Żagle 2022: The biggest star of the event has been announced

The biggest star of the upcoming sailing festival “Żagle 2022” has been presented. In August , the 1958-built German three-mast ship Gorch Fock will arrive in Szczecin for the first time ever. Last year, its renovation was completed for a total cost of… €135 million.

It is almost 90 metres long and its draught is over 5 metres. Last year, after five years (!) of renovation, the ship finally returned to service. The renovation had been initially expected to cost €10 million, but this amount eventually raised to... €135 million.

GORCH FOCK is the second ship bearing this name and the fifth ship of its class. Its four reference ships, built in the same shipyard before the Second World War, are still in service in various countries, where they are used as training ships for naval cadets.

The training ship that will arrive in Szczecin was built in 1958 in Hamburg in the BLOHM & VOSS shipyard. More than 300 tonnes of ballast in the hull make it extremely stable. The 23 sails and most of the running rigging are made of synthetic materials. The ship is equipped with an auxiliary engine to help it move on calmer waters.

The three-mast ship was named after Johann Kinau, known by his nickname “Gorch Fock”. Johann was born in 1880 in Hamburg-Finkenwerder as the son of a deep-sea fisherman. He died in the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916 aboard the cruiser WIESBADEN.

The mission of the sailing ship GORCH FOCK is to be a training ship of the German Navy. Officers and non-commissioned officer candidates receive practical and theoretical training there, which is very useful for them later in the fleet. Since 1960, GORCH FLOCK has regularly participated in major international sailing events and regattas and has always been well-circumstanced. The aim of such events it to pass young people some sporting experience at sea in sailing races, and to provide the opportunity to bond with other nations in the port.

We would like to remind you that this year’s sailing festival “Żagle 2022” will take place from 19-21 August 2022. It will be a three-day event full of attractions, both offshore and ashore.