Rhode Island’s Official Education Sailing Vessel Oliver Hazard Perry has run into production delays and will push back its sea trials to the fall of this year. As a result of this change, Perry trips scheduled for this summer and fall will be sailed aboard the three-masted 270-foot topsail schooner Mystic, with Perry’s master, Richard Bailey as captain.
The two Ocean Navigator offshore navigation cruises set for Sept. 21 to 27 and Sept. 28 to Oct. 6 will sail on Mystic. Rather than voyaging to Bermuda and back, the seminars on celestial navigation and weather will take place during a week-long passage from Newport to Portland, Maine, on Sept. 21 to 27. A second week-long on-the-water seminar will involve a return passage from Portland to Newport, Sept. 28 to Oct. 6.
Work continues on Perry and it was hauled out at Newport Shipyard on April 24. The ship is having exterior work below its waterline completed. This work will include installation of thru-hull penetrations for seawater intakes, replacement of zinc anodes, painting the bottom and topsides, and inspection of propellers and shafts.
During the last year, while Oliver Hazard Perry was at Senesco Marine in North Kingstown, R.I., extensive work was completed on its interior, including plumbing, electrical wiring, insulation, machinery installation, and welding. On the exterior, cap rails have been added, the anchor hawse pipes and spurling pipes have been built, the bowsprit extended, a deck doubler for the anchor windlass has been built. Various ventilation pipes have been installed on deck.
