Golden Hinde (1973) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Golden Hinde moored by the Tower of London in 1974

The Golden Hinde is a special ship launched in 1973. It's a full-size copy, called a replica, of a famous old ship named the Golden Hind from 1577. This amazing replica was built by hand in a place called Appledore, Torridge, using old-fashioned methods. It has sailed over 140,000 mi (230,000 km), which is like going around the world more than five times! Just like the original ship, the Golden Hinde replica has also sailed all the way around the world.

Building the Golden Hinde

Front view of the Golden Hinde replica in London

The figurehead of the Golden Hinde

The idea for the Golden Hinde replica came from Albert Elledge and Art Blum from San Francisco. A ship designer named Loring Christian Norgaard created the plans. The ship was built by J Hinks & Son in Appledore.

Work on the ship started on September 30, 1971, and it took two years to build. The ship was officially launched on April 5, 1973, by Diana, Countess of Devon.

Ship's Features

The Golden Hinde has many interesting features, just like the old sailing ships:

• Masts: It has 3 tall masts.
  • Sails: It uses 6 sails, including 5 square sails and one lateen sail.
• Hull: The main body of the ship is made from Iroko wood planks over strong oak frames, with an elm keel at the very bottom.
• Size:
  • Total Length: About 121 ft 4 in (37.0 m) from front to back.
  • Hull Length: The main part of the hull is about 102 ft (31.1 m) long.
  • Waterline Length: The part of the hull that touches the water is about 75 ft 1 in (22.89 m).
  • Width (Breadth): It is about 22 ft (6.7 m) wide.
  • Depth in Water (Draft): The deepest part of the ship goes about 14 ft (4.3 m) into the water.
  • Weight (Displacement): The ship weighs about 290 long tons (290 t) when floating.
• Mainmast Height: The tallest mast stands about 92 feet (28 m) high.
• Sail Area: All the sails together cover about 4,150 square feet (386 m²) of space.
• Speed: Under sail, it can reach speeds of about 8 knots (15 km/h).
• Steering: The original Golden Hind used a pole called a "whipstaff" to steer. For safety, the replica uses a modern steering wheel.
• Capstan: A capstan is a large spinning drum used to pull up the heavy anchor. It is located on the lower decks.
• Crew: The ship could carry about 80 to 85 sailors.
• Cannons: It has 22 cannons, just like the original ship would have had.
  • 2 small cannons on the back deck (poop deck).
  • 2 small cannons on the front deck (foredeck).
  • 2 long-range cannons in the front part of the ship (forecastle).
  • 2 long-range cannons at the back.
  • 14 medium-sized cannons on the main gun deck.
• Cargo Space: It could carry about 100 to 150 tons of cargo.
• Maximum Crew: Up to 95 people could be on board.

Amazing Journeys of the Golden Hinde

The Hatton family crest on the back of the ship

The Golden Hinde replica began its first big journey from Plymouth, England, in late 1974. It arrived in San Francisco on May 8, 1975. This trip was to celebrate Sir Francis Drake's claim of a place called New Albion in California long ago.

After being used for filming a TV series called Shogun, the ship stayed in Taura Harbour, Yokohama, Japan, for over six months. In late 1979, it started its long trip back to England. It sailed through Hong Kong, Singapore, across the Indian Ocean, and through the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea. It arrived just in time for celebrations marking 400 years since Drake's famous return to England.

Between 1981 and 1984, the ship was docked in England and became an educational museum. But in 1984–1985, it sailed around the British Isles and then crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. In 1986, it went through the Panama Canal to sail to British Columbia for the World's Fair in Vancouver.

In 1987, the ship toured the US Pacific coast, visiting ports in Washington, Oregon, and California. In 1988, it sailed back through the Panama Canal to visit Texas. In 1989, it visited ports along the Gulf of Mexico. From 1990 to 1991, it visited many ports on the east coast of the US. Finally, in 1992, it returned home to tour the British Isles again.

Golden Hinde in Movies

The Golden Hinde replica has been in several movies and TV shows!

• Swashbuckler (1976)
• Shogun (1979)
• Drake's Venture (1980)
• St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold (2009)

It also appeared briefly in the first episode of the TV series Shaka Zulu (1986).

A Floating Museum

Since 1996, the Golden Hinde has been docked at St Mary Overie Dock in Bankside, Southwark, London. It is located between Southwark Cathedral and Clink Street (51°30′25″N 0°5′25″W / 51.50694°N 0.09028°W / 51.50694; -0.09028).

Today, it serves as a fun and educational museum. School children can visit and even dress up as Tudor sailors. They get to learn about Elizabethan maritime history in an exciting, hands-on way!