I have no use for modern yachts, with their motorized roller furlers, chromed fittings, shiny hulls, and 'diesel mizzens'.

Give me a tall ship, with masts to climb, rigging to tar, sails to handle, and rust to bust.

Give me a cloud of sail set by hands, not machines, and the thunder of heavy canvas sails catching the wind.

Give me the creaking of timbers to sing me to sleep.

Nothing turns heads or stops traffic like a tall ship.

To see one is to see living history. To work one is to live history.

Masted vessels from the Age of Sail seem to stir something in all of us. These are the ships that conquered nations, moved our ancestors, and facilitated global trade.

There are probably few things that have not been indirectly touched by these vessels in some way. Businesses that flourished by shipping on them, families that emigrated on them.

The history of the world, for better or worse, was sketched on their decks.

Where are they now?

The Victory Chimes is up for sale, but still cruising during the season.

The Rose was bought to make the film Master and Commander and has, for now, been retired from sail training service, languishing at the San Diego docks. I had the privilege of crewing on her last trip as 'HMS Rose'. There is word she will be refit for sail training, but I fear we'll only rarely see her on the East Coast.

In fall of 2005 the Pride of Baltimore was completely dismasted in a gale off the coast of France. Miraculously there were no injuries and the boat was repaired. The Captain is said to have commented, "It was the most complete failure of rigging I've ever seen".