In Sevastopol, on Matrossky Boulevard, there is a monument with a laconic inscription: “To the Kazar. As an example to posterity.”

For many years now, hundreds of people have been coming here every day - Sevastopol residents and guests of the city of Russian maritime glory. This is a monument to the commander of the Russian brig "Mercury" Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky. What did Kazarsky and the ship’s crew do to earn the right to become an example to posterity?

On May 14, 1829, the 20-gun brig Mercury took on an unequal battle with two Turkish battleships armed with a total of 184 guns, and emerged victorious. Until then, the history of naval art had never known anything like this. A small brig - and two battleships! The courage and brilliant skill of the commander, multiplied by the heroism of the sailors and officers, negated the enemy's multiple fire superiority. "Mercury" with the cannonballs of its carronades inflicted heavy damage on the battleships and forced them to abandon the battle. On July 19, 1829, Russian Vice-Chancellor Nesselrode forwarded to Admiral A. Greig a letter from a Turkish navigator who participated in the battle with the brig Mercury.

Turk wrote:

“On Tuesday, approaching the Bosphorus, at dawn we saw three Russian ships, a frigate and two brigs, and chased them; but not before we managed to overtake one of the brigs at three o’clock in the afternoon. Captain Pasha’s ship and ours entered with him into a hot battle, and - an unheard of and incredible thing - we could not force him to surrender. He fought, retreating and maneuvering with all the art of war in such a way that we, ashamed to admit, stopped the battle, while he, triumphant, continued on his way. Without a doubt, he lost almost half of his crew, because for some time he was a pistol shot away from us and was getting more and more damaged every minute.

If ancient and modern chronicles show us experiences of courage, then this last one will eclipse all others, and the testimony of it deserves to be inscribed in golden letters in the temple of glory. This captain was Kazarsky, and the name of the brig was MERCURY.

It is no coincidence that the outstanding Russian naval commander Admiral V. Istomin had every reason to say about the Mercury sailors:

“Let them look for such selflessness, such heroic fortitude in other nations with a candle...”

Soon after the battle, the Mercury officers were awarded orders and promoted, the sailors received St. George's crosses and pensions. By a special decree, the brig was awarded the stern St. George flag - the most honorable distinction for a ship. In memory of the legendary brig, one of the ships of the Russian fleet began to be called “Memory of Mercury”.

What was a military brig of the early 19th century? First of all, this is a two-masted ship with a straight rig. Brigs are the smallest seaworthy vessels that had naval rigging on two masts. Their tonnage did not exceed 350 tons, length - 30 m, width - 9 m and hold depth - no more than 6 m. The armament of the brigs consisted of 6-24 small cannons or carronades placed on the open deck.

At the UN, brigs were used for cruising and messenger service. Figure 46 shows the brig "Mercury".

The ship shown in Figure 47 is very similar to the brig. It is designated by the term brigantine.

It might seem logical that the word comes from "brig." But it is not so. In the history of shipbuilding, there were two types of brigantines, two completely different sailing ships. For clarity, let’s look at the second volume of “The History of the Ship,” published in 1880 by the Russian naval historian Nikolai Bogolyubov:

"Brigantines" in sailing times were the same brigs, only smaller in size and with weaker artillery. Brigantines of the Mediterranean Sea had two or three single-tree masts with lateen sails and were used mainly by pirates."

A clearer formulation of the term “brigantine” is given by the Soviet Admiral K. Samoilov in his “Naval Dictionary” (1939):

"Brigantine" (brigandtine):

1. Small or medium sized brig. A vessel with two masts (foresail and mainsail). The foremast is rigged like a brig, and the mainmast is rigged like a schooner. Generally speaking, such brigantine armament is non-standard and can be slightly modified.

2. In the early era of the sailing fleet, from the 16th century, this was the name given to light, fast pirate ships (from the word brigand - robber, pirate) with Latin weapons; later these ships became part of the fleet as messengers and scout ships.

We can conclude that the earlier brigantine got its name from the word “brigand” - robber, the second, later one - from the word “brig”.

However, contrary to established tradition, sophisticated experts on the history of the sailing fleet divide brigantines of the second type into two categories: “true brigantines” and “schooner-brigs” (Fig. 48).

They classify small brigs as “true brigantines”. On their second mast, the large lower rectangular sail - the mainsail - is replaced by a gaff sail, above which there are three rectangular sails of a smaller area on the topmast. Over time, sailors began to classify two-masted ships carrying exclusively oblique sails on the mainmast into the same category.

At first glance, the sailboat shown in Figure 49 looks similar in rigging to a brigantine. But it belongs to the category of schooners. Its sails are slanting. Because of the two straight sails raised on the topmast of the foremast (topsail), the ship is called a topsail schooner.

A barque is a type of ship identified by its sailing rig. The bark was one of the most common ships among pirates. It was a three-masted ship, the two front ones were armed with straight sails, and the rear ones were equipped with lateen sails. Barks could not be called small vessels, but they were valued not for their compact size, but for their speed. In addition, the armament of the barks made it possible not to be afraid of encounters with warships. This type of ship appeared at a time when most countries began an active fight against pirates. A typical barque was about 18-35 meters long, armed with 20 cannons or 12 mortars, and the ship could carry at least 120 passengers. In addition to pirates, this ship was widely used by the military for the exact opposite purpose - to fight pirates. 80 crew members and a dozen guns made it possible to fight pirate ships on an equal footing. The closest types of ships for a barque were the brigantine and barquentine.

