#tallships – While lathes are turning in Washington State, dozens of riggers have begun working on the standing rigging that will faithfully support the three masts of SSV Oliver Hazard Perry. The 200-foot square-rigged Tall Ship is Rhode Island's official Sailing Education Vessel, the largest of its kind to have been built in this country in the last 100 years. The ship's hull is at Senesco Marine in Quonset, Rhode Island; its wooden spars are being turned and shaped at The Spar Shop at Grays Harbor Historical Seaport in Aberdeen, Washington; and the rigging is taking shape in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where many of the state's renowned marine trades companies are headquartered. And although these vital components are spread about in different locations at the moment, this Spring they will come together in Portsmouth, R.I. to comprise one very large, very impressive and exceptionally appointed Class A Tall Ship.

"The Perry is a modern, steel-hulled ocean-going civilian sail training vessel, with a 13 ½ story rig and 20 sails (made by Hood Sails in Middletown, R.I.) with 14,000 sq. ft. of sail area," says the ship's Captain Richard Bailey, a Wellfleet, Mass. native greatly respected for his previous Tall Ship commands and his knowledge of maritime traditions, education and their combined relevance in the modern world. "Her design is based on centuries-old tradition, but her equipment is anything but antiquated."

In addition to her three decks, modern galley and Great Cabin (where captains, in days of yore, entertained), the Perry sports, among other things, high-end navigation and communication systems, a state-of-the-art science lab (designed under the guidance of the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography), and wheelchair accessibility (including accessible below deck staterooms, heads and a wheelchair lift). The Great Cabin will be used less for entertaining and more for education in its capacity as a classroom outfitted with monitors displaying real-time navigation and meteorological data. The other classroom space will house laptop computers (donated by Intel), interactive SMART boards (donated by Shanix Technologies, Inc.) and a well-stocked library.

"Belowdecks, she is really not like any other Tall Ship that is sailing out there today," says Bailey, who notably ran "HMS" Rose for 20 years before it was bought by Hollywood producers for the movie Master and Commander. "Above deck, however, she is a completely traditional Tall Ship, and in that respect there are many artisans who will have had a hand in contributing to her character."

(Left) The SSV Oliver Hazard Perry's lower masts (shown from below decks as they were temporarily stepped last July) are made of steel, as is its hull; however, her three top masts and 16 additional yards, booms and gaffs will be of Douglas fir and made by The Spar Shop at Grays Harbor Seaport . 

Among those are Alan Richrod and his crew at The Spar Shop, which is said to have the largest spar lathe in North America, if not the world. By press time they will have completed 11 of the 19 spars ordered by OHPRI, including the mizzen, main mast and royals for each; fore top mast and gallant; mizzen gaff; boom; and jib boom.

According to Richrod, the jib boom required the largest piece of wood in terms of board feet (53 feet long and 16 ½ inches in diameter before shaping), and the largest of the yards being made is the main course yard (lowest on the main mast); it is currently 12,000 pounds (weight before water evaporation) and was cut from a 65 foot log that only weeks ago was a tree standing in a forest.

"In all, the spars we are making for the ship weigh more than 35 and 1/2 tons and total 25,182 board feet—that's enough to build a house of over 3700 square feet!" said Richrod.

Richrod explained that, in keeping with the Perry's commitment to reducing its ecological footprint, The Spar Shop's wood comes from a private tree farm in Rainier, Ore. where, rather than harvesting by clear-cutting the trees, the owner (whose great grandfather bought the property in 1918) only thins and replants.

"He cuts what we need with his son and one other guy," said Richrod, who has been a woodworker since he was a child. "This is a neat project, and we're excited about being a part of it. It's in keeping with our own maritime tradition and the education component here at Grays Harbor Historical Seaport."

Richrod estimates the masts and yards will be delivered cross-country to Newport in late April.

