboats.

A person's desire for scale and gigantism is due to various reasons. However, in Lately, 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 will learn about 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.

It was an extremely large sailing ship. The hull of the ship and its five masts were made of steel. The total sail area was 6350 m². The interior of the ship could satisfy even the most demanding taste: there was a large piano room, a photo lab, a library and several luxury cabins. In addition to a significant carrying capacity, the ship allowed wealthy passengers to travel in comfort and luxury.

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 on his first and last voyage across the Atlantic. The ship was twice caught in a storm and ran into coastal cliffs. 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 summer mediterranean sea 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.

What else can be added to this list, well, for example:

British steamship Great Eastern (Great Eastern) - the original name of the Leviathan. The design of the vessel belongs to Isambard Brunel. The Great Eastern was launched in 1858, and until the very end of the 19th century it was not only the largest sailing ship, which, by the way, the ship is to this day, but also the largest ship in the world. The Great Eastern could carry up to 4,000 passengers and was many times larger than all existing ships of that time.

An interesting fact is that the 6 matches of the ship were named according to the days of the week - from Monday to Saturday.

Here is another sailing vessel Club Med 2 (ClubMed 2). The ship belongs to the French travel company ClubMed. The five-masted ship was launched in Le Havre (France) in 1992.

Club Med 2 is one of the largest sailing cruise ships in the world, cruising the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas in the summer and the Caribbean in the winter.

The bulk carrier Aqua City, built by the Surumi shipyard in Japan for Aqua City Maritime, is in fourth place today. The ship is 180 meters long and 26.30 meters wide. The vessel was created in 1980. Since 1990, the ship has changed owners and renamed several times. Now it is called Merida.

Uzuki Pioneer (Usuki Pioneer) is a Japanese bulk carrier with a combined engine and sails. Successfully worked from 1985 to 1995. Used to transport timber and grain. The length of the ship is 162.5 meters.

In 1995, the sailing center of the ship was dismantled due to the high cost. Maintenance and the need for frequent repairs.