Replica of 18th century Czech pirate ship sails the seas!
Although Czechia is a landlocked country, a replica of an 18th century privateer ship, named La Grace, is sailing the seas under the Czech flag. La Grace was constructed by Captain Josef Dvorský and a group of enthusiasts as a tribute to a famous Bohemian explorer, merchant, pirate and cartographer.
The replica of the privateer ship commanded by the 18th century Bohemian explorer, merchant, pirate and cartographer Augustin Heřman was constructed 14 years ago in Egypt by Czech sailing enthusiasts. Captain Josef Dvorsky who came up with the plan to create a replica of the pirate ship, said the venture was his lifelong dream.
“La Grace was made according to plans from 1768, which we found in a maritime museum. The owner of the original privateer ship was Augustin Heřman –possibly the most famous Czech sailor, pirate, cartographer and later even politician in 18th century America. We wanted a ship that would sail under the Czech flag and since we don’t have someone like Columbus or Admiral Nelson it wasn’t easy to find a prominent Czech figure who was also a great sailor. But Augustin Heřman fits the bill.”
Augustin Heřman emigrated from Bohemia to the Netherlands and later to America, where he operated as a merchant in New Amsterdam. In the 1640s Heřman, who was known as a fearless pirate and a brilliant cartographer, spent several years as a privateer in the employ of a Dutch governor. The six-gun La Grace, was a fairly small vessel, just 30 metres in length, but it attacked Spanish ships and successfully seized their booty, earning fame.
In later years, he produced a remarkably accurate map of Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay of North America, in exchange for which he was permitted to establish an enormous plantation that he named Bohemia Manor in what is now southeastern Cecil County, Maryland. He was later a member of the local council.
The replica of his ship La Grace, which has been sailing the seas for 14 years now, is no pirate ship. It provides training for young cadets and sailing enthusiasts. It can carry a thirty-strong crew of cadets, eager to test their sailing skills -from steering to knowing the ropes, of which there are 174 on board, to anchoring and navigation. The cadets are divided into four teams and take turns in regular shifts in the galley, on deck and at the helm.
A permanent crew of five, headed by Josef Dvorský is in charge of all operations. There is also a navigator, engineer and cook.
Despite being a faithful copy of the historic brig, the ship is literally packed with modern technology. Current maritime regulations require a range of present-day instruments and rescue technology for safety reasons. On La Grace, however, most of this equipment is cleverly hidden to keep the appearance of the ship as close as possible to its historical model.
Eight cannons exactly matching the original armament protrude from the hull. The canons are designed so that smoke and sound effects accurately simulate actual fire.
Inevitably, thanks to its appearance, La Grace has attracted filmmakers and the ship has appeared in in several documentaries and films.
Fourteen years after its launch in Egypt, the privateer ship is still sailing the seas and the chances are it will continue to do so for many years to come. The captain's son Filip Dvorský is already preparing to, one day, take over the ship from his father.
