The State of Hawaii has notified the Friends of Falls of Clyde, the organization responsible for rescuing the historic ship of the same name, that the state plans to terminate its permit which allows the ship to be docked for free. “They received the ship from the Bishop Museum with the understanding it would go into dry dock quickly. It has been 6 years and it doesn’t appear we are any closer to putting it into dry dock,” said Hawaii State Department of Transportation Deputy Director Darrell Young. If anything, the organization’s finances have grown worse over time and the ship continues to deteriorate.
Falls of Clyde is the last four-masted full-rigged iron ship and the only surviving sailing oil tanker. The ship was launched in 1878 in Port Glasgow, Scotland, for the Fall Line. She became a museum ship in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1971, but was never properly maintained. In 2008, the Bishop Museum, which had control of the ship, was preparing to tow her out sea and scuttle her. In September 2008, the Friends of the Falls of Clyde, a non-profit group of volunteers, acquired the ship. Unfortunately, the organization has been longer on promises than on performance. For six years, they have been promising that they would be dry docking the ship, as the first step toward restoration, yet nothing seems to be happening.
Back in 2008, Hawaii Aloha Travel reported, “Bishop Museum is giving the 130-year-old ship to a community group that plans to restore it as an educational facility and tourist destination. …The Falls of Clyde will stay at Honolulu Harbor for a month or more before being towed to dry dock.”
The dry docking in a month never happened. A year later in 2009, it was reported that, “as a result of adverse weather conditions plans to dry dock the Falls of Clyde earlier this month have now been delayed.” The 2009 drydocking never took place either. In 2012, reports were that a dry docking was imminent. That didn’t happen. The next dry docking plan was announced in 2014. The news report read, “Historic 4-masted iron hulled tanker heads to drydock.” That docking didn’t happen, either.
Rather than effectively raising funds to restore the ship, the organization appears to be floundering. “Looking at their tax filings over the years, their finances has been diminishing and we estimate they only have a few years left,” said Hawaii State Department of Transportation’s Young.
The Friends of the Falls of Clyde has hurriedly begun a crowding-sourcing fundraiser through Indiegogo in an attempt to raise $1.5 million to finally dry dock the historic ship before they are thrown off the berth. In the last five days, they have successfully raised $1,150 of their $1,500,000 goal. Sadly, good intentions and promises are not enough to restore a historic ship.
Well, that’s too bad. Would’ve been neat if they’d actually been able to pull it off.
Now must go see what’s going on with the Olympia, haven’t checked on that lately.
Better a good ship like Falls of Clyde becomes an artificial reef than having to continue the indignities of well meaning but underfunded group of saviors.
As a long time residence of Seattle I remember when the Wawona was brought to Seattle and everyone was so disappointed that Seattle didn’t pick the Falls of Clyde instead. And now it seems that both ships are destined for just a note in the history books.
I am president of Friends of Falls of Clyde. The new Deputy Director of the State of Hawaii Harbors Division has taken a position that the two previous Deputy Directors did not take, perhaps because the earlier folks were maritime people. We have been meticulous in making sure the ship has structural integrity and that has involved working with naval architects and engineers and documenting the condition. Once that was done it took time to convince the local shipyard in Honolulu Harbor that Falls could be safely taken into drydock. Once that was done, which was in early 2014, it took back and forth negotiation to determine the scope of work. We hoped that once that was completed and we had a fairly firm estimate then we could start our capital campaign. We had a firm drydock period in 2014, but the last minute confirmation with the shipyard resulted in their decision not to take Falls up until we had money in the bank. We have been working with a fundraiser to put together a capital campaign. One part of that was the Indiegogo crowdfunding that we kicked off on May 5, 2015.
The Deputy Director has taken a position that someone with more integral knowledge of ship construction probably would not have taken. Another driver for the State, however, is to generate more funds from harbor tenants. Since we have a gratis Revocable Permit from previous administrations, we are a target. We believe that if we can show substantial fundraising by the late August follow-up meeting with the Harbors Division that we can stave off their pressure to make us vacate the berth at Pier 7. We are reaching out to both our local and federal legislators to use their influence to save a National Historic Landmark, which should be the pride of Hawaii.
We realize that we need greater visibility to reach out into the community so marketing is a priority. Falls of Clyde will celebrate her 137th birthday and many more if we can get the breadth of support and funding at this critical point in her life. Donors can go to our website at http://www.friendsoffallsofclyde.org and access Indiegogo through our Save Our Ship page or go to Indiegogo and find Save Our Hawaiian Tall Ship.
We wish you well in your efforts. Nevertheless, ships are a wasting asset. Sometimes, so is patience and enthusiasm. There is a lot of competition for ship restoration dollars. The lack of progress over the last over the last seven years in which the Friends of falls of Clyde have had custody of the ship is worrisome.
