Bristol Gets Tall Ship Preview

Before the hundreds of majestic ships sail into Newport Harbor for the , Bristol will get a preview of the.

The Picton Castle, a three-masted tall ship based in Nova Scotia, Canada, will be docked in Bristol Harbor from June 23 through July 4. Bristol Town Dock Master Joe Cabral will be hosting the ship and its crew on the west side of the Church Street dock for the entire stay.

The Picton Castle, with Captain Daniel Moreland and 25-30 crew members, will arrive for the 11-day stay in Bristol Harbor before continuing on to Newport for the Ocean State Tall Ships Festival.

The Picton Castle is a 179-foot barque with a riveted steel hull, clear oiled-pine decks, steel masts and wooden and steel yards. It is powered by more than 12,000 square feet of sail, or a 690 horse-power deisel engine when needed. The ship is based in the Cook Islands, in the South Pacific, and is owned and operated by the Windward Isles Sailing Ship Company, Ltd. The Picton's mission is deep-ocean sail training and long-distance education, as well as bringing supplies and educational materials to remote islands in the South Pacific.

Several events are planned aboard ship during its time in town, including a  marine industry event for 100 guests co-hosted by the Bristol Harbor Master and the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association on July 2. Anyone interested in becoming a member of RIMTA is invited to attend the event. Contact Wendy at 401-396-9619 for an invitation.

Captain Moreland will also be offering an introductory Bosun School for anyone 15 and older with an interest in advancing their skills in the marine trades. The 10-day course will include all the basics, including rigging skills, parceling and serving, coatings and mixtures, knots and splices, small boat handling under sail, power and oar, basic sail making, seizing and wire splicing. The class runs from June 24 to July 3, 2012. Call 401-396-9619 for more information.

The ship has a 12-person professional crew and up to 40 trainees who function as apprentice deckhands. Crew members sail and maintain the ship, and stand watch around the clock at sea and in port, so the ship is never left unattended.

For more information on the Picton Castle, go to www.picton-castle.com. For more information on Rhode Island Marine Trades Association, go to www.rimta.org.