This is a list of the world's longest wooden ships. The vessels are sorted by ship length including bowsprit, if known.
Finding the world's longest wooden ship is not straightforward since there are several contenders, depending on which definitions are used. For example, some of these ships benefited from substantial iron or even steel components since the flexing of wood members can lead to significant leaking as the wood members become longer. Some of these ships were not very seaworthy, and a few sank either immediately after launch or soon thereafter. Some of the more recent large ships were never able or intended to leave their berths, and function as floating museums. Finally, not all of the claims to the title of the world's longest wooden ship are credible or verifiable.
A further problem is that especially wooden ships have more than one "length". The most used measure in length for registering a ship is the "length of the topmost deck"—the "length on deck" (LOD)—'measured from leading edge of stem post to trailing edge of stern post on deck level' or the "length between perpendiculars" (LPP, LBP)—'measured from leading edge of stem post to trailing edge of stern post in the construction waterline (CWL)'. In this method of measuring bowsprit including jibboom and out-board part of spanker boom if any have both no effect on the ship's length. The longest length for comparing ships, the total "overall" length (LOA) based on sparred length, should be given if known.
The longest wooden ship ever built, the six-masted New England gaff schooner Wyoming, had a "total length" of (measured from tip of jibboom (30 metres) to tip of spanker boom (27 metres) and a "length on deck" of . The -difference is due to her extremely long jibboom of her out-board length being .
Longest known wooden ships
Over 100 meters (328 feet) Length Beam Name Service FateNotes15.3 m(50 ft 1 in) 1909–1924sunkThis ship had a tendency to flex in heavy seas, causing the planks to twist and buckle due to their extreme length despite being fitted with metal bracing. Water was evacuated nearly constantly by steam pumps. It foundered in heavy seas with loss of all hands.35 m(116 ft) 1878–1931scuttledA paddle steamer used to ferry passengers and trains across the Carquinez Strait between Benicia and Port Costa, California. At the time of its construction, it was the largest ferryboat ever built. Unlike its later sister, the Contra Costa which had a steel hull, the wooden-hulled Solano had tall masts in the center of mass ("hogposts") anchoring several wires ("guys") that strengthened the hull against the weight of the trains.Trimble, P.C. & Knorp, W. (2007) Ferries of San Francisco Bay. Arcadia Publishing, 127 pp. The ferries were scuttled after the completion of the Benicia-Martinez railroad bridge.22.2 m(72.8 ft) (later Rochambeau)1865–1874broken up 1874Ironclad built in New York City, originally intended for the United States Navy during the American Civil War, but eventually sold to the French Navy. About of her length was a ram. She was not particularly stable or seaworthy and only made one oceanic voyage to reach her new owners.15.4 m(50 ft) Columbus1824–1825sunkFirst timber ship or disposable ship with a four-masted barque rigging. Built in Quebec to avoid taxes on timber, her cargo and components were intended to be sold after the ship's arrival in London; however, the owner had only the cargo sold and ordered the ship back for a second voyage with a timber cargo; the ship broke apart and sunk in the English Channel.108 m (354 ft)15.4 m (50 ft) Adriatic1857–1885beached and abandoned in 1885SS Adriatic was the largest passenger ship in the world when she was launched. She displaced 5,233 tons at her design draft of 20 feet (6.1 m). Her hull was constructed of live and white oak, reinforced with iron strapping 5 inches (13 cm) wide and .875 inches (2.22 cm) thick. It was divided into eight watertight compartments, with bulkheads 6 inches (15 cm) thick between them. She was built for the Collins Line, but only did one roundtrip before that firm failed, partly because of Adriatic's high cost.15.2 m(50 ft) 1900–1919sunkSix-masted schooner with hull measuring 323.5 feet and 347 feet including the bowsprit, that foundered off Ireland on December 26, 1919.13.4 m (44 ft) 1900–1905sunkA barge built for use on the Great Lakes. To strengthen the wooden frame and hull, steel keelson plates, chords, and arches were included, and was also diagonally strapped with steel. A donkey engine powered a pump to keep the interior dry.Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks: Pretoria University of Wisconsin–Madison Sea Grant Institute and Wisconsin Historical Society, 2003.16.2 m(53 ft) (later Denmark)1853–1872sunkThe largest wooden clipper ship ever built. It used iron bolts and was reinforced with steel, including ninety 4x1-inch cross braces, and metal keelsons.Great Republic, A Sailor (presumed to be Duncan McLean), Eastburn's Press, Boston, 1853. The MIT Museum noted that "With this behemoth, McKay had pushed wooden ship construction to its practical limits."MIT Museum's Hart Nautical Collection Portrays the Romance and Reality of Clipper Ships: The Clipper Ship Era, A Fever for Gold, Speed, and Profit 1843–1869, September 30, 2004 – July 10, 2005; More on the history of the clipper ship: Remarkable Achievements, MIT Museum article. The ship was abandoned leaking after encountering a hurricane near Bermuda.18.3 m(60 ft) 1858–1871, 1858–1875 respectivelybroken upSister British warships that suffered structural problems due to their length despite having internal iron strapping to support the hull.17.7 m(58 ft 1 in) 1878–1909scrappedThe largest ironclad of the French Navy's Mediterranean Squadron. It saw action at the French conquest of Tunisia15 m (later Kommandør Svend Foyn)1874–1891sunkLargest wooden cargo ship ever built in Canada. It passed to Norwegian ownership in 1883 and was converted into a barge in 1891. Sank while under tow at Dakar.17.4 m(57 ft 1 in) 1873–1911scrappedA wooden-hulled central battery ironclad that served in the French Navy's Mediterranean Squadron.17.4 m(57 ft 1 in) 1877–1909scrappedLead ship of the ironclads and part of the French Navy's Mediterranean Squadron. It saw action at the French conquest of Tunisia.
