October 31, 2008

BAUSKA

Filed under: Stamps — Auke @ 11:46 pm

Built as a tanker under yard No. 291 by Stocznia Gdanska, Gdansk for the Polish Ocean Lines.
18 June 1960 launched under the name PROFESOR HUBER.
Tonnage 12.588/13.383 gross, 6.642/7.626 net, 17.902/19.088 dwt. Dim. 176.94 x21.90 x 8.9m. (draught).
Powered by one 6-cyl Sulzer Cegielski diesel engine, 9.600 bhp[, speed 15 knots.
Before delivery sold to the Russian Government (Sudoimport) and renamed BAUSKA, given in Stanley Gibbons, Collect Ships on Stamps as BAVSK.
30 June 1961 delivered to owners.

She was the proto-type of the B-70 tankers built on this yard.
Sold by U.S.S.R-Latvian Shipping Co to Chinese shipbreakers and she arrived 26 February 1986 at Huangpu, China.

Poland 1961 5z60 sg 1236, scott 990

Source: Marine News 1987/301. Register of merchant ships completed in 1961. Soviet Merchant Ships by Ambrose Greenway.

TORRENS

Filed under: Stamps — Auke @ 11:26 pm

Built as a composite full rigged ship by James Lang, Sunderland for Elder & Co., London.
October 1875 launched under the name TORRENS, most probably named after the Torrens River by Adelaide. She was christened by Flores Angel, the daughter of Capt. Angel.
Tonnage 1.335 grt, 1.276 net, 1.098 tons under deck. Dim. 221.1 x 38.1 x 21.5ft.
She carried a full figurehead carved by the sculptor Joseph Melvin and modelled on Flores Angel.
1875 Delivered.

She was built as a wool clipper for the cargo- passenger service between the U.K and Adelaide, Australia, her poop reaching almost to the mainmast, to give accommodation for the passengers.
She was one of the last sailing vessels to carry passengers to and from Australia.
Her maiden voyage under command of Capt. H.R. Angel who was also the largest shareholder in the ship was in December 1975 from London via Plymouth to Adelaide.
As commodore of the Elder Line, Capt. Angel flew a white flag with red crescent and stares at the masthead of the TORRENS.
She made the passage from Plymouth to Adelaide in 85 days.
On her return voyages she made calls at Cape Town, St Helena and Ascension, while the outbound voyages were without any stops.
Al together she made 15 round voyages, a round voyage took almost a year from the U.K. to Australia under command of Capt. Angel.
In 1880 she made her fastest passage of 65 days between Plymouth and Adelaide.
Autumn 1890 Capt. Angel got with retirement and command was taken over by Capt.W.H Cope.

29 October 1890 she sailed from London under her new commander, 30 November in position 6 N 27 W was she caught in a sudden squall she lost her foremast and main topmast her mizzen topgallant mast and all the yards on the mizzen except the lower topsail and crossjack, needed a tug to tow her to Pernambuco, Brazil for rerigging. The tow took eight days and cost the owners £2.000, and the rerigging and new spars £700. When at Pernambuco she got on fire with was extinguished by the steamer MARINER of the Harrison Line.
26 April 1891 arrived at Adelaide after a passage of 179 days.
Under her new command most of her voyages to Adelaide were around the 90 days.
1893 The author Joseph Conrad (1857 – 1924) born in Poland made two round voyage as second mate on her, he is also depict on this stamp.

Capt Cope made 6 voyages in her of which the fastest was in 1895 in 79 days, it was also his last voyage on her, after arrival at London he was relieved by the son of Capt. Angel, Falkland Angel.

