STS Pogoria is a Polish barquentine launched in 1980. She was designed by the naval architect Zygmunt Choreń as the first in a series of (18 total) middle and large-size contemporary sailing vessels.
History
Pogoria had been designed (Zygmunt Choreń) for the explicit purpose of training and education of young (from 14 years of age) students in the high seas environment. It has classroom facilities and its rigging can be manually worked by male or female crew of the junior high school age. It has also proved to be highly seaworthy, sailing throughout its history all (including Antarctic) seas in often heavy conditions. In addition, it is highly competitive in races, routinely ranking at top places during the tall ship race events.
Pogoria had been launched from Gdańsk Shipyard Jan 23 1980. Its main use is – as designed – education and training. Most crew rotations consist of junior and high school students in 1- to 8-week-long tours. The usual complement is ~6 professional officers and 40 students and volunteer teachers. The ship running duties (regular watches etc.) are being wholly filled by the youth crew, in addition to their regular school coursework. The fees are kept close to nominal level.
2000 an accident at a competition
On 30 July 2000, at the last stage of the Tall Ships Race 2000, which took place on the route Halifax (Canada) - Amsterdam (Netherlands), trainee Joanna Zerlinski fell from a 25-meter mast. There was no doctor on the Pogoria. From numerous fractures and blood loss, the girl fell into a state of shock. None of the nearby vessels responded to the request for help. The captain of the Pogoria turned to the captain of the Russian sailing ship Krusenstern, who was in the lead in the regatta and was the furthest away. The Krusenstern waited for the Pogoria, and at night, during a storm, the victim was lowered from the Pogoria into a boat from the Krusenstern and taken to a Russian ship. The Krusenstern doctor gave her first aid. The Krusenstern returned to the shores of Canada, where a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter evacuated the victim to land, where Canadian doctors cured Zerlinski.
On 7 July 2009, two of the masts on Pogoria broke at welded joints while the ship was en route to St Petersburg, Russia. The 37 youths on board were airlifted off the ship by two helicopters of the Finnish Border Guard's Aviation Unit. The ship was towed into Hanko as her engines were disabled in the incident.[3]