Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "hawaiianchieftain"

Hawaiian Chieftain arrives in Sacramento for annual visit

2011-10-15T02:08:04Z

On Wednesday, Hawaiian Chieftain, a two-masted sailing ship modeled after typical European merchant traders from the late 18th century, tied up at Front and L streets in Old Sacramento. Tower Bridge is nearby, and the ship’s sails can be seen extending high into the sky when walking down the docks toward the water.

For most of the year, the Hawaiian Chieftain sails with the brigantine called Lady Washington along the West Coast. The Lady Washington is the official ship of Washington and has appeared in many films, such as, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”, “Starship Enterprise” and “Star Trek Generations”.The two ships are owned by the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, a nonprofit education-focused organization.

The Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington sail to 40 different ports throughout the year, educating people on the history of merchant trading, the work and responsibilities of sailors and teaching the basics of sailing.

“These boats are fantastic. People can come on and sail just like we do. We will teach them all that they will need to know to spend the afternoon sailing,” said Bosun Megan Grugett, her rank signifying a type of project manager for the ship.

This year, the Hawaiian Chieftain sailed from San Diego to Vancouver, Canada, stopping along the way to give tours of the ship and offering educational sailing excursions. The ship will stay docked in Sacramento until Dec. 13.

Groups can take a one- or three-hour sailing trip. The ship travels under Tower Bridge and, if water levels permit, under the Interstate-80 Bridge and onward down the river.

“Come on board and be in awe of this ship. It is not every day that you can see a ship like the Hawaiian Chieftain,” said Jas Malidore, a cook on the ship.

The sailing programs include hands-on experience maneuvering the sails and working on the decks learning how to give and take orders from one another. The crew members dress in 18th-century costumes and play the roles of old sailors.

They teach groups basic sailing language such as,

Beam: the width of the ship

Bow: the front of the ship

Stern: the rear of the ship

Astern: behind the boat

Port: the left side of the ship

Starboard: the right side of the ship

Masts: the tall poles that the sails are attached to

“They get to explore what it would have been like to live on a ship. It is a step back in time and is a really unique opportunity,” Capt. David Bonner III said. “Our goal is to have groups be completely hands-on and work as our deckhands. We want this to be the farthest thing from a classroom experience while still being educational.”

The groups are split up into three stations where they either learn about the lives of the sailors, the responsibilities of officers or about merchant trading. They are taught basic oceanography and navigation. Crew members teach about how sailors used to measure the speed of the boat, the time of day and the direction they were headed by use of 18th-century tools. They also teach sea shanties that they all sing together while working.

“The sea shanties, which are sailors’ work songs, have been passed down from experienced sailors to new ones. There are literally hundreds of these songs that can be traced back to the 17th century. They have been passed from boat to boat and from old sailors to young ones,” said Joe Follansbee, communications director for the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority.

The crew members on the Hawaiian Chieftain learned the songs from older sailors and from other boats that they have worked on, Follansbee said.They teach groups the songs to make working fun and to keep the shanties alive.

“The Bonny Ship” and “The Diamond and Spanish Ladies” are a couple of the crew’s favorite sea shanties to teach, Malidore said.

The ship ranges from having seven to 17 crew members and is a mixture of paid and volunteer sailors. The ship sails year-round and drops off and picks up crew members along the way. Many of the crew members’ first time sailing was on the Hawaiian Chieftain, but some had years of sailing experience prior to joining the crew. They learn from each other, books and experience.

“I am a nerd for boats. Maintenance-wise, I read books. I learned because I had to. It is my job to fix things or delegate maintenance, and so I have to know how to do it. So, I guess you just learn fast,”Grugett said .

Various crew members have been sailing on the Hawaiian Chieftain continuously for more than a year, while others have only been on for a short while. Nearly every day the crew takes groups out to sail, rain or shine, and when they aren’t giving tours or out sailing, the crew members are working to maintain the ship.

Built in 1988 out of steel, the ship is 103 feet, 9 inches long, 21 feet, 9 inches wide, and the main mast rises 75 feet above the deck. Hawaiian Chieftain has a very flat bottom that is designed to pull up on sandy beaches, similar to the Spanish explorers’ ships used in the 1700s to explore the west coast of North America.

The ship was originally designed by Ray Richards and commissioned by Lawrence H. Dorcy Jr. It took three years to build and finally set sail from Maui on June 12, 1988.

Hawaiian Chieftain was used to transport goods from one island to another. In 2009, the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority bought the ship as an addition to its educational programs.

There will be walk-on tours open to the public Monday through Thursday, 4p.m. - 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

The tours are self-guided, but crew members will be standing by to answer questions about the ship. People will be able to tour the entire ship, including the deck and the hull. They can look up and see the sails above their heads and feel the rock of the waves beneath their feet. They can place their hands on the old wooden ship’s wheel and feel the wear beneath their palms. They can go belowdecks and see the tight sleeping quarters of the crew, the kitchen and cabin room.

During the same time, people can climb up the mizzen mast, which extends 40 feet above the deck and look around from the platform near the top. They will see iconic Sacramento landmarks surrounding them, such as Tower Bridge, West Sacramento’s Pyramid Building and Old Sacramento.They can look down and see the deck below and look above to see the mast extend another 21 feet.

“We will put climbers in harnesses, and a crew member will accompany them to the top. It is worth the time and money. It’s beautiful up there,” Bonner III said.

