Götheborg (ship)

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Stern view at SAIL Amsterdam 2010

Götheborg is a sailing replica of an 18th century Swedish East Indiaman. It is the world's largest operational wooden sailing vessel. The original sank off Gothenburg, Sweden on 12 September 1745 while approaching its home harbour after returning from her third voyage to China. All sailors survived, but the ship was lost.

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[edit] The Swedish East India Company

The Swedish East India Company was established 14 June 1731, its purpose to trade in East Asia. The company followed the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Danish, the French and the English East India Companies. The company got a 15-year monopoly on the trade, and the goods exchanged were Swedish timber, tar, iron and copper against tea, porcelain and silk. The company was situated in Gothenburg.

The company existed for 82 years and its vessels made 132 expeditions with 38 different ships. Even though the company in the end went bankrupt it made an enormous profit in most of its years of operation and it has influenced Swedish history in several ways.

The Götheborg in Moss, Norway, 13 June 2005

[edit] The Götheborg revived

When the wreckage of the vessel Götheborg was found in 1984, the idea emerged of making a replica of the vessel. The keel for the replica was laid on 11 June 1995. The vessel was built using traditional means, and is as close to the original as possible. One small change is that the height of the deck is 10 cm more, as today's seamen are taller than their ancestors.

While the exterior remains true to the original, the interior is highly modern. The ship has an electrical system, and propellers powered by diesel engines. The engines are however only intended for port navigation and in emergency situations. In reality they have been used also in unfavourable winds since there was a timetable for the China trip. Other enhancements include electronic navigation and communications equipment, modern crew facilities (kitchen, lavatories, washing machines, desalination equipment, ventilation, refrigerators), watertight bulkheads and fire protection (fire sprinkler systems, fire hydrants etc.). Most of this new technology is necessary to pass national and international safety regulations.

The vessel was launched 6 June 2003 with great festivities, and the Swedish Royal Family were represented. Ten tons of hemp ropes were used in rigging the vessel, together with some 1,000 blocks and 1,800 m² linen sail, all produced as in the 18th century. The first trial under sail began 18 April 2005.

The project has so far cost some 250 million SEK (c. $30 million), some 40% from public funds and the rest from sponsors.

[edit] Voyages

[edit] The voyage to Southeast Asia and China

Returning home
Docked at home, Stenpiren Göteborg

After various tests and achieving its safety certificates from Det Norske Veritas, the vessel sailed for China in October 2005, as the original vessel did, but it did not follow the same route. The vessel berthed at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, and then left for Hout Bay before continuing on its voyage. The voyage took some 18 months, and the crew of 80 were rotated during harbour stops. The vessel returned to Gothenburg 9 June 2007, welcomed by the president of China, Hu Jintao, who visited Sweden mainly for this reason, and by the King and Queen of Sweden, Carl Gustaf and Silvia. The ship was also welcomed by thousands of private boats, and a hundred thousand spectators on shore.

Among the harbours visited were Cádiz, Recife, Cape Town, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. The total legs with cities visited and distances are listed below.

Götheborg leaving Gothenburg on 2 October 2005, for its voyage to China
The Götheborg berthed in Fremantle harbour on 14 May 2006
Götheborg in Oslo, at the 100 year celebration of the dissolution of the Union between Norway and Sweden on 10 June 2005
  • Leg 1 - Sweden Gothenburg via Spain Vigo to Spain Cádiz - 2,400 nmi, ca 48 days
  • Leg 2 - Cádiz to Brazil Recife - 3,100 nmi (5,700 km), ca 32 days
  • Leg 3 - Recife to South Africa Cape Town - 4,200 nmi (7,800 km), ca 41 days
  • Leg 4 - Cape Town via South Africa Port Elizabeth - 1,000 nmi (1,900 km), 11 days to Australia Fremantle - 4,800 nmi (8,900 km), 49 days
  • Leg 5 - Fremantle to Indonesia Jakarta - 1,800 nmi (3,300 km), ca 24 days
  • Leg 6 - Jakarta to China Canton - 2,000 nmi (3,700 km), ca 20 days and China Shanghai - 900 nmi (1,700 km), ca 12 days
  • Leg 7 - Shanghai to Hong Kong Hong Kong - 900 nmi (1,700 km), ca 10 days and Singapore Singapore - 1,450 nmi (2,690 km), ca 21 days
  • Leg 8 - Singapore to India Chennai - ? nmi and Djibouti Djibouti (city) - ? nmi
  • Leg 9 - Djibouti via Suez Canal to Egypt Alexandria and France Nice - ? nmi
  • Leg 10 - Nice via Gibraltar Gibraltar to England London - ? nmi
  • Leg 11 - London to Sweden Gothenburg - ? nmi

The route to China followed approximately the 18th century original route (around the southern end of Africa), with the added detour to Australia (although in the 18th century, they usually avoided ports to avoid pirates). The journey home took the shortcut through the Suez Canal, which did not exist in the time of the original vessel.

[edit] Baltic Sea Tours

In 2008 "Götheborg" completed the first Baltic Sea Tour:

[edit] Scandinavian Tour 2009

[edit] Summer Tour 2010

[edit] Specifications

  • Length: 40.9 m
  • Total length including bowsprit: 58.5 m
  • Beam: 11 m
  • Sail area: 1,900 m²
  • Draught at the stern: 5.25 m
  • Draught at the bow: 4.75 m
  • Ballast: 400 tonnes
  • Displacement (weight of ship and load): 1,150 tonnes
  • Engines: 2 Volvo Penta, each at 405 kW. Four fuel tanks with a total capacity of 36,000 litres.
  • Average speed: 5 to 6 knots (9 to 11 km/h), with a max. engine speed of 8 knots (15 km/h)
  • Crew: 80, of whom 50 are trainees
  • Bunkering: Food for 80 people for 60 days and spare for another 30 days
  • Navigation and communication equipment: GPS, radar and Satcom B (an Inmarsat B terminal)
  • Desalination equipment capable of producing 14,000 litres of fresh water per day[1]
  • 14 cannons (for salute). The original ship had 30, both six and three pounders for self-defence against pirates and hijackers.

[edit] Gallery

  • The bell

  • V shaped flag

  • Items recoved from orignal ship

  • The canon

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Götheborg

[edit] References

 This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (June 2008)
  1. ^ Jungmansportalen på SOICs hemsida
Ancient ships

Caligula's Giant Ship · Nemi ships · Isis · Syracusia · Tessarakonteres · Hatshepsut's barge · Thalamegos
Wind-powered only
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Coordinates: 57°42′03″N 11°55′08″E / 57.70083°N 11.91889°E / 57.70083; 11.91889

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