Salem Builds a Tall Ship

The Friendship News, September 19, 1997

FRIENDSHIP of Salem
Courtesy of the Peabody Essex Museum

Friendship, a reconstruction of a 171-foot three-masted Salem East Indiaman built in 1797, is currently under construction at Scarano Boat Building in Albany, NY, and is scheduled to arrive sometime in the spring of 1998 at the National Park Service's Salem Maritime National Historic Site in Salem. She will be the largest wooden, Coast Guard certified, sailing vessel to be built in New England in more than a century.

Check out the sail and deck plans (java required)

Construction on the original Friendship was begun in 1796 by shipbuilder, Enos Briggs, known for the Frigate Essex, at his shipyard across from today's Salem Maritime National Historic Site. The original three-masted, square-rigged, 342- ton vessel, Friendship, was registered in 1797 to merchants Jerathmiel Peirce and Aaron Waite.

She travelled the world trading for exotic spices, sugar and coffee, making 16 voyages to China, Java, Sumatra, Madras, London. Hamburg, Archangel, St.Petersburg, and other European ports. She was captured by the British in the War of 1812. The Peabody Essex Museum houses the ship logs for several of her voyages, as well as Aaron Waite's shipping papers detailing information about the ship's accounts.

The new Friendship will stay closer to home so that everyone can come aboard. The presence of this vessel at Derby Wharf will provide fascinating educational opportunities for visitors to the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. On special occasions she'll sail as Essex County's flagship, visiting ports along our coast to join in maritime festivals and events.

She will be U.S. Coast Guard certified to carry 149 passengers and to be a sail training vessel. She is designed to be historically correct in appearance, dimension and materials, but will utilize modern techniques for cost-effective maintenance and long life. Her sails will be made out of synthetic material, hemp-encased steel will be used for the rigging, and her hull will be protected by epoxy resins.

There are several ways you can help Friendship.

• Order from our Friendship Holiday Gift Catalog
• Friends of Friendship has been introduced offering a way for thousands
  of members to join in the fund raising while receiving many benefits!
• Our Engraved Brick Program has been modified.
• There is also a Pledge Card for other contributions.