After years of planning, the tall ships are returning to Boston this weekend.
More than 50 sailing vessels from around the globe will parade into Boston Harbor this weekend for Sail Boston 2017. It's the first time since 2000 that the Parade of Sail is taking place.
From June 17 to 22, the harbor will belong to the ships, their crews, and the millions of visitors who are expected to view them and stroll their historic decks.
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Adirondack III is a Schooner from the USA. The ship’s homeport is Boston, Massachusetts. The ship can hold up to 41 guests and is used for sightseeing cruises and romantic Boston sunset sails on the Boston Harbor.
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Schooner Adventure is a Schooner from the USA. The ship’s homeport is Gloucester, Massachusetts. The ship is used for educational sailing lessons.
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Alert is a Gaff Rigged Schooner from the USA. The ship's homeport is Bailey Island, Maine. Bethany McNelly-Davis and Perry Davis are the captains. The boat can carry 28 passengers. The ship is used for public and private sailing charters.
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Alexander Von Humboldt II is a Civilian Squarerigger from Germany. Its homeport is Bremerhaven, Germany. The boat is owned and operated by Deutsche Stiftung Sail Training. It is used to provide high seas sailing for young adults.
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American Eagle is a two-masted schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Rockland, Maine. The boat has participated in Sail Boston three times before, in 1992, 2000, and 2009. John C. Foss is the master and owner of the boater.
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Angelique is a Gaff Topsail Ketch from the USA. The ship’s homeport is Camden, Maine. Guests can join Captain Dennis and his wife Candace as they view lighthouses, villages, and island along the Maine coast.
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Schooner Ardelle is a Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Essex, Massachusetts. The ship can be used for company outings, family events, weddings, birthdays, or memorials.
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Atyla is a Staysail Schooner from the Republic of Vanuato. The ship’s homeport is Bilbao, Spain. Sailors can learn how to navigate the classic ship during one of their various educational programs.
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Blue Clipper is a Gaff Schooner from Malta. She is one of only three ships completing the whole RDV from Greenwich- Le Havre.
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Bluenose II is a Schooner Gaff-Rig from Canada. Its homeport is Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. The Bluenose II is operated and maintained by the Lunenberg Marine Museum Society.
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Brilliant is a Gaff Schooner, 2-masted from the USA. Its homeport is Mystic, Connecticut. The Brilliant offers an educational sailing program to introduce teens and adults to life aboard a classic schooner.
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Captiva is a Sloop from the USA. The ship’s homeport is Boston, Massachusetts. The ship is used for sunset cruises, family outings, and sightseeing tours.
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Eagle is a Barque, 3-masted from the USA. Its homeport is New London, Connecticut. Eagle has visited Boston 18 times since 1966, most recently in 2015.
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El Galeon Andalucia is a Full-rigged Ship from Spain. Its homeport is Sevilla, Spain. She has navigated the Pacific and Indian oceans, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and her wake has spread over the Mediterranean Sean, the Red Sean, the South and East China seas, the Aegean Sea, the Bosphorous straight, the Caribbean Sea, and the whole East Coast of the US.
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Esmeralda is a Barquentine from Chile. Its homeport is Valparaiso. The ship is used to teach Naval Officers and crew members the final steps necessary for them to complete their training.
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CEuropa is a Bargque ship from the Netherlands. Its homeport is The Hauge in the Netherlands. The ship sails youth trainees, individuals, families, and groups of all ages.
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Fame is a Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Salem, Massachusetts. The ship was built in 2003.
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Formidable is a Brigantine from the USA. The ship’s homeport is Boston, Massachusetts. The ship ise used for sailing cruises, tours, as well as private charters.
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Geronimo is a Sloop from the USA. Its homeport is Newport, Rhode Island. The ship is used for teaching students how to sail on a modern vessel. Students from St. George’s School are taken on 6-week long voyages during the school year.
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Green Dragon is a Gaff-Rigged Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Gloucester, Massachusetts.
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BAE Guayas is a Barque from Ecuador. The ship’s homeport is Guayaquil. The boat is used by police and the Coast Guard for safety purposes.
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Guilden Leeuw is a Gaff Schooner 3 from the Netherlands. Its homeport is Kampen. The ship can fit up to 200 passengers for day sails and 56 trainees on longer voyages. It is also suitable for corporate hospitality, seminars, and daytrips.
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Harvey Gamage is a Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Portland, Maine. The ship is used to teach younger children how to sail.
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Hindu is a Schooner from the USA. The ship’s homeport is Provincetown, Massachusetts. Members of the public can book sunset cruises or sightseeing tours with the Hindu.
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Impossible Dream is a Cutter Rig from the USA. Its homeport is Miami, Florida. The ship was built in 2002.
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Jolie Brise is a Gaff Cutter from the UK. Its homeport is Hamble, England. The ship is operated and maintained by Dauntsey’s School and has sailed thousands of miles with students.
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Lettie Trifold is a Gaff Topsail Schooner, 2-massed from the USA. Its homeport is New York City. The ship is used for sea education and training programs.
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Lewis H. Story is a Cat Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Essex, Massachusetts. Visitors can visit the Essex Shipbuilding Museum to learn more about the 38’ ship.