A two-masted sailing vessel with a straight sail on the front (foresail) mast and slanting sails (brigantine and topsail) on the rear. In the second half of the 18th century, a light straight sail was added to the main topmast, and then the main mast yard was also modernized. 6-12 small-caliber guns were installed on the upper deck. The main purpose of the brigantine was reconnaissance. The brigantine had high speed and good maneuverability, which made it attractive to pirates. The more spacious and larger hull of the brigantine compared to sloops and schooners made it possible to stay at sea longer and transport more prey. The length of the brigantine reached 60 meters, the displacement was 125-150 tons, and the crew numbered 100 or more people.

A brig was a name given to a two-masted ship that did not have a mainsail on the main yard, and the lower part of the main mast carried weapons like a mizzen mast. Instead of a mainsail, there was a dry mainsail and a trixel with a gaff and a boom on the main yard. The brig was created on the basis of a small brigantine and shnyava and was used mainly as a reconnaissance ship. There were also brigs with shnyava or brigantine rigging - a two-masted ship with a square rig and an additional oblique sail. Instead of slanting sails, a light straight sail was installed on the mainmast, which improved the ship's speed performance.

Romantics have always been attracted. What could be more beautiful than sailing through the waves on a ship driven by a fair wind? The names of the ships are already poetry. A frigate, a battleship, a schooner - they all evoke thoughts of long voyages across uncharted seas. But the most famous ship is the brigantine.

Meaning of the word

Historical documents send us back to medieval Italy. The first brigantines are mentioned in the chronicles of Genoese shipbuilders. The origin of the name is controversial. The fact is that at that time the armor of soldiers had the same name. Perhaps the brigantine inherited its name from them. Another version connects the name of the ship with the brig. Indeed, these ships have common features.

The first brigantines were not only sailing, but also oared. This fact speaks in favor of the first version of the name. These were military galleys with up to fifteen oars on each side. Later descriptions define the brigantine as a two-masted vessel.

Features of the ship's structure

The sails inherited the characteristics of a brig and a schooner. They were straight on the front mast and oblique on the rear. This allowed the brigantine to successfully carry out both combat and reconnaissance operations. With the head sails lowered, the ship was steered by one experienced sailor.

The brigantine was a favorite ship of pirates. The combat power was enough to capture merchant ships, and high speed and maneuverability made it possible to evade pursuit. If anyone has ever overcome difficult sections between reefs, it was the brigantine. By the way, another version of the name of the vessel is associated specifically with pirates (brigands "vessel - "bandit ship").

Brigantine in art

Perhaps the most famous work glorifying this filibuster sailing ship was a poem by Pavel Kogan. The text was set to music in 1937. This is how the song “The Brigantine Raises Sails” appeared, which became a symbol of freedom in an era of terror and repression. In the 60s it was covered by Yuri Vizbor. The song has become a real informal anthem for youth.

Another brigantine became famous thanks to the rock opera “Juno and Avos”. In Andrei Voznesensky's libretto these ships are called schooners, which is a little inaccurate. Unfortunately, the drawings have not survived, but enthusiasts got to the bottom of it. Two schooners were refitted, resulting in a brigantine and tender. “Juno” and “Avos” are one of the most popular ship models in ship modeling.

These days you can take a cruise on the largest brigantine in the world, Swan Fan Makkum. This Dutch ship is equipped with modern equipment, which makes sailing safe. Children's dreams of long journeys under the sails of a beautiful brigantine became a reality.

Well, it’s time for business, and time for fun. Therefore, let's start with business. So, what is a brigantine?

A brigantine is a small ship, a two-masted schooner. Straight sails are installed on the front mast (foremast), and oblique sails on the rear mast (mainmast). Straight sails lie in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the vessel, and oblique sails are parallel to this axis. This combination makes the brigantine fast (thanks to straight sails, which catch a lot of wind) and maneuverable (thanks to oblique sails, which allow the ship to sail at a greater angle to the direction of the wind).

Brigantines appeared on the Mediterranean Sea already in the 13th century. In addition to two masts, the ship could have from 8 to 12 pairs of oars. When rowing, the masts were laid on the deck. This allowed the brigantines to hide in coastal bays. The crew of the brigantine was small, up to 50 people, and the armament was no more than 10 small-caliber guns. Speed, maneuverability and ease of control made brigantines a favorite ship of pirates. The name “brigantine” comes from the Italian word “brigantino”, meaning “robber, pirate”. Pirate brigantines hid in the bays and bays of Croatia and Illyria, robbing Venetian ships. Corsairs of Tunisia and Algeria in the 15th – 17th centuries attacked European ships off the coast of North Africa. Both of them were constantly caught by large fleets and, according to long-standing maritime law, hanged.

