116px spacer 720px spacer 166px spacer

More than 900 pages indexed

Airplanes and Rockets
Contact me for requests
- Kirt Blattenberger -
AMA 92498
Copyright  1996 - 2013
Please add a
hyperlink to the
Airplanes and Rockets
website. Thank-you!
Articles: Air Trails
American Modeler
American Aircraft Modeler
Popular Electronics

Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009

Docked at Dobbins Landing, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and RocketsOn July 3, 2009, Melanie and I treated our daughter, Sally, and her husband, Matt, to a day sail adventure aboard the Flagship Niagara, based here in her home port of Erie, Pennsylvania. The day was perfect, with winds at around 10 knots on Lake Erie, temperatures were in the mid 70s, and an overcast sky that kept the sweat factor to a minimum. We set sail from Dobbins Landing, which is next-door to the Brig Niagara's home dock at the Erie Maritime Museum. Pictures of our adventure are below, and a nice overview video produced by Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is at the bottom. There is also a video I made of an actual cannon firing demonstration. Captain Walter Rybka was in command.

From the ship's website: "Flagship of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Flagship Niagara is also a major museum “exhibit” when in homeport. The Niagara in Erie, Pennsylvania, is a reproduction of the relief flagship of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry in a major naval battle of the War of 1812. On September 10, 1813, nine small ships – six of them, including Niagara, constructed in Erie – defeated a British squadron of six vessels in the Battle of Lake Erie. A pivotal event in the War of 1812, it secured the Northwest Territory, opened supply lines and lifted the nation’s morale. The Flagship Niagara is a two-masted, square-rigged sailing vessel. In 1813 she had a crew of 155 men who manned her sails, 18 carronades and 2 long guns. Today’s Niagara sails with a crew of 40 (16 professional, 24 volunteer), and carries two 32-pounder carronades. Original 1813 timbers, which were recovered from the 1913 and 1933 reconstructions, are incorporated into her construction. "

Brig Niagara docked at Dobbins Landing, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
Brig Niagara docked at
Dobbins Landing
Kirt, Melanie, Sally & Matt ready to set sail, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
Kirt, Melanie, Sally & Matt ready to
set sail on the Brig Niagara
15 stars on the U.S. flag during the 1812 era, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
15 stars on the U.S. flag during
the 1812 era
Preparing to fire the cannon, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
Preparing to fire the cannon
Crew unfurling the sails, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
Crew unfurling the sails
View looking up the main mast, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
View looking up the main mast
Setting the mainsail, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
Setting the mainsail
Kirt, Sally & Matt doing the heavy lifting
Captain Walter Rybka gives instruction prior to setting sail, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
Captain Walter Rybka gives
instruction prior to setting sail
A masterpiece of rigging, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
A masterpiece of rigging
 Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
Chicken stew dinner being served -
boy was it good!
Taking it easy during dinner, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
Taking it easy during dinner
Melanie and Sally below decks, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
Melanie and Sally below decks -
Melanie is always cold
Melanie, Sally, and Matt at the pier, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
Melanie, Sally, and Matt at the pier
Matt testing the hammock, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
Matt testing the hammock
On a tack - note the angle of the horizon, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets
On a tack -
note the angle of the horizon



Brig Niagara Video Tour Produced by Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

 

 

Cannon Firing Demonstration on Brig Niagara



Posted  7/23/2012

 

 
Family Websites
Equine Kingdom
Doggy Dynasty
Divide and Conquer
RF Cafe
South Mountain Plantation
All trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other rights of ownership to images and text used on the Airplanes and Rockets website are hereby acknowledged. If you own material used here and want it to be removed, please send an e-mail stating so.

Copyright 1996 - 2013

Webmaster: Kirt Blattenberger, BSEE

About Airplanes and Rockets Homepage - Supermodel Melanie Blattenberger holding my Aquila Spirit glider
My lovely enabler, Melanie

Your Host

Kirt Blattenberger
Kirt Blattenberger with E-flight Taylorcraft on Snow Skis - Airplanes and Rockets

Carpe Diem!
(Seize the Day!)