Amphion (ship)

Type

Frigate

Period

18th Century

Nation

Sweden

Overview: Amphion was the personal pleasure craft and command ship of King Gustav III of Sweden, designed by the renowned Swedish naval architect Fredrik Henrik af Chapman and built at Djurgårdsvarvet in Stockholm, launching in 1778. She was essentially a modified turuma, a shallow-draught, oar-and-sail hybrid type of archipelago frigate that Chapman developed for the Swedish inshore ("archipelago") fleet, which is why the record classifies her under the Frigate type despite her role as a royal yacht. Specifications: As built she measured about 33 m (108 ft) long with a 6.7 m (22 ft) beam and 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) draught, carried a two-masted sail plan plus 16 pairs of oars, and had a crew of roughly 150. Unlike the standard archipelago frigates of her class, Gustav III had her built without heavy broadside cannon, so she differed significantly in armament from her sister turumas. Service History: Amphion served as a royal yacht and headquarters ship, most notably as Gustav III's personal command vessel during the Russo-Swedish War of 1788-1790. On her maiden voyage from Karlskrona to Stockholm poor weather left her wrecked in the Stockholm archipelago, and she later proved to be one of Chapman's rare design failures, suffering from poor seakeeping and being too heavy to row effectively; she was subsequently used mainly for excursions on Lake Mälaren and later as a barracks ship into the 19th century before being broken up for firewood in 1884. Notable Facts: Her figurehead and stern castle, including the royal command cabin, were saved from the breakup and are preserved and on display at the Swedish Maritime Museum (Sjöhistoriska museet) in Stockholm; the preserved elements underwent conservation between 2003 and 2006. The current stern dates only to 1791, replacing one damaged in fighting near the end of the Russo-Swedish War. For modelers, Corel produces a well-known 1:40 scale wooden kit of Amphion depicting her schooner-rigged 1790 configuration.