Fun and Interesting Facts about Ships
Here are some interesting facts about ships:
- Project Habakkuk or Habbakuk was a plan by the British in World War II to construct an aircraft carrier ship out of pykrete - a mixture of wood pulp and ice.
- The Greek-owned fleet is the largest international merchant fleet in the world today, accounting for some 16% of the world’s tonnage.
- World’s longest ship was a “Seawise Giant”, oil taker built 1979 and broken up 2009. World’s largest passenger ship is “MS Allure of the Seas” built in 2009.
- A painted disc found in Kuwait has the earliest representation of a ship under sail. The disk was made between 5000 and 5500 BC.
- There is archeological evidence that indicates that people used ships some 120,000 years ago in populating of the Borneo.
- Ancient Egyptians built their first ships by sewing planks together with straps to make a hull and by stuffing reeds or grass between the planks.
- Chinese were the first to use compass for maritime navigation.
- The Titanic had its own newspaper printed every day on board. It was called The Atlantic Daily Bulletin and it included news, advertisements, stock prices, horse-racing results, society gossip, and the day's menu.
- Ships have their life expectancy. Most ocean-going cargo ships can last between 20 and 30 years while a sailboat which is made of plywood or fiberglass lasts longer - between 30 and 40 years. Ships made of solid wood can last much longer but must be regularly maintained. Steel-hulled yacht can last for over 100 years if it’s properly taken care of. Freshwater ships last longer than sea water ones because fresh water lakes are less corrosive.
- When she was launched, the Royal Mail Steamer Titanic was the largest man-made moving object in the world.
- The USS Enterprise is a ship with the largest number of nuclear reactors - eight.
- English Brown Oak was used for war ships and, because of its quality, all oak trees belonged to the Crown. The penalty for taking one down without permission was death!
- The Titanic was designed to carry 64 lifeboats. To free the decks, the ship ended up carrying 20 on her maiden voyage. The rest is history.
- The Age of Discovery lasted from the early 15th century to the early 17th century. During that period new trading routes were explored by European ships.
- The first steam ships appeared in 1770s.
- Vikings had a custom to bury their dead of higher class in their ships.
- The stern-mounted rudder was first developed in the 1st century China. Before that ships had steering oars.
- The first known text on shipbuilding was written around 1436 by Michael of Rhodes.
- The first to sail completely around Africa were Phoenicians.
- Ferdinand Magellan led the first expedition that circumnavigated the globe between 151 and 1522.
- Titanic had only two bathtubs available for more than 700 third-class passengers - one for men, one for women.
- The oldest discovered sea faring hulled boat is the Egyptian Uluburun. It was shipwrecked off the coast of Turkey in 1300 BC.
- The first known explorer was Hannu from an ancient Egypt around 2750 BC. He made the first recorded exploring expedition that was along the Red Sea and wrote his findings in stone.
- The Phoenicians were the first civilization to create the bireme.
- Leif Ericson was an Icelandic explorer known to be the first European to have landed in North America.
- The first for repairing boats out of water were used in China in 11th century.