If the grand old lady is scrapped or scuttled she is gone forever.
Where are the public spirited business leaders who could raise $2,000,000.
Sydney Heritage Fleet spent almost $30,000,000 and thirty years to restore Barque James Craig (1874) and she was a rusty hulk!
Look at her now. She is the most beautiful three masted Barque in the world and a living testament to the passion, determination and tens of thousands of donations that were given.
We sail her out to sea off Sydney Heads at least fortnightly and has been to Hobart (4), Melbourne (2), Eden (3) and Newcastle (4). Together with the Endeavour Replica and Duyfken Replica(1595) Australia has 16, 18 & 19th Century Tall Ships. If Australia can do it, surely Hawaii can restore Falls of Clyde.
On New Year’s Eve around 70% of our 180 passengers came from overseas (England, Europe, USA & Africa) specifically to see the spectacular fireworks on James Craig in Sydney Harbour.
Rich, I would like to add a comment on your recent blog on the Falls of Clyde, as a Board member of the Friends of Falls of Clyde and as a person that worked with the dedicated individuals, companies, governments that had a part in her previous restoration/preservation in the 1960-1980’s. It is obvious that we as the Friends have not done enough to keep the wider community appraised on the progress so far.
What is an underlying challenge for those of us that are involved in the few historic ships that are left is that in the global community there are very few individuals alive today along with very few companies and governments that have had a significant role/experience in the restoration and preservation of historic ships starting from “ground zero”. This we are doing again with the Falls and Australia is doing with the City of Adelaide. If you take the time to look back at the history of just a few historic ships like the Falls, the Elissa, Star of India and City of Adelaide, it has taken many years from actually saving the vessel from their dire fate to begin and complete restoration. It has been wrong for us to assume individuals, government officials, etc have the knowledge and experience to understand what restoration means and how a historic ship can be a viable contributor to the waterfront community. Why should they? So point taken…
One error in your blog however, is your statement: “Too Many Broken Promises”. When Bishop Museum was going to sink the Falls we came together-individuals and some in the maritime industry that cared about her and our only promise was then as it is today to “Save her” and we haven’t broken that one and only promise.
The point is it has been six years and you haven’t saved her. She is still afloat but no closer to restoration than she was before.
The truth is we have saved her, if Bishop Museum had sunk her as they planned, she wouldn’t even have been a dive destination and there would not be this discussion. If you check out the facts of recent history of FALLS (last 52 years) and other historic ships the facts indicate, historically it can and many times does take years for historic ships to be restored. The key (and maybe where you can help), is after they are restored, there must be a plan to sustain the work, which includes putting emphasis on building support in the current community and the generations to follow, this long-term outreach and education by those who care is essential for the survival of all our historic ships globally. If you don’t you will have a recurrence of what happened here in Hawaii which is, sadly with no real effort on her behalf including no dry dock for the last 20+ years-it is now left up to those that love her, and feel responsible for her to start all over again.
OK, you have assisted in granting the ship a reprieve. That was six years ago. It does take considerable time and effort to raise money and to build a volunteer organization. Unfortunately, the fundraising in the last six years has been largely moribund. “Looking at their tax filings over the years, their finances has been diminishing and we estimate they only have a few years left,” said State Department of Transportation Deputy Director Darrell Young. There also seems to be a lack of vision and lack of planning which is critical in both fundraising and organization building. From the perspective of a complete outsider, major changes need to be made. The status quo of leaving the ship to rust is unsustainable.
Well, thanks Rick for your (as you said) “perspective of complete outsider”. Fortunately, that view is in the minority and certainly not with the folks who are working to make this long-term effort successful…so I’m off to do my part-Woolaway signing off….
When the ship was given to the non-profit organisation it had been stripped of masts and spars. Many of the contents of the ship were thrown on to the pier for the public to pick up or TAKEN TO THE DUMP! The good ship had been deteriarating for years under the wardship of Bishop Museum. The group accepted a dilapidated, hurting, stripped ship because they did not want an historical treasure destroyed. The culprits are Bishop Museum and the $$$ from whoever wants the dock and willing to influence the powers to be. If only the museum had handed over the ship with masts and rigging intact and furniture and maritime equipment it would not have been so difficult to restore. Now it is very daunting project.
The ship is like an historic land mark and should not be moved even if it is in the water. Instead of criticizing the group needs encouragement. This is a personal comment and has nothing to do with the group.
There needs to be a clear vision, goal and action plan to raise money around and to build a volunteer organization. So far I have seem mostly excuses and platitudes. There needs to be more.
Just checking to see where this whole subject stands at the moment.
I remember her from the late 60’s when she only had her lower mast sections and rusting badly. To know she had come so far, only to look again like she did in the 60’s is very sad.
