A Head of Steam Poillon yard on the Gowanus Creek in Brooklyn , New York, she was first registered on March 23 , 1880. Her official dimensions are: Length 86', Beam 21.l', Depth 8.6', Tonnage Net 66.58, Gross 70.08. Built of oak , pine, and mahogany with copper and iron fastenin gs, she was intended for many years of hard service. The Bayard was proba bly designed by William Townsend, the foreman of the yard. Townsend also designed the schooner Sapph o, the first to defend the America's Cup. So there was good reason for Henry Vird e n of Lewes , Delaware , her first owner, to come all the way to New York to have his schooner built. Between 1880 and 1898 the Bayard sailed for the Pilots of the Bay and River Delaware. On J anyary 11 , 1898 she was sold to The Alaska Transport, Trading and Mining Co. After refitting she sailed for San Francisco, arriving on July 18, 1898, after a passage of 166 days with a stop in Valparaiso , Chile. From there she carried people and supplies to the Alaska gold fields. In 1907 she was sold to Canadian owners and eventually became the first permanent lightship on the west coast of Canada . Upon being retired from service she was purchased by J. Park Mackenzie who has been working on her restoration for many years and to whom her survival
WHITEHEAD SHIP-CARVING
IN HONOLULU Jack Whitehead has finished carving the figurehead for the Falls of Clyde, and the stern carvings are nearing completion. "Work on the ship is going well and ... with this perfect climate we can work outside at all times of the year," he writes. He'll return to England when his work is finished, in about one year.
is solely due. Now Mr. Mackenzie, due to poor health , is unable to continue the fight to keep this lone survivor afloat. What is needed is the will, the people and the money to keep the Thomas F. Bayard from becoming another piece of history lost forever. Inquiries and offers of help may be made to the writer c/ o The National Society in Brooklyn. JOHN A. FRIEMAN
Th e 94Jool brig Unicorn, exLe nsively rebuilt by rhe late William W. Smith of Philadelphia, no w sails for th e Unicorn Maritim e In stitute in Florida, a nonpro.f/r organization de voted to '¡sail training/ or S couting and all A 111e rican y outh. " Information may be hadji¡o111 Charles Lawton, Director of the In stitute, 3105 W. Wate rs A ve nue, Tampa, FA 33614.
By Frank 0. Braynard Partly due to the lasting pleasure left by Opsail '76 (and riow its minisuccessor, Harbor Festival '77), but mostly due to a conviction that there can never be enough occasions on which ships are the main theme, we have decided to create an ocean liner celebration that will do for steamships what Opsail did for sailing vessels. To that end, Opliner '79 has just been incorporated on a non-profit, taxexempt basis (as was Opsail '76, one of the few Bicentennial projects to end up in the black, with over $300,000 going to the National Historic Trust marine division to be devoted to sail trainin g and ship preservation). Notification has now gone out to liner owners worldwide, seeking their participation in this Parade of Steam , which, incidentally , will be led by several of the original tall ships of Opsail , to stress the connection of shipping past and present. The current date for Opliner is the weekend of July 4, 1979, but, as many liner services have already set their '79 sailing schedules, it may have to be moved up to 1980, which would tie in with the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid , and the Summer Olympics in Moscow. Although Opliner '79 itself may ultimately be moved up to 1980, there will be small-scale versions scheduled for both '78 and '79, to iron out any problems in coordinating the land packages, m1111-cruises, berthing of many vessels simultaneously, etc. These will undoubtedly be planned for the July 4th weekends, to maintain the Bicentennial-initiated tradition of Independence Day maritime celebrations. It is hoped that Federal, State and City funding will again cover the biggest expenses, but we have always relied heavily on volunteers to organize these events, not just because they are unsalaried, but because they often bring expertise acquired in their daily jobs, or other volunteer work, that would be prohibitively expensive if we had to hire them. We will accept gratefully any time a volunteer can give, even a few hours a week. The Port Authority has authorized us new offices through 1979 at 5 World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048, and we look forward to hearing from you in writing or by phone (212-466-1998) , for whatever help you can give.
FRANK 0. BRA YNARD, general manager of Operation Sail 1976, is now director of the New York Harbor Festival.
SEA HISTORY, SUMMER 1977
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