History
The ship was built in 1909 by Blohm & Voss and dedicated in 1910 by Deutscher Schulschiff-Verein as the German training ship Prinzess Eitel Friedrich, named for Duchess Sophia Charlotte of Oldenburg, wife of Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia. In 1920, following World War I, the ship was taken as war-reparations by Great Britain, then brought to France, where she was assigned to the seamen's school at St-Nazaire under the name "Colbert". The ship was then given to Baron de Forrest as compensation for the loss of a sailing yacht. Due to the high costs of refurbishing the ship, she was sold in 1929.
Still bearing the name Prinzess Eitel Friedrich, she was bought by the Polish community of Pomerania for £7,000, as the new training ship for the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia. She was given the name Dar Pomorza, which means "the gift of Pomerania". In 1930 the ship was repaired and fitted with an auxiliary diesel engine.
During the following years, she was used as a training ship, receiving the nickname "White Frigate". In 1934-1935 she traveled around the world. During World War II she was interned in Stockholm. After the war she was brought to Poland and used as a training ship again.
In the 1970s she took part in several Operation Sail and Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Races, winning her first race in 1972, taking the 3rd place in 1973, and winning the 1st place and Cutty Sark Trophy in 1980. She was one of several Blohm & Voss built tall ships, most popular in the world at that time.
In September 1981 she undertook her last race. On 4 August 1982 she was decommissioned and replaced by the Dar Młodzieży as a training ship. Since 27 May 1983 she has been a museum ship in Gdynia (next to the Błyskawica).
Her speed under sail averages 5 knots, with a 17 knots maximum.
Read more about this topic: Dar Pomorza
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