Ship-maker

In this age of fast cars, fast trains and transatlantic aviation flights, many have forgotten that once traveling on the water were pretty basic, and sometimes even the only way to reach distant shores and to drop off valuable goods. Mankind now has not refused travel on the water, placing enormous transport huge bulk carriers and tankers. Yet the days when water was dominated by sails and oars have gone for ever.

But not everyone is ready to say goodbye to so easily forget the heroic history and our ancestors sea trips, the cost of enormous effort and, often, their own lives, explore the world and were making voyages of discovery. A few enthusiasts around the world on their own rebuilt historical ships on long-forgotten drawings and sent to risky expedition in the footsteps of the great explorers of the past. In Russia, the revival began with seafaring traditions living in Petrozavodsk shipbuilder by vocation - Victor Dmitriev.

34 photos via Anton Agarkov





2. In the capital of Karelia I arrived in early May. A piercing wind from the ice-covered Lake Onega and the recent cold winter has not changed is the warm spring, and the sun was hidden behind thick clouds of gloomy. I got off the train and went to the shore of Onega in search of the club's historic shipbuilding "Polar Odyssey".



3.Moi searches very soon come to fruition: it turned out that the club berths occupy a large part of the lake shore. Beyond the gate with the sign "Polar Odyssey" I met Victor Dmitriev - sturdily built man with a furrowed face and sharp eyes clingy. This man began to return from oblivion the tradition of seafaring Northerners-Pomerania.



4.Istoriya sea club rooted in the Soviet past, in 1978, while still a senior researcher NIITsMASha, Victor bought an old boat with dvadtsatisilnym engine and called it "Polar Odyssey". On this ship, the captain, his family and three sailors, students went to their first water hike - from Petrozavodsk to Leningrad on the lakes and rivers. In this journey, Victor saw disappear once glorious Pomeranian shipping tradition. This sad picture and prompted him to take the historic shipbuilding.

In 1987, the water was lowered reconstructed ship - Koch "Pomor". This first in the Soviet Union a historical ship, and became the starting point in the club's history. "Pomorie" went northern sea routes, visited the coast of Scandinavia, he came to Canada and Alaska. But it was a non-motorized boat - only oars and sails.

"Yes, and navigation equipment, we did not exist, with a smile, says Victor, - focused on a compass and the stars, as the coast-dwellers in the old days. After this school I was able to feel confident in the fog, you know, where I am - there was a sixth sense of navigation. Then, in the Mediterranean, I was rescued. And on the White Sea in thick fog, I felt around me where the island where you can go ».

Soon the project drew attention to the authorities and the press: shipbuilders started to help, to talk about them in newspapers and magazines, including such solid as "Around the World".



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6. "Pomor" was the first, but it was followed by other ships - Kochi, the rook and frigates. The club came new people, passionate romance sea. "Today one of the main directions of our work - the development of domestic maritime culture and the formation of the sea of ​​consciousness, which, incidentally, is obtained. The capital of Karelia is named after the founder of the Russian fleet, and it is significant that in this city continue the tradition of the historic shipbuilding. Peter I established a naval fleet, and Russia became an empire. And our task is to make Karelia Empire Lake District tourism - to create a fleet of small size, the structure of rental boats. In Karelia, sixty thousand lakes, and we're trying to attract people's attention to the rich natural beauty of this region.

The fleet in the waters of the Onega and Ladoga, unfortunately disappears. Only on Kizhi walking speed vessel, and there are other islands with a very beautiful nature, but for the majority of travelers are not available. That's when there will be a lot of small ships that will carry comers, guests of the republic and the city, when the system will be rolled not only these, but also other small vessels - minihausbotov that we have developed, floating cottages - then all these beauties will be available to people. In Karelia the tourist two main enemies: the mosquitoes and ticks. And on the water there is neither one nor the other. "



7.Za these conversations we came to a large building dock. Victor opened the creaking door, and we are strewn with shavings plank floor went inside. A considerable part of the dock of the court took almost finished - Koch and the rook. Shipwright pointed to the boat: "This one will go to the priest in Togliatti. And that Koch and another - on the outside - build by order of Chukotka. We are with them organize an expedition - North circumnavigation. Two koch go from Petrozavodsk Sukhona rivers Dvina and the White Sea and Solovki. Then the railroad Kochi delivered to Ust-Kut, and Lena, we go down to Tiksi, and then - along the coast to Anadyr. Let's go route Seeds Derzhnёva. "



