Hawaiian Chieftan participating in the 2008 Tacoma Tall Ships Festival |
|
| Career (United States) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Hawaiian Chieftain |
| Operator: | Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority |
| Builder: | Lahaina Welding Co. by Captain Morgan Davies |
| Laid down: | 1988, Lahaina, Hawaii |
| Launched: | June 12, 1988 |
| Homeport: | Aberdeen, Washington |
| Notes: | Designed by Raymond R. Richards |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Square Topsail Ketch |
| Displacement: | 64 tons |
| Length: | 103 ft (31 m) sparred length 65 ft (20 m) on deck 62 ft (19 m) at waterline |
| Beam: | 22 ft (7 m) |
| Height: | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Draft: | 5.5 ft (1.7 m) |
| Notes: | Sail area is 4,200 sq ft (390 m2) Steel hull |
Hawaiian Chieftain is the name of a sailing vessel briefly known as the Spirit of Larinda. Built in 1988 in Lahaina on the island of Maui, the Hawaiian Chieftain is a contemporary interpretation of a traditional design. She is unique with the rig of an 19th century trading vessel and a modern triple keel, shallow draft hull. Drawing only 5.5 feet (1.7 m), she is highly maneuverable in shallow waters.[1]
The Hawaiian Chieftain was commissioned by Laurence H. Dorcy, Jr., designed by nautical architect Ray Richards, and built by Morgan Davies for project manager Gsylord Drake Thomas on the island of Maui;[2] under its paint, her bowsprit bears the inscription "Lahaina Welding Co." She was based in Sausalito, CA for many years, sailing up and down the coast with the Lady Washington on Voyages of ReDiscovery, providing hands-on history programs teaching 4th and 5th graders about the exploration and trade along the West Coast in the 1790s.
In the winter of 2004, she was sold to a Cape Cod sailing program and renamed the Spirit of Larinda; however, due to the suicide of her owner, she remained inactive. In October 2005, the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, owner of Lady Washington, purchased her to add to its fleet. Returning to her original identity as the Hawaiian Chieftain, she joined up with the Lady Washington on February 25, 2006 and is now providing joint education and sail training up and down the west coast of the United States. [3]