Nigel Rowe - Tall Ships Today : Their remarkable story

Published by Adlard Coles Nautical

an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

50 Bedford Square, London WC 1B 3DP

www.adlardcoles.com

Bloomsbury is a trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

This electronic edition published in 2014 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Copyright Nigel Rowe, Ron Dadswell, Colin Mudie and Michael Rauworth 2014

Copyright of photos remains with the individual photographer/ copyright holder as credited

First published by Adlard Coles Nautical in 2014

ISBN 978-1-4729-0346-4

ePDF 978-1-4729-0348-8

ePub 978-1-4729-0347-1

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CONTENTS

INTRODU CTION & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Putting this book together has involved many people around the world telling the story of todays tall ships and sail training.

Although a key focus of the book is to give an insight into more than 100 of the worlds most interesting tall ships sailing today, it is much more than a fleet review. The publishers and I wanted to produce the definitive story of the tall ships: their origins and evolution, what it is like to sail on them, and the whole experience of racing on them for the crews and the ports that host them. We also wanted to strike a balance between making the book an easy read for people who know little or nothing about tall ships as well as for the tall ship groupies who have already had the wonderful experience of sailing on them.

(Origins and Evolution) looks back over the long and fascinating history of the development of sail. It began a few thousand years ago with hollowed-out trees and reed hulls with animal skins or woven material hung on a pole to catch the wind. Over time, mans ingenuity, new materials and technologies enabled the construction of very sophisticated vessels, big and strong enough to carry cargoes, armaments and large crews across oceans.

(The Tall Ships) demonstrates the incredible diversity of the tall ship fleet currently at sea, with many vessels having interesting histories before they became sail training ships as well as some built specifically for the purpose. This diversity also extends to the extraordinary voyages many have undertaken and the huge number of young trainees who have had a life-changing experience sailing on them.

(The Tall Ship Experience) tells the story of a young man undertaking his first sail training voyage on a tall ship. It also explores the purposes and value of sail training, as well as the work that has been undertaken in recent years to improve at-sea safety regimes, the efficacy of on-board training and programmes to protect the marine environment.

(Racing on Tall Ships) takes the tall ship and sail training experience into the uniquely challenging environment of friendly competition and cultural exchange. The tall ships races and regattas organised by Sail Training International enable ships of different sizes and heritages to race on equal terms. They bring together young people from many different countries, cultures, backgrounds and abilities to share the experience and promote international friendship and understanding. They also provide a spectacle and festive atmosphere for the many hundreds of thousands of visitors to each host port when the fleet is in. It is these events more than any other activity that earned Sail Training International its nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

Everyone involved in producing the content of this book (text, photographs and other illustrations) has donated their time, talent and work at no cost to the project. As a result, all income for Sail Training International from sales of the book around the world will be used to help young people who are disadvantaged and/or disabled to benefit from the tall ship experience.

If this book inspires you, just consider the observation of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh in his comments : There are some spectacular photographs in this book, but they cannot convey the real thing. That has to be experienced live.

Most of the ships featured in would be delighted to welcome you on board!

Drawing on the knowledge and understanding of the three other contributing authors, all experts in their field (see Valuable administrative support in the planning stages for the book was provided by Esther Tibbs.

Some of Sail Training Internationals member national sail training organisations played a pivotal role in securing the co-operation of ship operators featured in

Together with the photographs submitted by the operators of the ships featured in and this task was undertaken primarily by Julia Rowe.

Collaboration with Bloomsbury Publishings commissioning editor Liz Multon on developing both the concept of the book and its content has been both critical and a joy. So too has been working with designer James Watson, bearing in mind how important design is to a book like this, and Jenny Clark who co-ordinated the actual production of the book for Bloomsbury.

Everyone who had a part in putting this book together joins me in thanking particularly HRH The Duke of Edinburgh for his generous comments and endorsement ).

Nigel Rowe OBE

Patron, Sail Training International

June 2014

ABOUT THE AUTHORS