‘Stad Amsterdam’ Is Out the Gate and Now Bound for Hawaii
The damp arrival of the Stad Amsterdam on March 6 was a sharp contrast to the brilliant sunshine of her breezy departure on Sunday morning. The San Francisco fireboat escorted her from the Bay Bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge as she motored upwind around Alcatraz toward Angel Island to follow the outbound shipping lane, and to get a better angle for those big, square sails in the northwesterly breeze coming over the headlands. It was a tight course requiring auxiliary power to keep her bow pointed toward the open ocean against the flood.
We were hoping to see all 31 sails set, but brisk headwinds made that difficult to accomplish. Watching her exit had us imagining the challenges faced by 19th-century clipper ships that had to leave the Bay against headwinds, without auxiliary power. Maneuvering a ship that doesn’t go to weather well and is slow to turn, while at the whim of the wind and current, must have been a nerve-wracking experience. We’ve often found ourselves in tricky situations with a much simpler and more nimble boat.
The Bay Area’s tall ship, the Matthew Turner, was also up early with sails set for the Stad Amsterdam sendoff. The steel-hulled Stad Amsterdam was launched in 2000, while the wooden-hulled, Sausalito-built Matthew Turner was launched in spring 2017. They both were built by dreamers with a vision to preserve maritime heritage, while using the ships to give youth an opportunity to learn the lessons of the sea and explore opportunities for a more sustainable future.
The ship has a long way to go before they get back home to Amsterdam, where they plan to join SAIL Amsterdam 2025. The event expects 800 ships and 2.3 million visitors to the 10th annual tall ship festival, which coincides with the 750th anniversary of Amsterdam as the capital of the Netherlands.
While you’re unlikely to find a tall ship in our Classy Classifieds, you can browse for a smaller, new-to-you boat, or sell your current boat by listing here.
Bon voyage ! And come back again :^)
Gorgeous photos!
We saw Stad Amsterdam docked under the Bay Bridge and then sail under the Golden Gate from Aquatic Cove. Was the ship open for touring?
It was open for tours just one day on Tuesday, March 12th. https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/2024/03/18/#local-sailor-stad-amsterdam-28-day-passage
It was great seeing Stad Amsterdam on our recent trip to the Bay Area from our boat in Mexico. We hope to do a leg on her this fall after we park Triumph in Ensenada prior to our own Hawaii passage.
Will it be open for tours and/or a sail when she gets to Hawaii?
Thanks for bringing this beautiful vessel to light. And thanks to the dreamers, volunteers, donors, captains and crew that built brigantine Matthew Turner to keep maritime heritage alive on the Bay.
Bon Voyage! And cheers to my brother-in-law Michael Rodgers who’s on board. -Sydney Doherty
Tacoma will be cheering. Roby
I was a member of a Racing Crew from the Storm Trysail Yacht Club that chartered the Stad in 2005 and raced her across the Atlantic in the Rolex Challenge Cup. We did not win, but had a great time, she is a beauty. When it’s blowing 30+ and she has all her sails up and your trucking 16Knt’s through 25 foot seas she is a sight to behold!!
Sail fast sail safe! Have a wonderful experience
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It’s an interesting perspective, though we’re at a bit of a loss as to how the boatswain’s mate should reply to this nautical word salad.
I wish we had a like-button here. 😄
So beautiful!