Californian (schooner)

For other ships of the same name, see Californian (ship).

The Californian The Californian
Career (USA)
Name:	Californian
Owner:	Maritime Museum of San Diego
Builder:	Melbourne Smith, designer; Jayford Hazell/Nautical Heritage Society, builder
Launched:	1984
Homeport:	San Diego, CA
General characteristics
Type:	Topsail Schooner
Displacement:	129 t
Length:	145 ft (44 m) sparred length; 93.5 ft (28.5 m) on deck
Beam:	24 ft (7 m)
Height:	145 ft (44 m)
Draught:	9.5 ft (2.9 m)
Notes:	7,000 sq ft (700 m2) sail area; wood hull

Californian was built in 1984 as a replica of the revenue service cutter C.W. Lawrence, which operated off the Californian coast in the 1850s. On July 23, 2003, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Bill No. 965, making her the "official state tall ship" of California.

Originally commissioned by the Nautical Heritage Society, she has flown the flag of California up and down the coast and in ports ranging from Hawaii, Mexico, and the East Coast. She also represented the state at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The model for her figurehead was actress Catherine Bach, who was chosen as she was descended from one of the state's early families.

Recently acquired by the Maritime Museum of San Diego, she underwent a complete overhaul and has now returned to providing sail training and sea educational programs up and down the Californian coast.

See also

• Schooner
• Rigging
• List of U.S. state ships
• List of schooners
• SS Californian

The public can go on a sail every Saturday in the summer. The ship leaves the dock at noon and returns at 4:00 pm. The route she takes is through the channel of San Diego harbor on a West, then WSW heading past the Pt. Loma lighthouse to the open ocean. On a good day, she will raise sails and head out directly from the dock. Warm jackets are recommended.

External links

• The San Diego Maritime Museum
• The Nautical Heritage Society
• The American Sail Training Association