Many years ago, I had the good fortune to sail with a volunteer crew of Patrick O’Brian aficionados from New York to Bermuda on the replica frigate HMS Rose. Despite being rather short on wind, it was a memorable voyage. The ship went on to play the HMS Surprise in the 2003 movie, Master and Commander: Far Side of the World. She also appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Following the movies, the ship was donated to the Maritime Museum of San Diego, where she kept the name — HMS Surprise.

In 2020, Rose/Surprise will be a half-century old and in need of a refit. The museum’s goal will be to replank the entire starboard side of the ship’s hull and to restore her weather decks. Here is a short video about the restoration project.