Royal Clipper
We have posted about new ventures to return commercial sail to the seas, including the brigantine Tres Hombres and the ketch Irene. We have posted about new designs for large ships from rigid sails to the Dyna-rig, as well as smaller ship undertakings B9 and the Greenheart project. We have also posted about traditional sailing vessels still in service around the world, from the Bugis phinisi to Arab sailing dhows. Nevertheless, we were reminded recently by an article in the Washington Post, that we have largely ignored the largest commercial sailing vessel now in service on the world’s oceans and only the second five masted ship-rigged windjammer – the Royal Clipper. The ship was designed by Zygmunt Choreń and built by Star Clippers Ltd. of Sweden using an existing hull. The ship was inspired by the only other five masted ship-rigged windjammer – the Preußen, built for F. Laeisz in 1902.
Despite setting 56,000 square feet of sail, the crew required is relatively small. The square sails furl within the yards and are set and furled hydraulically. The staysails and jibs are raised using electric winches which are still hand-tailed by the crew or passenger volunteers.
A related video:
Ignored no longer, Rick great blog as ever. She is a beautiful ship and it is great to see she is still working. I went to the Hamburg Harbour Birthday in May and seeing the procession of 40+ tall ships leaving the city was fantastic. Talking with quite a number of the captains about sail/cargo and using the ships as such suggests to us that we will see a few more coming back to carrying some cargo, the reason most were built in the first place.
Keep up the great work
Gavin
Greenheart – come join the Maiden Voyage http://igg.me/p/119777?a=594913