The Sailing School Vessel Spirit of South Carolina is finally going to auction. As we posted in late 2011, the now defunct South Carolina Maritime Foundation ran into financial problems only a few years after the 90′ on-deck schooner went into service. For the last several years, the schooner been owned by TD Bank, which intends to auction it in four weeks. The schooner was inspired by the pilot schooner, Frances Elizabeth, built by the Samuel J. Pregnall & Bros. Shipyard in Charleston, SC in 1879. Thanks to Irwin Bryan for contributing to this post.
See also our post — The Unfortunate Economics of Tall Ships
I live in Charleston, and I’m just chuffed about it. My husband and I visited the ship as it was being built, and afterwards. I remember the excitement and high hopes for it. So sorry it had to come to this.