Standart (yacht)
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The Russian Imperial Yacht Standart was the largest of several Imperial Yachts serving the Emperors of Russia. After the Russian Revolution the ship served the Navy of the Soviet Union as a minelayer and played a significant role in the defence of Leningrad during World War II.
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[edit] History
The Imperial Yacht Standart (Штандартъ) was built by order of Tsar Alexander III, and constructed at the Danish shipyard of Burmeister & Wain, beginning in 1893. She was launched on 21 March 1895 and came into service early September 1896.
Standart was outfitted with ornate fixtures, including mahogany paneling, crystal chandeliers, and other amenities that made the vessel a suitable floating palace for the Russian Imperial Family. The ship was manned and operated by a crew from the Russian Imperial Navy. During the reign of Nicholas II, Standart was commanded by a naval Captain, although the official commander was a Rear Admiral.
In 1907, Standart ran aground on an uncharted rock off the Finnish coast. Although damaged, the ship did not sink and was repaired and soon returned to service. The Russian Imperial Family was vacationing on the Standart during the Summer of 1914, when they received the news of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, in Sarajevo. With the outbreak of World War I, Standart was placed in drydock.
The Standart was the inspiration for a 1909 Faberge egg of the same name.
After the fall of the Romanov Dynasty, Standart was stripped down and pressed into naval service. The ship was renamed Vosemnadtsate Martza, and later Marti. In 1936, Marti was converted into a minelayer at Leningrad. During the Second World War, Marti served in the Baltic, laying mines and bombarding shore positions along the coast. On 23 September 1941, Marti was damaged in an air attack at Kronstadt, but later repaired and continued service until the end of the war.
After the war, Marti was converted into a training ship and renamed Oka. She continued serving in that role until she was scrapped at Tallinn, Estonia, in 1963.
[edit] Statistics
- Displacement: 5557 tons
- Length: 370 feet (112,8 meter) between perpendiculars
- Length Overall: 401 feet
- Width: 50 feet 8 inches (15,8 meter)
- Depth: 20 feet (6 meter)
- Maximum Speed: 21.18 knots
[edit] Previous Imperial Yachts
- Alexandria
- Livadia
- Polyarnaya Zvezda (Polar Star - Полярная Звезда)
