The Stavros S Niarchos is a British brig rigged tall ship owned and operated by the Tall Ships Youth Trust . She is primarily designed to provide young people with the opportunity to undertake voyages as character building exercises, rather than pure sail-training. She is also used for adult voyages and holidays, which help subsidise the operation of the ship.

Construction

In the late 1990s the two schooners (Malcolm Miller and Sir Winston Churchill ) owned by the Tall Ships Youth Trust (then called the Sail Training Association ) were showing their age and becoming increasingly expensive to maintain. The hulls for the two new brigs (the Stavros and her sister ship the Prince William ) were obtained half-completed from another project in Germany. These were transported to Appledore Ship Yards in Devon, where they were modified to the TSYT's requirements, and fitted out. She was completed in January 2000.

Maiden Voyage

Following completion of sea trials she was handed over to the STA at Avonmouth Docks. She sailed for her maiden voyage, a training voyage for permanent and volunteer crew, on 13 February 2000. She arrived in Weymouth, UK three days later.

Rig

The Stavros is a brig, that is a two masted vessel with square sails on both mosts. She carries five yardarms on each mast, and a total of 18 sails. In good conditions she has managed speeds of just over 13 knots.

External Links

• http://www.tallships.org/document.asp?cat=696&doc=6603 Information on the ships from the Tall Ships Youth Trust's site