The Independent on Sunday: Cutty Sark 2: Ship-lovers plan seaworthy replica of iconic 19th-century vessel

The Independent on Sunday: Cutty Sark 2: Ship-lovers plan seaworthy replica of iconic 19th-century vessel

Cutty Sark 2 would sail the globe as a training vessel-cum-living museum, while carrying symbolic cargoes of tea and wool

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When Cutty Sark first hoisted her sails on the River Clyde in 1869, the Suez Canal had just opened and the British Raj was still in its infancy. The nippy tea clipper quickly became one of the world’s fastest ships, and has remained an object of universal fascination ever since.

Now, nearly 150 years later, a group of ship-lovers wants to recapture her glory days by building a replica. Cutty Sark 2 would sail the globe as a training vessel-cum-living museum, while carrying symbolic cargoes of tea and wool like her namesake, according to Vladimir Martus, a sailor and naval architect who is spearheading the project.

A campaign to crowdfund an initial $120,000 (£79,000), to cover detailed up-to-date designs, runs until 24 December. The eventual cost is estimated at between £19m and £24m, which compares with the £50m it cost to restore the original ship after the world’s last remaining tea clipper was nearly destroyed by a fire in 2007.

Mr Martus, 49, who was born in St Petersburg, Russia, said the devastating fire inspired him to launch the project. “I thought it such a pity that they didn’t use the restoration opportunity to build a sailing ship.”

24-sailing-shipIf Cutty Sark 2 is successful, she would be the second vessel Mr Martus has helped bring back to life. He was speaking to The Independent on Sunday from Shtandart, a replica of Peter the Great’s flagship 1703 frigate, which is moored in Italy and of which he is the ship’s captain.

Mr Martus knows he faces a huge challenge, not only to raise the vast sums but also to build a vessel that meets modern safety standards. “We will copy the ship, but we are living in the modern world. She can’t be the same or no modern maritime organisation would let us sail. We will need to go to big companies for sponsorship; I’m hopeful any big company that imports tea to Britain from India, or wool from Australia would think it would be a great marketing opportunity.” He hopes to launch Cutty Sark 2 four years from today, 22 November 2019, the 150th anniversary of the original vessel.

David Morgan, chairman of the Maritime Heritage Trust and former vice-chairman of the Cutty Sark Trust, is convinced the project is feasible. “A replica is the best of both worlds. At the time of the fire, some people wanted to restore her to sea-going condition, but we would have had to replace 96 per cent of the original structure.” He is helping to drum up financial support, as well as gathering together a team capable of building such a vast wooden ship. “We’ve had offers of help from all round the UK, from Scotland – where the original was built – and also from Portsmouth and Chatham.”

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Not everyone in the maritime industry is on board, however. Martyn Heighton, who chairs National Historic Ships, thinks the project is flawed because modern safety constraints will make it impossible to copy 19th-century designs.

“The big question is what will it be used for?” Mr Heighton said. “If it is to be a sail training vessel, controls are very stringent. It would need cabins, which would all need daylight. If it is to carry cargo, it would need a big hold. I don’t think their ambitions are compatible with producing a replica. As this ship gets designed, it will get less and less like the Cutty Sark.”


 

Source: The Independent – Cutty Sark 2: Ship-lovers plan seaworthy replica of iconic 19th-century vessel

Yachting and Boating World: Shipbuilding charity to build replica Cutty Sark

Yachting and Boating World: Shipbuilding charity to build replica Cutty Sark

The group aims to launch the ship in 2019 on the 150th anniversary of the original Cutty Sark’s launch.
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An international group of tall ship sailing enthusiasts and traditional shipbuilders has formed a non-profit foundation with the aim to build and sail an exact replica of the famous clipper ship, Cutty Sark.

The Cutty Sark 2Sail Foundation’s myriad goals include promoting traditional shipbuilding skills, educating the public about the art of sailing and promoting environmentally friendly transport.

In the current phase of the project, the Cutty Sark 2Sail Foundation hopes to raise just over $120,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to cover the cost of ship design. The group estimates the full cost of rebuilding a replica Cutty Sark will be between £19-24 million.

According to the foundation’s Facebook page, the project is open to all and is a volunteer effort: “We invite you to join in with the idea of building, launching and sailing an exact replica of the most famous, most beautiful and, arguably the most perfect sailing ship in the world’s history.

“The new Cutty Sark will set both sails and new standards of achievement and adventure … It will be fascinating and educational for the public in general.”

The project is led by Captain Vladimir Martus, a naval architect who has already completed the rebuild of two large wooden sailing ships: the 80-foot schooner St Peter and the 110-foot frigate Shtandart. Martus has captained the Shtandart in tall ship races since 2001.

The rebuild of the original Cutty Sark, at 212 feet will be the largest tall ship project Martus has undertaken.

The sole surviving tea clipper, Cutty Sark was one of the fastest ships in the world when she was built in 1869 to transport goods from Britain to China and Australia. The ship still exists and was turned into a museum in the London borough of Greenwich after a complete restoration.

Once launched, the Cutty Sark 2 will sail historic trade routes to China, Australia and the Americas as a commercial cargo ship carrying tea, coffee and wool. Anyone wishing to will be able to join the crew as a trainee sailor, according to the Cutty Sark 2Sail Foundation.


