Here is an article written at the time the yacht was constructed in 1880 It is presented here in three parts. This is a voyage from Scotland to Sevastopol
Driving on the Black Sea was planned as an educational and sail "with the only development of power machinery - reported in August, AA Popov, -" to enable all machines to personnel calmly look around and become familiar with the operation and management of machines. " After cooking, October 3, the yacht left Grinoksky raid. On board as honorary guests were shipbuilders Pierce, Tideman, and Reed, as well as the controller of the British Navy Admiral Stewart. In Brest, climbed aboard the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, and under the general-admiral's flag, "Livadia" moved on Oct. 7, through the Bay of Biscay in Cadiz. By this time, her cake was: 2,9 m nosed, stern - 3,0 m (including secondary, sunken, deadwood - 5.44 m).
The steamer "Experience" (The former yacht Livadia)
Until midnight on October 8 march took place in favorable conditions, at a rate of 12-13 knots. Risen rapidly during the night the wind grew stronger, spreading a strong oncoming swell. With two o'clock in the morning on October 9 waves began to beat in the bow of a pontoon boat - initially rare, these attacks with increasing wind and wave height increased. Progress had to be reduced to 4-5 knots. But strikes continued. Very cautious in their assessments of Reed wrote: "The pounding waves in flat bottom boats were horrible at times ..." About the same reported in the report and IK Vogak: "... One of them was particularly strong, performing the all impression of a collision with a solid object ... "At 10 o'clock in the morning found that the first double bottom compartment was filled with water, quickly had to change course and head to the Spanish port of Ferrol.
According to eyewitnesses, the wave height reached 6.7 m, with the roll did not exceed 3,5 ° aboard, and pitching - 9 ° in the extent of 5,5 ° to 3,5 ° nose and aft. Screws never denude. "The yacht did not fall - reported to the commander: tableware and high candelabra were motionless in calm, no soup in a bowl, no water in the cup has never leaked.
How, then, "Livadia", led by experienced sailors, came into the center of the storm, and even went against the waves? This is all the more puzzling, since its board were shipbuilders, implying a further test that the yacht is good "when the waves are not too large quantities." As noted by a member of the selection committee captain 2 rank VP Verkhovsky "yacht was never intended for the ocean voyage, and therefore to judge her qualities rather the Black Sea ... her in any case no reason to even on the Black Sea daily by heavy storms. The biggest transition from Odessa to Poti ... yacht will easily 30 or 35 hours, and of course there will be no extremes leaving the port in the most storm ... "
Reid refers directly to the general-admiral, who, he said, believed that one should not lose an opportunity "to make a thorough test of the yacht so we headed into the maw of Biscay gale. About the same, but more diplomatically, and Verkhovsky wrote: "were willing to meet ... a good storm, I wish that we trepnulo to the wind and sea were stronger ...but without it ... and complete opinion about the qualities of the yacht can not ...». Sam is the head of the campaign decided on a "test" or he has helped and advised, remained unknown.
In Ferrolskoy bay divers found in the bow of the pontoon, with the left side, 5-foot dent with gaps and cracks in the cladding sheets, bent and broken frames. Have been dumped five on-board and one double bottom compartment. Initially, the cause of injuries considered a collision with floating debris, about what and sent a message to the "Official Gazette", but after
