Placilla (ship)
Description
Placilla was built by Joh. C. Tecklenborg in Geestemünde, Germany. She was 113.00 metres (370 ft 9 in) long overall, with a beam of 13.58 metres (44 ft 7 in) and a depth of 13.58 metres (44 ft 7 in). She had four masts and was rigged as a barque, with royal sails over double top and topgallant sails. Her air draught was 52.50 metres (172 ft 3 in). Her sail area was 3,500 square metres (38,000 sq ft). Placilla was a sister ship to Pisagua, which was launched seven months later than she was.
History
Placilla entered service with F Laeisz, Hamburg in 1892. She was used on the route between Germany and Chile. In 1892, Placilla made the voyage from Lizard Point to Valparaiso, Chile in 58 days. This was a record time. It was equalled by Potosi (1900), Pitlochry (1902), Preußen (1903), Eldora (1904) and Preußen (1905). She recorded a fastest voyage from Iquique, Chile to the English Channel of 71 days and a voyage from Pisagua, Chile to The Lizard in 78 days. In 1901 she was sold to Rhederei AG von 1896, Hamburg. She was renamed Optima in 1903. On 6 January 1905, she departed Hamburg bound for Santa Rosalía, Mexico with a cargo of coke. On 18 January 1905, she ran aground on the misty Haisborough Sands after a storm in the North Sea, off the coast of Norfolk and was wrecked. All of the crew survived.
Captains
The captains of Pisagua were:-
- Robert Hilgendorf (1892–94)
- Otto Schmidt (1894-1901)
- Fr. Wilhelm Thöm (1901–1903)
- H. Butz (1903–1905)
Code Letters
Placilla was assigned the Code Letters RJLM.
References
- ^ "Placilla" (in German). Werften und Stadtgeschichte Bremerhavens. Archived from the original on 26 May 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
- ^ "Placilla". Lars Bruzelius. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
- ^ "Pisagua". Lars Bruzelius. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
- ^ "Pitlochry". Lars Bruzelius. Retrieved 26 January 2010.