Victoria, circumnavigator, crosses the Atlantic in style

by Des Ryan/Sail-World round-up on 6 Dec 2013 Ferdinand Magellan would be astonished. The sailing ship Victoria (Nao Vittoria), a replica of the sailing ship which was the first to successfully circumnavigate the world, is having a cushy ride across the Atlantic, courtesy of of the DYT Yacht Transport's semi-submersible yacht carrier, from Palma de Mallorca to Port Everglades in Florida.

And why? 'Although she can sail perfectly on her own keel, she would take nearly two months to get from Spain to Florida, so we decided to ship her to reduce the voyage time,' said Eduardo Almagro Blanco, the general manager for Fundacion NAO Victoria, the Spanish not-for-profit foundation that manages NAO Victoria along with El Galeon, another historic Spanish replica.

He added that the organisation chose DYT based on its credentials, unique float-on/float-off loading method, and timely schedule. DYT is best known for its fleet of unique ships that submerge to a draft required by the yachts loading to safely and easily sail on and off.

Upon her arrival in Port Everglades mid-December, the 25.9-meter sailing ship will sail to St. Augustine for the Christmas holiday before beginning a cultural exhibition tour that will take her along the coast of Florida and up the U.S. East Coast to educate the public about the first complete circumnavigation of the world by Magellan’s expedition in the 16th Century.

The original:
The original 85 ton NAO Victoria, launched in 1519, was one of five ships in the Portuguese explorer’s Spanish expedition to discover the passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans known as the Strait of Magellan. After his death, killed in the Philippines, and under the command of Juan Sebastian Elcano, it became the first ship in history to complete the 32,000-mile voyage in 1522 and the first ever to successfully circumnavigate the globe. While the expedition began with five ships the Victoria was the only ship to complete the voyage. In 1570, the original ship disappeared without a trace during a treacherous storm while underway from the Antilles to Seville

The replica:
The replica of the NAO Victoria was built for the Universal Exposition of Seville in 1992. Directed by Ignacio Fernandez Vial, extensive research and in-depth analysis was conducted on 164 written and iconographic documents from different Spanish historical archives, 126 drawings and engravings, 22 affidavits, 18 treaties on naval construction, and three wrecks. 'Florida residents and visitors are eager to participate in the unique experiences that the vessels from the NAO Victoria Foundation have to offer,' commented Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner, continuing to say 'the overall cultural, historical and tourism benefit is exceptional.'

For more information on DYT, visit http://www.yacht-transport.com