100–90 meters (328–295 feet) Length Beam Name Service FateNotes6 m(50 ft 1 in) Belyana type ships16th–20th centurydisassembledBelyanas were Russian freshwater ships used for log driving on the Volga and Vetluga rivers. Their bottom was made from fir and sidings from pine and featured a complement of 60 to 80 workers. The largest Belyanas could transport up to of logs all stacked on their deck in the form of an inverted pyramid.15.0 m(46 ft) 1899–1918sunkA schooner-barge on the Great Lakes, towed by until 1905 and then the steamer John F. Morrow until 1918.Santiago, Great Lakes Shipwrecks, ©1999–2007, David D. Swayze, Lake Isabella, MI, retrieved August 16, 2007.15.2 m(50 ft) 1908–1925sunkSix-masted schooner sunk in 1925 after fire while moored off Portland, Maine.15.0 m(49 ft) 1892–1905burned, then sunkA huge four-masted barque with skysails of a total length of and . In 1905 she was under the command of Captain Jabez A. Amesbury when she caught fire while loading at the anchorage of Noumea and burned to the waterline. This ship used iron bolts and steel reinforcements.http://www.bruzelius.info/Nautica/Ships/Fourmast_ships/Roanoke(1892).html. 12.8 m(42 ft) 1896–1905run aground and sunkA Great Lakes steamship capable of carrying 3,000 tons of bulk cargo. Built with metallic cross bracing, keelson plates, and multiple arches because of her extreme length. Several syphons and steam-driven pumps were required to keep her afloat. Towed the steamer barge Santiago.Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks: Appomattox University of Wisconsin–Madison Sea Grant Institute and Wisconsin Historical Society, 2003.10495.1 m21.03 mCaligula's giant shipreused as foundation of lighthouseTraces of this Roman barge were found during the construction of Leonardo da Vinci International Airport at Fiumicino, Italy, just north of the ancient port of Ostia. According to Pliny, this or a similar ship was used to transport the obelisk in St. Peter's Square from Egypt on the orders of Emperor Caligula.The World's Largest Ship, And a Tale of Two Ports , Alan Lucas, AFLOAT, October 2006.12 m(41 ft) 1893–1898wreckedA lake freighter that sank on Lake Michigan with the loss of all hands. Her wreck was located in 2010.12 m(41 ft) 1891–1905sunkA lake freighter that sank on September 2, 1905, on Lake Superior with the loss of all hands.unknown 1871–1905decommissionedA steam-propelled yacht for personal use of the Russian Imperial Family in the Baltic Sea.18.6 m(61 ft) 1825stranded and broken apartThis unseaworthy"She left Quebec Augt. 23rd & filled with water 650 Miles from land, drew . & had . water in her Hold, was waterlogged & went ashore in 3 pieces 24th Octr: near Calais." (Baron Renfrew Timber Ship (Timber Drogher) 1825, Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. R9266-3280 Peter Winkworth Collection of Canadiana). British ship was a disposable ship. Created to avoid taxes on timber, she was built of components intended to be sold after the ship's arrival from Quebec to London. The ship stranded on the Goodwin Sands and broke apart while being towed with a pilot aboard. Parts of her timber were found on the French coast. The ship had 5,294 GRT and an overall length of 362 ft (110 metres).13.0 m(42.5 ft) 1892–1919burnedA steam screw operating on the Great Lakes, it required an innovative iron and steel-reinforced hull to be a viable vessel.Service History, Frank O'Connor article, Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks website, Wisconsin Historical Society and University of Wisconsin–Madison Sea Grant.17.1 m(56 ft 5) 1865–1923sold for scrapA Royal Navy central battery ironclad. It served in the Channel Fleet and North America.15.0 m(49 ft) Shenandoah1890–1915accidentally rammed and sunkAnother huge four-masted barque of the fleet of Arthur Sewell & Co. of Bath, Maine, with double top-sails, single topgallant sails, royal and sky sails of a total length of and 3,406.78 GRT. It was rammed by the steamer Powhattan near Fire Island, Long Island, New York in 1915.23.7 m(78 ft) 1890–1957museum shipA steamboat with twin, 27-foot paddlewheels that carried railcars, cars and passengers across San Francisco Bay. Currently a National Historic Landmark at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and the longest wooden ship that is still afloat.13 m(42 ft) Haian Yuyuen1872–?1873–1885(respectively)hulked and scrappedsunk(respectively)Twin steam-powered frigates of the Imperial Chinese Navy, and the largest vessels built in China until the 1930s. Yuyuen was sunk in action during the Sino-French War; Haian survived, but was hulked after being used as a blockship in the same war, and was scrapped years later.
89–80 meters (291–262 feet) Length Beam Name Service FateNotes17.3 m(56 ft 9 in) Sagunto(also Amadeo I)1869–1896hulked and broken upDesigned as a 100-gun screw-propelled frigate but turned into an armored frigate during construction. The hull was wooden but fully covered by iron plates. Turned into a hulk in 1887.87 m (284 ft)13 m