Amerigo Vespucci training ship

Not infrequently, in the waters of the Portoferraio harbor, it is possible to see the jewel of the Italian Navy, the training ship Amerigo Vespucci.

The motorized sailing ship, unique in its kind, was launched in 1931 at the Castellammare di Stabia (NA) shipyards. It is 101 meters long and 21 meters wide, including the lifeboats attached to the sides. It is a three-masted ship, measuring 50 meters (foremast), 54 meters (mainmast), and 43 meters (mizzenmast), with a net tonnage of 1,202.57 tons.

It is used for the training of Naval Academy cadets, along with the smaller sister ships Palinuro and Ebe.

There was also a sister ship, the Cristoforo Colombo, which was given to Russia after the war as compensation for damages and later dismantled. The ship, mostly made of steel with a large amount of wood, has 4 rudders and a sail area of 2,635 square meters with 24 square sails and natural fiber sails.

It is a sailing ship that keeps traditions alive, with sails made of olona canvas, ropes made of plant material, and all maneuvers strictly carried out by hand; every command on board is given by the captain, through the boatswain, with a whistle; the embarkation and disembarkation of an officer is done with honors at the boat landing depending on the rank of the guest.

The crew consists of 16 officers, 72 petty officers, and 190 non-commissioned officers and sailors. In the summer months, it also embarks first-year cadets from the Naval Academy of Livorno, bringing the total to around 480 people.