Tour A Tall Ship

NORTH AMERICA - East Coast 

Tall Ships to Tour in North America

USS Constitution "Old Ironsides"

Tour the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat at Charlestown Navy Yard in Massachusetts. Christened in 1797, this warship was a critical part of the early history of the United States, including extensive action during the War of 1812.

USS Constellation

The USS Constellation is the last all sail warship built by the US Navy. She is also the last US Civil War era vessel still afloat and is open to the public as a museum in Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

Peking

A four-masted barque with its mainmast rising to a height of 170 feet, the Peking is one of the largest sailing vessels ever built and is said to be the largest preserved by a museum (New York's South Street Seaport Museum).

Wavertree

Built in 1885, the Wavertree is the largest full-rigged sailing ship built of wrought iron still afloat. She is also berthed at the South Street Seaport Museum.

HMS Bounty

This ship was built by MGM studios in 1960 for the filming of Mutiny on the Bounty using the drawings of the original ship built over 200 years ago. She is currently sailing the Galapagos and then back to the US Gulf Coast. Please check the website for ports of call and tour information. In 2005 HMS Bounty took part in the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean II.

Charles W. Morgan

Built in 1841, the Charles W. Morgan is said to be the world's last remaining wooden whaling ship. It is a designated National Historic Landmark and is berthed at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut.

Elissa

Elissa is an iron hulled barque built in 1877 that transported cargo around the world for over 90 years. She continues to sail annually in the Gulf of Mexico and is berthed at the Texas Seaport Museum in Galveston, Texas.

Friendship

The original Friendship was built in 1797. The three masted "East Indiaman" made 15 voyages around the world before being captured by the British sloop of war HMS Rosamond during the War of 1812. This replica of the Friendship was completed in 1998 and is part of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site in Salem, MA.

US Brig Niagara

The original Niagara was built in 1813 during the War of 1812. Under the command of Commodore Perry, she was a key part of the American victory over the British in the Battle of Lake Erie. This replica was built in 1988 and includes some of the timbers from the original ship. She serves as a Sailing School Vessel during the summer but can be toured at the Erie Maritime Museum the rest of the year. Thanks to fellow lensmaster, Theresa, for sending me this link.

S/V Denis Sullivan

The Denis Sullivan is a reproduction of a 19th century Great Lakes three masted cargo schooner. She is "Wisconsin's Flagship" and serves as an educational and nautical training vessel, promoting the state's rich maritime heritage. She is available for tours and day sails in her home port of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Mayflower II

This replica of the original Mayflower that carried the Pilgrims to the New World in 1620 was built in England in 1955 as close to the original ship's design as possible. The Mayflower II recreated that famous voyage across the Atlantic in 1957. She is available for tour at the Plimoth Plantation museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

NORTH AMERICA - West Coast 

More Tall Ships to Tour in North America

HMS Rose (aka HMS Surprise)

This ship played the role of HMS Surprise in the Oscar winning movie Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World. She is docked in San Diego, CA, at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

Star of India

Built in 1863, this barque was originally a full-rigged ship until converted in 1901. She still sets sail at least once a year, is one of the world's oldest active ships and part of the Maritime Museum of San Diego

Californian

This replica of the 1847 Revenue Cutter C.W. Lawrence was built at San Diego in 1984. She is the official tall ship of the State of California. When not out sailing her annual tour of the California coast, she can be found in San Diego.

Balclutha

The Balclutha first set sail in 1887. She has the distiction of being the last vessel to fly the flag of the Hawaiian Kingdom and is now a National Historic Landmark. The National Park Service acquired her in 1978 and she is part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park.

EUROPE 

Tall Ships to Tour in Europe

HMS Victory

The Victory is most famous for serving as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar. Launched in 1765 and still serving as the flagship of the Second Sea Lord, this ship carries a formidable 100 guns and is the world's oldest commissioned warship. When not performing official functions, she is open to the public at No2 Dry Dock at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth, UK.

HMS Warrior

This ship, built in 1860, was Great Britain's first iron hulled, armored battleship and used both sail and steam power. She is now berthed at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, UK.

SV Glenlee

Built in Glasgow in 1896, the Glenlee is a three masted, steel hulled barque that originally served as a bulk cargo carrier before being purchased by the Spanish navy for use as a sail training vessel. She is now back home in Glasgow Harbour and is "One of the cheapest days out in Glasgow".

Seute Deern

This wooden barque was built in 1919 and is one of the original exhibits at the German Maritime Museum (Deutsches Schiffahrtsmuseum - DSM) in Bremerhaven, Germany.

Cutty Sark

One of the world's most famous ships and last of the tea clippers. She is open to the public in Greenwich, UK. UPDATE: There was a major fire aboard the Cutty Sark on May 21, 2007. Please visit the ship's website if you are interested in donating to its rebuilding fund.

Dunbrody

Built in 1845, the original Dunbrody was a three masted barque that is most well known for carrying emigrants from Ireland to the US and Canada during the Irish Famine from 1845 to 1851. This sea-going replica was completed in 2001 and is open to the public in New Ross, Ireland. Visitors to the museum can also access a database of emigrant information.

