Poltava
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:31 pm

The Poltava, the ship depicted on the 10k. stamp, was launched at St. Petersburg in 1712, her principal builder being the Tsar Peter the Great. A ship of 54 guns, she did not come up to her builder's hopes, being a poor sea vessel. She was too narrow aft and could not ride in a heavy sea. Many of her crew were soldiers, transferred to make up the ship's crew, without any previous sea experience. The ship was named in honour of the great Russian Army victory over the Swedes at Poltava in 1709. Her timbers being affected by damp rot, the Poltava had to be rebuilt at St. Petersburg in 1719. There was no dry dock and she could only be repaired above the water level. She had to be rebuilt again in 1723. SG4018