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13.After the recent violent storm put Dock on the ground. "I'll have to pick it up, dry, clean. When done, arrange a museum. Old Museum us on fire, and we want to do on the basis of a dock exhibition center - will deliver exhibits and will be in front of the visitors to build ships. Everything, as usual, about money - they have to make difficult and slow, but we will solve these issues. "



14.My little walk on the dock, and I curiously looked unfinished ships: koch in close quarters could accommodate eight people, and another four people outside. From their Pomeranian ancestors of this ship was different except that the place under the motor. On the construction of such a vessel from experienced shipbuilders took no longer than three months. Approximately the same amount they have spent on the boat.



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16.U I were still alive in the memory of stories about reenactors anturazhnye water hikes on boats Vikings - no modern technology in the clothing of the time. I was curious, and how close the historical conditions of the campaign sailors from "Polar Odyssey" to those that have traveled coast-dwellers.

"For us, it passed stage, now have no desire to do something to someone to prove to organize trips and expeditions in exactly the way our ancestors did centuries ago - with the same food, wearing the same clothes and the same technical equipment . It's bad enough that the historic ship can be somewhere to go - here you can check for yourself oars, sails ».

Many of the ships that make the shipbuilders "Polar Odyssey", has long been no built - the secrets of their creation, the drawings and designs were forgotten. Over the years, when the club was founded own design office, and not less than thirty historic ships returned from oblivion.



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18.Kogda I reviewed in detail and photographed the ships, Victor closed the dock, and we went on. As we walked from one ship to another, my eyes constantly ran across unusual land-man things: pieces of the ship's plating, cylinders and tri-old with massive anchor chain. On the lake, I noticed a small pedestal mounted on Koch. It turned out that this is the legendary "Pomor", sent a well-deserved rest and mounted on a pedestal of honor.



19.Vskore we come to the indoor film elengu inside which was painted with white paint ship with simple chopped contours. "In addition, we are engaged in historical fleet and modern shipbuilding, scientific research - began to explain Victor - Here is our new development - a prototype of the drifting station. Now in the Arctic is becoming increasingly difficult to find a suitable ice floe, to put her research station. The Americans took a different path: do research platform based on icebreakers. But the icebreaker, after all, a very large ship.



20.To what you see in front of you - a small vessel on the basis of low magnetic materials - wood and composites, non-magnetic metals. It will minihausbot - floating hut. She ordered us one pensioner-European - wants to live on the water, to travel around Europe. But on this paper we are working on technologies that will then be used in floating plants: light materials, simplified hull lines, lifting the engine ».

The weather began to deteriorate in the meantime: the wind blowing from the lake, effort, and of the dense gray clouds began to snow. We went down the quay by large and small ships most bizarre constructions - floating cottages and hotels, small light sudёnyshki sails with unusual shapes that have cravings are not just over the horizon, but also upwards. On the way, Victor said that in addition to shipbuilding - historical and contemporary - they are engaged in repair and recycling of end-of-century ships, and in the summer the club turns into a berth marina. "By the way, in our country almost no one knows what yachting. All are confident that this is something insanely expensive, from the world of the rich. And here and there: the word "yachting" comes from the Dutch language and means "a vessel for recreation." This can be a huge yacht tycoon, and quite a small wooden cockleboat. "



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23.My approached the small building of the museum and went inside. In the beginning, Victor led me into a large studio in the center of which was a brand new freshly painted small boat: "Here we have, anyone can try yourself as a shipbuilder. The design of the boat at such simple materials is also very simple - plywood and boards. "



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25.Osnovnaya exposition located in the great hall of the main cabin: on the table lying nedoshity sail from the brigantine, rigging hung from the pillars, and the walls I saw stands, each of which was devoted to a particular campaign: the northern Pomeranian routes in the Mediterranean Sea, on the the island of Spitsbergen, in Canada and Alaska.



