The largest wooden ship ever built was the Preußen, a 6-masted barque launched in 1902. At 425 feet long and with a width of 57.5 feet, it was also the longest wooden sailing vessel ever constructed, as well as one of the heaviest at 3,785 tons. The six masts were composed of 14 sails that stretched 36,970 square feet! Preußen was designed to carry cargo across the Atlantic and around Cape Horn for the Hamburg-Amerika Line until its decommission in 1922.
The Preußen was equipped with a variety of different features that allowed it to travel the oceans safely. These included two screw propellers in the stern and two furling booms for attaching sails. It also boasted an array of radar and other communication systems, as well as navigational equipment, to help guide its course across the open seas. The ship also had a crew of 266 men working in shifts around the clock to ensure smooth operation at all times. Onboard amenities included a library, gym, barber shop, and chapel which helped make life on board a bit more comfortable for the sailors who called it home.
