Lagoda
Encyclopedia
The Lagoda is a half-scale model of the whaling ship of the same name, located at the New Bedford Whaling Museum
.
in Russia, the letters "d" and "g" were accidentally swapped and, due to superstition that correcting the name would bring bad luck, she remained the "Lagoda". The ship herself was constructed of live oak
, and had three masts.
In 1841, she was purchased by Johnathan Bourne of New Bedford
, who converted her into a whaling vessel by adding a trywork
- an on-board hearth to convert blubber
into whale oil
.
In 1860, the ship was converted to a barque
- both to reduce the crew needed, and as it allowed the ship to sail closer to the wind.
In 1871, the Lagoda was amongst 40 ships whaling in the Arctic. Toward the end of the season, the ice began to surround the ships, and crushed 33 of them. The Lagoda narrowly escaped and, with the remaining ships, picked up some of the 1200 survivors.
In total, the ship made almost $652,000 of profit for Bourne until he sold her in 1886. She sailed from the United States in 1889 and worked as a coal hulk
, being used to fuel steamboat
s in Yokohama
, Japan until she was sold again and eventually broken up in 1899.
New Bedford Whaling Museum
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA. The museum, through its collections and exhibitions, tells the story of the international whaling industry and the history more generally of the "Old Dartmouth" area, the Southcoast of Massachusetts...
.
Original ship
The original Lagoda was a merchant ship built in 1826. Originally intended to be named "Ladoga" after Lake LadogaLake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
in Russia, the letters "d" and "g" were accidentally swapped and, due to superstition that correcting the name would bring bad luck, she remained the "Lagoda". The ship herself was constructed of live oak
Live oak
Live oak , also known as the southern live oak, is a normally evergreen oak tree native to the southeastern United States...
, and had three masts.
In 1841, she was purchased by Johnathan Bourne of New Bedford
New Bedford
-Places:*New Bedford, Illinois*New Bedford, Massachusetts, the most populous New Bedford**New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park*New Bedford, New Jersey *New Bedford, Ohio*New Bedford, Pennsylvania...
, who converted her into a whaling vessel by adding a trywork
Trywork
A trywork, located aft of the fore-mast, is the most distinguishing feature of a whaling ship.In two cast-iron trypots set into this furnace of brick, iron and wood, whale oil was rendered from the blubber of whales, much as grease is rendered from frying bacon...
- an on-board hearth to convert blubber
Blubber
Blubber is a thick layer of vascularized adipose tissue found under the skin of all cetaceans, pinnipeds and sirenians.-Description:Lipid-rich, collagen fiber–laced blubber comprises the hypodermis and covers the whole body, except for parts of the appendages, strongly attached to the musculature...
into whale oil
Whale oil
Whale oil is the oil obtained from the blubber of various species of whales, particularly the three species of right whale and the bowhead whale prior to the modern era, as well as several other species of baleen whale...
.
In 1860, the ship was converted to a barque
Barque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
- both to reduce the crew needed, and as it allowed the ship to sail closer to the wind.
In 1871, the Lagoda was amongst 40 ships whaling in the Arctic. Toward the end of the season, the ice began to surround the ships, and crushed 33 of them. The Lagoda narrowly escaped and, with the remaining ships, picked up some of the 1200 survivors.
In total, the ship made almost $652,000 of profit for Bourne until he sold her in 1886. She sailed from the United States in 1889 and worked as a coal hulk
Hulk (ship)
A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Although sometimes used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, the term most often refers to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipment removed, retaining only its flotational qualities...
, being used to fuel steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
s in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan until she was sold again and eventually broken up in 1899.