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27.Sleduya for Victor, I saw charts, pictures of sailors and people from distant shores, saw the old navigational instruments and pieces of wrecked ships. From these very different things evolved battered time history of creation and development of the club "Polar Odyssey". Here in front of me picture unfolds travel three rooks - "Faith", "Hope" and "Love" - ​​from the port of Petrozavodsk in the Holy Land. "You know, like Makarevich: together we cut the ropes. Only we do not cut down, and pulled, and we had one in five, and every second was at the helm, "- with a kindly smile said Victor. For this expedition, "Mission: The Golden Age" was invented emblem - globe on a boat deck. "All of us, people of the Earth - the crew of the ancient ship of our planet. If we are on one deck to live in peace with each other, then the ship will sail to the peace and progress forever. "



28.My passed a few booths and sailor showed me the photograph, which sits next to him, Boris Yeltsin: "He was with us here at the club, twelve years ago. He listened attentively and promised to help ", and as if to prove his words, Victor took a wooden box in which the sheets were stacked neatly to the wishes of famous guests. "I received great pleasure from boat to boat, from nature, from fishing the first time went on a sailboat. Well done Pomerania. Let's cook a great route to them. Peter I and the flight to the North Pole. There is a need - help! Thank you! President of Russia".



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30.Viktor pulled me book reviews and I stiff from the cold fingers left huddled on the good wishes of leaf wetness. And then we went to drink tea, and an old sailor told stories of his many sea voyages - the adventures and misadventures, long journeys and new meetings.

I wondered, and what are your plans for the future captain. "This year we will prepare for the expedition next year - we are invited to Fort Ross to celebrate the anniversary trёhsotletnego fort. We plan to build a schooner "Chirikov" where Ivan Kuskov came to California and founded the Fort Ross ».

And then shipbuilder began enthusiastically tell what entertainment they want to arrange for everyone to join the sailing navigation: "We are now preparing an interesting program -" Treasure Island: corsairs Onega Sea. " Two ships with the guns we have a lot of islands in the Republic of Karelia, and the base will be here - at the marina club. We want people to have plunged into an era of prosperity filibustering in the 16-17 century, we tried the hard way all the charm of a treasure hunt on the ship and fight pirates. Participants are thrown off, form the bank, which will become a cherished treasure.

And then the ships in different directions, looking for clues and pointers to the treasure. Who can find a clue and the treasure finds. Well, if you did not find? Act like a pirate - take away from those who found it.

There will be racing under sail, and the management of the vessel, boarding, hassle and even sea paintball. But it will be very important not to eat each other and work as a team together. On the ability of the crew, on its knowledge and solidarity of the success ».

While Victor said, I saw the situation at home, and I caught myself thinking that this is how to draw a fairy dwelling zapravskogo sea dog: souvenirs from distant lands, photos of the campaigns, by the fireplace a couple of small guns. Not enough except that the effigy of a sea monster, but a ship in a bottle.



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33. In conversations with people passionate about the history of the ship, I heard about a few Russian clubs, which are also engaged in shipbuilding, and asked Victor, many of these.

"We are not the only ones involved in the creation of historic ships. With "Polar Odyssey" getting started and other marine clubs. But all of them are kept at enthusiasts. People are now more worried about how to earn more money, to make their lives more comfortable. Time is. And the pace of life today is not very suitable for sea voyages. Modern people without training is unable to work for long oars. A holiday for all short - need time to get to the end point. But because the winds will not order - can, unfortunately, blow counter, and rowing people just fizzles out. We went through it and scored a great experience, but not everyone is ready for it. "



34. As Whatever it was pleasant to me to talk with Victor, but it's time to say goodbye. We came out of the house towards the efforts of the wind and snowfall is gaining momentum. The captain scowled at the ice-covered lake, "The strong wind from the lake, driving the ice. Can Navy squeeze on shore. " He said it quietly, and once it became clear that the ships looming ice, and the evil wind, and snow in May is the usual, normal thing for the north.

Once again, I looked into the lined face sailor: behind this good man as the ship's rope were already hundreds of kilometers of sea route, dozens of ships and storms, highs and lows, the struggle with the elements and the authorities. I heartily wished Viktor tailwind earth road and went just knowing that the captain, even standing on the earth, but the soul was already far out to sea.



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