YAVARI and YAPURA Peru lake vessels

[aukepalmhof]

In 1861, the Peruvian government of Ramon Castilla, ordered two small cargo-passenger “gunboats” for Lake Titicaca. Already enjoying the wealth from the guano industry on the coast, the government looked to exploit the natural resources of the southern highlands or altiplano region around Lake Titicaca, which is about 120 miles long and between 35 and 45 miles wide.
Here lay the potential for trading Peruvian copper, silver, minerals, wool, and timber and the riches of the rainforest from Bolivia with manufactured goods from Europe. Through the agency of Anthony Gibbs and Sons, the government commissioned the James Watt Foundry in Birmingham, England (where steam was first harnessed for industrial use) to build the ships that would collect goods from around the lake.
In 1862, Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company built the iron-hulled YAVARI and YAPURA under contract to James Watt. The ships were designed as combined cargo, passenger, and gunboats for the Peruvian Navy. The YAVARI and YAPURA had 60 horsepower (45 kW) two-cylinder steam engines, which were fuelled with dried llama dung. These were replaced in 1914 with Swedish Bolinder four-cylinder semi-diesel engines.

Because the railway from the Pacific Ocean port of Arica went only 40 miles (64km), as far as Tacna, the ships were built in “kits” - a total of 2,766 pieces between them. Each piece was no more than 3.5. cwt – what a mule could carry. From Tacna, pack mules had to carry them the remaining 220 miles (350km) to Puno on Lake Titicaca, at 3,812 meters over the sea level.
On October 15, 1862, the MAYOLA, bearing the two ships and eight British engineers from London, having rounded the Cape Horn, docked at Arica – a Peruvian port before the War of the Pacific – and discharged the packing cases and pieces of the YAVARI and YAPURA, from where they were moved by train 40 miles to Tacna.
The Peruvian Navy then faced the daunting task of transporting 2,766 pieces and two crankshafts 220 miles over the Andes to Lake Titicaca, which is 12,600 feet above sea level. It took seven years to transport the pieces across the Andes by mule and then assemble the ships on the lake.
The YAVARI was launched in 1870 and the YAPURA in 1873.

A third vessel was even more unusual. In 1869, Antony Gibbs and Sons, London, contracted with Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd. of Kelvinhaugh, Clydeside on behalf of Senor Geromino Costa, of Puno, Peru, for an iron sail-ing schooner, dimensions 48’ x 10’6” x 6’ depth, for trading on Lake Titicaca. Senor Costa’s instructions were that no single piece, save the spars, was to be longer than 18 feet, nor more than 150 lbs. in weight, as mule-back was the only method of conveyance up the steep gradient leading to the lake.
The schooner, which was named the AURORA DEL TITICACA, was built in the shipyard, being completely fitted up, masted, rigged and sails bent. After being all carefully marked, she was taken to pieces, packed, and sent round to Liverpool, whence she was shipped to Peru. On arrival, everything was successfully transported up to the lake and reconstructed at the lakeside.

YAVARI (gunboat)

1861 – Museum, Puno, Peru owner in 2023; Builder, Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Co., Blackwall, UK; O. 1860, Launched 1870, Completed. 1871.
Displ. 140 tons; 30m x 5.8m when launched in 1860; lengthened to 47.5m in 1914;
2-cylinder steam engine until 1914; then one Bolinder 4-cylinder 320 bhp (240 kW) hot bulb engine, screw propeller. She has now a Paxman Ricardol diesel engine 4T 12-cyl, 410 bhp, speed 10 knots.


YAVARI is an iron steamship commissioned (along with her sister ship YAPURA) by the Peruvian government in 1862 for use on Lake Titicaca by the Peruvian Navy. She is named after the Javari River in the Loreto Region of Peru, bordering the Amazonas State in Brazil. She was the first steamship to cross the highest navigable waters in the world.
In 1862, Thames Ironworks in West Ham built the iron-hulled YAVARI and YAPURA under contract to the
James Watt Foundry of Birmingham. The ships were designed as combined cargo, passenger, and gunboats for the Peruvian Navy. They were built in "knock down" form; being assembled with bolts and nuts at the shipyard, dismantled into thousands of parts small enough to transport, and shipped to their destination to be assembled with rivets and launched on the lake. The original British contractor got the parts to Tacna but failed to complete the section of the journey with mules. This was not resumed until 1868 and the first plates for YAVARI hull were laid at Puno in 1869.
YAVARI was 100 feet (30.5m) long and had a 60 horsepower (44.7kW) two-cylinder steam engine, which was fuelled with dried llama dung. In 1914, YAVARI hull was extended in 15 meters to increase her cargo capacity. At the same time, she was re-engined as a motor vessel with a Bolinder four-cylinder 320bhp (240kW) hot bulb engine.
Even though peace had already been signed with the Treaty of Ancón between Peru and Chile to end the War of the Pacific on October 20, 1883, Rear Admiral Lizardo Montero and General César Canevaro resisted in Arequipa. Pursued by Chilean forces, they retreated to Puno and negotiated more support from Bolivia. Upon reaching Puno, on the shore of Titicaca, they and their men boarded the steam gunboats YAVARI and YAPURA, to march towards the lake port of Chililava, in Bolivia, where General Narciso Campero was waiting for him with two Bolivian battalions to resume hostilities against Chile. However, a Chilean division arrived in Puno on November 4, 1883, and its local authorities immediately handed over the place, declaring themselves in favor of peace and the government of Miguel Iglesias. The Chilean forces transported by rail from the port of Mollendo to Puno the torpedo boat COLO COLO and launched there into the waters of Lake Titicaca, where it carried out patrolling operations to prevent communications, control the guerrillas and the military use of the lake.
The end of the Pacific War came with an impoverished Peruvian government. So in 1890, UK investors established the Peruvian Corporation, which took over the concession to operate Peru's railways and lake ships.
In 1975, Peru nationalized the corporation and YAVARI and YAPURA passed to the state railway company ENAFER. In 1976, they were transferred back to the Peruvian Navy, which converted YAPURA into a hospital ship and renamed her BAP PUNO. YAVARI was discarded.

