The museum ship Balclutha

23 November 2014 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: Tall ships, Museums, Exhibitions, San Francisco Bay Area, Yacht of the Month Reading Time:  7 minutes

Historic ships of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park moored at Hyde Street Pier in Aquatic Park, with Alcatraz and Angel Island in the background © chris j wood/cc-by-sa-3.0

Historic ships of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park moored at Hyde Street Pier in Aquatic Park, with Alcatraz and Angel Island in the background © chris j wood/cc-by-sa-3.0

Balclutha, also known as Star of Alaska, Pacific Queen, or Sailing Ship Balclutha, is a steel-hulled full rigged ship that was built in 1886. She is the only square rigged ship left in the San Francisco Bay area and is representative of several different commercial ventures, including lumber, salmon, and grain. Balclutha was built in 1886 by Charles Connell & Co. Ltd., of Glasgow, for Robert McMillan, of Dumbarton. Her namesake is said to be the eponymous town of Balclutha, New Zealand, but her name can also refer to her first homeport, Glasgow, which is a “City on the Clyde” – the meaning of her name derived from the Gaelic Baile Chluaidh.   read more…

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