Piece by piece, the four-masted barque "Peking" is getting its historic equipment back. On Tuesday, a historic Gnom working engine was lifted on board by crane. The engine used to drive the loading winches for moving the cargo and the anchor winch. It also generated some electricity for the on-board lighting. The genset is one of only three surviving engines of this type in Europe. In future, it will be put into operation on special occasions.
In addition to the engine, a steel lifeboat also came back on board. It had previously been lying in a scrapyard in Berlin, hidden in the bushes. In addition, there is now a 1.2 tonne stern anchor on the railing. This anchor is said to come from the "Pamir" and was previously stored at a shipyard in Lübeck. In order to bring it on board, the rig had to be partially modified or unrigged. The tall ship has been moored at the harbour museum in the Hansa Harbour for almost six years. The restoration cost around 40 million euros and took three years.
Missing original parts
The equipment is far from complete. One major problem is the lamps from the period of operation between 1911 and 1932. The restorers are looking for correct models for the paraffin lamps. This period is considered the ship's most important era. At that time, the Peking sailed as a cargo ship for the Hamburg shipping company F. Laeisz. She transported saltpetre from Chile to Europe, rounding Cape Horn 34 times.
When it entered service in 1911, it was highly modern. She already had a radio system on board. The ship was 115 metres long and had a sail area of 4,100 square metres. The main mast rose to a height of 53.1 metres. In good winds, the ship reached 17 knots. The crew consisted of around 30 men. They had to set and hoist the sails without mechanical assistance.
A chequered history
The "Peking" belonged to the Flying P-Liners, the fastest cargo ships of their time. All of the shipping company's ships were named with a P at the beginning. This went back to Sophie Christine, the wife of company heir Carl Laeisz. Her pet name was Pudel. Four of the four-masted barques with a P still exist: The "Peking" in Hamburg, the "Passat" in Travemünde, the "Pommern" in Mariehamn and the "Padua", which today sails under the Russian flag as the "Krusenstern".
After the end of sailing in 1932, the Laeisz shipping company sold the ship to England. There it served for 42 years as a floating boarding school on the River Medway under the name "Arethusa". It then came to New York. It remained on display at the South Street Seaport Museum for a further 43 years. There, the ship became visibly dilapidated. The museum had no money to renovate it.
Homecoming as a museum ship
The "Peking" returned to Hamburg in 2017. The Hamburg Maritime Foundation organised the transport and restoration. The ship was brought across the Atlantic on a dock ship. The basic refurbishment took place at the Peters shipyard in Wewelsfleth. Around a quarter of the substance had to be replaced. The rivet seams were retained in the visible area. The rigging was completely reconstructed.
The "Peking" can already be visited in Hamburg. Access is via the Hamburg Harbour Museum. The ship has been open to visitors since spring 2021. The interior is being completed step by step. The larger part has to be reconstructed. The work is ongoing and can be observed by visitors.
Crew and operation
A four-person team looks after the ship on a full-time basis. They are joined by volunteers from the Friends of the Four-Masted Barque Peking association. The association has 350 members. They take care of the maintenance and offer guided tours. The City of Hamburg provides almost four million euros annually for the operation of the ship. Three million of this goes towards investments. The running costs amount to 878,000 euros per year.
The technical team consists of an engineer and a rigger. Both were involved in the restoration. They know every detail of the ship. Maintenance is time-consuming, but feasible. The ship is practically as good as new. There is no sailing and therefore less wear and tear. Nevertheless, the large rigging needs to be maintained regularly. The shrouds are galvanised and spliced. They have been rigged and smartened in the traditional way.
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Jan-Ole Puls
Editor Test & Technology
