 Wilhelm Carpelan in Keilaniemi bay, Espoo, in February 2009 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Finland | |
| Name |
|
| Namesake | Wilhelm Carpelan |
| Owner | Finnish Navy |
| Builder | Kone- ja Siltarakennus Oy (Helsinki,Finland)[1] |
| Commissioned | 1915[1] |
| Decommissioned | 1977[2] |
| Fate | Sold to private owner[2] |
 Finland | |
| Name | Wilhelm Carpelan |
| Owner |
|
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics (as transport boat)[1][2] | |
| Class & type | Von Fersen class transport boat |
| Displacement | 20 tons |
| Length | 18.5 m (60 ft 8 in) |
| Beam | 4.2 m (13 ft 9 in) |
| Draft | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| Installed power | 80 hp, later 180 hp |
| Speed | 10, later 12 knots (19–22 km/h; 12–14 mph) |
| Capacity |
|
| Complement | 2+2 |
| Armament | Onemachine gun |
Wilhelm Carpelan is a formerVon Fersen-class transport boat. Built in 1915 for theImperial Russian Navy, she was used as a transport boat and later a minesweeper by theFinnish Navy until 1977. After decommissioning, she was sold to private ownership and used as apleasure boat. In 2013,Wilhelm Carpelan was donated to the collections ofForum Marinum, the maritime museum inTurku,Finland.
As a transport boat,Wilhelm Carpelan had a length of 18.5 metres (60 ft 8 in), beam of 4.2 metres (13 ft 9 in), draft of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in), anddisplacement of about 20 tons.[Note 1] Initially equipped with an 80 hp (60 kW) petrol engine that gave her a speed of about 10knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), she was later fitted with a more powerful 180 hp (130 kW) engine that increased her speed to about 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).[1][2]
The vessel, crewed by twonon-commissioned officers and twoseamen, could carry about 4–5 tons of cargo or 40–50 passengers in the small cabin and open aftdeck. Later her aftship was covered and she was fitted with an enclosedpilothouse. She was armed with onemachine gun.[1][2]
Wilhelm Carpelan was one of the four transport boats built by Kone- ja Siltarakennus Oy inHelsinki in 1915 for the Imperial Russian Navy. Initially built under the nameS1 Shrapnell, she was seized by the newly founded Finnish Navy and renamed afterWilhelm Carpelan. The other boats of the class wereAugustin Ehrensvärd,Axel von Fersen, andFabian Wrede. TheVon Fersen-class transport boats were sometimes referred to as theEhrensvärd class.[1][2]
Wilhelm Carpelan served as a transport vessel in the Finnishcoastal artillery in the Helsinki region before theSecond World War. After the war, the vessel was converted into aminesweeper operating in theGulf of Finland. Afterwards, she was again used as a transport vessel in the coastal artillery. Over the years, the vessel was rebuilt a number of times, and whenWilhelm Carpelan was decommissioned and sold in 1977, there were barely any of the original steel plates left in her hull.[1][2]
Piloting captains have praised the seaworthiness of the small vessels, although they have also been called "submarines" due to their shape and their tendency to have waves crashing over their decks. Passengers were also said to appreciate the stability and safe travel of the vessels.[2]
On 11 November 1977,Wilhelm Carpelan was sold inTurku to Vilho Suominen, who restored the vessel to its former condition. Since the vessel was sold without an engine, she was fitted with aValmet 815Ddiesel engine producing 180 hp.[2]
Wilhelm Carpelan changed hands again on 30 April 1982, when she was purchased by animatorAntti Peränne fromEspoo. The interior of the vessel was then rebuilt and the cabin walls were panelled withpalisander acquired from the SwedishsteamshipAchilleus that was beingbroken up inHamina. She was also fitted with a hydraulic tilting mast in order to fit under the bridges ofLänsiväylä.[2] After rebuilding, she was registered as a pleasure boat and included in the classic ship registry of theFinnish National Board of Antiquities in 1995.[3] Peränne took great care of his historic vessel, for which he received a grant of 7,000euro from the Finnish National Board of Antiquities in 2011, until his death in 2012.[4][5]
For several years,Wilhelm Carpelan was usually seen anchored in Keilalahti, Espoo, next to theNokia head office.[2] In the past, the employees of the office had jokingly referred to the vessel as a spy boat of the Swedish telecommunications companyEricsson.[6] In an online interview,Stephen Elop, the CEO ofNokia, said that when he enquired about the green vessel moored year-round in front of the office, he was told that it was a "Motorola spy ship".[7][8]
The vessel was donated to Forum Marinum, the maritime museum located by theAura River in the city of Turku, in the spring of 2013.[9]
60°26′09″N22°14′09″E / 60.435833°N 22.235788°E /60.435833; 22.235788