During his third outbound voyage on 11 January 1899 about 20 miles south west off Crozet Island at 08.00 p.m. in a position 46 35S 50E she hit a iceberg during dense fog and high winds and seas in which she lost her foretopmast, jibboom, bowsprit and figurehead and badly damaged her bow and foremast, The iron bowsprit broke in three places and was rammed through the forecastle where the apprentices slept, one boy was hurtled from his bunk but was not injured. After clearing the mess of the rigging and patching the bow with sails. A jury rig was made and under this rig she was able to proceed and entered Adelaide on 05 February 1899.
(A figurehead with her head and part of her dress missing but similar in design as what was carried by the TORRENS was found on 19 March 1973 on Macquarie Island buried in driftwood and mud. The figurehead was carved from New Zealand kauri, in her hands she holds a three flower posy, and it is believed that this figurehead is the missing figurehead of the TORRENS.)

She made four voyages more under command of Capt. Angel between the U.K and Adelaide, left for the last time Adelaide on 23 April 1903.
At her call at St Helena she loaded a supply of explosives of all sorts from the Boer War in South Africa.
When nearing home under tow of a tug on the River Thames an other vessel tried to pass across her bow and collided with the bow of the TORRENS and sank.

1903 After arrival in London sold to Italian owners.

She was not so lucky under Italian flag, she soon ran ashore and after getting her off, she was sent to Genoa for the breakers.
After arrival by the breaker, he found her in a good condition and instead of breaking her up, he repaired her.
But again after repair she ran aground in 1910, and that was her end.
Towed to the breaker in Genoa, where she was broken up in 1910.

Poland 1957 60g and 2z50 sg 1043/44, scott 797/98.
Benin 1996 135F sg 1386 scott 854.

Source: The Dog Watch No 36 pp 47-48, No 58 pp 6 -16. The Colonial Clippers by Basil Lubbock. http://www.ship-modelers-assn.org/fam0104.htm

ROBERT FULTON 1909

Filed under: Stamps — Auke @ 11:05 pm

Built as a passenger vessel under yard No. 85 by the New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden N.J. for the Hudson River Day Line.
20 March 1909 launched under the name ROBERT FULTON.
Tonnage 2.168 grt, dim. 337.0 x 42.0 x 12.4ft.
One 2-cyl (vertical cylinders) walking beam engine, the engine was from the burned out steamer NEW YORK, ?hp, speed 19 knots.
May 1909 delivered to owners.

She was ready in time for the 1909 Hudson-Fulton Celebration in New York., and after completing put in the service between New York to Albany, under command of Capt, Ira Harcourt.
She was beautifully fitted out, the famous maritime artist Samuel Ward Santon, (Santon lost his live on board the Titanic) completed five murals showing the development of steam navigation on the Hudson River for interior decoration…
When the ROBERT FULTON was scrapped only one of this paintings was saved, the painting was broken, but you can now find it in the Mariners Museum, Newport News, Virginia.
Later was she put in the service between Poughkeepsie and Kingston and New York.

1956 Sold to National Container Corp., New York, partly dismantled and then towed to the Bahamas, where she was used as a floating office.
1957 Sold to Ownens-Illinois of the Bahamas Ltd.
1960 was she beached on Snake Cay, Great Abaco Island.
January 1968 broken up.

Gambia 1992 5d sg 1336, scott 1259.

Source: some web-sites. Register of Merchant ships completed 1909.

ISKRA

Filed under: Stamps — Auke @ 10:51 pm

Built as a steel 3 mast topsail schooner-rigged vessel by G.Muller at Foxhol, Netherlands for Nederlandse Zeevaart Maatschappij (Kramer), Groningen, Netherlands.
19 June 1917 launched under the name VLISSINGEN, most probably named after the Dutch town Vlissingen (Flushing).
Tonnage 348 grt., dim. 52.0 x 7.80 x 3.60m. (draught).
Auxiliary, one 2-cyl. two stroke oil engine.
1917 Delivered to owners, with homeport Groningen.

