12-Meter Heritage in Newport

12 Meter Heritage in Newport, photo by Willie Waw.

Heritage, recognizable by her bright topsides, was built by Charley Morgan for the 1970 America's Cup. Since she wasn't selected to defend the cup, she was later converted into an ocean racer.

During the 70s and 80s, she won many races on the East Coast and in the Great Lakes, including two Chicago to Mackinac races.

Link here to learn more about sailing aboard Heritage and other vessels in Newport.

Continental Sloop Providence

Continental Sloop Providence, photo by Willie Waw.

The Sloop Providence crew make final preparations for their departure for Cleveland via New York City, Albany, and Oswego.

They will spend most of the summer with youth aboard touring the Great Lakes in the American Sail Training Association's Tall Ships Challenge Series with visits to Cleveland, Bay City, Green Bay and Chicago.

The mast has been removed for the trip through the New York Barge Canal and will be re-stepped in Oswego on Lake Ontario.

During her short but distinguished naval career during the Revolution, the original sloop sank or captured 40 British ships.

For more info, visit the Sloop Providence website.

Castle Hill Light

Castle Hill Light, photo by Willie Waw.

Castle Hill Lighthouse at the entrance of the East Passage into Narragansett Bay was built in 1890. Castle Hill Inn shows in the background of this shot taken from the brigantine Fritha.

To learn the history of the lighthouse, link here.

Brigantine Fritha will operate out of Newport and will soon be available for charter.

Castle Hill Inn in Newport

Castle Hill Inn in Newport, photo by Willie Waw.

Castle Hill Inn is a beautifully-restored mansion with guest rooms and a restaurant off Ocean Drive in Newport.

Learn more about the inn here.

Arabella in Newport

Arabella in Newport, photo by Willie Waw.

Three-masted schooner Arabella just arrived from the Caribbean for the summer season. You can charter her or join in scheduled cruises to Maine or Long Island for a wine tour.

Some years back, Arabella was rebuilt and lengthened (like a stretch limo) here in Newport and is very well-appointed.

Visit the Arabella web site to learn more or to book a cruise.

Tree of Life in Newport

Tree of Life in Newport, photo by Willie Waw.

Schooner Tree of Life was designed by Ted Brewer and built in Nova Scotia by Covey Island Boatworks.

The owners, along with a competent captain and experienced young crew, recently completed a two-year circumnavigation aboard the schooner.

Read their ships logs and view photos here.

Tall Ships in Vancouver

Tall Ships in Vancouver, photo by Willie Waw.

Barque Cuauhtemoc from the Navy of Mexico (left) and schooner Bill of Rights from the Los Angeles Maritime Institute prepare to dock for the Tall Ships Challenge series visit to Vancouver in 2005. Note the Vancouver city skyline beyond the Bill of Rights.

If you are looking for a sailing vessel to use for sail training or passenger work, the Bill of Rights is for sale. Visit the LAMI website to make contact.

Fritha and Morning Glory

Fritha and Morning Glory, photo by Willie Waw.

Hasso Plattner's Max Z 86 Morning Glory practicing for the Centennial (2006) Newport to Bermuda race which starts on Friday -- June 16th. Morning Glory was designed by Reichel Pugh and launched in Australia in 2003.

The photo was taken from the beautiful brigantine Fritha now operating out of Newport under the house flag of the Northeast Maritime Institute. It is not too late to sign up to sail aboard the Fritha for a wine and cheese cruise from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm this Saturday, June 17th in Newport as part of the annual ASTA fundraiser. Link to the ASTA website for details.

Elcano in Cadiz

Elcano in Cadiz, photo by Willie Waw.

4-masted topsail schooner Juan Sebastian de Elcano is the sail training vessel for the Navy of Spain. She is based in Cadiz and is shown here starting the Tall Ships 2000 race to Bermuda.

The ship was named for the Basque navigator who completed the first circumnavigation of the world in 1522. He was master of the Concepcion in Magellan's fleet. When Magellan died in the Phillipines, Elcano continued the expedition, arriving in Spain aboard the last of the 5 original ships.

For some great photos of the Elcano, link here.

Lord Nelson and Kruzenshtern

Lord Nelson and Kruzenshtern, photo by Willie Waw.

Barque Lord Nelson and barque Kruzenshtern are joined by many spectator craft as they start the Tall Ships 2000 race from Cadiz, Spain to Bermuda.

The Lord Nelson carries able-bodied trainees as well as people with physical disabilities. Link to the Jubilee Sailing Trust web site for more information.

Kruzenshtern in Cadiz

Kruzenshtern in Cadiz, photo by Willie Waw.

The 4-masted barque Kruzenshtern was launched in 1927 as the Padua and is the last of the famous Flying P liners still sailing. She is a sister ship to the Peking which is at South Street Seaport in New York.

The 376-foot sailing ship operates as a sail training vessel for the Baltic State Fisheries Academy in Kaliningrad, Russia, and also carries up to 40 adventure travelers.

The Kruzenshtern is currently rounding the Cape of Good Hope en route to Capetown and has nearly completed a circumnavigation -- link here to see her location and here to learn more about sailing aboard this magnificent ship.

Roald Amundsen and Gorch Fock

Roald Amundsen and Gorch Fock, photo by Willie Waw.

Brig Roald Amundsen, a member vessel of the Sail Training Association of Germany, and barque Gorch Fock (II), the sail training ship for the Navy of Germany, start the race from Cadiz, Spain to Bermuda in 2000.

Gorch Fock will be coming to Newport, RI next summer for Tall Ships Rhode Island 2007.

The Roald Amundersen offers trips in the Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic for those interested in tall ships sailing. Link here for more about the Roald Amundsen.

For those in the Great Lakes, a number of sailing ships are preparing to sail to the lakes for the Tall Ships Challenge Series which will start with a parade of sail in Cleveland on July 12th. Pride of Baltimore II and Picton Castle will come to the Great Lakes via the St. Lawrence Seaway. Sloop Providence can either go through the seaway or the New York Barge Canal.

Maximus and Orange II in Newport

Maximus and Orange II in Newport, photo by Willie Waw.

Up-to-date news for a change!

Supermaxi Maximus and G-class catamaran Orange II are at Newport Shipyard preparing for their next adventures.

98-foot Maximus will be racing in the Centennial Newport to Bermuda Race which starts on June 16th. The race is 635 nautical miles in length and is quite tricky due to currents, varying winds and the Gulf Stream. Maximus is listed in the demonstration division.

Link here for more on Maximus and here for information on the Bermuda Race.

The 119-foot catamaran Orange II is making final preparations for an attempt on the transatlantic record from New York to England. They will be trying to beat the record of Steve Fossett and company who made the 2876 nautical-mile run in an amazing 4 days, 17 hours, 28 minutes and 6 seconds -- at an average speed of 25.78 knots!

Link here to go to the Orange Sailing Team website.

Sunfish World Championship

Sunfish World Championship, photo by Willie Waw.

A large fleet of Sunfish heads for the leeward mark in the 25th World Championship in Bermuda back in 1994 -- 67 competitors raced and 35 advanced to the finals. The top three were Malcolm Smith from Bermuda, Eduardo Cordero from Venezuela and Paul-Jon Patin from the US.

This championship was hosted by the Spanish Point Boat Club in Hamilton Harbour. Twenty-nine matched boats can be seen in this shot.

Link to Vanguard Sailboats for more information on the Sunfish and all their other great sailboats.