Author: Mystic Seaport Museum

Public Ceremony to Celebrate National Historic Landmark Vessel’s Return to the Water

Mystic, Conn. (June 27, 2013) — After a multi-million dollar restoration lasting almost five years, the whaleship Charles W. Morgan, a National Historic Landmark and America’s oldest surviving commercial vessel, will return to the water Sunday, July 21, 2013.

The launch will occur during a public ceremony at 2 p.m. at Mystic Seaport. Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ric Burns will deliver the keynote address, at which point the ship will be lowered into the Mystic River.

The Morgan’s restoration has been conducted in the Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. The comprehensive project, which began in November 2008, has focused primarily on restoring areas of the vessel from the waterline down to her keel and structural work in the bow and stern. Once launched, the Shipyard will complete the restoration with the vessel in the water. Remaining work includes rigging, internal carpentry, and reinstalling much of the ship’s equipment.

“The Charles W. Morgan is an exceptional and truly unique artifact of our shared maritime heritage,” said Mystic Seaport President Steve White. “She is the last remaining wooden whaleship in the world and the sole survivor of a fleet of American ships that once numbered more than 2,700. The Morgan is quite simply an American icon and a living portal into an important chapter of American history.”

The 113-foot vessel was built and launched in New Bedford in 1841 and had a whaling career that lasted 80 years and 37 voyages that spanned the far reaches of the globe. The ship came to Mystic Seaport in 1941. More than 20 million people have walked her decks since she arrived.

In what will be the most significant living history lesson unfolding in the United States over the next 18 months, the flagship of the Mystic Seaport watercraft collection will once again set sail in late May 2014. The Morgan will embark on a ceremonial 38th Voyage to historic ports of New England to celebrate the importance of America’s maritime heritage. After a period of refitting and sea trials based in New London, Conn., the ship will sail to Newport, Vineyard Haven, New Bedford, and Boston. She will also venture onto the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary near the mouth of Massachusetts Bay and participate in the centennial celebration of the Cape Cod Canal. The voyage will be a commemoration of the role of the sea in the history of America and an appreciation of our changing relationship with the natural world.

Images and other supporting materials available upon request.

About Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels. It is located one mile south of exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

Mystic, Conn. (June 21, 2013) — After nearly five years out of the water, the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan will take the first step on her journey back to the Mystic River on Monday, June 24 at Mystic Seaport.

Shipwrights will be moving the 300-ton ship onto a ship lift over the water in preparation for her launch. The vessel needs to be moved sideways to align with the lift and then rolled out onto the lift itself. The total distance will be a couple of hundred feet. The process will begin on Monday and is expected to be complete by Wednesday evening.

The Morgan is scheduled to be launched at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 21 in a public ceremony.

The ship has been undergoing a comprehensive restoration at the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at the Museum since November 2008. A National Historic Landmark and the country’s oldest commercial ship, the Morgan will embark on a ceremonial 38th Voyage in late spring 2014 to historic ports in New England, including New London, Newport, Vineyard Haven, New Bedford, Provincetown, and Boston. She will also venture onto the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary near the mouth of Massachusetts Bay.

About Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted free.

Event Hosted in Partnership with WoodenBoat Publications

Mystic, Conn. (June 6, 2013) — The largest gathering of wooden boats and enthusiasts in New England will converge at Mystic Seaport for the annual WoodenBoat Show Friday through Sunday, June 28-30, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The WoodenBoat Show, hosted in a partnership with WoodenBoat Publications, offers something for all wooden boat enthusiasts and maritime history buffs. More than 100 traditional and classic wooden boats of every type will be on display, from hand-crafted kayaks, to mahogany runabouts, to classic sailboats and schooners.

A special feature this year will be six newly-built whaleboats for the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan. The boats are part of a 10-boat national project to construct replica whaleboats to be carried onboard the ship on her 38th Voyage in 2014. Organizations from around the country are building the 28-foot long open boats for Mystic Seaport. The boats at the show will be from the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia; New York City’s Rocking the Boat; Gannon & Benjamin Marine Railway of Vineyard Haven, MA; Beetle Boat Shop of Wareham, MA; the New Bedford Whaling Museum; the Great Lakes Boat Building School in Cedarville, MI; and The Apprenticeshop of Rockland, ME. The Apprenticeshop builders plan to sail and row their boat from Maine to Mystic over the course of five days.

During the weekend, the Morgan will be located on the Museum’s lift dock over the Mystic River in preparation for her launch on July 21. Visitors will be able to view the exposed hull and go on board.

In addition to taking in the historic ships and beautiful boats, visitors can find everything they need to outfit their boat and learn new skills at demonstrations and workshops throughout the weekend. More than 100 vendors will offer items for sale including maritime art, antiques, tools, books, nautical gear, and much more.

Those interested in the construction of smaller boats can stop by the Family BoatBuilding tents, where families and teams will work to build their own boat during the weekend. Purchased kits are opened at 9 a.m. Friday morning and tools are put down around 3 p.m. Sunday, leaving, in most cases, a boat awaiting only final finish work. Some boats will be launched at the Show.

Other events include the return of “I Built it Myself,” a display of home-built boats; a Concours d’Elegance, including Judges’ Choice, Innovation, and People’s Choice awards; children’s toy boatbuilding; and all of the Mystic Seaport exhibits.

A tribute dinner to honor Steve White of Brooklin Boat Yard and Taylor Allen of Rockport Marine will be hosted by WoodenBoat magazine in the Museum’s Boat Shed at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 29. Tickets for the dinner may be purchased until the morning of June 24 by calling the WoodenBoat Store at 800.273.7447 or online at the WoodenBoat Store (http://www.woodenboatstore.com). Dinner tickets are $40 and seating is limited for this event.

Museum admission provides access to both the WoodenBoat Show and Mystic Seaport. Admission is good for two days upon ticket validation

The WoodenBoat Show is produced by WoodenBoat Publications, Inc., which includes WoodenBoat magazine, Professional BoatBuilder magazine, the WoodenBoat Store, the WoodenBoat School, and the WoodenBoat Show. The WoodenBoat Show is an annual festival celebrating the design and craftsmanship of wooden craft.

More information and ticket sales can be found at www.thewoodenboatshow.com.

About Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, the oldest American commercial vessel still afloat. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.