The sailing ship "Juan Sebastian de Elcano"

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The sailing ship "Juan Sebastian de Elcano"
"Juan Sebastián de Elcano" under full sail.

The sail training ship A-71 "Juan Sebastián de Elcano" is the hallmark of the Spanish Navy fleet (Armada Española), displaying its flag in many parts of the world for almost a hundred years. Thousands of future Armada officers were baptized on board, including the kings of Spain Juan Carlos I, Felipe VI and the current heir to the throne, Princess Leonor.

Escuela Naval Militar de España


The Academia de Guardias Marinas (Academy of Midshipmen) for the training of officers of the Spanish Navy, called the Compañia de Guardias Marinas, was opened in Cadiz in 1717 on the initiative of the Minister of the Navy and naval reformer José Patiño. On February 7 of that year, 37 midshipmen began to master the theoretical and practical foundations of naval affairs. At that time, the system of training officers in the leading maritime countries - England and France - was strikingly different. British "midshipmen" were trained mainly in the practical foundations of naval affairs, while the French "Gardes marins" - in bare theory. The training program of Spanish midshipmen included both of these aspects.




Jose Patiño

In 1769, the Academy was transferred to the island of Isla de León, and in 1776, the Royal Companies of Midshipmen (Reales Compañías de Guardias Marinas) were formed in Cartagena and El Ferrol, which existed until 1824. In 1824, the Academy was transferred to the Arsenal de Carraca (Cadiz), but in May 1831 it was closed, and the midshipmen were sent for practical training on the ships Perla and Soberano.

Many years passed before the Academy resumed its existence. On January 1, 1845, in the military town of San Carlos, located next to the naval arsenal Arsenal de La Carraca, the Colegio Naval Militar opened, where 80 midshipmen soon began their studies.

Beginning in 1862, midshipmen underwent sea training on the ships of the fleet specially allocated for this purpose: Isabel II, Rey Francisco de Asis, Mazaredo, Constitución, Villa de Bilbao. From 1874 to 1910, the frigates Blanca, Almansa, Asturias and the corvette Nautilus were used for this purpose. In November 1892, the training corvette Nautilus, in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America, with midshipmen on board, set off from the port of El Ferrol on a 40-mile round-the-world voyage, ending in July 1894 in San Sebastian. From 1922 until the early 80s, the three-masted barque Galatea, built in 1896 in Glasgow for a British shipping company, was used as a training vessel.

During the 23 years of the existence of the Colegio Naval Militar (closed in 1867), 1002 Armada officers graduated from its walls. On September 10, 1869, the Floating Naval School (Escuela Naval Flotante) was opened in El Ferrol on board the frigate Asturias. Such frequent upheavals with the naval school were caused by the unstable political and economic situation of the country and the far from brilliant state of the navy, where there was a clear excess of officers and admirals.
From 1913 to 1943, the new naval school was located in Cadiz, and then, by decision of General Franco, it was transferred to Marín (Pontevedra, Galicia), where it is located today. At the same time, other options for the location of the Escuela Naval Militar were considered - in Cadiz, El Ferrol, Cartagena, Mahon or San Sebastian.


Coat of arms of the Escuela Naval Militar


The Carlos I Gate is the main entrance to the Escuela Naval Militar

The current curriculum of the Escuela Naval consists of five academic courses and prepares officers for the following naval services: the Naval Service (Cuerpo General), the Marine Corps (Infantería de Marina), the Naval Engineer Corps (Cuerpo de Ingenieros de la Armada) and the Quartermaster Service (Cuerpo de Intendencia). In addition, the school provides adaptation training for future officers of the Voluntary Naval Reserve.

Cadets of the first two years hold the rank of postgraduate students (Aspirante de 1° and Aspirante de 2°), those of the third and fourth years hold the rank of midshipmen (Guardiamarina de 3°, Guardiamarina de 4°), and those of the fifth year hold the rank of junior student lieutenant (Alférez de Fragata Alumno, marines - Alférez Alumno). Since the 2010/2011 academic year, a new form of education has been introduced, whereby cadets, in addition to studying military disciplines, receive a university education at the Military University Center (Centro Universitario de la Defensa) at the University of Vigo and a diploma in mechanical engineering.

A mandatory part of the training is sea practice. During the second semester of the 4th academic year, midshipmen undergo practice on board the training sailing ship "Juan Sebastián de Elcano". Most often, this is a six-month voyage (Cruceros de Instrucción) along the route Spain - ports of the American continent - Spain, a distance of about 20 thousand miles with 155 days at sea.

