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Flagship Brig 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

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

Crew unfurling the sails, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets 

Crew unfurling the sails 

Setting the mainsail, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets 

Setting the mainsail Kirt, Sally & Matt doing the heavy lifting 

A masterpiece of rigging, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets 

A masterpiece of rigging 

Taking it easy during dinner, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets 

Taking it easy during dinner 

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  

Brig Niagara Video Tour Produced by Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

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 

Preparing to fire the cannon, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets 

Preparing to fire the cannon 

 View looking up the main mast, Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets

View looking up the main mast 

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 

 Flagship Niagara Day Sail on July 3, 2009 - Airplanes and Rockets 

Chicken stew dinner being served - boy was it good! 

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 

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 

Cannon Firing Demonstration on Brig Niagara

 

 

Posted March 25, 2022
(updated from original post on 7/23/2012)

About Airplanes & Rockets 

Kirt Blattenberger, Webmaster - Airplanes and RocketsKirt Blattenberger

Carpe Diem! (Seize the Day!)

Even during the busiest times of my life I have endeavored to maintain some form of model building activity. This site has been created to help me chronicle my journey through a lifelong involvement in model aviation, which all began in Mayo, MD ...

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