The Hawaiian Chieftain is the companion to the Lady Washington Tall Ship and they have adventures together with Cannon Battles. Sail Sport Talk has been following both ships during the Pier 39 to Aberdeen Journey up the coast, which started in San Francisco in April 2019 and ends in Aberdeen in Nov 2019.
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Built of steel in Hawaii in 1988 and originally designed for cargo trade among the Hawaiian Islands, naval architect Raymond H. Richards’ design for Hawaiian Chieftain was influenced by the early colonial passenger and coastal packets that traded among Atlantic coastal cities and towns. The coastal packet service was part of the coasting trade based on mercantile activity of the developing seaboard towns. The early packet ships were regular traders and were selected because they sailed remarkably well and could enter small ports with their shallow draft. Out of the gradual development of the Atlantic packet ship hull form came the ship design practices that helped produce some of the best of the clipper ships of the later 1850s.
Hawaiian Chieftain was commissioned by Laurence H. “Baron” Dorcy, Jr., and constructed by Drake Thomas, owner of Lahaina Welding Co., Ltd. on the island of Maui. An article by artist and historian Herb Kane about Maui’s King Kahekili was Thomas’ inspiration for the name “Hawaiian Chieftain.” Master lofting was completed by Morgan Davies, with assistance from Raymond Richards.
Ship welding was performed by Morgan Davies, Ken Bear, Bill Purvis, Lionel Clemons and Oliver Pagttie. Ship’s rigging was undertaken by George Herbert, Ivan Hope and Jack Finney. Principal ship’s carpenters included Baron Thomas, Byron Rodin, Jack Swendson, Dan Roberts, Chris Longmire, Dan Howes and Neil Saulmier.
The machinery and propulsion professionals included Alan Fleming and Paul Gurdy, and the ship’s electrical systems were installed by Charles De Gruchy and Paul Dobbs. They were assisted by Doug Leppard, Lee Utke, Robert Hunziker, Carl Geringer, and others. Capt. Des Kearns played a key role as a project director from early 1987 until launch on June 12, 1988. Hawaiian Chieftain then sailed to Tahiti, other destinations in the South Pacific, and San Francisco. The ship was purchased by Capt. Ian MacIntyre of Central Coast Charters in Sausalito.
In 1993, Lady Washington joined Hawaiian Chieftain for their first mock sea battle on San Francisco Bay. 1996, GHHS formed a partnership with Central Coast Charters to continue working together. In Fall 2004, Hawaiian Chieftain was sold to Wolverine Motorworks of Fall River, Mass., and she was renamed Spirit of Larinda. GHHS purchased the vessel in October 2005.
Hawaiian Chieftain now joins Lady Washington, the Official Ship of the State of Washington, in bringing education programs and tall ship sailing to communities along the west coast throughout the year. Hawaiian Chieftain is a U.S. Coast Guard inspected and certified passenger sailing vessel.