The Swedish Ship Gotheborg
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The swedish ship visited london during May 2007 and berthed for a week at Docklands South Quay to allow the public to tour the ship. The Gotheborg replica had already visited 13 countries and been visited by thousands of people during a two-year voyage recreating the old East India trading routes.
The original East Indiaman Götheborg ran aground at the entrance to Gothenburg port on 12 September 1745. The ship was fully laden with goods such as tea, porcelain, silk and spices, and had almost reached dock after her third voyage to China, which had lasted a full 30 months. All of her crew survived the sinking and Swedish historian's believe the sinking was a deliberate insurance scam!
The launch of the current ship took place on 6 June 2003 in the presence of His Royal Highness Carl XVI Gustaf, the ship´s chief patron, Queen Silvia and Prince Carl Philip. A large contingent from the press and thousands of onlookers also attended the launch.
The recreation took ten years, used over 50km of planks, 70,000 hand forged nails, 10,00 bolts 2,000 sq m of sail, 1,000 rigging blocks, and ten cast iron cannons.
The replica ship is crewed by a team of 80, a 50/50 split between men and women. The original vessel would have been crewed by at least 120 sailors, with an expectancy to lose around 20% to ill health.
| *Link to official site for viewing Visitor Information* |
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