Restauration of dutch steam frigate progressing well!

MichelB · Post by **MichelB** » Thu May 24, 2007 5:58 am

After the gloom of the Cutty Sark drama, just to remind you that the restauration of the Dutch steam frigate Bonaire (launched 1877) is progressing well with the installation of her new mainmast.
http://www.stichtingbonaire.nl/index.php?menu_id=45
Site in Dutch only, but pictures are in English

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kennylibben · Post by **kennylibben** » Thu May 24, 2007 7:19 am

cool!

Its nice to know that some people care about preserving history even if whats being preserved never made the headlines - such as things like this, rather than only things like the USS Consitution and HMS Victory.

Edward Pinniger · Post by **Edward Pinniger** » Fri May 25, 2007 9:45 am

Very interesting! I've never heard of this ship before (though this period of warship development is possibly my favourite) let alone that it was being restored as a museum ship.

How did the hull survive intact to the present day? Was it being used as a mooring hulk, like HMS Warrior (and USS Hartford, until it was scrapped in the 1960s)?

RickF · Post by **RickF** » Fri May 25, 2007 6:30 pm

In service until 1924, then transfered to Delfzijl to serve as living quarters for the students of the Nautical College and renamed "Abel Tasman".

When the college closed in 1995 the vessel was scheduled for restoration, but no funds were available and in April 2004 she sank at her moorings in Den Helder.

Raised again the same year, a restoration program was started, as MichelB's post shows.

Rick

MichelB · Post by **MichelB** » Sat May 26, 2007 6:49 am

Actually, she's more of a steam sloop than a frigate. When restored, she'll be in dry dock forever, because rendering her seaworthy would require modern day safety measures that would spoil the hull.