Things look grim for the 1878 sailing ship Falls of Clyde, the last surviving iron-hulled, four-masted full-rigged ship, and the only remaining sail-driven oil tanker. There is still a glimmer of hope that she can be saved, but time is running out. Recently, a campaign has gotten underway to return the ship to Scotland where it was built 138 years ago.
On Friday, an administrative hearing upheld the State of Hawaii’s Department of Transportation’s right to take control of the ship from its current owners, the nonprofit Friends of the Falls of Clyde. In June, the DOT revoked the ship’s permit to moor at Pier 7 in Honolulu harbor and then impounded the ship in August. The Friends of the Falls of Clyde has owned the ship for the last eight years but has not raised the necessary funds to drydock her, as the first step in ship’s restoration. The concern now is that the State of Hawaii may choose to scrap or sink the Falls of Clyde.
Now, a campaign is underway to return the Falls of Clyde to Scotland where she was built in 1878. A recent Facebook post by David O’Neil:
Just returned from a shanty festival in Kent UK and find the post. Whilst as a square rigger man and historian who often speaks and writes on the subject of our fast disappearing maritime heritage. I have the greatest sympathy with the proposal, if you will forgive me I have to say to little too late is the likely outcome. I cannot get into the face-book link for which I need my password that is not to hand right here so am unable to read the post there. I would suggest a more widely posted note, after all the petition posted by the friends of FALLS OF CLYDE has not yet raised a thousand signatures and the fund raising has not reached beyond $150.000. The most practical thing that should and could happen would be to gain $1.5.000.000 to get the ship in dry dock that would stymie anything that the DOC do and say regards safety issues, after all how long has the ship been quietly sitting alongside in Honolulu, scores of years, she is obviously in no danger except from the intervention of mankind perhaps with little of the KIND attached to those who would destroy her. I is no doubt a well meaning group that would like to see her again on the Clyde and I would add my name to that list but given that more recently we all failed to raise the funding to keep the clipper CITY OF ADELAIDE on the Clyde and she was there on the west coast of Scotland ads a one of a kind just how do we gain the support to bring this hull away from the Hawaiians who have little desire to understand and keep history beyond that of the Polynesians and of Pearl Harbour. I think you will find the Pope and the Catholic Church gives sainthood for such miracles as are now required to save this wonderful reminder of a great maritime past.
How about applying for some Lottery Money, and support from Scottish Heritage and Historical Organizations, Nat Trust etc. If they all stumped up something it might get things started. I agree about dry docking her as a first step.
However a low key word of mouth and friends approach will not raise the funds necessary to achieve anything so, as the man says, a mighty public effort is needed. How about going for pledges as well until it is clearer whether or not any real viable target can be achieved.
How about accepting that ships and we seafarers who mann them reach a time to move on to an afterlife. Take her out and give her a viking funeral off Oahu.
Good Watch
The river Clyde is too far, better to try for Auckland or Sydney.
…having spent my blood, sweat, and tears covering virtually every inch when she was in prime restoration from cap to keel, I can attest this unique historic ship to be of the utmost importance to rescue, immediately. I firmly applaud these 11th hour efforts to save such a worthy icon of sail.
the FOC always was one of the few ultimate examples from that slim window of time in which high performance open ocean sailing for profit was at it’s peak, and I believe she still holds the speed record between Hawaii and San Francisco. simply said, from this sailor / rigger’s pov, she’ll never be matched in pure sex appeal by any other wind powered vessel on Earth. she’s truly special.
as an exceptional appeal in case the move to Scotland falters; should anyone with ‘fun money’ read this who has a serious interest in acquiring the coolest things imaginable, trust me, THIS IS IT. no lucky chance purchase exists anywhere, currently IMO, but more importantly, she deserves another break at survival from the perfect person who will do it right. this is a piece that can actually live forever with proper care and management, she’s a rare opportunity and one that could certainly turn an annual profit to self-maintain. how she’s sat wasting in plain sight with no interest is, honestly, beyond comprehension.
concerning the hull, it’s always been an issue, and the last I heard nobody in Honolulu is willing to risk a tow to dry dock. should she become fully secured for a haul overseas, I don’t see a problem if in the right hands, minus an act of God.
as heartbreaking to consider the change of location for my old friend, I salute the perfect option of returning her home to Glasgow, and the sooner the better where her due appreciation finally awaits.