I personally have an attachment to the Falls of Clyde as a relative by marriage, Charles Matson, served as her captain. I have an original painting of her that we had loaned to Bishop Museum back in the 70s, and later found that they had “stored” that painting too as the ship was left to rot away. I have visited Falls a few times over the years and was moved by her beauty. The costs increase every day that she sets in the water and time shall be her watery death. An expert, I am not, but only a man with a historical family connection. It is a shame to see criticism of those trying to save her when lending claimed expertise is more productive. The blame goes to those from Bishop Museum and respect for effort must go to those pouring their hearts into keeping her afloat.
Unfortunately, it will take far more than “pouring their hearts” to keep her afloat. That is the problem.
I visited the ship in 1991 or 1992 while I was an engineering cadet aboard the Matson ro-ro, KAIMOKU. I enjoyed the experience and was glad that I was able to go aboard her. I was surprised that it still smelled of oil. I have also been to Stockholm, Sweden and been to the VASA museum. This was a forgotten wreck, but it was in the national interest to try and save and preserve it. Even with a nation behind the restoration, the ship is still deteriorating. In any project or restoration, you must ask various question’s and determine the end-goal’s. Can this be saved? Why are we saving it? What significance does it have? and on and on. I personally, would like to see the ship saved, just for the fact that it is the ‘last’ or next to last of something. I don’t know if the current non-profit has tried to contact the various museum’s around the country or world to ask for assistance. If this was a warship or Naval ship and it was the ‘last’ of it’s kind – this email thread would not exist. The ship would have a strong group (former sailor’s who served aboard) behind it, making a case for it’s saving and restoration. I do not know since this was a ship of commerce that it lessens it’s historic value. I would hope not, but it was a ship of commerce, does the shipping industry in America (whose decline is well documented) owe anything to it’s past? There is no profit for a company to put it’s money into a restoration project, except for the possibility of some marketing on the brochure’s and to say they helped preserve this. The airline industry has been able to save various aircraft throughout the year’s, mostly through the effort’s of current and retired employee’s. We are not a sea-faring nation, in general, and for most a cruise or such, is a novelty. I understand that we are dependent on the sea lanes for a vast majority of our consumer product’s, but aboard foreign flagged vessel’s. Most people, do not know or care how the car got on the sales lot or the tv in the showroom, just that it is there. At the very least, if it is determined that the ship will be sunk, then I hope that some university or college would send out student’s to document and take rendering’s and picture’s and measurement’s and wood sample’s. Because, once it is gone. . .it is gone forever.
Perhaps give her to a maritime community with a history of great support and success in restoring such historic vessels. Mercifully let her be adopted by the Aussies?
It is a sad fact that the FOC group are struggling with this one of the last of her kind. I have been fortunate to sail in a four poster as they are called SEA CLOUD as a deckhand crewing before the mast. I have been at least aboard PEKING, MOSHULU, and on the Island of Takaroa in the Tuamotus I swam over the reef to get to COUNTY OF ROXBOROUGH where she lies in the trees above the reef and has been since 1906, last December 6th I was off Cape Horn in bark EUROPA after which I was able to again board the first four masted ship COUNTY of PEEBLES which belatedly along with the bark FALSTAFF. The Chileans who took me aboard both are planning a coffer dam and jetty as part of a marina at Punta Arenas to save these two and HIPPARCHUS an early steamer. If little Chile can do this for three ships, America with all it`s wealth can with sufficient will and vision save the only remaining sailing oil tanker. Cannot the oil industry be prevailed on for funds $10.000.000 is peanuts to such industrialists. It does not matter that the project will take many years to finish the greater benefit of an ongoing project is that visitors return time and time again to follow what goes and then there are all manner of skills that can be taught and learnt along the way. FALLS OF CLYDE is in better shape than COUNTY OF PEEBLES photos of which I will happily share. journal@capehorners.org In a few days I will be in Mariehamn singing on POMMERN at the Baltic Shanty festival now there’s an idea for the future. Where the hell are your city fathers?
I have been on board and photographed the Falls of Clyde and reflected on the courage and strength of the crews that weathered the opened seas before modern communications, radar and life saving technology.
It is sad that our government and historical agencies would not act to preserve this piece of history for todays and future generations to see and touch this piece of history.
I love tall ships and this ship deserves to be saved. I wish I was rich. I’d pay to put her in drydock and have her restored. I hope that someone steps up and does something to save this beautiful vessel.
Friends of falls of clyde please give the,ship to,another maritime,center maybe San Diego or,even out of the country since No one here is sensible enough to help let her be saved elsewhere I seen her and enjoyed her in 2006 too bad Hawaiis government is heartless and stupid