A short video of Tradewind Voyages’ Golden Horizon sailing at night between Poole & Portland. Golden Horizon is the largest square-rigged sailing ship in the world. A 272 passenger, five-masted barque, she is 532 feet (162 meters) long, with a 60 foot (18.5 meter) beam and will have a sail area of 68,300 square feet (6,347 square meters). By comparison, the tea clipper Cutty Sark set less than half as much sail at around 3,000 square meters. The ship was inspired by the France II of 1912.
Old Salt Blog
a virtual port of call for all those who love the sea , hosted by nautical novelist Rick Spilman
I’m sure that having all those lights on the rig is not in compliance with colregs.
I can imagine skippers of other vessels being called to the bridge because the lookout is confused by a “large Christmas tree” in the shipping lanes.
It is bad enough that you can’t see the port and starboard lights (because of all the cabin/deck lights) on normal cruise ships to ascertain which way they are going without this new addition to the confusion for small vessels’ crews.
I’m thrilled that my Monumental Maritime Heroes playing cards are available on board the world’s largest square-rigged sailing ship! Giants together.
I sailed on the Tovaritsch from NY to Boston in 1992. At one point we were in a dense fog and the skipper insisted on close watch and constant sounding of the horn as tall ships emit a strange image on the radar screen and curious ships close in to see what it is. Anything helping to define what the ship is can only bolster safety for all.
The correct signal for vessels under sail in fog (visibility less than one sea mile) is three blasts (one long and two short) of the horn at not more than two minute intervals.
The signal is, by the way, Morse D “keep clear of me – I am manouvering with difficulty”
Meanwhile, the monitor on my applemac is flashing code U at me (you are running into danger) – not sure what that is all about as it is stationary in my office 🙂