Fourth (and last in this series) of 19th Century Danzig Icebreakers.
Ferse (now Wierzyca river) was built in 1884 at Danziger Schiffswerft & Kesselschmiede F.Devrient & Co. It s 30,6m long and has displacement of 75t. Until 1920 it was used by Königlich Preussische Weichsel-Strombauverwaltung (Royal Prussian Wisła Water-engineering Administration), and afterwards was transferred to relevant agency of Freie Stadt Danzig (Free City of Gdańsk). In 1940 it was renamed Marder (Marten) and in 1945 participated in evacuation of German population of Gdańsk, during which it sailed to Kiel and Hamburg, where it was taken over by British occupation authorities, which used it until 1947. Then it was transferred to Polish Państwowy Zarząd Wodny (State Waterways Administration) at Tczew and renamed Kuna (which is Polish word for Marten). The ship served in the lower Wisła area for nearly two more decades and was retired in 1965. Year later all equipment and superstructures were removed awaiting disposal, and in 1970s hull was towed ot Gorzów Wielkopolski and used as pontoon. In 1981 it sunk and remained submerged until 2000 when group of enthusiasts (Stowarzyszenie Wodniaków Gorzowskich 'Kuna'), after acquiring necessary permits, gathering funds etc. raised it and, over the next 6 years, gradually rebuilt (although not with original steam engine, but with 165hp internal combustion engine SW-680). Currently Kuna is a functioning museum ship and used for short cruises along the river. It is the oldest preserved riverine icebreaker in the World.
Germany, Ferse
Poland, Kuna (1958)
Poland, Kuna (2012)