Riggers have come in from all over the country to work on SSV Oliver Hazard Perry's six miles of traditional rigging for this modern ship. Currently, the team of 18 is in the pre-assembly stage, working out of New England Boatworks to put the wire rigging through the "worm, parcel and serve" process, which is used in traditional style rigging to waterproof and prevent rusting over time. Once the mast is ready, the team of riggers will step it and rig the lower terminals so that the mast can be held in place while the yards are added and the rigging is completed. The process for this stage of the rigging will take approximately six weeks.

Clean and Green

By the nature of sailing itself, the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry will be energy efficient, powered by the wind whenever possible. To reduce its energy footprint further, the ship's diesel engines and generators will run on biodiesel (supplied by Newport BioDiesel), and ultra-high capability Ensolve separators will cleanse oily waste water down to 2-15 ppm using naturally occurring microbes. On board, the focus will be on sustainable living: conserving water, minimizing trash and reducing food waste. Trash will be separated and all plastics taken ashore for recycling, while black water will be treated in an onboard waste water treatment plant.

"It is expected that with all these ecologically responsible practices in place, along with first-hand experiences of the fragility of ocean life, a sense of pride, stewardship and passion for the marine environment will be instilled in our shipmates," said Richard Bailey, the Captain of the ship.

First Season Close to Home
Though it is to be certified by the U.S. Coast Guard to carry 49 people on overnight voyages anywhere in the world, SSV Oliver Hazard Perry will spend its first summer close to home. After an annual fundraising gala on July 5 in Newport, R.I., the ship plans to join the Cape Cod Canal Centennial Celebrations July 28-30, and in August, she will travel along the coast of New England, visiting the historically rich ports of Nantucket, Boston, Portsmouth, N.H. and Greenport, N.Y. during her one-week camp sessions for teens. In September, the ship will journey to Baltimore for Bicentennial Celebrations of the Star Spangled Banner and then to Bermuda and Portland during one-week voyages featuring Celestial Navigation and Meteorology Courses in partnership with Ocean Navigator Magazine.

#SailBessie – A fantastic opportunity to sail on a voyage to Drogheda to coincide with the maritime festival, is to see the 1904 built West Country trading ketch, Bessie Ellen set forth from Scotland on 7 June, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 110 year-old lady, Bessie Ellen, will take in a seven-day voyage involving stunning scenery and famous landmarks along the way between the embarkation port in Oban and the mountains of Mull, Jura and Islay.

There may even be an en-route port of call to Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man, which could include a visit to a quirky port and an anchorage offshore to a secluded place you may not have heard of.

Bessie Ellen will then head for the second Drogheda Maritime Festival (13,14 and 15 June) as previously reported and where in total five tall ships are expected to gather.

If this whets your appetite to take a classic journey under sail and a chance to realise an ambition to step back in time on board a timber-built trading vessel then the Bessie Ellen is for you. She is only one of three surviving West Country ketches from more than 600 built as cargo-carrying vessels trading in the Irish Sea and northern Europe.

Interestingly, in recent years she has carried commercial wine-cargoes as she still holds a licence for present day small cargo-handling.

For example the French-owned Fair Wind Wine had chartered the vessel Bessie Ellen during the final Dublin Docklands Maritime Festival in 2010 for public wine-tasting! See below photo of the ketch during that festive occasion.

Also attending the what would become the final Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) organised festival was the French 'gabre' or trading vessel, Notre Dame de Romengol, a somewhat trawler-like looking craft.

So if you are interested in traditional sailing vessels offering sailing holiday voyages for 12 people and you have a zest for 'hands on' adventure why not become a crew member of Bessie Ellen.

West Country ketch Bessie Ellen during the final DDDA Docklands Maritime Festival in 2010. Photo Jehan Ashmore

With that in mind, the final leg will be from the mouth of the Boyne and heading upriver to be greeted at the Louth port as part of the Drogheda Maritime Festival. For further details and on prices, visit Classic Sailing's website HERE and above to hear her owner, Nikki Alford talk about her sailing holidays.

In addition to further updates on the Maritime Festival posted on Drogheda Port Company website.

