The Mighty Windjammer Preussen — Animation From Mariner’s Mirror Podcast

Here is an animation from a Mariner’s Mirror podcast about perhaps the greatest windjammer of the early twentieth century, the Preussen. One of the Flying P-Liners, built for the F. Laeisz shipping company in 1902, she was the only five-masted … Continue reading

The Rail Gun is Dead, Hypersonic Missiles Latest High Tech Weapon For Navy Ships

For more than a decade the Navy has labored to develop a workable rail gun, a futuristic weapon that fires projectiles at up to seven times the speed of sound using electricity. It failed.  The Washington Post quotes Matthew Caris, … Continue reading

Cranes Ordered to Help Refloat Container Ship Ever Given Blocking Suez Canal

Tugs and dredgers have been making some progress in refloated the stranded ultra-large container ship, Ever Given, that has blocked traffic in the Suez Canal since last Tuesday.  The next best hope of freeing the stranded ship will come on … Continue reading

Rotor Sails – Fixed, Rolling and Tilting

Sail-assist propulsion on commercial ships is developing rapidly, featuring a range of technologies including rotor sails, rigid wing sails, ventilated turbo sails, and even conventional fabric sails. One thing that all these rigs have in common, however, is that when … Continue reading

Hoisting the Christmas Tree to the Masthead on the Joseph Conrad at Mystic Seaport

Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate the holiday. Here is a short video of the rigging crew of Matt Otto, Nick Canzellarini and Alex Peacock at Mystic Seaport Museum installing one of the many mast-top Christmas trees atop the … Continue reading

Des Pawson at his Museum of Knots and Sailors’ Ropework in Ipswich

Here is a wonderful short video by Classic Sailor of Des Pawson at his Museum of Knots and Sailors’ Ropework in Ipswich. Now in his seventies, Des is cataloging the contents of the museum for safekeeping curation at Chatham Historic … Continue reading

Clipper Ship Cutty Sark 150th Anniversary — A Year-Long Celebration

In February 1869, one hundred and fifty years ago, construction of the composite clipper ship Cutty Sark began on the banks of the River Clyde for the Jock Willis Shipping Line. The clipper ship sailed on its first voyage a … Continue reading

Guest Post by Robin Denny: The Five-Masted Full-Rigged Ship Preussen

We recently posted about the five-masted full-rigged cruise ship Royal Clipper, a modern sailing ship designed as an homage to the great five-masted windjammer Preussen. We are very pleased to have a guest post about the mighty windjammer by Robin Denny:  With the Peking now … Continue reading

Vendee Globe, Volvo Ocean, & AC 2021– Are Foiling Monos the Future of Yacht Racing?

Almost two years ago, we raised the question — Are the new foiling Open 60 monohulls “the future of ocean racing or [are they] a foil too far?” The results of the Vendee Globe around-the-world, single-handed race last January may have … Continue reading

Report on Clipper Round the World Race Deaths Released

The Clipper Round the World Race is a race around the world held every two years sailed with a professional captain and paying amateur crews. In nine races starting in 1996, the contests were sailed without loss of life. That tragically changed … Continue reading

On the 100th Anniversary — Jellicoe & the Battle of Jutland

The Battle of Jutland, which was fought 100 years ago today, was one of the greatest modern sea battles and arguably, changed the course of World War I.  In the battle, 250 ships, manned by 10,000 sailors fought for 12 … Continue reading

Friday Evening at the Sultana Downrigging Weekend, Chestertown, MD

A beautiful Friday evening at the Sultana Downrigging Weekend in Chestertown, MD. The schooner Sultana, launched in Chestertown, Maryland, in 2001, serves as an educational vessel for schoolchildren as it travels around the Chesapeake Bay. Now in its fifteenth year, … Continue reading