The first ocean-going full-rigged ship to be built in America In over a century will begin sailing this spring, and teens from around the country and the world will board in July and August for thrilling one- and two-week Education at Sea camps. The 200-foot Sailing School Vessel (SSV) Oliver Hazard Perry, hailing from Newport, RI, has a 500-ton steel hull and a 130-foot tall rig with square sails on all three masts. She will have a captain, officers, a cook, an engineer and a dozen other professional crewmembers, but the balance of her crew will be the students themselves.
Olivia Lawrence of Kittery, ME participated in Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island’s camp for Seacoast Youth Services aboard the Tall Ship Mystic last August. © Ryan Schreck
“They’ll learn to haul lines, hoist yards, climb the rigging, tie knots, keep lookout, and even steer at the helm, along with other seamanship skills,” said Captain Richard Bailey, “but most important, they’ll learn to be good shipmates and good citizens of their greater world.”
Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island (OHPRI), the non-profit organization responsible for the ship’s construction, has outfitted her with three classroom spaces: a science lab with tanks and water monitors, a traditional classroom outfitted with a library and a SmartBoard, and an historically-inspired Great Cabin – all in addition to the communal mess (dining area), galley, state rooms, engine room, chart house, fo’c’sle, and three dormitories.
Tentative schedule and itinerary (subject to change):
July 5 -18, two weeks from Newport, RI to Portland, ME for ages 12-15
July 26 – August 1, one week from Boston, MA to Newport for ages 15-18
August 2 – 15, two weeks from Newport to Boston for ages 15-18
August 16 – 22, one week from Boston to Newport for ages 12-15
Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Camp price is $1,600 for one week and $3,000 for two weeks, which includes tuition and all meals. For a reservation form, call 401-841-0080 or visit ohpri.org/teen-summer-camp. For more information, follow the ship at https://www.facebook.com/ohpri
Barby MacGowan at Media Pro International contributed to this report.