Pommern

The Pommern is a 4 masted barque built in 1903 that sailed the globe as a cargo ship until the outbreak of WWII. She is open for tours from May to September in the town of Mariehamn, Åland Islands, Finland.

HMS Trincomalee

Launched in 1817, the Trincomalee is a Leda class frigate that was built in Bombay out of teak due to a shortage of oak in England. She served the Royal Navy throughout the 19th century. Restoration was completed in 2001 and the ship is now available to tour in Hartlepool, England.

Vasa

At the time of her launch in 1628, the Swedish Vasa was the mightiest warship in the world with 64 guns. Unfortunately, she sank on her maiden voyage in Stockholm harbor. In 1961, the Vasa was salvaged intact from a depth of 30m and is now the centerpiece of the Vasa museum in Stockholm, Sweden.

SS Great Britain

Built in 1843 by IK Brunel, the Great Britain is the world's first iron hulled, steam powered ocean going ship and was 100ft longer than any ship in the world at the time. Equipped with 4 masts, she served as a passenger liner, troop transport, windjammer and coal ship. She has been restored and is a permanent exhibit in Bristol, England.

Schulschiff Deutschland

The three masted Schulschiff Deutschland was launched in 1927 and served as a merchant training ship. She is open for tours and overnight stays at her berth in Bremen-Vegesack, Germany. Note: The web site is in German only.

HMS Gannet

Launched in 1878, this Royal Navy sloop was powered by both sail and steam. She served in the Pacific Ocean, Mediterranean and Red Seas. You can tour her at The Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, England.

AUSTRALIA 

Tall Ships to Tour in Australia

HMB Endeavour

A replica of Captain James Cook's famous ship is berthed at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour, Sydney.

James Craig

This barque was built in 1874 and rounded Cape Horn 23 times during her career. A 20 year long restoration project was completed in 2001. In addition to daily guided tours, her frequent weekend cruises are also open to the public and small groups. The James Craig is berthed at Wharf 7, Pyrmont, NSW.

ASIA 

Tall Ships to Tour in Asia

Nippon-Maru

This four masted vessel was built in 1930 and served as a training vessel. She is now berthed at Yokohama, Japan.

SOUTH AMERICA 

Tall Ships to Tour in South America

President Sarmiento

This frigate, launched in 1897, was present at the coronations of King Edward VII of Great Britain, King Alfonso XII of Spain and King George V of Great Britain. She also attended the 100th Anniversary of Mexico's Independence and the opening of the Panama Canal. She was decommissioned from her training ship duties in 1961 and is now on exhibit in Buenos Aries, Argentina.

Tall Ships Is Our Middle Name 

The Tall Ships web ring and other sites...

Tall Ships [ Join Now | Ring Hub | Random | << Prev | Next >> ]

Tall Ship Tracking Map

This very cool website maps the location of several tall ships as they sail across the globe using weather and ham radio reports. It also provides the ability to plot each ship's course over time.

Traditional Boats & Tall Ships magazine

A tall ship focused magazine published in the UK. Their site is full of information, links and photos.

The American Sail Training Association (ASTA)

A nonprofit organization focused on youth education, leadership development and the preservation of the maritime heritage of North America. This organization also organizes the annual TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® race series.

Sail A Tall Ship

For those who want more than just a tour in port, here is a guide to ships around the world that you can actually sail as a trainee. Many of these ships are also available for charter cruises.

Privateers in the American Revolution

An informative article on privateering and its role in the American Revolution.

The Glamorous Six Masters

This site contains info and photos of the six and seven masted schooners built in the US during the early 1900s.

The Model Shipyard

Designers and builders of the STEPHENS & KENAU(TM) range of museum quality Historic Sailing Ship Models. Check out the site, the pics of these models are amazing. Each model takes between 400 and 950 man-hours to build.

Races and Events 

Tall Ships' Races

Each summer, Sail Training International organizes a series of races in Europe that includes 70 to 100 vessels from all over the globe.

Tall Ships Bermuda

Bermuda is one of the stops on the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009 race around the Atlantic (the first since 2000) and will host a tall ships festival in Hamilton from June 11-15, 2009. The festival will also help celebrate Bermuda's 400 years of permanent settlement.

Charleston Harborfest

Charleston is one of two US ports hosting the tall ships of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009 race during its Harborfest celebration from June 26-29, 2009. You'll be able to tour the ships, take a free sailing lesson and check out the aerobatic flight demonstration.

Sail Boston 2009

Boston is another port on the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009 race and hosts the tall ships from July 8-13, 2009. The festival kicks off on July 8 with the Grand Parade of Sail as vessels parade in flotillas into the main channel of Boston Harbor, along the Boston waterfront, turning at Charlestown, before proceeding to their assigned berthing areas.

Museums With Tall Ships 

South Street Seaport Museum

Manhattan, New York, USA

Maritime Museum of San Diego

San Diego, California, USA

German Maritime Museum

Bremerhaven, Germany

Mystic Seaport

Mystic, Connecticut, USA

San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park

San Francisco, California, USA

Yokohama Maritime Museum

Yokohama, Japan

New Zealand National Maritime Museum

Viaduct Harbour, Auckland, New Zealand

Texas Seaport Museum

Galveston, Texas, USA

Erie Maritime Museum

Erie, Pennsylvania, USA