Ship profile for the sailing ship: "Mercator"

Photos of the sailing ship:

Please click into a photo to see it in higher resolution.

Mercator, Werner Jurkowski, Antwerpen , 2001

Source, location, date:
Werner Jurkowski,
Antwerpen,
2001

Technical data of the sailing ship:

Name:Mercator
Registered port:Ostende
Nation:BEL
Type of rigging:BARKENTINE
Year built:1932
Yard:Ramage & Ferguson Ltd., Leith, GBR
Overall length:78.50 m
Length (hull):68.00 m
Breadth:10.60 m
Draught:5.10 m
Sail area:1260 m2
Ship's hull:Stahl / Steel
Power:500 PS

Portrait of the sailing ship:

Last update: 04 Apr 2007

  • built 1932 on order of the Belgian government by Ramage & Ferguson Ltd., Leith, GBR in Scottland, sail training ship for Belgian officers of the merchant navy.
  • originally rigged as a topsail schooner, grounded and damaged during the voyage to Ostende, BEL, rerigged as barkentine in France.
  • long voyages, 1934/35 to the Easter Islands, 1936 on the Amazonas, 1940 voyage to the West Indies and South Amerika, she remained in West Africa because of the WWII, used for hydrographic work.
  • in January 1943 in Belgisch-Kongo given to the British Navy, used as a dpot ship for submarines in Freetown, Sierra Leone, 1948 given back to Belgium.
  • general overhaul until 1951.
  • operated by the "Association Maritime Belge" as sail training ship until 1961.
  • 1961 laid up, since 1963 she is a museum ship in Ostsende, BEL; sometimes short trips under engine to cities along the channel coast, Belgian National Memorial, the ship hosts an exhibition about the history of Belgian sail training ships and about the life on board.

Contact:

Website (nederlands/English/français/deutsch, 01 Apr 2007):
http://www.zeilschip-mercator.be/
Mercator: website with information about the ship, photos, about the operator, contact address

Literature for further reading:

We recommend the following references for your further research of the ship. The references marked with have been included in the generation of the ship profile on this page.

Otmar Schäuffelen
"Die letzten grossen Segelschiffe"
Delius Klasing Verlag 2002 ISBN: 3-7688-0483-6
(10. aktualisierte und erweiterte Auflage)
Page: 51 Source with picture Source with history Source with technical data

Otmar Schäuffelen
"Die letzten grossen Segelschiffe"
Delius Klasing Verlag 1997 ISBN: 3-7688-0483-6
(9. aktualisierte Auflage)
Page: 43 Source with picture Source with history Source with technical data