At the same time, theoretical training continues alongside practical classes. For five hours daily in two ship auditoriums, midshipmen listen to lectures on meteorology, navigation, astronomy, English and other subjects. Future marine officers also study tactics, landing operations, etc. Since graduates of the Escuela Naval Militar now also receive mechanical engineering degrees, professors from the Centro Universitario de la Defensa also give lectures to midshipmen at sea.

In addition to the midshipmen of the Escuela Naval Militar, cadets of the Escuela de Suboficiales de Armada (San Fernando), the Escuela de Especialistas (La Granja), and other naval educational institutions also undergo practical training on board the sailing ship.

Ship birth


The decision to build a new sailing ship, the Minerva, for the Armada at the Echevarrieta y Larrinaga shipyard was approved on April 6, 1923. On November 24, 1925, the keel-laying ceremony took place, attended by the heir to the throne, Don Carlos, Prime Minister General Primo de Rivera and other officials. During the ceremony, the owner of the shipyard, Horacio Echevarrieta, proposed to Primo de Rivera to change the name of the ship, and on April 17, 1925, by decree of King Alfonso XIII, the future ship was named Juan Sebastián de Elcano, in honor of the great Spanish navigator who, after the death of Ferdinand Magellan, led the expedition that in 1522 completed the first circumnavigation of the world.


Juan Sebastian de Elcano

In memory of this navigator, in 1933, by order of the ship's commander Moreno Fernández, the coat of arms of Juan Sebastian de Elcano, granted to him by Emperor Charles I, was placed on one of the bulkheads of the sailboat - a globe framed by the Latin inscription "Primus Circumdedisti Me" (You were the first to round me). The ship was launched on March 5, 1927, and its godmother was the daughter of the Prime Minister (effectively the dictator of Spain) Carmen Primo de Rivera.


Coat of Arms of "Juan Sebastian de Elcano"

Main performance characteristics of the training sailing ship A-71 "Juan Sebastián de Elcano"
(modern data)

Place of construction: Echevarrieta y Larrinaga shipyard (Cadiz).
The vessel was laid down on November 24, 1925.
Launched on March 5, 1927.
Commissioned on February 29, 1928.
The cost of building the vessel, in Spanish pesetas: 8.
Maximum length, m - 94,1.
Maximum length with bowsprit, m - 113,0.
Length between perpendiculars, m — 79,24.
Maximum width, m - 13,0.
Maximum draft at bow, m - 6,524.
The greatest draft is aft, m - 7,570.
Freeboard height to main deck, m - 6,3.
Freeboard height to boat deck, m — 9,0.
Maximum height of the vessel, m - 49,9.
The type of sailing equipment is a four-masted barquentine (Spanish: bergantín-goleta).
Number of sails - 20.
Sail area, m² — 3151.
Full displacement, t — 3770,7.
Main engine power, hp — 2070.
Speed ​​under sail, knots – up to 17.
Speed ​​under diesel, knots - 10 (?)
Diesel generator capacity, kW — 3 x 301.
Diesel fuel capacity, m³ — 262.
Fresh water reserve, t — 305.
Desalination plant capacity, t/day — 64.
Cruising range under diesel, miles - 10 (500 knots), 6 (8 knots).
The crew consists of 197 (24 officers, 22 midshipmen, 146 sailors and petty officers, 5 civilian teachers).
The number of interns is up to 78.
Armament: 2 - 37 mm salute guns, 2 - 12,7 mm Browning machine guns, 2 - 7,62 mm MG-1 machine guns.


A female midshipman in front of a salute gun

During her service, the ship underwent significant modernization in 1955-1956, 1978, 2011 and 2017. According to the Ship Preservation Plan adopted in 1997, the Juan Sebastián de Elcano should remain in service until its centenary, although it will undoubtedly continue to serve beyond that.

The sailing ship is based at the Arsenal de La Carraca naval base (San Fernando - Cadiz) and is organizationally part of the Fuerza de Acción Marítima of the Spanish Navy.

Hull design, steering and boat gear



Nasal figure

The ship's hull is steel, riveted, double-island, with a forecastle and a poop deck, with a wheelhouse in the middle part. In the horizontal plane, it is divided into four decks - the hold deck, lower, upper and main decks. The numbering of frames (from 0 to 129) from stern to bow, the length of the frame is 685 mm (610 mm at the ends). The main transverse watertight bulkheads, reaching the main deck (except for the M40 bulkhead, which extends only to the upper deck), divide the sailboat into four compartments. The hold contains ballast made of cast iron ingots with a total weight of 769,88 tons.