Used as a coastal cargo vessel in the northern coastal and inland waters.
After World War I regular used in the trade to London and the U.K. south coast ports.
1925 Sold to N.V. Vereenigde Groningsche Scheepsbouwwerven, Groningen. (Most probably traded in for a newbuilding.)
1925 Sold to A Kennedy & Sons, Glasgow, renamed ST BLANCE.
Used by him on the east coast-continental run.
1926 She appears in the missing list, when she for two days went missing on a voyage in ballast from Grangemouth to Hull.
1926 Sold to the Polish Government and after a conversion on a Polish yard renamed in ISKRA (spark) and managed by the Polish Navy as a training vessel for the Gdynia Naval School.
For the accommodation of the cadets two deckhouses were added.
She got a new Ursus-Nohab diesel, 260 hp., when fitted in I could not find.
February 1928 completed. Sail area 680 m³.
Before World War II she made regular overseas trainings cruises.
When in 1939 war broke out between Poland and Germany was she off the North African coast and berthed in a Morocco port. She stayed there with only two men on board for her upkeep, while the rest joined the Free Polish forces in French and England.
After the surrender of French, the ISKRA sailed to Gibraltar to prevent that she was falling in enemy hands.
At Gibraltar was she taken over by the British authorities, used under the name HMS ISKRA as an accommodation ship by the Coastal Forces Base at Gibraltar.
With her topmasts down on deck, she served the British forces throughout the war.
After the war some renovation was made at Gibraltar and Portsmouth before she was handed back to Poland.
Thereafter again in use as a sailing trainings vessel for the Polish Navy, with a total of crew and cadets of around 55 – 60 men.
31 December 1977 stricken from the Polish Navy list.
Circa 1980 broken up.

Poland 1985 5z sg 3000, scott 2688.

Source: Blauwe Wimpel 1984 pp 66. Zeilende Opleidingsschepen by H Hacquebord. Sail Training and Cadets Ships by H. A. Underhill. De Laatste Grote Zeilschepen by Schauffelen.

JOLLY ROGER

Filed under: Stamps — Auke @ 10:40 pm

Built as a wooden schooner in 1943/44 under the name LILLY KÅLLANDSÖ in Sweden.
Have tried to find any information on this vessel under that name, but till now
avail.
Lloyds Register 1955/56 did not mention her under that name. Can not find any
two masted sailing vessel by the Swedish Navy built in 1943/44.
Watercraft Philately Vol 46 pp 67 gives the following information as given by
Mr. Dan Rodlie.
His source is www.jollyroger.sunbeach.net which does not more work, and which I
believe is not a good trustable source for her history.

Dan wrote:
The JOLLY ROGER was built in 1944, as the last wooden sailing ship for the
Swedish Navy. A two-masted schooner, she has circumnavigated the world three
times ???.
Remodelled as a passenger ship in 1980, she now seats 120 on the main deck and
100 on the top deck.
There is shade seating under the main awing and plenty of room for sunbathing on
the fore deck. The ship is equipped with all modern conveniences, including
washrooms and changing facilities. The JOLLY ROGER is an authentic wooden
schooner of the type that sailed the Caribbean for over four centuries with real
cannons and muskets and historical memorabilia. It has been a favourite of
visitors for over 30 years.

The JOLLY ROGER sails only during the day on the West Coast of Antigua. It
brings the latest and best in Caribbean entertainment with plentiful drinks and
delectable Caribbean dishes serves “in true pirate tradition generous portions
of everything”.

One web-site did give that she had a length of 110 feet.

She was lost on 03 February 2006 when at anchor in Deep Bay, Antigua during a
heavy swell she broke her anchor chain and drifted on the rocks.
Several failed attempts were made to refloat her. She was badly holed and
smashed by the waves.
The wreck was later broken up.

Source: http://www.geographia.com/antiguanews/messages/10/4987.html?1164307120
The site has also a photo of her and of the wreck.

(Any info on her earlier history is welcome.)

