Boat Catherine the Great



Technical Data
Length overall (LOA) 4.2 m.
Beam overall (BOA) 1.5 m.
Draught 0.4 m.
Weight 400 kg.
Sail area 6.5 m2
Oars 2 pcs.
Passengers 5 pers.

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Description:

Taking into account our rich experience in XVIII century styled boat construction, the state museum Tsarskoye selo turned to our company in 1995 before 300 anniversary of the Russian fleet with a request to construct two copies of the Catherine the Great’s boat.

Original copy of the boat has being stored in store rooms of the museum. Unfortunately the time has not spared that unique boat: the boat body was destructed, many parts, oars, a rudder, sparring and sailing accessories were missing. We took the main measurements, did a thorough work in archives and in theCentralNavyMuseumand succeeded in development of the boat copy looking like it’s original.

Under the contract we had to construct two copies of the boat. They were supposed to be used in ponds in Tsarskoye selo and to become leading ones in a small fleet of rowing boats.

Our work on those unique boats was interesting though we failed to avoid some problems. The original copy was of a Holland type and had whaleboat forms and too carving lines, that’s why when making the outer planking we had to steam out each board, to bend it to a pattern, to adjust it more thoroughly after it is cooled and only then to attach it to a required place. The upper board of the planking was completely covered with a carving and we had to cut out the upper belt from very thick plates, that had a natural bending.

We also had some more other problems. But anyway all the works were completed on time and in June 1996 after the test sailing on Onego lake the boats left for Tsarskoye selo and took part in celebration of 300 anniversary of the Russian fleet.


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