Grand Turk (frigate)
The Grand Turk is a three-masted sixth-rate frigate replica of HMS Blandford, built in 1741. She was laid down in Marmaris, Turkey in 1996 primarily as an action vehicle for the international TV and film industry. Nowadays the tall ship is used mainly in sailing events, for corporate or private charter, and for receptions in its spacious saloon or on its deck. The boat is currently based in Saint Malo (Brittany). She will take the new name of "L'Etoile du Roy" - "The King's Star".
The Grand Turk displaces 314 tons.[1] She is 46.3 m long and has a beam of 10.4 m. Her mainmast reaches 35.66 m high and her draught, 3.1 m. She has a permanent crew of sixteen. As well as the sails, she is powered by two 450 hp (340 kW) diesel engines.
This full-rigged ship has 12 working sails, flying 790 square yards of canvas.[2] The foremast and the mainmast are square rigged, each with three sails. The mizzenmast is square rigged on top, while below it carries a spanker sail. The bowsprit carries a flying jib and an outer jib. A figurehead adorns the bow.
While the Grand Turk's deck is lined with cast iron smooth-bore cannon, a frigate was neither large enough nor sufficiently well armed to fight in the "line of battle". Her function would have been primarily to scout for the main fleet, attack enemy commerce, giving support where necessary, or carry messages.
Contents
Appearances
The Grand Turk is familiar as a stand in for HMS Indefatigable in the TV series Hornblower, although the historical Indefatigable was a larger ship. She also served in the same TV series as the French ship Papillon. On 28 June 2005 she stood in for HMS Victory, Nelson's flagship at the International Fleet Review off Portsmouth (GB), commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
Film and TV credits
- Hornblower (TV series), 1998-2003.
- Longitude - Granada Productions, A&E, 2000.
- Monsieur N, 2003.
- To the ends of the Earth - BBC, Tightrope Pictures, 2005.
Current Location
Sailed out of Whitby for last time at 4:00am 16th March 2010 new owner in France
Images of the Grand Turk
- Grand Turk with Rainbow.JPG
The Grand Turk by Philip Bembridge
See also
- HMS Surprise - Replica of HMS Rose (1757), built in 1970.
- Ship replica (including a list of ship replicas)
External links
- BBC video (42 min.) - re-enactment of the Battle of Trafalgar with the Grand Turk as the HMS V.htm Crew photos of "Trafalgar 200"
- Crew photos of "Monsieur N" filming in St Malo (France) 2002
- Crew photos of "To the ends of the Earth" filming off Dunkirk (France) 2004
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