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Liberty Clipper is a Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Boston, Massachusetts. The ship offers various cruises open to the public including a Rum &Revelry Sail, a Sunday Brunch Sail, and a Boston Sunset sail.
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Lynx is a Square Topsail Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Portsmouth , New Hampshire. The ship is used for students of all ages to learn how to sail a sailboat.
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Oliver Hazard Perry is a Full-Rigged Ship from the USA. The ship’s homeport is Newport, Rhode Island. The ship offers educational programs for students of all ages.
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Oosterschelde is a Topsail Schooner 3 from the Netherlands. Its homeport is Rotterdam. The ship is turning 100 this year and is the one and only historic Dutch three master.
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HMCS Oriole is a Ketch from Canada. The ship’s homeport is Esquimalt, British Columbia. The ship offers a 5-day leadership program for students to come aboard and develop their leadership skills.
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Peter von Danzig is a Sloop from Germany. The ship’s homeport is Kiel, Germany. The ship offers educational classes for adults.
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Picton Caslte is a Barque 3-masted from Cook Islands. Its homeport is Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The ship is used for deep water sail training.
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Pride of Baltimore II is a Topsail Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Baltimore, Maryland. The ship is used for sailing receptions as well as education.
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Redbird is a Schooner from the USA. The ship’s homeport is Essex, Massachusetts. The 44’ ship was built in 1982.
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Regina Germania is a Schooner from Germany. The ship’s homeport is Frankfurt/Main, Germany. The 50’ ship was built in 1984.
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Rona II is a Ketch from the UK. Its homeport is Hamble, England. The ship allows young adults to learn how to sail.
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Roseway is a Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is St. Croix, USVI. The ship allows teenage students to experience their education at sea.
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Shenandoah is a Square Topsail Schooner from the USA. The ship's homeport is Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The ship offers kids cruises, day and sunset sails, private charters, and sailing lessons.
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Spaniel is a Bm Sloop from Latvia. Its homeport is Riga, Latvia. The ship has a polar bear on-board named Bamsis who has been sailing constantly for 16 years.
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Spirit of South Carolina is a Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Charleston, South Carolina. The ship offers training and summer programs.
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Thomas E Lannon is a Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Gloucester, MA. The ship will be celebrating her 20th birthday during Sail Boston. The ship is family owned and operated.
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Tree of Life is a Gaff Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Newport, Rhode Island. The ship is used for private charters.
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Tupelo Honey is a Sloop from the USA. The ship’s homeport is Boston, Massachusetts. The ship offers harbor tours and private charters.
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Schooner Tyrone is a Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is Chatham, Massachusetts. Travels can enjoy day trips off Chatham or overnights and extended charters to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, the Elizabeth Islands, and Block Island.
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Union is a Barque from Peru. Its homeport is El Callao, Peru. The 379’ ship was built in 2015.
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Vahine is a Ketch from Finland. The ship’s homeport is Helsinki, Finland. The 65’ ship was built in 1972.
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When and If is a Schooner from the USA. Its homeport is New York City. The ship is used for sail training and education.
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USS Whidbey Island is a Whidbey Island-Class Dock from the USA. The ship’s homeport is Virginia Beach, Virginia. The ship offers sightseeing tours.
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Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh announces the return of Tall Ships for Sail Boston 2017 at the press conference on Boston’s Long Wharf, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014.
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Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh joined by Dusty Rhodes, President of Conventures, Inc., and Capt. John O’Connor
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"We have been working diligently with the City, State, Massport, the U.S. Coast Guard and other key public and private agencies to ensure a successful event and a memorable experience for all," said Dusty Rhodes, president of Conventures and executive director of Sail Boston 2017. “We are looking forward with great enthusiasm to the return of the Tall Ships and to embrace and celebrate the cultures of the countries each represents."
The festivities kick off with the Grand Parade of Sail on Saturday. More than 50 vessels, including Union from Peru, Europa from The Netherlands, Alexander Von Humboldt II from Germany, Spain's El Galeon, Nadezhda from Russia, Guayas from Ecuador, United Kingdom’s Blue Clipper, Canada's Bluenose II, and Chile’s Esmeralda will follow the U.S. Coast Guard Barque Eagle into Boston Harbor on Saturday.
The best landside viewing locations will be from Castle Island, the Seaport District, the downtown waterfront, the North End, Charlestown and East Boston. For information on spectator vessel movement, click here.
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A look at the tall ship staging area.
If you can't make it down to the Boston waterfront, NBC Boston and necn will air a 2-hour special on the Parade of Sail from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday.
The parade launches a 5-day nautical themed celebration featuring educational, cultural, interactive, and re-enactment events and activities as well as daily free public boarding of the ships.
A colorful Crew and Cadets Parade from The Seaport to Downtown Crossing highlights the landside activities.
Boston Police Commissioner William Evans discusses the multi-level security approach for Boston Sail.
"We are extraordinarily pleased with the response and commitment of so many country owned and private vessels to Sail Boston 2017’s roster of Tall Ships," said Patrick Moscaritolo, president and CEO of Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau. "An event of this magnitude provides a significant boost to the local economy resulting in incremental revenue for restaurants, hotels, attractions, and harbor and land side tour operators to name a few. It also serves to showcase Boston on an international stage, as a welcoming, capable and desirable destination brimming with culture, attractions, innovation, and history."