#StenaTALLship – Stavros S. Niarchos a brig operating for Tall Ships Youth Trust departed Dublin Port this afternoon, having berthed at Sir John Rogersons Quay, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 197ft brig which was the largest built in Britain for over a century was launched in 2000 from the Appledore Shipyard in North Devon.

She arrived to Dublin Port having made a passage on 30 March from Liverpool from where she spent a winter lay-up in the Canning Half Tide Dock.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, she is one of more than 130 vessels managed by Clydebank based Northern Marine Management, a part of the Stena Group.

Over the years she has visited Irish ports to where she is not the only vessel in port to fly the Stena houseflag, notably at ferryports such as Dun Laoghaire Harbour with its fast-craft HSS Stena Explorer operating to Holyhead which is to resume service on 9 April.

In the meantime, tonight marks Stena Line's first ever direct Ireland-continental sailing as the former Celtic Link Ferries ro-pax, Celtic Horizon sets sail this evening at 21.30 on the Rosslare-Cherbourg route.

It is understood that the 940 passenger capacity ferry will be renamed next week the Stena Horizon.

#tallshipsireland – Just over a week to go until the gathering of those involved in the Sail Training adventure that was the 25 metre ketch Polaris/Pride of Galway writes Fiacc OBrolchain. Trainees, crew, volunteers and skippers have been coming out of the woodwork as contacts have been renewed for what was, in retrospect, the golden age of Sail Training in Ireland.

Money was tight but there were more berths available to those interested with Asgard II, Polaris/Pride of Galway and the Yachtmaster training vessel Tir na nOg, not to mention the great work being done by Glenans.

There will be great retelling of voyages, Tall Ships events and the struggle to fund the programme on Thursday 3rd March

Ben Garvey will be along on the way to spread the ashes of his farther Brian who made the whole adventure possible with the huge effort put in by himself and his wife Sue.

Further information from Fiacc OBrolchain 087 6699729 [email protected]. April in the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club from 2000.174 words pic attached

#Asgard - Round-the-world yachtsman Pat Murphy will give a special presentation later this month on what's perhaps the most famous yacht in Irish history, the Asgard.

All are welcome to the talk at 6.30pm on 31 March at Donaghmede Library in North Dublin, at which Murphy will recount the story of the gun-running vessel's 23-day secret voyage to land munitions for the Irish Volunteers in 1914. Early booking is advised - contact the library at 01 848 2833 or [email protected]

The talk precedes a centennial sail-in this summer to mark the pivotal date in Irish history when the original Asgard, owned and skippered by Erskine Childers, landed at Howth.

On Sunday 27 July 2014 - 100 years and a day after Childers' yacht delivered its cargo to the Irish Volunteers in their fight for home rule - a flotilla of boats comprising vessels from the period and more modern yachts will assemble outside Howth Harbour from 1.30pm.

The recreation of the landing is scheduled for 2.30pm, followed by the official presentation of the restored Asgard to the National Museum of Ireland, where it is currently on display at Collins Barracks; and a community picnic.

The day is being organised by a voluntary group, many of whom were involved in the rigging of the restored vessel, and will be celebrated with pier-side entertainment for all the family.

#TallShips - For a number of years in the early 1990s, Ireland was the beneficiary of a gift of the use of a 25-metre ketch, Polaris, as a sail training vessel.  

This programme was highly successful, and under the name Pride of Galway the ketch took part in various Tall Ships events, along with providing much needed sail training berth for young people in Ireland.

In early April, Ben Garvey - whose family owned Polaris - will visit Ireland and it is proposed that there will be a get-together in Dublin for all those who were involved in this exiting programme.

For further information contact Fiacc Ó Brolchain at [email protected].

#tallships – The perpetual 'Asgard II Award' for outstanding achievement are among a range of awards to be presented at the Tall Ships Ireland annual prizegiving this Saturday (January 25th) at the Mansion House on Dawson Street, Dublin 2. 

There will also be Trainee and Watch-leader of the Year awards made plus details of the latest initiative to provide opportunity for 100 Dublin youths to sail on the Tall Ships in 2014.