GENERAL ZARUSKI tall ship

Filed under: Stamps — Auke @ 8:34 pm

Navicula has the yacht also on a stamp used in 1950, 35Gr + 35Zl not mentioned in Stanley Gibbons Ships on Stamps.

In 1938 the Marine and Colonial League after the initiative of the commander of the Polish Yacht Club, General Mariusz Zaruski placed a order in Sweden for the building of 10 wooden yachts.
One of this yachts was the GENERAL ZARUSKI.
The design of the yachts was made after the plans of the Swedish yacht KAPAREN.
But the Second World War disrupted the plans, and the yacht completed in 1939 was named KRYSSAREN.
Tonnage 71 brt, dim. 28.0 x 5.8 x 3.5m. (draught).
Rigged as a gaff ketch, sail area 315 square meter.
Two engines 190 hp.
Crew 30.

She was used by the Swedish Navy school during the war as training vessel.
January 1946 returned to the Polish Government, renamed in GENERAL ZARUSKI.
In use as a training school ship, by the Liga Obrony Kraju.
1948 Renamed in MLODA GWARDIA.
1957 Renamed in MARUSZ ZARUSKI.
Early 1970 renamed again in GENERAL ZARUSKI.
She was used from early spring till late autumn for training voyages in the Baltic, with on board young sailors.
The yacht fitted out in an old fashion way gives the students a good training in the old traditional sailing tradition.
30 July 2003 did the Polish Sail Foundation charter her on long-term contract.
The yacht needs a costly overhaul and not sure of the funds are available.
Today (2006) is she the oldest Polish sailing yacht.

Poland 1948 36z sg 621 and 1996 70g sg 3606, scott 3275c

Source: Navicula http://www.sy-zaruski.com/index.php?s=4

FRYDERYK CHOPIN tall ship 1991

Filed under: Stamps — Auke @ 8:16 pm

Built as a steel sail training vessel by the Dora Shipyard, Gdynia for the International Class Afloat Foundation.
11 November 1990 launched under the name FRYDERYK CHOPIN, named after the famous Polish composer and pianist Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849)
Tonnage 305 gross, 91 net, 400dwt., dim. 55.5 x 8.50 x 3,80m. (draught).
Auxiliary one Wola diesel engine 400hp.
Sail area 1200 square meter.
Crew 17 and 39 trainees.
November 1991 completed, with homeport Gdynia.

She was a design of Zygmund Choren.
She was very successful in the 1992 Columbus Regatta and the Cadiz -Canary Island – Puerto Rico Regatta.
Mostly every year she takes part in the Parade of Sails of the Hansa Sail at Rostock, Germany.
1995 Took part in Sail Bremerhaven and also in 2000.
Is also a regular visitor by the Kiel Regatta.
1996 Was she owned by the Kredit Bank S.A., Poland.
December 2000 was she owned by the European School of Law and Administration, Warsaw, Poland.
She spends the summer season in the European waters and during the winter season you can find her in the Caribbean.
When crossing the Atlantic in spring and autumn she has on board 16 years old kids with teachers given lectures on high school curriculum.
2007 www.equasis.org gives, owned and managed by International Class, Poland, a tonnage of 670 ??gross, IMO No. 9030747

Poland 1996 75g sg 3607, scott 3275d

Source: Great Sailing Ships of the World by Otmar Schäuffelen. Tall Ships Fan on line.

OCEANIA 1985

Filed under: Stamps — Auke @ 8:08 pm

Built as a three- masted sailing research vessel, mostly used in the Northerly waters under yard No. 882 as a type B97 vessel by Stocznia Gdanska shipyard in Gdansk for the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
04 May 1985 launched under the name OCEANIA.
Tonnage 370 ton displacement, dim. 48.9 x 9.0 x 3.8m. (draught).
One diesel engine 310 hp., controllable pitch propeller, speed 9 knots, under sail maximum 13 knots.
One bow-thruster 70 hp. Bunker capacity 47 ton.
Sail area 430 m³., sails can be set, hoisted/lowered hydraulically.
Crew: accommodation 13 double cabins, one 6 person’s cabin, one single cabin. Crew 13 and 14 scientists.
Fitted out with laboratories.
One A-frame on after stern with a payload of 6 tons.
Completed 1985. Homeport Gdansk.

