
Pinnace Virginia, Image: Maine’s First Ship
A reconstruction of the pinnace Virginia is nearing completion after being under construction for over a decade in Bath, Maine. The original 51-foot pinnace, built in 1607 by the Popham Colony at its settlement at the mouth of the Kennebec River, was the first English ocean-going ship built in the Americas. If all goes well, the new Virginia will be launched into the Kennebec River on June 4th.
The new Virginia’s keel was laid in 2011, said Maine’s First Ship Executive Director, Kirstie Truluck. Research, planning and construction, however, dates back to 1994 when the remains of the Popham Colony were discovered at the southernmost end of Phippsburg.