Sea History 158 - Spring 2017

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NMHS: A CAUSE IN MOTION Tall Ships America and NMHS Join Forces With this issue of Sea History, we are honored to welcome the members of Tall Ships America to membership in the National Maritime Historical Society. As we work to preserve and promote our maritime heritage, we recognize that our fleet of tall ships is a national treasure to be celebrated and supported. These ships capture the imagination and, as such, serve as remarkably successful ambassadors. In a hands-on way, they teach us our history and traditions, and preserve our skills in an industry long thought obsolete. Because tall ships still sail today, this generation and the next can learn the skills of building and repairing, provisioning, rigging, navigating, and sailing in both fierce storms and calm seas- skills we need to keep alive. Their crews and trainees learn self-reliance and teamwork, patience and fortitude. Visitors to these ships in port get to climb aboard and immerse themselves in the story of the ship: what she did, where she went, what life was like aboard in the past, and what it is like for those sailing them today. The members ofTall Ships America- captains, crewmembers, shipbuilders, architects, board members, and those supporting the operations fro m ashore-now join the members of the National Maritime Historical Society in discovering the larger picture of our maritime heritage, in honoring the unique histories of those who went before, and in supporting the heritage community of today. Our interests are mutual. In fact, this year's Tall Ships America annual conference theme was "The Way of a Ship: Linking our History-Heritage and Future." How appropriate that we should join forces. Working together, we can strengthen the maritime heritage community and the goals of both organizations. In this new partnersh ip, we are pleased to announce that NMHS members will now become members of Tall Ship America, with all the privileges and benefits of that organization. Benefits of dual membership include newsletters, notifications, membership cards, discounts to Tall Ships America events, and other miscellaneous benefits of membership. We invite you to join us this spring and summer at the Tall Ships Challenge-Atlantic Coast 2017 two ports of call, in Charleston and Boston. In addition, your membership in Tall Ships America gives you a special $10 rate on the purchase of their incomparable reference book, Sail Tall Ships! (price includes shipping and h andling charges, and represents a 50% discount off the retail price). Captai n Bert Rogers, Executive Director of Tall Ships America, expressed his enthusiasm about our partnership: "Tall Ships America is excited by our new collaboration with the National Maritime Historical Society. In many ways, this only formalizes and celebrates what has been a long and productive tradition of mutual support and shared values. However, by working more closely together and leveraging our great respective strengths, we can expand our reach and relevance to deliver a unified message to the American public 1he Tall Ships Challenge series rotates between coasts in about the vital importance of our national maritime heritage. This heritage the US and Canada each year, giving everyone a chance is heroically sustained in the vessels, artifacts, and exhibits of America's fine to participate- no matter where they live. Young people maritime museums, many of which are Tall Ships America institutional get the opportunity to go to sea and work a traditionally members. It is also sustained with rigged sailing vessel while they race from port to port. When great vitality aboa rd our member the ships are in port, all are welcome aboard to tour the ships and programs, as they take vessels and participate in shoreside educational activities. people to sea to experience firsth and the seafaring arts, skills, and traditions that made America a great maritime nation, while instilling respect and love of our oceans. Sail training in tall ships brings maritime heritage alive, giving the next generation an unforgettable experience and an abiding personal stake in our ongoing maritime story." This year's Tall Sh ips Ch allenge is produced in concert with Sail Training International and the Rendezvous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta, all celebrating the 150th an niversary of the Canadian Confederation. Starting in Europe, a great fleet of tall ships will race across ~ the Atlantic to Bermuda, and on to Boston. Meanwhile, vessels fro m "this side of the pond" ~ > ~ will assemble for Tall Ships Charleston (18- 21 May), and then race to Bermuda. The ~ 0 combined fleet will race from Bermuda to Boston to attend Sail Boston 2017 (17-22 June). u ~¡ With 50 magnificent vessels participating, Sail Boston will be the largest tall ship event in ..1. ~ that historic port since 20 00 . The fleet will then sail on to vario us ports in Canada, with a culminating event in Quebec City (18-23 July). Tall ships buffs, maritime heritage enthusiasts, and prospective seafaring adventurers can find more information about the events or how to sail aboard at www.tallshipsamerica.org. -Burchenal Green, President, NMHS

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SEA HISTORY 158, SPRING 2017

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