Tall Ship Crew Looking for Volunteers for Four-Day Adventure

It sounds like something from olden times: walk down to the shipyard early in the morning and climb aboard a Tall Ship for a four-day adventure alongside the crew.

On Thursday morning, this fantasy could come true for a few enthusiastic people willing to volunteer their time aboard Rhode Island’s Tall Ship, the Oliver Hazard Perry.

The impressive vessel will depart from the dock at The Hinckley Company’s shipyard at 1 Little Harbor Landing in Portsmouth bound for New London’s Maritime Heritage Festival.

“They are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to work alongside the crew for the weekend,” said Eliza Braunstein, a spokeswoman for Tall Ships America.

Interested participants should be on the dock at 8 a.m. sharp.

The Oliver Hazard Perry will sail south down Narragansett Bay before turning west across Rhode Island and Block Island sounds to dock in New London by nightfall.

She’ll remain at the dock through the weekend where the crew and volunteer will give tours to the public.

Docent training will be provided.

The ship will return to Portsmouth on Sunday, Sept. 13.

There will be other docent opportunities during the Newport International Boat Show from Sept. 17 to 20. The Oliver Hazard Perry will be berthed at Perry Mill Wharf for the show and tours will be given to any visitor with a wristband.

If you’re interested in either opportunity, be sure to call Eric Spicer at 401-841-0080.

The vessel is the first ocean-going full-rigged ship built in America in more than 100 years and is the Ocean State’s Official Sailing Education Vessel.

The Oliver Hazard Perry is 200 feet long, three-masted and is a Class-A size Tall Ship hosted by maritime nations around the world.

The impressive silhouette of SSV Oliver Hazard Perry includes a towering rig, the tallest part of which reaches 13 ½ stories high; a total of 19 spars that have been turned from massive Douglas fir trees on the largest spar lathe in North America; seven miles of rope and wire that have been made integral to the ship’s operation by tradesmen trained in both modern and traditional rigging techniques; and 20 sails, both square and fore-and-aft that total 14,000 square feet.

As a Sailing School Vessel, the Tall Ship will carry not passengers but students of all ages participating in academic and experiential learning programs aboard while engaging in all aspects of shipboard life.

(Photo courtesy: E. Braunstein)