The tanks for liquid supplies are located between the keel and the lower deck:

1. Four tank diesel fuel with a total capacity of 261,914 tons.
2. Six fresh water tanks (305 t).

The lubricating oil capacity for the main and auxiliary diesel engines is 14350 liters.

The steering device consists of an unbalanced rudder blade, which is a flat steel sheet with an area of ​​9,6 m² and a thickness of 26 mm, and an electro-hydraulic steering machine (installed in 1997).


The author of the article at the helm of the emergency rudder control "JSDE", Santa Cruz de Tenerife, January 19, 2025.

The anchoring gear consists of two Hall anchors weighing 2400 kg each with anchor chains of 53,97 mm caliber and 227,6 m (left) and 261 m (right anchor) in length. A spare anchor of the same type weighing 2050 kg is stored on the main deck. The windlass is an Emerson Walker Thompson electro-hydraulic windlass with a pulling force of 23 kg. For mooring operations, running rigging control, cargo handling, etc., four electro-hydraulic winches and the same number of manual capstans are used.


Windlass


Hand pin

Lifeboat device:

- two sailing and rowing boats with a capacity of 11 people each. Launching/raising is carried out by davits;
- two semi-rigid boats of the DUARRY DSL-430 ARMADA type with a 75 hp engine. They are serviced by electro-hydraulic cranes with a lifting capacity of 1 t;
- semi-rigid boat type DUARRY CORMORAN 730 (engine 200 hp, speed 35 knots, capacity 18 people). Serviced by an electro-hydraulic crane with a lifting capacity of 3,3 tons;
- a motorboat of the “Lepanto” type with a capacity of 13 people. Launching/raising is carried out by davits.



Sailboat


Semi-rigid boat and electro-hydraulic crane for its maintenance

There are also 23 life rafts and two man overboard rafts.
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  1. +4
    2 February 2025 05: 24
    The coats of arms are beautiful, the names are romantic. Spanish.
    Couldn't they have just launched something more serious than a barquentine? To be cool. To climb the masts. To pull the braces. To be analog and tube-like. The Spanish glory has become frayed.
    And thanks for the review! Write more often!
  2. +5
    2 February 2025 05: 32
    According to the Constitution, the heirs (heiresses) to the Spanish throne are required to undergo military training, which lasts three academic years: army, naval and summer. It turns out to be more or less introductory, but in all seriousness they "pull the strap". There are many videos on YouTube about the military training of the heir to the throne, Princess Leonor. She is a pretty girl, she is very much loved and respected in Spain. I like her. Now she is undergoing naval training, just in sailing for six months.
  3. +6
    2 February 2025 05: 34
    Thanks to the author, the article is interesting for me!
  4. +5
    2 February 2025 06: 05
    Sun, sea, sails, 375 people and all in white pants - beauty!
    1. +4
      2 February 2025 10: 15
      Quote: mark1
      Sun, sea, sails, 375 people and all in white pants - beauty!

      I don’t know about the pants, that’s for V. Shpakovsky’s article about the Indian uniform…!!!
      And the ships are really beautiful; about ten years ago I collected a collection of training ships at a scale of 1/400.
      In order:
      Esmeralda - barquentina (Chile).
      Sagres - barque (Portugal).
  5. +4
    2 February 2025 07: 25
    Machine guns on a training sailing ship are not at all a superfluous thing in our time!
  6. +3
    2 February 2025 07: 45
    "In the filibuster's distant blue sea
    The brigantine raises its sails.. "
    Handsomely
    1. +3
      2 February 2025 09: 52
      Quote: Tlauicol
      "In the filibuster's distant blue sea
      The brigantine raises its sails.. "
      Handsomely

      Good morning! I'll be a bit tedious in the photos - it's not a brigantine, but a barquentine (a schooner-bark).
      1. +1
        2 February 2025 14: 33
        Brigantine is a beautiful word for amateurs and girls. But the words brigantine and scarlet sails already cause a gag reflex.
      2. +3
        2 February 2025 15: 25
        "Po-nudstvuyu" is written "silitno" hi
        Yes, the barquentine Star Clipper at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor drinks
      3. +2
        2 February 2025 15: 44
        Can you identify the type without sails? drinks
        1. +1
          2 February 2025 18: 10
          Four-masted ship. Four masts with square sails. The mizzen doesn't count :))
        2. +1
          2 February 2025 19: 11
          Quote: Tlauicol
          Can you identify the type without sails? drinks

