ShipYard ZL004 Berbice 1780

Berbice is an American regional schooner, also very often classified as the so-called Baltimore clipper. The unit was launched in 1780 and in 1782 or 1783 it became part of the Royal Navy. The ship was armed with 8 4-pound cannons and 8 falconets weighing less than 1 pound. The sailing ship was 22.65 meters long and 6.2 meters wide. The crew consisted of 40-42 people. The presented unit was a typical representative of the so-called Baltimore clippers, usually two-masted sailing ships built especially in Baltimore (hence the name), and which were characterized by high speed and good seagoing performance. Baltimore pole vines, including, of course, the Berbeci, were also characterized by a carefully designed hull, at least for the 18th century, which generated relatively low hydrodynamic drag and allowed for high speeds. The presented vessel served in the Royal Navy almost throughout its career and was lost only around 1795 near San Domingo.