Educational sailing programs for school groups, senior groups, service groups and church groups are offered, and spots are still available for reservations. Groups can be as large as 43 for sailing programs.

A $20 donation is suggested for climbing the mizzen mast. A $3 per-person donation is suggested for the walk-on tours.

No sailing programs are scheduled for the general public.

For more information about the Hawaiian Chieftain, visit its website here.

Audio slideshow above created by John Hernandez. The Hawaiian Chieftain crew members sings "The Bonnie Ship The Diamond," a traditional sea song.

Homeward Bound

2010-12-15T20:34:55Z

The Hawaiian Chieftain motors along the Sacramento River this morning towards the I-80 overpass and onward to the ocean as it heads home to Grays Harbor in Aberdeen, WA. The topsail ketch arrived in Old Sacramento October 15, 2010 to provide Adventure Sails and on-board tours.

For more information on Hawaiian Chieftain, CLICK HERE>>>

Sac Press Photo | Kati Garner

A Pirate's Life, Matey ?

2010-10-19T21:02:06Z

The Hawaiian Chieftain had arrived in Old Sacramento just minutes before I got there on Friday, October 15. Leaving Antioch earlier that day, they sailed seven hours to reach Sacramento.

They were hungry and had chores to do before they could call it a day.

So, I captured their end-of-sail work before they were told to 'stand-down', which means you are 'free to do what you wish.'

Six of the crew, four men and two women, secure the sails to the mast. They were way up there!

They all scurried up the rope ladders on each side of the ship to reach the mainsails.

The sails at the bow are secured in place.

Joel Ruud in the stern where maps and navigation tools are kept.

The ship's ropes are secured.

Dinner is prepared.

The mast before the sails were tied down.

The stern's exterior.

The crew in Sacramento are Captain Michael (Jake) Jacobson, Bellingham WA; Mate Nick Williams, Angwill CA; Education Officer Joel Ruud, Las Vegas NV; Bosun Sarah Baker, Bellingham WA; Engineer Don Johnson Eastsound WA; Cook Brandon Webber, Eugene OR; Topman Rachael Protas, Coupeville WA; Topman Rangi Ferris, Port Townsend WA and Topman Cutis Yu University Place WA.

"The Hawaiian Chieftain takes on new crew all the time," said Joel Ruud. "Someone can just stop by and say 'I'd like to sail with you."

They are directed to the ship's website: http://www.historicalseaport.org/ or call 800-200-5239.

Someone thinking they would like to be a crew member can learn what it's like to live on a tall ship for two weeks. If the lifestyle fits, anyone at least 16 years old may stay on as volunteer crew which can lead into becoming a paid crew member. Paid crew positons include the cook, captain, bosun, first mate, engineer, steward and purser.

Ruud, 18, says he's the youngest member in Sacramento. The average age range is 20-25. He says being a crew member is a great way to meet and work alongside interesting people from all over the world.

He explained a typical day aboard the Chieftain.

"The cook has breakfast ready for us around 7:30am." Ruud explained. "We go to the aft cabin for muster, which is our meeting before the day starts."

He says chores for the day include swabbing the deck, cleaning the cabins, ongoing maintenance and, of course, being open for tours while docked.

Once every two weeks is a day off. The Chieftain has 16 bunks, one shower and a washer/dryer on board.

During its stay in Old Sac it will be focused on educational programming, which will include sailing down the Sacramento River for K-12 students, home school groups, church groups, senior groups and youth service groups through Dec. 14.

For Halloween, the Hawaiian Chieftain invites all youthful zombies, inspiring superheroes, glamorous princesses, and piratical minions to drop by for tricks or treats from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31. Admission is free.

The topsail ketch is currently on the Old Sacramento riverfront in Sacramento, just north of the Tower Bridge.

For kids and parents unable to visit in the evening, the ship will be open for walk-on tours from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 31. Costumes are encouraged. Hawaiian Chieftain is also taking group reservations for a three-hour educational sailing experience from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. To make reservations on Hawaiian Chieftain, call 800-200-5239.

The ship's homeport is Grays Harbor, Washington.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

The Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority (GHHSA) is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) public development authority based in Aberdeen, Washington that owns and operates the tall ships Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington, the Official Ship of the State of Washington. GHHSA provides educational, vocational, recreational and ambassadorial activities and experiences that promote and preserve the maritime history of Grays Harbor, the Pacific Northwest, and our nation while serving the needs of the community.

Ahoy down there!

2009-12-13T03:27:13Z

A youngster climbs high aboard the Hawaiian Chieftain in Old Sacramento. Even with cloudy skies, the Chieftain is ready to sail.

According to Grays Harbor Historical Seaport:

"The topsail ketch Hawaiian Chieftain is a replica of a typical European merchant trader of the turn of the nineteenth century. Her hull shape and rigging are similar to those of Spanish explorer's ships used in the expeditions of the late 18th century along the Washington, Oregon, and California coasts. Built of steel in Hawaii in 1988 and originally designed for cargo trade among the Hawaiian Islands, her design was influenced by the early colonial passenger and coastal packets that carried on coastal trade along the Atlantic coastal cities and towns."

The Chieftain is docked in Old Sacramento. Tomorrow is the last day to enjoy a three-hour sailing adventure.

For more info, http://www.sacramento365.com/event/detail/41969

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner