Pride dances away into the sunlight under a cloud of canvas. She's on the West Coast trip to which Captain Elsaesser was lookingforward when he wrote these pages . Eager hands, at left , became a disciplined, hardy crew in this long-distance deepwater voyaging. Here they' re about to send a yard aloft.
and exhil aration of the sea li fe. Important , too, is the body of info m1ation we are gradually gathering on the handling and performance of this li vely, fragile, nineteenth-century sailing machine . We are learnin g some of the ad vantages and di sadvantages of natural fiber materi als, the specifics of a traditional rig, and the consummate skill and vigil ance required to safely sail this extreme schooner. An acti ve vessel inspires her crew and is constantl y and properl y looked after. She will escape the ravages of the envi ronment which are so destructi ve to static vessels. There is a pride of association and serv ice which will never be fe lt fo r an inactive ship. A sailing vessel generates continuing interest in her schedule and operations . The capti vating profil e of Pride under full sail is seen th roughout the city as a constant vis ual reminder to the people of Baltimore of the ir schooner. She stimulates much local media coverage as well as numerous stories, articles and photographs at her many ports of call , reaching people beyond counting. On a broader scale, it is estimated that half a million people have actually boarded Pride to appreciate a workin g vessel and to admire an impress ive ri g and a level of crafts manship rare ly seen today. In some cases, cost may be a significant factor. It might cost less to build than to resurrect. Also, expenses may be offset SEA HI STORY , AUTUMN 1986
by the carriage of cargo, sail trai nees or passengers, souvenir sales (substantial in the case of Pride), rentals for receptions and o ther events, and movie or adverti sing contracts, all without compromi sing the integrity of the ship . Is such a program feasible fo r other communities?-Emphatically, yes ! But the fo llowin g g uide lines sho uld be con s idered : • A large vessel may be more dramatic, but ultimately it is not des irable . Costs are simply too great. It seems that lOOft, more or less, length on deck is a manageable size. Moreover, this size encompasses the majority of distinctive regio nal types which , until the earl y nineteenth-century, tended to be relatively sma ll vessels. • The ship should be historicall y significant to the area; perhaps a small whaling o r fi shing vessel, a packet or coastal trade r , professionally designed and historically accurate . The reconstruction sho uld be thoroughl y documented by film , photographs, perspective drawings and a construction log. This acti vity is not o nly a good educational exercise, but will create a valuable resource bank of information . • Funding must be adequate and available for planning and construction and the initial periods of operation . A realistic plan should be adopted right at the start to clearl y define the mission of the ship, her operating area, income producing poten-
tial, continuing funding and goals. • Her operation may be regulated by the US Coast Guard. They should be consulted at the outset, in any case. It is vital to the success of the ship that the efforts and intentions of the naval architect, the planning group and the Coast Guard are coordinated and clearly understood. • The ship may be unique, but she must be profess ionally operated by competent crewmembers who have a special appreciation fo r the care and attention required of a traditio nal ship . • The importance of continuing, e ffi c ient and knowledgeable shore support can hardl y be overemphasized . The ship and her crew require dedicated admini strative and logistical ass istance that onl y an office as hore can pro vide. And those staff personnel must have an understanding of, and be sensitive to, the peculiar and incessant demands of a working, sailing vessel. In a time when spiraling costs and a shi ft in values conspire to threaten maritime preservation, reconstruction of a significant regional sailing vessel may be a viable alternati ve to restoration, if, in fac t, a hull ex ists. It is a direction in the field which has proven successful Bluenose, the charter schooners, the growing acti ve sailing fleet at the Rockport Apprenticeshop, and which emphasizes a most vital aspect: perpetuation of skills. For what good is an artifact or a technology saved if it fa ils to teach as well as inspire? ,i, 37