BAP Puno facts for kids
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BAP Puno in her namesake port of Puno
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Peru |
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| Name | Yapura (1872–1976) |
| Namesake | Puno |
| Owner | Peruvian Navy |
| Ordered | 1861 |
| Builder | Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company |
| Laid down | 1861 |
| Launched | 1872 |
| Commissioned | May 18, 1872 |
| Renamed | BAP Puno since 1976 |
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Yavarí class gunboat |
| Displacement | 140 tons |
| Length | 100 ft (30 m) |
| Speed | 10 knots (19 km/h) |
| Notes | Capacity for 180 tonnes of cargo |
BAP Puno (ABH-306) is a special hospital ship that floats on Lake Titicaca in Peru. For a long time, until 1976, she was known as Yapura. Her name comes from the Japura River, which flows into the Amazon River. This river used to be the border between Peru and Colombia.
The Yapura was an iron steamship. She was ordered in 1861 by the Peruvian government. Her job was to serve the Peruvian Navy on Lake Titicaca. She is one of the oldest iron-hulled ships still working in the world. She is also the oldest military ship still in active service.
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How BAP Puno Was Built
In 1861, the Peruvian government ordered two ships: Yapura (our BAP Puno) and her sister ship Yavari. A company called Thames Ironworks in England built them in 1862. These ships were designed to carry cargo and passengers. They could also act as gunboats for the Peruvian Navy.
Puno still uses her original 60 horsepower steam engine. Guess what powers it? Dried llama dung!
Building Ships in Pieces
The ships were built in a special way called "knock down" form. This means they were first put together with bolts at the shipyard. Then, they were taken apart into thousands of small pieces. Each piece was light enough for a mule to carry (about 177 kilograms).
These pieces were shipped all the way to Peru. They arrived at the Pacific Ocean port of Arica. From there, a railway took them about 40 miles (64 km) to Tacna. But the rest of the journey was tough! Mules had to carry the pieces about 220 miles (354 km) over mountains to Puno, which is on Lake Titicaca.
The company that built the ships got the parts to Tacna. But they couldn't finish the part of the journey that needed mules. This part of the trip didn't start again until 1868. Because of this, Yapura wasn't finally launched on the lake until 1873.
Ship Upgrades
Over the years, the ship had some important changes.
- Between 1927 and 1929, her front part was lifted. This was done carefully to keep her size right.
- In 1956, her old engine was replaced. A new English-made engine with 12 cylinders was installed. This new engine had 410 horsepower. It allowed the ship to travel at 10 knots (19 km/h).
BAP Puno's History
On May 2, 1873, the Yapura sailed for the first time on Lake Titicaca. Captain Manuel Mariano Melgar was in charge.
War and Peace
After the War of the Pacific ended in 1883, some Peruvian leaders continued to resist. They went to Puno and then boarded the Yapura and Yavari. They sailed to Bolivia, hoping to get more support.
However, Chilean forces arrived in Puno on November 4, 1883. The local leaders quickly agreed to peace. The Chilean forces even brought their own small ship, the torpedo boat Colo Colo, to Lake Titicaca. They used it to patrol the lake and control the area.
New Owners and New Role
The war left the Peruvian government with little money. So, in 1890, a group of investors from the UK took over Peru's railways and lake ships.
In 1975, Peru took back control of these companies. The Yavari and Yapura then belonged to the state railway company. In 1976, they were given back to the Peruvian Navy. The Yapura was renamed BAP Puno. This new name came from the city of Puno, where her home port is.
The BAP Puno was used to carry passengers and cargo. She also helped patrol the lake. Then, in 1993, the BAP Puno was changed into a hospital ship. This is her important role today, helping people on Lake Titicaca.