          Quote from solar
          Four-masted ship. Four masts with square sails. The mizzen doesn't count :))

          They have already answered for me. Moreover, it is a rather rare type of ship. Modern sailing ships are armed more simply. If it is not a secret, what kind of ship is it?
          hi
          1. 0
            2 February 2025 19: 20
            Royal Clipper, based on the five-masted Preussen. Passenger liner.
            The longest sailing ship to date
          2. +1
            2 February 2025 19: 29
            And he answered slightly incorrectly. A ship, but a five-masted one. There are so many masts that it makes your eyes water :))
    2. +1
      2 February 2025 10: 46
      "In the filibuster's distant blue sea
      The brigantine raises its sails.. "



      The Filibuster Sea is the Caribbean Sea and the adjacent part of the Atlantic.
  7. +4
    2 February 2025 07: 48
    Thank you very much, Alexander, for the article!
    Like many Soviet boys, I was avid reader of novels about the times of the sailing fleet. It is doubly pleasant that in our so-called "high-tech computer age" there is still room for romance and adventures, which are sure to happen to those who sail...
    1. +4
      2 February 2025 09: 44
      Quote from multicam
      there is still room for romance and adventure,

      "The bark Kruzenshtern completed the third training voyage of the 2024 navigation season and arrived at the port of Kaliningrad."
      1. 0
        2 February 2025 09: 49
        A, "Comrade" It's a shame we wasted it.
        1. +3
          2 February 2025 10: 08
          Quote: Kotofeich
          A, "Comrade" It's a shame we wasted it.

          Let's be fair, we screwed up, but not us. I can only sincerely envy the Germans who returned the ship to its native harbor.
        2. +3
          2 February 2025 10: 08
          Quote: Kotofeich
          A, "Comrade" It's a shame we wasted it.
          The comrade is in Stralsund, Germany. German sailing fans collected about €1 million and bought it from Ukraine in a condition close to "metal". You could say they saved it.
        3. +3
          2 February 2025 11: 13
          Ships, unfortunately, are getting old, repairs are becoming more expensive and complicated over the years, they are being repaired more than they are at sea. :((
          "Tovarishch" is located as a museum ship in the harbor of the city of Stralsund, the place of its original registration.
          1. +1
            2 February 2025 11: 16
            Quote from solar
            Ships, unfortunately, are getting old, repairs are becoming more expensive

            That's understandable. But...
            "In 1991, when the USSR's property was divided, the training sailing ship "Tovarishch" changed its Soviet flag to the Ukrainian one and was put on the balance sheet of the Ministry of Education of the newly independent republic. For obvious reasons, the ship, which required constant care and maintenance, soon began to deteriorate, since funds for its maintenance were no longer allocated. For example, money to replace the main diesel engine that had failed was collected in Germany by subscription. In 1995, "Tovarishch" reached a shipyard in Newcastle, England, where an inspection showed that its condition had become catastrophic and required long, expensive repairs. Ukraine was once again unable to find the money for it. As a result, in 2003, the sailing ship was bought from them and delivered in a floating dock to the port of its first registry - Stralsund, where it was given back its former name Gorch Fock and turned into a museum ship."
            The Germans could, but we couldn't. It's a shame, a real shame.
            1. +4
              2 February 2025 11: 22
              For the Germans, this is symbolic, since the ship was originally German. It could no longer be used for its intended purpose, but the Germans organized a whole society to preserve it, bought it at their own expense, repaired it at private expense, and converted it into a museum ship.
          2. +2
            2 February 2025 12: 22
            Quote from solar
            Ships, unfortunately, are getting old, repairs are becoming more expensive and complicated over the years, they are being repaired more than they are at sea. :((
            "Tovarishch" is located as a museum ship in the harbor of the city of Stralsund, the place of its original registration.

