The Peking is a steel-hulled four-masted barque – the sister ship to the Passat and Padua (today Kruzenshtern). A so-called Flying P-Liner of the German company F. Laeisz, it was one of the last generation of windjammers used in the nitrate trade and wheat trade around the often treacherous Cape Horn. read more…
Passat is a German four-masted steel barque and one of the Flying P-Liners, the famous sailing ships of the German shipping company F. Laeisz. The name “Passat” means trade wind in German. She is one of the last surviving windjammers. read more…
The Kruzenshtern or Krusenstern is a four masted barque and tall ship that was built in 1926 at Geestemünde in Bremerhaven, Germany as the Padua (named after the Italian city). She was surrendered to the USSR in 1946 as war reparation and renamed after the early 19th century Baltic German explorer in Russian service, Adam Johann Krusenstern (1770–1846). She is now a Russian Navy sail training ship. Of the four remaining Flying P-Liners, the former Padua is the only one still in use, mainly for training purposes, with her home ports in Kaliningrad (formerly Königsberg) and Murmansk. After the Sedov, another former German ship, she is the largest traditional sailing vessel still in operation. read more…
Sea Cloud was built in Kiel, Germany as a Barque for E. F. Hutton & Co.. She was launched in 1931 as the Hussar II; at the time of her construction, she was the largest private yacht in the world. In 1935, United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union Joseph E. Davies obtained the ship after marrying Hutton’s ex-wife Marjorie Merriweather Post. Davies renamed the ship Sea Cloud. As a man with political influence, Davies entertained many high profile people on the ship, including Queen Elisabeth of Belgium. The ship even served as an informal embassy, as Soviet and United States officials stayed and met on the vessel. read more…
A globally unique environmental project was launched at the Monaco Yacht Club when the biggest polar exploration sail boat ever built, the PANGAEA (Greek for “all earth”), was baptized by Mrs. Gaynor Rupert at a ceremony attended by H.S.H. Prince Albert II. This marks the start of a four-year expedition around the world headed by adventurer Mike Horn and that is sponsored by exclusive partner and main sponsor, Mercedes-Benz. The motto of the expedition is “explore – learn – act”. Mike Horn and Mercedes-Benz hope that it will encourage young people to make an active contribution to protecting the environment and conserving natural resources. read more…
A restored schooner that served the Western Union Telegraph Company and now carries visitors on leisure trips from Key West has been fully refurbished after a three-year, $1.25 million effort. read more…
