Hi Captain Ted. Its something emblematic and with a lot of symbolism for the Basque maritime industry, as they explained me there and its in the ALBAOLA webpage : ..." Built in Pasaia, the San Juan whaling ship is an example of the first transoceanic ships that set sail from the Basque Country to Newfoundland. It reflects the splendour and worldwide domination of the Basque maritime industry" in XVI century...
I guess if they had found the wrecks of another ship from that period instead of the San Juan, well another ship replica would be built and not the San Juan...
Anayway its really interesting and the shipyard looks beautiful with all that bunch of oak timbers just in front of the main gate.

http://www.albaola.com/en/site/shared-history

About Guyana...well what can I say...jejeje as you comment for the sailors type " elbow all port on the bar" a paradaise....El Dorado...jeje.
MBregards
ventuari

Hi PHA. The wood its oak. I'll link you to the ALBAOLA site and most exactly to the material used ( in this case wood ) with a lot of explanations and photos.:

http://www.albaola.com/en/site/selecting-and-felling-the-oak-trees

Interesting. Thanks for your comments.
MBregards.
ventuari

@ ventuari: What kind of wood? Any info welcome. Tks in advance. Regards Peter

Hi Ventuari
You still can have such things today there,,not much changed in that country.
btw, why the San Juan I mean she existed only a few years, was not involved in spme special voyage beside that she also crossed the Atlantic and so on,,,just because its a general type and the name San Juan "makes" more ?

btw,,they have along the Demerara River some of the best rums of the world !!!! at my time (1987-97) about 3-4 $ a bottle,, BOOZERS paradise !!!!!!

Hi Captain Ted. Agree with all your comments and specially "no change in the process and no different in the way it is done now then a few hundred years back" and by the way, I remember in Demerara River in our way up the river to Linden ( to load bulk bauxite ) around 1985-86, that what you commented. A funny story about one of those trips up river to Linden...about 0330 in a close dark night we loose steering and the ship smoothly hits the river mud wall at fore port...suddenly we heard a loud and long - lasting noise...Well the port anchor free fall down with more than one chain shackel...in the back yard garden of a house really close to the river. The pilot went nuts, yelling, and so on...what a situation.
Thanks for your comments.
MBregards.
ventuari

I was in 1998 in Gotenborg, Sweden and visited at that time the construction site for the 17th ? century Gotenborg, which sank after one round trip to far East at the entrance to her home port. I was a thrilling experience to see how this old ships were build. I was also in the beginning of the 90,s in Guyana (former british guyana) and saw how they builde there snapper fishing boats, no change in the process and no different in the way it is done now then a few hundred years back

Hi Clyde. Exactly. Totally agree with your words about. A lot of craftsmanship indeed. Really interesting visit. Thanks for your comments.
MBregards.
ventuari

I can understand your childlike enjoyment. All that timber and craftsmanship. And history!

And an excellent link too.