FREUNDESKREIS

Wer kann helfen? - Fortuna 2

XIX KR vermaß die "Fortuna 2", am 26.6.1956 wurde sie ins DSV-Register als zweitgrößte deutsche KR-Yacht eingetragen, spätere Segelzeichen waren 16 G1 und 15 G3. Weitere Registerdaten: Eigner HDW, Club KYC, Baujahr 1910 bei Robertson, Meßbriefnummer 3833. (Größer war nur die ebenfalls 1956 eingetragene Ashanti IV der Burmester-Werft mit 24 KR.)

Ende der 70er gelangte die Yacht im Rahmen eines Rüstungsgeschäftes der HDW an die brasilianische Marine. Doch was wurde dann aus ihr? Wer kann helfen?

Der Urenkel des Erbauers Robertson versucht nun, die Historie der Yacht, die eigentlich von Geburt eine 15mR-Yacht (!) war und zunächst "Tritonia" hieß, nachzuzeichnen.

Das sind die bisherigen Ergebnisse von David Hutchinson:

Tritonia, 1910 - 1911
Tritonia was the second 15-Metre racing yacht built by Alexander Robertson & Sons Ltd (Yachtbuilder), Sandbank (Boat No 67). She was designed in 1909 by the famous Scottish designer Alfred Mylne (Design No 177), who was always competing with William Fife III for the season’s fastest new yacht. This 63.4', 51 ton, Racing Cutter was built for G C Lomer, of London.

By 13 January 1910 construction was well underway - the lead keel had been laid and the keel, stem and sternpost were in position. The ‘Yachtsman’ magazine of 3 February 1910 reported that the yacht had been officially named Tritonia, and the frame of the yacht was in place.

It was an exciting time for Scottish yachting, as a second 15-Metre was also being constructed on the Clyde. The Paula was built by McAlister & Sons Ltd of Dumbarton for a German client, however she was sent down the river in April to be fitted out at Robertson’s yard. It must have been a very challenging time, fitting out two new 15-Metre racing yachts at the same time.

It was commented in the ‘Yachtsman’ magazine that “Tritonia was very prepossessing in appearance” as she left the yard on her way south to begin the new racing season. Fierce squalls were sweeping down the Holy Loch as she set sail, and the weather conditions indicated a rough passage.

After a very rushed preparation, Tritonia did not begin the new racing season well. At the Royal Thames Yacht Club on 26 May 1910, all eyes were on the new Mylne designed yacht, but “she made such a poor start that, nothing but a fluke could save her”. Fortunately, she had several wins later in the season.

Jeano, 1911 - 1947

Sir John Hume Campbell of Greenlaw, Berwickshire, bought Tritonia and re-named her Jeano in 1911. Jeano won the 15-Metre race at Felixstowe in September 1911, with her new sail number D-3. It is interesting to note that the restored 15-Metre Tuiga, which is the flagship of the Monaco Yacht Club, now races with sail number D-3.

“I found some plans for the Jeano, which probably relate to the period 1911-1916 (yacht named Jeano, but not yet converted to a Yawl). The copyright for these plans was recently acquired by Ace Marine from Alfred Mylne & Co.”

Jeano was bought by W R Reid of Edinburgh in 1913 and altered from a Cutter to a Yawl in 1916. She was then acquired by Thor Thorenson Jnr and taken to Norway in 1918, with a new set of Ratsey & Lapthorn sails. Einar W Egeberg of Christiana, Norway purchased her in 1921.

S Kloumann acquired Jeano in 1929 and she was based in Oslo, Norway. S Kloumann was a director of ‘Aktieselskap Norsk Aeroplanfabrikk’ (the Norwegian Aircraft Factory Ltd) at Tønsberg, which was the first private aircraft factory of Norway. The company specialised in seaplanes for both civilian and military use. New Syversson sails were fitted to Jeano in 1939

Gerd II, 1947 - 1954

Jeano was bought by Olav Ringdal in 1947 and re-named Gerd II, after his daughter. Olav Ringdal was the founder and owner of the Olav Ringdal Shipping Company. A Kermath 6 cyl petrol motor was installed in 1947 and she was altered from a Yawl to an Auxiliary Bermudan Cutter in 1948.

Rinola, 1954 - 1958

In 1954 Gerd II was re-named Rinola, which was derived from the owner’s name (Ringdal, Olav). The last record of the Rinola in ’Lloyd’s Register of Yachts’ is in 1956, and she was still owned by Olav Ringdal and based in Oslo.

Fortuna II, 1958 – 1979

The yacht was sold in the late 1950s to the chairman of the now state owned shipyard in Kiel – Kieler Howalt Werke. Adolf Westphal (or King Adolf as he was known) renamed the yacht Fortuna II.

Adolf Westphal: Born 7 Oct 1910 Kiel; started work as a buyer at Howaldtwerken in 1936; joined the board in 1946, and in 1953 became chairman of the Kiel Howaldtwerke company; he left the company on 30 Sept 1970 ; died 9 March 1971 Kiel. (see entry in Munzinger for Adolf Westphal)

The yacht was taken out of the water in 1977 because the repair work needed to keep her afloat was considered far too expensive.

In September 2009, the Director of Kieler Howaldt Werke at Kiel, confirmed that the yacht Fortuna II, was given to the Brazilian Navy as a gift in the early seventies, when the Navy purchased submarines from Kieler Howaldt-Werke /Ferrostaal. Unfortunately, there are no written records available relating to this transfer.

Cisne Branco (Primeiro), 1979 – 198 ?

The yacht was shipped from Hamburg aboard the ship Lloyd Rotterdam and arrived at AMRJ (Arsenal de Marinha do Rio de Janeiro) on 3 Nov 1978. AMRJ took on the responsibility of repairing the yacht and making her seaworthy again. A comprehensive work programme was completed on 20 June 1979, where upon she was presented to the naval college and renamed Cisne Branco ("White Swan"). The Robertson-Mylne Cisne Branco (79 ft) was the first Brazilian Navy sail-training yacht to carry this famous name.

The second Cisne Branco (83 ft), which had an aluminium hull, was used by the navy between 1980 and 1986 after which it was passed on to a naval college. The third and current Cisne Branco is a 249 ft full-rigged tall-ship built in Amsterdam, Netherlands by Damen Shipyard and was commissioned as a Brazilian naval vessel on March 9, 2000. Cisne Branco is normally used in national and international representation activities to showcase the Brazilian Navy and Brazilian culture. In addition, she is used as an instructional sailing ship by the cadets of the Brazilian Naval Academy, Academy of Merchant Marine, and other naval schools.

In 1980 the Robertson-Mylne Cisne Branco (Primiero Cisne Branco) returned to AMRJ to allow additional work to be carried out so that she could undertake long-range ocean voyages. Between January and March 1980, the engine, sails, rigging, water/fuel storage, communication, navigation, electronics, kitchen, and accommodation were all changed.

The Cisne Branco set sail on an extensive voyage on 14 March 1980 and returned 26 November 1980, after visiting: Natal; Cayenne; Port of Spain; Grenada; St Thomas; Bermuda; Azores; Lisbon; Malaga; Madeira; Las Palmas; Cape Verde; Fernando do Noronha; Rio de Janeiro.

Questions to complete the History
• What happened to the yacht after 1980 ??
• Was she passed on to a Naval College ??
• When was she de-commissioned from the Brazilian Navy ??
• Was she dismantled or sunk ??
• Who was she sold to after 1980 ??

David Hutchinson - davehutch100@hotmail.com

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