            His sistership Sarges (Portugal) is still "under sail". Peers (plus or minus a quarter of a century) Sedov, Kruzenshtern, Amego Vispuchi, and even the hero of the article - are furrowing the expanses of the oceans
            1. +2
              2 February 2025 18: 57
              The Germans also couldn't fully return it to service. It happens in different ways. During the war, it was blown up and sunk. After it was raised, it was handed over to the USSR.
            2. +1
              2 February 2025 19: 48
              Peers (plus or minus a quarter of a century) Sedov, Kruzenshtern, Amego Vispuchi, and even the hero of the article - are furrowing the expanses of the oceans

              Kruzenshtern belongs to the Flying-P-Liner series, the series included 8 ships. Today, only one "Kruzenshtern" remains in operation.
              Time does not spare ships:((
          3. +1
            2 February 2025 14: 03
            Until recently, the "Comrade" ship's bell hung facing the superstructure (where the inscription "Comrade" is). This is the Germans' secret.
        4. +1
          2 February 2025 15: 33
          The technical condition of the "Comrade" was far from great. Yes, and the thieving new owners almost ruined it. An old ship. And we must say thanks to the Germans for buying it and making it at least a monument.
  8. +3
    2 February 2025 09: 39
    In 1997, our trawler "Leonid Galchenko" was based at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. At the beginning of the voyage (21 days of repair work in the port and preparation for the voyage) we visited the Ukrainian sailing ship Druzhba - thanks to the Ukrainian chief engineer of "Druzhba", he previously worked until retirement in the Murmansk Trawler Fleet on ships of the "Altai" type. They allowed us to inspect only the upper deck, under the deck, everything had already been converted into a cruise yacht and there were already "passengers" there. At the end of the voyage we again called in Tenerife. Here we were more lucky - our native bark "Sedov" called at the port, everything worked out great with them for the two of us, they arranged an excursion, providing a cadet so that we would not get lost. There were no forbidden places at all. When asked to climb onto the lower yard of the stern mast, I politely refused "I have not been there that much "I'll have a drink." Then I met "Sedov" only in Sochi for the Olympics - the pass on board was a photo from 18 years ago at the helm of the barge (on watch the helm is "turned" by 4 cadets, two on each side) and how can you not do without a ship's bell without a ship's bell. Many thanks for the photo with the cadet girl - behind her is the center of Tenerife, I see the tree remained in the shade of which our excursions around the city began (the restaurant is there behind the tree laughing)
  9. The comment was deleted.
  10. +1
    2 February 2025 09: 45
    Thank you!
    It's interesting to read. I don't know if there are any errors with dates or personalities.
    How can seniors and senioritas be in a limited space for a long time? It's not a day, not a week. And not all seniors.
    1. +3
      2 February 2025 10: 26
      Quote from Fangaro
      Thank you!
      It's interesting to read. I don't know if there are any errors with dates or personalities.
      How can seniors and senioritas be in a limited space for a long time? It's not a day, not a week. And not all seniors.

      At the beginning of the 400th century, the British “crammed” up to 150 crew members and XNUMX marines onto ships of similar dimensions. And this is without officers, a doctor and a chaplain.
      The Spanish ships of the line of that period were considered the most comfortable. True, they carried fewer guns and were built more strongly.
      1. +3
        2 February 2025 10: 59
        The Spanish ships of the line of that period were considered the most comfortable. True, they carried fewer guns and were built more strongly.
        I wouldn't say so. At Trafalgar, the Spanish three-deckers had 10 more guns than the English ones. The two-deckers had about the same.
        Hello, Vlad!
        1. +1
          2 February 2025 14: 07
          Good day buddy!
          Trafalgar was fought mainly by ships from the late 18th century. I took the average for the hospital, for battleships of the first quarter of the 19th century. In general, the Spanish classmates (by rank) were larger than the British, so I compared by size, not rank.
          1. +1
            2 February 2025 14: 13
            Overall, the Spanish classmates (in terms of rank) were larger than the British,
            That's right, the Spanish, like the French, relied on large-caliber guns, which is why the ships were larger.
      2. The comment was deleted.
    2. +1
      2 February 2025 15: 35
      And anything can happen there. Scandals pop up from time to time, here and there. Young people.
  11. +2
    2 February 2025 15: 39
    Judging by his tan, the author doesn't live in the Canary Islands. laughing These are the sanctions for ordinary Russians. You can get anywhere, depending on how much your wallet is filled. You had to study and work hard.lol
    1. +2
      2 February 2025 18: 57
      I've been living in the Canaries for more than a decade and a half, and I'm not a citizen of the Russian Federation. And I never was, only of the USSR.
      1. -1
        2 February 2025 19: 24
        You seemed to say that you were a "grandfather". Yes, since the mid-90s, Russians have been moving to the Canaries quite cheerfully, everything was relatively cheap. A house from $50, now you probably can't even talk about the price! I was never against it, if you are a specialist in your field, you can arrange your life wherever you want. But don't scold the Motherland. hi
  12. +1
    2 February 2025 19: 33
    Why the hell did they show us this? Better tell us about the bark Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern. How he won the race of the century