Preussen

Date of launch1902
Place of launchGeestemünde
Type5-masted steel ship
GRT5081
NRT4788
DWT8000
Length124.3 m (407.9 ft)
Beam16.3 m (53.6 ft)
Draft8.3 m (27.2 ft)

  • 1902
    Built of steel by Joh C Tecklenborg, Geestemünde, for Reederei F. Laeisz, Hamburg. She was rigged as a five-masted ship carrying royals over double topgallant sails.

    She was the only five-masted full-rigged ship ever built. Since it was well-known at the time that a barque in most cases sails better than a ship, and is cheaper to maintain, the most probable explanataion to why she was fully rigged is that it was good PR-value for Laeisz to have launched the world's first five-masted ship, especially since the French had launched the world's first five-masted barque, the France.

    The Preussen was also the world's largest sailing vessel that was designed and built without an auxiliary engine. She sailed very successfully on the South American nitrate trade.

  • 1910
    Run down by the steamer Brighton.


Pictures:
The Preussen
The Preussen under tow
The Preussen run down
6 November 1910


References:
  • Alex A. Hurst: Hur all världens råtacklade fyr- och femmastade skepp slutade sin levnad, Longitude - tidskrift från de sju haven 23 pp. 76 - 93, ISSN 0024-6328, published by Carlstedt Förlag AB, Stockholm 1987
  • Alex A. Hurst: En lista på all världens 4- och 5-mastade råtacklade skepp, Longitude - tidskrift från de sju haven 22 pp. 7 - 31, ISSN 0024-6328, published by Carlstedt Förlag AB, Stockholm 1986

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Copyright (C) 2000 Fredrik Sandström <fs@iki.fi>