Young Sailors Aboard the ST. LAWRENCE II Sail Into Lake Erie for Tall Ships Erie 2019 Festival

ERIE, Pa., May 16, 2019 (Newswire.com) - With a sailing crew of mostly 14 to 18-year-olds, ST. LAWRENCE II will be joining the tall ship line-up for the Tall Ships Erie 2019 festival.

The ST. LAWRENCE II was designed in 1952 by Francis MacLachlan and Mike Eames, who drew inspiration from the Outward Bound program, as well as the Brigantine YANKEE, for use in what is now the longest running youth sail training organization in the world. This Tall Ships summer camp, operated by TSEC - Brigantine, is open to any teen, ages 13 to 18, and aims to build confidence, strength, and leadership in youth participants while forging friendships, teamwork, and a sense of responsibility. The ship’s captain and the executive officer are typically the only crew members over 18 years of age while the watch officers, cook, bosun, and petty officers are often under 18.

Built by Kingston Shipyards in 1953, the ship has run consecutively every season since 1954, sailing the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River, The Maritimes, and New England. The 72-foot long Canadian ship’s home port resides in Kingston, Ontario.  It is a custom-built sailing ship created with a level of complexity to train and challenge youth to sail a traditionally rigged ship. Despite the smaller size, the design requires a high degree of teamwork and is meant to increase engagement among the young crew and foster appreciation for the natural world.

The ST. LAWRENCE II, sponsored by Team Hardinger, will be docked at the Holland Street Pier after the Parade of Sail on Thursday, Aug. 22. Tall Ships Erie 2019, presented by Highmark, will take place Aug. 22 - 25, 2019. The festival will showcase 14 tall ships, deck tours, day sails, live music and entertainment, children’s activities, a festival marketplace, food vendors, a beer garden and much more. To purchase tickets or for more information go to tallshipserie.org.

About Tall Ships America

Tall Ships America organizes the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® annual series of tall ship races and maritime port festivals to celebrate our rich maritime heritage and traditions and to inform the general public about the transformative power of adventure and education under sail®. In 2019, the tall ship races are officially sponsored by Erie Insurance. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania, Erie Insurance is a FORTUNE 500 company offering auto, home, business and life insurance through a network of more than 12,000 local independent ERIE agents.

Source: Visit Erie