Grand Turk

Grand Turk, moored in Ostend, Belgium.

The Grand Turk is a three-masted sixth-rate frigate, an authentic replica of the frigate HMS Blandford built in 1741. She was laid down in Marmaris, Turkey in 1996 primarily as an action vehicle for the international TV and film industry. Nowadays the tall ship is used mainly in sailing events, for corporate or private charter, and for receptions in its spacious saloon or on its deck.

Grand Turk at Portsmouth 2005

The Grand Turk displaces 314 tons.^[1] She is 46.3 m long and has a beam of 10.4 m. Her mainmast reaches 35.66 m high and her draught, 3.1 m. She has a permanent crew of sixteen. As well as the sails, she is powered by two 450 hp (340 kW) diesel engines.

This full-rigged ship has 12 working sails, flying 790 square yards of canvas.^[2] The foremast and the mainmast are square rigged, each with three sails. The mizzenmast is square rigged on top, while below it carries a spanker sail. The bowsprit carries a flying jib and an outer jib. A figurehead adorns the bow.

While the Grand Turk's deck is lined with cast iron smooth-bore cannon, a frigate was neither large enough nor sufficiently well armed to fight in the "line of battle". Her function would have been primarily to scout for the main fleet, attack enemy commerce, giving support where necessary, or carry messages.

The Grand Turk entering the harbour of Ostend, Belgium
painting by Yasmina (2008)

Appearances

The Grand Turk is familiar as a stand in for HMS Indefatigable in the TV series Hornblower, although the historical Indefatigable was a larger ship. She has also served in the same TV series as the French ship Papillon. On 28 June 2005 she stood in for HMS Victory, Nelson's flagship at the International Fleet Review off Portsmouth (GB), commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

Film and TV credits

• Hornblower (TV series), 1998-2003.
• Longitude - Granada Productions, A&E, 2000.
• Monsieur N, 2003.
• To the ends of the Earth - BBC, Tightrope Pictures, 2005.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Grand Turk

Current Location

• Whitby, North Yorkshire

Images of the Grand Turk

The Grand Turk	The Grand Turk by Philip Bembridge	An image of the gallery	Heavy cast iron cannons
Light guns	Forecastle with figurehead	Stern lanterns	Helmsman
An octant and logbook	Cameron Highlander playing the pipes	The three masts	Mainmast with fighting top

See also

• HMS Surprise - Replica of HMS Rose (1757), built in 1970.
• Ship replica (including a list of ship replicas)

External links

• Grand Turk website
• BBC video (42 min.) - re-enactment of the Battle of Trafalgar with the Grand Turk as the HMS Victory
• Crew photos of "Trafalgar 200"
• Crew photos of "Monsieur N" filming in St Malo (France) 2002
• Crew photos of "To the ends of the Earth" filming off Dunkirk (France) 2004

References

1. ^ Chapman great sailing ships of the world, Otmar Schäuffelen, p,143
2. ^ Chapman great sailing ships of the world, Otmar Schäuffelen, p,143