For over 200 years, gundalows – sail and oar powered cargo barges – moved on the winds and tides of the rivers and estuaries along the New England coast.  Yesterday, the brand new gundalow, Piscataqua, splashed into the the Piscataqua River off Peirce Island, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  The new gundlow was built by the Gundlow Company, a nonprofit organization founded in 2002 to acquire ownership of an existing gundalow — the Captain Edward H. Adams, built in 1982 and named in honor of the builder and captain of the last commercial gundalow.  The Captain Edward H. Adams was not licensed to carry passengers, so the gundalow Piscataqua was built, which is Coast Guard certified to carry 49 passengers.  The Gudalow Company plans a variety of sailing programs to help educate students and adults in the maritime heritage of the region while also focusing on contemporary coastal issues such as water quality, habitat restoration, conservation, and stewardship.

Launch of New Gundalow Piscataqua