The hull was based on plans of earlier tall ships: ORP ISKRA II and POGORIA, but its rigging was different.
OCEANIA was originally a full rigged ship, with three masts (each 32 meters high). On every mast there was only one sail, in the shape of a vertical rectangle (sometimes OCEANIA was classified as a frigate), but the yards and sails from the mizzen mast was removed.
The ship is equipped with laboratories able to provide hydrographic, optic, acoustic, chemical, biological and particulate experiments and observation.

Poland 1996 40g sg 3604, scott 3275a

Source: Marine News 1985/483. copied from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RV_Oceania http://www.iopan.gda.pl/oceania/oceania.html

SALAMA DJEMA II ferry

Filed under: Stamps — Auke @ 7:58 pm

Built as a passenger ferry under yard No. 161 by Chantier Piriou Freres, Concarneau, France for Collective Territoriale de Mayotte, Services des Transports Maritimes.
Launched under the name SALAMA DJEMA II.
Tonnage 290 gross, 181` net, 50 dwt. Dim. 34.8 x 9.8 x 2.35m., draught 1.7m., length bpp. 31.4m.
Powered by two Baudouin 6-cyl oil engines, 332 kW, 450 hp., two propellers, speed 8.8 knots.
Bunker capacity 20m³.
May 1992 delivered to owners, port of registry Dzaoudzi.

She is in the passenger- cargo service between Mamoudzou and Dzaoudzi in Mayotte (Comores Isl.).

2008 www.equasis.org gives, still in service IMO No. 9058438

Mayotte 1998 3f80 sg 80

Source: Watercraft Philately Vol 45 pp 39. Bureau Veritas on line.

BRUSSEL

Filed under: Stamps — Auke @ 7:26 pm

Built as container bulk-carrier under yard No 891 by Cockerill Yard at Hoboken, Belgian for N.V. Cockerill Belgian, (managed by Antwerp Bulk Carriers.)
27 September 1979 launched under the name BRUSSEL.
Tonnage 24.353 gross, 19.029 net, 41.400 dwt., dim. 199.02 x 29.37 x 15.37m., draught 11 meter, length bpp. 190.02m.
Powered by two 6-cyl Sulzer diesels, 14.000 hp., one shaft, speed 15.5 knots.
Fuel capacity: 2.730 m³.
Seven holds one deck.
Grain capacity 50.330 cubic meter, and can carry 1.484 TEU’s.
1979 completed.

After delivery chartered by ABC Container Lines, (Sea Lanes N.V.) Antwerpen, Belgium.
1981 Sold to Antwerp Bulk Carriers N.V., Belgian.
1986 Sold to Oceancarriers Shipholding N.V., Belgian.
She left Felixstone 10 August 1989 bound for Lyttelton, New Zealand, arrived Sydney 4 October.
1994 Registered under the flag of Luxembourg and owner given as Maritime Carriers Luxembourg S.A., Luxembourg.
1996 Sold to Oceanprofile Maritime Ltd., Cyprus, renamed NEL.
1998 Sold to Marplan Shipping Ltd., Cyprus renamed SEAGULL HARMONY.
1999 Renamed in ORIENT CORAL.
May 2000 renamed in PAPUA ENERGY.
June 2000 Sold to Marine Hawk Shipping Co., Cyprus and renamed BRUSSEL.
July 2008 Sold to Saqer Logistic Fze., United Arab Emirates, and renamed in RAK SAFARINI.

Pitcairn Island 1987 50c sg 297.

2008 As given by http://www.equasis.org IMO No. 7817608. Given as a self-discharging bulk carrier.