Stavros S Niarchos (ship)

The Stavros S Niarchos is a British brig-rigged tall ship owned and operated by the Tall Ships Youth Trust. She is primarily designed to provide young people with the opportunity to undertake voyages as character-building exercises, rather than pure sail-training. She is also used for adult voyages and holidays, which help subsidise the operation of the ship.

Construction

In the late 1990s the two schooners (Malcolm Miller and Sir Winston Churchill) then owned by the Tall Ships Youth Trust (then called the Sail Training Association) were showing their age and becoming increasingly expensive to maintain. The hulls for the two new brigs (the Stavros and her sister ship, the Prince William) were obtained half-completed from another project in Germany. These were transported to Appledore Ship Yards in Devon, where they were modified to the TSYT's requirements, and fitted out. She was completed in January 2000. The rig was designed by Michael Willoughby, who wrote a few on the overall design of the brigs.

Maiden voyage

Following completion of sea trials she was handed over to the STA at Avonmouth Docks. She sailed for her maiden voyage, a training voyage for permanent and volunteer crew, on 13 February 2000. She arrived in Weymouth, UK three days later.

During that trip she encountered a south westerly gale as she came round Land's End. She achieved an indicated speed through the water of 14 knots under lower tops'ls and fore topmast stays'l alone.

Rig

The Stavros is...
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