In the 17th century, brigantines slightly changed their sailing equipment. On the second, mainmast, in addition to the slanting sails, a straight sail was placed on top. This allowed the brigantines to enter the Atlantic. In the 18th century, brigantines became the most popular ships in the American colonies. In addition to traditional piracy, they were used as reconnaissance ships and for the rapid transportation of small quantities of commercial cargo. The carrying capacity of brigantines ranged from 50 to 200 tons.

In the navy, brigantines were used as escort ships. Several brigantines accompanied the large ship, serving as scouts and communications ships. They were also used for landing troops to capture the coast. A brigantine was larger than a sloop or schooner, but a smaller ship than a brig.

The last “real” brigantine was built in the 20th century, in Germany. Initially it was called “Friedrich”, then it underwent several renamings. This ship is still in service today. Now it is called “Eye of the Wind”, it is known to all sailors of the world and sails the seas under scarlet sails.

Well, now it's fun time

The word "brigantine" was very popular in the Soviet Union in the 1960s. Then the song “Brigantine” was resurrected. It was written before the Great Patriotic War by the poet P. Kogan and the composer G. Lepsky (who has nothing to do with G. Leps). The second life of the song was largely ensured by its performance by Yu. Vizbor. On the one hand, Y. Vizbor was revered by lovers of romance and songs with a guitar around the fire. On the other hand, he worked at the Yunost radio station, which legalized Brigantine in the eyes of the Komsomol leaders. After all, Central Radio is not wrong!

Therefore, “Brigantine” became the first in a series of songs that began to be called “bardic”. Local amateur song clubs, youth cafes, cinemas, pioneer camps and hotels were named in her honor. It was performed almost like an anthem of the amateur song movement, without thinking too much about the beautiful words:

We drink to the fierce, to those who are different,
For those who despise penniless comfort.
Jolly Roger flutters in the wind,
The people of Flint sing a song.

What is a "Jolly Roger"? Who are the people of Flint? However, as A.S. Pushkin said, “poetry should be a bit stupid,” and mass song even more so.

After all, no matter what, it turned out to be a good song, right?

Beauty "Swan Fan Makkum"

This sailboat carefully preserves all the solutions found over many centuries of the sailing fleet. The largest brigantine in the world " Swan Fan Makkum“outwardly it looks very traditional, but this is exactly what the passengers of the sailboat like, because they are not random tourists, but people who went on a charter voyage.

Dutch brigantine " Swan Fan Makkum» built in 1993 at the Gdansk shipyard. She became the second Dutch sailing ship to be certified for sailing around the world.

This sailing ship is the largest brigantine in the world, as well as the largest two-masted sailing ship. The vessel's hull is made of high-strength steel.

The sailing vessel has a sailing rig characteristic of its type - there are five straight sails on the foremast and five oblique sails on the mainmast, with a total area of ​​1300 square meters. m. The height of the masts reaches 45 meters, which makes the sailboat one of the tallest sailing ships of the Tallships.

Being the largest brigantine in the world " Swan Fan Makkum" is a unique sailing vessel designed in the style of traditional sailing ships under the direction of naval architect Olivier van Meer. In style and atmosphere, the brigantine gives the impression of a sailing ship that went down in history in the last century.

Sea voyages on a brigantine are an ideal place for a varied holiday and successful business presentations, the impressions of which will remain in the memory of family, friends or colleagues for a long time. The interior of the ship is designed for 120 passengers, including 18 double cabins with a separate shower and latrine. Under the main superstructure of the ship, where the wheelhouse is located, there is a spacious salon. From here a wide staircase leads down to a cozy living room.

Actually a brigantine " Swan Fan Makkum"This is a very large cruising yacht. Many guests of the ship independently work on the yards with sails and stand watch in the wheelhouse at the helm. The business of the owner of the brigantine is built on this, because the full-time crew consists of only 14 people. But do not think that sailing on this sailboat can be as difficult as on sailboats of the Sedov or Kruzenshtern class; in fact, this is a very modern vessel. Most of the work with sails is automated. All household premises are suitable for relaxation.

Besides its home port in the Netherlands brigantine is a frequent visitor to the ports of Great Britain, as well as the Baltic, Mediterranean and Caribbean.

The two-masted brigantine crossed the Atlantic 18 times and, as of 2007, since its launch, had left more than 300,000 kilometers of sea route astern. Brigantine is a regular participant in the Tall Ships Race, major events in the sailing world, and often becomes a strong contender among its competitors.

In February 2006, the brigantine was acquired by the Italian Navy and is currently used as a training cruising yacht in one of the yacht clubs in Italy “Yacht Club Italiano” with a new name “ Nave Italia" In 2007, under the Italian flag, the sailing ship took part in the crowd competition in Toulon.

Technical data of the two-masted brigantine “Swan Fan Makkum”:

Displacement - 600 tons;

Length - 61 m;

Width - 9.2 m;

Draft - 3.6 m;

Sail area - 1300 sq.m;

Crew - 14 people;

Sailing speed - 15 knots;

Power plant - diesel with a power of 480 hp;

Engine speed - 10 knots;

Number of cabins - 18 (double occupancy);

Number of seats for passengers - 120 people;