In addition a schedule of Tall Ships visits to The Irish Sea and Dublin Port this Summer will be published.

The Drogheda Maritime Festival will return in June 2014. Drogheda Borough Council and Drogheda Port Company have confirmed that the festival will go ahead next year after a successful first staging in 2013 when thousands of spectators viewed and visited the Tall Ships in Drogheda as well as enjoying a weekend of maritime-themed fun.

The intentions are that the Festival in June 2014 will become a flagship event for the town, attracting not only local people but creating a major tourism boost in Drogheda, highlighting the town's maritime culture and tradition.

In May of this year Drogheda Port Company opened its gates to the public for the first time as the Tall Ships made their way in full sail up along the Boyne into Drogheda Port. Spectators gathered not only along the Port but also at vantage points along the river, from Baltray to Mornington.

Current plans for the Drogheda Maritime Festival 2014 include the arrival of a range of tall ships, traditional gaffers and something very special indeed to be announced at a later date, in addition to a whole range of maritime quayside activities.

Speaking on the confirmation of the Drogheda Maritime Festival for 2014, Mayor Richie Culhane said "I am absolutely thrilled that there will be a Drogheda Maritime Festival next year. The arrival of the Tall Ships into Drogheda last May was a tremendous sight to behold.

"There was a fantastic atmosphere and thousands of people descended on the Port to take a look around the Ships while a number of our younger Drogheda citizens had the invaluable opportunity to travel over on a training ship. The Journey was an extremely eventful one and they all arrived back in to Port with a fantastic experience under their belts and an adventure to remember for the rest of their lives. Hopefully this is an experience that more of our young people can experience in the lead-up to next year's Festival."

Mary T Daly, Senior Executive Officer, Drogheda Borough Council, confirmed that the local authority will be lending major support to the Festival.

"The Maritime Festival and visit of the Tall Ships earlier this year was organised at very short notice but even so was a tremendous success and we in Drogheda Borough Council all saw the value in making such an event a primary feature in the town calendar.

"We have been working hard with our partners at Drogheda Port Company and are now in the process of booking five Tall Ships to arrive in Drogheda from June 13-15, 2014."

Nessa Lally, Corporate Administrator, Drogheda Port Company also expressed her delight at the return of the Drogheda Maritime Festival.
"It's a very busy working Port here in Drogheda so it was something completely different for us earlier this year to open up the Port and welcome the Tall Ships and be a part of the first Maritime
Festival in Drogheda.
"It was a relatively last minute event and was a very steep learning curve as we worked along with Drogheda Borough Council to make the Port safely accessible to the public but, without a doubt it was well worth it, and that's why we are more than happy to be involved with a bigger and better Drogheda Maritime Festival in June 2014."

"We are happy to announce that once again there will be a bursary programme in place supported by Drogheda Port, Sail Training Ireland and local industry to provide an opportunity for the young people of the area to sail on a tall ship from the UK to Drogheda. Details on this will be circulated at a later date. There will also be an opportunity to the public to avail of these unique voyages."
With the aim of making the Drogheda Maritime Festival the best possible event, with huge potential for the town , Drogheda Borough Council will be going to tender in the coming week for Event Management Services for the Drogheda Maritime Festival.

#Astrid - The West Cork Times reports that the wreck of the tall ship Astrid is to be transported to Cork Harbour for scrapping.

Last week the Dutch training brig was recovered from her final resting place on rocks at the mouth of Kinsale Harbour using specialist lifting equipment brought over from the UK.

Though the hull of the 95-year-old ship was in remarkably good condition after she grounded close to the Sovereign Islands, it was decided early on that the severity of the damage she sustained would render her repair and restoration unlikely.

All 30 crew on board Astrid were brought to safety in a major rescue operation on 24 July last when the sail training vessel was blown onto rocks in high wind and quickly took on water.

In the weeks after the incident, items including the ship's bell and compass were recovered from the wreck by divers after they were initially thought to have been stolen in a night-time raid.