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 Museum ship Mercator in Oostende |
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| Career (Belgium) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | Mercator |
| Namesake: | Gerardus Mercator |
| Builder: | Ramage and Ferguson Ltd, Leith, Scotland |
| Launched: | 1932 |
| Fate: | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 770 Gross |
| Length: | 78.5 metres (258 ft) overall; 68 metres (220 ft) hull length[1] |
| Beam: | 10.6 metres (35 ft) |
| Height: | foremast 39 metres (130 ft); mainmast 41 metres (130 ft); mizzenmast 40 metres (130 ft) |
| Draft: | 5.1 metres (17 ft) |
| Sail plan: | Three-masted barquentine, 15 sails: four jibs, four square foresails, three staysails, two spankers, two gaff topsails |
| Speed: | 13 knots |
| Crew: | 150 |
The barquentine Mercator lies at anchor in Oostende, Belgium. She was named after Gerardus Mercator (1512-1594), Flemish cartographer. She was designed by the Antarctic explorer Adrien de Gerlache (1866-1934) as a training ship for the Belgian merchant fleet. She was built in Leith, Scotland and launched in 1932.
painting by Yasmina (Oostende, Belgium)
Besides being a training a ship, she was also used, mainly before World War II, for scientific observations, or as ambassador for Belgium on world fairs and in sailing events. She participated in several races, winning the Oslo-Ostend race. She brought back two Moai (giant statues) from Easter Island. In 1936 she brought home from Molokai, Hawaii, the remains of Father Damien. During World War II she was commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Mercator. Based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, she was the support ship for submarine forces in the area.
Her last trip was to Lisbon for the commemoration of the quincentenary of the death of infante Henry the Navigator.
In 1961 she became a floating museum, first in Antwerp, and finally from 1964 in the marina of Oostende, just in front of the city hall.
During all this time, she has become perhaps the best-known ship of Belgium.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mercator (ship) |
Coordinates: 51°13′38″N 2°55′14″E / 51.22722°N 2.92056°E
References
- ^ Schauffelen, Otmar (2005). Chapman Great Sailing Ships of the World. Hearst Books. pp. p 23. ISBN 1588163849, 9781588163844. http://books.google.com/books?id=QgMRudqoLGQC&pg=PA23&dq=barkentine+mercator#PPA23,M1. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
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