CSS Yavari/Yapura ? Part 2

vikingbear

Corporal
Joined
Jul 12, 2014
Location
New Hampshire
Will keep the rest of this short.

Peru was the country that ordered the 2 GB's and as we know never entered CSS service. as they refused to sell.

Basic info ; 500 tones100'x17x6' 1 sc 60 hp engine=9kts. had lifting sc and schooner rig.

So attempts to acquire more vessels bit the dust.'...So you ask what happened to the two gunboats? Funny you should ask-this is when the fun began. Shipping out to Peru started in June 1862, Once there in the port of Arica, the crates were moved to RR cars for transportation to the foothills of the Andes. A war scare with Spain lost time and the 4 24 pounders were made into a battery, to protect the port Arica. These cannon were never returned to the ships.
Once all kit parts had reached the end of the RR all l2762 pieces had to be repacked to mule or porter sizes loads. The only way to reach Lake Titicaca was up. 12,500 ' up that is.
As there was no roads. only narrow ,steep mountain tracks ,These had to be used. made more dangerous by some of the wts of the loads that needed to be moved up the trails.
Eventually enough parts were carried up to the lake to began construction of one of the gunboats, the Yavari. It didn't matter that the ship parts were totally mixed and some parts had to be "helped" to fit, the Yavari was launched on Xmas day 1870, her sister in 1873. The Thames Iron workers could finally go home.
The first issue was being above the tree line, no wood for the boilers. No coal either. These vessels had to use "dried llama dun g for fuel. With their cannon gone, they were armed with a 3-pound quick firing gun.
Later they were both leased to private Co's being used as cargo ship/ferries of the lake. At the end of the 19cent, Y avari was cut in half and 50' added. In 1914 she received a semi-diesel. Her sister was fitted with a desiel at a later time (never rebuilt).
The Yavari was rediscovered 1n 1982 as a hulk. But has been restored to her 1914 condition. Still in use. Yapura was returned to naval service as a C oast- guard ship, and now is a floating hospital

So there are still 2 vessels in use today ,that once had a connection with The CSS navy, as a attempt was made to buy both for use as river(?) GB's

GRIZZ.
.
 
It is an amazing tale...

A little more... Yavari

1549092197427.png


https://www.revolvy.com/page/Yavari-(ship)

The War of the Pacific of 1879–83 impoverished the Peruvian government, so in 1890 UK investors established the Peruvian Corporation which took over operation of Peru's railways and lake ships.[1] In 1975 Peru nationalised the corporation and Yavari and Yapura passed to the state railway company ENAFER.[1] In 1976 they were transferred back to the Peruvian Navy, who converted Yapura into a hospital ship[2] and renamed her BAP Puno but discarded Yavari.[1]

In 1987 charitable interests bought Yavari to restore her.[1] She is now moored at Puno Bay where she provides static tourist accommodation while undergoing full restoration.[1] In 2015, with restoration almost complete, a group of young East Enders sponsored by the West Ham United Foundation trekked over the Andes from Tacna to Puno following the original route of the Yavari. They participated in a "second maiden voyage" on Lake Titicaca, accompanied by the British Ambassador to Peru, H.E. Anwar Choudhury.


A little more... BAP Puno is a Peruvian Navy hospital ship on Lake Titicaca. Until 1976 she was called Yapura.

1549092344627.png


The original British contractor got the parts to Tacna but failed to complete the section of the journey with mules.[2] This was not resumed until 1868 and Yapura was not launched until 1873.[2]

The War of the Pacific of 1879–83 impoverished the Peruvian government, so in 1890 UK investors established the Peruvian Corporation which took over operation of Peru's railways and lake ships.[2] In 1975 Peru nationalised the corporation and Yavari and Yapura passed to the state railway company ENAFER.[2] In 1976 they were transferred back the Peruvian Navy, who converted Yapura into a hospital ship[1] and renamed her BAP Puno.[2]
 
HI 5fISH,, thanks for the update .

A while ago, while camping at A CADIA Nat Park climed a couple of hik
es like that, nothing like some of those out west or the Andies, but high enough for when you arrived at the top and looked down, cars looked like 4-5'' long and people like a bunch of bugs running around(when was first told that thought bull! But dam if it isn't true).
Carried only a light day pack & Canteen ,nothing like those guys carried . In several places on the Acadia trail the path was steep enough and narrow enough that you kind of hung on a chain attached to the rock wall and pulled your self up the trail (and hung on for dear life)
.Hats off to those guys for doing that job, and how many thousand of times they did it,
Grizz
 
Back
Top