In the early 1980s, the YAVARI was beached and left to rust. However, in 1987 an English woman, Meriel Larken purchased the ship for $5,000 and began collecting money to undertake its restoration.
The Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company’s football team became West Ham Football Club. In August 2015, twelve young Hammers – supporters of West Ham – trekked across the Andes from Tacna to Puno on Lake Titicaca. When they arrived in Puno, they were welcomed on the YAVARI and on August 28 set sail on the second maiden voyage of the ship. With historian Stephen Pewsey they participated in a "second maiden voyage" on Lake Titicaca, accompanied by the British Ambassador to Peru, H.E. Anwar Choudhury.
On December 1, 2015, the YAVARI received her licences from Peru’s Maritime Authority to sail as a passenger vessel for 40 passengers and ten crew.
Michael Palin visited the YAVARI on his journey round the Pacific – Full Circle (Episode 8). The Duke of Edinburgh was also an enthusiastic supporter.

As of 2023, YAVARI is operated as a State Registered Museum, berthed in Puno Bay, outside the Hotel Sonesta Posada del Inca, Puno. A 40-metre pontoon gives access to the vessel either by land or by boat, and visitors are warmly welcomed. It is the oldest iron lake steamer still sailing in 2023.

Sources: Downloaded from Watercraft Philately Nov/Dec 2022 Vol 69:03 page 33/36 Wikipedia https://yavari.org/history/
Peru # (2022) $2.60 M.S.

________________________________________________


YAPURA (gunboat / hospital ship)

1861 – Peruvian Navy, Puno, Peru; Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Co., Blackwall, UK; O. 1861, L. 1873, C. 1872; Displ. 140 tons; 30m x 5.8m when launched in 1861; lengthened to 47.5m in 1914; 2-cylinder steam engine until 1914; then one Bolinder 4-cylinder 320 bhp (240 kW) hot bulb engine, screw propeller, 10 kn / 19 km/h; 180 tons of cargo.

The Peruvian government ordered YAPURA and her sister ship YAVARI in 1861. She is named after the Japura River (or Caqueta River) that flows into the Amazon River in the Department of Loreto, Peru. The Yapura river was the former border between Peru and Colombia in the Amazonia.
In 1862, Thames Ironworks on the River Thames built the iron-hulled YAVARI and YAPURA under contract to the James Watt Foundry of Birmingham. The ships were designed as combined cargo, passenger, and gunboats for the Peruvian Navy. PUNA has her original 60 horsepower (45kW) two-cylinder steam engine, which is fuelled with dried llama dung.
The ships were built in "knock down" form; that is, they were assembled with bolts and nuts at the shipyard, dismantled into thousands of parts small enough to transport, and shipped to their destination to be assembled with rivets and launched on the lake. The kits for the two ships consisted of a total 2,766 pieces between them. Each piece was no more than what a mule could carry because the railway from the Pacific Ocean port of Arica went only 40 miles (64km), as far as Tacna. From there pack mules had to carry them the remaining 220 miles (350 km) to Puno on the lake.
The original British contractor got the parts to Tacna but failed to complete the section of the journey with mules. This was not resumed until 1868 and YAPURA was not launched until 1873. The War of the Pacific of 1879–83 impoverished the Peruvian government, so in 1890 UK investors established the Peruvian Corporation, which took over the operation of Peru's railways and lake ships. In 1975, Peru nationalized the corporation and YAVARI and YAPURA passed to the state railway company ENAFER. In 1976, they have transferred back to the Peruvian Navy, which converted YAPURA into a hospital ship and renamed her BAP PUNA.

BAP PUNO (ABH-306) is now (in 2023) used by the Peruvian Coastguard Service as Lake Titicaca is bordered by Bolivia and Peru. The ship is captained by Navy Lieutenant Cristian Espinoza who visits the islands and peninsulas of the lake to bring supplies and medical services. She is one of the oldest operational iron-hulled ships in the world and is the oldest first-line military ship.

Sources: Article courtesy of David Hogg; Wikipedia; Meriel Larken, The Ship, The Lady, and the Lake; https://www.peruyavariexpedition.com/au ... xpedition/

Sources: Downloaded from Watercraft Philately Nov/Dec 2022 Vol 69:03 page 33/36 Wikipedia https://yavari.org/history/