Source: Yachting and Boating World – Shipbuilding charity to build replica Cutty Sark

Daily Echo: Replica of Shtandart Russian navy ship sets sail from Swanage

Daily Echo: Replica of Shtandart Russian navy ship sets sail from Swanage

A REPLICA of Tsar Peter the Great’s 18th century frigate Shtandart set sail from Swanage Pier on Friday lunchtime.

The full-sized version of Russia’s first ever naval warship docked at the Victorian seaside town this week, enabling visitors to sample what life at sea would have been like in the 1700s.

As the 100-foot sailing ship left for Cowes, where she’ll remain for the duration of this weekend’s Windsor Cup regatta, Swanage residents were even treated to a gun salute from the ship’s seven working cannon.

Captain Vladimir Martus told the Daily Echo: “The special thing about this ship is that it was built by volunteers, and the process of building the ship was the process of training young people in the craftsmanship needed.

“We wanted to preserve maritime skills and preserve maritime heritage.”

Shtandart is central to a project launched to help young Russian’s learn to work in a team and become professional craftsmen.

This project started in St Petersburg, Russia, in 1994, with the ship launched in 1999. One of the project patron’s is Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.

Yesterday happened to be the 16th birthday of the Shtandart’s launch.

“The ship is a full-sized replica of the first warship built by Russian Tsar Peter the Great, to defend Russian trade routes,” explained her captain. “There were some cargo ships before but she was the first proper battleship.”

The ship is 100-feet long, with a displacement of 220-tonnes, has three rigged masts and 620 square metres of sails.

Project Shtandart leaders are also working on a second scheme for young people, to build a working replica of the historic clipper ship Cutty Sark.

“Following the success of the Shtandart we wanted to continue in the same direction, maybe even bringing back the age of the sailing ships,” explained Captain Martus.

“I believe our generation is losing a lot of traditional skills and we want to preserve this knowledge for mankind.

The captain also believes sailing ships have huge potential commercially.

“The Cutty Sark was one of the best-known sailing ships in the world,” he explained. “She was sailing up to 16/17 knots, faster than many of the steam ships of the same period.

“Actually, if you look at the modern container ships, they are usually run at the economical speed of 10-12 knots, so she’s potentially comparable with modern sea transportation.

“We have just taken the first steps and are working on design and approval.”

The Shtandart is due to return to Poole Harbour before setting sail for Cherbourg on Tuesday.


 

Source: Daily Echo: Replica of Shtandart Russian navy ship sets sail from Swanage

Article in Finnish about the project (Purje 03/2015)

Article in Finnish about the project (Purje 03/2015)

Pientä tuulenvirettä

Lehden viime numerossa esiteltiin hanke, jonka tarkoituksena on rakentaa replika Cutty Sarkista, legendaarisesta teeklipperistä. 1800-luvulla brittien käsissä laiva päihitti nopeudessa kaikki muut aikalaisensa. Venäläisvetoinen rakennushanke ottaa nyt varovaisia askeleitaan.

 

 1800-luvun lopun Cutty Sark -teeklipperiä pidetään kaikkien aikojen kauneimpana purjelaivana, josta nyt siis aiotaan tehdä identtinen kopio. Englantiin on jo saatu perustettua hanketta eteenpäin vievä säätiö Cutty Sark 2 Sail Foundation, jonka hallitukseen on kutsuttu henkilöitä perinnelaiva- ja merenkulkujärjestöistä. Vahtipäälliköksi itsensä nimittänyt Vladimir Martus on viimeisimmät kannuksensa kerännyt rakennuttamalla monesti Suomessakin nähdyn perinnelaiva Shtandartin ja johtaa nyt uutta hanketta Cutty Sarkin näköislaivan rakentamiseksi. Projektin kansainvälisyyteen haetaan innoitusta muun muassa siitä näkökulmasta, että alkuperäinenkin Cutty Sark purjehti seitsemällä merellä ja oli rakennettu materiaaleista, jotka tuotiin useasta maasta. Ja valmistuessaan uuden laivan on tarkoitus levittää yhdenvertaisuuden ja perinnetietoisuuden sanomaa satamasta ja maanosasta toiseen. Jos hanke etenee suunnitellusti, tänä ja ensi vuonna pääpaino on varainkeruulla, mutta jo 2017 veistetään kölipuuta. Suurena tavoitteena on, että uusi Cutty Sark 2 laskettaisiin vesille vuonna 2019, jolloin tulee kuluneeksi tasan 150 vuotta alkuperäisen vesillelaskusta.  Logo valmiina
Hiljattain päättyneen logonsuunnittelukilpailun voittajakin on selvillä, vaikka sitä ei olekaan vielä julkistettu. Suurin osa osallistujista oli Venäjältä, myös voittaja, nimimerkki Strixed, jonka logossa viekoittelevasti katsovan noidan hiukset muodostavat laivan purjeet. Purje-lehden taittaja Susanna Ylä-Pynnönen lähetti kilpailuun kaksi työtä, jotka ovat ohessa. Vaatimuksena oli, että logossa pitää esiintyä sekä luku 2 että lause ”Where there’s a will, there’s a way”. Monet ehdotukset tyytyivät kopioimaan itse laivan hahmoa, mutta parhaissa oli ideaa enemmänkin. Nerokkaimmat ehdotukset keskittyivät modernisoimaan Nannyn, alkuperäisen keulakuvanoidan hahmoa.
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Download the article  PURJE_3_2015_CSII.pdf