Tall Ships 2015

By land: Views of the tall ships in Portland Harbor

The ships are making their appearance Saturday with the parade of sail.


By sea: Taking in the tall ships from the water

Photos from staff photographer Gregory Rec aboard the Picton Castle and Carl Walsh on a Casco Bay ferry.


By air: Aerial views of the Parade of Sail

Staff Photographer Shawn Patrick Ouellette captured these images while flying over the ships as they made their way into Portland Harbor.



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    Picton Castle

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    Vessel Type: Barque
    Flag: Cook Islands
    Homeport: Avatiu, Cook Islands (North American
    Homeport: Lunenburg, NS)
    Age: Built in 1928
    Tours: Yes
    Sparred Length: 179’
    Draft: 14’ 6”
    Beam: 23’
    Rig Height: 97’
    Freeboard: 7’
    Sail Area: 12,450 square feet
    Power: 690 HP diesel
    Hull: steel
    Her Story The Picton Castle is based in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and is known for her voyages around the world. In this past decade, the Picton Castle has made six complete circumnavigations around the world. Throughout her voyages, she has educated and introduced more than 1,000 people to the unique challenges and rewards of square-rigged sailing. In 2006, Picton Castle won the “Sail Training Program of the Year” award through Tall Ships America.
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    Eagle

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    Vessel Type: Barque
    Flag: USA
    Homeport: New London, CT
    Age: Built in the 1930s
    Tours: Yes
    Sparred Length: 295’
    Draft: 17’
    Beam: 39’
    Rig Height: 147’
    Freeboard: 13’
    Sail Area: 22,000 square feet
    Power: 1,000 HP diesel Caterpillar D399 engine
    Hull: riveted steel
    Her Story The Eagle was one of the five ships built for sail training in the 1930’s in Germany. Eagle was included in reparations paid to the United States following World War II and the Coast Guard took her over as a training ship. Cadets have had the chance to practice navigation, engineering, and other skills while aboard the Eagle.
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    Lynx

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    Vessel Type: Square Topsail Schooner
    Flag: USA
    Homeport: Portsmouth, NH
    Age: Launched in 2001
    Tours: Yes
    Sparred Length: 122’
    Draft: 9’
    Beam: 23’
    Rig Height: 94’
    Freeboard: 5’
    Sail Area: 4,669 square feet
    Power: Cat 3306B – 290 HP
    Hull: wood
    Her Story The Lynx, a Square Topsail Schooner was designed and built to interpret the general configuration and operation of a privateer schooner or naval schooner from the War of 1812. The Lynx was one of the first ships to defend American freedom. Dedicated to all those who cherish the blessings of America, Lynx sails as a living history museum, providing inspiration and resolve at this time in our nation’s history. The Lynx crew members wear period uniforms and operate the ship in keeping with the maritime traditions of early 19th century America to complement the Ship’s historic character.
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    Bowdoin

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    Vessel Type: Schooner
    Flag: USA
    Homeport: Castine, ME
    Age: Built in 1921
    Tours: No
    Sparred Length: 100’
    Draft: 10’
    Beam: 20’
    Rig Height: 70’
    Freeboard: 4’
    Sail Area: 2,000 square feet
    Power: 190 HP diesel
    Hull: wood
    Her Story The schooner Bowdoin ( the official sailing vessel of Maine) is the flagship of the Maine Maritime Academy sail training fleet. Built in 1921 for exploring Arctic waters, she is one of the strongest wooden vessels ever constructed. Today, Bowdoin serves the students of MMA, the State of Maine, and New England. Since 1988, Bowdoin has returned to the Arctic three times with MMA students, continuing the tradition of Admiral MacMillan in carrying young people to the northern latitudes.
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    El Galeón Andalucía

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    Vessel Type: Galleon
    Flag: SPAIN
    Homeport: Sevilla, Spain
    Age: Launched in 2009
    Tours: Yes
    Sparred Length: 10’ 6”
    Draft: 9’
    Beam: 33’
    Rig Height: 121’
    Sail Area: 10,010 square feet
    Power: 2×380 HP
    Hull: fiberglass
    Her Story The Galeón Andalucía is a replica of a 16th-17th century galleon, the only one in the world that sails in present days. These ships were used by the Spanish Crown for maritime expeditions during the 16th through the 18th centuries. Galleons were intended to discover and then establish trade routes between Spain, America and the Philippines islands, and formed what was then called the “Fleet of the Indies.” It took three years to research the main historical and maritime archives in Spain and compile all necessary information so that this replica could be built.
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    Tree of Life

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    Vessel Type: Gaff Rigged Schooner
    Flag: USA
    Homeport: Newport, RI
    Age: Launched in 1991
    Tours: No
    Sparred Length: 91’
    Draft: 8’ 5”
    Beam: 18’ 6”
    Rig Height: 85’
    Freeboard: 4’ 6”
    Sail Area: 4,850 square feet
    Power: 210 HP Cummins Diesel
    Hull: composite
    Her Story The schooner Tree of Life, launched in 1991, was built in Nova Scotia, Canada. She sleeps 12 in three cabins and the fo’c’sle. Her hull is a composite of strip planked clear fir and Kevlar saturated in epoxy and sheathed in fiberglass. The Tree of Life sailed out of Newport in October 2002 on a three-year circumnavigation. In 2003, Tree of Life spent five months in Auckland, New Zealand via Bora Bora, the Southern Cooks and Fiji for the America’s Cup. Tree of Life, at home in Newport Harbor, now sails throughout New England waters.
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    Alert

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    Vessel Type: Gaff rigged Schooner
    Flag: USA
    Homeport: Bailey Island
    Age: Launched in 1992
    Tours: Yes
    Sparred Length: 70’
    Draft: 6.5’
    Beam: 14’
    Rig Height: 60’
    Freeboard: 4’ 6”
    Sail Area: 1866 square feet
    Power: North East Ford 135
    Hull: wood
    Her Story In 1992 Schooner Alert was launched and christened Tall Cotton. She was designed and built by Paul Rollins in York, Maine. She was bought by a fisherman named Roger Woodman in 2006, who changed her name to Alert and fitted her out for commercial ground fishing and research in Portland. In 2013, Alert was sold to captains Perry Davis and Bethany McNelly-Davis.They converted Alert to a commercial passenger carrying vessel. In September 2013 Alert was awarded a certificate of inspection by the United States Coast Guard to carry 28 passengers. Currently Schooner Alert Windjammer Cruises, based in Harpswell, collaborates with schools to offer a tall ship sailing experience.
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    Oliver Hazard Perry

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    Vessel Type: Full Rigged Ship
    Flag: USA
    Homeport: Newport, RI
    Age: Launched in 2013
    Tours: Yes
    Sparred Length: 200’
    Draft: 13’
    Beam: 30’ 6”
    Rig Height: 130’
    Sail Area: 14,000 square feet
    Power: Twin Caterpillar diesel
    Hull: steel
    Her Story: Oliver Hazard Perry is the first ocean-going full-rigged ship to be built in the U.S. in 110 years and is named for the young Rhode Island hero of the Battle of Lake Erie. Schools and colleges craft their own custom programs of varying education and duration on the ship. Adult programs are offered directly through the ship’s office and with our partners at Ocean Navigator/ Professional Mariner Magazines. The ship has been designed to serve both the able and disabled.