The
Ship> Design
& Construction
photo - Daan Muller
 The Spirit of South Carolina possesses a proud, unique heritage. This ship descends from a line of swift, able schooners that served the coastal and harbor pilots along the southeast coast from the mid 1700’s to the early 1900’s. In weather both fair and foul, the intrepid mariners who sailed these vessels were responsible for the safe arrival of merchant ships bearing so many important goods and passengers.
The ship is a pilot Schooner reminiscent of the Frances Elizabeth, a vessel that was originally built by the Samuel J. Pregnall & Bros. Shipyard. Shipyard in Charleston in 1879. Plans for the Frances Elizabeth, from which the new ship has been adapted, were found in the Smithsonian Institute. The ship's towering rig, huge wooden booms, and traditional sails and rigging are an impressive sight.
Mark Bayne, owner of Sea Island Shipwrights in Charleston, South Carolina, was the Master Shipwright in charge of building the Spirit of South Carolina. She was constructed from several types of woods traditionally used in shipbuilding, including: live oak, Angelique, long-leaf yellow pine, Sapele, Purple Heart and Douglas fir. For safety she has two Cummins Diesel engines and carries the latest electronic communication and navigational technology.
Ship Specifications
Launched on March 4, 2007, the Spirit of South Carolina is certified by the United States Coast Guard. The Spirit of South Carolina flies the United States flag and is inspected and certified by the United States Coast Guard. The ship operates as a Sailing School Vessel (SSV) under Title 46, Subchapter R of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Sailing School Vessels are required to meet stringent safety standards that differ from those of a passenger vessel on a comparable route. The Spirit of South Carolina meets or exceeds the safety requirements for its classes.
Vessel Type: Two-masted schooner
Designers: Tri-Coastal Marine
Master Shipwright: Mark Bayne, Sea Island Shipwrights
Construction: Traditional methods using yellow pine planking
Spars: Laminated Douglas Fir
Length on Deck: 90.7 feet
Length at Waterline: 88 feet
Length Overall: 140 feet
Beam: 23.7 feet
Draft: 10.3 feet
Displacement: 150 tons
Hull Speed: 12.5 knots
Complement: 30 (overnight with Crew)
50 (daysail with Crew)
Sail Area: Main - 1883 s.f
Fore - 1357 s.f.
Maintop - 259 s.f
Staysail - 954 s.f.
Jib - 745 s.f
Power: Twin Cummins 230-horsepower diesel engines
Certifications: USCG Certified Passenger Vessel (subchapterT) and Sailing School Vessel (subchapter R)
Cruising Waters: North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and the Canadian Maritimes
photos - Norman Walsh, Michele Powell
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