Tall Ships FAQ

"From my first race on Nantucket Sound many years ago to my most recent outing as a weekend sailor, sailing has given me some of the most pleasant and exciting moments of my life. It has also taught me something of the courage, resourcefulness and strength required of men who sail the sea in tall ships."

- John F. Kennedy, April 1963

How can I find out more about tall ships?

One way is to contact one or more of the International Sail Training Associations. For instance ASTA , the U.S. version has a directory of sail training ships and programs. The ones I know about are:

Australia
  Australian Sail Training Association (AUSTA)
Canada
  Canadian Sail Training Association
Denmark
  Danish Sail Training Association
Finland
   Sail Training Association Finland(STAF), c/o Pekka Tuomisalo 
   Sammontie 4 B 1 
   04230 Kerava 
   Finland 
   Also see Sail Trainees of Finland
Germany
  Sail Training Association Germany (STAG)
Italy
  Sail Training Association Italia
Japan
  Sail Training Association of Japan(STAJ), Nanyo-do Building 2F, 1-14-4
  Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan; (03) 3818-6272; FAX (03) 3818-
  7816
Netherlands
  Sail Training Association Netherlands (STAN), Postbus 55, 2340 AB
  Oegstgeest, Netherlands
  email: sta@dds.nl
Norway
  Norwegian Sail Training Association
Poland
  Sail Training Association Poland(STAP), Gdynska Fundacja Zeglarska, al.
  Zjednoczenia 3, 81-963 Gdynia 1, Poland
Portugal
  Associação Portuguesa de Treino de Vela (APORVELA)
Russia
  Sail Training Association Russia(STAR), St. Petersburg Engineering
  Marine College, Kosaya Line 15a, St. Petersburg, Russia
Sweden
  Stiftelsen Svenska Kryssarklubbens Seglarskola
  Vita Gaveln 38
  Nya Varvet
  426 71 Vastra Frolunda
  Sweden
United Kingdom
  Association of Sea Training Organisations (ASTO)
United States
  American Sail Training Association

How can I find out more about sailing Tall Ships?
1. To Go Sailing
  In the U.S. I'd highly recommend getting a copy of Directory of Sail Training Ships and Programs from ASTA. It contains addresses and descriptions of many ships. Another source that I've used is Ocean Voyages, a ship broker. I use them to sail with Soren Larsen, and in their literature they have opportunities on many different vessels.
2. Best Opportunity
  I'd say the best opportunity if you have the money are the various vessels that make up the Tall Ships of Maine. They survive by taking tourists around in the summer. The other way is to volunteer with one of the many ships. Again the ASTA directory is a good place to start.
3. Operator's Manuals
  There are many books on sailing but the following three, which last I looked were still in print will help you better understand the mechanics of sailing tallships.
```
Seamanship in the Age of Sail : An Account of the Shiphandling of the
Sailing Man-Of-War 1600-1860, Based on Contemporary Sources
by John Harland 
United States Naval Inst.; ISBN: 0870219553 
- a truly wonderful book

Eagle Seamanship : A Manual for Square-Rigger Sailing 
by Edwin H. Daniels 
United States Naval Inst.; ISBN: 0870212516
- the guide used by cadets in the Coast Guard to learn how to sail
the Eagle

Auxiliary Sail Vessel Operations : For the Aspiring Professional Sailor 
by G. Andy Chase
Cornell Maritime Pr; ISBN: 087033493X ;
- a more modern view, but well worth a read.
```
Professional Training
You might check out Able-Seaman Training.

Bibliography

"Sailing Ships of the World" by Erik C. Abranson, Thomas Reed Publications
1992. ISBN 0-947637-47-8
  Nearly 100 photographs and information on Tall Ships. Stunning book,
  but fairly expensive
"The Art of Rigging" by George Biddlecombe, Dover Publications, ISBN
0-486-26343-6.

Some other folks experiences on Tallships

Summer '99 on The Bounty
by Phil Niedermann.

I'm always open to adding resources to my list, so if you know of other items, give me a holler: mbrmbr@acm.org

Form first updated: Thur Dec 30 08:38:56 1993 EST. Last updated: Tue Jul 15 06:38:56 2003 EST.