Wyoming (schooner)
Schooner Wyoming in 1917 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Namesake | Wyoming |
| Launched | 15 December 1909 |
| Fate | Foundered on 11 March 1924 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | |
| Displacement | 10,000 short tons (9,100 metric tons) approx. |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 50.1 ft (15.3 m) |
| Draught | 30.4 ft (9.3 m) |
| Depth of hold | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Sail plan | six-masted schooner: 22 sails: 6 gaff main sails (No. 1 to 5 of equal size, spanker sail of larger size), 6 gaff topsails, 5 staysails, 5 foresails with 39,826.8 sq ft (3,700 m²) sail area |
| Speed | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement | 13 (last voyage), 16 (captain, 1st & 2nd mates, engineer, cook, cabin boy, 7 - 10 abs) |
Wyoming was an American wooden six-masted schooner built and completed in 1909 by the Percy & Small Shipyard in Bath, Maine. With a length of 450 ft (140 m) from jib-boom tip to spanker boom tip, Wyoming was the largest known wooden ship ever built.
Because of its extreme length and wood construction, Wyoming tended to flex in heavy seas, which would cause the long planks to twist and buckle, thereby allowing sea water to intrude into the hold. Wyoming had to use pumps to keep its hold relatively free of water. In March 1924, it foundered in heavy seas and sank with the loss of all hands.