Botik of Peter the Great

The Botik of Peter the Great, which is also known under the name of St. Nicholas, is a boat, which was rediscovered in 1688 by Peter the Great on the royal estate Izmaylovo. It was renovated by Karshten Brandt, and Peter learned to sail it. First it was stored in the Kremlin of Moscow and later exhibited in St. Petersburg. The boat was taken to the time of the Soviet Union in the Central Museum of the naval fleet, where it is still visible today.

Construction

The Botik (Russian for small boat ) was built in the 1640s either in England or English according to construction plans by Danes in Russia. The boat was originally owned by the grandfather of Peter the Great, and was according to other sources 1580 a gift of Elizabeth I of England to Ivan the Terrible.

The single-masted boat is 7 m long and 2 m wide. It has a shallow draft and four miniature cannons. It was controlled via a connected to the tiller. Unlike Russian boats this time you could cross with him against the wind.