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Stad Amsterdam

Factsheet

  • Length: 76.00 m
  • Beam: 10.5 m
  • Mast height: 46.25 m
  • Draught: 4.20 m
  • Hull: Steel
  • Sail area: 2,200 m2
  • Year of construction: 2000
  • Homeport: Amsterdam
  • Flag: Netherlands

Speed provided clippers with an enormous competitive advantage at the beginning of the 19th century. The fierce competition of the time forced ship designers in America to experiment with the speed of their ships. Up until then, cargo ships had had a full prow and a round underwatership. In contrast, the clipper had a sharply cut, concave shape. This allowed it to cut through the water instead of the hull being pushed upwards. The underwatership was also cut away even more, resulting in less drag on the ship. Higher and longer masts also greatly improved the clipper’s speed, enabling it to carry a lot more sail. Due to its longer water line and reduced width, this ship type could sail closer to the wind than other frigates. This proved to be a brilliant concept and, after some hesitation, it was also adopted in the Netherlands around 1850. However, the popularity of the clipper was short-lived. The opening of the Suez canal in 1869 had a decisive impact in that it considerably shortened the Netherlands-India route. This was ideal for steamships, but impractical for clippers and other ocean-going sailing ships. They had to continue following the longer route around the Cape, and this additional sailing time proved too costly. Nowhere in the world are there any original clippers still sailing. Only one has survived from that period: the Cutty Sark. This ship lies on display at a dock in Greenwich, England.

The construction of the Stad Amsterdam breathed new live into the history of clippers. The iron clipper ‘De Amsterdam’ served as the inspiration for the design of the Stad Amsterdam. The construction of the Stad Amsterdam is an initiative of the Municipality of Amsterdam and Randstad. Both organisations were convinced that the construction and operation of the clipper would make a substantial contribution to the opportunities for young people to acquire training and work experience.