The Lake Steamers - Pre 1900

Since pre-history until today, the Lake people have fished or navigated Lake Titicaca using totora reed boats. In the 16th century wooden sailing boats were introduced by the Spanish and in the 19th century came the introduction of the iron steamship. First the YAVARI (launched 1870) followed by the YAPURA in 1873.

In 1892, The Peruvian Corporation commissioned the COYA Built by Denny’s of Dumbarton.
Length: 170ft (51.82metres).
Beam: 26ft (7.93 metres).
Gross tonnage: 546 tons.

COYA was run aground in the floods of 1984 and subsequently left high and dry when the waters receded. Rescued in 2001, the COYA has undergone a workover and is now operating as a restaurant.

< Yapura in 1998 - renamed BAP Puno by the Peruvian Navy, she now operates as a hospital ship serving lake-side communities.

Yapura c1950  >

< Coya, beached in Puno Bay, prior to restoration. 
Picture courtesy of South American Pictures.

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